Wine Reviews You can Use

  Prunish dark black-brown-amber hue with aromas of stewed dark fruit, savory spice Palate--Tart first impression, with odd berry flavors with a line of stewed prunes mid palate, watery texture This Pays Doc (French) Syrah is strained, unusual, and somewhat off putting. It was $8 down from $17.  I'd let this one take a ride on a fast train on a short track.

Purple black hue with aromas of sweet dark berries, blue berries above the rim with cigar ash, some smokey oak, prune whip, and spice. Palate--*"Sweet" first impression with rich ripe black berries a touch of vanilla cream at the end and a lingering finish that is rather non-descript. I was set not to like this wine but I have to say it is actually pretty darn good. It has made me a fan and at $18 give or take I think you can better but its not to say this isn't a nice wine so "raise a glass!"  *This is NOT a sweet wine. But many fruity wines give the impression of being "sweet." 

  Bricking at the rim with aromas of black licorice, fennel pollen, spiced cherry berry fruit,  Palate--Tart first impression with lip smacking tannins, rear palate --that touch of licorice and a fleeting finish. $36 posted price at NH State Liquor store but selling at $16. This essentially 8 year old Tempranillo--pronounced Tempra Nee oh has a nice bouquet with some interesting aromas, showing its age but drinking very well.  Pairing our Christmas dinner of roasted Cornish Game Hens! Open it ASAP and enjoy one of the signature grapes of Spain. And BTW--Merry Christmas! 

  A densely dark hue for a Pinot with aromas of savory spices laced with dark fruit, berries, strawberry hints above the rim,  Palate--Respectable first impression with a sudden burst of big fleshy fruit which I surmise is a result of the warming up of the wine from cellar temp even as it is in my mouth. A slightly smokey edge at the front on my second quaff, with a cherry-ish touch at the rear.  This is an unusual Pinot right out of the gate.  It's a "sourced" California Pinot which has me a bit baffled.  It is a really well made wine, but again, not the least bit characteristic of what I am used to for California Pinot.  I paid a ridiculous $8 for this $17 wine marked down.  Aged 5 yers already I suspect this will be drinking well over the next 5 years so raise a glass!

*Bricking at the rim with dark cranberry jelly hue with aromas of dried cherries, aged fruit, gentle savory spices, and Chinese five spice baking spice. Palate--Tart first impression, subdued cherry fruit, black pepper, some complexity, and delicious mid palate of more mature fruit.  Finishes quickly. This Gamay wine (think, Beaujolais) is an easy quaff and a nicely constructed wine. $25 reduced to $13 so I grabbed it and glad I did.  It is uncomplicated yet interesting, fruity, yet intriguing so raise a glass!  

Light straw hue with aromas of oily, tropical fruit melange, green melon, vanilla, with a cinnamon hint.  Palate--Nice lip smacking acidity, loads of juicy tropical fruit, and somewhat lingering finish with a touch of stones and makes you want to do it all over again.  This Aussie Riesling hales from Western Australia, made by Franklin Estates.  It's a juicy expression and although it even says "DRY" on the label there would be many people who would avoid this saying, "I don't like sweet wines." This is wine is DRY but uber fruity which makes it taste sweet.  Just about every-time I review a Riesling I state that it is a very under-appreciated wine. This one which has some years on it is lovely and classic and I wish now I had bought more.  Marked down from $25, I paid $12 and would have been decent at $25.  I will be serving it with seafood chowder I just whipped up so raise a glass!

Dark cranberry hue with big aromas abounding crushed daffodils, with lovely sweet spiced apples underneath, and tart pie cherries on top. Palate--Impressive beginning to this unbreathed young and vivacious Rhone red. It is expressive, big, and full of dark fruit, red berries, and gobs of spice both sweet and savory. This is a wonderful expression of the classic Rhone blending of GSM--Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and a touch of Cinsault.  The Rhone produces some of the best wines in the world. This young wine is superior and while I don't remember what I paid for it I am pretty sure it was around $12.  This is a steal at that price.  This is an impressive review considering I am reviewing it in real time right on opening.  It is cold (around 57 degrees) and will only get better with a warm up and some breathing.  Wish I wouldHave bought a lot more of this bargain.  Raise a glass to Covid bargains (sadly) due to closed restaurants, and let us drink our way thro...

Dark blackish hue with aromas of ark berry, blueberry touches, cherry cream bon bon, light cigar ash and savory spice at the rim. Palate--Non-descript first impression with a too-tart front, chewy tannins, subdued fruit, awkward mouth feel, and an austere finish. OK this hasn't started well at all. It may be that it needs to breath and warm up a tad from my winter cellar temp. of around 52 degrees.  We'll see.  This is an uncharacteristic Columbia Valley Red.  It isa a confused haphazard blend of Merlot, Cab. Shiraz, Malbec.  It tastes  rather ucky in all aspects.  It was marked down from $20 to $10 and $10 was $8 too much.  Nuff said! 

This cranberry hued Italian is one of my perennial favorites.  The bouquet is a leathery, cranberry jelly delight with "dry" aromas of crushed red berries. Palate--Bright cherry with a gentle balance of savory dried spices and more leather at the rim. This is an uncomplicated, easy to drink red with all kinds of foods. Get outside the clichés about white wine with poultry and red with beef etc.  This wine goes great with  a variety of cheeses, pizza, and red sauced marinara and pastas as well as all kinds of chicken and turkey dishes.   At $14 it's still a decent quaff even though the price has escalated in the past few years. Raise a glass and enjoy!

Midnight black hue with aromas of dense, crushed dried prunes, prune whip, juicy raisins, and tar Palate--Mind blowing thick, silky, rich dense fruit loaded with minced meat, stewed prunes, espresso, and a finish that goes on and on with wheel barrows full of rich dark fruit. I paid $36 for this LBV porto reluctantly and only did so because I had a $21 credit so this only cost me $16.  I love LBV porto for it's economy yet lush rich drinkability and affordability which is why I would never have spent this much on a such a wine.  That being said, it is far superior to many of the vintage ports I have bought for far more money than what this cost even if I had paid for it all.  This is such a treat, such an experience, such a wondrous world of textured balanced, structured desert wine that I could swim in it.  OK lemme come to down to earth.  This is an awesome wine.  If you see this one, not one like it, but THIS one, get it and experience the best of port w...