Sunfish Cellars Blog

An off-the-charts "bang for the buck" red wine

An off-the-charts "bang for the buck" red wine

I often say that everyone needs a Tuesday night hamburger/pizza wine and the Bodegas Olivares Monastrell Altos de la Hoya Old Vines has long been one of my favorites. The 2018 is only $9.99 (the suggested retail is $14) and it over-delivers in a big way. And Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate agrees with me, rating it 90 points! The winery employs an ingenious method of replacing old vines when they start to be less productive. A branch from the old vine is guided down into the adjacent earth where it forms a new plant. When the new plant is...

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The 2017 Ca'Marcanda Magari

The 2017 Ca'Marcanda Magari

We really love the wines of Angelo Gaja here at Sunfish Cellars (after all, we have hosted tastings with both Giovanni and Gaia in the last year or so). While Gaja is perhaps better known for the extraordinary wines he makes in Piedmont, those he makes at Ca'Marcanda in Bolgheri are equally compelling. The 2017 Ca'Marcanda Magari (Magari means "if only it were true"), a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, is a beautiful example of what Angelo and his team have achieved in this special spot in Southwest Tuscany. Only $62.99, it shows what a great...

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A 100 point, reasonably priced red Burgundy

A 100 point, reasonably priced red Burgundy

As you most likely know, I am a huge fan of both the white and red wines of Burgundy. It is always very exciting when I find a truly compelling wine which is not stratospherically priced. So, I was pleased when the importer for Domaine Chanson offered us the 2018 Domaine Chanson Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Feves at a very reasonable price for a wine of this quality - our price is only $119.99! This vineyard of 1.90 hectares (about 4.7 acres) is perfectly located on the mid-slope close to the hill of Corton-Charlemagne. It has the same soil...

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Three wines from the slopes of the extinct Vulture Volcano

Three wines from the slopes of the extinct Vulture Volcano

Basilicata, nestled between Puglia and Campania in Southern Italy, is home to the Aglianico grape, and the best expressions of Aglianico come from the slopes of the extinct Vulture volcano. Elena Fucci, which was established in 2000, has emerged as a winery that produces truly extraordinary wines from this place and grape. Dark and intense ruby red with an ample and complex nose yielding ethereal spices, cherry, blackberry preserves, rosemary, tobacco, and cinnamon with light hints of vanilla. Dry on the palate and full-bodied with firm tannins and a long finish. The 2013 Riserva received 97 points (calling it a...

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An excellent Napa Valley Cabernet, less than half price

An excellent Napa Valley Cabernet, less than half price

We tasted the 2018 Foley Johnson Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Rutherford yesterday and we loved it so much we bought all that was available. As a result, we are able to offer it to you at a fantastic price, which we love to do. The winery's price, $75 Our price, only $29.99! Aromas of black cherry and cassis fill the glass, followed by a hint of mocha. On the palate, bold tannins are balanced with concentrated flavors of ripe fig with savory notes of black olive and dried herbs. It is well structured and full-bodied. The "Rutherford Dust" is noticeable...

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