Recent articles

2019 Mas de Valeriole Beauduc, France,

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is labelled as a Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône Terre de Camargue from the southern part of France near Arles.  It is made from the Marselan grape which is a crossing of Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, no sulfites were utilized.  Purple/ruby in color.

2018 Affinitás Furmint, Hungary, Tokaji, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is a dry wine made from mostly Furmint in Hungary.  It is actually a blend of 85% Furmint, 7% Hárslevelű, 5% Yellow Muscat and 3% Kabar.  Pale golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has nice peach notes with a bit of a floral quality.  Medium bodied with a slightly oily texture.  On the palate, the peach comes thru with a strong but balanced acidity.  Some depth.  Tasty.  Long finish.  One of those wines that seems familiar but not quite.  drink over the next couple of years.  At under $20, it is a nice value and a strong buy for summer sipping on its own or with lighter foods. 

2009 Domaine Frédéric Lambert En Beaumont Chateau-Chalon, France, Jura, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

Fascinating wine.  This is Vin Jaune (Yellow Wine) from the Jura (near the Swiss border in France).  It is made in a dry, oxidative style utilizing late harvested Savagnin grapes.  The wines are made similar to Sherry where a blanket of yeasts forms over the top as the wine is ageing for a minimum of 60 months.  This does not appear to be fortified as the label lists 14% abv.  It comes in a .625L squat bottle known as a Clavelin with a yellow wax over the cork.  Supposedly, this size allows the winemaker to start with 1 Liter which after the minimum of six years before release has reduced (

2016 Torrin Syrah Shadow Canyon Vineyard, USA, California, York Mountain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is 100% Syrah.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black pepper and slight black olives.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberry fruit with some underlying char.  Nice texture.  Light tannins.  Good finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for another eight to ten years.  A nice match for Indian food.  

 

2004 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric, Italy, Piedmonte, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

Lovely Barolo at a great place.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, tar, slight roses and dust.  Medium bodied.  Medium to light tannins.  Layers of fruit and tertiary notes.  Cherries, and forest floor.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but really needs food.  Pasta with truffles or mushroom in a cream sauce would be great.  It is at peak but there should be another 5 to ten more years of peak drinking.  

2020 Sineann Pinot Noir "TFL", USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

This is made in 375ml bottles.  It is a blend of various Pinot Noir's that are bottled as single vineyard releases.  This is of course still a bit young and while good, it seemed lacking a bit compared to prior vintages.  Deep garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has sour cherries and char.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, there is solid sour cherry fruit.  Not much in the way of nuances but hopefully as it ages, it also develops more.  It would be better with food.  Salmon would work well.  

2001 Arnaldo-Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano, Italy,

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$89.00USD

This is from Umbria in Italy.  This bottle was bought on release and cellared.  Shared with friends who don't particularly like older wines and they did not like it.  I, however, was captivated by it.  Purple in color, opaque and mostly bright.  The nose has plums, black cherries, dust, and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Dense.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, not much fruit left but some black cherries.  Lots of tertiary notes of dust, tobacco, forest floor and minerality.  Strong acidity.  Complex and layered.  Nice finish.  Contemplative.  This is fully mature and past prime for some.  It

2019 689 Cellars Killer Drop Red, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Petite Sirah from various vineyards across California.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The e nose has black cherries, black raspberries and some smoke.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice texture.  On the palate, this is ripe but short of cloying.  It has a balance to it that makes it easy to drink and very tasty.  Black raspberries with underlying char.  Alcohol is noticeable on the finish.  This probably drinks better on its own than with food but would work with a burger.  Drink over the next five years.  

2020 McPrice Myers Hardworking Wines Bull by the Horns

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles but it does have some Petite Sirah blended in.  Purple in color with magenta hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries and confectionary sugar.  On the palate, this is sweet and syrupy.  Lots of sweet black raspberry fruit with some confectionary sugar notes.  This is a bit too much for what I like but I am sure many will love this wine.  The kind of wine to enjoy with BBQ ribs off the grill on a summer evening.  Drink over the next few years.  If you like this style, then add a few points.  Cheers.  

2020 Bodegas del Mundo Valdemoreda Mulberry Creek Blanco, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

I am told this is Tempranillo Blanco.  Very pale yellow gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with some air show both limes and peach.  Interesting.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, it is somewhat candied with notes of lingonberries.  Sorter finish.  An interesting wine that would benefit from food.  Sardines might be an excellent paring.  Drink over the next year.  12% abv.  

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