Aridus Wine Company Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Arizona

Pale lemon in color.

Fruity nose of lemons, citrus, pineapples, minerals, kiwifruit, light white flowers, green apples and white pepper.

Medium-plus in body with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with lemon juice, green apples, grapefruits, herbs, spices, limes, tropical fruits and pineapples.

Nice length on the finish with tangy limes.

This is a very tasty surprise. This is my first Arizona wine and that’s a good start.

An easy drinking and well balanced Sauvignon Blanc. Tangy and enjoyable by itself or with food.
Neither tart nor bitter, just the way I like it.

Good right out of the bottle and good as a sipping wine.

I had it all by itself, by the lake.

12.4% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$28.

Bodegas Gormaz 12 Linajes Crianza Tempranillo 2014, Ribera Del Duero, Spain

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blueberries, plums, cooked cherries, red currants, oak, tobacco, licorice, earth, cocoa, mocha, coffee, peppercorn, earth, spices and light pencil lead.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked strawberries, earth, chocolates, tobacco, oak, light vanilla, spices, peppercorn and leather.

Medium finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice surprise. A very enjoyable Tempranillo from Ribera Del Duero in Spain. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Spicy and tangy.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. Tannins show up after 90 minutes.

This 7 year old shows nice complexity at this point. Drinking nicely now, and will be even better in the next five years.

I paired it with cheeses and fresh vegetables.

100% Tempranillo grapes were aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months (60% new).

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$27.

Tenuta MonteRosola Corpo Notte 2016 Toscana, Italy

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

On the nose blueberries, cherries, cooked strawberries, earth, wood, licorice, spices, chocolates, eucalyptus, pencil lead, light alcohol, herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, light vanilla, dark chocolates, peppercorn, earth, black tea, wet leaves, herbs, pencil lead, dark coffee, leather and spices.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a very nice Sangiovese based Tuscan wine. Showing nice complexity and structure. Tangy and interesting.

Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature, but starting to drink nicely now. Will age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

This Single Vineyard needs time to open up, so be patient. I gave it two hours in a decanter to open up properly, and show the structure, tannins and the pretty nose.

A good food wine that I paired with meats, cheeses and crackers. Will pair nicely with BBQ meats too.

A blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. Limited production.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$50.

Clos du Val Wine Company Stags Leap District Hirondelle Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2017, Napa Valley, California

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a gorgeous one from Napa.

Very dark ruby in color with a pretty reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black currants, figs, vanilla, cedar, sweet strawberries, cooked cherries, licorice, eucalyptus, bell pepper, earth, mint, tobacco leaf, spices, vegetables, celery, pencil lead and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, plums, cooked cherries, dried cedar, leather, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, light vegetables, graphite, vegetables and peppercorn

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley. Showing a gorgeous nose with great complexity.

Already very tasty, although still young. A little hot right now, but that will go away with proper aging.

Would be nice to revisit it in 6 years, and will age nicely in the next 20 years. Showing great potential to become a 97+ point wine, and already delicious by itself.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, show the tannins, and the beautiful nose, so be patient.

This Single Vineyard is so interesting and unique. Nicely balanced with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel.

Soft, yet powerful. Rich and extracted. Elegant, tangy and fruity.

A blend of 91% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 20 month in (90% new) French Oak barrels. A very small production of only 18 barrels.

14.7% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$120.

Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, California

Dark inky in color with a short purplish rim.

On the nose black currants, plums, cherries, earth, light oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, dust and black pepper.

Full-bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, oak, spices, vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, light alcohol, espresso, chocolates, earth and light herbs.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Still young and needs a few years in the bottle to mature, but drinking nicely now. Already showing some complexity, especially on the palate.

I’ve had an older vintage of this wine a few years ago, and it has great potential to get a lot better. Would be great to revisit this in 10 years.

Needs a couple of hours to open up properly, so give it time.

90 points Wine Enthusiasts.

Good to by itself or with food, and will pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon,
14% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Aged in mostly French oak barrels (48% new) for 18 months.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$46.

Joseph Phelps Vineyards Napa Valley Syrah 2001, California

To celebrate 6,500 reviews on Vivino, I chose this nicely aged Syrah.

Dark ruby in color with a brick rim.

Beautiful nose of blueberries, blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, metals, cloves, herbs, spices, dark chocolates, vinaigrette and pencil lead.

Full bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with plums, cherries, blueberries, wood, cloves, vanilla, spices, espresso, dark chocolates, peppercorn, pencil lead and earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is wonderful Syrah from Napa Valley. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel.

This 20 year old needs 45 minutes to open up properly, and remove the barnyard smell.

I’ve had this vintage a few years ago, and this is my last bottle. I’m glad it was such an enjoyable wine.

This is gorgeous and delicious. Rich, yet subdued. Elegant and smooth.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a BBQ burger.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

95 points.

Gonnet La Font Du Vent Côtes du Rhône Blanc Les Promesses 2020, France

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Nose of citrus, limes, green apples, white flowers, honey, grapefruits, bitter herbs, spices and white pepper.

Medium bodied with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with green apples, grapefruits, citrus, spices, sea salt, earth, black pepper, bitter herbs and river rocks.

Tangy and earthy finish with bitter almonds.

This is a nice white blend from Côtes du Rhône. Easy drinking, refreshing, and good right out of the bottle. Shows an interesting nose.

A good food wine that I paired with cheeses and crackers. Paired very nicely with smoked white fish.

A blend of 40% Viognier, 20% Clairette, 20% Grenache Blanc and 20% Roussanne. Aged in stainless steel and concrete vats for 7 months. Organic and Vegan.

13% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$17.

Or Haganuz Winery Namura Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Israel

This is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel. Rich, extracted and spicy. Showing nice complexity with a great mouthfeel.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, cooked cherries, dried figs, tobacco, Mediterranean spices, cedar, vanilla, licorice, cloves, vegetables, herbs, coffee, cola, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 7 year old is good right out of the bottle. Peaking now and will be good in the next 3 years. Tasty by itself or with food.

Nice to see how it evolves with airtime. Right out of the bottle it is very much in a Napa Cabernet style, but it gets much earthier with air, and changes into an Old World style wine (2 hours).

Tangy and interesting enough to drink by itself. Just Delicious.

Aged in French Oak barrels for 24 months. Kosher and vegan. A small production of only 4,000 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$60.

Hawk and Horse Vineyards Red Hills Petit Verdot 2017 Lake County, California

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish, cloudy rim.

Strong nose of blackberries, black currants, sweet strawberries, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, licorice, light earth, spices, black pepper, pencil lead and herbs.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black cherries, oak, chocolates, tobacco, spices, coffee, vanilla, licorice, graphite and peppercorn.

Medium finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very enjoyable Petit Verdot from Lake County in California. Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Elegant and fruit forward. Rich, spicy and interesting.

Good right out of the bottle and better after an hour of airtime. I gave it 90 minutes, but it might have needed even longer.

Good by itself or with food. Paired very well with the prosciutto.

100% Petit Verdot grapes, grown at 2,200 feet elevation, and aged in French Oak barrels (40% new). A small production of only 90 cases.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65.

Kukeri Wines Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa Valley, California

Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

On the nose blackberries, blueberries, cooked cherries, licorice, cedar, light vanilla, earth, light bell pepper, spices, celery, tobacco, dark chocolates, coffee, vegetables, light alcohol, peppercorn and pencil lead.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, chocolates, tobacco leaf, licorice, graphite, peppercorn, vanilla, cola and light vegetables.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a wonderful Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder in Napa Valley. Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel. Showing nice complexity on the nose and palate.

Still very young, but already enjoyable even by itself. Showing a little bit of alcohol, which would phase out with bottle time.

Good by itself or with food. Rich, opulent, fruit forward and ripe.

Needs time to open up, it took 2 hours to bring out the tannins and the complexity. As it opens up earth and vegetable notes show up and make it more interesting. Delicious once it opens up.

A good quality wine with good potential to become 95+ point wine. Will age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years.

I paired it with cheeses, but will pair very nicely with a big piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in French Oak barrels (40% new) for 26 months. A very tiny production of only five barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$105.