2007 Pincészet Lenkey Mád Kishegy Dűlő, Hungary, Tokaji, WIne Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is a very interesting wine made from 56% Hárslevelű and 44% Furmint organic grapes.  The vineyard, Lishegy dates back to at least 1686.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 500L Hungarian oak barrels.  2007 is a recent release.  It is a dry wine with 12.1% abv.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has apricots and minerals and what might best be described as a "woody" scent.  Not quite oak.  There is also a very slight diesel note.  On the palate, this has tart quince with some limes.  A viscous texture.  Dry.  Long finish.  A very interesting wine that improved great with some

2017 Királyudvar Furmint Tokaji Sec, Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This sec or dry wine is made from 85% Furmint, 15% Hárslevelu grapes in Hungary.  The producer is organic and farms biodynamically.  Medium golden in color, shimmering bright and clear.  The nose is nice with quince, limes, slight apricot and a hint of animal sweat.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, quince, slight lime, slight apricot with an underlying slight char.  Tart acidity but a barely perceptible level of sweetness that balances it nicely.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own but would work better with food.  Shellfish would work well.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2017 Bodrog Borműhely Furmint Tokaji , Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

This is made from the Furmint grape from a single vineyard (Barakony).  Várhegy is the name of an extinct volcano that dominates the geography of the area (the name means castle hill).  The wine checks in at 11.6%ABV with Residual Sugar at 2.9 g/l (just barely perceptible).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pronounced diesel notes along with some quince.  On the palate, this is light to medium bodied.  Tart quince paste notes with nice minerality.  Slight smokiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This drinks well on its own but will work better with food.  Lighter poult

2017 Carpinus Tokaji, Hungary, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

This is made from the Furmint grape.  It is virtually dry although there is a perception of sweetness.  Light silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has quince with a slight petrol note.  Medium bodied and slightly viscous.  On the palate, there is a nice sour lemons note along with some pears.  There is a strong backbone of acidity which I love but depending on your preferences may be an issue.  It carries the finish out a long way.  As this opened, the sour lemon note became slightly candied (in a good way) and melded well with the pear.  In a tasting of dry Tokaji wines, this

2017 Domaine Du Castel La Vie Rouge du Castel Jerusalem - Haute Judee, Israel, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Domaine du Castel is one of the best wineries in Israel.  This is their value wine made in both red and white.  Of course, this is the red and it truly is a very good value.  This was originally purchased for Passover 2020, but due to Covid, opened in 2021.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The  nose has black cherries and some cassis with a bit of dust and earthiness.  Medium bodied.  This drinks easily with light tannins and fresh black cherry fruit.  Good balance.  This probably should be consumed in the next few years, but for around $20, this is a nice Cab.  It graced our

2013 Torrin The Banshee, USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$90.00USD

This is a blend of 48% Syrah, 32% Grenache, and 20% Mourvedre.  Still young, this is really starting to sing.  Purple, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, plums, some black cherries, spice, black pepper and roasted meats.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lots of black raspberry and black cherry fruit.  Lovely texture.  Deep but tight layers.  Lots of energy.  Long finish.  This should drink well for the next ten to twelve years.  Great on its own, this will work well with spicy foods off the grill such as wings or ribs.  

2005 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard, USA, California, Edna Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

This is drinking great and probably at peak.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries with black pepper and some roasted meats and herbs.  Full bodied.  Complex.  Still lots of upfront black raspberry fruit but lots of depth and layering with earthiness, char and black pepper.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This should go another five to ten years but won't get better.  Great on its own, this will work well with roasted meat or veggies.  I last had this in 2009, so it was great to be able to see what happened to all that potential it showed in its youth.  

2016 Sevilen Kalecik Karası, Turkey, Aegean Region, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

This is made from the Kalecik Karasi grape which is native to Turkey.  14.5% alcohol.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and strawberries, with slight sweaty sock notes (just enough to  give it an earthy feel).  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this comes off much cleaner than the nose.  Nice cherry fruit with some strawberries and  light orange peel.  It improved with about an hour of air.  Some depth.  Good finish.  This is a very nice value in a "middle of the road" style of red (for a grape few have ever tried).  It seems like it will drink we

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