2011 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, France, Bordeaux - Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

A nice wine considering the vintage.  Purple in color.  The nose has nice cassis, slight tobacco and slight bell pepper.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with good cassis fruit.  Not a lot of tannins nor depth or complexity.  Perhaps with some cellaring it gains weight and complexity.  Nevertheless, it is very good right now.  Plenty of sinewy cassis fruit with underlying tobacco.  Nice acidity.  If found at the right price, it might be worth laying a couple of bottles down for a few years to see what develops.  

2001 Domaine Tempier Bandol, France - Wine Review

Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Whoa.  This was excellent and drinking great right now.  This is the regular bottling (do they still make that?).  Purple in color.  The nose is so pretty with a combination or wild herbs, earthiness and plums, and dark cherries.  On the palate, this has a lovely juicy texture.  It is depp with layers of complexity.  Vibrant fruit; cherries, dark cherries and slight plums and an underlying earthiness.  Long finish.  At 16 years from vintage this seems to be entering its peak but still is quite vital and there is no hurry to open.  

2011 Michele Chiarlo Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza La Court, Italy, Piedmont - Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color.  Dusty cherries with slight plums on the nose.  On the palate, this is a bit more serious than many Barberas.  It has some depth with nice plum and cherry fruit.  There is a bit of spice as well.  Great acidity, it will work well with food.  Nice finish.  Really nice and in a good spot in 2017 but should have a few more years at least.  

2003 Merk Aquileia Treuve Bianco, Italy, Friuli - Wine Review

Score: 
83
Grade: 
B-

Sometimes wine fool you and they last.  Not so much this time.  At 14 years from vintage, this is not dead but well past prime I think.  Of course, with age, all bottles are different, but if you own any of this, you should probably check in on it.  Deep golden in color.  The nose has note of bell pepper and asparagus.  No fruit.  On the palate, its a bit better with a nice minerality but has a metallic note on the finish.  All that sounds terrible and its not leading me to believe younger vintages may have something to offer.  This one is worth dirnking if you have it (as oppose to dumping

2013 Antinori Villa Antinori Toscana IGT, Italy, Tuscany - Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

I have always been a fan of this wine going back decades.  It used to be labeled as a Chianti but now they add fruit outside the zone and about 55% Sangiovese.  It is still a great value and a wine that will age in the cellar for ten years at least.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is earthy with sandalwood and cherries and an underlying char.  It is complex on the palate.  Great texture.  Cherries and cherry liqueur.  Nice acidity making it food friendly. 

2016 Familia Torres Pazo das Bruxas

Score: 
85
Grade: 
B

Light golden in color.  A very nice nose of crushed sea shells with bits of lime.  Not as good on the palate but still ok.  Nice minerality but it turns a bit bitter.  I would like to see a bit more acidity as well.  It would work well with sea food for sure.  

2017 Chandon Brut XO Rebecca Minkoff Limited Edition, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

A very nice dometicc sparkling wine.  Honestly, i have no idea who Rebecca Minkoff is, but congrats to her.  The packaging on this bottle is very pretty and it would make a welcome and tasty Holiday or Host gift.  Light golden in color, lots of small bubble.  On the nose, there is some yeast and some citrus.  On the palate, this is tsaty and would work well with a variety of foods.  I would drink this up sooner than later but it is easy to drink. At under $30, this is a nice value for a bit of a more serious sparkler.  

2015 Paul Dolan Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, USA, California, Mendocino - Wine Review

Score: 
86
Grade: 
B

An under $20 California Sauvignon Blanc that is respectable and a little bit more.  Gold/green in color.  The nose is slightly grassy but also has some nice tropical fruit (mango?) notes.  On the palate, this has a slightly oily, fuller texture that is very nice.  Don't serve it too cold as the fruit gets masked.  At cellar temp (60F), this has nice fruit and works well with lighter foods.  Very nice on its own as well.  It drinks dry but there may be just a touch of residual sugar to give it body and take away any bitterness.  Nice value.  

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