Category Archives: Wine reviews

2016- Another year in wine

01 Sunday Jan 2017

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I am sitting in a hotel room in Hong Kong, far from home where it is nearly New Year.  I wrote my last tasting note of the year and realized I have not had a look back on posts for a while so I clicked on the 5 Stars tag link and started writing down the best wines I had drunk in 2016.  There are exactly 20 that made the top grade.  I won’t count them down, you can try them and decide for yourself but I will mention a few.  There are several really well priced gems in the group, which is one of the criteria I use to determine how many stars a wine gets.  Perhaps the steal of the year comes from Bulgaria, but there are numerous wines that I look back on and remember the pleasure they gave.  The Tahbilk was awesome, the older Bordeaux wines- amazing and then there was the Vergelegen.  It probably ranks the highest of the value wines in my 2016 wine year.  The St. Thomas is perhaps the top wine for me in 2016 followed by the Blue Eyed Boy…

Each wine had a moment for me, and then there were the wines I just opened and did not review.

These are but two I recently enjoyed.  Many more were drunk throughout the year. If you go through my list of 5 star wines I am sure you will find many in local shops, try them out and decide for yourself- just savor the moment and make it a memory. Take a picture, write on the cork, peel and save the label.  Happy New Year, may you have a prosperous and safe year wherever you may be.

05 Canon- what a treat

05 Canon- what a treat

01 Cos, just because

01 Cos, just because

Nederberg The Winemasters Shiraz 2014

31 Saturday Dec 2016

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I am currently in Asia and this was the last wine I drank in 2016.  We couldn’t resist the price, $11.50 for one bottle or $13 for two.  We bought two…
Medium purple in the glass.  A nose of plum torte, black berry jam and a touch of oak.  On the palate a very delicious, fresh offering of black fruits, spice and a very mellow set of tannins with opposing acidity.  A medium length finish caps off a subtle mid palate of plum and blackberry.  Overall a nice basic Shiraz that is not over the top but offers good value and would drink well with burgers, BBQ ribs or the kebab sandwiches we eventually ordered!  87 points from me make this a solid 3 star wine.  Salut….
nederburg the winemaster shiraz

Tall Dark Stranger Malbec, Argentina 2014

31 Saturday Dec 2016

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My buddy brought this over in November and I finally managed to open it.  When I say my buddy, he is a 6ft+ redheaded black man who is larger than life and always manages to dress or find something appropriate for every occasion.  A real hoot…

For about $11 this wine delivers the goods!  Medium purple in the glass with a nose of black currant and cola.  The initial palate gives off plum and rhubarb.  The mouthfeel is really nice with smooth tannins gliding along with some barely perceptible acidity.  The mid palate continues with the cola and currant theme that ends in a shortish finish of cherry and cola.  This is a very nice quaffing wine that I’m enjoying with dry rubbed beef ribs.  A good combo that brings out the best of the wine and the meat.  89 points all day long and 4 stars from me for its value and quality.  Salut….

tall dark stranger malbec

Louis Latour Corton Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, France 2007

25 Sunday Dec 2016

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Merry Christmas!  I have family over for the holidays and we opened this bottle for a Christmas Eve potluck dinner.  I know it is extravagant for this type of Cru Burgundy to be opened with a pasta casserole and spiral baked ham, but it works!

Very pale in the glass with some orange hues of bricking appearing- maybe pre-mature for a Burgundy wine, we shall see.  On the nose a revelation, this wine is young, fresh and full of fruit yet tertiary notes are starting to appear.  Cherry, strawberry and wildflowers dominate with barnyard and a touch of oak also appears.  On the initial attack I’m getting super smooth cherry notes with cinnamon and grille backing it up.    The meatiness is slight but present along with super sleek tannins that are perceptible yet unobtrusive- this wine glides.  The mid palate is a seamless transition from the front with the addition of some barnyard funk- my kinda Burgundy.  The finish is decent in length and gives off leather and some pale berry notes.  This is a very complex wine that is shockingly smooth and very pleasing.  I am hoping it will evolve into a behemoth old school Burgundy in the next few years.  92 points from me which coincides with WS.  Drink now, but sparingly until it fully matures.  4 stars for the $50 price point.  2019-2027 is a good window for maximum effect.  Salut….

louis latour corton grand cru

Clos du Bois Marlstone, Alexander Valley, USA 2012

23 Friday Dec 2016

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I started to suffer ‘Palate Fatigue’, otherwise known as getting tipsy when we finally got around to this sleek Meritage blend from California’s Alexander Valley.  Very dark extracted purple in the glass.  A nose of mulled plum, black stone fruits and violet.  The initial taste is plums, blueberry and a floral bouquet.  The mid palate shows off more blue fruits and a generous tannic backbone that hold this wine together.  The acidity is very subdued and the finish is medium in length.  I love this style of Bordeaux blend with a large majority (72%) Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot for roundness, 5% Petit Verdot for some tannic backbone, a smidge of Malbec and some Cabernet Franc for the softness and floral notes.  90 points from me make this $40 offering a 3 star wine and a serious contender for space in the cellar.  Drink now till 2022 and pair with any roasted meats, hearty pasta dishes or even some charcuterie beside a winters fire.  Salut….
clos du bois marlstone

Cliff Lede Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2012

23 Friday Dec 2016

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An invite to my old college buddy’s house revealed this bad boy waiting to happen.  We started with a Merlot I had brought and moved into this one shortly thereafter.

Nearly black in the glass with a nose of black berries, black cherries and oak, but in a mild mannered way.  The initial attack is bold, bright and tannic.  Tons of dark fruit, cassis and espresso.  The mid palate is somewhat muted by the tannins which push through to the finish where they really shine.  The balance is slightly off between the acidity and fruit being overcome by the tannins- give this wine a few years in the cellar.  90 points from me which coincides with WS.  RP gave it 93 points, I can’t see that personally. Delicious wine but pricey at $60 per bottle make this a 3 star effort and worthy of cellaring for that special occasion.  It would rock a well marbled Ribeye, Leg of Lamb or in our case- homemade Meatballs in a Marinara sauce.  Salut….

cliff lede cabernet sauvignon

Cosentino Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley California 2005

23 Friday Dec 2016

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I bought several bottles of the Cosentino Cabernet and really liked it.  This is a follow-up after three more years in cellar.

Rich dark purple hues in the glass.  A nose of cedar, cigar, plum, violets and black berries.  The initial attack is sublime- smooth as silk plum jam, blackberry confit and some vanilla bean come right out and introduce this gorgeous wine.  On the mid palate I’m getting more of the same notes with a touch of heat and some acidity showing up.  The tannins are so melded it’s scary.  There is depth and width to this wine.  The finish is medium length with some blue fruits entering the fray, the tannins are starting to show up and leave a drying finish to the wine.  92 points from me make this wine a 5 star effort if you could still find it at the release price of $21.  I drank mine with a Standing Rib Roast, perfection.  Salut….
cosentino cabernet sauvignon napa valley

Argot Wines ‘Bastard Tongue’ Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2013

15 Thursday Dec 2016

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I good mate of mine brought this over for Thanksgiving but we never got around to it.  I am glad in a way as it meant I could devote the proper attention to tasting this well crafted beauty.  A quick check of the internet reveals a price of $70- yikes.  But damn is this wine good…

Beautiful reddish purple in the glass.  A nose of cherries jubilee, spicebox, cedar.  On the palate a gorgeous medley of cherries, rhubarb and black berries.  Nicely integrated tannins meld well with the acidity and give the mid palate a smooth mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon, more cherry and some espresso.  The coffee theme runs into the finish that shows just a touch of acidity and some vanilla.  There is a citrus peel component on the finish that leaves it a little tart which is my only concern.  Overall a very well made wine which has enough earthiness and an abundance of fruit to pull off many matches, both Burgundian and New World.  92 points from me and 4 stars.  I paired it with Lasagne because that was what was for dinner- you can do better with a Coq Au Vin dish, perhaps even a roasted Cornish hen with wild rice. Really delicious.  Salut….

bastard tongue pinot noirimg_1383

Il Roccolo Sangiovese Rubicone IGT Italy NV

12 Monday Dec 2016

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I bought two bottles from this producer for a grand total of $8.  One was a Nero D’Avola and this one being a Sangiovese.  I was not expecting much, but really enjoyed the Nero poolside watching my daughter splash around at a hotel we just stayed in.  I took no notes but decided I should do so with this bottle now that I am home and not reeking of chlorine.

A pale purple color shows typicity of the varietal as does the nose of faint cherries and cinnamon.  I’m not expecting complexity or depth here but am pleasantly surprised so far as the wine comes across very smoothly on the intro and gives some cherry notes along with a cola thing.  The wine has more acidity than tannins and lacks any  semblance of wood.  The finish is decent in length and leaves me with a slightly drying sensation, hinting at some minuscule level of tannins being offered up.  Like I said- this is a basic wine.  It drinks easily and is a serious contender for a backyard BBQ, a poolside quaff or even a light pizza partner.  For $4 or even $6 this wine rocks it and I am giving it 84 points and 4 stars.  (I have had far worse wine in the First Class sections of many airlines).  Salut….

il roccolo sangiovese

 

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel ‘de Restia’ Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009

07 Wednesday Dec 2016

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A lighter purple color with a touch of orange bricking on this crianza level wine that has 7 years of cellaring.  On the nose, a subdued level of plum and dusty earth- a hallmark of the varietal.  On the palate a somewhat rustic initial attack of dark fruits, with dried oregano, earth and very dry tannins.  The acidity is somewhat lacking and is overcome by the tannins, which is not a bad thing.  The finish is decent in length and offers up more purple fruit flavors with a touch of heat.  The dryness on the gums goes on forever, which I kinda like!  The wine, at this stage of its life is giving me pause….  It has a really tannic structure yet I feel it is not able to age much more due to the low acidity.  The fruit is starting to dry up but there is not much evolution.  All in all a pop-n-pour wine that won’t break the bank at $15 and gets 88 points from me.  This 3 star effort would pair well with some charcuterie, perhaps a bowl of pasta Arrabiatta.  Salut….

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel 'de Restia' Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain