Author Archives: caspernick

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Beaune Vignes Franches 1er cru 2010

26 Tuesday Jul 2016

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Burgundy, and Pinot Noir can seem like such a minefield.  The nuances of the grape coupled with the intricacies of the Burgundian wine system leave me with a headache sometimes.  Having said that, I am trying my hardest to discover and having fun doing it.

See-through pinkish purple, as would be expected of a Pinot Noir. The nose intrigues me- but kinda thin. It offers shades of cherry, straw, dust and perhaps some pomegranate. The initial attack is very subtle and smooth. Cherry for sure, some capsicum, and spices. Violets come to mind as well. The mid palate is where the wine opens up- cherries, berries and some nice juicy tannins show up. The pomegranate re-appears on the finish as the wine closes out in a slightly acidic note. The whole package is quite delicious but lacks depth for now. I’m thinking it may evolve somewhat. 90 points from me (the pro’s gave it 92). Drink from now until 2025 and pair it with Cornish hens, maybe even some Salmon on the grill.  For $50,  it is a pricy wine, but very typical of small production Burgundy.  3 stars.  Salut….

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru 2010

The cork was really dark and interesting.

The cork was really dark and interesting.

Chateau Arnaud, Saint Estephe, France 2010

25 Monday Jul 2016

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A see-through purple hue in the glass with some damson and leather on the nose.  The initial taste is super smooth with plum, tobacco, a touch of oak and very well balanced tannins.  The acidity is present, but only just showing itself.  The mid palate is interesting, with the tannins and acidity swirling around, mixing it up with more dark fruits and what appears to be the beginnings of secondary flavors.  I also get a telltale hint of violets.  When Bordeaux wines mature, the better made ones will start to lose the fruit and gain tertiary flavors that most claret drinkers love.  I am hoping this wine will evolve more as I have another 10 bottles and am going to enjoy the journey.  The finish is what I would consider ‘normal’.  Not long, not persistent but still showing off some of the fruit and tannins.  2010 was an exceptional year for Bordeaux, this wine is making the most of it.  The fruit is still ever present and the structure is great, holding the wine together and giving it a cellaring potential of another 7-8 years. In that timeframe I imagine some interesting things may happen.  I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this $22 effort that is 30% Merlot, 60% Cab Sav and 10% Cabernet Franc (Which is probably why I like it so much!)  Salut….

chateau arnaud

Chateau Les Ormes Saint-Julien 2009

21 Thursday Jul 2016

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I love Bordeaux wines, especially from awesome vintages like 2009.  This particular bottling is 68% Cab Sav, 30% Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot.  It comes in at 13% alcohol and can be had for $80.  Do not confuse this winery with Ormes de Pez.

Dark, hazy purple in the glass it offers up a nose of black fruits, tar and some oak.  On the palate, still young and tannic but with flavors of black berries, cassis and violets.  The mid palate is somewhat muted by the tannic structure and the juicy acidity, not leaving much room for the fruit to shine, this is only a temporary problem that will be solved wth cellaring or a run through the Vinturi.  The finish is long and searing with gum numbing tannins.  The tail end shows off some berry and spice box.  The deft use of oak and lack of super extraction tell me this is a quality wine that has respected the terroir and will live long.  Not cheap, it is worthy of 91 points from me and 3 stars.  I am cooking NY Strip steaks with some Artichokes, a perfect pairing if I might say so.  I have more in the cellar and will re-visit in two years or so.  Salut….

chateau les ormes

 

Baby Back Ribs on the Big Green Egg

21 Thursday Jul 2016

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I know, this is a wine blog.  But I also love cooking on the Big Green Egg ceramic grill. I have done chicken, turkey, steaks, legs of lamb, brisket but never ribs.  Today is the trial.  I am using a slow cook of 5 hours with a portion of that time spent in a tin foil bath of apple juice.

I started off with two racks of baby back ribs, to which I slathered a thin coating of mustard.  I do this with all my slow cooks as it gives the meat a moist base for the rub to stick to without overpowering the flavors.  For the actual rub, I bought some Pork Barrel BBQ rub from Costco to try out.  I normally mix my own, but rubs are generally pretty standard and this brand happens to have some good sauces:

  • Salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Chili
  • Paprika
  • Cilantro
  • Pepper
  • Anything else in the cupboard

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Once the meat was rubbed and the coals set to about 230F I put the diffuser in the Egg, placed a water bath on top of it and laid the meat on to the grate so there was no direct heating.

 

Mustard and Dry Rub

Mustard and Dry Rub

Indirect 230F heat/smoke

Indirect 230F heat/smoke

The meat was cooked for 2 hours of indirect heat followed by two hours wrapped up in foil with some apple juice. The juice adds moisture and allows the meat to fall off the bone. The final hour of the 5 hour cook will be spent without the foil, ensuring the crust gets a little crispy.  I really enjoyed these ribs and will tinker some more with rubs, cooking times and sauces.  All you need is some cold beer or perhaps a glass of Shiraz!  Salut….

The ribs, in all their glory.

The ribs, in all their glory.

Louis Jadot “Le Vaucrain” Cote de Nuits Villages 2006

19 Tuesday Jul 2016

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Louis Jadot has to be one of the more prominent wineries in our local wine shops.  You can’t glance over the Burgundy section without seeing the telltale label.  They own their own vineyards and also buy in grapes.  I tried to count how many different wines they produce but lost track.  They have numerous labels at all levels of quality and price.  This particular bottle was bought a few years ago for about $25.

An intriguing pale, see-through purple that reminds me of other delicate Pinots I have tried. Quite a deep nose of strawberry and pomegranate. On the palate- still a young and fresh wine with flavors of cherry kirsch, cranberry and a nice acidic touch. It warms up on the mid palate and offers up some strawberry along with sour cherry. The finish is dry with tannins and acidity bracing each other. I have a hard time detecting tannins in Pinot Noir, but this one serves them up, albeit all on the finish.  I’m glad I sat on this wine for as long as I did, it is just hitting its stride now. It offers a mature, refined approach to old world Pinot that I enjoy. It only lacks the earthy components I look forward to in Burgundy. Overall, I like this wine quite a lot. 90 points and 4 stars as this wine is only a Village level yet acts all grown up and has lasted well past it’s recommended drinking window yet shows another 2-3 years at the very least. Newer vintages will run you $35 or so for this delicious offering.  I would pair it with roast Cornish hens or perhaps flank steak with chimichurri sauce.  Salut….

louis jadot le vaucrain

Kanonkop Pinotage 2013

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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Nearly black in complexion showed me that this is a very extracted wine.  The nose is somewhat muted but a few swirls in the glass begin to reveal some black cherries and the telltale tar/creosote that makes Pinotage so unique.  It is a cross breed of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut only found in South Africa.

The first taste is all I expected.  Smoke, bramble and cherry hints are all present.  Licorice presents itself halfway through.  The wine offers a short burst of tannin followed by that tarry mid palate taste that I really enjoy from this varietal.  It has a nice mouthfeel, crossing from the tannic thrust over to a slightly tart acidic finish that carries some earthy components.  I like this wine a lot.  The 14.5% alcohol is well masked, making this a great pairing with some grilled beef.  I would drink this over the next 5 years at the least.  91 points and 4 stars for this $38 offering.  Salut….

kanonkop pinitage

 

Clos Du Marquis 2005, revisited

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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In Bordeaux there are certain vintages to look for and each has it’s own drinking window based on that vintage and the quality of the wine.  Clos Du Marquis is not the second label of Second Growth Chateau Leoville Las Cases, but is made at the same winery.   I mistakenly made that assumption when I first bought it.  It’s pedigree shows however.  I bought a case of this wine back in 2012 and have been patiently waiting for it to emerge.  Wowza, has it ever come to life!

See-through purple in the glass with a tiny amount of sediment showing in the bottle. Cassis, black currants and cedar on the nose. Smooth as all heck intro of black berries, blueberry and cassis. On the mid palate, more layers of currant, blackberry and spice mingling with the delightful tannins.  Balanced to within an inch of its life this wine is  on pointe and drinking beautifully. From the great 2005 vintage it’s easy to see how this wine would get 93 points and a 5 star rating that has really rewarded my patience.  It can still be found for $70.  Ps.  WS gave it 93, RP only a 91 but had high praise for it’s evolution.  I would drink this all by itself, the 13% alcohol being very civilized- but if you wanted to pair it with some beef stew, Osso Bucco or even Coq Au Vin, these would work well.  I am looking forward to the rest of this case, spread out over the next 5 years.  Salut….

clos du marquis 2005

Phebus Reserva Malbec 2014

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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My buddy brought this over for dinner recently and we popped it right away with some appetizers of Goat Brie, Olives, Gruyere and charcuterie.  It drank very well and was a nice intro to a big night.  I did not get very detailed in the notes as I was busy entertaining and cooking, needless to say, I would buy this again as an everyday go-to Malbec.

Dark purple. Pepper, plum and capsicum on the nose. Good acidity that frames the dark fruits with some very gentle tannins. Easy going mid-palate that takes you through to the blackberry filled finish.  88 points and at $14 it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

phebus malbec reserva

Domaine des Monts Luisants Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Monts-Luisants 2009, revisited

14 Thursday Jul 2016

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Two years ago I wrote, quite harshly, about the Domaine des Monts Luisants and promised to revisit.  I have been doing a lot of revisiting old tastings lately, mostly on a positive upswing.  Not so much with this one.

A lighter purple with some orange ‘bricking’ on the edges. A nose of sour cherry, cow manure and a whiff of green grass. The initial taste is pure sour cherry juice. A shame really. There is not much fruit structure, nor are there any discernible tannins. Acidity rules the roost here. I am really disappointed in this premiere cru Burgundy. I might just shove some through the Vinturi and let it aerate a bit.

Nope, not much better, except now I get some cranberry as well as the cherry. The funk bothers me on this wine. I like garigue, barnyard flavors and certain funkiness. This wine offers a different profile that I do not care for nor consider correct for the terroir/appellation. 84 points and 0 stars unfortunately. The good news is that the price has gone up to over $100.  Salut….

IMG_0909

La Mitre Chateauneuf Du Pape 2010

11 Monday Jul 2016

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I wrote about La Mitre three years ago and recommended giving it a 2-3 year cellaring.  I opened one up the other night and here is what I had to say about this offering that is now selling for $30.

A lighter purple that is somewhat opaque. Interesting nose of game, plum, rhubarb and an earthiness. On the palate it reveals some astringent tannins that are prominent yet dissipate to reveal cherry, garrigue and cola. There’s a certain imbalance between the tannins, fruit and acidity that I can’t my head around. This wine is 6 years old and needs a little more time. 88 points from me and 3 stars.  I plan on re-tasting in a year or two.  Salut….

la mitre chateaupneuf du pape