2022 Stemmari Grillo Sicilia, Italy, Sicily, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$10.00USD

Grillo is a grape that we are seeing more often.  It makes excellent white wines and for the most part, the price is reasonable.  Pale yellow gold in color with tinges of green, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with a bit of lemon/lime citrus and some tropical fruit (Mango?) notes and just a bit of minerality.  Light to medium bodied.  Refreshing acidity.  On the palate, the lemon/lime and mango comes thru with just a touch of spice and earth.  Good finish.  This is an easy to drink white that will stand up nice to food.  It would be nice with seafood but also with a plate of cold pasta

Côte Mas 2023 Rosé Aurore Pays

Vintage: 
2023
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$11.99USD

Summertime is always a great time for rosé, but of course, all year long is even better. Rosé should always be low alcohol with light, bright fruit, and a wine that works with a variety of foods, and should be a wine that is not overly complicated. Côte Mas, which I have reviewed for several vintages, is a consistently good, inexpensive rosé that works well pretty much whenever. This iteration is comprised of mainly Grenache with Cinsault and Syrah. It offers bright strawberry, cranberry and pomegranate, light rhubarb and fresh cherry.

Papapietro Perry 2021 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$61.00USD

This is really a classic California Pinot Noir, offering bright expressive fruit, easy drinkability and a good food companion. Black cherry, rhubarb, cherry compote, blackberry jam, dominate and there are back notes of light floral, vanilla, and cherry cream pie. This is not a difficult Pinot to grapple with, it is straightforward enjoyment that makes your day better. An array of oak was used - only 11 months in total - with a variety of new and older barrels, which allows the wine to retain its brightness and liveliness while having structure and light tannins. Enjoy now through 2026.

2018 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

This is 100% Cabernet Franc aged for a year in Amphorae and bottled with a very non-traditional label.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries and some black cherries, with dust, tobacco, and leather.  Medium to full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Flavors of black cherries, tobacco, cherries, spice and char.  Good finish.  This seems to be just getting to peak but should drink well for another ten years.  Better with food, this went well with Vegan Sausages but real sausages would work, too.  

2021 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Eight Spur Dry Creek Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$23.00USD

Cline makes some great value wines and this is one of them.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, raspberries, briar patch, and black pepper.  Medium bodied.  Slight tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is a bit short of jammy but in that direction.  Flavors of Cherries, Black cherries, and Raspberries.  Good finish.  This is more than an easy drinker, but it does go down smoothly.  Nice on its own, this will work great with a lot of foods.  A nice choice with ribs or a burger off the grill.  

 

2016 Società Agricola Sante Marie Colleoni Rosso di Montalcino

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is a Kermit Lynch wine.  Pale ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is interesting with cherries, some black cherries, black olives and spice.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cherry fruit.  This drinks easy and is a nice quaff.  Better with food this is a great "pizza" wine.  Drink over the next couple of years.  

2019 La Bastide Blanche Bandol, France, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

This is 80% Mourvedre with the rest made up of Syrah and grenache.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, some black cherries, spices, and anise.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, t plums with spices and some black cherries.  This is drinking quite nicely on its own but would be better with food.  This would work well with beef stew.  Drink over the next ten years.  

2020 Penfolds Bin 389, Australia, South Australia, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$55.00USD

This is a 51%/49% blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black raspberries, graphite, black pepper, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Flavors of cassis, \black cherries, black raspberries, slight herbal note (mint?), spice and char.  Long finish.  This is deep and complex if still very young.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  This is great on its own and will work well with grilled meat, fowl or veggies.
 

2022 Henschke Henry's Seven, Australia, Barossa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$55.00USD

This is a Rhone blend of 72% Shiraz, 13% Grenache, 12% Mataro, and 3% Viognier.  Deep purple/garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep with black raspberries, plums, black cherries, black pepper and dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is tasty with depth and complexity.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, dark chocolate, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is still very young and will improve.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  very nice on its own, this would be a nice pairing with Indian cuisine.  

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