2009 Futo Oakville, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

This winery really stepped it up after the first couple of vintages and are producing some great wines.  Deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, graphite, slight cedar and baking spices.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is juicy with great cassis fruit.  A bit of underlying graphite and char.  Some complexity but more delicious than contemplative.  Nice finish.  This would match well with roasted or grilled meats or veggies but worked great with vegetarian chili.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

1990 Parusso Barolo Bussia, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1990
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$140.00USD

This bottle was bought at auction although there were no overt signs of poor storage.  Tasted over two days.  It was good, but we had hoped for more.  Garnet in color, mostly clear.  The nose has cherries, slight tar and dust.  Not very big on the nose.  Medium bodied.  Tannins mostly resolved although slight tannins remain.  On the palate, there are cherries and slight sour cherries.  One dimensional.  On Day 2 a brown sugar note emerges.  This can often mean heat damage in its life or in this case, maybe just old age.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking fine but was probably better ten ye

2016 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$275.00USD

My wife's favorite winery!  Hard to argue with her on that.  This was stunning and still young.  Purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is great with cassis, graphite, cedar, slight coffee grounds and slight floral notes.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  Deep and complex; it unwinds in the glass.  Delicious.  Wonderful texture.  Cassis with char and slight oak notes.  Long finish.  Just fantastic but another few years of ageing will be even better.  This should drink well for another fifteen to twenty years.  

2000 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$300.00USD

Wonderful wine.  Finally worth opening after waiting all these years.  Bought on release and cellared.  This was open and decanted for sediment and allowed to breather for an hour or so before trying.  Deep ruby in color, purple at the core, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, pencil lead, tobacco and a hefty amount of earthy funk.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is complex and layered but still fresh and vibrant.  Cassis with underlying earthiness and a bit of coffee and mushroom.  Long finish.  Contemplative.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with

2018 Kutch Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

I just love this vineyard (across multiple producers) and Jamie's take on it is excellent.  Light golden in color.  The nose is beautiful with lemons, vanilla, a noticeable (but not overdone) note of toasty oak and slight almond flour note.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is on the bigger side but no bomb.  Great acidity.  Lively with energy.  It is delicious.  Lemon fruit with a touch of toast and vanilla.  Long finish.  This seems like it should easily go ten to fifteen more years.  It went wonderfully with a chopped veggie salad that included asparagus and drinks great on its own.  

2008 Caillez-Lemaire Champagne Extra Brut Cuvee Jadis, France, Champagne, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

From the excellent 2008 vintage.  This is 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and,10% Pinot Munier.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  A fair amount of tiny bubbles.  The nose has apples, slight cider notes, and a touch of chalk.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  The fruit is ripe which comes off a bit sweet but that calms down with air.  Nice apple fruit.  Solid finish.  This is drinking quite well now and should continue to do so for the next decade.  It went well with a varied menu from Shishido peppers and garlic to sharp Cheddar.  

2018 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

From one of the top producers of Zinfandel, this is made from their younger vines.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, slight bramble and spice.  Medium bodied.  Light on its feet.  This has a lot of energy and drinks really easily.  The cherries and black cherries come thru on the palate.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This should drink well for the next five to seven years.  It will work well with pizza, pasta and burgers.  

2017 Zvonko Bogdan Cuvée No. 1, Serbia, Vojvodina, Subotica, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$27.00USD

According to the label, this is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% cabernet Franc, and 20% Frankova Blaufränkisch.  It has a label which has some resemblance to a whimsical Bordeaux label (if those even exist).  I liked this better than the 2016 Life Flows from the same winery and a similar blend.  Whether that was due to vintage variation or the use of better barrels, I am not experienced with these wines enough to  know.  It has a deep ruby color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, slight tobacco, cherries, spice and slight rhubarb.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with

2016 Zvonko Bogdan Life Flows, Serbia, Vojvodina, Subotica, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
84
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

Attractively packaged in a modern, western styled label.  This is a blend of Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 30%, and Frankova (Blaufränkisch) 20%.  It is a solid wine that tastes international in style.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The has raspberries and cherries with some cassis along with slight baking spice.  There is some volatile acidity on the nose but not overwhelming.  Medium bodied with light tannins.  On the palate, cassis and cherries with underlying dusty earth.  Some acidity.  Moderate finish.  This probably should be consumed in the next five years.  It drinks fine

NV Oszkár Maurer Kadarka, Serbia, Subotica, Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B

First, these grapes are supposedly (and I have no reason not to believe) from vines planted in 1880 and grown on their own roots in a very sandy soil near the Hungarian border with Serbia.  The label lists the alcohol at 11.4% abv and interestingly says it has an unlimited shelf life.  This is a "natural wine" according to the wineries web site.  It is pale ruby in color, very cloudy and flat.  On the nose, there is slight brett coming across as sweaty socks with some light but pure cherry fruit.  It is light bodied but has a nice depth and complexity on the palate.  Black cherry and cherry

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