Category Archives: Wine reviews

Rosenblum Cellars Richard Sauret Reserve Zinfandel 2010

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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From Paso Robles comes this high powered Zin.  It got panned by the pros but was the hit of the night at our gathering.  It can be found for $30 and was immensely enjoyed with some Veal Saltimbocca and carpaccio salad.  I find many Zins to be too jammy, this one was not.

Dried herbs, black currants and spice on the nose were a preview of what to expect.  Spicy components mixed with dark plums and black cherry were the welcoming taste.  The 15.2% alcohol was masked in the myriad of dark fruits, cinnamon notes and espresso.  Delicious tannin structure coupled with some acidity gave it a nice mouthfeel.  It went really well with our meal and I would cellar this for drinking 2015-2020.  90 points versus the pro’s at 86.  3 stars for me.  Salut….

rosenblum richard suaret reserve zinfandel

707 Cabernet Franc Rockpile 2012

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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From the northern part of Sonoma comes this gem.  My buddy brought it to the tasting and paid $38 for it.  I was excited to try it as you know how I love the Franc.

We were outside by the fire pit so I could not really make out the color or clarity.  The nose was gorgeous though.  Violets and plum notes with a touch of oak on the first whiff.  Fresh and bracing initial attack with flowers, cinnamon, plum torte and vanilla creme.  Rich acidity and smooth tannins make for a long cellaring potential. This is a well made and deelish wine that gets 92 points from me.  Well hidden 14.4% alcohol and a long finish make this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

707 rockpile cabernet franc

Kirkland Napa Valley Meritage 2011

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Some friends and I were at a Costco yesterday and decided to try a few of the Kirkland  brand wines.  This was our first attempt, it cost $11 and is a blend of 49% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% each Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.  I took some basic notes:

Plummy with oak and currants.
Young and fresh, with hints of eucalyptus and oregano
87 points

At this price point it is a very serviceable party wine that won’t disappoint.  It could use another year of cellaring and drink till 2019.  3 stars from me.  Salut….

kirkland napa valley heritage

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort California Pinot Noir

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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I snapped a picture of the back of this bottle, it had the winery’s name that actually produce this wine for the resort.  Of course I deleted it prematurely (been happening a lot lately).  So, we’ll go without that info.  This bottle was a present, price unknown and there is nothing on the web about it.  I shall proceed….

Pretty with see-through purple hues and nice looking legs.  The nose of cherry, ginger and orange peel was quite exciting.  Cherry torte, orange marmalade and a touch of oak on the initial attack but a slight acidic bite on the first taste was a little offsetting.  Tasty mid palate with some cherry and clove notes left me with a good overall impression.  This is a decently made wine that gets 89 points from me.  I’m sure if you go to the resort they will have plenty around to sell, worth bringing home a case or two if it’s in the $15-20 range.  Salut….

Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Yes 2003, it’s not a typo.  It was brought over by friends for a party, I was not sure how to embrace this wine.  At $8 back in the day it was a serviceable red from Chile that got hammered by WS with 77 points, ouch.  I decided to open it and prayed for the best.  The cork crumbled halfway through the extraction, not a good start.  I coaxed the rest out and sorted the debris from the glass after I poured.  My initial impression- Cherry and blackberry nose, still fresh (surprisingly).  This wine was probably not stored in pristine conditions, yet I was about to discover a vibrancy I was not expecting.
Bright purple in the glass it showed no signs of aging, remarkable.  Lovely black cherry and black berry notes with great acidity and some nice tannins still lurking around.  Thoroughly enjoyable and quite young with a nice finish.  The bottle did show slight sediment, but then again this wine is 11 years old and not built for the long haul.  89 points and drinking till 2017 perhaps?  5 stars for such a valiant effort to age gracefully.  Wish I could find more!  Salut….

Ps. I accidentally deleted the photo of this yummy Chilean Cabernet.  However, I just read the latest Wine Spectator and they featured the same wine, 2013 vintage.  Priced at $12 it got 89 points.  I may take a punt and stock up on some of dat!  Cheers.

 

Mollydooker Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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I opened the Gigglepot from Mollydooker right after we finished the Blue Eyed Boy.  It’s interesting to drink both $50 offerings in the same sitting and  be able to compare the grape varietals.  The Shiraz was to me more finite, focused and pure of fruit.  The Cabernet based Gigglepot was more open, easier to drink and perhaps more appealing to the masses.  Both are excellent wines and I enjoyed each for their merits.  This one was equally dark in the glass, showing off a nose of plums, cherry and mint.  I usually associate the minty note with Chilean Cabs and really enjoy it when I come across them.  The palate had the same basic flavor profile I got but with some added black fruits.  A certain spiciness that I cannot pinpoint was evident as were the fine grained tannins.  The wine seemed to go on for ever on the palate and had a long finish.  Balanced with nice acidity there is a healthy dose of alcohol that is neatly hidden, drinker beware!  Drinking beautifully now, this wine has the structure to go long haul.  I would guess a cellaring potential to 2022 at the least.  I don’t have much experience with older vintages from this winery except for my Carnival Of Love tastings, where I did get to see a little bit of evolution in 4-5 year old vintages.  I would imagine this particular bottle may gain some secondary flavors and complexity as it gets some cellar time.  I am giving it 91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

mollydooker gigglepot

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2012

08 Thursday Jan 2015

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Wow- talk about extraction, power, depth, complexity and a mouth full of blueberry.  This is a huge wine, with some really great flavors intertwined with fresh acidity and smooth tannins.  Just by pouring it I knew I was in for a treat.  Nearly black in the glass with a huge nose of blueberry, vanilla and black cherry.  The initial attack was uber long with sweet dark berries, mocha, plum and lavender hints.  More fruits evolved as I swirled the wine, showing off cassis and oak.  The long finish was impressive as was the way they managed to hide the whopping alcohol.  This is a well made, very precise wine that is not for the faint of heart.  Atypical in style it appeals to me for it’s purity of fruit and ease of drinking.  The mouthfeel is impeccable.  I always enjoy Mollydooker wines and this one is no exception.  Priced at $50 it gets 92 points from me and 5 stars.  Salut….

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz

 

Virna Borgogno Preda Sarmassa Barolo 2009

29 Monday Dec 2014

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I’m no Barolo expert, but this was a good bottle of vino.  I had to look it up and get some other insights to gauge my own palate and educate my senses.  Here is what I initially wrote:

Pure purple color, nose of cherries jubilee and some licorice.  Vanilla hints shine through as well.  Really smooth intro with cherry, coconut, oregano and a lashing of fine tannins. Balance is evident as the acidity is noticed and offsets the tannin. Very enjoyable whilst young this will improve with age and hopefully morph into a great Barolo. 90 points, 2014-2024

Having said all that, here is what I have gleaned from the pros.  WE 94, WS 92, JR gave it 16.5 out of 20 but her drinking window was 2016-2034.  I don’t think I have the patience to cellar this gem for that long, plus I feel it is ready to start enjoying now.  It is crisp and fruity, yet with melded tannins that don’t overpower.  A well crafted wine that I really enjoyed with a huge bowl of pasta with meat and sausage marinara. Garlic bread was involved of course!  This wine can be found for $41 and I need to up my star rating to reflect the pro’s recommendations.  I have to go with 5 stars.  Salut….

virna borgogno preda sarmassa docg barolo piemonte italy

Luminary Red Blend 2012

24 Wednesday Dec 2014

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My friend brought this one over and we drank it with a delicious Leg Of Lamb.  I was not sure of the blend so we looked it up.  Napa Cabernet, Horse Heaven Hills and Edna Valley Syrah with Zinfandel from Alexander Valley.  Super smooth and absolutely delicious.  I made no notes except in my head- this is a well crafted wine that blends the best of several regions into a well balanced easy to drink wine that won’t break the bank.  $40 and 91 points for 4 stars.  Sorry to be brief, but I think you get the gist.  Salut….

Luminary red blend

D’Arenberg ‘The Dead Arm’ Shiraz 2006

22 Monday Dec 2014

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I have had the 2008 Dead Arm from Mclaren Vale before and thoroughly enjoyed it.  This bottle has been sitting longer in the cellar and comes with very lofty ratings from the pros.  I decided it was just what I needed with the Sunday Roast.  It was a perfect pairing.  I found myself wondering about this wine and how best to describe it.  My thoughts are this- it is pubescent.  Not young and primal anymore, yet not fully blossomed into that full blown creature it has the potential for.  It is at a crossroads in its evolution.  Stick with me…

A hazy purple in the glass with a nose of mature plum, star anise and cocoa.
Super smooth entry with blueberry, damson and oak. Levels of flavor lead to a somewhat complex wine that is primarily fruit driven right now but I could see evolution into secondary flavors. Still quite tannic with opposing acidity make this a young and balanced wine that will age gracefully. 92 points, 2014-2025 and for $50 make this a 4 star wine worthy of cellaring.  Here’s the kick:  RP gave it 95 points with a drinking window of 2018-2036 while on the other side of the fence WS gave it 91 points with a drinking window of 2009-2016.  Very opposing views of aging capacity and technical merits.  Five years after their initial write-ups and I am in the middle of both parties as to the ratings and aging potential.  Perhaps provenance and cellar conditions will be the greatest influence from here on in.  Either way, bang for the buck you can’t go wrong with this polished Shiraz from down under.  Salut….

d'arenberg dead arm shiraz