Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé 2014 Bordeaux Red Wine

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé 2014 Bordeaux Red Wine, $59.49-$69.99, 95 points, poured core black grading purple/red toward the transparent wine ring and light sheeting on the glass bowl.
Earthy black fruit, red currants, and hints of coffee liqueur were good.
Full-bodied with bright acidity and gripping fine tannins carried succulent nuanced flavors of anise, plums, figs, and coffee with more pronounced truffle, pomegranate, and black currant.
Finished long on escalating drying tannins, the trailing palate, violets, white pepper notes, and a spot-on 13.5% alcohol.
Paired perfectly with our saucy Italian cuisine.
Just a scoring note: two other visiting wine tasters scored this Bordeaux 93 and 94 points.




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Notable 2016 Chardonnay (South Eastern Australia)

Notable 2016 Chardonnay (South Eastern Australia), $11.89-$16.99, 89 points, was a solid brass color.
Aromatic apple, honeysuckle, and mint, were nuanced with a hint of vanilla.
Medium to medium-plus bodied with fair acidity seemed to carry more oak than the label scale would indicate, but that aside, this Notable 2016 Chardonnay was well-tuned with an ensemble of oak, fruit, and flowers on the palate gestalt.
Finished long with unusual flavors of coffee, fig, and a spirited 13.5% alcohol inspired ginger.
Harmonized perfectly with my roast chicken and green vegetable chorus.

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Pighin Terre Di Risano, Grave de Friuli, Italy 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (D.O.C.)

 

 

Pighin Terre Di Risano Grave de Friuli, Italy 2016 Sauvignon Blanc (D.O.C.), $10.19-$22.99, 89 points, was a medium glossy gold color.
Aromas were a subtle array of lemongrass, pear, and stone fruit which adeptly translated onto the palate packaged in a light-plus body reminiscent of Sancerre opposed to Cali or New Zealand styled Sauvignon Blanc; not showing blaring acidity or booming citrus, but delicious nuanced fruit and minerality.
Finished well on a light 13% alcohol garnished with lively ginger.
Paired perfectly with my New England clam chowder.

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Sauvignon Blanc, my simple reason why it's a winter wine!

Sauvignon Blanc, my simple reason why it's a winter wine!

 

 

Okay, I get it, Albarino, Arneis, Torrontés, Xarel-Lo, and/or Burgundy white wines are all great with seafood, but when I'm thinking seafood and pairing versatility I'm looking for a Sauvignon Blanc, a white wine that shines brightly in many styles, is consistently good to great, and can be bought for few euros.
You still serve seafood in the winter, don't you? I do! So, why don't we drink white wines in the winter? Well, no one seems to talk about them? All I hear is "big, big red, heat for the cold, warm for the fireplace; "Malbec with your North Atlantic cod?" Okay, drink what you like, but for me . . .

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Bodegas RE 2015 Red Wine (Chile)

Bodegas RE 2015 Red Wine (Chile), $23.99-$29.99, 85 points, poured a bright ruby red color with a clear wine ring.
Aromas of blueberry, red raspberry, and fennel were just okay for me.
Medium-plus body with mouthwatering acidity and an underlayment of sufficient tannin carried tart to sour flavors reflective of the aromas deep into the long finish marked by earth, white pepper, and a moderate 13% alcohol.
Varietals were 50% Garnacha and Carignan.

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Château Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, Grand Cru Classé,2014 Bordeaux Red Wine

Château Prieuré-Lichine, Margaux, Grand Cru Classé,2014 Bordeaux Red Wine, $34.84-$40.99, 92 points, poured black throughout except for the terminal purple/red and clear wine rings at the moderately leggy glass wall.
Hints of barnyard aromas were overshadowed by soft lavender, smoky bacon, plum, and wild mulberry.
Medium-plus-body with mouthwatering acidity and a firm underlayment of tannin managed complex flavors of tangy red fruit, blackberries, sweet tobacco notes, and truffle.
Finished long on the trailing palate energized by bright red and white pepper spices, and a typically well balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Varietals were 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.



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Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, Grand Cru Classé 2014 Bordeaux Red Wine

Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, Grand Cru Classé 2014 Bordeaux Red Wine, $59.49-$69.99, 92 points, poured broadly black with grading terminal purple/red and clear wine rings at the moderately draped glass bowl.
Aromatic sandalwood, roses, boysenberry jam, and a cedar potpourri were lovely.
Medium-plus body carried bright acidity with fine-grain drying tannins.
Flavors of truffle, black fruit, and plum notes were furtively delicious, but had a difficult time breaking through this still too young of a red wine's tannins, but just wait ten years!
Finished with some exciting warm spices and a well-balanced 13.5% alcohol.
Varietals were 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.
How do you pronounce Chateau Rauzan Segla?


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