2016 Marquis de Bern

 

Last bottle from Costco Christmas box. This one is a masterpiece. Complex taste, with prominent black currant note, very well balanced. Smooth, despite 14.5% alcohol.

Will buy again if I can.

2018 Tavernello

 

Simple Sangiovese. You'd expect something like that in a rural taverna. Cherry and a hint of a black currant in the taste. Great for the price ($4.99 at Trader Joe's).

Was perfect with pizza.

2016 Bel Ormeau

 The third bottle from Costco Christmas box. Interesting. Powerful, with lots of tannins, no sugar at all, some berries, some old leather in the taste. Again, 14.5% alcohol is a bit too much for Bordeaux.

Had it with swordfish fried in Everything crust. Not the best match. Usually Bordeaus goes fine with swordfish, but this one would be much better with meats.

2014 Puerta Plata Reserva

 Very nice wine from Catalonia. 60% Tempranillo, 40% Grenache. Complex taste with notes of several berries (black currant, cherry, something else), tobacco, old leather. Dried apricot in the aftertaste. Some smoky notes in the nose. Despite the grapes used, tastes more like French wines. 

Was great with pizza.

2014 Château Guiraud

Very good Sauternes! Fine nose and taste of fresh apples.

Was great with apple tart.

2019 Aime la Vie

Nice Rosé. A lot of citrus in the nose, citrus, honey and a bit of spice in the taste.

Was good with smoked pork chops.

2016 Château le Grand Moulin

 Another Bordeaux from Costco Christmas box. This one has 92 points, but not for me. Very interesting smoke note in the nose and taste, good black currant taste, good finish. But... 14.5% alcohol is a bit too much for Bordeaux.

Anyway, was good with pizza.

2016 Château Haut Canteloup

Very good Bordeaux. The first bottle from Costco Christmas box. I hope other three are at least that good. Strong black currant in the taste, overall pleasant taste and finish. Just a bit of sugar, but not much. 

Was good with turkey strudel.

2015 Marquis de Caceres

Very good year. Powerful, intense Rioja. Dark color, mix of berries in the taste.

Was great with baked mutton filet.

2016 Château de Macard

 Masterpiece. subtle nose of grapes and berries, complex taste with notes of berries and old leather. Subtle bitter note you more expect from Médoc. Almost no sugar. Overall, one of the best 2016 Bordeaux I tried. Agree with 90 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Update 12/25/2020. Two weeks ago bought a box, while it was available at Costco.

2019 Fazi

 

Rosé from the South of France. Not bad. A bit citrucy, spicy. 

Was fine with grilled sea scallops.

2019 Coqueluche Rosé

 A bit disappointing Rosé. It's drinkable, but a bit harsh. A lot of spice in the taste, was good with grilled shrimp. But wouldn't be good with fish.

Kings of Prohibition

 Catchy bottle. Catchy name. That's about it. Decent, full bodied mix of Shiraz and Cabernet. Very Australian. But, it's missing something, which would make it different. And, of course, the fact that year is not printed on a bottle is a huge disappointment.

2017 Patón-Clemente Tempranillo

 

Very nice wine. Berries (raspberry, black currant, red currant) in the taste and nose. Not mature, needs to stay open for at least half an hour, and then needs aerator anyway. Or use decanter. Relatively mild for Spanish wines.

Was great with lamb sheppard pie.

2018 Carolina Reserva

 

Very interesting wine from Chile. Has notes more often found in Côtes du Rhône: chokeberry, especially in the taste, a hint of old leather. Plus powerful note of black currant. Overall very good.

Was perfect with chicken and mushroom pizza.

2019 Emma Reichart

 

Decent Rosé but nothing special. Sweet and sour notes, light.

Was good with baked shrimp.

2020 Loma Negra Rosé

 Good Rosé. Similar to Spanish Rosé wines. Bold, spicy, with complex berry taste. Great for the price ($4.99 at Trader Joe's).

Was good with grilled swordfish.

2018 Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Rosé

 Good Rosé. A bit of honey, a bit of summer meadow, spicy.

Was good with sole grilled on a cedar plank.

2016 Montesa

Very good wine. Complex taste of multiple berries, spice, smoke. But... It's 92% Garnacha, with just a bit of Temporanillo and other grapes. In blind tasting I would say it's Côtes du Rhône. Doesn't have a distinct nose and taste of Rioja.

Was pretty good with grilled leg of lamb.
 

2016 Gaetano d'Aquino Chianti Riserva

 

Nice Chianti. A bit on a lighter side. Complex smell of fruits and grasses. Strong presence of red currant in the taste, plus a hint of some edible grass, can't exatcly get, which one. 

Was good with chicken and mushroom pizza.

2016 Fior di Vino Chianti Classico Riserva

 Good. Complex mature taste, with some spice, complex nose with mix of berries. Almost no sugar. Aerator makes it even better.

Was perfect with smoked trout pizza.

2016 Château Fontana

 Very good Bordeaux. Nose and taste of black currant. A bit spicy. Almost no sugar. Somewhat lighter that most Bordeaux wines. Very nice aftertaste.

Was great with salmon pie.

2018 Acantalys

 Not bad. A bit sugar, but after aerator tastes fine. 

Was good with pizza.

2015 Bodegas Eguia

 

Great Rioja Reserva. Complex taste of berries, old leather, smoky hint in nose and taste. 

Was wonderful with grilled leg of lamb.

Update: it was sold by Costco under Kirkland brand, wanted to buy more but, well, they are out of it.

Opaline sparkling Rosé

 Bubbly from Trader Joe's. No vintage, no place of origin. The only info on the bottle: Pinot Noir and Product of France.

But! This is a pretty good sparkling Rosé. Light, crisp, with nice citrucy notes. A little bit buttery, wich I like in Bubbly. For the price ($7.99) it's great!

2017 Louis Bernard Cotes de Provence

Very good Rosé. True Provence. Honey, spices, just a hint of citrus.

Was very good with grilled shrimp.

 

2018 Rosefine

 

Great Rosé from Luberon, region of Provence. Strong taste and nose of honey, with strong spices and a hint of citrus. 

Was great with grilled swordfish.

2015 Basilica Cafaggio Chianti

 

Very good Chianti. Sour cherry in the nose and taste, with a hint of licorice on your tongue. Was great with smoked salmon pizza.
 

2018 Les Rastellains

 As 2012 was good, tried 2018.

This is a total disaster. Taste of watered down syrup with alcohol. Aerator improve taste somewhat, but not enough.

I will not buy it again.

2019 Bieler Pére & Fils

Company hold the score. This one is just on par with 2016. Honey and spices.

Was great with cod grilled on a cedar plank

2019 La Ferme Julien

 

Rose from South of France. Very good, nose and taste remind me Provence. Subtle notes of honey, summer meadow, citrus and spices.

Was perfect with seafood paella.

2018 Sables d'Azur

Nice Rosé. Subtle, with a bit of honey, nose of a summer meadow, a bit of spice, a bit of citrus.

2015 Protocolo Rosé

Too bold and somewhat harsh for Rosé. There is some honey, come spices and some citrus in the taste, but overall not very pleasant.

2018 Caves du Fournalet

Too young to drink. Even with aerator. Probably had to spend at least half a year more in a barrel, and a year more in a bottle. After an hour in open bottle and aerator, you can feel some good taste.

Was OK with veal burgers.

2019 Réserve de la Saurine

Wonderful Rosé. Subtle. Subtle notes in the nose: grass, lemon. Subtle notes in the taste: heated summer meadow, honey, citrus. All together makes great impression.

Was great with walleye grilled on a cedar plank.

2018 Malene Rose

Advertising this wine, Haskell's tried to convince me that it's if not better than Rosé from Provence, but pretty close. My take: not close, not at all. Very simple taste, nothing special. Drinkable, and that's the best I can say.

2019 King Rabbit

King Rabbit Rosé, bought at Whole Foods. From South of France. Very good wine for a warm summer day, to have with seafood.

Nose of a hot summer meadow, not a blooming meadow, just grass. In a taste: just a hint of citrus, very subtle bitter note, and a bit of play on a tong.

Was great with seafood paella.

2018 H-to-H Rosé

Côtes du Rhône Rosé. Interesting. Different from Provence wines and even from other Rhône Rosé wines. Subtle summer meadow hints in the nose. Spices, grass notes and a hint of a bitter note in the taste. Great overall.
Was perfect with mahi mahi pie.

2018 Sergio Case Malbec

Very good Malbec from Mendoza, Argentinga. Complex nose and taste. Was tired, couldn't separate nuances of taste, but very good overall. This one was released under Costco Kirkland brand.
Was great with grilled veal mushroom burgers.

2015 Mrs Q

Wonderful Australian Cabernet Sauvignon. Black currant in the nose, black currant, sour cherry, hints of other red berries, spices, almost no sugar. Aerator makes taste much richer an milder.
Wine Enthusiast gave it 93 points, completely agree.
Was great with turkey schtrudel.

2016 Château d'Aigueville

I loved 2015. Drunk more than a box. Tried 2016, didn't get it. This is the second bottle, now I wasn't that tired and was able to understand it.
This wine is too young. Should have a huge potential. Once you open it, even after the aerator, all you can feel in nose and taste is sour cherry. Not an unpleasant note, but, from Côtes du Rhône, I expect more. No complexity. Well, I was disappointed. But, while I ate dinner, time passed. After about half an hour in an open bottle, everything changed. Wine came alive. Everything you expect from Rhône wines: a bit of tobacco, a bit of old leather, subtle notes improving taste greatly. Sour cherry was there still, but not overpowering.
Good wine, but not ready for drinking now. Or should be decanted for at least half an hour.
Had it with grilled skirt steak

Update 06/16/20: this wine has to be opened at least 30 min before drinking. After that, and through aerator, it tastes great. Complex berries, with sour cherry most noticeable, a bit of tobacco, a bit of old leather. As usual, Rhône wines are the best with game, this one was perfect with bison strip steak.
.

2018 Grigio Luna

Masterpiece. Capolavoro. This one is on the same level as Rosé from Provence.
Obviously, you don't get much color from Pinot Grigio. It's not really pink, but light blush color. Nose of honey and a bit of spices. Honey, spice and citrus in the taste, all subtle, no bold notes. Just a tiny little bit of sugar. And it's impossible to derive the taste from this description, because all mixed in such wonderful way, creating great impression.
Was great with seafood paella. It would be great with any seafood and with light meats and pasta.

2013 Solanera

Very nice wine from Yecla region of Spain. Powerful, with complex nose and taste. Strong berry taste, spicy. It has 14.5% alcohol, so be careful. No sugar.
Was great with grilled lam filet.

2010 Montecillo

Strange I didn't describe this Rioja before. Drunk a lot of it. Well, it's even better after 10 years in my little cellar. Complex nose and especially taste of berries (feels like black currant, raspberry and blueberry squashed together), no sugar at all and mature finish!
Was great with lam shepherd's pie.

2013 Hussonet

Very good Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Powerful black currant, some laurel and complex spices in nose and taste. Great wine.
Was good with pizza.

2018 Barbera Beneventano by Vinicola del Sannio

 

Wonderful Italian wine. Strong nose and taste of black currant. Very dry, no sugar at all (probably why average ratings on Vivino, but I don't care). Ages perfectly when going through aerator.
Was good with pizza.

2016 Berger Zweigelt

Wonderful wine. Smells almost like Bordeaux, but taste quite different. Mix of berries (raspberry, red currant, cherry), just a bit of spice, just a bit of sugar.
Was great with arctic char pie.

2017 Clos de Nit

Very good Catalan wine. It's not like other Spanish wine, bold and powerful. No, it's subtle, medium-bodied. You can have it with the same food as Bordeaux.
But it doesn't taste like Bordeaux. Has its own distinctive taste, juicy, with berries.
Was perfecct with pizza.

2018 Château d'Aigueville Rose

I always liked reds of this château. Now they released Rosé in USA.
Very good. Honey in the taste and nose, a bit of citrus, a bit of spice, a bit of sugar.
Was perfect with blini with smoked salmon and salmon roe.

2018 Château Bellevue

Good. Maybe I'll update it later, too hungry today to detect fine points, but good overall. Quite comparable to 2016.
Was good with pizza.

2018 Château Palene

First attempt to try 2018 Bordeaux. Didn't like it. Don't know if it's a year or a producer. It feels like watered down. No substance.
Will not buy again.

2014 Signargues

Very good Côtes du Rhône. Chokeberry, a bit of old leather, a bit of tobacco in taste. Sorry, because of some infection my nose isn't very good at detecting smells right now. No sugar in the taste at all.
Was great with filet mignon under truffle sauce.

2014 Carraia

Very nice wine from Tuscany. Dry, medium-bodied, with a bit of acidity.
Perfect pizza wine.

2018 Preignes le Vieux Paradis

Wonderful Rosé from South of France (somewhere between Marseille and Toulouse). Honey and apples in nose and taste. A bit spicy. Almost no sugar.
Was great with baked sole.

2016 Château les Aubiers

Huge disappoinment. I trust Wine Enthusiast, and this wine had 91 points from the magazine. I wouldn't give it 80. The only good thing about it is nose: strong black currant, as it supposed to be for Bordeaux. But taste... Feels like wine is watered down. A lot. No body, no legs.
Will not buy again.