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2013 Boars' View Pinot Noir The Coast, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$150.00USD

My first time trying this winery.  Very impressive.  In a blind tasting of Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, this was the runaway winner for the group.  Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has smoke, cherries, black cherries, slight cola and a nice earthiness to it.  Lovely velvety texture.  On the palate black cherries and slight anise.  Long finish.  This is still youthful but approaching maturity.  Drinks great on its own and will work well with food.  Mushroom Risotto would be great.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

2016 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This is a bigger wine than many of the Sonoma Coast Pinots, as such, it will perhaps, take a bit longer to mature.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is very tight.  Spice.  With air, black cherries and slight sour cherries emerge.  Great, lush texture.  On the palate, cherries, coffee and slight sour cherries.  This is either ripe or has a bit of residual sugar as it does come off almost sweet.  Nice finish.  These needs another seven to ten years in the cellar and it should come together beautifully.  Right now, this is a Pinot for those who like them t

2013 Soliste Cellars Pinot Noir Renaissance, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cola, spice along with a slight earthy funk.  Medium bodied.  Soft texture.  Flavors of cherries, slight root beer and spice.  Light tannins.  Nice finish with a hint of mint.  This is drinking well now although just a bit shy of maturity.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  Better with food, this would be a nice match with Tandoori Chicken.  

2014 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Campbell Ranch Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, dust, iodine and slight spice.  Medium bodied.  Tart acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate cherries with some spice.  A bit of cherry cough drop on the finish.  This seems to be just getting to peak.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  It will work better with food due to the acidity.  It would be a nice match with Roasted Duck.  

2017 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

One of my favorite Chardonnays (both the winery and this vineyard).  Light golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose is smoky with minerality, slight vanilla and grapefruits.  Medium to full bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, minerality and slight grapefruit.  Lemon candy on the long finish.  12.9% abv.  This is still drinking youthfully.  It should drink well for another ten to fifteen more years.  Great on its own, this will work well with lighter foods but also seafood and even fried chicken.  

2019 Guido Marsella Fiano di Avellino, Italy, Campagna, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Pale golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pears with a slight herbal note.  Medium bodied.  Dry.  On the palate, this is refreshing with some depth. Moderate acidity.  The palate has pears, minerals and slight wax.  Moderate finish.  This will work well with lighter foods but a Margherita pizza would work well, too.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

2020 Travaglianti Etna Rosato, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a Rose wine from Sicily made from Nero Mascalese grapes.  Pink/orange in color, clear and bright.  Fresh nose with cherries, slight cranberries, char and salinity.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this has nice lively acidity.  Cherries, cherry juice and char.  Long finish.  This drinks very easily and it is also quite food friendly.  From Salmon to a Steak, this will pair nicely.  Drink over the next two to three years.  

2019 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

This is the basic Cab from winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown's home winery.  At $75, it is expensive but at the same time, a great value  in high end Napa Cabs.  Purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, char, slight graphite and slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is young but delicious.  Cassis and slight black cherries with underlying char and slight spice.  Long finish.  This could use another five years in the cellar but drinking well now with some air.  This has twenty years of great drinking left and the score sh

2019 Domaine Michel Bregeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

I have always felt that Muscadet can age better than given credit for.  Yes, with age it loses some of that raw crispness, but it rounds out and can get almost Chablis-like.  Of course, that depends on the producer.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is classic with salinity/crushed shells along with lanolin and a hint of citrus.  Medium bodied.

2018 Andremily EABA, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$115.00USD

This is a blend of 59% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre, 15% Grenache and 3% Viognier coming from California's Central Coast.  The EABA means it got extra barrel ageing than their regular release wines.  In fact, it saw 22 months in French Oak (50% new).  Typically, extended ageing wines seem to need more time in bottle to come around as well.  This one does.  That said, it is a ripe, delicious, hedonistic wine right now.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose needs some air, then shows black raspberries, blueberries, plums and black cherries along with spice, roasted meats, slight floral

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