2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne Legacy Edition Label, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$180.00USD

2008 is a great vintage for Champagne.  This is the first Dom I have tasted from that vintage.  Outstanding and also a bit unique.  Light golden in color with a very nice mousse of tiny bubbles.  On the nose, this has a a nice meyer lemon note along with an ever so slight nuttiness and a bit of smoke.  It opens slowly with air and never is a big nose at this point but does show bit of ginger root.  On the palate, this is excellent if still young.  Apple cider, fresh green apples, slight toast all mix together.  But what is really fun is the tension in the wine.  This is one of the liveliest

2016 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$65.00USD

2016 is a stellar year in Chateauneuf du Pape and the southern Rhone Valley.  While this wine has years left in it, it was wonderful to drink now.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is great.  Clean with black cherries, dust, spice and slight lavender notes.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Juicy black cherry fruit.  An underlying minerality.  Lots of depth.  Good finish.  It is a big wine at the moment, but will no doubt mellow and gain in complexity as it loses some of that youthful fruit.  This easily has a decade and more left to it, but it really is worth drinki

2017 Sandlands Chenin Blanc Amador County, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

Sandlands is one of the best sources for Chenin Blanc in the United States.  They make a lot of other interesting wines but these might be the best.  And, their wines are all great values.  These come from vines planted back in the 1970's.  Golden in color.  A lovely nose of honey, almond milk and Calvados.  On the palate, it is much the same but less alcohol; let's say pears not Calvados.  Also an underlying minerality.  OK acidity.  Nice finish.  This will work with Salads, fish, or sushi very well.  Chenin Blanc ages very well and while I have not had this old, it seems likely that this

2015 Bodega Maranones Vinos de Madrid 30,000 Maravedíes, Spain, Gredos, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

Brought back from a visit a couple of years ago.  This is 90% Garnacha and 10 percent Morate.  The wines of Gredos posit a unique take on Grenache and this is no exception.  This is a great value and can be found under $20 and closer to $15 at times.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries with some salinity and a bit of minerality.  Clean.  On the palate, bright cherries over minerals with some salinity.  Medium bodied.  Some depth.  Nice finish.  A bit of acidity but enough.  This will work with lighter foods and fowl.  Great with stews.  It is drinking well but probably has anot

1997 Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Tb, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1997
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$180.00USD

Bussola is one of the top producers in Amarone and the top producer I can still afford (after Quintarelli and Dal Forno).  This was an older bottle that was just singing.  It had been stood up for a week and then decanted just prior to serving.  It continued to open up for the next couple of hours.  Really a gorgeous wine.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is great.  Dusty at first, that gave way to slight craisins, cherries with some underlying smoke and even a bit of dried flowers.  With more air, a chocolate/caramel note comes out; almost sweet.  On the palate, this is still l

2016 Halcon Vineyards Pinot Noir Oppenlander Vineyard, USA, California, Mendocino, Wine Review

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

This is the first Pinot I have tried from Halcon, one of my favorite Rhone varietal producers.  This is excellent.  On the worldwide scale of Pinots it is on the larger size but certainly not for California.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has black cherries and sour cherries.  Very nice.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.

2013 Grgich Hills Chardonnay, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This has come together nicely in the last few years.  It is drinking quite well now.  Slightly lighter golden in color.  The nose is nice.  There is still some obvious oak, but that is more about house style and it is not over the top.  Aromas of lemon cream and slight vanilla with a bit of baking spice.  Full bodied.  The lemon carries thru to the palate with a hint of vanilla.  No heat showing.  Good acidity.  There is some depth and development.  Nice finish.  Classic Napa Chardonnay.  This should still have five to ten more years left at peak.  It will go well with seafood, salads and m

2015 Daniel Bouland Morgon Corcelette Vieilles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Wow.  This is impressive.  For the Beaujolais purist this might be too much but for the rest of us, this is delicious and a great wine.  A prior review can be found on this site from a couple of years ago, but it has improved since then.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, figs, slight black raspberries and a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has medium tannins.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with some black cherries and slight fig.  A bit of black olives too.  Deep and complex, this is delicious and interesting.  Still young, it has at least a decade and probably two left whic

2010 Hobel Wine Works Cabernet Sauvignon Engelhard Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Callistoga,Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$90.00USD

Nice to try a Hobel with some age on it.  This was purchased on release.  Still youthful though it is drinking well with a bit of air.  This was made by Thomas Rivers Brown.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose is very nice with cassis, cedar, leather, and spice.  On the palate, this still has medium tannins.  cassis fruit with some underlying dry earthiness.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  It unwinds a bit in the glass showing some layering.  Overall, this is maturing nicely.  It won't get better but should keep maturing.  No hurry, this has at least another decade in it.  It wi

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