2015 San Felice Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Poggio Rosso, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$71.00USD

Gran Selezione is the top level of Chianti wines.  This vintage, 2015, was an excellent vintage in Chianti.  And, this wine meets the high expectations those factors create.  Purple in color, with ruby swirls.  The nose is interesting with black cherries, cherries, saw dust and a strong streak of black olives.  Great acidity.  Firm tannins.  Nice texture.  On the palate, this is complex and deep while also delicious.  Black cherries, some cherries with slight tea leaves and char.  Long finish.  Still young, this should get better but drinking nicely now.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen

2021 Château Virgile Costières-de-Nîmes Cuvée l'Énéide, France, Rhone, Costieres de Nimes

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is a GSM blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre.  Purple core with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  Nice nose of fresh black raspberries, cherries and spice/garrique.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black raspberries, black pepper and some spice.  Nice texture.  On the palate, black raspberries and black cherries with some underlying char.  Long finish.  This is an easy drinking red that is a step above and should get a bit better with age.  Drink over the next ten years.  Very nice on its own, this would work well with a bowl of chilli.

2016 Domaine Sigalas Vinsanto, Greece, Santorini,

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

This Vin Santo or "Holy Wine" is a blend of Assyrtiko 75% - Aidani 25% from Santorini, Greece.  It is a very interesting Dessert wine, but, a little goes a long way.  Brownish amber in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is big with prunes, toffee, figs, nuts, and coffee.  Full bodied.  Thick and viscous.  On the palate, this is very sweet.

2019 Santo Wines Nykteri, Greece, Santorini, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

This is a traditional blend of Assyrtiko 85%, Athiri 10%, and Aidani 5%.  Nykteri means staying up all night and the grapes are pressed the night after harvesting.  Medium golden in color with some yellow hues, clear and bright.  The nose is great with lemons, floral notes, green apples and just the slightest hint of vanilla.  Medium bodied with wispy tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is round but still retains a fresh acidity.  Flavors of green apples with a touch of baking spices.  This is very concentrated and the finish is quite long.  Nice on its own, this is better with fo

2019 Argyros Assyrtiko Cuvée Nykteri, Greece, Santornini, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$89.00USD

This is 100% Assyrtiko from Santorini, Greece.  Wines from this grape are made in many different styles from crisp, light wines to very serious full bodied wines.  This is the later.  This is fermented in French oak and then aged 12 months in French oak barrels and another twelve months in stainless steel.  The vines are 150 to 200 years old and ungrafted.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is big with citrus, sea air, wet stones and slight orange peel.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is concentrated with lemon-lime notes and underlying  minerality.  Long finish.  This drinks

2021 Riva Leone Piemonte Barbera, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

Barbera is an interesting grape and the wines produced from it cover a wide range of styles and price points.  This is at the lower end of the price range, but  the wine easily has the quality of wines three or four times as expensive.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries and slight dust.  Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with great acidity.  Nice finish.  This wine demands food.  All of the classic "Italian Night" foods such as pizza, spaghetti, other pastas, etc.

2021 Riva Leone Gavi, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a nice white wine from northern Italy.  It is made from 100% Cortese grapes and comes in around 12.5% abv.  It has a glass closure.  Pale yellow green in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of minerality with some pear.  Medium bodied.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, the pears come out more but there is still that nice underlying minerality.  Nice finish.  This is a nice lighter white on its own, but will work well with lighter foods as well.  This would be great with a vegetable Risotto.  Drink over the next year or two.  Great value.

2010 Château Bellevue Gazin Cuvee Tradition, France, Bordeaux, Cote du Blaye, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Bordeaux is famous for its amazing wines that come with amazingly high prices.  There is also a sea of wine made for very affordable prices.  This is a lovely wine from a great vintage.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is spicy with cigar box, black cherries and cherries.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins (true to the vintage).  On the  palate, black cherries, cassis, anise and char.  Good finish.  Overall, a very nice showing.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  Nice on its own and would be a great meatloaf/burger wine.  

2018 Sheldrake Point Gamay Noir, USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

Wow was this interesting.  11.6% abv.  Very pale ruby in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  It looks like a rosé.  A lovely nose with cherries, sea air, kirsch, and cloves.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  Soft texture.  On the palate, cherries, cranberries and a slight orange note.  Moderate finish.  It drinks well enough on its own but would be better with food.  Salmon would be classic but maybe some Cajun Gumbo would be really good too.  Drink over the next year or two (but it might go longer, I have no idea).  

2018 Pierre-Marie Chermette Fleurie Les Garants, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$33.00USD

A personal favorite of mine, from an excellent vintage.  This wine still needs some time to come together, but I think it will.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight.  It does open to show black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of spice. Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit.  Lush texture.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Give this wine a nice decant or cellar for a few more years.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with food.  Roasted duck or other fowl would be a good choice.  

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