20 Tuesday Mar 2018
Posted in Wine reviews
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….
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….
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….
06 Tuesday Mar 2018
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$20, 3 stars, 89 points, cabernet sauvignon, california, paso robles, paso robles cabernet sauvignon
It was a birthday celebration at Texas De Brazil that put this wine on the table, it was the special offer. They were ‘giving’ it away for $56, regularly $70. It retails for $20.
Plums, cinnamon stick and blackberry on the nose. The palate is juicy with plum torte, cedar plank, rich tannins, juicy acidity. The finish is dry where the tannins are in full force but not obtrusive. Black cherry notes round it all out. 89 points and 3 stars from me. It did well with the abundance of meat served in various styles and cuts from a classic (expensive) Churascarria. Serve all day long with grilled meats. Salut…..
06 Tuesday Mar 2018
Posted in Wine reviews
We were over at our South African friend’s house for dinner and the hostess pulled this unfortified dessert gem out. I was not in much of a state to make notes, but I did scratch these down: Nose is unique- lanolin, beeswax, lemon curd, and turmeric. Orange marmalade and apricot jam are the key components on the palate. The finish is mid length, more orange notes yet the curry component still lingers. It is truly bizarre yet somewhat intriguing. I enjoyed it and appreciated the nuances of variety, the terroir differences and the subtle changes in style. 89 points from me and without any pricing info it’s hard to give it points. This Chenin Blanc is tasty and will pair beautifully with some Blue Cheese, Creme Brûlée or even some chocolate eclairs! Salut….
27 Tuesday Feb 2018
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I opened this bottle up last week but kept forgetting to make notes (I was really tired). I nearly finished the dregs before realizing my faux pas, so pardon the brief outline- it was a good drop of Port that I bought for the initial Port taste test.
Rich, tannic, dry. Nose of dry oak, blueberry syrup and red raspberry reduction. The palate is very thick- blueberry, cedar slate, a long, dry finish. This wine is attractive, if young. It begs for a cheese tray. 90 points for this $15 bottle. I yet again disagree with the big boys…. oh well. 5 stars, you can’t beat the quality to price here folks, go get some if you like Port wine. Salut….
27 Tuesday Feb 2018
Posted in Wine reviews
Somewhat opaque but dark purple. The nose gives up candies, plum, oak, cherry pie, vanilla bean. The palate is super spicy, loaded with fruit and very smooth. Plum ganache, mocha, cafe au lait and blackberry preserve round out the initial palate. The transition to mid palate shows off some very integrated tannins, a red berry note and some cedar plank. The finish is mid length and coats the mouth in plum sauce, coffee and chocolate dust. 92 points from me for this $32 effort, which contradicts the pro’s 89, oh well. I liked it and will buy again for a juicy Sunday roast companion. 5 stars for this Shiraz/Grenache/Viognier blend. Salut….
27 Tuesday Feb 2018
Posted in Wine reviews
My buddy brought this bottle from home, where it has been resting since he bought it en primeur. I love this chateau, they produce classic Saint Julien and are consistent, fairly priced and good quality.
Nearly black in the glass, it shows off beautiful legs. The nose offers up charcoal, plum, black berries, a whiff of alcohol and cassis. On the palate it is somewhat thinner than expected but fresh, bright and still young. I get more dark fruits, gorgeous tannins, ripe acidity, capsicum, leather and Maduro leaf. Black tea shows up in the midpalate with some tar and plum. The finish is medium length, quite dry from the persistent tannins and gives off a white pepper note. Overall this is a delicious, young wine that will stand up to hearty meats, grills, cheese or just by itself. 91 points from me. It currently runs $90, and got an average of 92 points from the pros. For my points, it gets 4 stars, just because I love good Bordeaux! Salut….
08 Thursday Feb 2018
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I’m always on the lookout for new stuff. I love Pinotage, finding it rather unique and somewhat inconsistent in flavor profiles between producers. That is not necessarily bad, it just adds to the different variations I can try of a unique to SA grape, grown in a rather limited geographical area.
This one is medium depth purple in the glass. The nose is delicious. Just what I was hoping for when I purchased this $17 bottle. Tar, violets, plum and that rubber smell that squarely denotes Pinotage. The palate is very rich, warm and full bodied. It gives off mocha, chocolate dust, star anise, blackberry, creosote and plum on the palate. Tannins are very refined, subdued and well integrated. The acidity is on pointe, not overbearing. The finish is medium in length and consists of mainly plum and that tar component I seek in this varietal. Good stuff! I am drinking this by itself but would pair it with roast chicken, wild game, steak and moussaka. I am going with 89 points and 4 stars. I have to disagree with the 86 point rating it got from one trade magazine, this wine belongs in my cellar for the short to medium term, drinking till 2022. Salut….
20 Saturday Jan 2018
Posted in Wine reviews
You know you’re in for a bombastic treat when the label says Shiraz and the wine comes out inky in color and very dense. The nose is delightful- full of plum, espresso, cedar plank, elderberry syrup and a vanilla hint. On the palate it is more restrained than I was expecting, more silky, smoother, with much more depth. This is indeed a powerful wine, but in a more stately fashion. It shows the dark fruits I mentioned plus a really tight knit tannic structure that couples with the acidity to give an amazing mouthfeel. The elderberry syrup component really kicks in on the mid palate, it is so silky smooth. The finish is long, and full of fruit. The tannins are perfectly in sync and do not overpower the flavors. This is a delicious wine that has aged nicely and will continue to do so for many years. Drink with pretty much any grilled meat or all by itself. Beware the well hidden 15.5% alcohol, it may sneak up! The pros went big on this wine, which was WS #3 wine of the year in 2012, I can see why. 95 points and 5 stars for this treat that comes in at $75, if you can find it. Drink till 2024 at the least. Ps. I originally bought 2 bottles, and then another six afterwards. See my other two posts on Bella’s Garden. Salut….
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