2016 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

This was a very good value and is drinking very well.  Around $20.  Light golden in color.  The nose is more restrained with nice lychees, peaches and minerality.  On the palate, this is slightly viscous and slightly sweet.  None of the bitter almond that sometimes shows up in Gewurztraminer.  Peaches and minerals.  Best when not served to cold.  Perhaps around $60F.  The wine gets more expressive and rounder.  Worked with a wide variety of foods.  This is a bit more restrained than many of the other Gewurztraminers in this price range which is probably a good thing.  It works more as a tot

2011 Beta Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Moon Mountain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This had some odd label and I am not sure if we ever properly unwrapped it.  In any event, this is one of the best 2011's from Sonoma and indeed, California that I have had.  Deep magenta in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, cedar, and graphite.  There are firm tannins still.  A supple texture.  14.1% alcohol.  Cassis and very concentrated on the palate.  Delicious and no ripeness issues.  Long finish.  Worked well with eharty foods and some pungent cheeses.  There are always new wineries emerging on the scene but this is one to watch.  

2008 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, USA, California, Napa, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Really great showing for this wine.  Purple in color, slight line of ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, coffee, and cedar.  Complex.  On the palate, this is awesome.  It is a big wine but with a nice elegance at this point.  Cassis layered with coffee and earth.  Long finish.  This is delicious and while it is the kind of wine that borders on excessive, as it matures it has calmed down and is integrating nicely.  Still young, this  needs another decade until maturity and has a couple more at the top after that.  It is delicious now and worked quite well with an assortment of cheeses (an

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1999
Grade: 

This was an off bottle.  It had been purchased via Acker-Merrill auction and probably at some point in its life, exposed to excessive heat.  Nevertheless, it was still enjoyable as a wine, even if not what it should have been.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, brown sugar, dried cherries and raisins.  On the palate, this is a bit disjointed but has some nice cherry flavors.  Still has some light tannins.  Some alcohol showing.  Finishes with dried cherries.  Another example why provenance is so important.  No score is assigned.  

2006 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A

Ruby in color, purple swirls.  The nose is dusty with dried roses, some tar and cherries.  Classic and very nice.  On the palate, this is deep, complex and layered.  Layers of cherries, dried cherries, forest floor and tar.  It explodes ans it unwinds in the glass.  Still youthful as it closes in on maturity.  Long finish.  Great with a creamy pasta dish, and probably almost every other food as well.  This is one of the top Barolos out there and great in almost every vintage, but this vintage is right there again!

2016 Willm Gewurztraminer Reserve, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Light gold in color.  The nose is nice if a bit reserved.  Lychees with slight peach.  On the palate, this is mostly dry with just a hint of sweetness.  More like a perception than actual sweetness.  Peaches.  Refreshing.  Nice balance.  This is a very food friendly wine.  Easy to drink.  Good value at around $20.  No bitterness.  Drinking well right now, I don't think it improves.  

2005 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu, France, Loire Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Golden in color.  Fantastic nose.  Clean and expressive.  Sea air, crushed shells, apples and honey.  On the palate, this has a great backbone of acidity.  Slightly oily texture.  Minerals, crushed shells with an herbal note.  Also some apples.  Pinpoint precision.  Slight orange citrus on the finish.  Seems to be youthful but almost at peak.  Of course, it should be at this level for another decade or more.  Complex.  Great with all kinds of food.  These still are under $40 which is a great value.  

2009 Trimbach Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Geisberg, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is the first vintage that Trimbach made a wine from this vineyard.  Light golden in color.  Great nose.  There is a bit of orange peel along with minerals and a salinity on the nose.  It is big right from the start.  The palate takes a bit of air to get going.  A relatively viscous texture.  The wine is dry.  Tight peaches eventually show more expressive peach along with minerals (crushed limestone).  There is some warmth on the wine.  Nevertheless, it worked great with food especially a Goat Cheese Tart (superb).  Still young, it is drinking well now, but should continue to improve fo

2016 Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Reserve, France, Alsace, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Light golden in color with some green hues swirling about.  A very nice nose with lychee nuts, slight peaches and almonds.  On the palate, this has a slight bitterness that is often found in Gewurztraminer.  It is medium sweet which is also what the indice on the back label indicates.  The palate has slight peach with nice minerality.  Slightly viscous.  Consumed over two days, it was better on day 2 with the bitterness receding and the wine coming together.  Reasonably food friendly with lighter foods though would also work well with heavier spiced foods such as Indian or Thai.  It probabl

2010 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia, Italy, Tuscany, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

One  of the best from Chianti.  This is a great wine.  It retails for under $50 which is expensive for Chianti but a great value for the quality offered.  Purple in color, ruby swirls.  The nose is great with cherries, tobacco, tea leaves, and a slight pine note.  With air, some cedar and earth emerge.  On the palate, this has firm tannins still.  Lots of dark cherry fruit layered with wet tea leaves (or maybe tobacco) and spice.  Deep and complex.  A strong backbone of acidity.  Long finish.  This is quite food friendly but especially meats and pasta.  Still young, this has at least 5 more

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