2019 Maurice Écard Bourgogne Chardonnay, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is a nice easy going French Chardonnay (listed on the label).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pears and apples with a slight note of almonds.  Light bodied.  Crisp and clean.  On the palate, green apples with a slight minerality.  Nice balance.  Good finish.  This is refreshing and should be popular among fans of all styles of Chardonnay.  This should be consumed over the next couple of years.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with salads and seafoods.  

2009 Torrin The Banshee, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This is a blend of 60% Syrah, 22% Mourvedre, and 18% Grenache from Torrin Vineyard.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, some black olives and smoke.  Full bodied.  Great, rich texture.  Nice balance.  On the palate, this is still youthful but starting to open a bit. Black raspberries, plums, black cherries with underlying scorched earth.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This may still improve but it will make great drinking for another ten to twelve years.  Great on its own, this will work well with braised meats or roasted vegetables.  

2018 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

This is 70% from the Napa side of Pride Mountain and 30% from the Sonoma side.  Very young but an excellent wine.  Long gone are the days of Bob Foley's full throttle wines from Pride.  Different, but just as good.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose shows cassis, spice, fresh tobacco and slight char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis and black cherry fruit with some tobacco and underlying earthiness.  Deep and complex if tight.  This will need about seven to ten years to develop to get near peak and then should drink for ten to fifteen

2018 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$46.00USD

This is a classic California Chard in style and pedigree.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has butter, spice, lemons and slight white flowers.  Full bodied.  Rich, full bodied texture.  On the palate, this is round and full of fruit and structure.  Lemons, slight smoke and spice.  A nice backbone of acidity counters the oak nicely.  Long finish.  This should continue to integrate over the next ten years with the oak taking a step back.  Whether to wait or not really depends on how you like your Chardonnay.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with sea food but also p

2017 Scherrer Winery Zinfandel Old and Mature Vines Scherrer Vineyard Alexander Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is a nice Zin that takes its foot off the gas just a bit in this vintage.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has raspberries, slight bramble and spice.  Medium bodied.  14.8% ABV.  On the palate, raspberries with some underlying char and a bit of black pepper.  Nice finish.  This is the type of Zin that should age pretty well.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  This is probably better with food; pizza or a burger are nice choices.  

2010 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Germany, Nahe, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

I love Donnhoff wines and they did quite well in 2010.  This one seems to be just about at peak.  Medium golden in color.  The nose is lovely with wet rock/minerality and a bit of peaches and slight pineapple.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  Great acidity.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet but not overblown for a Kabinett.  Pineapple, peach and some lemon with a nice minerals base.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own but will work with seafood or fruit salads.  It should continue to drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  

2017 Keplinger Hangman's, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$69.00USD

Very impressive Syrah with about 5% Viognier added.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, blueberries, white pepper, black olive and roasted meat.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the black raspberries and blueberries are intense but concentrated.  A bit of pepper and some underlying char and meatiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will still get a bit better but is drinking well now.  Maybe another five years of cellaring and drink for fifteen to twenty after that.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with fattier meat dishes and stews.  

2016 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling, Austria, Kamptal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Delicious, if young, Austrian Riesling.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some apples, slight lemon and slight diesel.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, clean with apples and lemons and nice minerality.  Dry.  Strong, lovely acidity.  Long finish.  This will continue to mature and improve for another five to ten years and drink well for ten to twelve after that.  It is great on its own and very versatile (and probably better) with food.  It went well with Quiche.  

2017 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla Clio, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a very modern, big take on Spanish wine.  A blend of 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is also delicious.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, plums, cassis, smoke and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, the red fruits come thru with a base of charred wood.  Long finish.  This is still young and likely to continue to improve for another five to ten years.  It should drink for twelve to fifteen more after that.  Right now it will over power most foods and drinks better on its own.  With some bottle age it will work well with

2018 Mullineux Family Kloof Street Swartland Rouge, South Africa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a blend of 44% Tinta Barocca, 44% Syrah, 7% Grenache, 4% Cinsault, and 1% Carignan.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, char and spice.  On the palate, this is a bit tart.  Black cherry fruits with underlying char/ash.  Moderate acidity.  It drinks like a nice Cotes du Rhone.  This should drink well for the next five to seven years.  Nice on its own, this would work better with pizza or a burger.  

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