Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Tamada – Kindzmarauli 2023 (Semi-Sweet Red)
Duruji Valley, Kakheti – Georgia 🇬🇪

Overview
Made from 100% Saperavi, this semi-sweet red is a hallmark of the Kindzmarauli PDO, located in Georgia’s Kakheti region. Naturally semi-sweet wines like this are produced by stopping fermentation early, leaving residual sugar while retaining Saperavi’s intense fruit character. (Educational note: Kindzmarauli wines are protected by Georgian appellation law, recognized internationally for their semi-sweet style.)

Aromas & Flavors
Rich and fruit-forward, with notes of ripe blackberry, black cherry, and plum jam. Hints of pomegranate, violet, and a touch of cocoa give extra layers of sweetness and depth.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with velvety tannins, lush sweetness, and balancing acidity that keeps the wine from feeling heavy. Smooth and round, with a lingering, fruit-driven finish.

Food Pairings
Pairs beautifully with spicy lamb kebabs, Georgian walnut-based dishes, or blue cheeses. Also a great match for dark chocolate desserts or enjoyed on its own as a festive, easy-drinking red.

Verdict
A classic Kindzmarauli: rich, semi-sweet, and deliciously approachable. The 2023 vintage captures Saperavi’s dark fruit intensity while offering balance and charm, making it both a crowd-pleaser and a cultural staple. 🍷cheers!

Did You Know?
The Kindzmarauli microzone lies along the Alazani River in Kakheti. Its alluvial soils and warm climate give Saperavi the depth of fruit that makes these semi-sweet wines so distinctive. — a month ago

Arleigh

9.5

Acidic but politely dry and balanced. Smooth with fruity spirit and a velvet finish. Easy to finish the next day when the wine mood has passed, and not heavy feeling. I had this with homemade vegetarian BBQ chicken pizza, and the pairing was perfect. Could easily suit many kinds of evenings. — a year ago

Elissa Norris

9.7

A grab off Amazon fresh delivery ($12) that I’d def buy again for the price point and access . Fairly Bold ;(but not on the extreme) A notch on the tannic side of smooth but still easy to drink alone. All my fave hints: cherry,plum,berries& vanilla/ chocolate though has no noteworthy finish outside a sl dry palate feeling. — 3 years ago

Her Mir Tage

9.0

Domaine Armand Rousseau Père & Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2012

For my first time tasting Domaine Armand Rousseau Père & Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, the sommelier said that if Chambertin is the King, then this wine, Clos de Bèze, is the Queen. The 2012 vintage is relatively easy to approach and didn't require a very long decanting time—two hours was sufficient.

The 2012 growing season was quite challenging, with a severe cold spring, but the summer was warm and hot. As a result, the fruit profile of this wine is quite expressive.

For the first hour, the reduction notes were very strong. It only started to open up in the second hour. The aroma is quite elegant. Since we were dining at a restaurant, the sommelier was very meticulous in controlling the temperature of the glassware, adjusting the wine's condition to a optimal state.

I didn't get very exuberant fruit notes. The overall state of the wine was restrained and elegant—like a lady around 30 years old. Not only is her beauty present, but there's also a feeling of poise and steadiness. Everything was in balance: the aromas, flavours, and acidity.

Notes of cherry, blackberry, liquorice sweetness, a hint of mint, and some dried flowers. There was a slightly creamy texture on the palate. The body was rounded but not quite what I would call voluptuous.

I didn't find any particularly stunning or breathtaking flavours or aromas. I can only say that this wine's performance was... correct. I had originally hoped for more complex layers, but unfortunately, I felt its expression was relatively simple, not very complex. It was just quite elegant and graceful.

This wine is exceedingly expensive. For a similar quality presentation, I believe there are other options at perhaps half the price that could deliver a comparable experience. — 2 months ago

UWS

9.0

20230513 Rest. La Fellini, Roquebrune with Wakano
Nice Rose from Napoli
Good taste, slightly fruity with refreshing feeling in the end.
Easy to drink
€ — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.6

This bottle of 2016 Vice Versa “Dr. Crane Vineyard” (BBS) was generously provided by a friend who selected it from his cellar to share over dinner at V. Mertz. This is the BBS (Best Barrel Select) of the Dr. Crane Vineyard which, I guess, is deemed the best tasting barrel by the winemaking team. Popped and poured. No formal notes but I can state with absolutely certainly that the juice is well and truly special. The wine is still quite youthful but already very easy to love. Beautifully layered dark fruits with tobacco, cocoa, stone-like minerals and deftly integrated baking spices. The structure is firm, leaving little doubt about the long life yet ahead. That being said, everything is so well balanced. I have a very strong feeling this will be one of those wines that never really shuts down. While they are two very different wines from different parts of the world, I found this to be a very handsome compliment to the 2015 “Tintot” we drank just before. This was also very nice with the lamb chops we had for dinner. Drink now or through 2036.
— 3 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

@Delectable Wine i apologise i didn't take the photo of the back label
Thia is Joshua Cooper Claret 2024
Around 40 bucks on the shelf
I guess first year of production for this label
Cab sauv, merlot and malbec
Marvellous purple fruit, violet floral, tobacco
A touch of fizz on opening, like feeling still the breath of the fermentation
Light, but lush and intense.
It can be a snack wine, but it can be a lot more too.
So easy, so long.
My style of wine
Dangerous — 7 months ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.4

Out of any appellation but clearly recognisable as a chenin from Anjou.
Wild fermented, unfined and unfiltered
Scent of apple, grapefruit, flowers, almond, marzipan, middle eastern patisserie.
It just keep giving you more and more
It has a strong feeling of Amaretto..that my wife doesn't get. A bit of roasted macadamia.
Super easy drinking and long
I wouldn't mind to have a bottle of this always ready in my fridge.
So satisfying. — 10 months ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of deep purple, quite inky. Nose of ripe dark fruits like blackberries and cherry, some vanilla, some medicinal strawberry syrup, a bit mineral, a bit minty and grassy. Nose is average. Taste follows the nose with milky vanilla, a bit bittersweet and marginal tannins. 2nd sip shows some fruity notes, and strawberry stands out with some sweetness. Aftertaste shows some more bitterness and milky chocolate. Good milky feeling on the mouth, some more minty flavor, and easy to drink — 3 years ago

barak heller hayun

9.0

lovely 100% nebbiolo Israeli pet nat.

11.3% abv

nebbiolo is obviously a rarity in israel wine, but here it is, made in a different than usual way.

wild fermentation. no s02.

we love easy going pet nats at home.

after being opened the bubbles slowly climbed out of the bottle. pouring it it screamed 'I'm alive! so alive! feels good to be alive, ain't it?'

medium + acidity
medium - body.

light and not too complex. grapey with some pomegranate and raspberry hints. and a creamy feeling reminding me forest fruit pie.

paired lovely with a vibrant salad of cauliflower, apricot, hazelnut, spring onions, cilantro, nana(local mint), grana padano cheese and lemon 🍯olive oil sauce. and also great olive bread and seitan 'shawarma' and tahini.

i said i need more nebbiolo in my life, a few more like this is great but only as addition to some barolo, barbaresco and langhe nebbiolo. — 4 years ago