I have been behind on this post. After I do this post, I owe three more: a retrospective on the Kosher California Wine Scene for 2021 and 2022, a write-up on my visit with Avi Davidowitz to the newly built Elvi Wines winery in Priorat, and finally, my yearly Four Gates Wine post.

This post may be one of the largest overall QPR roundups I have done, wine-wise, weighing in at 90 wines. The last one I did was in August 2024. That one had 26 or so wines, and 7 of them garnered a QPR WINNER score. The latest post with the largest number of wines winning a QPR Score of WINNER was the May 2023 post, with 19 wines garnering a QPR score of WINNER.

QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Wines

It has been four or so months since my last QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) post, and many people have been emailing me about unique wines I have tasted and lovely wines that are worth writing about.

Thankfully, no matter how much garbage and pain I subject myself to, we are still blessed with several wonderful QPR wines.

Throughout the year, I post many QPR posts for almost all of the main categories. I will continue down this road until I find a better way to categorize and track QPR WINNERS wines. People are still asking me what a QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Wine is and what the score of WINNER denotes. Once again, those are explained here in this post.

Some things that made me stand up and take notice (AKA QPR WINNERS):

There are 17 wines that won the coveted QPR score of WINNER this round, and they are all worth your attention.

The Chateau Fayat got a MONSTER quality score, and given its cost, it squeaks into the QPR WINNER score by a hair.

The same can be said for Chateau Trianon. It, too, garnered a massive score, and the price barely got it in under the wire.

The 2022 Philippe Le Hardi Aloxe Corton, Aloxe Corton, Burgundy, is a lovely wine for a challenging vintage. The Clos Vougeot may get a better score but at 5 times the price, it does not equate to a desirable QPR score.

The 2022 Eola Hills Wine Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, proves that we can get QUALITY Pinot Noir that is drinkable now at a QPR WINNER price. That deserves a shoutout!!

We have a SOLID list of QPR WINNERS:

1. 2022 Chateau Fayat, Pomerol – Score: 94 (QPR: WINNER)
2. 2022 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
3. 2022 Chateau Montviel, Pomerol – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
4. 2022 Philippe Le Hardi Aloxe Corton, Aloxe Corton, Burgundy – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
5. 2022 Chateau Royaumont, Lalande de Pomerol (M) – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
6. 2023 ESSA Altira, Cape South Coast – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
7. 2022 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape, Vielles Vignes, Chateauneuf du Pape, Vielles Vignes – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
8. 2022 Chateau Larcis Jaumat, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
9. 2023 Cave De Tain Crozes Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
10. 2022 Chateau La Fleur, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
11. 2022 Philippe Le Hardi Mercurey 1er Cru, Mercurey, Burgundy – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
12. 2018 Dalton Semillon, Tic Toc, Galilee – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
13. 2022 Chateau Piada, Sauternes – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
14. 2022 Chateau la Clare, Medoc (M) – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
15. 2022 Eola Hills Wine Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
16. 2023 Baron Rothschild Flechas De Los Andes Gran Malbec, Mendoza – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
17. 2021 Dalton Chenin Blanc, Wild One, Galilee – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER)

Other wines worth noting (For good reasons!):

1. The 2022 Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien, may not be priced to fit into the QPR WINNER circle, but it is another EPIC showing for this winery. Well worth finding this wine!!
2. The 2022 Chateau le Gay, Pomerol – is an excellent wine, but it is a tad too ripe for me. Still, this is the first time it has been made kosher! Bravo!
3. The 2022 Philippe Le Hardi Clos De Vougeot, Grand Cru is the first Clos Vougeot made kosher in some 18+ years. So, while the price is steep, the quality is there.
   

Other wines worth noting (Not for the best of reasons!):

1. The 2018 Golan Heights Winery Yarden Rose Brut is not a good wine again. The 2016 was a pass, but the 2017 was great and worth finding. Unfortunately, the 2018 is both not a Rose (its color is clear) and not a fun wine.
2. The 2024 Rimapere Baron Edmond de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc is not a wine worth seeking out. The 2021 vintage was great. The 2022 was a serious dud. The 2023 was once again great, almost as good as the 2021. Now, the 2024 is a dud. There seems to be a theme here.

I have grouped all the QPR WINNER wines at the top. The rest of the wines are listed in the order they were tasted (AKA Timeline order). The wine notes follow below – the explanation of my quality “scores” can be found here, and the explanation for QPR scores can be found here:

Wines that garnered a QPR Winner Score

2022 Chateau Fayat, Pomerol – Score: 94 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is black and dense and lovely, ripe but controlled, showing green notes, roasted herb, minerality, and great pop, with tar, umami, and almost soy sauce, lovely!
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is lovely, dense, layered, extracted, elegant, lovely, with blackberry, plum, cranberry, raspberry, rich dirt, loam, screaming acidity, dense mouth coating tannin, rich smoke, and mouthfeel with great tension and attack. 
The finish is long, dense, and ripe but perfectly controlled, with saline, graphite, and lovely smoke. Bravo! Drink by 2037 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Chateau Montviel, Pomerol – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is lovely, showing great pop, saline, minerality, rich smoke, tar, red and black fruit, and lovely smoke.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is more elegant than the Royaumont, with great acidity, lovely minerality, elegance, raspberry, blackberry, plum, rich gravel, bramble, lovely smoke, mouthfeel and tension, mouth-drying tannin, and smoke. A very good approach for the 2022 vintage – nice!
The finish is long, tart, mineral-driven, and smokey with graphite and saline, lovely! Drink by 2035. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Chateau Trianon, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is really lovely. It is the best 22 Bordeaux I have had so far, with cherry, plum, tar, minerality, green herbs, sweet spices, oak, and dark fruit. It is really nice. 
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe, layered, and concentrated, showing milk chocolate, good acidity, rich minerality, nicely extracted, with dark plum, candied blackberry, cassis, and rich cherry, so lovely, bravo. 
The finish is long, ripe, and concentrated, with great acidity, lovely fruit focus, not tense but very professional, with more tar, minerality, graphite, rock, and sweet herbs. Drink from 2028 until 2036. (tasted November 2024) (in Teaneck, NJ) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Philippe Le Hardi Aloxe Corton, Aloxe Corton, Burgundy – Score: 93 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine pops really well, showing rich loam and dirt, saline, and coffee with roasted herbs and nice smoke, cherry, and rhubarb. The nose is very expressive, complex, rich, and lovely!
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is nice, more complex, and elegant; it has a nice heft, good mouthfeel, lovely acidity, and smoke, with cherry, raspberry, and darker fruit, tension, and precision, rich saline and dirt, and nice makeup. 
The finish is long, dirty, ripe, controlled, and elegant, Nice! Drink by 2033 (tasted December 2024) (in Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Chateau Royaumont, Lalande de Pomerol (M) – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is nice, with excellent minerality, good pop, black and blue fruit, saline, graphite, and rich tar, nice!
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is lovely, rich, ripe but controlled, with blackberry, plum, dark cherry, blueberry, great minerality, graphite, rich sweet oak, mouth-drying tannin, great acidity, and lovely mouthfeel, with precession, and focus. 
The finish is long, dirty, mineral-driven, and fruity and a great show for the 2022 vintage. Drink by 2035 (tasted December 2024) (in Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape, Vielles Vignes, Chateauneuf du Pape, Vielles Vignes – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
This wine has improved nicely over the past six months. The nose is nice, with ripe fruit showing blackberry, plum, cassis, and root beer, blue fruit, big ripe and in your face, and nice minerality. While the fruit was over the top six months ago, it is showing much better now.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is a freight train of fruit: rich, brooding, juicy, and ripe, with nice minerality, smoke, blackberry, and boysenberry. The fruit is juicy and concentrated, almost plush, but still very nice. The finish is long, ripe, not candied, with lovely fruit, nice minerality, good acidity, nice concentration, vanilla, roasted meat, sweet spices, cinnamon, cloves, and roasted coffee. A really nice improvement. Drink until 2032. (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2023 ESSA Altira, Cape South Coast – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
Another ESSA Altira and another WINNER, this is a lovely, fruity, tart, smoky, honeysuckle, mineral-driven joy!
The nose of this wine is hopping with bright fruit, funk, saline, and all that I love in white wine, followed by citrus, lychee, passion fruit, and smoke. Bravo!!
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has a nice weight, mouthfeel, and bracing, fresh, natural acidity, with lychee, orange, grapefruit, lemon, honeydew melon, a wine that makes me think Bordeaux all the way!
The finish is long, tart, funky, fresh, and mineral-driven, the notes linger forever. Bravo!! Drink by 2027, maybe later. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Chateau Larcis Jaumat, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is ripe and balanced, with good bright fruit, jammy plum, floral notes, with jasmine, ripe raspberry, and smoke.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is ripe but balanced with very nice acidity. It shows some plum, raspberry, currants, garrigue, sweet oak, nice mouth-coating tannin, sweet spices, floral notes, and roasted herbs,
The finish is long, ripe, and candied with vanilla, smoke, and sweet herbs. Drink until 2035. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14.5%)

2023 Cave De Tain Crozes Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
This Syrah-based wine has a really impressive nose. It is a very young wine with lovely minerality, red fruit, rich graphite, loam, smoke, roasted meat, tar, and black pepper.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is nice; it has great acidity with nice black plum, raspberry, tart blueberry, smoke, good tannin, and black pepper; balanced, with lovely fruit focus and structure, nice!
The finish is long, ripe, balanced, with bright fruit, tar, smoke, roasted meat, and minerality. Drink by 2031. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Chateau La Fleur, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is ripe, not candied, balanced, with ripe black and blue fruit, smoke, roasted herb, tar, smoke, cacao, nice graphite, loam, and rich dirt. Nice!!
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe and balanced, with great acidity, nice fruit focus, black plum, some blackberry, ripe raspberry, smoke, great tannin, really plush, and concentrated, nice and enjoyable. The finish is long, ripe, concentrated, and truly enjoyable; it is a wine I would go back to drink more, with more graphite, minerality, smoke, loam, rich dirt, tar, and cacao; really nice! Drink until 2033. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Philippe Le Hardi Mercurey 1er Cru, Mercurey, Burgundy – Score: 92+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is lovely, with more control than the baseline. It shows less ripe, with green notes, roasted herbs, elegance, more complexity, cherry, raspberry, and nice smoke. 
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is more precise and almost elegant, with crazy acidity, nice cherry and raspberry flavors, rich salinity, nice pop and tension, enough complexity, lingering saline, roasted herb, and sweet spices.
The finish is long, rich, and lingering, with lovely fruit and coffee. Drink by 2033. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13.5%)

2018 Dalton Semillon, Tic Toc, Galilee – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this lovely wine is insane; the brightness is off the charts, with funk, straw, hay, green notes, lemongrass, lemon-gina, and ginger. Lovely. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is lovely, with great acidity, intense minerality, nice lemon, ginger, lemongrass, and some saline. Drink now. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 11.5%)

2022 Chateau Piada, Sauternes – Score: 92 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is nice, funky, earthy, and fruity, with good pineapple, mango, apple, and guava, and rich minerality with saline, nice honeysuckle, honeyed fruit, and yellow flowers.
The mouth is this full-bodied sweet wine is ripe, with ribbons of bitter graphite, guava, pineapple, mango, honeysuckle, and rich floral notes, but also ripe fruit, tropical fruit with more ribbons and lovely sweet tannin and oak. 
The finish is long, ripe, tannic, smoky, and nice. Drink until 2040. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Chateau la Clare, Medoc (M) – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
The wine is a blend of 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot. The nose of this wine is ripe and nice, with good minerality, nice graphite, plum, cassis, blackberry, smoke, roasted herbs, some funk, and tar; nice!
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is lovely with good acidity, nice smoke, tar, blackberry, plum, balance, and fun, with nice mouth-coating tannin, good fruit focus, and structure.
The finish is long, ripe, and balanced, with great tannin, smoke, and rich minerality; nice! Drink until 2030. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14.5%)

2023 Baron Rothschild Flechas De Los Andes Gran Malbec, Mendoza – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is nice, ripe, and candied but with control, proper for a Malbec. It has dense black and blue fruit, smoke, roasted meat, umami, and roasted herbs—nice!
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is rich and fleshy, with blackberry, plum, and blackcurrant, rich minerality, umami, soy sauce, dense smoke, crazy oak, and rich fruit. It’s nice. 
The finish is long, dense, and chocolate-driven, with fruit, smoke, and a nice attack. Drink by 2030 (tasted December 2024) (in Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Eola Hills Wine Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon – Score: 91+ (QPR: WINNER)
To me, the nose of this wine is better than the 2021 vintage, with more control.
The nose shows notes of dark cherry, dark berry, ripe but controlled, smoke, sweet oak, sweet dill, waxy notes, hickory, roasted herb, some floral notes, and sweet vanilla. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is lovely. It has great acidity, lots of fruit, is not overripe, and is balanced. There is lots of sweet oak, roasted herbs, smoke, and a rich mouthfeel. Overall, it is a very nice wine, with cherry, black plum, raspberry, some more waxy notes, and a nice punch of tannin. The finish is long, herbal, smoky, and tannic, with good coffee, dark chocolate, lavender, mint, cinnamon, and more smoke. Nice!! Drink by 2027. (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14%)

2021 Dalton Chenin Blanc, Wild One, Galilee – Score: 91 (QPR: WINNER)
The nose of this wine is lovely, it is bright with good funk, apple, pear, honeysuckle, lemongrass, and some smoke. The mouth of this wine starts slowly, but with time, it shows great acidity, bright fruit, and refreshing flavors of apple, pear, funk, honeysuckle, and smoke. The finish is long, nice, and a bit simple, but the funk, acidity, and good fruit, with some smoke from the oak, make me smile. Drink now. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 12.5%) (Sadly, this wine is only available in Israel)

The Rest of the wines – in timeline order

2022 La Regola Steccaia Toscana Bianco, Costa Toscana – Score: 91+ (QPR: GOOD)
This wine needs to be enjoyed ICE COLD, but think of the champagne temperature. The nose of this wine is classic Vermentino, with none of the SB notes that bother folks like AD, showing grapefruit, green apple, yellow flowers, almonds, and melon. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice with bracing acidity, nice pear, apple, grapefruit, quince, yellow melon, and nice minerality. The finish is long and tart; it is refreshing and makes you want more, with good minerality, saline, rock, and smoke. Drink by 2026. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2022 La Regola Ligustro Toscana Rosso, Costa Toscana – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
The wine shows some excess CO2 in the form of bubbles, which will bother you a bit; just let the wine sit open or in your glass, and it will blow off.
The nose of this wine is nice enough with tart red fruit and floral notes of rosehip, mint, and rosemary; waxy notes emerge later, and sweet herbs.
The mouth of this medium-bodied red wine is nice enough, has just enough acidity, and feels nice with ripe raspberry, cherry, and strawberry balanced with roasted herbs, loam, and dirt. The finish is long, dirty, and earthy, with good cleanliness, nice minerality, stone/rock, nice ripe fruit, and more herbs. Drink by 2026. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2023 Tulip Net Sauvignon Blanc, Galilee – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice enough; it has ripe orange and grapefruit; the issue is the chemical notes; it just feels off.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has good acidity but feels empty and has no charm, still, the orange and grapefruit notes come through. Drink now (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12%)

2023 Psagot Sauvignon Blanc, Israel – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine could be cleaner, showing chemical notes, orange, pear, and orange blossom.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is okay; it has enough acidity, with pith, green notes, orange, peach, grapefruit, and more pith. Drink now. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2023 Psagot Viognier, M-Series, Israel (M) – Score: 85 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is pure peach; you really need to look hard for anything else, maybe a bit of saline and some white flowers.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine mimics the nose with enough acidity, peach, some saline, and pith. Drink now. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13%)

2023 Matar Chardonnay, Galilee – Score: 88 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice enough, with apple, pear, and bright fruit, but a bit fake, with chemical notes and no floral notes. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine shows clear tartaric acid, a bit too much, with apple, pear, and orange notes and some salinity. Drink now. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13%)

2023 Koenig Riesling, Alsace (M) – Score: 87 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is muted and simple, with pear, peach, lemon popsicle, and saline. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is good, showing good acidity, though I think it is Tartaric Acid, with some notes of saline, grapefruit, peach, tart lemon, and minerality. The finish feels cooked and short, with lingering acidity. Drink now. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12%)

2024 ESSA Liv & Luv Rose, Western Cape – Score: 89+ (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is bright and a bit funky, with bright red fruit, strawberry, plum, smoke, watermelon, and lychee. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice with good acidity, but the acidity feels additive, maybe I am wrong, with nice fruit, strawberries, lychee, lemon, grapefruit, smoke, saline, flint, and plum. The finish is long and a bit muddled, with funk, minerality, and saline. Drink now. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12%)

2023 Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray, Coulee d’Argent, Sec, Chenin Blanc (M) – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
This is the 2nd wine I have tasted from Royal here in the USA that I have already tasted in France. Something has GONE VERY wrong! In the the famous words of Tom Hanks, “Houston, we have a problem”. I do not know if this is a shipping or storage issue. This is not a shipping issue to me here in Cali as I tasted the 2023 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape, Blanc, at Royal’s offices, and it was a shadow of what I enjoyed in France. We now have TWO wines that are NOT what I expect. On an aside, this was a misquote from Hollywood; Jim Lovell, the mission commander, responded and said, “Ah, Houston, we’ve had a problem”. To be honest – I do not want to even score this wine; it is not that the wine is bad, but the entire story is wrong; this wine tastes like very tart honeysuckle, honey bomb, and orange juice, and not much else. It pains me. The nose is not there at all. WOW! We have a problem!! Drink now if you must. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2023 Flam Camellia, Judean Hills – Score: 91 (QPR: GOOD)
This wine is a blend of 74% Chardonnay and 26% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine starts closed and tight, it is a young wine that needs time. The nose of this wine, after opening, starts with apple, honeysuckle, sweet oak, vanilla, pear, citrus, and melon, along with orange and lemongrass.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice; it is balanced, with great acidity, nice mouthfeel, sweet oak, sweet melon, apple, pear, saline, orange, searing tannin, and acidity. It is a refreshing and grabbing wine.
The finish is long, tart, ripe, and Israeli-style wine, but balanced with vanilla, sweet melon, pear, smoke, oak, and toast; nice! Drink from 2025 until 2028. (tasted August 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14%)

2023 Avi Feldstein Dabouki, Judean Hills – Score: 87 (QPR: POOR)
Tasting this wine blindly, I noticed it resembles Pinot Gris with some almond paste. The nose of this wine of this wine is okay, showing citrus, pear, some peach, and almond. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has acidity, with some citrus, pear, and more apples than anything. The finish is there, but this wine is simple; it lacks the complexity to grab you. Drink now. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.6%)

2023 Avi Feldstein Grenache Rose, Galilee – Score: 88 (QPR: BAD)
The nose of this Grenache rose is correct, with slate, raspberry, strawberry, pink flowers, honeysuckle, and smoke.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is where it falls, the wine is too simple, with some fruit, raspberry, strawberry, enough acidity, and some saline.
The finish is short, and the slate and saline are nice, with the citrus lingering. Drink now. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.6%)

2020 Avi Feldstein Gilgamesh, Israel – Score: 84 (QPR: BAD)
This wine is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Argaman, 15% Carignan, 15% Syrah, 10% Grenache, & 5% Roussanne.
The nose of this blend is so Israeli you cannot miss it, the wine is also professional, and while I think that is an improvement, the outcome is much the same.
The nose starts with ripe black and red fruit, and as it opens, it turns riper and riper until it borders on figs and intense candied blue and black fruit—all wrapped in oak and more oak.
Once again, the mouth is where it goes wrong, the fruit is over-the-top, ripe, candied, and bordering on figs, with insufficient acidity, soft tannin, and too much oak. The finish is short, candied, ripe, and missing something to get my attention. Drink by 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2019 Avi Feldstein Cabernet Sauvignon, Galilee – Score: 85 (QPR: BAD)
The nose of this wine says it all, dark brooding fruit, nothing that could denote a Cabernet, just dark and inky, with overripe and candied black fruit, with a hint of red fruit. There is nothing green, herbal, or balancing here, just lots of Israeli dark fruit.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe and candied, with blue and black fruit, not quite enough acidity, not quite balanced, with screaming boysenberry, blackcurrants, blackberry, all candied and ripe, showing dark, and all over the place, with lots of oak, and smoke.
The finish is long, ripe, candied, and just unbalanced, the oak is the best part of this wine, I wish the wine was balanced and under control. Drink by 2027 (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.7%)

2022 Ramon Cardova Granacha, Rioja (M) – Score: 84 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is ripe, candied, and brooding with candied lifesaver fruit, cherry liqueur, intense sweet oak, and heat. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is simple, with enough acidity, showing over-the-top fruit, very fruit-forward, candied raspberry, cherry liqueur, sweet oak, nice tannin, and sweet smoke. The fruit is overpowering and throws the wine out of balance. The finish is average, with too much ripe fruit, vanilla, sweet oak, and some leather. Drink by 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Les Lauriers des Rothschild, Montagne Saint-Emilion (M) – Score: 87 (QPR: GREAT)
This wine is a blend of 80% Merlot & 20% Cabernet Franc.
The nose of this wine is ripe, fruit-forward, candied, and hot, with ripe red and blue fruit and tar, showing more gamay-like than a Bordeaux.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe, without enough acidity, showing green notes, too much oak, over-the-top fruit, raspberry, blackberry, plum, and sweet oak, with nice tannin, even if it is a bit aggressive.
The finish is long, ripe, and over-the-top, with candied fruit, leather, smoke, tar, and more oak. Drink by 2028. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Chateau Roubine Red, Cotes de Provence – Score: 87 (QPR: EVEN)
This is a ripe wine like most of the wines from France’s 2022 vintage.
The nose of this wine is ripe, but it has enough balance, with ripe red fruit, hints of blue fruit, smoke, bramble, root beer, loam, and tar.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is nice enough but the fruit is still too much, the ripeness sticks out, with boysenberry, raspberry, and strawberry. This wine lacks what I crave, balance, more acidity, and a refreshing feeling.
The finish is long, with more ripe fruit, feeling bland, aka flat, so where I crave refreshment the wine delivers fruit and some vanilla. Drink by 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Pacifica Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge, WA – Score: 89 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine screams Pinot Noir, it is clean and professional, with cherry, earth, loam, smoke, fresh and alive, fun to smell.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine opens slowly, the tannin structure is closed to start, and it needs time to open, after time, it shows ripe raspberry, cherry, smoke, loam, refreshing fruit, great acidity, balance, and some oak, wrapped in nice tannin.
The only issue was that the wine lost all its fun after 6 hours, so it is a drink now wine. The finish is long, tart, refreshing, lingering, smoky, dirty, and earthy, with graphite and more loam. Yum! Good work, indeed! Drink now. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Gush Etzion Cabernet Sauvignon, Lone Oak Tree, Judean Hills – Score: 88 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is nice; it is somewhat varietally correct but still ripe, with ripe black and blue fruit, smoke, anise, and tar.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine gets ripe, with blackberry, plum, hints of blueberry, too much oak, cacao, tar, enough acidity, and astringent tannin.
The finish is long, oaky, ripe, showing sweet dill, vanilla, and more ripe fruit. Drink by 2028. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14%)

2021 Teperberg Inspire, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Shomron – Score: 84 (QPR: EVEN)
The 2021 vintage in Israel was a blessing; sadly, this wine smells and tastes like an Israeli wine, and there is nowhere for it to hide.
The nose of this wine is ripe and candied, with black and blue fruit and not much else.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe and candied and shows oak, smoke, some acidity, blackberry, plum, blueberry, and more candied fruit. The finish is a bit short. Drink by 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2021 Teperberg Inspire, Malbec Marselan, Samson – Score: 84 (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is another very ripe Israeli wine. I want to write notes, and I get ripe blackberry, boysenberry, plum, and sweet oak. Not much else. Drink by 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13%)

2019 Odem Mountain Nebbiolo, Reserve, Galilee – Score: 91 (QPR: GOOD)
This wine starts like a controlled wine, but with a bit of air, it shows its true colors. It is a big, ripe, red and blue wine that lacks the balance to really shine. The nose of this wine is ripe, but also balanced, showing nice fruit, black and red, with hints of blue fruit as well, root beer, smoke, sweet oak, and sweet spices. Tasted blind this is a Syrah to me.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine has a bit too much oak at this point, astringent, much like a Nebbiolo would show, along with good fruit focus, blackberry, plum, candied cherry, boysenberry, rich umami, soy sauce, layered and concentrated with layers of heavy tannin, loam, and no minerality.
The finish is long, still too ripe, but more like an elegant 2×4 to the face, with sweet oak, leather, soy sauce, roasted animal, and loads of smoke. Nice! Drink until 2026. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2021 Shirah Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, CA – Score: 90 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is not ripe; it is fresh and balanced, with high-toned and intense cranberry, raspberry, tomato, and strawberry, as well as lovely floral notes, violet, and minerality.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is nice, with intense acidity – almost astringent in its attack – followed by candied plum, dark cherry, intense tannin structure, rich salinity, and nice smoke.
The finish is overpowering, showing too much acidity, with candied fruit, mineral, deep loam, and tobacco leaf. Drink from 2026 until 2030. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.3%)

2022 Chateau Trijet, Bordeaux – Score: 86 (QPR: GOOD)
If I had tasted this blind, I would have guessed it was from the 2021 vintage, which is not the best showing from this winery.
The nose of this wine is tinny, green, and herbal, with some black and red notes, very bland, and no bright fruit.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine shows some acidity, but the green and tinny notes really pull you away from this wine, with too many green notes, asparagus, plum, hints of smoke, and nice enough tannin. The finish is long, with dirt, too many green notes, tinny aspects, and some fruit. Drink now. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13%)

2020 Chateau Genlaire, Bordeaux Superieur (M) – Score: 87 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is green and tinny, with red fruit notes, some tar, and herbal, smoky, tobacco, the fruit is bright enough.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine lacks acidity; the fruit is green and herbal, with cherry, raspberry, plum, and smoke; the best part of this wine is the chunky tannins.
The finish is long enough, with more green notes, herbs, and more tinny notes. Drink now. (tasted September 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Chateau Le Crock, Saint-Estephe, Bordeaux (M) – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is ripe, ripe enough for me to use words like blackcurrant and figs, ripeness that is more Cali and bordering on Israel, with no nuance, with more ripe red and black fruit, sweet oak, and some smoke.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is dense, that is the correct word, at 15% ABV, I would expect nothing less, massive, broad, and concentrated, I just wish there was more acidity to help lift this wine, the nose does not pop because it lacks that acid, with blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, fig, candied fruit, dense and chewy tannin, not coarse just not elegant, with a crazy attack of fruit and more smoke.
I am waiting for anything to come out of that cloud/smoke/madness; so far, it has no elegance, no style, just a massive machine that steamrolls whatever you hope. Time will tell. Sadly, with time, that never shows; the wine is honest; this is a big, bold, in-your-face wine that will attract some folks, but I am not one of them. I seek balance, and big bombastic wines with potential do not make up for the lack of balance.
The finish is long, ripe, dense, and candied, it has some minerality, but you really have to reach for it, mostly just dense fruit, oak, tannin, and smoke. Drink until 2040. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2022 Chateau Fontenil, Fronsac – Score: 89 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is ripe, ripe enough for me to use words like blackcurrant, figs, and cassis. It has nice smoke, and it does show minerality, but the fruit is all you can smell. One cannot shake the fact that this is an overripe wine in an overripe vintage made of 100% Merlot with nowhere to hide. There is no pop in the nose, it is all fruit, oak, and smoke.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is dense, massive, broad, and concentrated; I just wish there was more acidity to help out, with blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, fig, candied fruit, dense and chewy tannin, not coarse, just not elegant, with a crazy attack of fruit and more smoke. With a day, again, as in the nose, the fruitiness extremes are vacillating, but the truth is plain to see for those like me who want and desire balance.
The finish is long, ripe, dense, and candied, it has some minerality, but you really have to reach for it, mostly just dense fruit, oak, tannin, and smoke. Drink until 2040. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.5%)

2018 Golan Heights Winery Yarden Rose, Brut, Golan Heights, Galilee – Score: 88 (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is a blend of 73% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Noir. It is NOT a rose; it is more of a Blanc to Noir or even a Blanc de Blanc with some Blanc de Noir. In the end, while I NEVER talk color, this wine is NOT a Rose; IMHO, it should NOT be in a Rose bottle.
The best part of this wine is its nose. It has clear orange peel notes, intense yeast, brioche, and lovely notes of pear and apple. It has no red fruit notes, but it has a nice nose!
The mouth of this wine is where it fails. The wine is just a tart acid bomb with very little behind it. The orange peel and orange notes are here, along with some pear and yeasty notes, but the middle and end feel lacking. Drink by 2026. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2022 Pavillon de Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien (M) – Score: 89 (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon & 50% Merlot.
The nose of this wine is ripe, candied, and pushed at 14% ABV. The nose shows ripe and candied plums, black and red fruit, some minerality, too much oak, too ripe and candied, without the pop and brightness to bring this together.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is missing the acidity it needs; it feels ripe, it feels pushed, and it has the plushness you would want with nice tannin, blackberry, plum, raspberry, too much oak, and some graphite. The idea of loam, dirt, or anything that is not fruit and oak is so hard to see, another 2022 Bordeaux wine.
The finish is long, ripe, candied, and pushed for me. The bold and in-your-face fruit will work for many. Drink from 2029 until 2035. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Invei Petite Sirah, Clarksburg, CA – Score: 88 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice, with good fruit, black and blue, and nice brightness, smoke, and tar. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe, with enough acidity to work, and the tannin is drying, with ripe blackberry, plum, boysenberry, smoke, and some dirt. The finish is long, ripe, and fruity. Drink by 2027. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2023 Hajdu Petite Sirah, Dry Creek, Sonoma County, CA – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is ripe, fruity, and not really much else. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe, with intense blackcurrant and boysenberry, raspberry flavors, rosehip, and smoke. The tannin overpowers, along with the intense fruit profile and not much else. The finish is long, ripe, candied, and smoky, with intense tannin. Drink by 2026. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 14.8%)

2022 Capcanes Peraj Ha’abib, Montsant – Score: 89 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is ripe, candied, not as ripe, and date-driven as the Mevushal bottle, with some VA, red and blue fruit, tart and candied at the same time, loam, and smoke. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is almost candied, not quite, with good acidity, there is brooding red and blue fruit that is scary, but right now it is okay, with candied plum, candied raspberry, boysenberry, smoke, sweet herbs, and sweet spices. The finish is long and smoky, with nice tannin, roasted meat, and more ripe fruit. Drink until 2027. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)

2022 Capcanes La Flor Del Flor De Primavera, Old Vines, Grenache, Montsant – Score: 88 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is cherry lifesavers, with dark cherry, ripe and candied blue fruit, star anise, and cinnamon. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe, dense, and layered, with dark plum, strawberry, candied cherry, almost cherry liqueur, and nice sweet spices, vanilla, and cinnamon. The finish is long, ripe, juicy, tart, and floral, with sweet herbs, sweet smoke, tobacco, and cinnamon. Drink until 2027. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15.5%)

2022 Chateau Signac Pliocene, Cotes du Rhone – Score: 85 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is dull; it has candied, ripe, fruity, and meaty notes, and it is not my kind of wine. The mouth of medium-plus-bodied wine is a cherry and plum fruit bomb; it has lost all of Rhone’s characteristics, minerality is gone, and loam and smoke are barely there. The meaty notes are on the edge; the tannin is the best part, but the fruit overpowers everything. The finish is average and the fruit is in overpowering. Drink now. (tasted October 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Binah Pinot Noir, Lehigh Valley, PA – Score: 84 (QPR: POOR)
The color of the wine is brown and not attractive.
The nose of this wine is dull. There is some fruit, but not much, if any, maybe some raspberries and prunes.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is ripe and candied, with oak and red raspberry close to prune. It’s not very fun, but the acidity is the best part. The finish is a bit short, but no thanks. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Teaneck, NJ) (ABV = 12.5%)

2022 Chateau Saint Corbian, Saint-Estephe – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is okay, not so bad, still very floral, potpourri, with raspberry, plum, and more floral, and a hint of smoke. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is pure floral notes, red fruit, cranberry, plum, raspberry, and dark cherry, with too much tannin, not enough body, and nice acidity. Ultimately, the floral notes are overpowering, and the balance is off. The finish is long, tannic, floral, with some smoke, earth, and more jasmine. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Chateau Riganes Reserve, Bordeaux – Score: 85 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice enough, with plum and cherry. More of fruit than anything else. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is dull without much to hang on, nice enough acidity, green, herbal, smoky, but sadly tinny, so sad. The finish is a bit short, green, herbal, with some cherry. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13.5%)

2023 Les Lauriers des Barons Edmund & Benjamin de Rothschild, Montagne Saint-Emilion (M) – Score: 81 (QPR: BAD)
This wine is a blend of 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, & 5% Petit Verdot. The nose of this wine is tinny and green, with some red fruit, roasted herbs, cherry, and some more herbs. Drink by 2025. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2023 Chateau Bellevue Morgon Grand Cras, Morgon, Grand Cras, Beaujolais – Score: 91 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is lovely. It’s a good-smelling Gamay with no green notes, ripe red fruit, balance, some minerality, rich floral notes, rosehip, jasmine, and rich smoke. Nice!
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice, with very little banana, good acidity, plum, cherry, raspberry, and good smoke, with good tannin and nice roasted herbs; it’s nice!
The finish is long, with great acidity, hints of banana, nice red fruit, smoke, and some minerality. Nice! Drink by 2028. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Chateau le Gay, Pomerol – Score: 93 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice, balanced, ripe, and not pushed; it has a bit of heat on the nose, with good minerality, expression, and concentration, jammy but elegant fruit, with black and blue fruit, raspberry, smoke, earth, graphite, all coming together, really nice.
The mouth of this full-bodied starts with oak, ripe, not candied, balanced, with great acidity, elegance, blackberry, black pepper, dark raspberry, boysenberry, rich, ripe, and plush, very nice, with an intense minerality and graphite presence, backed by a rich and mouth-draping tannin structure, and dense fruit. My main issue is this is an oak bomb; the French oak, sweet dill, vanilla, and hints of hickory pervade this wine a bit too much for me at this time.
The finish is long, ripe, and structured, with more black fruit, tannin, cacao, oak, sweet dill, and milk chocolate. This is a profoundly oak-influenced wine and it will be a long time until this wine comes together fully, if ever. Drink from 2031 until 2040. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14.5%)

2021 Netofa Matzpen, Toursyr, Galilee – Score: 91 (QPR: GOOD)
This wine is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional & 50% Syrah. The nose of this wine is ripe but balanced, with a bit too much for me, followed by soy sauce, black and blue fruit, smoke, and floral notes. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is ripe, and candied, with nice oak, blackberry, plum, juicy boysenberry, soy sauce, and nice tannin, a bit simple but nice. The finish is long, ripe, and candied, but not enough to grab me. Drink by 2027. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2021 Yatir Mount Amasa, Red, Judean Hills – Score: 81 (QPR: NA)
This wine is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Shiraz, 14% Petit Verdot, 12% Tannat, 11% Malbec, 7% Merlot, & 2% Cabernet Franc. The nose of this wine is ripe, candied, and over the top, with dense blackcurrant, dense oak, smoke, blackberry, plum, and blue fruit. The mouth of this wine is pure date juice beyond my ability to appreciate it. Next. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2021 Domaine Du Castel Grand Vin, Judean Hills – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is ripe, candied, and beyond my interest, so simple, ripe, and unbalanced, but still not offensive, with candied black and red fruit. The mouth of this full-bodied wine is nice enough, without enough acidity, nice enough fruit, smoke, and earth, candied blackberry, plum, blueberry, and smoke. The finish is okay, it could be more interesting. Drink soon. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2023 J. de Villebois Pouiily-Fume, Les Silex Blancs, Pouilly-Fume – Score: 91 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine has no flint or anything mineral, but it has loads of bright peach, apricot, and loads of citrus and lemon, which is nice enough. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has great acidity and a good mouth feel, with saline, peach, grapefruit, and orange, but the grapefruit pith is too much. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13%)

2023 Raziel Rose, Judean Hills – Score: 89 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is okay, not bad, it has a nice balance of floral notes, raspberry, smoke, and flint, with too much orange pith. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is oaky, it has nice acidity, raspberry, strawberry, orange, and smoke. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Barkan Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve, Altitude, +624, Galille – Score: 84 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is good enough, with overripe fruit, smoke, earth, and not much more. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is ripe, with nothing to grab your attention, plum, cherry, smoke, and green notes. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 14%)

2022 Chateau Fourcas Dupre Cuvee Hautes Terres, Listrac-Medoc (M) – Score: 83 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is simple, green, herbal, floral, potpourri, red fruit, and loam. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has lovely tannin, with green notes, roasted herbs, rich floral notes that are overpowering, plum, raspberry, and smoke. The finish is okay. Drink soon. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13%)

2023 Chateau Riganes Merlot, Bordeaux (M) – Score: 81 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is greener and more tinny than the Cabernet Franc, showing too herbal, floral, smoky, and some red fruit. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is too green and herbal, showing some cherry, plum, and earth. The finish is a bit short with too much green and herbal notes. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13%)

2023 Chateau Riganes Cabernet Franc, Bordeaux (M) – Score: 84 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is green, herbal, and smoky, with some red fruit and sweet herbs.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is a bit green; it has nice acidity, showing raspberry, plum, loam, and earth.
The finish is a bit short and too tinny for me, but overall, it is nice enough, green and herbal. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in Bayonne, NY) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Grume D’Or Pinot Noir, IGP Pays d’Oc (M) – Score: 85 (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is fine at opening, but it will die on you quickly. So open it and drink it, but expect nothing from it after 8 hours.
The nose of this wine is nice enough, but it is a bit too green and herbal. It has sweet cherry, dirt, floral notes, and herbs.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine has enough fruit and enough acidity, but it is just average, with cherry, raspberry, nice enough smoke, with some body. The main issue is it falls apart so quickly; this is a wine for pop and go – at best. The finish is long, herbal, green, and smoky. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2024 Rimapere Baron Edmond de Rothschild Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough – Score: 86 (QPR: EVEN)
The first kosher vintage of this wine was in 2021. It was great and sold out in an instant. The next vintage, 2022, was alcoholic orange juice, a miss; sadly, it paled compared to what was previous to it. The 2023 vintage was great, very close to the 2021 in quality. Well, the 2024 vintage is here, and it is again alcoholic orange juice. I think we have a pattern! While I genuinely enjoyed the previous vintage, the third kosher vintage, this vintage is not for me.
The nose of this wine has a bit of gooseberry and lemon, but it is overpowered by orange juice. Beyond that, it is just not there—no minerality, no pop, no brightness. Wow! This is the worst of the four vintages; it is not even close. I wish this was the 2022 vintage!
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is hollow, empty, and lacking. It has acidity and some gooseberry, but that is it. The rest is a hollow orange juice that dies off and leaves you with nothing. WOW! This is so sad! Drink now, but I would pass. (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2022 Jardin Enchante Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux (M) – Score: 70 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is cooked. Sadly, the fruit is not there. What is there is some minerality and some hint of fruit, but it is all cooked away. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is flat, empty, hollow, and really lacking in everything. Sadly, I have to pass. Next! (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2023 Domiane de Chatillon Chablis, 1er Cru, Le Grand Secret, Chablis – Score: 84 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is dull and flat; it has some flint, some minerality, with apple, but otherwise, it is just not there. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is equally unimpressive; it lacks the acidity I expect from a Chablis; it is not crisp; it has some acidity, with some notes of pear and apple, some minerality, and that is it. The finish is short if it is even there. Drink now. (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2023 Domiane de Chatillon Sancerre, Le Grand Secret, Sancerre – Score: 89 (QPR: GOOD)
The wine starts slowly – but give it time to open – like two hours of air. The nose of this wine is nice enough, it has some flint, gooseberry, lemon/lime, and smoke. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice enough, it has the acidity I expect from a Sancerre, with notes of gooseberry, citrus, lemon, and honeysuckle, but that is about it. The finish is good with smoke, flint, and some fruit. The acidity is what shines. Drink now (with aeration). (tasted November 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 12.5%)

2023 Tzora Judean Hills, Judean Hills – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine has gooseberry, passion fruit, apple, pear, and some funk. This blend makes the wine feel all over the place when the genuine interest of a blend is to find the components that will raise the overall end product; in this case, I do not find that. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is okay, it has enough acidity; I think people will taste this and state the acidity is excellent, while actually, it exists, but it does not balance the wine out, and my palate is not refreshed, with more gooseberry, pear, apple, and a bit too much oak. The finish is a bit short and good enough, but overall, it is lacking. Drink now. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 13.5%)

N.V. Solar das Bouças Escolha, Vinho Verde DOC – Score: 87 (QPR: GOOD)
This wine is a blend of the 2022 and 2023 vintages. The nose of this wine is too simple, showing tangerine, orange, peach, and green notes that do not work for me. The mouth of this wine is stupidly simple, with tangerine, orange, slight fizz, and some green notes with good enough acidity, and it will make people happy. Drink now (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 11.5%)

2022 Vidigal Wines Porta 6, Lisboa IG – Score: 76 (QPR: NA)
The nose of this wine is candied fruit juice, liqueur sweet, with black and red fruit and not much else. The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is painful. It shows no acidity but has blackberry, plum, and nothing else. It is a fat, ugly wine my friend forced me to taste. Pass (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Pescaja Soliter Barbera D’asti, Barbera D’asti, DOCG (M) – Score: 82 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this Mevushal wine is nice with cherry, strawberry, and smoke, and that is about it.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is not quite candied but close, with ripe cherry, strawberry, and some nice dirt, but that is about it.
The finish is nice enough, but the wine is too simple for a Barbera. Drink by 2026. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Pescaja Solo Noi Rosso, Monferrato, DOCG (M) – Score: 81 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine has some brightness, with nice black fruit, dark and bruising, but without the punch needed to excite me. 
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine lacks the acidity needed to carry this fruit with blackberry, dark plum, and some dirt; overall, this wine lacks acidity and complexity.
The nose is better, but such is life. Drink now. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Pescaja Contro Vento, Piemonte DOC (M) – Score: 78 (QPR: NA)
The nose of this wine is somewhat bright, with a dense black fruit attack, dirt, smoke, and cooked meat. The mouth of this wine is empty; it has no acidity, no complexity, just blackberry and plum, some tannin, and not much else.
The finish is empty, and the wine dies at the end. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Pescaja Tuke Terre Alfieri Nebbiolo, Terre Alfieri (M) – Score: 83 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is nice. It is the best of the four mevushal Pescaja, with some bright black and red fruit, umami, and smoke.
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is nice enough with blackberry, plum, raspberry, and not much else, along with good tannin and acidity and, sadly, no finish or complexity.
It is a wine that is so uni-dimensional that it really is not interesting. Drink by 2026 (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 14.5%)

2023 Bodegas Lozano Montene, Spain – Score: 85 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is ripe, black, and red with juicy fruit, dense black tea, smoke, loam, earth, and garrigue. The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is ripe, young, and tannic, with dense fruit, including blackberry, plum, raspberry, and juicy blue fruit, garrigue. Unfortunately, it lacks acidity and has little of a finish. Drink by 2026. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 13.5%)

2023 Bodegas Lozano Bodega La Luna, Spain – Score: 71 (QPR: NA)
This wine is worse than its brother’s; it has nothing interesting on the nose or the mouth. The added 2 months of oak killed this wine. It has some black and red fruit, but the fun notes of the Montene are lacking. What is left is oak juice and some fruit, which is sad! Next! (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 13.5%)

2022 Les 3 Cedres des Domaines Edmund de Rothschild, Montagne Saint-Emilion – Score: 82 (QPR: POOR)
This wine is a blend of Merlot & Cabernet Franc.
The nose of this wine is a freight train of fruit, muscular and painful, with strange funk, loads of green, and not much else coming at you at the start.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is green, herbal, and tinny, with dense ripe fruit. This is a strange combination—so fruity yet so green and tinny—another 2022 mess.
The finish is short and non-existent. Drink now. (tasted December 2024) (in Jerusalem, Israel) (ABV = 14.5%)

2022 Philippe Le Hardi Mercurey Les Champs Michaux, Mercurey, Burgundy – Score: 91 (QPR: GOOD)
The nose of this wine is lovely, red, green, and herbal, with roasted herbs, cherry, raspberry, nice smoke, and rich minerality.  The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is nice, with great acidity, showing plum, raspberry, and cherry, rich ripe fruit, nice herbs, and minerality. The finish is long, with dark red fruit, smoke, loam, dirt, and more herbs. Drink by 2030 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Philippe Le Hardi Clos De Vougeot, Grand Cru, Clos De Vougeot, Burgundy – Score: 93+ (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is incredible. It is rich, dense, ripe, yet controlled, with great fruit, no green notes, showing cherry, raspberry, plum, and earth. It is ethereal yet dense and very elegant. Nice!
The mouth of this medium-plus-bodied wine is lovely, rich, and ripe, with candied plum, cherry, and raspberry, yet elegant and precise, lovely with dirt, saline, coffee, and rich herbs, nice extraction, and mouth-draping tannin, very impressive.
The finish is long, herbal, dirty, and smokey, with coffee, saline, and dirt. Nice! Drink until 2035. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Les Roches De Yon-Figeac, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (M) – Score: 83 (QPR: POOR)
The nose of this wine is not as elegant as I hoped nor does it have the pop, showing red and black fruit, some dirt, green and herbal.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is flat; it has some acidity but lacks the pop, showing green notes, raspberry, plum, and cherry, but more stewed than clean.
The finish is short and not for me. Drink by 2030 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13%)

2022 Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien – Score: 94+ (QPR: GOOD)
This wine is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, & 1% Petit Verdot.
The nose of this wine is lovely, rich, and elegant, with tar, red and black fruit, green notes, roasted herbs, sweet spices, beautiful minerality, and great smoke. 
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is beautiful, stunning, rich, dense, controlled, elegant, and draping, with mouth-draping tannin, blackberry, plum, raspberry, rich saline, and minerality that is off-the-charts, tense, and focused with an attack that is incredible. Bravo!
The finish is long, dense, rich, extracted, and yet elegant, along with more dark fruit, more pop, minerality, graphite, loam, and rock; just lovely, and it lasts forever. Bravo!!
Drink until 2040 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14.5%)

2023 Goose Bay Pinot Noir, Small Batch, East Coast (M) – Score: 89 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is classic, ripe, almost candied yet nice, with dark cherry, plum, and candied fruit. The mouth had the right amount of acidity, but the fruit was a bit disjointed. The finish is long and nice. Drink soon. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13.5%)

2021 Odem Mountain Volcanic Merlot, Galilee – Score: 90 (QPR: GREAT)
The nose of this wine is nice and balanced, with sweet oak, smoke, black and red fruit, and enough control.  The mouth of this full-bodied wine is nice, showing good acidity, with nice blackberry, plum, and dark cherry, nice sweet oak, and nice tannin. The finish is long and balanced, with smoke, candied fruit, and lovely loam. Nice! Drink by 2026. (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 14.5%)

2023 Vitkin Pinot Noir, Samson – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
The nose of this wine is ripe and oaky, with rich, ripe cherry, candied raspberry, and loads of oak.
The mouth of this medium-bodied wine is ripe, with too much oak, but lovely fruit, great acidity, and good control overall with candied raspberry and dark cherry. Drink by 2026 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 12.5%)

2021 Vitkin Old Vine Carignan, Samson – Score: 90 (QPR: EVEN)
This is a nice wine for those who like ripe wine; it will be made professionally with candied plum, boysenberry, rich saline, and oak. The finish is nice enough, but it is too much for me. Drink by 2026 (tasted December 2024) (in KFWE Miami, Florida) (ABV = 13.5%)

2019 Rocca di Frassinello Maremma Toscana Baffonero, Maremma Toscana – Score: 92+ (QPR: EVEN)
This wine is a monster. It is ripe, massive, very Italian, and has the stuffing to go a very long way.
The nose of this wine is massive and ripe, with a bit of heat to start. It is startling at the start and shows black, blue, and red fruit, cacao, tobacco, smoke, loam, dirt, minerality, and dense smoke.
The mouth of this full-bodied wine is scary, massive, and intense to start, with rich minerality, dense graphite, charcoal, great acidity, and scary ripe fruit: blackberry, plum, candied boysenberry, candied blackcurrant.
It brings thoughts of the 2018 Falesco Marciano, with dense mouth-drying tannin, cacao, loam, and more graphite. The attack is incredible, dense, brooding fruit, layered, extracted, and relentless. The heat, attack, ripeness, and, I think, also the joy of this wine dulls down a bit after time. A nice wine, but I was hoping for more.
The finish is long, endless, and lingering, with rich graphite, saline, tobacco, cacao, minerality, and a sense of being. This wine is here for the long haul. Drink from 2026 until 2031. (tasted December 2024) (in San Jose, CA) (ABV = 15%)