| | I never want the wines to shine at Thanksgiving as the food should be the main event. Mostly under $20 wines. - N.V. Mumm Napa Brut Prestige - USA, California, Napa Valley (11/28/2019)
Starter for Thanksgiving. Spice, sour apple, lemon, dough and wafer. Short to medium finish. (88 pts.)
- 2017 Loosen Bros. Riesling Dr. L - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (11/28/2019)
Solid again. Served with Thanksgiving Turkey. Lighter style than years past. Apple, lemon, minerals and good acidity overall. Very drinkable for $10. (87 pts.)
- 2017 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (11/28/2019)
Thanksgiving wine 2. Drinking well featuring pepper, raspberry, floral and underbrush. Medium finish. Always good. (89 pts.)
- 2017 Domaine Richard Rottiers Moulin-à-Vent Foudres - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Moulin-à-Vent (11/28/2019)
Day 1: Thanksgiving wine 3. Sweet fruits featuring strawberries and plum. Nice wine overall with dust, floral and earth. Good acidity and medium finish. 87 points
Day 2: Less open for business but still decant fruit and earth. Short to medium finish. 86 points
Day 3: Well now a nice transformation again. Nose of funk, floral and earth. Palate is similar with some nice strawberry elements. This is has complex, medium plus finish. A real WTSO solid. 90 points
Recommendation: Hold for a few years. Drink 2022 to 2025. (90 pts.)
- 2015 Helioterra Pinot Noir Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11/28/2019)
Day 1: Thanksgiving wine 4. Strawberry, floral, cherry, minerals and earth. Medium finish and good acidity. 90 points
Day 2: This is really a good WTSO buy. Cranberry, cherry, minerals, wafer, minerals and earth. Very good concentration and acidity. Love it. 90 points (90 pts.)
- 2013 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri - Australia, South Australia (11/27/2019)
Day 1: Pop and pour. Beautiful nose. Balance is a good descriptor of this wine which features tar, white pepper, blackberries, blueberries, menthol and spice. No hard edges and just a complex, age worthy wine. Should improve on day 2 and 3 which the last bottle certainly did. 93+
Day 2: More intensity on day 2 featuring tar, black pepper, earth, blueberries, menthol and dust. Medium plus finish. Not as satisfying on day 2. 90 points
Day 3: Much better and balanced again. Blueberries, menthol, white pepper, soy, mild spices and tar. Medium plus finish and good acidity. This wine should be a long term ager. Will revisit on day 4. 94 points
Day 4: Showing beautifully. This is a long term ager. Elegant with white pepper, blueberries, menthol, spice, plum, tar and coffee grounds. Medium finish and good acidity. This is an amazing effort and you will be rewarded with cellaring. 94 points
Recommendation: Drink now if you like more intensity but if you are looking for a balanced effort drink after 2026.
WINE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/PgJBZekQ1RU (94 pts.)
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