Notre Vue Estate GSM Rosé 2019 Chalk Hill, California

Pretty salmon in color.

Nose of citrus, limes, light raspberries, spices, earth, vegetables and minerals.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity, crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, strawberries, cherries, limes, grapefruits, citrus, green apples, herbs, spices and white pepper.

Nice finish with spices and almonds.

This is a very enjoyable Rosé from Chalk Hill, Sonoma County. Fruit forward and refreshing with nice complexity.

Nicely balanced with a buttery mouthfeel. Better when properly chilled.

Good by itself or with food. I had it by the pool with soft cheeses.

A blend of 34% Grenache, 33% Syrah and 33% Mourvedre.

12.7% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$29.

Stoudemire Cellars Capernaum Grand Reserve 2016, Israel

Dark ruby in color with a thin reddish rim.

On the nose blueberries, black plums, black cherries, sweet strawberries, licorice, vanilla, oak, chocolates, earth, dark coffee, light alcohol and pencil lead.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity. Bold yet elegant.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cherries, chocolates, tobacco, dark coffee, light cedar, earth, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, peppercorn and herbs.

Medium on the finish with soft tannins and tangy pomegranates.

This is an interesting Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Feels more like a Right Bank Bordeaux, which is very interesting.

Still young, but already approachable, and showing good potential. A good quality wine, that would be nice to revisit in 5 years.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly, and remove some of the acidity.

Tangy and spicy. Rich, elegant and extracted. Very tasty.

Good by itself and better with food. Paired very nicely with Brie cheese.

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Petit verdot. Aged for 24 months in French Oak barrels. Kosher.

14% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$100.

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny Red 2016 Napa Valley, California

Time for a good #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a great one from Napa Valley.

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Showing black fruits with cedar, earth, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, coke, chocolates, dark coffee, leather, spices and peppercorn.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity. Dry on the palate with nice balance and mouthfeel.

This is a delicious Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley. Complex and opulent, and might be too much for some.

Dark, rich and handsome. Very tasty now, although still young. Will be nice to revisit it in 10 years.

Robert Parker 95 points. Thank you Scott for sharing.

Good by itself or with food, like a big piece of steak.

A blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$120.

Château La Cabanne Pomerol 2013 Bordeaux, France

Here is a young Merlot for #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

On the nose, black plums, blackcurrants, cherries, light wood, Indian spices, licorice, chocolates, earth, black pepper and light alcohol.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, mint, red currants, oak, smoke, spices, coffee, pencil lead, earth and herbs.

Tart finish with fine grained tannins and pomegranates.

This is a nice Merlot from Bordeaux. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel, but a little hot.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, and show the beautiful nose. Tannins show up after an hour of airtime.

This 7 year old is still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. A little unbalanced at this point, and better with food.

Wine Enthusiasts 90 points. Thank you Wendy for sharing.

I paired it with cheeses and crackers (Brie and Camembert).

A blend of 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 65% new French oak barrels.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$40.

St. Urban Hof Nik Weis Wiltinger Riesling Kabinett 2018, Mosel, Germany

Light golden in color.

Sweet nose of pears, yellow apples, melons, light petrol, pineapples, tropical fruits, light banana, kiwifruit, minerals and white pepper.

Full bodied and oily with high acidity.

Sweet on the palate with lemons, citrus, apples, asian pears, minerals, light apricot, spices, honeydew and sea salt.

Long finish with tangy limes.

This is a delicious sweet Riesling from Mosel, Germany.

Nicely balanced with enough sugar for the high acidity. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Very tasty and easy to drink. Will age nicely in the next 5 to 15 years.

A great wine to sip on by itself as a dessert, or to pair with spicy Asian food.

9% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

Bodegas Carlos Serres Vega del Rayo Rioja Reserva 2011, Spain

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

On the nose, blueberries, cherries, licorice, light wood, earth, vinaigrette, tobacco, bitter herbs, spices, barnyard, dark coffee and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, strawberries, red currants, vegetables, earth, blueberries, light cedar, wet leaves, coffee and peppercorn.

Short finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 9 year old Rioja is still drinking nicely, although it’s on the way out.

Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel, but a little oxidized on the nose.

Good right out of the bottle and better after 30 minutes of airtime.

Tangy, and a good food wine. I paired it with a Turkey burger and fries.

A blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo and 5% Graciano.

13% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

Tabor Winery Adama Shiraz 2014, Israel

The six-year-old Shiraz from Israel is drinking nicely now. Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel. Fruit forward and a bit stinky, right out of the bottle.

Showing red and black fruits with earth, wood, cloves, barnyard, violets, vegetables, herbs, dark coffee and spices.

Needed 2 hours in a decanter to open up properly and remove some of the stinky nose. Reminds me of a French Syrah.

A good everyday wine. Good by itself, and better with food. I paired it with stinky cheeses.

Aged for 12 months in oak barrels. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$25.

Carmel Winery Admon Vineyard Malbec 2016, Israel

Dark Inky in color with a short purplish rim.

Strong nose of plums, blackcurrants, blackberries, earth, wood, vanilla, smoke, peppercorn, spices, tobacco, dark chocolates, espresso, light herbs and pencil lead.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, black cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, earth, tobacco, herbs, bitter vegetables and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a very nice Malbec from Israel. This Single Vineyard is spicy with a tangy finish.

This Single Vineyard is nicely balanced and fruit forward, with mild complexity and a nice mouthfeel.

I gave it 3 hours to open up, but it is drinkable right out of the bottle (I usually give Malbecs 3 hours of airtime, Probably a personal preference, though). Showing an aromatic nose, once it opens up, so give it time.

I’ve had the 2014 not too long ago, and it was much better, so it would be worth your while to wait with this for a couple of years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

100% Malbec grapes are grown in the upper Galilee region at 2,200 feet of elevation. Aged for 15 months in French Oak barrels. Kosher and non Mevushal.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$30.

Clos Malverne Pinotage Reserve 2012 Stellenbosch, South Africa

Happy International Pinotage Day. Here is a gorgeous Pinotage to celebrate with.

Deep purple in color with a purplish rim.

Nice nose of black currants, cooked cherries, oak, licorice, chocolates, vanilla, violets, coffee, Mediterranean spices, peppercorn, herbs, earth and dark chocolates.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, black cherries, black currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco leaf, coke, dark roast coffee, earth, light vegetables and pencil lead.

Long finish with firm tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Pinotage from South Africa. Drinking very nicely now, with a great mouthfeel. Shows nice complexity and good by itself or with food.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show some tannins, so be patient.

This 8 year old is peaking now. I’ve had this vintage 5 years ago, and decided to let it mature for a while. What a great call, as it made such a big difference.

Rich and expressive. Tasty and interesting. Just Delicious.

I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.

Aged in French oak barrels for 12 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

Château Ste Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Washington State

Here is my #FridayCabernetfix for this week.

This Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon is always enjoyable. Big and fruit forward with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel.

Showing black fruits with wood, earth, vanilla, licorice, spices, espresso, chocolates, tobacco, mocha, coke and peppercorn.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins.

This 5 year old is drinking very nicely now. Peaking now, and will be good in the next couple of years.

Good by itself or with food. Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime.

A great value wine, if you are patient enough. Very tasty and delicious.

I had it all by itself by the beach.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$18.