2017 The Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon Allomi, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Hess is an excellent winery with a long track record.  This wine is one that is a consistently good value every vintage and reasonably easy to find.  Deep ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose is tight at first, but opens to black cherries, some cassis and some baking spices.  On the palate, the black cherries carry thru.  Light tannins.  Easy drinking.  It might get a bit better with a couple of years of age but should be drunk in the next few years.  This will go great with grilled or roasted foods.  

2017 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Ribera del Duero Bela, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This was quite popular at our Intowine.com tasting.  It is a young wine from Spain made from Tempranillo.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, sea air and just a bit of woodiness.  On the palate, this has a nice balance.  Light with silky tannins.  The wine flutters on the palate.  Soft with black cherries and just a bit of anise. It is very tasty with some depth and complexity.  It won't get better than this and should be consumed in the next few years.  

2017 Bonterra Vineyards Equinox Red, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$12.00USD

Bonterra wines are made from organically farmed grapes.  This is a blend of mostly Merlot and Petite Sirah.  It is a different take, a bit lighter and easier, but a delicious and well priced wine.  Deep ruby in color, lighter at the rim, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has raspberries and cranberries with a bit of char.  On the palate, this has raspberries and candied cherries with an underlying char.  Some complexity.  This is clean and easy drinking.  It is not likely to get any better but should be good over the next three to five years.  It drinks well on its own and will work with f

2017 The Hess Collection Chardonnay, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

This is a pretty version of California Chardonnay.  Gold/silver/green in color.  The nose has lemon/lime with a nice minerality.  On the palate, this has lemons, wintergreen, along with slight tannins.  There is some oak here but not burdensome.  It shows up more on the finish along with some lemons.  This has a bit of complexity and is drinking very well.  It drinks well on its own and will work with lighter and medium weight foods.  It should probably be consumed in the next few years.  Full retail is $22 but this can often be found for less.

2017 Fort Ross Chardonnay Fort Ross Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Forst Ross - Seaview, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Gold/green in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice.  Big.  Fresh oak, lemons and slight vanilla.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, flavors of lemon hard candy.  Slightly oily texture.  The finish has oak and lemon candies.  Long.  This has a fair amount of oak, but is also clean and energetic.  It should be good for seven to ten more years and may develop further.  It should go well with a wide range of foods from salads to pasta in a cream sauce.  

2018 Harken Chardonnay Barrel Fermented, USA, California, Wine Review

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

At a recent tasting of multiple Chardonnays, this was the crowd favorite and most were priced well above this one.  It retails for around $15, but can be found for as low as $10.  The back label says it is a throwback to the oaked and buttery Chardonnays of the past.  Perhaps, but most people seemed to find just a hint of those qualities and that was a good thing.  It was different than what the crowd described as over oaked and too buttery.  While the crowd may have liked it more than I, it is a very nice wine and a great value and quite enjoyable.  The color is light gold, hay and slight

2013 Rhys Chardonnay Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Consumed with friends at their home in Napa.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is classic Rhys.  Vanilla, lemon cream and this time a slight herbal note (in a good way).  Nice acidity.  Complex and deep.  This wine has entered into a very early maturity and is showing some development.  It is also delicious.  Long finish.  This should continue to develop for the  next five years and be good for at least ten more after that.  Further upside is likely.  It goes well with seafood, fowl and grain based dishes.  

2016 Halcon Vineyards Esquisto, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is a GSM blend of 70/10/20.  Still young, it needs some time, especially for the Syrah and Mourvedre to come out.  Ruby in color, slightly cloudy.  The nose has black cherries and baking spices.  On the palate, this is more raspberries but the baking spice are present.  Smooth and easy drinking but also some depth.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Needs a few years and should have a decade more.  Will work on its own and worked great with a stuffed eggplant dish but roasted foods in general.  

2005 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$170.00USD

This was outstanding if not at the single vineyard level either.  Medium ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with cherries, tar and smoke.  On the palate, this has cherries, sour cherries and some underlying forest floor.  Medium tannins.  Some complexity.  It was served pop and pour and really improved after an hour.  Nice acidity.  It worked well with a spicy eggplant but also ravioli in a lemon butter sauce.  It seems to be about as good as it is going to get but no hurry.  I would probably recommend giving it a couple/few hours in a decanter prior to serving.  

2013 Movia Lunar 8., Slovenia, Goriška Brda, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
73
Grade: 
C-

This was stood upright for a couple of weeks.  There is a ton of sediment, so it was decanted.  I have liked this wine on many occasions.  It is an oddball white from the border of northeast Italy and Slovenia.  This is Robolla Gialla grapes fermented on its skins.  And, this was disappointing.  It was ahrd to pinpoint what was going on, but this seemed a bit lifeless.  That is the opposite of what this wine has offered in the past.  Going back to it after a few hours, there had been no change.  Of course, it possible it's too old, but that should not be the case.  It's possible it was an o

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