2016 Ironside Cellars Reserve Red, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a blend from Napa of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel.  It comes in a big heavy bottle and makes a nice presentation.  I beleive it is under $20 and for that, this is a very nice value indeed.  Purple in color.  The nose has cherries, black raspberries, dust, and spice.  On the palate, there is a jucy acidity.  Some tannins.  Nice cherry fruit with dark cherries and black raspberries.  Soft tannins. This is very easy drinking and quite tasty.  Would make a nice wine for parties or to give as a holiday gift.  

2014 Ironside Cellars Red, USA, California - Wine Review

Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Purple in color.  The nose is nice with cherries and boysenberries.  Some apice as well.  On the palate, this is easy drinking but there is some complexity.  Perhaps that is from the mix of varietals but it is nice.  Juicy texture.  This is a very good wine.  It does taste a bit manipulated but if the final outcome is a tasty wine at a reasonable price, that is fine.  

2012 Maysara Winery Pinot Noir Asha, USA, Oregon - Wine Reviews

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Lighter ruby in color.  The nose has what I believe is the "terroir" for the Momtzi vineyard.  That is dark cherries, cherries, minerals but also this celery sort of quality.  In some wines it can be distracting, but in this wine, it melds with the dark cherries in a delightful way.  On the palate, this is a rich and full bodied Pinot.  Cherries and dark cherries with tight layering.  Clean earth is the best way i can describe it.  Nice balance.  Great finish.  This is an excellent Pinot Noir.  Certainly it has some upside potnetial from here with a few more years of storage.  

2013 Maysara Winery Pinot Noir Cyrus Momtazi Vineyard, USA, France, Oregon - Wine Review

Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Light ruby in color.  The nose has more dark cherries however.  One of those Pinot's that looks light but drinks dark.  Yet, this is also a very elegant Pinot Noir.  The dark cherries cary thru to the palate.  Deep and complex if tightly layered at the moment.  It unwinds in the glass.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  It should improve gracefully.  

2012 Maysara Winery Pinot Noir Jamsheed Momtazi Vineyard, USA, Oregon - Wine Review

Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Light ruby in color.  The nose has cherries but a distracting celery quality to it.  On the palate, there are light but present tannins.  Cherry fruit but not ripe nor green.  This seems very true to the Momtazi vineyard which I believe is their own vineyard.  Its different.  I enjoyed it very much.  It will cellar but I don't know how much better it gets.  

2010 Château Gaudin, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac - Wine Review

Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Very nice wine that is slowly getting to peak but not there yet.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, pencil lead and spice.  On the palate, this is tannic.  Tight but unwinds in the glass.  Cassis and a nice nimneral undertone.  Some oak still showing but given a few years, this should come together nicely.  $40 retail.  Very nice classic Bordeaux to cellar.  

2014 Clos Margalaine, France, Bordeaux, Margaux - Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+

Another nice Bordeaux.  The retsail price is, however, $50.  Hopefully, it can be found for less.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cherries, slight barnyard and a fair amount of green bell pepper.  It is better on the palate, with fresher cherries and less bell pepper.  It does have drying tannins on the finish.  

2014 Clos Des Menuts, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion - Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cigar and cherries.  Penty of tannins.  The fruit seems a bit under ripe.  Some people like that style of Bordeaux but it was borderline with me.  Certainly a fine enough glass of wine.  It will cellar but I don't know that it will improve.  There is some complexity.   I am probably being a bit harsh but this retails for $30 and I would expect more.  

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