2007 Domaine Chante Cigale Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This is really drinking quite well now.  It has taken some time, but is finally ready for prime time.  Purple in color.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight cedar, slight dust and slight dried violets.  On the palate, this still has fresh black raspberry fruit layered with dry forest floor and spice.  Complex.  Very nice texture.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This would work with heartier foods.  It demands attention but is quite delicious too.  Probably nearing peak, I would drink in the next decade.  

2013 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Great showing for this.  Silvery gold in color.  The nose is great with slight orange peel and quince.  Nice minerality.  On the palate this has a great texture.  Slightly oily texture.  Notes of oranges and minerals.  Great acidity.  This kept improving in the glass.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  This wine retails for under $30 and is great now but should hold and maybe improved for a while.  This is made from Chenin Blanc which ages better than most people think.  

2008 Montecchio Vin Santo, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Grade: 
B

Deep golden in color.  The nose is hot with a nutty note and slight dried honey.  On the palate, there is a ton of alcohol showing.  Slightly viscous.  Barely sweet.  Some nuttiness.  On the finish, the alcohol vapors continue.  The label says 19% and it was every bit of that.  Not sure where it goes from here.  It seemed surprising it was not labeled liquoroso.  When slowly sipped it offered some warmth and enjoyment but it is not a wine for the dinner table.  

2009 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance, South Africa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

One of the great dessert wines over the last couple hundred years.  Made from Muscat de Frontignan.  Deep amber orange in color.  The nose is very nice with honey and slight apricot.  On the palate this is slightly sweet, not cloying.  Honey and a bit more intense apricots.  Long finish.  Seep and complex, this is still young and there is some upside.  

2005 Château Coutet, France, Sauternes, Barsac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

What a delicious wine.  Golden in color.  The nose has honey, quince and slight apricot.  On the palate, this is viscous.  Sweet but not overtly.  Good acidity.  Honey and slightly bitter apricot notes make it easy to drink a second glass.  Long finish.  Easily has a couple of decades left.  Just delicious.  

2010 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor, Chile, Puente Alto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Always nice to try this flagship wine of Chile.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, roasted herbs, and slight roasted meat.  On the palate, this is black cherries with underlying graphite.  The wine had been decanted for a few hours and needed every bit of it.  Medium tannins at that point.  It is deep and powerful but nicely balanced.  Long finish.  Went great with roasted eggplant and other veggies.  There may still be some upside but even if not, this is terrific now and should be at this level for at least another  decade.  

2017 Diving Into Hampton Water Rose, France, Languedoc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

A collaboration between Gérard Bertrand, and Jon and Jesse Bon Jovi.  HW Wine Company is essentially a company that commissioned this wine to be made in France to celebrate the good life.  Light salmon pink in color.  The nose is all about watermelon and strawberries.  It has a nice texture.  Nice acidity.  This wine is really all about summer fruit.  Not a lot of depth or complexity but tasty and easy drinking.  While it is probably made as a summer sipper it went well with a summery watermelon salad. Fun wine.  

2016 Peter Michael Sauvignon Blanc L'Apres-Midi, USA, California, Sonoma, Knights Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Silvery green in color.  Very nice nose with chalk, minerals, tarragon and slight lemon notes.  Decidedly more mineral driven than fruit.  On the palate, the lemon comes out a bit more along with a bit of peach.  Plenty of minerals as well.  A very nice oily texture.  Great balance and acidity.  Long finish.  This is a energetic and persistent wine that is lean and goes great with food.  It has depth and complexity as well and probably be drinking just fine in ten years, but the energy will be gone, so it is best enjoyed in the next few.  

NV Moët & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial Rosé, France, Epernay, Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Apparently, this bottling was done for the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Championship.  This was not in the locker room, but part of the same bottling that was.  Go Cavs!  Orange pink in color.  There is a nice mousse with a lot of tiny bubbles.  On the nose there are a lot of cherries and oranges.  Very strong and interesting.  On the palate this is sweet.  Oranges.  The finish is oddly enough almost dry.  This wine's sweetness proved a bit divisive, but was quite enjoyable for me.  It has a nice depth and the acidity works with sweetness and this is very food friendly.  

2013 Treasure Hunter Wines Petite Sirah The Lion Tamer, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is really drinking well right now.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, underlying graphite and slight black pepper.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit.  Good texture.  Plenty of depth.  Still drinking on the young side of maturity.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  Worked well with food.  Not a monster wine but plenty of fruit and delicious.  Still some development to go and possible upside.  

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