todd10

Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Argentato 2019, I.G.T. Toscana

The dominant aroma I could best describe as wax. When I say wax, I mean that in a good way! The wine did have a little hint of lemon in the back ground. Beautiful long finish with a hint of apple that lingers on the palate. Nice touch of acidity.

Tasted May 2022

Huff Estates South Bay Vineyards Chardonnay 2019, Prince Edward County

Before I swirled this wine I was getting buttery notes. Swirling produced some citrus notes with some minerality.
This wine has a nice touch of acidity and a long finish. I enjoyed the oak influenced flavors.
Tasted March 2022

Trasqua Fanatico Riserva Chianti Classico 2015, Docg

I found that this wine probably needs more time. It had cherry and some spice on the nose, but the complexity has yet to develop. After being open for a while I could also smell some oak.
The tannins are very grippy. This would have been perfect with a steak.
I would recommend to decant this wine, but better yet, cellar it for another 5 years.

Beringer The Waymaker Paso Robles Red 2016, Paso Robles

The aroma that stuck out the most for me was chocolate, followed by cherry and oak. I loved the taste of the wine. The same chocolate and cherry that I smelled I also tasted. This was a nicely balanced wine with some dusty tannins on the finish that I enjoyed.
Throughout the evening, it did not evolve anymore so I see no need to decant.
Tasted January 2021

St. Hallett Faith Shiraz 2017, Barossa, South Australia

I tasted the 2018 Vintage.
I was pleasantly surprised with this wine. The nose had herbal perhaps earthy aromas. I can best describe with aromas of bay leaf and sweet tobacco.
It was a nice balanced wine with a nice finish. I found the tannins very smooth considering this is such a young Shiraz.
Nice taste. Without being sweet it was like candied dark fruit (if that makes sense).
No need to decant.
Tasted July 2020

Morambro Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Padthaway

The first aroma I had I was thinking some kind of meat roast. I went through my herbs and realized my wife makes my roast with rosemary. I have read "hints of rosemary" before but this easy to detect for us not professionals. I highly recommend those that want to experience other things besides dark fruit and oak to give this a try.
Flavors of dark fruit and rosemary. Nice tannins (but not to powerful) that can hold up to a a nice beef dinner.

Throughout the evening, it did not evolve much, so no need to decant.

Tasted September 2020

Anthonij Rupert Cape Of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc 2018, Wo Elandskloof, Western Cape

Excellent character. The nose had both tropical fruit and herbal aromas. I am sure many of you could point out in greater detail the exact aromas, and I bet their would be many. The taste did not have the zippy crispness of what you would find in a New Zealand Sauvignon blanc but nice more complexed flavors.
The wine was great throughout the evening as long as you keep it around 7 or 9C, It dipped to cold and too warm for me a couple of times and then its quality went down rapidly.
Tasted January 2021

Creekside Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Niagara Peninsula

This wine surpassed my expectations. Aromas that hit me hard were tropical fruit with a bit of citrus. A little bit of chalk was in there too. This wine had some nice length. A refreshing acidity. I over chilled this wine after, and it lost some complexity. I would suggest drinking this between 8 to 11C. If I did not always buy a different bottle of wine, I would purchase a case of this right now. At this price, you can't go wrong.
Tasted March 2022

Ontañón Reserva 2011, Doca Rioja

This wine had aromas of tabacco and oak. I was hoping for more complexity for a wine that is 10 years old. This wine did have a nice long finish. I found the wine had a nice balance.
Over the few hours that the wine was opened, I did not find any improvement so I see no reason to decant.
Nice wine but I was expecting more complexity.
Tasted February 2021

Trius Red The Icon 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula

A spicy nose with aromas of green bell pepper. Nice tannins, acidity and long finish. The flavors of black fruit with a little oak. I can say, as the night progressed, I found the flavors to be a little more distinctive. I would suggest to decant.
Tasted May 2021.