2016 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Blue label.  Always a treat to taste Tokaji, one the great historic dessert wines.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peaches, apricots and simple syrup. Full bodied and viscous.  Good acidity to counter the sweetness.  The palate has orange rind, apricots, and slight minty note.  Long finish with a slight bitter (orange rind) quality that works well.  It went well with slightly sweet cookies.  This will drink well for another twenty years.  

2016 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Renaissance, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$88.00USD

This is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre from very old vines.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The boisterous nose has black raspberries, plums and black cherries with spices and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is young and raucous with big fruits; black raspberries, raspberries and black cherries along with char and spice.  Energetic acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own, this needs bigger foods right now but will settle down soon.  For now, it would work well with some spicy Indian cuisine.  Drink over the next twelve to fifteen years.  

2010 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Renaissance, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

This is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, ad 10% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, black cherries and garrique.  Full bodied.  Great plush texture.  Excellent balance.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this is delicious.  It has shed some youth for maturity but should continue to develop.  Black raspberries, plums and black cherries with some char.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own, this worked very well with Sheppard's Pie.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

2013 Comando G Rumbo al Norte, Spain, Vinos de Madrid, Sierra de Gredos, Wine Reivew

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$1200.00USD

Purchased at the winery back in 2017.  Gredos is in the mountains just west of Madrid, Spain.  It is 100% Garnacha grown at  high altitude.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is interesting with black cherries, cherries, some pomegranate, but also thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this is very concentrated.  Not a blowsy wine but very persistent.  Black raspberries, black cherries, and cherries with underlying char and slight herbal note.  Complex and deep.  Long finish.  A unique Grenache that seems to exude its terroir.  It went

2021 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Bourgogne Blanc Les Femelottes, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

Very pale yellow gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is very nice.  Some lemon drop candy with a bit of an herbal note (Chervil?).  Slightly viscous texture.  A nice backbone of acidity.  On the palate, lemon, and lemon candy notes with a bit of Granny Smith apple notes.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It went well with an Israeli styled salad, but would be better something a bit richer so that the acidity could really stand out.  Perhaps grilled Salmon with a rich sauce.  It is young but drinking well.  It should have no problem going another seven to t

2015 Alheit Vineyards Cartology Bush Vines, South Africa, Western Cape, Wine ReviewWine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$43.00USD

This is a blend of 86% Chenin Blanc and 14% Semillon from South Africa.  Medium gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has red apples, slight wax/lanolin notes and a bit of honey dew.  Medium to full bodied.  Some warmth on the palate.  Very concentrated with flavors of apples, slight honeyed notes and an almost lime quality.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  A very serious wine that is ageing well.  It has shed its primary qualities at this point.  This should drink well for another ten years (provided one enjoys aged Chenin).  It went very well with a "Somosa Pie".

NV Brice Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut, France, Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

100% Chardonnay from two parcels in Bouzy (Le Mont de Tours and Les Ramonnieres) and Grauves.  Pale gold in color with a nice mousse of small bubbles.  The nose is very clean with some red apples and a bit of yeasty dough.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is crisp and leaner in style.  Granny smith apples with some minerality.  Long finish.  Very nice on its own, this is very food friendly.  It was a nice foil to baked tofu made in a "Buffalo Wings" style.  Drink over the next few years.  

2000 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, mostly opaque and flat.  The nose is classic older BDM.  Black cherries, cherries, dust, tea leaves and dirt.  Still firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black cherries with cigar/ash and some forest floor.  Very smooth texture.   Long finish.  At or just past peak but drinking quite well.  Drink over the next few years.  Great on its own, this would be better with food.  Pasta with a Bolognaise sauce would be good match.

2006 Romano Dal Forno Valpolicella Superiore Vigneto di Monte Lodoletta, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$210.00USD

From one of the top producers in the Veneto (and most expensive), this Valpolicella drinks like a very good Amarone.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has raisins, cherries, tar, graphite, and anise.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Enough acidity.  This wine is dry but very high alcohol.  The palate shows the alcohol but plenty of cherries and prunes along with some underlying tar/asphalt.  Long finish.  At age 17, this is a big, high alcohol wine which may be off putting to some and wonderful to others.  It is great on its own but would work better with

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