Category: Five Stars (92-100)

Malabaila Barbera d’Alba Mezzavilla Barbera 2015

93
Malabaila Barbera d’Alba
Fanciful Name: Mezzavilla
Varietal: Barbera
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Italy
Appellation: Barbera d'Alba
Retail Price: $21.99

Tasting Notes: Reminiscent of blueberry pie, this gem is exploding with dark fruit, blackberry and plum. The New World flavor is silky and jammy, with balanced acid and a lip-smacking never-ending berry finish.
Malabaila Barbera d’Alba Mezzavilla Barbera 2015

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Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

93
Paul Hobbs Crossbarn
Varietal: Cabernet
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Napa Valley
Retail Price: $60

Tasting Notes: Plump and elegant, full, rich and concentrated with a touch of spice. Long finish. Enjoy now or cellar for a few years.
Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

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Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot 2015

93
Pride Mountain Vineyards
Varietal: Merlot
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: California
Retail Price: $62

Tasting Notes: Aromatics of licorice, leather and blackberries jump out of the glass. On the palate you get plum, raspberries and cocoa all up front, with a floral-and-cinnamon spice mid-palate lift. As the wine finishes you get a balanced acidity with wonderful silky tannins that deliver enough grip to please any bold-red drinker.
Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot 2015

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Daou Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

93
Daou
Varietal: Cabernet
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Paso Robles
Retail Price: $29

Tasting Notes: A wonderfully balanced and yet complex wine. Rich berry fruit are complimented with a hint of cedar and a slight, yet pretty herbaceous note. This is a substantial cabernet that over delivers for the price. 
Daou Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

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Requiem Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

93
Requiem
Varietal: Cabernet
Vintage: 2016
Country of Origin: Washington
Appellation: Columbia Valley
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: I’m not sure the guys at Banshee make a bad wine. Their new project out of Washington is setting the bar high. Somehow they have packed fruit from Champoux, Wallula, Sevein and Loess Vineyards into a $20 wine. Aromas of dark berry, cedar and plum on the nose with chocolate, blackberry and a nice earthy funk on the nose. Wow!
Requiem Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

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Butternut Chardonnay 2017

93
Butternut
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2017
Country of Origin: California
Retail Price: $15.99

Tasting Notes: Apple, pear and buttercream on the nose lead to a creamy, buttery finish. The oak seems to be dialed back a touch this year and it really lets the fruit shine through.
Butternut Chardonnay 2017

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Averaen Pinot Noir 2017

93
Averaen
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2017
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $19.99

Tasting Notes: This wine is loaded with dark cherry and earthy spice. Loads of acidity bring this insane value of a wine full circle and checks all the boxes.
Averaen Pinot Noir 2017

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Vista Red Blend Red

94
Vista Red Blend
Varietal: Blend
Vintage: 2017
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Atlas Peak Napa Valley
Retail Price: $12.99

Tasting Notes: The nose screams dark chocolate and fresh blue fruits. The palate coats your mouth with black and blue fruits. The dusty minerality rounds out the medium finish on the wine. I don’t know how a $12.99 wine from Atlas Peak AVA exist, but I’m glad it does. This is hands down the deal of the year.
Vista Red Blend Red

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Malleolus Tempranillo Red 2014

94
Malleolus Tempranillo
Varietal: Blend
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: Spain
Retail Price: $46

Tasting Notes: Emilio Moro Bodegas has been around a long time. Still family owned, it generates some of the best tinto fino in Spain. Light earth, dark berries and perfectly integrated tannins carry this jewel to a long, lingering finish. Think clams and chorizo.
Malleolus Tempranillo Red 2014

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La Serena Toscana Rosso Red 2015

94
La Serena Toscana Rosso
Varietal: Blend
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: Italy
Retail Price: $35

Tasting Notes: Intriguing aromas of wild berries, cherry and spice with inviting flavors of cherry, mocha and vanilla giving way to hints of black pepper and exotic spice. Full-bodied and well balanced. A lot to like for the price.
La Serena Toscana Rosso Red 2015

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Daou Chardonnay 2015

94
Daou
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2015
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Paso Robles
Retail Price: $20.99

Tasting Notes: A beautifully balanced chardonnay from Paso Robles. It has a rich mouthfeel of butter and a hint of caramel with pops of tropical fruit and acidity. An amazing wine for dishes with butter as a theme. 
Daou Chardonnay 2015

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Blackbird Paramor Red 2007

94
Blackbird
Fanciful Name: Paramor
Varietal: Blend
Vintage: 2007
Country of Origin: California
Appellation: Napa Valley
Retail Price: $90

Tasting Notes: A wonderful red blend with nuance of spice, red pepper, cassis and oak on the nose. The palate showcases the rich plums, blackberries and graphite with a finish of beautiful, dense, yet smooth tannins, with slight basil and dried fruit lingering minutes later.
Blackbird Paramor Red 2007

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