Wine Critic and Wine Blogger. WSET Certified. Instagram : @odedis.wine.reviews
It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark purple in color with a reddish rim.
Fruity nose of blueberries, plums, cherries, light oak and chocolate notes.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry and fruit forward on the palate with black currants, black plums, light oak, cherries, spices, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.
Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a tasty Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Pauillac. Easy drinking and nicely balanced. Spicy and entertaining.
Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel. Soft and elegant.
Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.
A good food wine.
A blend of 49% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in used French oak barrels for 12 months.
14% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$32. — 4 days ago
Starfield Vineyards Hope Rising 2024, El Dorado, California
Pale lemon in color with a green hue.
Aromatic nose with limes, green apples, light earth, flowers, citrus and sweet herbs.
Medium bodied with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with lemons, red and green apples, light grapefruits, peaches, light earth, pears, herbs and light spices.
Soft finish with limes and grapefruits.
This is a delicious White Rhone blend from California. Elegant and fruit forward. Smells like a Southern Rhone white, but much fruitier on the palate.
Complex, but easy drinking. Tasty, nicely balanced and very pleasant. Neither bitter nor tart. Just delicious.
The alcohol is nicely integrated, and good right out of the bottle.
A great sipping wine, and refreshing when properly chilled.
A blend of 45% Marsanne, 45% Roussanne and 10% Viognier. Aged for 8 months in (4% new) French Oak barrels. A small production of less than 2,200 bottles.
13.4% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$36. — 8 days ago
Dark purple in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong and fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, cooked cherries, cedar, black pepper, vanilla, licorice, light spices and milk chocolates.
Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, cedar, licorice, cola, chocolates, tobacco and light herbs.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This 5 year old California red blend is drinking very nicely now.
Rich and extracted. Fruit forward and complex. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.
This Single Vineyard is soft and buttery. Spicy and bold. Tangy and very entertaining. The high alcohol is somewhat showing.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 45 minutes of airtime.
Good by itself, and will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Zinfandel. Aged for 10 months in French and American Oak barrels.
14.9% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$20. — a day ago
Pale lemon in color.
Soft nose and medium plus in body with large bubbles and medium acidity.
Dry to off dry on the palate and simple.
Showing citrus, apples, minerals and spices.
Short and tangy finish with light herbs.
Easy drinking and better when properly chilled.
11% alcohol by volume.
86 points. — 2 days ago
Pale lemon in color with a green hue.
Fresh citrus fruits on the nose with minerals, sea salt and spices.
Medium bodied with medium plus acidity.
Dry to off dry on the palate with apples, citrus, spices and minerals.
Short finish with limes and lemons.
This simple Sparkling wine from France is easy drinking and good by itself. A nice party wine and good for the pool too.
Better when properly chilled.
11% alcohol by volume.
86 points. — 4 days ago
Reddish/ purplish in color with medium intensity.
Nose of black currants, fresh cherries, light oak, barnyard and light blood notes.
Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.
Dry on the palate with cherries, currants, plums, light oak, spices, dark chocolates, earth, light vegetables, bitter herbs and peppercorn.
Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very interesting Syrah from Williamette Valley in Oregon. Feels like a new world Syrah with a Northern Rhone touch.
This Single Vineyard Syrah is nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Complex and entertaining.
Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food. Paired very nicely with my charcuterie board, especially with the Italian salami.
100% Syrah grapes were aged in (25% new) French Oak barrels for 14 months. A small production of only 2,200 bottles.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$55. — 8 days ago
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Fruity nose with black fruits, cedar, tobacco and chocolate notes.
Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, cedar, vanilla, leather, earth, chocolates, tobacco, coffee, cola, licorice and bitter herbs.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.
This 12 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is drinking deliciously now. Rich and extracted, and 'In your face' kind of wine.
Fruit forward and good right out of the bottle, but would have been even better after a couple of hours of airtime, but it finished way too quickly.
Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.
A great sipping wine that will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot. 924 cases produced.
14.6% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$150. — 2 days ago
Pale lemon in color with a golden hue.
Fruity nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.
Off dry on the palate with mild complexity.
Showing lemons, apples, pears, minerals, light herbs, sea salt and light honey notes.
Medium finish with limes and sweet apples.
This is a very tasty Riesling from Washington State. Crisp and refreshing, and better when properly chilled.
Nicely balanced, easy drinking and better than I expected.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, and good for parties or the pool.
12% alcohol by volume.
88 points. — 2 days ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Light on the nose, and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing red cherries, currants, plums, light chocolates, coffee, light wood and black pepper.
Nice tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This is a very tasty 6 years old Grenache blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and interesting.
Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
The high alcohol is already well integrated. Good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.
A blend of 80% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Vaccarese, from 50 year old vines. Aged in large French oak barrels for 8 months.
15.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$50. — 7 days ago
"Odedi"
Inky in color with a short reddish rim.
Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light herbs, earth, chocolates and peppercorn.
Full-bodied and elegant with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, black currants, plums, cedar, licorice, light vanilla, light earth, herbs, spices, peppercorn and tobacco leaf.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley is drinking beautifully now, but needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Feels like a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon.
Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Smooth and elegant.
Rich and fruit forward. The high alcohol is not too noticeable.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years. Showing good potential to become a 94 point wine.
Needs 5 hours to open up properly, so be patient.
Wine Enthusiasts 92 points.
Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.
Grapes were handpicked, and aged in (75% new) French Oak barrels for 22 months.
15.6% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$85. — 17 hours ago