Point Ormond Western Australia Cabernet Sauvignon, 2018

This 100% Cabernet produced by Point Ormond doesn't fit the profile of Margaret River Cabernets I have tasted in the past, but it is a good wine and an excellent value for the $11.99 I paid at Plum Market online in Ann Arbor.

Bright and deep Cabernet colors. More red fruit and less black currant than I expect from Western Australia Cabs. Aged for 14 months in French oak, 20% new but doesn't smell or taste oaky. Fruit is front and center and the wine is drinking very well at seven years of age. Good acid, good balance and a medium long finish. A good companion to the Point Ormond Victorian Shiraz ($15) that has become one of my every day favorites.
 

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, 2002

In Australia, Penfolds Bin 389  is highly regarded, often known as Baby Grange. Some of the American oak hogsheads in which it was matured were used the previous year for the iconic Penfolds Grange. This 2002 has aged fantastically over 24 years and still has a great deal of youthful charm as well as savory complexity. It is 54% Cabernet, 46% Shiraz from vineyards in McLaren Vale, Barossa, Padthaway, Border town and Langhorne Creek.

Vibrant deep red color. Red currants, cherries, mint, eucalyptus.Cabernet elegance is front and center. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins. The American oak has integrated fully, leaving only beautifully defined fruit. Silky texture and long, lovely finish.

This 2002 now sells for $160 in Australia and is certainly worth a premium. I bought my bottle for $19 at World Market, Kalamazoo in the days when the store sold wine.
 

Chateau Grand Travverse Old Mission Peninsula Gamay Noir Limited, 2021

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, when I first started getting interested in wines, Gamay was definitely not in style. It was a wine for beginners--a picnic wine. In my old age,  I now recognize Gamay as a serious wine grape with distinctive, elegant aromas and flavors, similar to Pinot Noir but good in its own right. The Gamay Noir from Chateau Grand Traverse is now my favorite Michigan red, more like Pinot Noir than the Pinot from the same estate.

Medium crimson. Bright strawberries, red plums, violets and pepper. Good lift and acidity compared to a Willamette Valley Pinot beside it at the table. At five years of age, it is drinking well, probably at or near its pea. The Gamay Noir Limited sells for $18 at the winery but can be had for $15 at many groceries in Kalamazoo, including Crosstown Fresh. It is a regular on my buying list.

 

Domaine du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Les Deux Juliettes, 2012

Les Deux Juliettes is named after the Juliette daughters of the French producer, Yves Cheron, and the American importer, Charles Neal. It is 80% Grenache from vines 55 to 65 years old, 15% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre from 30 year-old vines--all on alluvial soil in the  well regarded southeast corner of Gigondas.

Deep crimson. The quality is apparent from the first sniff: violets, red fruit, rosemary and thyme--bright and full of life. Dark cherries, wild strawberries, licorice and black pepper on the palate. Full bodied but with ripe, supple tannins and a long, delicious finish. Power and beauty--the essence of Gigondas. At least as good as my last bottle opened on April 7, 2024.
 

Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf du Pape, 1995

This is my first go at the 1995 Pegau, after numerous bottles over the years of the 1988, 1989 and 1990 Cuvee Reservee.  It differs remarkably from these earlier vintages, but still shows the great viticulture of Paul Feraud and the great winemaking of his daughter, Laurrence,

Deep crimson, bright and clear. Cherries, red raspberries plus tertiary notes of black olives and leather. Particularly enticing for a Chateauneuf du Pape. Not as bold as the earlier vintages but with flavors than unfold beautifully over the course of the meal. Others on Cellar Tracker have compared it to red 'Burgundy, and I agree. Ripe tannins, good acidity to balance and a long, glorious finish.

My bottles of this wine were imported by J.C. Mathes of J et R and the label gives the alcohol content as 13.5%. Other tasters, who apparently have bottles imported by Dan Kravitz, report ABV as 14.5 to 15.5%.
 

Hidden Hill Estate McLaren Vale Shiraz, 2021

I paid $5.99 for this wine a few years ago at Trader Joe's and didn't expect much. It does have an appellation on the label, though, and that appellation (McLaren Vale) has a very good reputation for Shiraz. Tonight, it is showing itself as a true value.

Deep and dark as is typical for Aussie Shiraz. It was very bold and a bit one dimensional a couple of years ago but, at age 5, it has developed maturity and complexity. Dark cherries, berries, plums with a spicy edge. Medium to full body and the rough tannins have mellowed, allowing McLaren Vale fruit to show its best. Very enjoyable right now.

 

Franco Serra Langhe Nebbiolo, 2015

Franco Serra produces my favorite low-priced Barbera d'Alba, and the Langhe Nebbiolo costs only a few dollars more ($13 to $15) for a poor man's taste of Piedmont Barolo.

Medium ruby with orangeish tints characteristic of traditional Nebbiolo. After fermentation was aged four months in stainless steel, then six months in large oak barrels and three months in the bottle. Needs at least two hours of aeration to show its best. Classic Nebbiolo profile of dark cherries, black licorice, earth and pepper. Medium body with firm tannins and acidity to match. Complexity comes through with enough aeration.