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Rich and Bold
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Mark Villa

93 wines • 0 followers • 0 following

Gérard Boulay

Clos de Beaujeu Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2021

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.2

Delightful. Fuller bodied, more complex and fuller bodied than what I typically associate with Sancerre. Delicious and enjoyable. — 2 years ago

Severn and Jae liked this

Pio Cesare

Piodilei Langhe Chardonnay 2015

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

Mark had this 4 years 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! — 4 years ago

Duca di Salaparuta

Calanica Terre Siciliane IGT Chardonnay 2020

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.1

Absolutely delightful. Not complex but light, very flavorful, and low alcohol. A favorite. — 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. — 4 years 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. — 4 years ago

Cà de’ Rocchi (Tinazzi)

Dugal Veneto Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020

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Mark Villa

Mark Villa

9.0

Beautiful fruit. Full bodied, but very refined and approachable. Very reasonably priced. — 2 years ago

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. — 3 years 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. — 4 years 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. — 4 years ago