Author Archives: caspernick

Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Napa Valley, USA

06 Friday Apr 2018

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If you know me you will remember that we are moving.  I transferred most of my wine into a climate controlled storage unit, but kept about 50 bottles in the wine fridge.  Some are really nice, pricey and supposed to be for special occasions.  Oh well, they are getting polished off now.  I include this particularly good wine in that group.  Bought for $65 and cellared since 2014 I am looking forward to comparing it to my earlier review.

It shows bright purple in the glass with a nose of plum ganache, black tea, figs and a touch of oak.  On the palate it is super smooth with a tannic bite right upfront.  Flavors of blueberry compote, plum, anise and black olives.  The tannins are pretty forceful as the wine transitions to the mid palate.  A dryness hits the gums and makes me pucker up.  I do like that some times!  The plum theme continues on to the long finish where I  also get cherry cola and another touch of oak.  The tannins peak at the very end, and the acidity balances it all out.  Overall, a very nice package that has matured nicely and is drinking perfectly now.  Not an everyday drinker, I would certainly pull this out for a special occasion.  93 points holds and 4 stars awarded.  Tonight we pair it with Tomahawk Pork Chops, Flat Iron steaks, a Bratwurst, some Cauliflower Cheese and grilled Broccoli.  Salut….

Mollydooker The Scooter Merlot 2012, McLaren Vale, Australia

05 Thursday Apr 2018

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In the glass this Merlot shows a slightly paler purple than I was expecting.  The nose, after I performed the ‘Shake‘ exhibits gorgeous black berry and cinnamon notes.  On the palate I am greeted with a really smooth dose of Ribena, some meaty notes, and a fresh ensemble of tannins that are ever present but not cloying.  The wine is full flavored, make no mistake- but it does so with a very gentle build-up.  Extraction is at its fullest and with that comes a well hidden 14.5% alcohol.  The mid palate is somewhat muted after the initial uptake, the finish is where it’s at.  More dark berries emerge as well as a blueberry pie component.  I hate to say it, but this wine needs a touch more oak.  Yup, I said it.  Not lashings, but a tiny more vanilla, perhaps a little more tannic bite.  At one point I’m sure the wine had plenty of it, perhaps just fading at this point.  The structure is good though and the wine is balanced.  I would drink up as the wine is at peak and there is not much in the way of tertiary flavors.  It is relatively easy-going and will do well with a variety of dishes.  I am going with 90 points and 4 stars for this $28 effort.  Salut….

Domaine de Cristia Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007, Rhone, France

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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It’s a murky purple with a hint of bricking, not unusual for an 11 year old wine, but not likely for a CDP.  The nose gives it away I’m afraid.  This wine is over the hill, cooked.  Aromas of stewed prunes and bacon hit me right away.  I managed to coax a little plum out of the melange, but I was searching for it.  The gaminess is a little much for me.  On the palate there exists a port like profile.  It smacks of dark fruits, cooked plums and blackberry jam.  It is not a bad experience, just a shame really.  This wine has some very interesting components that were probably on pointe a few years ago.  I cannot determine if it is really over the hill (doubtful considering the heritage) or has been improperly cellared (it was a gift to my father).  Either way, I cannot imagine this to be representative of the wine and will therefore pass on scoring this $50 effort.  Sucks.  Salut….

King Estate Pinot Gris 2015, Willamette Valley Oregon, USA

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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I bought Moxie a few bottles of Pinot Gris at Christmas, she was making white Sangria.  As usual, I overbought.  This one broke the bank at $13.  It has a peachy yellow color to it and a nose of lemon peel, pineapple and ginger.  On the palate it is very approachable.  Refreshing citrus, not overly acidic with hints of beeswax and more of that ginger, but like ginger-ale, not the sliced and raw version.  The wine slides nicely without being tart or bitter.  It offers a nice mid palate waxiness and the finish is medium in length and packed with pineapple curd.  I am really enjoying this wine after being in the car all day.  Serving it up with some fish filets, smoky bacon Quinoa and buttered Brussel Sprouts.  It firing on all cylinders.  90 points and 5 stars, buy it by the dozen for the summer.  Drink now till 2020.  Salut….

Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

03 Tuesday Apr 2018

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The first thing I noticed was the length of the cork.  It was super long, Magnum size.  Made me wonder…  In the glass this wine is somewhat opaque with a lighter purple hue. On the nose it offers tart cherry, red berries and muted barnyard.  On the palate I get some really refreshing strawberry and cherry notes.  Crisp acidity and gentle tannins are also present.  The wine is young, very young.  Nutmeg and kirsch appear later on, a strange combination but I’m liking it.  The tannins are really kicking in towards the mid to finish leaving me with a very dry sensation on the seemingly long finish.  More classic Sangiovese flavors of tobacco and leather are evident in small amounts but the main thrust is the dominant cherry.  Delicious, but I would love to see evolution, say another 5 years minimum.  92 points from me and for the hefty $80 price tag, 4 stars.  If you are a cellaring type, this one will rock a roasted Cornish Hen some day.  Salut….

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Fonseca Late Bottle Vintage Unfiltered Port 2009, Porto, Portugal

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Nearly black, it exudes power.  Rich plum puree with some oaky toast and blackcurrant jam greet me on the nose.  The palate is very smooth, with more dark berry fruits and toast.  It exudes more blueberry/blackberry compote that I am really liking.  The mid palate shows off some dry tannins that reach back to the molars and give me a delightful dryness. There is a smoky component which slides in and out that I am really enjoying.  It is very faint, but there.  The sweetness of the wine is offset by its balancing acidity, the dryness is left in check.  Overall, this wine is really good and I would pair it with Manchego, some dried apricots and almonds.  Or you can just drink it by itself, delicious.  91 points and for $25 it gets 4 stars from me.  Salut….

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz 2016, South Australia

20 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Very purple in the glass with a nose of Ribena, sweet oak, white pepper and blackberry jam.  On the palate it is smooth, supple and has tons of blackberry, silky tannins, cedar slate, vanilla bean and ripe acidity.  The mid palate stresses the vanilla component and allows the tannins to really shine.  The finish focuses on dark fruits and the astringency of the tannins.  The wine is decent, full bodied and quite tasty.  89 points and 4 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Cosentino Winery Reserve Selection Pinot Noir 2011, Sonoma Coast, USA

10 Saturday Mar 2018

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I wrote about this wine back in 2012 (Cosentino Reserve Sonoma), with a note to re-taste in 5 years.  The wine is transparent, light purple, seductive.  The nose is fresh, with strawberry, barnyard and raspberry.  On the palate it is super smooth.  The strawberry coulis is forefront with red berry extract and a caressing tannic structure.  Acidity is perfect and the wine balances itself all the way to the rather long finish.  I would imagine this wine is approaching peak.  It has hints of tertiary flavors while maintaining the freshness of the red fruits.  It has a good backbone and the structure is there to allow for further development.  I would drink till 2026 and pair it with game, poultry and perhaps Filet Mignon.  It is a rather delicate profile, sexy and lithe- not a brooding, big and bold wine.  I am sticking with 92 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

Mollydooker Two Left Feet Shiraz – Cabernet – Merlot 2012, McLaren Vale, Australia

09 Friday Mar 2018

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I have written about the Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2012 vintage before.  I sat on this bottle for an eternity and since we are moving house, it’s time to drink up.  I have not read my old review so as not to taint this one.

I must say, all Mollydooker red wines appear dark and very purply in the glass.  This one is no exception.  Extraction is the key to their success methinks.  It has a nose of plums, sarsaparilla, fig.  I already performed the Mollydooker Shake in case you were wondering.  The palate gives up super smooth flavors of blue fruits.  Blueberry, plum, currant jam, that root beer thing again and some super ingrained tannins.  Like, so smooth and barely detectable.  The astringency hits on the finish, but the wine drinks beautifully with nice, if somewhat restrained acidity.  The mouthfeel on this wine is sublime, extracted, rich and smooth.  The finish shows a faint trace of the well hidden, monstrous 16% alcohol.  Beware…

I am pairing it with pan seared Flat-Iron steak that I coated with Santa Maria rub, plus some sautéed mushrooms, a tomato salad and edamame to boot.  91 points from me for this $25 offering.  5 stars for this blend of 69% Shiraz, 16% Cabernet, 15% Merlot.  Salut….

Tri-Tip on the Big Green Egg

07 Wednesday Mar 2018

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I have had much success cooking various meats on the Big Green Egg including Leg of Lamb, Chicken, Turkey, Brisket, Pulled Pork and Ribs but this is my first foray into Tri-Tip.  The cut is very popular in California, rarely seen in Virginia but I figured out that my local Wegman’s stocks some.  The first one I made was on the Weber gas grill.  It was awesome.  Once I got the courage up I was ready to try it on the BGE.

First try- on the Weber

Perfection on the gas

It was Moxie’s birthday yesterday so I got the biggest slab of tri-tip I could find.  It’s not expensive per pound and it serves up well on day two as a sandwich filler so I was inclined to go big rather than risk running out.

I started with a rubbing of olive oil to help coat the meat with a dry rub- onion powder, garlic, salt, white pepper.  The meat was left out to normalize while I lit the charcoal.  Searing at full heat for 2 minutes per side plus another 2 minutes per side to get the cross hatch patterns.  I removed the meat from the grill, put the heat diffuser in and placed the roast back in the center, adjusting the vents for 325F indirect heat.  I cooked until internal temps hit 140F.  Once done the meat was tented under foil for 20 minutes then cut across the grain.  It was amazing.  I highly recommend looking for this cut.  If using a gas grill, sear on high heat, then turn a burner off.  Place the meat over that burner and adjust the others to maintain the 325F or so temp that will slowly cook this tasty cut into perfection. I paired it with salad and sautéed mushrooms.  For wine- a Cosentino Cabernet Franc did the trick.  Salut….

The slab, slathered in Olive oil

Covered in onion, garlic, salt and pepper rub

Crispy perfection

Just right inside