2019 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Patrimony, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$199.00USD

This wine is proof that Paso Robles can make world class Cabernets (in addition to Rhone Varietals).  The Daou brothers second vintage of this wine is very young but easily could be a 100 pointer with some bottle age and development.  As it, it is outstanding right now.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, graphite, cigar tobacco, and cedar.  Great texture.  Firm tannins.  Concentrated.  Nice balance.  On the palate, concentrated cassis with graphite, and chocolate and slight tobacco.  It unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  If drinking

2016 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva Especial, Spain, Rioja, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$49.00USD

Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, cedar, dil, and vanilla.  Medium bodied.  Drying tannins.  On the palate, cherries with underlying char.  some depth.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is a nice, easy drinking Rioja that should drink well for the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this is food friendly and would work well with roast meats or veggies.  

2018 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc, France, Rhone, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$340.00USD

This started a bit tight, but with three hours of air, this was absolutely singing.  80% Marsanne with 20% Rousanne grapes from multiple vineyards.  Golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose initially shows tightly with limes, some melons and spice.  With air, more notes come out; salinity, butterscotch, almonds but also more melons and slight lemons.  Really complex.  Great "slick" texture with pin point balance and energy.  The palate mirrors the nose and really explodes with lots of air.  Melons, quince, spice, minerality and a bit of almonds on the finish.  Layer

2019 Quinta Essentia Chenin Blanc, South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$44.00USD

Silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with limes, slight orange peel, and a slightly burnt note.  Nice, slightly oily texture.  This is dry.  On the palate, limes and a slight bitter almond note.  There is a bit of depth here.  It needs to food to show its best.  Goat cheeses would work well, say a Goat Cheese and Beet salad.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2019 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant, France, Loire, Savennières,Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$135.00USD

Wow.  Great showing for this.  And, as good as it was on opening, it was even better with a few hours of air!  Golden yellow in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey, salinity, and crushed shells.  Full bodied.  Slightly sweet with some Botrytis.  On the palate, orange rind, minerality, with good acidity.  A bit of almonds on the finish.  This is complex and deep.  Drinking well with a couple hours of air, this should improve over the next ten years.  It should easily go three more decades.  Just a stunning wine.  It will work with more savory dessert such as a polenta cake but is qu

2012 Cesari Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Il Bosco

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$93.00USD

A blend of 80% Corvina and 20% Rondinella.  Deep garnet in color.  Slightly flat.  The nose is nice with stewed fruits, figs, cherries and spices.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, prunes, cherries and spice.  Depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now.  It is dry but with a feeling of sweetness.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  It would work well with Eggplant Parmesan.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

2010 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Basic Bottling.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, leather, slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this is just hitting maturity.  Cassis with some leather notes.  Good energy and balance.  Nice finish.  A classic Napa Cab.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  A nice match with grilled meats or just on its own.  

2003 Château Mouton Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2003
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$595.00USD

It is always a pleasure to drink a first Growth.  2003 was an extremely hot vintage all across Europe.   This vintage is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  Great nose.  A bit of funk, some cigar, plenty of cassis, and leather.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this seems about at peak maturity.  Plenty of depth.  Layers of cassis with some tobacco notes and earthiness.  Long finish.  Just a fantastic wine.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with roasted meats or veggies.  It w

2006 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine Vissoux Beaujolais Vieilles Vignes Cuvée Traditionnelle, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2006
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Does Beaujolais age?  This was opened at a recent tasting of Beaujolais to show that it really does.  Not even a specific Cru, with the original $15 price sticker still on the bottle, this was fresh and drinking well.  Is it an amazing wine?  No, but it is solid and enjoyable.  Ruby in color with some darker swirls.  The nose has fresh cherry fruit and slight candy.  Medium bodied.  No tannins.  On the palate, cherries with some depth.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This drinks nicely on its own and would work great with a mushroom pizza.  

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