Category Archives: Wine reviews

Kaesler Stonehorse Shiraz 2014, Barossa Valley, Australia

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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Very brooding and dark purple in the glass- promising some heady, extracted juice.  The nose is full on dark plums, blackberries and cedar plank.  The initial palate is straight up blueberry pie meets blackberry jam.  Very viscous in the mouthfeel and very smooth.  The wine glides past the mid palate with hints of plum ganache and mocha and a touch of acidity.  I had to wait until the finish to get a glimmer of the fine grained tannins that hold this package together.  I believe this wine is drinking great now and has a few years of cellaring available, say till 2022.  I would pair it with Strip steaks, perhaps a peppercorn sauce based meat or even corned beef.  The acidity and tannic structure seem ideal for casual drinking and lighter fare, not something too heavy or fatty.  It really is tasty.  90 points.  I paid $15 and would do it again for this 4 star effort.  Salut…

kessler stone horse shiraz

Artesa Winery Carneros Pinot Noir 2014, Napa Valley, USA

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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I travel a ton through the San Francisco airport where there is an American Express Centurion lounge.  This particular lounge has a wine tasting machine that includes some very delectable offerings such as this lovely Carneros  Pinot Noir.  Sorry about the poor image quality but I had to shoot through the glass of the vending machine.

Very opaque, on the lighter side of purple.  The nose is very much New World- strawberries, nutmeg and a touch of anise.  The initial taste is very easygoing, delicate and fruity with framboise, strawberry and barely a trace of acidity or tannins at this stage.  The mid palate has a slightly green edge to it and this is where I detect some tannic components as well as a balancing acidity- both of which are very mild.  This wine has elegance and seduction, is very understated yet somewhat complex and nicely crafted.  The finish has a decent length to it and comprises of more strawberry and now a touch of bing cherry.  Tannins are present till the very end.  90 points, $20 make this a 4 star wine to drink from now till 2022 with grilled salmon, veal scallopini or just some good cheese and meat cuts.  Salut….

Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port NV, Portugal

04 Sunday Jun 2017

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As you may have read recently, I’m on a Port kick and looking to try as many styles as possible.  This one is labelled Reserve, no info on Tawn, Ruby or LBV.  It is dark purple, almost inky.  The nose is rich with fig, blueberry paste and chocolate dust.  On the palate it is refreshingly vibrant with plum, blueberry and a bracing acidic component.  I sense a warmth on the mid palate that I attribute to tannins mingling with the 19.5% alcohol.  The heat doesn’t bother me, it is well integrated as are the tannins.  On the finish I am reminded of this wine’s youth, the mouthfeel is fresh and dry. More plums and blueberry pie show up on the tail end.  The wine is tasty and well made, 89 points from me.  On sale for $15 it is a good deal- 4 stars.

cockburn's special reserve port

WillaKenzie Estate ‘Estate Grown’ Pinot Gris 2015, Willamette Valley, USA

04 Sunday Jun 2017

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My folks are in town for JJ’s Ballet performance.  Mum likes the whites and I figured some Pinot Grigio/Gris would work well for a warmish weekend.  This one was a very pale yellow- which is a good thing for this varietal.  Nose of lemons, pomelo and green apples.  The initial taste is rather surprising- more body than I imagined with hints of wax, lemons, bergamot.  The mid palate exhibits a citrusy component that I’m enjoying.  The acidity is very mild and doesn’t really hit the palate until the finish.  Speaking of which, it is mid length and laden with more citrus in the form of lemon peel and a hint of lanolin.  89 points and a great opener to a Friday night!  $17 buys this charmer all day long and it gets 3 stars from me, I’m buying more!  Salut….

willakenzie pinot gris

Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port, Amador County, USA

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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This is a Port wine made from Zinfandel grapes in California.  Rich, dark purple in the glass.  The nose is stewed plum and vanilla cola.  The initial taste is rather abrupt-  plum compote, raisins and a balsamic note.  Acidic without a bite, but a touch of tannin keep this dessert wine balanced.  The finish is decent in length but the flavor is rather medicinal.  Its 19% alcohol is well hidden.  This wine is delightful and interesting, certainly not what I was expecting.  90 points from me.  I paid $22 for it which makes it a 3 star effort.  Salut….

St. Supery Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Napa Valley, USA

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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It was a beautiful evening, 75, sunny and a gentle breeze.  The Salmon was on the grill and I cracked open this little beauty.  I don’t often drink whites, but it was the right place and the right time.  I will be buying more of it!

Dark yellow in the glass.  Nose is delightful- pineapple, honey, melon.  On the palate, very full bodied, with notes of honeydew, lemon zest and grapefruit peel.  Tasty mid plate with more citrus and almond shavings. The finish continues with the theme.  I am going with 89 points.  It can be found for $15 which makes this a solid 3 star wine.  Salut….

st super sauvignon blanc

Proemio Malbec 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

30 Tuesday May 2017

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A lighter shade of purple than I was expecting from an Argentinian Malbec.  On the nose I am getting blueberries and and fruit cake.  My initial taste is of blue fruits with very ripe mashed plums.  Strange, I know.  As the wine transitions to the mid palate I am getting a touch of tannins with a hint of dryness, some blueberry compote and a touch of spice box.  The finish has a flavor that I cannot even begin to describe, banana meets wet paper.  It is interesting, yet so unfamiliar.  I am not sure this wine is    what I was expecting.  It is a little disjointed, lacks a long term structure and is kinda meh.  86 points is all I can go, which is a shame as I am rocking a Porterhouse tonight that was begging for a hearty, tannic red full of bold flavors.  It got a monster 94 points from Ultimate Beverage Challenge, I’m just not seeing it, but for $11 it is a decent weekday quaffer.  3 stars only because the price is so good.  Salut….

proemio malbec

Quinta do Vallado Tinto 2013, Douro, Portugal

30 Tuesday May 2017

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I really look forward to Portuguese wines.  I normally find them to be full of flavor, with good structure and interesting profiles.  This one was on sale for $14 and relied heavily on past vintage points awarded.  It starts off very promising with a rich deep purple in the glass.  Nose of bramble, blackberry and earth.  The palate is initially a little light for me.  Black cherry, more blackberry but that’s about it.  The mid palate is one dimensional, offering a dusty blackberry note and not much else.  The finish is slightly dry with some tannins finally appearing.  This wine is too thin for me, not extracted enough and lacks any long term cellaring.  I don’t think it is a repeat purchase.  83 points and 1 star from me.  Salut….

vallado douru

The Original Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, California, USA

30 Tuesday May 2017

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Dark, brooding purple in the glass.  The nose is- yuck.  Not my style at all.  Candy, oak and yuck.  The initial palate is candied plum, not much else.  I’m not going to bother much more with this 80 point wine, I suggest you move along too.  Save the $8 for something tastier.  Salut….

the dark horse cabernet sauvignon

Korta Katarina Plavac Mali 2011, Srednja I Juzna Dalmacija, Croatia

30 Tuesday May 2017

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A friend of mine just brought this from Croatia.  He loved the winery and enjoyed their wines, so I got the spoils!  It travelled 3/4 of the way around the world before I let it sit for a week to settle down.  The varietal, Plavac Mali is found predominantly in Croatia and is a distant relative to Zinfandel.  It is tannic, high in alcohol and produces rich wines.  This one is see-through, light purple, almost a touch orange.  Delightful nose of black currants, cranberry and green peepers.  The initial taste is interesting to say the least:  upfront tannins and a dose of blue fruits with some licorice.  The dryness of the tannins carries on throughout and is the finale.  On the mid palate more red than blue fruits but I also get some acidity interlaced with the tannins.  The finish is all tannins, with just a hint of blueberry.  This wine would rock some minced meat kebabs, perhaps a grilled lamb chop too.  89 points for this delicious wine.  The 14.5% alcohol is hidden well and the structure is solid here.  I couldn’t find much info on pricing, but one place in Europe used to sell it for 28 Euros.  That would make this a 3 star effort.  Salut….
sorta katarina plavac mali