It's only wine but I like it

Tasca D'almerita Regaleali Bianco 2021, D.O.C. Sicilia

Another stellar white from Sicily. Perfect for summer sipper or with fish. Tasted Jul 2023.

Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula

re-tasted Sep 2024. Tannin mellowing, more mature flavours but still going strong. Really good stuff.

May 2022: Quite pale red in colour - this is thin-skinned pinot noir after all. Cool climate pinot through and through, with dominant slightly tart red fruits, hints of earthiness and vanilla. light-bodied with a silky texture and some sneaky tannin on the long finish. Fine wine here from Thomas Bachelder and decent value. WIll be interesting to re-visit in a couple of years.

Alpha Estate Turtles Single Vineyard Malagouzia 2022, P.G.I. Florina

Rich and a bit exotic (from a North American's point of view), with note tropical fruit notes, hints of orange and peach. Crisp, yet a bit waxy as David notes. Superb white, hell, superb wine period. Really wish that I had bought a few more for these warm summer days. Great price too. Greece rules! Tasted June 2024.

Pieropan Ruberpan Valpolicella Superiore 2019, D.O.C.

Impressive Valpolicella, vastly superior to most of the swill in this category. Complex red fruit, with some herbal notes and backed by nicely judged wood. Good stuff. Tasted Apr 2025.

Fattoria Della Aiola Chianti Classico 2016, Docg Chianti Classico

Maturing though not at all over-the-hill, this Chianti Classico has a silky tannin structure that comes with age. Bright cherry fruit is joined by notes of dried fruit and hints of herbs. Long finishing with that crisp Sangiovese acidity that makes CC such a food friendly wine. Wood ageing is completely subsumed into the greater whole. Top kit Tuscan red, a model for modern Chianti Classico. I'd guess this is at about its peak now. Tasted Sep 2023.

Glenelly Glass Collection Merlot 2018, W.O. Stellenbosch

Solid merlot from Glenelly, fairly priced. No need to age, just drink and enjoy. Tasted May 2023.

M. Chapoutier Bila Haut Occultum Lapidem 2016, Ac Côtes Du Roussillon Villages Latour De France

Another superb red from Chapoutier, darkly fruit with notes of wild herbs and scrub brush and even a hint of licorice.
A bit closed aromatically at first (some vigorous decanting helped), this seems a bit less opulent and more structured than the similarly priced L'esquerda (which is made from grapes from a different village), but this is a superb red in any case. Drink now through 2024. Tasted March 2020.

Laberinto Cenizas Mezcla Tinta 2018, D.O. Colbún, Valle Del Maule

Excellent Chilean red, with lovely balance between the fruit, minimal oak intervention, tannin and acid. Great complexity and length and I like the hints of herbs. Outstanding value. Tasted May 2023.

Chateau Du Gazin Canon Fronsac 2018, A.C. Fronsac

Ripe and almost lush, soft and cuddly like a teddy bear. A solid right-banker if a little faceless. I'd say that this is near or at its peak, I see little to be gained by holding this for an extended period of time. Tasted May 2023.

Gattavecchi Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano 2018, Docg

I wish that we would see more Vino Nobile at our beloved Vintages, so when one comes along, I am usually interested. This particular wine is very good, just falling short of excellent in my view. Savory red fruit with hints of herbs and even some light medicinal notes. Still fairly firm with good acidity yet just lacking that certain something, Now to 2025 or so. Tasted Feb 2023