2001 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$105.00USD

This was given an hour in the decanter after decanting for sediment.  Purple/ruby in color.  This took a long time to come around.  In fact, we gave it another hour and then it finally started to open (2 hours total).  The nose is clean with raspberries, garrigue, and black licorice.  What a wonderful texture.  Silky yet plush and almost seamless.  Showing a bit of age, but then with more air it revived even further.  Lots of black and red raspberries, black cherries, lavender and spice.  Deep and tightly layered.  Long finish.  The proverbial last glass was the best.  This bottle was bough

2011 Marco Cecchini Colli Orientali del Friuli Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Italy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

The first two bottles opened of this were both corked.  The third was sound.  Refosco is the name of the grape mostly used in northeast Italy.  Deep ruby in color, lighter at the rim.  The nose is dusty with dark cherries and slight mild mint.  On the palate, light tannins with tart acidity.  Cherries and red currants.  This is drinking well but should be drunk sooner.  Some depth.  This will go well with pasta, pizza and most foods.  

2016 Julien Sunier Morgon, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is an outstanding wine.  If you are not looking at Cru Beaujolais wines then you are missing out on one of the real value regions for red wines anywhere.  This one retails for $30 but if you're lucky, you can find it for less.  The bottle I tried was $20.  Ruby in color, a bit muddled.  The nose is great.  Dusty with some decayed meat (in a good way), earth and plums.  A slight asparagus note.  On the palate, this has a lovely texture.  Plush with few seams.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  Plums and cherry fruit.  Some depth.  Good finish.  This may still get a bit better as it matur

2017 McPherson Wine Company MWC Pinot Noir, Australia, Victoria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a Pinot Noir from Australia that retails for $17.  Very pale ruby in color, clear and bright.  Maybe a slight orange hue to it.  On the nose it has a cherry cotton candy quality.  Sweet and candied.  The palate is softly textured.  Sour cherry fruit that is also candied.  Not much acidity to it.  Simple.  This is made to drink alone and with out food.  It will be nice at a party or wedding as it has a good price point, drinks easy, and does not need food.  Probably should be consumed in the next year or two.  One of those wines that is what it is and does what it does for a fair pri

2018 Stamnaki Assyrtiko, Greece, Peloponnese, Wine Review

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

Greek whites and Assyrtiko specifically are fate becoming some of my favorite summer white wines.  At $17, this is fairly priced and drinking well right now.  Light silvery gold in color.  The nose is creamy vanilla with some lemons.  Also plenty of smokiness.  It is a big nose and while I presume this saw no oak, it sure has some of those characteristics.  From volcanic soil?  Stems?  More to learn.  On the palate, this has nice lemon notes with some charred lemon peel.  Lots of energy.  Good acidity.  More about the minerality on the palate though.  Drink now to enjoy that energy.  It wil

2018 Zum Martin Sepp Grüner Veltliner, Austria, Weinland, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a basic Gruner that comes in a 1 litre bottle.  It retails for $15 which is an excellent value.  Also a crown cap for a closure.  Light green/gold in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes, slight asparagus and minerals.  On the palate, a lemon/lime quality.  Good acidity.  Some roundness.  Not a ton of depth but some.  This should be consumed in the next year but will be drinkable for a few more.  It should go well with lighter fare and drinks well on its own.  A nice wine to finish off summer.  

2014 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This, while still young, has entered an adolescence that is very enjoyable.  Light gold/green in color.  The nose has the typical Rhys Lemon Cream and vanilla.  On the palate, this is starting to delineate layers and show nice complexity.  The lemon cream and vanilla carry thru along with underlying minerality.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This took a few hours on opening to really open up so it is probably worth decanting at this point.  It should easily go another decade probably until 2034.  Great on it own.  It will work with richer dishes with fish, veggies and some fowl.  

2014 Gregory James Old Vine Zinfandel Carreras Ranch, USA, California, Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is more of a "claret" styled Zinfandel than a big brawny styled Zin.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has dust, black cherries and slight tobacco.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Juicy black cherry fruit intertwined with a bit of damp earth.  Nice finish.  This would be great with Indian food.  Drink over the next five years, but it might surprise and last (a lot) longer.  

2016 Gregory James Chardonnay Hawk Hill Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
84
Grade: 
B-

This is quite different than the 2014.  Of course, wine is subjective.  This is much more similar in style to the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay or the Rombauer Chardonnay; both of which are big sellers.  Light golden in color.  The nose has some lemon, some butter and some oak/vanilla.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet with some lemon notes that balance it.  This will be better as a cocktail wine than with food.  It should last for five more years but then may start to lose some of its freshness.  

2014 Gregory James Chardonnay Hawk Hill Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Tasted side by side with the 2016, this one was much more to my liking.  Pale golden with some green swirls.  The nose has slight lemons, nice minerality, slight chalk and little oak.  On the palate, this is refreshing and clean.  Dry.  Mostly about the minerality but some lemon.  Good finish.  I believe this retails for around $20 which is a nice value.  Ready to drink now, it should be good for five years.  It will drink well on its own but better with sea food or salads.  

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