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2017 Ottella Lugana Le Creete, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a wine made from the Trebbiano grape on the shores of Lake Garda from the Lugano DOC.  Light golden in color.  Lovely nose of tropical fruit, slight grassiness and underlying minerality.  Very Sauvginon-like.  On the palate, this is round and slightly oily.  Velvety.  Very nice texture.   NIce acidity.  Just a bit of lemony fruit with good minerality.  Nice finish.  Very food friendly and a crowd favorite.  

2015 K Vintners Syrah The Hidden Northridge Vineyard, USA, Washington, Wahluke Slope, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This is quite good but needs a bit of cellar time to hit its potential.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, roasted meats, leather and slight white pepper.  It seems tight and tannic on the palate.  With air it has pretty sweet black raspberry fruit with some charred meat and an underlying mineral streak.  Good finish.  This has plenty of upside but if drinking before 2020, give it a nice decant.  

2015 K Vintners Syrah The Beautiful, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A

This is 97% Syrah with 3% viognier cofermented from the Powerline Vineyard.  This drinks in the style of the Northern Rhone but with a new world flair that works.  It should improve with a few years of cellaring.  Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives and a nice minerality lurking in the backround.  On the palate, this is softer in texture.  Nice black raspberry fruit, slight black pepper and underlying char.  Slight tannins that come out more with air.  Good finish.  This needs heartier foods but has the acidity to work well them.  

2015 K Vintners Cabernet Syrah Powerline Vineyard, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+

Stunning bottle of wine.  100% Syrah.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, slight black pepper, a nice earthy note.  With air, some black olives emerge along with a nice mineral backbone.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Black raspberries, black licorice, and underlying char and minerals.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This is intense, and concentrated and will need a few years to really open up but it is drinking great today.  It needs hearty or spiced foods.  Fantastic with upside.  

2015 K Vintners The Boy, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Wine is subjective and this wine got some huge reviews from major critics.  I can't get quite that far.  This is a good wine though.  100% Grenache from Powerline Vineyard.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is cherry cough syrup but in a good way.  Not over the top.  Also some smoke and a bit of leather.  On the palate, the cherry cough syrup predominates.  That is to say, thick, slightly sweet, with alcohol.  There is some underlying char.  Warm on the finish.  One glass goes a long way and this would work by the fire on a cold night.  It might be a difficult food match.  YMMV.  

2015 K Vintners The Creator, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, black raspberries, and sandal wood.  Also an herbal note that was hard to describe.  A fellow taster said green olives and that is not too far off.  On the palate, the Syrah seem to dominate although this is an 80/20 blend of Cabernet and Syrah.  Black raspberries, an underlying char and some black olive notes.  A very nice texture although a bit soft.  The finish is a bit bitter black raspberry but not in a bad way.  Overall, an excellent wine.  It improved with air and more Cab notes seem to come out.  It will be interesting to see how this ages.  

2001 Château Troplong Mondot, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

At peak.  Purple/ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has nice cherries with some cassis and cigar box.  On the palate, some complexity.  Nice texture.  Juicy cherries with some cassis and underlying slight cocoa dust and tobacco.  Nice finish.  This is about as good as this wine will be.  Reasonably food friendly for medium and heavier foods.  

1998 Château Nenin, France, Bordeaux, Pomerol, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1998
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

Nice enough wine but seems to be a bit past prime.  Ruby in color, slight bricking at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, slight cedar and slight spice.  On the palate, this is straightforward.  Cherries.  no tannins.  Good balance.  Very food friendly.  A nice Bordeaux for the dinner table.  

1982 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

From Magnum.  This has held up nicely and is drinking well.  Like and older Bordeaux.  Ruby in color, slight bricking at the rim.  The nose is nice with cassis and cherries along with some tobacco and dust.  On the palate, this has layers of fruit and earthy forest floor.  Good balance.  This seems very food friendly.  Probably a bit past prime at this point, but still with lots to offer.  

2012 Sine Qua Non Grenache Stein, USA, California, Central Coast, Ventura, Wine review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries, black cherries and black raspberries with baking spice and a bit of pepper.  Full bodied with a great texture.  Nice backbone of acidity.  On the palate, black raspberries with some black cherries.  This is young and needs a few years to develop but quite tasty right now.  Not a monster wine by any means.  Will work with medium and big foods.  

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