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Mark Villa

90 wines • 0 followers • 0 following

Domaine Thenard

Givry Chardonnay 2016

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.1

A white Givry is always kind if a treat when I can find them, and this is no exception. This is beautifully integrated with peaches and hazelnuts with the succulence that I love in white burgundies. — a year ago

Aston Estate

Clone 115/667 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

7.5

Not bad, but it seemed like a Pinot pushed too far. Herbal/licorice palate which is a bit different. Disparate on the palate and, overall, seemed a bit harsh and lacking the finesse that I usually associate with a Pinot Noir. — a year ago

Montesolæ

Campania IGT Falanghina

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

8.5

This is an immensely enjoyable and drinkable wine. That it costs about $13 makes it even better. Lovely balance and flavor. Sometimes inexpensive white wines have no character, but this does. It tastes like it comes from somewhere, and that somebody cared about what they were doing. I like that. If you’re looking for something relatively light yet flavorful, and you dislike the overt “greenness” of many Sauvignon Blancs, as I do, this might be something to try. Very good. — 2 years ago

Kellerei Kaltern (Kaltern-Caldaro)

Quintessenz Kalterersee Classico Superiore Schiava 2017

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

Lightly smoky on the nose. Drinking right before Christmas and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Reminds me of a lighter version of a Cote Rotie, which is one of my favorites. Love it! — 2 years ago

Natale Verga

Barolo Nebbiolo 2015

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

8.8

Approachable, lively, and easy drinking in a way I don’t normally associate with Barolo.. Concise and focused with a lot of flavor. Sharp acidity contrasted with delightful fruit, but it’s not in any way astringent as I sometimes find Barolos to be. This was a 2015, so it had some bottle age which may have softened it a bit. Overall, maybe not the purest or most characteristic expression of Barolo, but a pleasure to drink, and it’s far more enjoyable than many Barolos I’ve had in the past. A good intro to Barolo, and a bargain to boot. — a year ago

Amici Cellars

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

Not generally a huge fan of Napa Valley cabs, but I really enjoyed this. Smooth, spicy and beautifully balanced. A pleasure. — a year ago

Bacio Divino

Lucie Dutton Ranch Chardonnay 2016

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

8.8

I bought this because this is how my wife spells her name. It actually ended up being very enjoyable. It’s not expansive. It’s rather disciplined and contained. Clean and controlled. More Burgundian than many Cali Chardonnays. Not inexpensive, but very enjoyable. — 2 years ago

Pio Cesare

Piodilei Langhe Chardonnay 2015

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

Mark had this a year ago

Chateau Dauzac

Aurore de Dauzac Margaux Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

I bought this a Costco because I don’t think I had ever see a Margaux for $20(!). I was not disappointed. I generally love Margaux, though I find that they can sometimes be finicky, requiring decanting and lots of breathing before they fully reveal themselves. Not so this. It’s easy to drink on your terms, not the wine’s, and, in this way, it is faintly redolent of the New World, but I don’t mean that as a pejorative. Just pop it open and go. Very easy. Uncomplicated The wine itself is delicious. The texture seems slightly thicker to me, and this may be due, in part, to the higher alcohol content of this wine (14.5%) when compared to what I normally associate with Bordeaux. Overall, it has a nice balance of stone fruits and tannins, and, even if somewhat thicker and, perhaps, less distinguished than other wines from Margaux, it’s an enjoyable bargain. Highly recommend! — a year ago

Marchesi Antinori

Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2016

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

8.7

Maybe I drank this a bit too early. As it was, it was like an incredibly well blended perfume where it’s difficult to clearly identify the top, middle, and base notes. Smooth as glass, with no discernible edges. Rich, complex, not too light, not too heavy. Overall, delicious, but I can’t say it’s substantially better than many other Tuscan blends I’ve had, some of which are much less expensive. Again, maybe I drank it too early. — 2 years ago