2007 Sine Qua Non Syrah Dangerous Birds, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$755.00USD

The wines of SQN are so good, it can be hard to wait on them so it was a real treat to find this in my cellar.  At age 17, it is still youthful but showing development.  It is outstanding.  It is 93% Syrah, 4.5% Grenache and 2.5% Viognier.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, roasted meats and dried herbs, and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is complex and deep.  Flavors of black raspberries with black pepper and a nice earthiness.  Great texture.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is great on its own

2021 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay Reserve, Argentina, Mendoza, Uco Valley, Tupangato, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

This is their basic Chardonnay.  Screw capped.  A very nice value.  Pale yellow gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with grapefruits and slight chalky notes.  Clean.  Light to medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is refreshing.  Notes of grapefruits.  This is nice on its own and better with some food.  A good wine to match with sea food or vegetarian fare. Drink over the next few years.  

2016 Keplinger Fuego y Mar, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This is a Syrah from the Sonoma Coast made in Helen Keplinger's home winery.  It drinks with a cooler climate profile and comes across beautifully.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries, dark chocolate, slight bacon fat and violets.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is the elegant side of California Syrah.  Boysenberries, white pepper and roasted herbs.  Deep.  Still young but starting to show some maturity.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  This is great on its own but better with food.  Grilled Lamb Chops would work

2022 Alban Vineyards Viognier Sarments, USA, California, Central Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

I wish I knew more about this wine.  I loved it!  Alban makes (not counting this), two different Viogniers.  They make and estate Viognier and a Central Coast Viognier.  Both are labeled as Viognier.  This one is neither of those two.  It carries the additional labelling as Sarments.  The word means cutting or scion, so I assume these vines were propagated from other vines somewhere...  Anyway, I like the Alban Estate Viognier but don't love it.  I prefer Viognier more like a Condrieu which is a region making Viognier in the Rhone Valley in France.  I would like to say the difference is in

Ammunition Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels, USA, Kentucky, Bourbon Review

Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$85.00USD

A popular trend in Bourbon is finishing them in wine barrels.  It is interesting to see the effect that has on Bourbon.  110 Proof.  This is a 4-year-old Bourbon, finished for 6 months in French Bordeaux wine barrels which previously held Ammunition Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon.  Special mash bill of 70% Corn, 20% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley.  Light brown (iced tea) in color, clear and bright.  I love the nose.  Caramel, butterscotch, and old wood.  It smells like Bourbon although very smooth especially considering the alcohol.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is caramel, but also cherry (

2015 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Gigondas is often thought of as a "lesser" Chateauneuf du Pape.  That can be good as in pricing or bad as in quality.  This is neither.  It is one of the best Gigondas produced and it is not inexpensive.  That said, if you like CdP, you will love this.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, spices, slight floral, black cherries and earth.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is complex and layered.  Deep.  Flavors of black raspberries, earth and char.  Long finish.  This is not yet  at peak but

2019 Torrin The Banshee, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

This is a blend of 47% Mourvedre, 35% Syrah and 18% Grenache from Paso Robles.  While its fun to taste these young, Torrin wines really need ten years to really strut their stuff.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, plums, roasted meats, leather and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Flavors of black raspberries, plums with spice and char.  Long finish.  if drinking soon, give this five hours or more of air.  Drink over the next fifteen years.  Better on its own for now but as it ages this will work

2020 Masciarelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Marina Cvetić Riserva, Italy, Abruzzi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

It was nice to revisit this after an off bottle.  This one was singing.  Pale gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great.  it starts out simple but then opens to show lemon peel, slight lime, lots of minerality, salinity and a slight pineapple.  Medium bodied with light tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this took about an hour to open.  It has a bit of lemons, some pineapple and deep minerality.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own but better with food.  It would work well with lemon pasta.  It seems like this could be interesting as it ages so if you have a few, maybe

2021 Mending Wall Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

Mending Wall offers some of the "more affordable" Cabernets that Thomas Rivers Brown makes (but prices seem to be rising).  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, crushed gravel, slight cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, there is juicy cassis fruit with some underlying gravel, char and some spice.  Long finish.  Of course, this is very young.  Cellar for a few more years and then drink for ten to fifteen after that.  Great on its own, it will become more food friendly as it ages.  If drinking soon, go with bigger (and fatty) food

2021 Crosby Roamann Syrah Rowan Vineyard, USA, California, Petaluma Gap, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a new winery for me and the first Syrah I have had from this AVA.  This Syrah is quite good and well priced for the quality.  I was expecting more of a cool climate profile but this is sort of middle of the road in California Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, floral (purple?) notes, grilled meats, wild herbs and slight bacon fat.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, there is juicy black raspberry fruit with some herbal notes and slight char.  This has depth.  Long finish.  Very tasty.  It drinks well on its own

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