2017 Cantina di Venosa Aglianico del Vulture Massaron, Italy, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is made from the Aglianico grape in Basilicata (the arch of the boot), Italy.  15% abv.  Purple in color with garnet swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, anise, smoke and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, black cherries, cherry liqueur, slight bitter cherry note and spice.  Long finish.  At age 6, this still seems young as it improved greatly when tasting it on day 2.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with food.  A nice wine with a hearty Lasagna.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2019 Ippolito Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore Colli del Mancuso Riserva, Italy, Calabria, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$16.00USD

This is made from the Gaglioppo grape in Calabria, Italy (the toe of the boot).  The grapes are allowed to hang on the vine to get fully ripe.  Once harvested, this wine sees twelve months in oak.  14.5% abv.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, some salinity and a fresh herbal note (mild oregano?).  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has cherries, bitter cherries and spice.  A hint of dark chocolate on the long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.

2016 Torrevento Castel del Monte Riserva Vigna Pedale, Italy, Puglia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a red from Apulia (Puglia) which is the heel of the boot of Italy.  The grape is Uva di Troia called Nero di Troia locally.  13.5% abv.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  A really interesting nose with raisins and baking spices but also raspberries and a bit of wild herbs.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  A good backbone of acidity.  On the palate, rhubarb, cranberries and toasted herbs.  This is a wine made for food.  It will work well with roasted meats (and even veggies).  Drink over the next few years.  

2021 Cantina Mesa Vermentino di Sardegna Opâle, Italy, Sardinia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is a Vermentino from the island of Sardinia in Italy.  14.5% Abv.  Pale silvery green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is enticing with Honeydew melons, slight peach and nice minerality.  With air a bit of salinity comes out.  A really interesting texture, slightly oily but almost creamy.  Good acidity to cut through.  On the palate, lemons, slight quince, minerals a hint of bitter almonds.  Long finish.  There is some seriousness here which is nice.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with veggies and seafoods.  Drink over the next few years.  

2019 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

One of the classic wines of Ribera del Duero!  It is 100% Tempranillo that spends 18 months in American Oak and 6 months in bottle prior to release.  14.5% abv.  Purple with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with clay, cherries, slight dill and a bit of roasted coffee.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great balance.  The fruit is ripe but not overblown.  On the palate, black cherries, anise and some cherries.  A interesting menthol note on the finish.  Considering the pedigree, this is a very fairly priced wine.  Great on its own, it will work well with food as well. 

2020 Condado de Haza Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León 20 Aldeas, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$93.00USD

From a top Ribera del Duero producer, this one is from Castilla y Leon.  It is 100% Tempranillo weighing in at 14.5% abv.  Ruby  in color, mostly clear and bright.  Black cherries, black raspberries, spice and slight bubble gum note.  Medium bodies.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, slightly woody, and a slight mint note.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own and is very food friendly.  It will work well with meats off the grill from a hot dog to a roast. Drink over the next six to nine years.  

2019 Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero Crianza, Spain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Classis Ribera del Duero wine made from 100% Tempranillo. 14.5%abv. Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is dusty with spice and cherries. Nice acidity. Firm tannins. Lovely texture. On the palate, black cherries, some cherries, coffee. Plenty of depth. The complexity emerges with some air in the glass. Long finish with a touch of chocolate. This drinks great on its own, and is food friendly. It went quite well with a carrot dip made with Moroccan spices. Drink over the next seven to ten years.

2019 Bevan Cellars Ontogeny, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

This continues to be the best value in the Bevan catalog.  Perhaps a little behind the single vineyard wines in quality.  Perhaps not.  It is expensive but half the price of those.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, cedar, baking spices and slight dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  This is obviously young, so decant for a few hours if drinking now.  On the palate, it is lush with loads of cassis, some chocolate and spices.  Deep.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is probably better on its own right now, but that will change as it ages.  Drink over

2020 Calera Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir, Reed Vineyard

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

Calera has farmed their separate but distinctive vineyards since 1973. Limestone rich soil, high elevation, native yeast and whole cluster pressed are just some of the attributes of Calera’s program. These work together year after year to produce stellar wines. The Reed Vineyard fruit has more of an earthy quality to it. There are darker notes of black cherry, blackberry, huckleberry, raspberry and faint herbs The acidity is mild as are the tannins, yet it drinks very well, and cries out for food to help show off the fruit.

Duckhorn 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

More mature than past vintages, this has nice tight tannins and acidity to make the fruit work well for aging long-term. The dusty fruit of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and huckleberry gives way to light vanilla from the oak influence and slight cocoa notes. The oak certainly plays a major influence here, but it does not detract from the beautiful fruit that has been harvested for this wine. Though this wine has a lot of production, the quality is still amazing for the number of cases it produces That takes control, and focus by the winemaking team at Duckhorn.

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