Château Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé 2015 Bordeaux Red Wine

Château Branaire-Ducru Saint-Julien Grand Cru Classé 2015 Bordeaux Red Wine, $48.87-$57.99, 93 points, poured core black radiating deep purple/reds with a broad clear meniscus and stained fat legs.
Aromatic cedar, savory, and ripe black fruit were outstanding.
Full-bodied red wine (dry) with good acidity and firm grainy tannins was the edifice housing lush flavors reflective of the aromas, but perfectly herbal.
Finished long on the fading palate, a bit of chalky minerality, red licorice, and a typically well-balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Varietals were 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.
Paired perfectly with my beefy Mexican cuisine.

Bordeaux Red Wine Vintage 2015
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Poema NV Brut Cava

Poema NV Brut Cava, $12.99, 89 points, was a light yellow/gold color with a first pour of lively large bubble effervescence which carried on in weak perseverance.

Aromas of toast, yeast, and green grape were quite good.

Cava specific grape, lemon, and a bit hazel-nutty flavors were well enhanced by the good acidity and the effervescence.

Finished long on the trailing palate, a hint of ginger ale, and a dry 11.5% alcohol.

Paired fine with my chicken salad.

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Tommasi 'Poggio Al Tufo' Toscana 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon

Tommasi 'Poggio Al Tufo' Toscana 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon I.G.T., $12.74-$18.99, 90 points, poured a deep ruby-almost blood red with a very broad clear wine ring and copious stained fat legs.
The lovely unusual aromas were a panoply of balanced nuanced smells of Bordeaux lily, sea breeze, cedar, and black cherry.
Full-bodied red wine with good acidity, and firm, a bit astringent, tannins, rich flavors reflective of the aromas and a touch of mint.
Finished long on the trailing palate, pepper spices, and a European 13% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my Shepherd's pie.

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My 2019 Picks For Thanksgiving-Christmas

Need a bottle of wine for a Christmas gift?

For my choices of the best all-around 2019, 90 point wines, I've chosen a different approach this year by way of the most memorable two wines in each relevant category, and abandoning, except for the price-point criteria, all the quantifying of the quality/price/ratio elements (QPR) in prior year-end best of.
Thanksgiving recommendations are below best of Christmas gift wines.


White Wine under $10:
Tuatea Marlborough 2018 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand), $7.99, 90 points

Whitehaven Marlborough 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, $9.37-$15.99, 91 points

Red Wine under $10:

Santa Rita Medalla Real 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (Revisited), $7.65-$12.00, 91 points

Souverain (Chateau) North Coast 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon, $9.99-$12.99, 90 points

White Wine under $20:
Craggy Range Martinborough 2018 Sauvignon (New Zealand), $15.29-$19.99, 92 points

Lava Cap El Dorado Sierra Foothills 2017 Chardonnay, $18.69-$21.99, 91 points

Red Wine under $20:

Brady Vineyard Paso Robles 2015 Petite Sirah, $19.79-$21.99, 91 points

Faustino I Gran Reserva Rioja 2005 Red Wine, $16.99-$44.99, 93 points

White Wines over $20:

Château Guiraud Grand Cru Classé (1' er) 2009 Sauternes, average price $70, 95 points

Jean Reverdy et Fils La Reine Blanche 2017 Sancerre, $21.24-$26.99, 93 points

Red Wine over $20:

Château Haut-Brisson Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2015 Bordeaux Red Wine, $22.94-$26.99, 94 points

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé 2015 Bordeaux Red Wine, $99.02-$116.49, 97 points

Thanksgiving recommendations:

White:
Francois Carillon 1611 Bourgogne 2016 Chardonnay, $18.69-$21.99, 92 points (France)
Paul Hobbs 'Crossbarn' Sonoma County 2016 Chardonnay, $21.24-$24.99, 90 points

Red:

Pinot Envy Willamette Valley 2016 Pinot Noir, $16.99-$22.99, 90 points

Roberto Sarotto Riserva 2012 Barbaresco (DOCG), $23.79-$39.99, 93 points

The complete list of  90 point wines in 2019

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Ramón Bilbao Rías Baixas 2018 Albariño (Spain)

Ramón Bilbao Rías Baixas 2018 Albariño (Spain), $11.89-$13.99, 90 points, was a straw yellow color.
Aromas of pome fruit, clementine, and a floral note were very nice.
Light-bodied white wine with bright acidity delivered hints of pome, stone, and citrus fruits.
Finished long on a well-balanced pear and lemon with a spot-on 12% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my breast of roast chicken and Butternut squash.

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Beringer Knights Valley 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

Beringer Knights Valley 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, $30.59-$35.99, 92 points, poured core black grading to an unfiltered garnet red bleeding into the meniscus and carried down the glass bowl in copious legs.
Aromatic cedar, mulling spice, chocolate, and refined red fruit were outstanding.
Full-bodied red wine with good acidity, grainy firm tannins, and flavors reflective of the aromas impressed.
Finished long, spicy, and fruity with a well-balanced 14.2% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with my Mexican cuisine.

2015 California Cabernet Sauvignon wines tasted

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Sartori Villa Mura 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon I.G.T.

Sartori Villa Mura 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon I.G.T., $5.94-$13.99, 86 points, poured a light cranberry red with a broad clear wine ring and no noticeable legs.
Aromas were near dumb, but a bit of red fruit and blueberry were fruity and okay.
Barely a medium-bodied red wine with good acidity and slightly astringent tannin (to be expected in such a young Cab) was somewhat atypical for a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Flavors of blueberry, cherry cola, oak, and pomegranate where okay as well, but a bit thin.
Finished rather abruptly on the trailing palate and an underwhelming 12% alcohol.
Paired fine with our parochial hamburgers.

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