Terrunyo Block 27 Peumo Vineyard Carmenere 2017

This is the third of three Carmeneres made by Concha y Toro that I'm reviewing this month! Terrunyo is from Block 27 of the Peumo Vineyard in Chachapoal Valley, Chile. It's 100% Carmenere that was aged in French oak for 9 months, and it has an ABV of 14.4%.

I apologize because I need to make this one quick, and I'm pretty sure you prefer me to shut up and give it to you straight anyway. The color of the wine is legit purple. On the palate it's medium bodied with a lush mouthfeel, sweet tannin, and balanced acidity. For aromas and flavors there's black cherry, strawberry, black pepper, green pepper, caramel, and vanilla extract. It finishes with a smooth coating of black cherry and caramel and a smile.

I've learned that with the multiple vintages of this Carmenere that I've had you just can't go wrong. It's always fantastic, and that remains true here. So the next time you see a ribeye on sale at your local grocery market, pick this bad boy up to drink with it and treat yourself.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $40

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Marques de Casa Concha Carmenere 2017

This is the second Carmenere from Concha y Toro that I'm reviewing this month! Marques de Casa Concha's 2017 Carmenere is 90% Carmenere and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit is from Peumo Vineyard in Cachapoal Valley, Chile, and the vines were planted from 1994 through 1996 on alluvial silty-clay soil. The wine spent 14 months in French oak barrels and has an ABV of 14.3%.

The color of the wine is a deep cherry red and on the nose there's aromas of plums, red cherries, black pepper, and mint chocolate. It's medium bodied with a rich mouthfeel, grainy tannin, and mellow acidity. For flavors the red cherries on the nose turn to black cherries, and the plums, black pepper, and mint chocolate return with a new friend of belly-warming Ancho chile. Then it finishes with black cherries and caramel.

$25 and worth every cent. This is a fruit-forward, juicy Carmenere that I continue to recommend to my customers vintage after vintage.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $25

Rating: 4/5 = Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Speyburn 10 Year Old Scotch Whisky

Tomorrow is the 25th of January and Speyburn Scotch is raising their glass to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. He's the guy that wrote "Auld Lang Syne", the song you pretend to know the lyrics to on New Year's Eve. So why am I posting this today? Because I hate it when I see stuff like this and it's too late to run out and buy whatever you need. "Oh. It's 10pm and I just learned it's National Hot Dog Day. Awesome." So, my friends, you'll need a bottle of Speyburn for tomorrow night!

Speyburn Scotch was first distilled on December 15, 1897 by John Hopkins. The 10 year old Single Malt is aged in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry American oak. It's medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel with notes of orange peel, lemon, honey, and just a little bit of peat. It's a mellow, easy drinking Scotch that makes for a very good everyday whiskey at $30 a bottle. I'm enjoying the heck out of it! Cheers, everybody! And cheers to Robert Burns!

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Quickie: San Silvestro Ottone I Barbera 2018

Barbera is an extremely versatile red wine that you can pair with virtually any food or just drink by itself. So it’s a common suggestion of mine for when you don’t know what’s being served or you want one bottle to pair with multiple courses. San Silvestro’s Ottone I Barbera is only $10 and it’s absolutely delicious. It’s medium bodied with soft tannin and bright acidity, and there’s notes of cherries, blackberries, and a little leather and tobacco. Next time you need a middle of the week wine for tacos or pizza, give this guy a try!

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Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Carmenere 2017

I’ve got three Carmeneres by Concha y Toro to review this month, and this is the first! Gran Reserva’s 2017 Carmenere is 93.2% Carmenere, 6.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 0.6% Merlot, and it has an ABV of 13.7%. It spent 10 months in oak barrels (80% French and 20% American) and 5,000 liter casks.

It’s a garnet leaning more towards purple in color. On the nose there’s aromas of blackberries, strawberry candy, dusty cement, vanilla and chocolate. On the palate it’s medium bodied with super smooth mouthfeel and soft but chalky tannin. There’s flavors of blackberries, plums, green peppers, black table pepper, and caramel. Then it finishes with smooth blackberries, tart cranberries, and a bit too much sweet caramel.

This is some big juicy fruit, which I was not expecting, and quite enjoyable. And for $17 it’s just the right price.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $17

Rating: 3/5 = Satisfying (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was provided free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Beacon Meadery Blueberry Mead and Black Currant Mead

I posted about Beacon Meadery's Raspberry Mead on Thanksgiving, and today I've got their Blueberry Mead and Black Currant Mead! Beacon Meadery is out of Setauket, New York. Chris Parles is the meadmaker and head of operations, Justin Feldstein is the marketer and hi-tech digital guy, and they established Beacon together in 2018. Their philosophy is to use the best quality ingredients with the least amount of intervention as possible to allow the fruit and honey to truly express themselves.

The Blueberry is garnet in color while the Black Currant is a vibrant cherry red. And while the Blueberry is light and mellow, the Black Currant is a juice bomb with more tartness (but not as tart as the Raspberry). And although they both obviously smell and taste like the respective fruits that they're made from, the Blueberry has an earthiness to it and a little vanilla while the Black Currant also shows some cranberry and caramel. Both of these guys are awesome in their own way. Like I said, the Blueberry is lighter and less fruity while the Black Currant practically punches you in the face.

While I do like all three of the meads made by Beacon, I think the Black Currant is my favorite of them all. It has been such a pleasure to taste these meads, and if you see them you should not pass up the opportunity to try them yourself.

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Hess Collection Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017

It's one of my favorite moments to be alive: Chardonnay time! Hess Collection's 2017 Napa Valley Chardonnay is 100% Chardonnay from their Su'skol Estate Vineyard. 70% of the wine was fermented in stainless steel while the other 30% was barrel fermented and allowed malolactic fermentation. Then it spent 9 months on the lees in French oak, 19% of it new, and it has a 14.4% ABV. 

The color of the wine is light gold. On the nose there's aromas of apples, lemon, butter, caramel, and vanilla. On the palate it's full bodied with a smooth, buttery mouthfeel and a low acidity that's just present enough to brighten things up a bit on the finish. There's flavors of apples, pineapples, pears, vanilla, and oak. Then the finish leaves a long lasting thick, buttery coating of tropical fruit and oak. This is a solid, reliable, enjoyable Chard for $22!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $22

Rating: 4/5 = Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Hess Allomi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Hess's Allomi wines out of Napa Valley are named after Rancho Locoallomia, the original Spanish land grant which the native Patwin people lent their name. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Sirah, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 2% Merlot. 27% spent 18 months in new American barrels and it has a 14.5% ABV.

Alright, enough of those percentages! The wine is cherry red in color with aromas of medicinal cherry, blackberry, vanilla, and lavender. On the palate it's medium bodied with a rich mouthfeel, a bit of a tart acidity, and chewy tannin. There's flavors of juicy cherry and plum, chocolate, and graphite, and it finishes lush but with that slightly tart acidity. For a $32 purchase, it's a solid Napa Cabernet at its price point.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $32

Rating: 3/5 = Satisfying (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was provided free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore

This delicious bubbly is pale yellow in color with some speedy sprinty bubbles. I hope you like apples because for aromas and flavors it's very, very green apple-y! But there's also notes of lychee, lime, and toast so it's not straight-up fizzy apples. It's got a wonderful creamy froth on the mouthfeel but still finishes crispy and refreshing. Valdo has been solid for the price and consistent in quality since I can remember, and here I see that it continues to be.

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $20

Rating: 3.5/5 = Satisfying / Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was given as a gift and I chose to use for this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut Champagne, January Wine Pick

It's January of 2020 so it's time to toast to the New Year! My wine pick of the month is Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Brut Champagne, which has been one of my favorite bubblies for many years. It's pale yellow in color with aromas of green apples, pears, lime peel, and toast. On the palate it's medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and a bright acidity. For flavors it's heavy on the lime with teammates of red berries, brie crust, and ginger. This is an excellent deal in Champagne for the price, and just one hell of a wine!

QUALITY VS PRICE RATING

Price: $45

Rating: 4.5/5 = Recommended / Highly Recommended (what does that mean?)

The bottle used was supplied free of charge for the purpose of this unpaid review. To have your wine reviewed follow this link.

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