2021 George Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau Rosé

Has all bells and whistles of red, mentioned before, but more subtle. Same flowery nose. Same red currant, cranberry, pear and caramel in the taste, but everything more subtle. Overall great impression.

Was great with seafood paella.

2018 Château Haut La Valette

 The fourth bottle from Costco Christmas box. Not as good as three others, but good anyway. Subtle nose of mixed berries with some chalk added. Black and red currant in the taste. Good, long aftertaste. No sugar at all.

Was good with mahi-mahi pie.

Overall, Costco Christmas box is great this year. Bought a second one and I'm going to buy more.

2018 Château Thomas

One more bottle from Costco Christmas box. And a good one again. At least 75% of the box is good, I bought another one.

Powerful bouquet of multiple berries. Just a hint of chalk in the nose. Multiple berries in the taste as well, black currant being most powerful. A hint of rowan berry before aerator, but aerator removes it completely. Good aftertaste, feels like you just crushed a berry in your mouth.

Was great with smoked salmon pizza.

2016 M.Chapoutier Belleruche

Classic Côtes du Rhône. Mix of berries in the nose and taste, most prominent chokeberry. A hint of ol leather. No sugar. This company knows how to make good wine, but I still wonder how could they release disastrous 2017.

Was great with Yorkshire pudding stuffed with venison (shepherd yorkies). 

2018 Bel Ormeau

 

Second bottle from Costco Christmas box. Classic Bordeaux. Mix of berries in the nose and taste, with black currant the most prominent. Some chalk in the nose. Almost no sugar. Better than 2016, which was in the last year's box. It's 14% alcohol, vs 14.5% in 2016, which probably makes a difference.

Was great with baked tuna.

2021 George Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveaux

One of the best Beaujolais I ever tasted. Smells like a bouquet of flowers. Strong red currant with notes of cranberry, caramel and pear. 

Was very good with turkey and cranberry strudel.

 

2018 Château de Lyde

First bottle from Costco Christmas box. Very good. Strong nose of black currant. Powerful black currant in the taste, with a hint of chokeberry. No trace of sugar. A hint of a bitter note. When the bottle was just uncorked, wine seemed flat, taste finished abruptly, even after aerator. After 20 minutes in an open bottle, completely different wine. Smooth, well balanced and with a great aftertaste. 20 minutes more, to the end of the dinner, and it became excellent.

Was great with baked mahi-mahi. 

2017 Marquéz de Cáceres

 

A masterpiece. Absolutely wonderful Rioja. Complex taste and nose, with multiple berries, raspberry is the most prominent. A little bit of chalk in the nose. Perfectly balanced.

Was great with roasted mutton fillet. 

2018 Basilica Cafaggio Chianti

Very average wine. Typical Chianti, without any interesting notes. Drinkable, that's all I can say. Will not buy again.
 

Update. Tried 2019, which is marked 90+ at Costco. Not any better.

2019 Mordon Bel-Air

 

Strange wine. First taste, right after opening the bottle, was very interesting. A hint of rowan in the taste, added to black currant in the taste. Interesting nose as well, with a hit of chalk, and mix of berries. Twenty minutes later, with dinner, different wine. Hint of rowan disappeared, taste got worse. First time for me, usually wine gets better with time after opening. Again, 14.5% alcohol is too much for Bordeaux. Wine just doesn't get balance.

Will not buy again.

2020 Patrick Lesec Côtes du Rhône Villages

 

Wonderful Côtes du Rhône. Sold under Costco's Kirkland brand. Everything good you expect from Rhône wines. Mix of berries with chokeberry most prominent one, a hint of old leather, a hint of tobacco, a hint of chalk in the nose. Will definitely buy more.

Was great with grilled venison burgers.

2019 Acantalys

 Classic Côtes-du-Rhône. Probably the best Acantalys I tasted. Nose and taste of chokeberry, with hints of old leather and tobacco. Some spices. Almost no sugar, which is great.

Was great with smoked chicken pizza.

2015 Maison Bouey

 

This one (at least 2015 vintage) sold in US by Haskell's under flashy name Marquis Haskell's. Very good Bordeaux. 13% alcohol, which is good (I'm tired of 14.5% Bordeaux). Strong nose and taste of black currant. Good finish. No sugar. Will buy it again if Haskell's still have it.

Was great with tuna fried in everything bagel seasoning.

2018 Castello Jumilla Rosado

 Nice Rosé. Distinct plum note in the taste. Some mineral notes in the nose. Quite different from French Rosé wines and even from Rioja Rosé.

Was great with baked walleye filet.

2018 Valfontaine

Good Bordeaux. Feels a little bit harsh right out of the bottle, but aerator fixes this little problem. Strong black currant note, almost no sugar, tastes like Bordeaux should taste.

Was good with smoked chicken pizza.

 

2019 Laville Pavillon

There are great 2019 Bordeaux wines out there. Unfortunately, this is not one of them. Drinkable, with subtle tones of black currant and plum. Would be pretty good, if not for the sugar. Way too much of it.

 

2020 Cape Bleue Rosé

 

Great Rosé from Jean-Luc Colombo. Crisp, dry, with distinctive Rhône notes. Costco continues to supply us with good inexpensive French Rosé.

Was great with walleye grilled on a cedar plank.

2019 Château Hostin Le Roc

 

Looks like 2019 is a pretty good year for Bordeaux. This is one more masterpiece. Black and red currant in the taste and nose. A bit of mineral whiff in the nose after aerator. Matures wonderfully in the glass. No sugar (great!).

Was great with smoked chicken pizza.

2019 Château d'Aigueville

 A huge disappointment. I hoped for something good, because company didn't release disastrous for many producers 2017 and very spotty 2018. But 2019 is no good. Way too much sugar. Will not buy it again.

2019 Renaissance

 Very good Rosé from Tuscany, Italy. Light, crisp, citrusy. Very light blush color. The only question: why not "Renascimento"?

Was great with walleye grilled on a cedar plank.

2018 Les Murières

 

Will not buy it again. At least, not 2018. Harsh and unrefined, neither aerator nor keeping it in open bottle for half an hour helps. Barely drinkable.

2019 Château Haut-Sorillon

 Very good. Even better than 2018. Even though 2018 has a medal and this one hasn't. Black currant and spices in the taste, just a bit of earthy (chalky) note in the nose. Almost no sugar. Smooth and surprisingly mature for 2 years old wine.

Was great with grilled tuna.

2019 Delas Saint-Esprit

Well, something good from Delas. At last. 2017 Saint-Esprit was not drinkable, used it as a cooking wine. 2018 was drinkable, but still too much sugar.

This one reminds me 2014 and 2016. Almost no sugar, tannins, strong taste of chokeberry, spices, old leather. Very good. Might be great in couple of years.

Was great with bison burgers.

2019 Château Jeanneau

 

A masterpiece. No sugar at all, black currant and spice in the taste and nose. 

Was great with grilled tuna.

2018 Château Haut Claribes

Wine's got 90 points from Wine Enthusiast. Well deserved. Very well balanced, with subtle notes of black currant, spice and some (but not much) tannines. Liked it a lot, bought some more.

Update 10/24/2021: Don't know how I didn't notice strong cherry note in the nose and taste. Probably was way too tired then. Anyway, I like this wine even more now.

Was great with grilled tuna.

2019 Château Labrousse

 

Well, it's got a medal. But too much sugar and too much alcohol for Bordeaux. Maybe it's going to get better later. Maybe I'll check it out a year or too later. So far, it's drinkable, but that's all I can say about it.

Natale Verga Prosecco Rosé

Very nice sparkling Rosé from Italy. Light, with mix of berries (strawberry being most prominent) in the taste. At below $10 at Trader Joe's it's unbelievable bargain.

 

2017 Gris de Toul Rosé

 

Good, subtle Rosé. Citrusy, just a hint of spices, overall very good balance.

Was great with walleye grilled on a cedar plank.

Glatzer Rebencuveé Carnuntum Zweigelt

 

Supposedly 2019 vintage, no indication on the bottle. Wonderful wine from Austria. Young but smooth, with multiple red berries in taste and nose. Unfortunately, Austrian wines are too expensive in US, they are great. 

Was great with grilled mutton.

2017 Confidencial Reserva

 

Very good red from Portugal. Most Portuguese wines have a taste of something from which Port is made. There is that note here, but very subtle. Powerful wine, would go with any red meat. Some red berry notes, spice, a bit of sugar.

Was great with bison burgers.

2019 Le Dome du Grand Bois

Utter disappointment. Company which managed to make decent 2017, flopped with this one. It's not that bad as, let's say, 2017 Délas Esprit. It's drinkable, but that's it. Way too much sugar.

Will not buy again. 

2013 Louis Latour Burgogne

 

This wine spent years in my cellar. Couldn't find a good occasion. But lately heard from people in France that Burgundy is good with salmon, smoked on a plank. Well, it was wonderful. The problem with Burgundy in US is price. It's way too expensive. But now I know...

2019 Erich Sattler Zweigelt Rosé

 

Zweigelt Rosé. Unfortunately, quite expensive in US, unless you buy it on a sale. This one is more red than pink, spicy, with a hint of mixed berries. As with other Zweigel Rosé, it feels like good champagne, just without bubbles.

Was great on a hot summer day with grilled swordfish.

2019 Aragosta

 

Great white from Sardinia. Crisp and dry, with slight citrus in taste. I'm drinking it for at least 20 years, and every year was great. It became expensive lately, I remember buying in under $6, now you are lucky to get it under $12.

Was perfect with halibut grilled on a cedar plank.

2017 Goru Gold

 Very good Jumilla. Mix of berries, some tannins. Feels like having good potential. A little bit of sugar, but not much. I will buy more if I could find it, bought it at Costco long time ago, probably all gone. This wine would work with any read meat.

Was great wit pizza.

2017 Gérard Bertrand Grand Terroir

One  more good wine from Gérard Bertrand. Generally, I am hesitant buying French reds of 2017 vintage. But this company never failed me before, so I took the risk.

Good overall. In the blind tasting I'd say it's Rhône wine. Chokeberry, a hint of ol leather. Lots of tannins. A bit of sugar, but not unpleasant. 

As many good wines, needs to be opened at least a half an hour before drinking. Aerator helps a lot as well.

Was very good with pizza.

2019 Réserve de Bonpas

 Interesting vintage. Mix of berries and spices in taste and nose. Just a hint of old leather in the taste. A lot of tannins. A bit of sugar, which is nicely balanced by tannins. Very good potential. But, this wine is not mature enough to drink yet. Maybe in a year or two.

Was OK with pizza.

2018 Château Haut Perouguet

 I had some hope after disastrous 2016 vintage. Well, this one is a bit better. But still. It still has a bitter note, more sutiable for Médoc. It's still a bit harsh. Too much minerals in the nose (to put it simpler, it smells chalk). In short, I will not buy it again. Even though some people might like it, tastes differ.

2019 M.Chapoutier Belleruche Rouge

As with Delas, I was reluctant to buy new vintage of M.Chapoutier because of 2017 disastrous vintage. But this one is good. Maybe could spend a little bit more time in the barrel. Well balanced, with pronounced note of chokeberry, just a little bit of mineral notes in nose and taste.

Was very good with grilled flank steak. 

Update 09/13/2021: It's obviously better after spending some time in my cellar. Surprising for the wine with a screw on lid.

2019 Landskroon Pinotage Rosé

Another greate wine from South Africa. Wonderful vintage. Pretty similar to 2016. Well, different label on the bottle. Again, the taste and feel of Rosé from Provence. Honey, citrus and spices.

Was great with frutti di mare pasta.

2019 Carayon la Rosé

 

Great Rosé from Languedoc, courtesy of Trader Joe's. Notes of honey, lemon and spices, beutifully balanced.

Was perfect with baked dover sole.

2018 Delas Saint Esprit

 Was careful after 2017 vintage, which was a total disaster. But no, it's a pretty good vintage. Well balanced, not much sugar, notes of a mix of berries in nose and taste, with prominent chokeberry, as it should be for Côtes-du-Rhòne.

Was good with pizza. 

Update: it's much better if to open 1 hour before dinner.

2019 Laroque

 

This is not like any wine I tried before. Strong nose and taste of a mix of rowanberry and chokeberry.  Very interesting. Very unusual. Tart, very little sugar.  Like this wine, definitely will buy more. But pairing might be challenging.

Was very good with baked mahi mahi.

2019 Broquel Malbec (Kirkland)

Masterpiece. One of the best wines from Argentina I ever tasted. Good, overall well balanced taste, with tones of plum and sour cherry. Aerator improves taste a lot. Great finish. Definitely will buy again while it lasts.

Was great with char pie.

2017 Château Fontana

 2016 Château Fontana was a masterpiece. 2017 - not so much. There is no substance. Wine feels flat. No finish at all.

Will not buy again.

2018 Laroque

 Good. A little bit of play on the tongue. A little bit of tannins, spicy, black currant, no sugar. 

Reine des Fleurs

 

Another wine with strong smell of chalk. Could be OK if not for this "earthy" tone. Will not buy again.

2019 De Mont

 

Another Rosé from Provence. But... First impression: strong smell of dust. Taste isn't that bad, usual notes of honey, citrus and spice. Strong mineral note, that's why dusty smell. Well, some people like mineral notes. I can forgive them if they are subtle and don't interfere with taste much. But this one... I will never buy again.

2019 Moonlight & Roses

 

New Rosé from Provence courtesy of Trader Joe. Lemon (a lot of lemon), honey and spices in taste and nose. Overall very nice, I'm going to buy more.

Was perfect with baked orange roughy.

2009 Château le Pey

 One more bottle which spent years in my cellar. I think it was bought at Costco some 6 or 7 years ago. Médoc without of taste of Médoc. Still decent Bordeaux, still doesn't have taste of Médoc. No sugar, a bit of black currant in the taste.

Was OK with pizza.

2018 Trader Joe's Caberne Sauvignon Platinum Reserve

I expected more. Opened this bottle 1.5 hours before dinner, wine didn't feel right. Harsh, even after aerator. Only half hour later (2 hours after opening) it became really good.

Sour cherry and black currant in the taste and nose. A bit too much sugar. Overall good (again, 2 hours after opening bottle). But I can easily find Bordeaux with better taste and for less money.

Was good with baked cornish hen.

2007 Mildiani

 Great wine from Republic of Georgia. This bottle was sitting in my cellar for at least five years, probably more. I remember the same wine from about 8 years ago, it had some sugar and didn't feel mature. Now it is, no sugar at all. Distinctive taste, a bit of tannins, light sour note, mix of berries.

Was great with pizza.

2013 Montecillo

Pretty similar to 2010. Mix of berries in the taste, with chokeberry prevailng. No sugar at all. Just a little bit less refined (probably because aged less time). Very good overall.

Was pretty good with baked lam fillet.