2014 Hawkes Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$92.00USD

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is tight at first but opens with some air.  Cassis and dust.  On the palate, this is more cherry cough drops with some underlying charred wood.  Short finish.  This might be in a bit of a dumb phase as it kept opening up over the evening.  If drinking soon, a three hour (or more) decant would help.  It should hit maturity in another five to seven years and be good for another ten after that.  A nice wine with roasted veggies or meats.  

2016 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries with a lot of fresh cut oak.  Also some clay and baking spices.  Full bodied.  Juicy fruit on the palate.  The heavy oak carries thru to the palate.  Thick tannins.  Nice black cherry fruit with slight chocolate notes.  Moderate finish.  This needs some time to sort out but should come together in about three years and drink well for ten more after that.  If drinking now, give it a nice decant.  A nice wine for a steak or roast.  Nice value.  

2012 Roland Champion Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Special Club, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

From a grower producer in the village of  Chouilly. This is packaged in an attractive squat bottle.  It is 100% Chardonnay.  Silvery gold in color with a slight copper hue.  Lots of tiny bubbles.  The nose has seltzer, brioche and smoke.  On the palate, pears come out and a slight hint of lime.  There is a gravely base to it.  It does seem to have just the slightest bit of sweetness to it.  A long finish.  This is drinking great now and should continue for another five to seven years.  After that it should mature well for another decade for those who like that style.  It will work with just

1994 Kurt Darting Dürkheimer Hochbenn Muskateller Trockenbeerenauslese, Germany, Pfalz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1994
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This was a fascinating wine.  From a 500ML bottle.  Muskateller is from the Muscat family of grapes.  Although it is a white grape, it was very dark in color.  The bottle was 26 years old and the wine had seeped up to the top of the cork.  That said, it was a very nice showing.  Deep brown with tinges of red and orange, clear and bright.  The nose is great with honeyed figs, peaches and also blood oranges.  Viscous and sweet, not cloying.  On the palate, there is nice acidity.  The honeyed figs come thru and also a cherry note.  Long finish.  Complex and delicious.  This should have a long

2004 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

We had two bottles of this.  The first was just amazing while the second was merely quite good.  At age 16, bottle variation happens.  The first bottle actually appeared and tasted older, so perhaps we just caught the second one in a dumb phase.  Purple in color, a bit of bricking at the rim.  The nose has cassis, camphor, slight cigar box and a sweet perfume.  Full bodied.  Tannins resolved.  This is mature and at peak.  Notes of cassis with underlying tobacco and slight char.  Nice finish.  This won't get better and should be consumed over the next five years.  It will work great with gri

1985 Mongeard-Mugneret Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1985
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

What a pretty bottle of wine.  Ruby in color, cloudy with slight bricking and dull.  The nose is gorgeous.  Fresh cherries, cherry blossoms, slight mushrooms and woodiness.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Very lively.  Fresh cherries with a clean earthiness underneath.  Complex.  Completely mature yet vibrant.  Everything once could hope for from a 35 year old 1er Cru.  At this point it is bottle to bottle on this wine, so drink them if you have them.  It worked well with grilled veggies and rice and beans but would also work well with roasted fowl.

2015 Denner Theresa, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

One of my favorite Cal Rhone White wines.  I really need to let one of these age.  At age 5, this one is singing right from popping the cork.  It is a blend of 30% Roussane, 25% Marsanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, 15% Picpoul, and 10% Vermentino.  Light golden in color.  The nose has peach, melon, slight vanilla candle, minerals and lime pith.  Full bodied.  This has a big mouthfeel.  Not quite viscous, but a strong presence.  Notes of peach, vanilla and wax with great underlying minerality.  A nice touch of acidity to keep things bright.  Depth and complexity.  Nice finish.  This is drinking you

2013 G. Marquis Riesling Icewine, Canada, Niagara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a dessert wine from the Niagara peninsula in Ontario, Canada.  Golden in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose has pears, simple syrup, some red apples.  Medium bodied but slightly viscous.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying.  It is a round wine with pears, slight honey and slight minerality.  Tasty.  Long finish.  This should last for a while longer (five to seven years?), but it won't get better.  It drinks very well on its own and would work nicely with a honey cake or other not too sweet dessert.  

2016 Montes Purple Angel, Chile, Colchagua Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

This is 92% Carmenère with 8% Petit Verdot from Chile.  It is a very interesting blend.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, coffee, slight dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is big and on the wilder side.  Flavors of black cherries with underlying gravel and also some chocolate.  It is delicious but rough on the throat (not smooth).  Long finish.  It will interesting to watch this mature although for those who enjoy a bit of a wilder ride, it is probably best drunk over the next five to seven years.  It will smooth out with proper cellar

2000 Weingut Hirsch Riesling Gaisberg, Austria, Kamptal, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

A very respectable showing for a 20 year old Austrian Riesling.  This was about $25 on release and over the years, I have consumed a bunch - all good as it matured.  It now has a deep golden color, clear and bright.  The nose has slight petrol, a bit of burnt honey and nice minerality.  On the palate, slight pineapple and apricots.  This is dry.  Good finish.  This is drinking nicely.  Mature, but no hurry.  It should easily go another decade though it won't improve.  It will work well with cheeses or even Thai food.  

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