2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$125.00USD

One of the top producers in Chateauneuf, at age 15, this is singing.  Deep garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, kirsch, licorice, slight dried flowers and spices.  Medium to full bodied.  What a great texture.  Lush yet energetic.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lots of kirsch notes with underlying clean earthiness.  Complex and layered.  Long finish.  Sure seems just about at peak but should drink well for another ten years.  Great on its own, even better with food.  Stews or roasts would be great.  

2015 Grgić Vina Plavac Mali, Croatia, Croatia, Pelješac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$28.00USD

From famed winemaker Mike Grgich's winery project in Croatia.  Plavac Mali has been proven, thru DNA, to be a child of Zinfandel and another unknown grape.  The resemblance is noticeable.  This clocked in at 15.5% abv.  It certainly drinks like an American styled Zinfandel.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is spicy with cherries, black cherries and an touch of mint.  On the palate, this is sweet/ripe fruit - black cherries and raspberries.  There is a touch of salinity and underlying char.  It doesn't seem to have much acidity but drinks very easily.  It is unclear wher

2011 Zlatan Plenkovic Crljenak Kaštelanski Croatia, Hvar, Makarska, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

Crljenak Kaštelanski is the same grape known as Zinfandel, Primitivo, and Tribidrag.  This has been confirmed by DNA testing.  The grape originated in Croatia and spread around the world.  That said, while there are some similarities, there are differences.  And, to be fair, even in California, there are many different styles of Zinfandel.  This is purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with a lot of earthiness.  Also cherries, tart blackberries and some black pepper.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has some acidity.  It is not robust but there is plenty of cherry

2015 Benvenuti Teran Anno Domini, Croatia, Istria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Teran makes fascinating wines that are hard to peg into "traditional" wine slots.  Purple in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, baking spices, slight black raspberry and black tea.  On the palate, this has a medium body.  Strong acidity.  Firm tannins.  The black cherries carry thru with a bit of earthiness.  Almost like a mythical cross between Zinfandel and Nebbiolo.  Good finish.  It seems like this should drink well for ten years.  This probably will work better with food than on its own.  A hearty pasta bolognaise would work well. 

2018 Kozlović Teran, Croatia, Zapadna Istra, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$19.00USD

Teran is an interesting grape known as Terrano in Italy.  From the Istrian peninsula in Croatia.  Purple in color, mostly clear and bright.  On the nose this is more about dark fruits.  Plums and black cherries merge with balsamic vinegar and slight tea notes.  This is medium bodied with a strong backbone of acidity.  Firm tannins.  It eventually opens up more to show concentrated black cherry fruit with underlying tea/forest floor.  Very clean.  Tart cherries on the finish.  13% ABV.  This begs for food.  A hearty pasta dish would be a good match.  No idea on ageing but it would be interes

2018 Zlatan Otok Pošip Vrhunsko Vino, Croatia, Split-Omiš-Makarska, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

Another excellent, albeit different take on Posip.  This is a grape I need to explore more.  Golden in color with some copper hues, clear and bright.  The nose has apricots, slight straw, wax and a saline minerality.  It is full bodied and weighty but not cumbersome.  Very rich.  Enough acidity to carry thru but not a driving force on this wine.  The apricots come thru on the palate along with a bit of figs and underlying minerality.  Long finish.  This seems like it should have no problem going ten or more years.  It drinks well on its own but should work better with food.  Pork chops seem

2019 Rizman Pošip Unoaked, Croatia, Dalmatinska Zagora, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

My first time trying Posip and I am a believer!  This is an outstanding young white.  It was about $25 but not easy to track down.  13.5% ABV.  Golden in color with copper hues, clear and bright.  The nose is tight at first but opens to show melons with light citrus.  With air a nice minerality emerges.  The texture and structure on this wine is amazing.  Full bodied.  Viscous but dry.  On the palate, there is a nice backbone of acidity especially with tart lemons on the back end and finish.  Some melon with great minerality.  No bite (in a good way) but plenty of cut and energy.  Very nice

2019 Sineann Pinot Noir "TFL", Oregon, Willamette Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is the best vintage of this wine and that is saying something.  The top Pinot Noir uses the best barrels of all of his single vineyard wines to craft this wine.  Normally, a very fruit forward wine, this is more ephemeral in nature.  The term "Burgundian" gets thrown around a lot but is not far from the mark here.  Deep ruby in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is great with raspberries, black cherries, cherries, spice and slight clean earthiness.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this unwinds slowly in the glass.  Deep and complex.  Cherry and black cherry frui

2019 Jaffurs Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

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

My first time trying this vintage.  One of my go to value wines every vintage.  Ownership changed hands a few years back and they haven't missed a beat.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meat, slight black olive and black pepper.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Rich but with suppleness.  Lots of black raspberry fruit over spice and slight earthiness.  Medium tannins.  This is obviously young but should drink well for the next seven to ten years.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with roasted or grille

2018 Tapiz Malbec Alta Colección, Argentina, Mendoza, Uco Valley, San Pablo Vineyard, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

This is an inexpensive Malbec from Argentina that shows why they can be great value plays.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim.  The nose has dusty black cherries, slight black cherries and black pepper.  On the palate, this is medium to full bodied.  Firm, thick tannins.  The black cherries come out more on the palate.  This is straightforward and easy to drink.  It could probably use a year or so for the tannins to integrate more but if opening now, either decant ot let it breathe for a couple of hours.  This drinks well on its own but would work better with a bit of fat.  Either some b

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