2015 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

Ruby in color.  Gorgeous nose.  Surprisingly accessible.  Cherries, black cherries, floral notes and slight baking spices.  Complex.  On the palate, this is very pretty.  Elegant.  A soft texture but yet firm.  Cherries and black cherries.  Just a touch of earth and spice.  Long finish.  Great balance.  While this is sure to improve for twenty years, it is superb right now.  This is an expensive wine in anybody's book, but given the state of Burgundy, this is a great wine that will justify its price (relatively speaking).  Lots of upside here.  

2003 Bodega Numanthia Toro Termes, Spain, Toro, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has a damp forest floor quality with black raspberries, and black cherries.  On the palate, this is drinking quite well and much younger than its 15 years would suggest.  It has shed most of its oak from its youth with plenty of fruit still left.  It is ripe and jammy.  Slight tannins mostly integrated at this point. Nice glycerin driven texture.  Seems at or close to peak but no hurry.  Slight warmth on the finish.  

2013 Mulderbosch Faithful Hound, South Africa, Stellenbosch, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 9% Petit Verdot.  This is a Bordeaux styled wine from South Africa.  It sells for under $20 making it a very nice buy.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is very nice; dusty and complex with cassis, tobacco, some bell pepper.  On the palate, this has a chewy texture.  Nice complexity.  Cassis, dark cherries with enough acid.  Good finish.  Drinking well now and won't get better but should hold for another five years at least.  

2013 Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot La 50/50, France, Languedoc

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a joint project from two successful winemakers from other parts of France.  It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignane according to the web site.  This was really good and for $9 a screaming value.  It is a fruity wine and drinking quite well right now.  Perfect for this summers BBQ's and parties.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is slightly earthy with black raspberries and a slight pine note which was enjoyable.  On the palate, this has firm tannins.  Black raspberries and black licorice underneath.  Bright fruit.  There is even some upside with this wine over the

2015 Les Perdrisières Pinot Noir Vin de Pays d'Oc, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
85
Grade: 
B

it is unusual for a French wine to list a varietal on the label.  This is labeled Vin de France which is why  it can be done.  There is an address in Mercurey so perhaps these grapes are grown in Burgundy but that is just speculation.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is slightly earthy with macerated cherries and slightly sour cherries.  On the palate, this has some serious tannins especially for Pinot Noir which is unusual.  The wine is thin bodied and lean with cherries.  There is a slight depth.  It sold for under $10 per bottle so would make a find party wine.  

2015 Mercer Estates Chardonnay Mercer Canyons, USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
82
Grade: 
B-

Light golden in color.  The nose has a fair amount of oak on it.  A bit fleshy with vanilla and slight lemons.  The oak became more pronounced with air. On the palate, the oak continues and at times it is searing and bitter.  There is also vanilla and lemons.  It does have a very nice texture.  I drank in a crowd and many liked this and even enjoyed the oak profile which is fine.  This may be a divisive wine based on that but seems to be otherwise a consistent wine.  It was being closed out for $8 which is hard to beat!

2016 Aliança Vinho Verde, Portugal, Wine review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Vinho Verdes provide crisp, refreshing wines at minimal costs.  They aren't made to last so buy them young.  This one was being closed out at $8 and that is a great price but drink them this summer as they are already starting to fade a bit.  Light golden in color.  The nose is steely with some tropical fruit.  Actually, gooseberries is pretty accurate along with a bit of mango.  On the palate, there is a bit of a sweet/sour thing going on.  Some residual sugar with tart acidity.  As is typical, there is a slight spritz to it.  It lacks a bit of that bright freshness that was probably prese

2009 Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Bussola is one of the top three producers of Amarone.  What separates him from the other two is pricing.  Bussola's wines are affordable.  This is his base wine and it retails for around $50.  That is not inexpensive, but it is worth it.  One caveat, to really get the full bang for your buck, let them age for a while.  This one is still not yet at peak but showing quite well especially with a bit of air.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  On the nose this has cherries, black cherries, tobacco, dried currants, slight sandalwood and prune.  Very deep.  On the palate, this is dry but fee

2016 Carlisle Grüner Veltliner Steiner Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Mountain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Carlisle makes great reds at fair prices, but they also make a variety of whites as well.  Gruner Veltliner is the grape of Austria, but this is a bit of a different take from California.  Light green/gold in color.  The nose is interesting.  It has pineapple, asparagus and minerals.  Deep and interesting and clean.  On the palate, the pineapple carries thru a bit on the attack.  The asparagus and minerals pick up from there.  Nice slightly oily texture.  Then some citrus/lime on the finish.  Very refreshing but more than just that.  Very food friendly.  Consumed over two nights, it was pro

2010 Pott Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Actaeon Quixote Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Stags Leap, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

This wine seems to be hitting a nice stride.  Certainly a long life left depending on how you like your Cabs.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, some spice, a little chocolate, and slight blueberries.  On the palate, this is dense and concentrated.  A little jammy.  Cassis, slight plums, blueberries and also a bit of dry earth and char.  Medium tannins.  Deep with some complexity as it unwinds in the glass.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  May improve a bit but it is outstanding right now.  

Pages

Pages