2022 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Screw capped.  Light golden in color with a slight greenish hue, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with apples, a slight nutty note, and baking spices.  Perfect for autumn.  Medium to full bodied.  Crisp acidity.  On the palate, apples with some oak notes.  Persistent finish.  This is a really enjoyable Chardonnay that works well on its own but is crisp enough to work nicely with food.  It went well with a variety of cheeses.  For the "oak adverse", give it a couple of years or a nice decant, but otherwise, this should drink well for five to seven years.  

2018 Domaine Durand Cornas Empreintes, France, Northern Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is a vintage that does drink well at such a young age.  Inky purple, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, black cherries, roasted herbs, and black pepper.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, clay, black raspberries, slight floral quality and spices.  This has some depth but it unwinds in the glass.  Delicious.  It will mature and may improve but it is drinking well now.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  This would work great, of course, with Cassoulet, but it will also work well Indian food.  

2015 Cheval des Andes, Argentina, Mendoza, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$94.00USD

Cheval des Andes is a joint project between Château Cheval Blanc, of Saint Emilion, Bordeaux and Terrazas de los Andes, of Argentina.  It is a blend of 60% Malbec and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, coffee and sandalwood.  Lovely texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, plums, milk chocolate with some char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is young and could use so more time in the cellar although it is drinking well today.  Hold for a few more and then drink for ten to fifteen after that.  Great on its own, it needs so

2004 Château La Plagnotte, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

My first time trying this winery.  Purple in color, darker at the core, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries and black cherries along with oak and spices.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with spice.  Some depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking quite well at age 19.  One wonder though if the tannins will ever resolve fully before the fruit fades.  Drink over the next five years.  Probably better with some big and/or fatty foods.  A nice wine with Chili.  

2016 Château Citran, France, Bordeaux, Haut Medoc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

For those who say that Bordeaux has  gotten crazy over priced, look no further than this wine which is a great value.  It is a blend of 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and shimmering bright in the glass.  The nose has black cherries, some chocolate and slight cigar box.  Medium bodied.  Wispy tannins.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Black cherries, some black raspberries with some underlying char and a bit of chocolate.  Good finish but there is some heat.  This is drinking well but still could use a bit of air.  Drink over the next

2021 Cristom Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard, USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola-Amity Hills, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$72.00USD

Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has  cherries, spice and a slight cola note.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is a bit bigger and more intense (in a good way) than I might have expected for this wine.  Black cherries, sour cherries, with some tobacco/forest floor.  There is some depth but it will take some cellaring to unwind the complexity.  Long finish.  Hold for another five to eight years and drink for ten to fifteen after that.  The classic pairing would be Salmon. Plenty of upside on the score as it matures.   

2019 Andre Scherer Gewurztraminer, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

My first time that I can recall trying a wine from this winery.  Served blind.  Golden in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has lychees with some spiciness.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this is semi-sweet.  Nice lychee fruit.  Clean.  This wine is fine but it leaves me wanting a bit more of everything.  A bit crisper, a bit more depth, etc.  Drink over the next three to five years.  A nice wine on its own, this should work with spicy Thai food.  

2017 Montonale Lugana Montunal, Italy, Lombardy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Lugana is a wine region in Italy along the southern side of Lake Garda.  The grape is Turbiana, previously known as Trebbiano di Lugana.  13% abv.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is spicy with slight peach.  My guess is that on release, the peach notes were stronger but have faded over time.  Slightly oily texture.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is some sweetness to the wine (demi-sec?).  Also apples.  This bottle seemed well past prime but it may not have been a proper bottle as it has some mustiness to it.  Was it TCA or just bottle stink?  Not sure.  Hopefully, I can

2020 Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica, USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

Served blind.  Always a favorite, it seems this has come down in price over the years and is now an excellent value.  Light golden in color with some slight silvery hues, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with an outdoorsy/hay quality.  Also minerality and slight lemon/citrus notes.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Nice texture.  On the palate, lemons with slight grapefruits.  Slightly clipped finish.  This drinks great on its own and is very food friendly.  It will go well with Thai food.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2020 Cantina Terlan Pinot Grigio Tradition, Italy, Alto Adige, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

Served blind.  Light golden in color with a touch of copper color making me think Pinot Grigio.  The nose is nice with lots of minerality.  Also dust, apples and some initial sulfur notes (which blew off).  Slightly oily texture.  Medium bodied.  A fair mount of oak showing but it somehow works.  On the palate, limes and apples.  Good acidity.  This is an excellent winery with good values.  Drink over the next few years.  This will work on its own or with a pasta with a cream sauce.

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