2014 Notre Vin Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is a wine made by the late Dennis Malbec who left way too young.  The wine is purple in color, slight ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, spice, leather, char and slight black cherries.  full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, lots of cassis with underlying spice and char.  This is drinking well now but should continue to mature and drink well over the next twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this will need some big fatty food such as a steak or roast.  

2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Another great value, this is Bedrock's basic Syrah.  Every year it is so good and ready to drink.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this has juicy black raspberries with some spice and black pepper.  Light tannins.  Nice mouthfeel.  Good finish.  Drinking well now and will continue over the next ten years.  Great on its own, this is perfect with Indian cuisine.  

2006 L'Oca Ciuca Brunello di Montalcino Drunken Goose, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, dried cherries, dried tea leaves, and some spice.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is a bit tired and past prime but still with something to offer.  Cherries, dried cherries aand forest floor notes along with some old leather.  Moderate finish.  This is better with food at this point.  It will work well with a nice plate of pasta.  Drink up.  

2020 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Grade: 
Current Price: 
$14.00USD

Muscadets are usually tremendous values.  Crisp, inexpensive and delicious white wines from the Loire Valley in France.  This one is all of those.  Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has crushed shells, lemons and sea air.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has lots of minerality, crushed shells, salinity but also lemons to tie it all together.  Some depth and complexity.  These will age longer than one might think, maybe ten to fifteen years, but they are best when young and crisp.  The perfect foil for oysters.  

2013 Torrin Akasha, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

This is 95% Syrah and 5% Grenache and drinking beautifully.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, and roasted meats and herbs.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Deep but the layers unwind in the glass.  Probably not quite at peak but getting close.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this would work great with roasted veggies off the grill.  

2008 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia, Spain,

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

One of the best of the traditional Rioja wine producers.  This wine lived up to its reputation.  A blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, 10% Graciano and Manzuelo.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight plums, vanilla, smoke and slight balsamic notes.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has plenty of depth.  Cherries, dried cherries, smoke and slight dill notes.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This is delicious and complex.  It drinks great on its own and even better with food.  Lamb stew would be a nice choice.  Drink over the next fifteen to twent

2015 Weingut R & A Pfaffl Zweigelt Vom Haus, Austria, Niederosterreich, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

Made from Zweigelt which is now being called Rotburger more often (Dr. Zweigelt the creator of the grape was a Nazi).  This is relatively affordable and a fun wine.  Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, char and some black cherries.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has fruit forward cherry fruit.  Tasty.  Nice finish.  This will work better with food and would be great with pizza.  Drink over the next few years.  

2020 Domaine de Châteaumar Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Vincent, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

One of my go value wines.  Just about every vintage in the southern Rhone is good these days, so this is usually good, too.  Certainly 2020 fits right in with prior vintages.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose is nice with black cherries, char, spice and slight floral notes.  Medium to full bodied.  Nice texture.  This drinks easily with lots of black cherry fruit and underlying char.  Nice finish.  I suppose it will age for five to seven years, but I usually just drink mine right away.  Nice on its own, this is great with chili, or stew.  

2017 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Estate, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

Bottle #5041.  In contrast to the regular 2018, this one is drinking great.  Such is the nature of the vintage.  While perhaps not a top vintage, it was better than many people say and the wines are so much more accessible young while still being delicious and complex.  That seems to be even more true with mountain fruit that is typically more concentrated than valley floor fruit.  The label lists 14.5%abv.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spice, clay and chocolate.  Firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is very drinkable.  Cassis, chocolate and some sp

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