2014 Andremily Mourvedre, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$140.00USD

I love the Andremily Syrah, but this was my first time trying the Mourvedre.  It was sensational.  It does contain 14% Syrah.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with grilled meats and slightly gamey meats (a good thing) along with black pepper, lavender and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush wonderful texture.  Plenty of acidity behind the fruit.  Very primary today.  Consumed over a few days, there really wasn't much difference.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with some black cherries and an underlying earthiness.  This will certainly take at least five and closer to ten years to

NV Calafè Kami Brut Nature, Italy, Campania, Greco di Tufo DOCG, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$28.00USD

This is absolutely the best sparkling Greco di Tufo I have ever had.  It is also the only one.  Very interesting wine.  Made in the Metodo Classico or the traditional way that Champagne is made.  A fun wine for sure but also a very nice sparkling wine.  Greco di Tufo is the area making white wine from the Greco grape.  Popping the cork, the wine is white/green/gold in color.  There is a nice mousse with small-ish bubbles.  On the nose, there is some nice minerality along with a slight lemon-lime quality.  Those flavors carry thru to the palate along with a salinity.  This is broader and jus

2017 Domaine de la Côte Sainte-Epine St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

These are great values in Northern Rhone Syrah.  Fass Selections is their importer and distributor in the US.  For those looking for some different wines, sign up for their daily e-mail blasts of wines for direct sale.  While this will improve a bit with cellaring, it drinks well now, especially with a bit of air.  Purple in color, ruby swirls.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, roasted herbs and slight black pepper.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the fruit is a bit lighter but still in the black raspberry vein.  An underlying minerality with some char.  Good acidity.  Nice finish. 

2004 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2004
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

One of the longer living CdP's.  However, 2004 is an ok, not great vintage at this time.  The result?  At age 15 this is at peak.  It should be here for at least five and likely ten more years.  Medium ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, slight floral notes, garrique and slight earthy funk.  On the palate, this has nice depth.  Layers of cherry liqueur unwind in the glass over a funky earthiness.  Light dry tannins especially on the finish.  This works well with stews and roast.  Everything you want in a traditional CdP.  

2006 Domaine René Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

About ten years ago, a west coast retailer dumped these on the market.  And, I mean dumped.  About $15 a bottle.  Never knew why but bought some anyway as did lots of others.  It seems that has tainted the perception of this wine as every time people open one, the story is told and the comments factor in the price.  Frankly, that does this wine a dis-service.  At age 13, from a solid vintage, this wine is drinking quite well and appears to be at peak.  Pale ruby in color.  The nose is earthy, slightly dishwater with good fresh cherries as well.  On the palate, this is clean with cherries, m

2005 Gérard Raphet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$130.00USD

Well, this was one of the better values I have had in Burgundy in a while.  It was $70 on release with current vintages retailing for $110 or so.  Pop and pour, this seems to be at peak or just getting there.  It improved in the first thirty minutes and then held until the bottle was empty.  Light ruby in color.  A bit pale.  The nose is strong though with cherries and a slight earthy funk.  Maybe just a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has nice layering of fruit (cherries) and earth.  Good balance.  Persistent finish.  It went very well with food.  Delicious but also contemplative.  

2015 Eral Bravo Malbec Urano, Argentina, Lujan de Cayo, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is a relatively inexpensive and widely distributed Malbec that show up on a lot of wine lists.  I prefer their Syrah but the Malbec is functional and not a bad choice when looking to not spend a lot of money.  Purple in color.  The nose is dusty with some plums and a bit of sweet alcohol.  On the palate, the plums come thru with some black cherry notes.  It is a touch warm.  Nice finish.  Works well with pastas, meat and pizza.  These drink well for about five years from vintage.  

2015 Ceritas Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

My first time trying this and it was excellent.  Pop and pour and enjoyed with a shishito pepper dish that worked quite well.  Pale silvery/gold in color.  The nose has a salinity that is nice with minerals and slight green apples.  On the palate, this is not as austere as I had been led to believe.  In fact, it is very round and full bodied.  Nice apple fruit with underlying minerality.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  Delicious wine that is drinking well today but probably has a decade left.  It seems like it has the stuffing to mature and gain in complexity so probably still some upside.  

2016 William & Mary Cabernet Sauvignon Shifflett Ranch, USA, California, Napa, Oak Knoll District, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

My first time trying this wine.  William Segui works closely with Thomas Rivers Brown at Rivers Marie, Outpost and other TRB projects but this wine is he and his wife's own project.  The vineyard has been in his wife Mary's, family for 70 years.  The wine itself is excellent and for their first time at bat, they hit a home run.  Inky purple in color, magenta at the rim.  Pop and pour, this took some time to open and was still getting better when the last drop was consumed a couple hours later.  Bright and opaque.  The nose is really unique.  Sure, it has cassis and a bit of blueberries, but

2015 Maison Champy Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes, France, Burgundy, Wine Reviews

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$78.00USD

Light gold/green in color.  The nose is nice with lemons, slight vanilla, and a bit of grapefruit.  On the palate, this is nice but a bit more depth would be nice.  Decent acidity.  Some lemon and grapefruit.  Went well with a vegetarian pasta dish.  This cost $70 and that is the biggest thing.  Hard to justify that unless one lays it down the cellar.  But, with white Burgundies, that raises the risk of premature oxidation.  I am not sure what the answer is, but I find myself buying less White Burgundy.  That said, if you have this, it should be cellared for at least five more years.  

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