2020 Château Lalande, France, Bordeaux, Saint-Julian, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
87
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$55.00USD

At a recent tasting, I liked this far less than the group I was tasting with.  It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, and some spices.  It does have a lovely silky texture.  Some depth.  Medium tannins.  My issues were that I found it on the flabby side, lacking in acidity.  It gave the wine an easy drinking quality that, for the money, was disappointing.  Not a bad wine, in fact a good wine to be sure.  Of course, as I said, others, whose palates I respect, liked it far more.  It w

2019 Château Haut Coteau, France, Bordeaux, Saint-Estephe, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$38.00USD

Ruby in color with a purple core, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has sour cherries, some cassis, and slightly earthy with some attic dust.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate sour cherries and black cherries.  Nice finish.  A nice wine, but the tartness will require some food to balance.  Perhaps Roasted Duck would work nicely.  Drink over the next seven to twelve years.  

2019 Château Climens Asphodèle, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$54.00USD

This is 100% Semillon from Bordeaux.  Light, silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  Great, powerful nose with papaya, slight tangerine, and chalk notes with nice minerality.  Medium to full bodied.  Oily texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the tangerine comes thru but also some limes, especially on the long finish.  Some depth.  This is nice on its own but will work well with foods, too.  It will work well with sea food and especially shell fish.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  

2019 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This is their basic wine but it less expensive and almost as good as their single vineyard designate Cabs.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, sandalwood, char, and sour cherries.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great acidity.  Crisp yet creamy texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, black cherries with spice and char.  Long finish.  This is young and should improve with another five to ten years of cellaring.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It would be a nice wine with a hearty eggplant or vegetarian lasagna.  

2019 Andremily Syrah No. 8, United States, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$140.00USD

We recently tried the EABA from 2019, so wanted to compare it to the regular Syrah.  For now anyways, this one is a bit better and more open.  Experience suggests that this may switch (back and forth) and these wines age.  More importantly, however, is how good they both are.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, some roasted meats and herbs, and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great acidity.  On the palate, plush texture.  Not as over the top as the EABA seemed, but loads of black raspberries with some meaty notes and gre

2020 Heidi Schröck Muskateller Heidi Schröck & Söhne 'nofilter, purearoma', Austria, Neusiedlersee, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

An interesting white from Austria made from the Muskateller grape.  Light golden in color with touches of green, clear and bright.  The nose has tropical fruits along with a touch of nutmeg.  Light bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this is tasty with pineapple and other tropical fruit.  A bit of nuttiness on the finish.  Nice on its own, this will work with lighter foods.  A nice wine with fried appetizers.  

2020 Weingut Setzer Roter Veltliner Wr. Symphoniker, Austria, Niederosterreich, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$27.00USD

Rote Veltliner means Red Veltliner but it is not related to the more common Gruner Veltliner.  It is still a white wine from Austria.  Pale silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has Honeydew, slight pears and a hint of almond.  Clean.  Light bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is refreshing.  The melon continues on the palate with a slight almond note at the end.  Nice on its own, this will be better with food.  It would work well with sea food, but also veal.  Drink over the next few years.  

2005 Geantet-Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin, France, Burgundy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2005
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$375.00USD

A bit bigger and riper than a "typical" Charmes but quite enjoyable.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright, showing no bricking.  The nose is great.  Earthy with cherries and spice along with a nice minerality.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is vibrant and drinking well.  Cherries, some black cherries and underlying minerality.  Some complexity.  Good acidity.  This is getting close to peak.  While it may never be ethereal, it is very enjoyable.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It would work well with coq au vin, of course.  

1996 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow, USA, California, Calistoga, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1996
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$320.00USD

Purple in color with some ruby hues and ruby at the rim.  Mostly opaque if a bit flat.  The nose has some funk on it (more than just bottle age) along with cassis and leather.  Full bodied.  On the palate, sweet cassis fruit with underlying earthiness.  Mature but still offering up a lot.  Nice finish.  This is probably better with some food at this point.  Goulash would work well.  Drink over the next few years.  

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