Tongue Dancer Wines Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2022
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black cherry, forest floor, and black tea with supporting notes of boysenberry, black plum, and violet. The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of blackberry, elderberry, and five spice. The finish is long and lingering with firm tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a chewy texture. A beauty reminiscent of the lovely 2019 vintage — very Burgundian. $55 – 4.5 Stars – 95 points
Tongue Dancer Wines Rambling Fox Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2021
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black cherry, forest floor, and black tea with supporting notes of raspberry, dried herbs, and boysenberry. The palate confirms the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of blackberry, five spice, mineral, violet, and a very charming touch of bramble. The finish is long and lingering with ripe tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture. $45 – 4.5 Stars – 96 points
Tongue Dancer Wines Foxtrot Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2022
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black cherry and forest floor with supporting notes of dried herbs, elderberry, black tea, and a hint of cranberry. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of raspberry, black fruits, red and black plum, and mineral. The finish is long and lingering with soft tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture. $49 – 4.5 Stars – 96 points
Matthews Cuvée Columbia Valley 2021
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, dark ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of red cherry and elderberry with supporting notes of dried herbs, earth, and a playful, sweet garrigue note. The palate echoes the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of black plum, cocoa, black currant, black tea, and slate. The finish is long and lingering with silky tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. Made with a blend of Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 27%, and Malbec 8%. $55 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
C.L. Butaud Tempranillo Texas High Plains 2021
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black plum, raspberry, and cigar box with supporting notes of rose petals, graphite, and dried herbs. The palate confirms the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black cherry, bramble, slate, and hints of tamarind. The finish is long and lingering with ripe tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $54 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Avignonesi Cantaloro IGT Toscano 2019
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense offering scents of red cherry,currants and forest floor with supporting notes of cocoa, oak, and violet. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red fruit-driven core with flavors of blueberry, red plum, and mineral and hints of wild mint. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a meaty texture. Made with a blend of 50.82% Sangiovese, 24.58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.51% Merlot, 0.78% Syrah, and 0.30% Canaiolo. $14.99 – 4 Stars – 92 points
Peppucci Petroro 4 — Rosso Todi 2022
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of red cherry, raspberry, and mulberry with supporting notes of cigar box, and five spice. The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruits-driven core with flavors of black plum, and wild berries. The finish is long and lingering with silky tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. Made with a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and a bit of Sagrantino. $16 – 4.5 Stars – 95 points
Cantina Sociale Gattinara Vino Rosso Piemonte 2021
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black plum, dried herbs, and black tea with supporting notes of leather, rose petals, rosemary, and cedar. The palate echoes the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of boysenberry, blackberry, clay, and raspberry. The finish is long and lingering with dry tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture. Made with a blend of 60% Nebbiolo, 30% Barbera, 5% Vespolina, and 5% Uva Rara — a super value. $23 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Roccafiore Il Roccafiore Sangiovese IGP Umbria 2020
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black plum and elderberry with supporting notes of bramble, tomato leaf, slate, oak, and anise. The palate confirms the nose delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of black cherry, earth, forest floor, licorice, and cigar box. The finish is long and lingering with silky tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $18 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Forman Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2019
Brilliant, dark ruby/purple color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of boysenberry, violet, black tea, and graphite with supporting notes of earth, blackberry, slate, and leather. The palate echoes the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black cherry, cassis, baking spices, dried herbs, and oak. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $150 – 4.5 Stars – 95 points