Tag Archives: VWTC

Bodegas Mas Alta Cirerets 2020, Priorat DOCa, Spain

06 Saturday Jan 2024

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


For the third wine of the tasting we opened this Grenache/Carignan blend from Priorat.  I was excited for this wine and it did not disappoint.  Medium ruby colored with high viscosity (15.5% ABV).  The nose had medium (+) intensity aromas of game, smoke, musk, black cherry, black pepper, leather, blackberry, anise and was a touch jammy.  Very interesting and earthy/meaty.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, medium  (-) tannins and a full body.  Not quite as jammy on the palate it still showed its gamy side with dark fruit and leather supporting.  It turned a bit dusty and the tannins seemed very powdery on the mid palate.  An ethereal sensation imho.  The long finish closed out this $40 wine that garnered 17 points on our tasting sheet and a technical score of 93 making it a 5 star effort.  I would drink this beauty till 2030 with some lighter meat dishes or even a roast duck.  Salut….

Quinta do Crasto Superior 2016, Douro, Portugal

06 Saturday Jan 2024

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


This is the third time I have tasted the Crasto Superior 2016.  It started out horribly the first time I drank it in 2022, the second bottle being far better so I ordered this one for our tasting group in hopes it would redeem itself.  Deep ruby colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose had aromas of blueberry, violets, vanilla, black cherry and was a touch jammy.  On the palate it had medium acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.  Flavors of blueberry jam, tart cherry and powdery cocoa greeted us.  The finish was medium (-) in length.  I wrote to drink this bottle now as I feel the structure has nearly reached its end game.  At 11 points from on our grading sheet it was unimpressive, until later.  This wine opened up nicely over the next few hours and I have upgrade my initial score of 88 points to 90.  We paid $24 for it and I would say it’s a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbes Alsace, France

06 Saturday Jan 2024

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


We tasted this wine at the 34th Virtual Wine tasting event, served both chilled and at room temp.  Pale yellow with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose gave us aromas of petrol, lanolin, anise, yellow apple, ripe pear, pink grapefruit and lychee.  I made a side note say it smelled waxy and oily.  The palate is dry with high acidity and a medium body.  The petrol, wax and lanolin are immediately discernible followed by lemon, yellow apple, green apple and a sweet tart note from one of the group.  It finishes medium (+) in length with cutting acidity.   I gave it 16 points on our grading sheet.  The room temperature glass was a different beast, some preferred it over the chilled but I was unimpressed with its more muted nose and palate.  It seemed funky and medicinal but I still got petrol and citrus.  It felt heavier on the palate and displayed more acidity which was interesting/counterintuitive.  The finish was curt.  I gave it 10.5 points on our grading scale.   Overall I think this is a beautiful wine that needs to be served chilled.  It gets 92 points from me and for $24 a bottle- 5 stars.  I might need more!  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

Kanonkop Estate Pinotage 2020, Stellenbosch, South Africa

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Closing out the 33rd virtual wine tasting was this Pinotage from South Africa.  Deep ruby colored it showed high viscosity (14% ABV) and a slight staining on the walls.  Coffee aromas dominated the initial sniff followed by soy sauce, leather, sesame seed (?), black currant, black cherry, orange peel and blackberry.  Medium (+) acidity and medium tannins with a full body made for a lovely mouthfeel.  Flavors mimicked the nose with the addition of a ripe bramble note.  The wine finished medium-long and garnered 17 points on my sheet.  Technically speaking , this $48 effort gets 92 points from me, and 4 stars.  Drink till 2033 with roast game.  Salut….

Chateau du Petit Thouars Chinon Rouge L’Epee 2018, Loire, France

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


Our second red wine of the 33rd tasting was this stunning Cabernet Franc.  Deep ruby colored with a medium viscosity (14.5% ABV) and slight staining of the walls.  Right off the bat I smelled green peppers followed by chocolate, funk, cranberry, cigar, tobacco, leather, charcoal and a perfumed scent.  On the palate it has medium (+) acidity coupled with medium (+) tannins and a full body.  Flavor-wise it gave us chocolate covered cherry, cranberry and some tertiary notes that we got on the nose.  It has developed rapidly, shedding fruit for age influenced aromas and flavors- which I love.  The finish was long, which added points to this already delicious wine.  It turned out to be the wine of the night for most of us.  19/20 on the score sheet and a technical rating of 93 made this $21 bottle a 5 star winner.  I might order more!  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Giant Steps Pinot Noir 2021, Yarra Valley, Australia

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Next up at the 33rd virtual tasting was this lovely Pinot.  I drank this a few months ago at a birthday dinner and loved it, hence the re-taste for our group.  It’s a pale garnet color with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Medium (+) intensity aromas of strawberry kick things off followed by barnyard funk, cranberry, strawberry, strawberry shortcake and ‘cardboard box filled with cherries’ from one of the tasters.  On the palate it is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (-) tannins.  A Medium (-) body carries the delicious cherry, strawberry, baking spice and pomegranate flavors through to a medium length finish.  I enjoyed tasting this wine again, perhaps not as much as the first time but gave it 15 points on our sheet and a 92 rating.  For $43 it gets 4 stars from me.  Drink with lighter meat dishes till 2030.  Yummy stuff.  Salut….

Ixsir Grande Reserve White 2019, Batroun, Lebanon

18 Saturday Nov 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


We tasted this Viognier based blend last night at the 33rd Virtual Wine Tasting event.  As per usual it was scored at room temp as well as chilled.  We normally see a preference for room temp whites but this bottle was the opposite.

Pale lemon with high viscosity (14.6% ABV).  Medium (-) aromas of minerality, honeysuckle, peach, pear and nectarine.  The palate was dry with medium (+) acidity and a full body.  Stone fruit dominant there were also flavors of honeysuckle and that rocky minerality.  A medium (-) length finish detracted some points for an overall rating of 10 for me on our scoring sheet.

Served chilled- the wine really took on its own with more noticeable peach, a touch of lemon and that honeysuckle.  On the palate is was slightly less acidic but fuller bodied, opposite of what I was imagining would happen.  The palate mirrored the nose with the addition of a pithy bitterness towards the mid palate.  The finish seemed to linger longer and the wine scored higher, 12 on the sheet.  Overall this is a 91 point wine for me and at $24, it gets 4 stars.  Grilled salmon or a Cornish hen would pair nicely.  Drink till 2030. Salut….

Chateau Larcis Ducasse 2009, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

07 Monday Aug 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


This stunning Bordeaux was the last wine of the 32nd virtual tasting- everyone loved it (except the lawyer, she’s funny).  Deep ruby/garnet with high viscosity legs and slight staining (14.5% ABV).  The nose blew me away- leather, tobacco, forest floor, stable yard, stewed tomato, dried blackberry and that tell-tale aroma I love…. Cassis.  The palate had medium acidity, medium tannins that were so finely integrated and a full body- it was super rich.  The flavors and aromas matched and this wine was seamless and balanced.  A real treat to drink a 14 year old wine that is at peak and delivers such ethereal sensations.  By far one of my most memorable bottles.  I gave it 20 points on our score sheet and would echo the pro’s- this is a 95-96 point wine for sure.  It will drink beautifully over the next decade.  I would pair this Merlot based blend with braised beef cheeks or another hearty dish worthy of its power.  At $130, it’s a bit pricy but hey…. you only live once.  5 stars. Salut….

Egervin Egri Bikaver Bulls Blood 2020, Eger, Hungary

07 Monday Aug 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,


Next up at our tasting was this interesting red from Hungary.  I have read in numerous books about the Bull’s Blood, a blend of Blaufrankish, aka Kekfrankos, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Oporto. In the glass- medium ruby colored with low viscosity which belied the 12% ABV.  On the nose we got butterscotch, super ripe cherry, new leather, vanilla, caramel, licorice, cedar funk and a medicinal note (quite complex with lots of wood derived notes).  On the palate it had medium acidity, medium (-) tannins and a light body, as was to be expected.  Sour cherry dominated the palate along with grape, licorice, funk, neutral white oak and burnt raisin. It finished medium and had several people scratching their heads.  It was way more complex than I was expecting and was a real treat- especially at $10.  I gave it a respectable 14 points and on a technical side- 90.  5 stars for sure and a must try if you’ve never had this blend.  Drink now.  Salut….

 

Cordero di Montezemolo Langhe Arneis 2021, Piedmont, Italy

07 Monday Aug 2023

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


At the 32nd virtual wine tasting we started off with this Arneis, tasted chilled and at room temp.  The attendees found this wine to be pale lemon colored with medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  Aromas and flavors of almond, pineapple, apricot, marzipan, peach and pear we evident in the chilled version.  On the palate- medium acidity and a medium (-) body that led to a short finish.  I scored it 11 points on our scale and would assign an 89 point technical rating.  The room temperature version was much more floral, but fruit-wise only the peach and pear notes came across the nose along with some honey and hazelnut.  On the palate it tasted fuller bodied and had some citrus notes by way of lemon peel in addition to pear.  I did not care as much for it at room temp- 9 points and its technical rating dropped to an 88.  For $20 it gets 3 stars from me.  Drink now with grilled fish or a shrimp salad.  Salut….