Category Archives: Wine reviews

Vignamaggio Il Morino Tusacany 2015, Italy

14 Thursday Sep 2017

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It’s pasta for a quick pre-ballet dinner with my daughter so I needed a quick and easy Italian wine.  This one rolled in the other day at $10 so I figured it was worth a shot.  The glass shows off a decent color palette of purple that is somewhat see-through.  The nose offers red berries, raspberry and some clove.  The Sangiovese in the blend gives me some cherry notes on the palate while the Merlot component brings out some  plum while adding a bit of backbone to the wine.  On the mid palate is where I get a nuttiness, almonds and a touch of oak.  The wine has some very dry tannins that kick in on the finish and add a bite to the gums.  Acidity is nice and the wine is balanced.  I’m not sure I would go as high as the pros with 92, more like 89 points for me.  Still a good value IMHO and worthy of 4 stars.  Perfect for the midweek pasta dish or perhaps a thin crust wood oven pizza.  Drink till 2020.  Salut….

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz 2015, Australia

14 Thursday Sep 2017

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After trying the Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon I had to line up their Shiraz and make some comparisons.  This Shiraz displays nicely in the glass with medium opacity, purple hues and a definite show of legs.  The nose is somewhat muted even after a few big swirls.  I finally coax blackberries and eucalyptus out of it.  On the palate I get black fruits with a dose of greeness that is very prominent.  There is a touch of cedar as the wine transitions to the mid palate.  I sense very fine grained tannins approaching along with a dark cherry note.  The black fruits continue on the finish but the tannins overwhelm them in the end.  The wine has a strong acidity that I can sense on my teeth.  The green notes I talked of earlier reappear on the finish.  It’s almost like the fruit included some unripe clusters that have given this wine a certain sourness along with the over abundant acidity.  85 points from me and 2 stars for this $12 effort.  Salut….

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Coonawarra, Australia

12 Tuesday Sep 2017

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Dark blackish purple in the glass. An interesting nose of sweet dark plums, sasparilla, oak and ginger.  On the palate I get very precise flavors of plum ganache, dark chocolate, violets and the beginnings of some very fine grained tannins.  The mid palate shows a bitterness I can’t figure out.  The tannins however really kick in.  The finish is a really strange compilation of blueberry pie, oak, astringent tannins and that odd bitterness.  It detracts from the full potential of this wine and makes it an 88 point wine IMHO.  I paid $12 and give it 4 stars.  I would like to re-taste in a few years, perhaps it will mellow out and gain some balance whilst losing the bitterness.  Salut….

Jacob's Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Olarra Clasico Reserva 2009, Rioja DOCa, Spain

08 Friday Sep 2017

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When I see a wine that advertises a 97 point Decanter (or any other reputable critic for that matter) rating that I can get for under $14 it’s a must try.  So I bought a bunch of this back in 2015 and forgot about them, until now.  The wine is a medium purple with a touch of orange.  On the nose, very fresh aromas of black cherry, blueberry and some oak. On the palate I get just what I was hoping for.  Vibrant blue fruits, rich plum, some creosote and olive.  The wine has a tannic streak that starts at the beginning and crescendos at the finish.  The mid palate shows off some Tempranillo earthiness and some rhubarb, the sour kind.  That is where I sense acidity and it balances the package nicely.  The finish is medium in length and has hints of spice box and more earthiness.  A blend of Tempranillo and Garanacha.  I can’t see 97 points, more like 90.  Having said that- for the price, it’s a major 5 star wine.  Drink till 2025.  I’m having Chorizo, a Spanish style salad and grilled asparagus with mine.  Salut….

Pier Rio Sordo 2009, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy

06 Wednesday Sep 2017

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I’m not a huge Barbaresco fan, I have to admit.  Not because I don’t like it, I just don’t know anything about it.  I am trying to broaden  my palate and saw this offer come up, it was only $20 and got a good score- worth a punt as they say.

It shows well in the glass, a thick purple, somewhat opaque but healthy looking.  The nose offers up a really nice Old World funk that I love.  Plum, cherry pie and some oak are all present.  I’m looking forward to this Nebbiolo….

On the palate I am pleasantly surprised, I think I like Barbaresco!  This wine has depth and lots of fruit flavor.  Rich plums, black berries, some black olives and an earthy component give way to some very well ingrained tannins.  They take over on the mid palate and really dry out the gums.  It is a nice sensation and makes for a long lived wine which has enough acidity to balance the package out.  The berry fruit comes out again on the finish with an oak hit.  The tannins are really searing by now, which makes this wine beg for a hearty Ragu, maybe a Ribeye steak.  I’m guessing this wine is only a youngster and will develop for many years, gaining complexity and tertiary flavors.  Drink now if you like them bold, dry and tannic, but cellar till 2022 for a more mellow affair.  I think this wine is worthy of 91 points, and 5 stars!  Salut….

Marchesi de Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano 2012, Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG, Italy

04 Monday Sep 2017

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It’s a pasta/Italian kinda night here at the chateau so I decided to open a Chianti Rufina to keep with the theme.  In the glass, it shows off a reddish hue but not opaque.  The nose is somewhat muted but gives off whiffs of plum, some oregano and a dried bark component.  The initial taste is an acidic attack with some dark cherry, dried herbs and a touch of oak.  The fruit is somewhat cloaked I’m afraid.  The mid palate is mostly a tannic affair with some faint fruit notes from the initial attack.  The finish is long, with some nice acidity balancing the tannins as well as a dose of Kirsch.  I paid $18 for this 89 pointer and give it 3 stars, it’s kinda boring in my opinion- perhaps it’s in a dumb phase.  Sangiovese is the main player here folks.  Ps.  I’m serving grilled Squid, Tortellini and some Zucchini pasta with pine nuts.  Salut….

Papa Nui Reserve Pinot Noir 2014, Chile

03 Sunday Sep 2017

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A very opaque and delicate looking Pinot Noir from Chile.  The nose is a combination of Old and New World.  I get cherry, strawberry and funk.  Mushrooms and game also take a turn on my senses.  On the palate, I get a fresh cherry attack with some cola and a touch of the gaminess I sensed earlier.  The mid palate exposes a very lively acidity that keeps me on my toes.  The flavors are decidedly New World from here on in.  Strawberry and cherry on the mid translate to a nice red berry finish with just a touch of tannic dryness.  The acidity is the dominant force but is not overwhelming.  A nice wine with good mouthfeel and balance in my opinion.  Serve with roasted chicken in garlic marinade or perhaps Filet Mignon with Bearnaise and roasted asparagus.  89+ points, and for $13 it’s a steal worthy of 5 stars.  Salut….

Chateau Guiraud 2006, Sauternes, France

02 Saturday Sep 2017

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Gold, but a lighter shade.  It looks waxy when I swirl the glass, which bodes well for a dessert wine.  On the nose it is sublime- apricots, honey, candied pineapple.  On the palate this wine is super smooth, somewhat oily in texture and really delicious.  I get yellow stone fruits- apricots, peach jam and some honey on the initial attack.  The mid palate is silky but I just realized I sense no acidity whatsoever.  Glycerin comes to mind when trying to describe the texture I feel on the mid palate.  The finish is somewhat dry with a hint of tannins and now I see the emergence of some acidity.  Well played Mr. Winemaker, it all comes together right at the end and makes sense.  The finish has great fruit notes- in addition to the apricots, there are some almond hints, orange zest and a pineapple streak.  Lovely.  This is a generous dessert wine that has a nice unctuous texture, plenty of fruit, a nice mouthfeel and the ability to age for decades.  It is young but really enjoyable now.  Drink till 2035 easily.  95 points.  I paid $28 for a half bottle – 5 stars.   It was my dessert after grilling the most massive Tomahawk steaks ever.  Salut….


Xanadu Next Of Kin Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Margaret River, Australia

31 Thursday Aug 2017

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Very bright purple in the glass.  The nose has blackcurrants, oak and cherry reduction.  Intriguing.  On the palate I get a very delicious attack of black fruits- berry, plum, cherry.  The tannic structure is good, bracing yet not too dry.  The mouthfeel is really refreshing with some sharp acidity.  The mid palate has yet more of the dark fruits plus a mocha component.  The winemaker has skillfully managed to hide the 14.5% alcohol and slides some deft tannins in that really grip on the back end.  The finish is very dry, with black cherry and cassis.  The oak that I got on the nose has seemed to disappear up till the very end.  This is a very easy drinking wine that is ready to go right now and will last for another 3-4years.  I would pair it with lamb chops, roasted veg and perhaps Beef Ribs slow cooked in a wine reduction.  I’m going 90 points and 5 stars for this $13 wine.  Buy it by the case.  (One critic went 94 points, but then again he always rates high.)  Salut….

Vinhos Portada Winemaker’s Selection Tinto 2011, Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal

30 Wednesday Aug 2017

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I normally find good value in Portuguese wine.  This one was only $8 and sports a 90 point WE score.  Very impressive.

In the glass, it is thinner than I was expecting, more opaque.  On the nose I get black berries and bramble.  A hint of earthiness peeks through as well.  On the palate is where it’s at.  A much more concentrated wine than I was expecting.  Dark plums, sweet black berries and some very gentle acidity to go along with the very well integrated tannins.  The mid palate is super smooth and delicious, more of the berries plus a hint of capsicum.  The finish is really nice with some very fine tannins that are barely perceptible.  The fruit lingers for a while and the acidity tapers off.  Overall this is an outstanding wine, worthy of the 90 points and for sure a 5 star effort.  I will be buying more.  It is a blend of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional.  Serve now with grilled Chorizo, eggplant baba ganoush or even a moussaka.  Loving it.  Salut….