todd10

13th Street Chardonnay L. Viscek Vineyard 2018, Creek Shores

Flint and tropical fruit on the nose but nothing realy stuck out. A smooth wine with light acidity and a nice lenght on the finish.
It is possible that I had this wine a little too cool because it seemed muted me. I tried letting it sit to warm up but still no other aromas popped for me.
Tasted December 2020

Domaine Chante-perdrix Châteauneuf-du-pape 2016, Ac

This was a great wine. Aromas of delicious dark fruit and a hint of vanilla. This was a very well balanced wine. Taste of dark fruit combined with dark chocolate. Long tasty finish.
Throughout the evening, I did not notice much change in the wine, so I see no reason to decant. It is great from the moment you open it.
Tasted May 2020

Bodega Garzón Reserva Albariño 2018, Maldonado

Albarino is one of my favorite white wines. However this one disappointed me. The nose was a subtle hint of lychee. The taste I can best describe as apple. The mouth feel was not what I was expecting. It was a little spritzy. When swirling it in my mouth, it almost felt like I was swirling a cola drink in my mouth. Acidity was okay. Overall, I have learned that perhaps when I buy Albarino wines, I should stick with Portugal and Spain.

Lan Gran Reserva 2012, Doca Rioja

The first aromas that I got was chocolate, This was followed by oak.
What I did enjoy was the flavors. Not that I ever ate a cigar box or leather, but these were the taste that I got. I love these types of flavors that I do not taste in 90% of the wines I drink.
I did not notice much evolution after I opened the wine so I see no reason to decant.
Tasted October 2022

Framingham Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Marlborough

Fantastic aromas of grapefruit and passion fruit. I could swirl and sniff this all night.
Nice acidity level. Great tropical fruit flavors.
Tasted October 2022

Delta Pinot Noir 2017, Marlborough, South Island

This is not a fruit forward wine. This wine was very earthy, and I enjoyed that for a change. I was getting aromas of dried tobacco. It also had a hint of cola and smoke. Nice length with a pleasant hint of heat on the finish.
Tasted Feb 2022.

Zuccardi Poligonos Malbec 2016, Tupungato Alto, Mendoza

The wine is dark purple. When first opened, it had wonderful aromas of cassis, black pepper and vanilla. Very strong tannin's. It will dry your mouth very fast. At this point, I would have loved to have a steak with it. About an hour later, I found the aromas dissipated a bit but the tannin's smoothed out a bit too. Even though the aromas soften, another aroma started to emerge...dark chocolate. This wine has dark fruit flavors. I would say the sweet spot for this wine is about an hour after opening.

Tasted May 2020

Marques De Casa Concha Cabernet-sauvignon 2016

I was getting a mix of leather and smoke on the nose. When I tasted it I was getting some dark fruit flavors, perhaps plum. It was very well balanced. The finish was about 25 seconds. I found the wine did not evolve too much through out the night so I see little need to decant. Even though I would have liked a little more character in this wine, it was very well balanced, I think 90 is a fair rating.
2016 vintage Tasted March 2019.

2017 Vintage. Earthy and dark fruit aromas. Nice finish. Decanting may bring out more flavors. 2017 is an 89.
Tasted July 2020

Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Sonoma County

Blackcurrant, black cherry, pencil lead and black pepper. Initially very tannic, but softened with air, so decanting is recommended. Good now, but another 2–3 years should add complexity and better balance. Rated 90 (July 2026), based on how it drinks today, not its potential.

Tasca D'Almerita Regaleali Bianco 2023, D.O.C. Sicilia

This wine was quite different from what I'm accustomed to. I began tasting it at around 11°C to ensure the aromas and flavors weren’t muted. While nothing particularly stood out on the nose, I did detect a subtle banana note on the palate. Banana isn’t a flavor I usually associate with wine, but it offered an interesting twist and a welcome departure from my usual preferences.

As the wine chilled further—closer to 5°C in my wine cooler—it became noticeably more refreshing, making it well-suited for a warm summer evening on the patio. I'm glad I gave this wine a try; it was a unique experience. That said, it’s not quite to my personal taste, and I likely wouldn’t purchase it again.

Tasted July 2025