Author Archives: caspernick

Sorby Adams Jellicoe Shiraz 2017, Eden Valley, Australia

14 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby turning garnet color from this 5 year old wine.  The nose has aromas of black raspberry, red plum, menthol, licorice, coffee and some ripe blackberry.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium (+) tannins and a full body.  It coats the mouth with richness and flavors of black raspberry, coffee, anise, plum and blackberry.  It ends with some charred oak notes alongside the dark red/black fruit.  The finish is medium length with some tingle from the alcohol (14% ABV) and tannins.  I like this style of wine, not over-top-top jammy.  It is a more restrained Shiraz that obviously has ripe fruit and good structure.  90 points from me for this $17 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  I’m pairing with stewed leg of lamb and roasted aubergine.  Drink till 2016.  Salut….

Chateau De La Huste 2019, Fronsac, France

13 Thursday Oct 2022

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Rich ruby colored and about 75% opaque.  The nose has enticing aromas of black plum, cassis, blackberry, menthol, vanilla, coffee, mocha.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  They are well integrated but still grippy.  Flavors of cassis and plum dominate but I get blackberry with oak influence and some green pepper alongside the menthol.  Full bodied it carries on to a long finish.  This is textbook Right Bank Merlot with a dash of Cabernet Franc- delicious and reasonably priced at $25.  I like it and think it is worthy of 92 points and 5 stars.  I’m searing some Hangar steaks with Gratin Potatoes to pair.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Doolhof Dark Lady of the Labyrinth Pinotage 2020, Wellington, South Africa

12 Wednesday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored with fast moving legs (14% ABV).  The nose pops out at me with chocolate and coffee.  Dark plum, blackberry, açaí berry and a green herb note follow.  The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium tannins and a medium body.   Pinotage is a bit of a chameleon grape- shifting flavors and aromas dependent on oak treatment.  This one has a lot of chocolate and some coffee that are straight out of the barrel.  Black fruit plays second fiddle- not that I’m complaining.  The green herb note hits on the back end.  The finish is a semi dry, tart affair that lasts medium length.  This is a unique wine that I am really going to enjoy with roasted duck and orange sauce.  It gets 89 points from me and for $14 it’s worthy of 5 stars- get a bottle or two.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Luis Vieira Montaria Tempranillo-Alicante Bouschet 2019, Lisboa, Portugal

11 Tuesday Oct 2022

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This wine is a blend of Tempranillo and Alicante Bouschet which is a Teinturier grape (flesh is also red).  It’s a deep shade of purple in the glass and it stains the walls.  On the nose- ripe red plums, black cherry, menthol, vanilla and almond pith.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and high tannins (remember the stained walls of the glass?).  The flavors are rich and ripe- dark red fruit, charcoal, vanilla, menthol and an espresso strength coffee note right at the end.  Full bodied, it finishes with medium length along with some very tannic grip.  It is a rather complex wine for $15 that gets 91 points from me and 5 stars.  If you like ’em dry, pop-n-pour or else cellar this wine for a few years but drink up by 2030.  I am pairing with grilled meat and roasted cauliflower rubbed with Chorizo seasoning.  Salut….

Pica Pau Red Blend 2019, VR Lisboa, Portugal

10 Monday Oct 2022

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Inky ruby colored, this opaque wine looks nearly purple in the glass.  The nose has an interesting combination of (French?) oak derived aromas alongside red cherry, pomegranate and raspberry notes.  I smell subtle perfume along with spices and a green leaf note.  The palate of this blend of Castelão, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional wine is bone dry with medium (+) acidity and high tannins.  Flavors of black raspberry, cherry cola, pomegranate along with smoke, spice and tomato leaf.  Medium bodied it finishes medium length with some tartness and loads of tannic grip. If you like a dry wine or need something to cut through a fatty cut of Ribeye, this one is right up your alley- or else decant/aerate it for a while.  Drink till 2028.  89 points and 5 stars for this $12 effort.  Salut….

VIK ‘La Piu Belle’ 2018, Cachapoal Valley, Chile

09 Sunday Oct 2022

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Deep purple-ruby colored in the glass.  The nose has aromas of bell pepper, cassis, blackberry, black plum, spices, coffee, caramel and vanilla.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and super fine medium tannins.  Intense flavors of black fruit, especially cassis along with vanilla and spices combine with the coffee and caramel notes I got on the nose.  It’s a full-bodied delight that has a long finish that tends towards blueberry and plum and has a persistent tannic grip, albeit very fine-grained.  This is a delicious blend of 46% Carmenere, 40% Cab Sav, 13% Syrah and a touch of Merlot.  I would drink this wine till 2030 with rich meat dishes, like my slow cooked beef short ribs.  94 points for this $100 offering that gets 5 stars.  Salut….

Hermes Mavrodaphne Of Patras NV, Greece

08 Saturday Oct 2022

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I went looking for Port and this bottle popped onto my radar.  A sweet red Greek wine that has a pale garnet hue.  The nose is interesting, unlike any other wine I have smelled.  Baking spices with stewed black cherry and baked plum.  There’s also a cola component that is throwing me off!  The palate is obviously not dry- I would say off-dry but not cloying.  The first thing I notice is the heat (15%ABV).  Next up I get medium (-) acidity and low tannins.  Flavorwise- loads of stewed/baked/cooked dark fruit with spice and cherry cola.  A medium to full body on this delight leads me to a medium length finish that also shows off the alcohol.  I like the flavor profile, the mouthfeel and the structure.  I just think the alcohol is presenting itself too much.  This wine reminds me of a lightweight Tawny Port.  I might use some to bolster a stock I am making for Sunday roast, burning off the alcohol to reveal the fruit and spice better.  I might also pour some with my cheese course.  This is my first try of this style so I will not grade it- but you should try for yourself.  At $15, it’s an easy buy.  Salut….

Sandeman Fine Rich Madeira NV, Portugal

08 Saturday Oct 2022

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This is my first go at Madeira, which I bought after looking for some Port to add to my Beef Short-rib stock.  This bottling is pale to medium amber colored, it reminds me of the stone Tigers Eye.  As to be expected from a fortified wine (19%ABV), the legs are very slow moving and thick.  The nose has intense aromas of nuts, caramel, sea air and a touch of yeast.  The palate is dry tasting but very rich with nuts, treacle, stewed black fruit, brine and prune syrup.  It is mouth coating with medium tannins and medium (-) acidity.  The alcohol hits on the back end where it is tingling the sides of my tongue.  Finish-wise this wine has a long ending (30+ seconds).  Seeing as it’s my first go I can’t really pass judgement, but if you like Oloroso Sherry crossed with Tawny Port, this might be up your alley.  For $18 it’s not going to break the bank trying something new as a dessert wine or for enriching a beef stock.  I like it!  Salut….

Greek Wine Cellars – GWC Flowers Agiorgitiko 2019, Nemea, Greece

07 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored in the glass with medium intensity aromas of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, dill and sea air.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium tannins.  I get tart flavors of red fruit with some zippiness alongside some green dill notes and the saline component.  This wine is medium bodied and carries through to a dry, medium length finish.  It’s crisp and refreshing and I like it.  90 points from me for this $15 bottle makes it a 5 star effort.  Pasta, kebabs, kofta or cheesy casseroles would pair nicely.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

F. Stephen Millier Black Label Old Vine Zinfandel 2020, Lodi, California

07 Friday Oct 2022

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Medium ruby colored.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black cherry cobbler, black pepper, blackberry and black currant plus some spice box and creamy vanilla.  The palate is dry but has ripe fruit that would make one think there is a bit of residual sugar.  Medium (-) acidity coupled with medium tannins make for a very smooth mouthfeel.  Black fruit flavors coupled with some spice and pepper along with a touch of oak treatment make for a very delicious wine that is medium to full-bodied and has a medium length finish.  The 14.5% ABV gets noticed right at the back end but it’s to be expected from this varietal, always picked ripe and yielding big sugar numbers to convert to alcohol.  I like this 90 point wine that can be had for $14.  It gets 5 stars.  I am pairing it with chili, but it would work well with spiced BBQ or chargrilled chicken.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….