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Valérie Dufour

Valérie Dufour Accredited Sommelier

1919

Casella Family Brands 1919 Shiraz 2010

Mclaren Vale, Australia
2760 days ago

Valérie scored this wine: 91/100

Opaque ruby robe with long legs. Black small fruits on the nose with black pepper. The mouth is velvety and full of everything, with quite lots of caudalies to enjoy it. A great shiraz with hight potential for the cellar (8-10 years). This calls for red meat, preferably not well-done and with lots of salt. Perhaps, a Brazilian BBQ.

The Mentor

Peter Lehmann Wines The Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia
2760 days ago

Valérie scored this wine: 88/100

Purple robe as dark as ink that is telling you one thing even before you taste it: it will be a heavy duty wine. Stewed blackberries aromas with tobacco and spices and notes of green pepper. Aromatic, but typical of cabernet sauvignon aged in barrels and with high alcohol. Pow! The mouth is full, but tannins are melted. Juicy. Quite long, but mostly because of the alcohol. A nice wine to pair with bavette. A little over the top, but that is the goal here.

Pencarrow

Palliser Estate Wines Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2015

Martinborough, North Island, New Zealand
2760 days ago

Valérie scored this wine: 92/100

Nice nose of cherries. A little black pepper in retro. Very slick wine with a nice long finish. Tannins are melted. Love it. Drink it with canard confit.

Pacific Heights Pinot Noir 2015

Sonoma Coast, California, United States
2760 days ago

Valérie scored this wine: 86/100

Violet hints on the robe. Aromas of cooked raspberries. For those who like more robust pinot noir, this will please you. I prefer mine with more balance and nerves. This is a well-made product. Would pair well with venison + red fruit sauce.

La Tercera Tempranillo 2010

Rioja D.O.C.A., Spain
2760 days ago

Valérie scored this wine: 91/100

Shiny red ruby robe. Blackberries, tobacco and coco on the very nice, very seductive nose. Retro of pepper. Nice acidity with tannins that are pretty tense. To tame the beast, I would carafe the wine for an hour before serving. Very hight quality wine that could age 5-7 years easily to let the wine digest the wood. Would be great with rosemary lamb chops.

Valérie Dufour

Wine Blogger

Memorable Wine

Château Haut-Brion 1981 and Château d'Yquem 1989. It's a tie.

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First Wine

Probably a cheap Chianti enclosed in straw

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Unusual Wine Experience

In a village in the heart of Chianti Classico, locals invited us to a feast and Bepe served us his homemade wine that tasted like mushrooms.

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Current Fav Wine

La Spinetta Ca'di Pian 2008

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Winner World's Best Drink Writer
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Best Wine Literature Book Gourmand World Cookbook Awards
Online Writer of the Year Louis Roederer International Wine Writing Award