2019 Gentleman Farmer Napa Valley Red Wine, USA, California, Napa, Oak Knoll, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$67.00USD

This is a Merlot dominant Napa Red proprietary blend from Oak Knoll.  Really an impressive wine.  Inky purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight (it is young) but with some air, black cherries, cherries, and milk chocolate emerge.  With a bit more air, there is also cedar, cassis and slight sandalwood and dust.  It took a few hours to full open up without any decanting.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, plums, over a char and slight tobacco.  Long finish.  This is delicious and has a nice complexity.  If drinking soon, giv

2020 Gentleman Farmer Napa Valley Rosé, USA, California, Oak Knoll, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  It has a deep ruby/orange color, clear and bright.  A bit darker than typical roses.  On the palate, there are strawberries, cherry powdered candy (li-a-maid?), with a slight tea and gravel.  Medium bodied.  Lovely texture.  On the palate, the strawberries come thru with some red apple notes and underlying gravel.  A bit of orange candy on the finish along with a slightly bitter orange pith note.  Tasted over two nights, it was better on night two which is rare for a Rose.  This is concentrated.  It drinks great on its own and will work well with lighter

2017 Tikveš Barovo, North Macedonia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

An Eric Solomon selection.  This is a blend of two indigenous Macedonian grape varieties, Kratoshiya (pronounced krat-oss-SHEE-yah) which shares the same genetic origins as Primitivo and Vranec (pronounced VRANash) which means 'black stallion' and adds strength and richness.  An excellent wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, plums, some black raspberries.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is bold and delicious.  Black raspberries and black cherries with some underlying char.  Great verve.  Long finish.  This is drinking quite well on its

2019 Dato's Wine, Georgia, Guria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
55
Grade: 
F
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

Made from 100% Aladasturi grapes in western Georgia near the Black Sea.  Sadly, this wine is yet another "natural" wine that is spoiled.  It could have been excellent with just a bit of intervention (Copper Sulfite or light filtering) but instead produced, and worse sold a chemistry experiment that went wrong.  Ruby in color with bubbles all over the glass.  The nose has cherries and black pepper with carbonation coming off the glass.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is going thru a secondary fermentation.  There is some sweet red fruit but the experience is not enjoyable and the bottle

2019 Teliani Valley Saperavi Glekhuri Qvevri Kisiskhevi, Georgia, Kakheti, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is 100% Saperavi grapes made in Kakheti in eastern Georgia and made in Kvevri (amphorae).  Very nice showing for this wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, and currants.  Medium to full bodied with firm tannins.  A strong backbone of acidity.  On the palate, black cherries, cherries and slight blueberries with light clay notes underneath.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now but works better with food.  Roasted fowl or mushrooms would be a nice choice.  drink over the next five to eight years.  

2019 Gvantsa's Wine Aladasturi, Georgia, Imereti, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
55
Grade: 
F
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is from western Georgia and made from 100% Aladasturi grapes.  Unfortunately the bottle was off.  Garent in color, mostly clear but a trail of persistent bubbles.  The nose had some cranberries with a bit of carbonation coming off it.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the bottle was going thru a secondary fermentation.  Out of balance with strong acidity.  This is another in a long line of wines that could have been good with a judicious use of intervention (Copper sulfites) to prevent spoilage and if necessary, a bit of fining.  So disappointing.  I retasted the following day and then d

2019 Dato's Wine Chkhaveri Amber, Georgia, Guria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

This is from the Guria region of western Georgia near the Black Sea and made from 100% Chkhaveri grapes.  This is a light red grape, but when the wine is crushed it is immediately put into a Kvevri (Amphorae) so there is very little skin contact.  The resulting wine is amber in color.  It is a "natural" wine.  Orange gold (light amber) in color, clear and bright.  The nose is interesting with oranges and a "fruity bubble gum" quality along with slight honey and and slight pepper.  Good acidity with light tannins.  On the palate, plenty of orange citrus with a bit of pepper.  Tart, long fini

2017 Gotsa Tsitska Tsolikouri, Georgia, Imereti, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$24.00USD

This is from western Georgia near the Black Sea.  It is a "natural" wine made from the Tsitska and Tsolikouri grapes and fermented in amphorae on its skins.  Really an unusual and different wine, but quite good.  Deep golden in color (not amber), clear and bright.  The nose is different with oranges, Spree candies, honey and quince.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, the quince comes thru along with a bit of minerality and orange peel.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but will work great with a fruit salad or even Risotto.  Drink over the next couple of yea

2006 Kmetija Štekar 1672 Rebula Prilo, Slovenia, Primorska, Brda, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is made from the Ribolla Gialla grape in Slovenia.  It is fermented on its skins and matured for four years in Acacia barrels. Deep amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with coaxing shows orange peel, and slight cinnamon.  Medium bodied.  Dry.  Lovely seamless texture.  On the palate, white raisins, slight wax, slight honey but no fruit.  Moderate acidity.  Medium finish.  An interesting wine that benefits from food.  This wine is 16 years from vintage but it does not seem old or past, just different.  It will work better with salty foods or perhaps shellfish.  

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