2021 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, USA, California, Napa, Rutherford, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$24.00USD

Hay/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of gun powder/sulfur with some pineapple and baking spice.  Medium bodied.  Nice texture.  On the palate, peach and lemon cream with nice acidity.  Nice finish.  This is a bigger, rounder Sauvignon Blanc which has a lot of oak showing at this young stage.  It drinks well on its own and will work with some foods.  Pasta Primavera might be one.  The fruit will likely fade before the oak integrates, so drink up in the next few years.  

2012 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Frank Family seems to be one of those wines that people like because the owners are such good people and the wines are good as well.  While I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the owners, I do agree, the wines are very good.  A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Tannins are mostly, not completely, resolved.  On the palate cassis, slight spice and a hint of char.  Nice finish.  An enjoyable, easy to drink wine with some stuffing.  Good finish.  Dri

2009 Orin Swift Papillon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

I get it, many people love these wines while a smaller amount love to bash them.  Personally, I enjoy them for what they are.  I like to open them when I am not looking to sit in the leather char in my imaginary study and contemplate wines place in society over the centuries.  This is a great wine to open with neighbors who may or may not be wine geeks, but do enjoy a big red.  It is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot.

2015 Giovanni Sordo Barolo, Italy, Piedmont, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$38.00USD

This is a nice, relatively inexpensive Barolo.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, cherry juice, slight floral and hot asphalt.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is straight forward with cherries.  Moderate acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks better with food.  Pasta with a mushroom cream sauce would work well.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2017 Calafè Taurasi, Italy, Campagna, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$36.00USD

Taurasi DOCG is made from Aglianico grapes and is one of the most underrated grapes anywhere.  The more "serious" ones can age fr thirty years, and the more accessible ones are usually great values.  This is the later.  Purple in color with a ruby rim.  The nose has black cherries, char, and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cherries and black licorice.  Good acidity.  Good finish. This is delicious and drinks easily on its own although it will work great with a nice pizza.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

2017 Csetvei Pince Nagy-Somló Kò-Papír-Olló

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This excellent white wine from Hungary is 100% Olaszrizling grapes that were barrel fermented.  Light golden yellow in color, clear and bright.  The nose has apples, slight grapefruits and a hint of nuttiness.  Medium bodied.  Creamy texture.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Notes of apples and slight almonds on the finish.  This is very food friendly and would work well with stuffed peppers.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

2017 Calla Lily Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate Red, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

While 2017 was a "lesser" vintage in Napa, it is still a good vintage and this is a great example.  Perhaps not quite the 16 or 18, it still provides lots of enjoyment.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, there is some depth.  Cassis with underlying char.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now, it should drink well for another ten years.  Nice on its own, this will work great with a burger off the grill.

 

2015 Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Beerenauslese, Germany, Mosel, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$139.00USD

From a 375ml, this is a desert wine.  Beerenauslese means the grapes are late harvest grapes affected by noble rot and picked individually off the vines.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with honey and apricots along with a slight wet stone note.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying.  Some depth.  A nice way to finish an evening.  Still very young, this wine should go another twenty years.  Nice on its own, this would be nice with soft cheeses.  

2016 Dagmar Ichor, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$99.00USD

This is a blend of Howell Mountain (70%) and Mt. Veeder (30%) grapes with Cabernet Franc (52%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (38%) and the rest Malbec, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The team at Dagmar are negociants for California wines.  Garnet in color with purple swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, tobacco, dust and slight sage notes.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another seven to ten years.  It works well on its own and would work well with hearty foods such as lamb stew.  

2020 Domaine Bousquet Gran-Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina, Mendoza, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the best grapes of the original estate vineyard planted in the late 1990's by Jean Bousquet.  Purple in color, ruby at the rime, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is tight and takes about an hour to open.  Cassis, figs, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, anise, slight tobacco.  Well balanced.  Long finish with firm tannins.  Made from organic grapes.  This is drinking well but will improve with good cellaring.  Wait a few years then drink over the next eight to twelve years.  A nice match with grilled steak or ribs. 

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