2017 Carl Ehrhard Rüdesheimer Berg Roseneck Spätburgunder, Germany, Rheingau, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

Ruby in color, clear and bright.  This is tight at first but opens with air to show cherries and a slight citrus (orange peel?) quality.  Medium bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate, tart cranberries and some cherries.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking well now and probably should be drunk over the next three to five years.  It will work better with food.  Roasted fowl would be a nice choice.  

2009 Knipser Blauer Spätburgunder trocken, Germany, Pfalz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
86
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

This proved proved to be a love it or ate it wine in a recent tasting.  It tied for the wine of the night but had some detractors including me.  I think the biggest issue had to be whether it was past prime or in its prime.  Ruby in color, flat and cloudy.  On the nose, there is a sour cherry juice quality with slight oxidation.  Medium bodied with light tannins countered by a soft texture that was easy to drink.  Thin.  The sour cherry fruit come thru on the palate.  A shorter finish.  I didn't find the complexity hoped for in a 12 year old Pinot.  It is fine and drinkable and not too expe

2015 Emrich-Schönleber Riesling "Mineral" trocken, Germany, Nahe, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

What a great showing for this wine.  A new producer for me.  Blind, I guessed Chablis due to the intense granny smith apple notes.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is full of Granny Smith (green) apples along with a crushed stone/chalky quality.  On the palate, this has a great rich texture but cuts with excellent acidity.  The tart green apples and crushed stones carry thru to the palate.  Long finish.  2015 was a great year and this still has some more development to come although it is drinking well now.  Maybe another three to five years until full maturity and should drink

2015 Realm Cellars The Falstaff, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$210.00USD

Great showing for this wine.  Pop and pour, it took a couple of hours to really get going.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, cedar, slight black cherries and minerality.  Full bodied but not over blown.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, precise cassis with under lying minerality.  It grows in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is still young and needs about seven to ten more years until peak.  It should be good for another fifteen to twenty after that.  It drinks well on its own and will work great with heartier fare such as pot roast.  

2018 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines, USA, California, Contra Costa County, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is always a go to value wine.  Amazing?  No.  But solid, dependable and tasty.  Purple/Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, some black cherries, slight cedar and vanilla.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cherries with a peppery note.  Moderate finish.  This is easy drinking with no edges.  It works nicely on its own and would work well with burgers off the grill.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2016 Calla Lily Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate Red, USA, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This continues to be one of my go to wines for reasonably priced Napa reds.  It is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest made up of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, baking spices, slight oak, and a bit of leather.  Medium to full bodied. On the palate, there is nice cassis fruit with underlying earthiness.  Medium finish.  This should continue to drink well for the next eight to twelve years.  It drinks well on its own and would be a nice match with roasts.  

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Schmiedt Road, USA, California, Lodi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Grabbed this one by accident (thinking it was the Sonoma County Zin).  Oh well.  A bit different and very good.  No harm done. A bit more spread out and wider, if that makes sense, than their Sonoma Zins.   Deep garnet/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is upfront with black cherries, raspberries, bramble and baking spices.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, nice black cherries and raspberries.  Some underlying char.  Lively.  Good finish.  This should drink well for the next seven to ten years.  A nice match for pizza or a burger. 

2010 Mollydooker Shiraz Carnival of Love, Australia, McLaren Vale, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

It has been a long  time since I tried a bottle of this.  Back in the day, this wine was the poster child, good or bad, for the high alcohol, full throttle Australian Shiraz.  Lots of people said they would not age, but the fact is, if you liked that style then and still like it, it has aged fine.  This was the last vintage of this that I bought.  At age 11 years from vintage it tastes how I remembered.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is big with some alcohol but also black raspberries, cassis, roasted meats and herbs and slight prune.  Full bodied.  The first sip packs a wal

2015 Zlatan Otok Plavac, Croatia, Hvar, Plenkovic, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

This is 100% Plavac Mali from the island of Hvar in Croatia.  Zlaton Otok is one of the larger wineries in Croatia.  This is purple in color, ruby at the rim and mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has some barnyard along with ripe cherry fruit.  On the palate, it drinks a bit cleaner with straightforward cherry fruit.  Moderate finish.  This is pleasurable and drinks easy.  It will work better with a burger or some pizza.  It probably should be drunk in the next few years.  

2016 Volarević Plavac Mali Syrtis Gold Edition, Croatia, Dalmatia, Komarma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$53.00USD

This is 100% Plavac Mali which is a genetic child of Zinfandel.  It clocks in at 15% abv, so perhaps that is not unexpected though it certainly is not a Zin.  In a tasting of five Plavac Mali's, this was middle of the road in style between being a full throttle wine and a more old school style wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, slight black pepper, and a bit of black raspberries.  Also a slight bit of baking spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Black raspberries and black cherry fruit.  Firm tannins.  A bit of pepperiness.  Nice finish.

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