2017 La Route Pomerol, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

This is a wine from the right bank of Bordeaux appellation Pomerol that was new to me.  It is 100% Merlot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, plums, black raspberries, cedar and spice.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, lots of red and some purple fruits with layers of cedar and slight earthiness.  This should continue to mature and improve over the next decade and drink well for ten to twelve more after that.  This would go well with roasted eggplant dishes.  

2016 Château Tour Baladoz La Dame de Baladoz, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

 This is the second wine of Château Tour Baladoz.  It is produced made from the youngest vines and consists of 90% Merlot.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight milk chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there are light tannins.  The cherries and chocolate come thru with slight earthiness.  Nice finish.  Not profound but tasty and easy drinking.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  This drinks well on its own and would be a nice match with stuffed peppers.  

2010 Château Le Gay Pomerol, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$169.00USD

Very impressive showing and while just a bit tight, this opened nice with air.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  Black currants, plums, baking spices, graphite and char on the nose.  Full bodied with a lush texture.  On the palate, this unwinds in the glass to show depth and layers of fruit (plums and black currants), spice, slight forest floor, and smoke.  Great balance.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This is not yet at peak but well worth opening now and letting it breathe.  Drink over the next twenty years.  It drinks great on its own but will work better with food.  Roasted duck or eggp

2008 Corvus Vineyards Blend No 5, Turkey, Bozcaada Island, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a blend of 47% Merlot, 33% Syrah, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc from Turkey.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, pine and salinity.  Nice texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has tight layering.  Notes of black cherries, milk chocolate, black pepper and slight bell pepper.  Reasonably good balance although a bit more acidity would be nice.  Seems to be at peak or slightly past.  Drink now.  This would work better with food.  Eggplant such as Imam Bayildi might be a nice choice.  

2020 Realm Cellars La Fe, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Lovely Rosé blend.  This is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from Farella and Moonracer vineyards.  Due to the fires in 2020, Realm decided that they could not make all of their reds so this was harvested early and turned into a Rose which is less susceptible to smoke taint (due to less time on the skins).  The results are excellent.  This is the second time I have been lucky enough to taste this.  Some say this is made in a Provence style, but rather, this seems to have fresh vibrant fruit albeit on the softer side (likely due to the Merlot), but certainly of Napa.  Very pale pink/ora

2016 Maison Riviere Château de Callac Prestige, France, Bordeaux, Graves, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$26.00USD

This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon,  and 15% Cabernet Franc that sees 100% new oak.  .  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, spice and slight cigar.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cherries, some black cherries and underlying earthy tobacco notes.  Moderate finish.  This will work better with food than on its own.  Slow cooked, braised beef or lamb would work well.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2020 Veritas Vineyard Rosé, Virginia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$20.00USD

This is a rose made from Cabernet Franc and Merlot in Virginia.  Light pink in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with strawberries and some watermelon.  Light to medium bodied.  On the palate, this is crisp and clean.  It drinks quite easily and there is nice watermelon fruit.  Moderate finish.  This drinks well on its own but should work with all but the heaviest of meat dishes.  Drink over the next year.  

2019 United Ink Red Blend, USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$18.00USD

At a recent tasting of United Ink Wines, this was the runaway crowd favorite.  It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Syrah, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington state.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, chocolate and slight black raspberry.  Mice mouthfeel.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, nice black raspberry and black cherries fruit with some chocolate.  Firm tannins on the finish.  This is delicious.  It drinks (easy).  Great on its own, this would be great with a burger or other foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five year

2015 Cramele Recaş Cuvée Uberland, Romania,Transylvania, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$39.00USD

This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Romania.  Deep garnet in color, flat, and opaque.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, and some cassis, along with some smoke.  There is a slight stewed raisin quality to the fruit which is intentional.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cherries, some char, some black pepper and some raisin especially on the finish.  A resemblance to an Amarone with a bit less acidity.  This seems like it should drink well for the next eight to ten years.  It will work well with meats or fowl in a wine reduction sauce and would be nice at

2017 Toad Hollow Merlot Richard McDowell Selection, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
80
Grade: 
B-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

Purple in color with some Ruby swirls.  There is a ton of volatile acidity on the nose (nail polish).  Some mulberries.  On the palate, this is tart and tannic.  More sour cherries on the palate.  It is better on the palate than the nose.  Past its optimal drinking window.  Drink up.  Probably better without food as it might over power most foods.  

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