Category Archives: Wine reviews

Maison Trenel Pouilly-Fuisse 2011

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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This French appellation has always appealed to me for it’s softer flavors and more rounded mouthfeel.  I enjoy steely Chardonnays, mineral edged ones, buttery versions and even over-oaked Cali offerings, yet Pouilly-Fuise is consistently the one style that both Moxie and I enjoy the most.  The pale golden color was a good introduction.  Pears, apples and green melon on the nose gave an inkling of what lay ahead.  A smooth entry with tart yellow apples, citrus, flint, butterscotch and a touch of clove were really confusing my overloaded palate.  I wasn’t expecting such a myriad of flavors!  A long finish with balance made me really like this wine, 90 points. Turkey, oysters and salmon would pair perfectly with it.  $28 and 4 stars for this Burgundian beauty.  Salut….

trenel les tillers

Wild Haven Pinot Gris 2013

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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A Columbia Valley charmer that Moxie picked up a while back.  She meant to make Sangria and bought a bunch of different whites to try.  The party never materialized so I got to open her choices.  This one was very pale gold in the glass and had aromas of pineapple, citrus, cantaloupe and ginger.  It was not as acidic as I like but had a mouthful of lemon/lime, melon and some apple. A mid palate switch to blood oranges and the spice mix again. 87 points and 3 stars for this $11 wine.  Drink now with light fare or by the pool on a hot day.  It has a unique flavor profile that should appeal to many as an easy drinker.  Salut….

Wild Haven pinot gris

El Angosto Los Almendros 2009

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this Spanish blend of Garnacha Tintorera, Syrah and Marselan but it sure looked good in the glass.  Oregano, violets and black fruits on the nose were intriguing.  Pepper, blackberry, tar and capsicum on the initial attack were delightful.  Pinpoint tannins and a nice balance of acidity gave this wine a rounded and smooth mouthfeel.  The tannins are long , tingling the gum for over a minute- surprising.  I drank it with smoked pork one night, but ended up drinking several more bottles of it this week with other dishes, all delightful pairings.  Focus on  juicy steak or hearty stews for the best results.  This is a really versatile and delicious wine with a drinking window of 2014-2019.  It gets 91 points from me and 4 stars with its $25 price point.  Salut….El Angosto Almendros Single Vineyard Tinto

Chateau Doisy-Vedrines 2011

27 Monday Oct 2014

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To top off our Sunday Roast dinner I pulled this amazing beauty out of the cellar and let it loose.  I had tasted the Doisy-Vedrines 2010 previously and needed an equally big night to taste this vintage.  After thoroughly loving the Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon with our dinner it was appropriate to get this bottle cracking.  I previously gave the 2010 95 points, how would this one hold out?

Golden yellow in the glass with a nose of honey, candied pear, botrytis and peach cobbler.  Almond crisp with apricot torte and honeyed pears came in the first wave.  Pineapple syrup with flowers and citrus fill the mid palate along with some pear pie, absolutely gorgeous. Sublime balance with a razor sharp acidity and 60 second finish make this a near perfect wine.  Top to bottom- a smooth transition, 96 point plus for me.  I noticed huge legs in the glass and had to double check the bottle, 13.5 % alcohol but nary a sign of it.  One final thought….Uncious but not stuffy.  I paid $22 for this stunner worthy of 5 stars.  Ps. I bought all they had of the two vintages!  Salut….

doisy vedrines sweet wine

Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

27 Monday Oct 2014

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One thing I love about the Fall is cooking Sunday Roast.  Being half English, it’s in my blood to bang out Beef, roast veggies, Yorkshire pudding and gravy.  The Brits wouldn’t  serve up such fare without a bottle or two of Claret (Bordeaux red).  I switched it up a touch and went west, to Napa.  This wine was simply amazing.

Huge nose of violets, plums and blue fruits from a beautiful purple-hued glass.  Big mouthfulls of black plums, dark currants and absolutely gorgeous tannins greeted me right off the bat. Perfectly balanced with a hint of acidity and a polished finish that lasted forever. I later got olives, fig paste and perhaps a touch of eaucalyptus. This is a stunning wine. 93 points for me for this $60 effort make it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

merryvale cabernet sauvignon

 

Sterling Vintner’s Collection Aromatic White 2011

27 Monday Oct 2014

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Moxie bought this bottle to make some white Sangria, plans changed so the bottle was left untouched.  This past weekend I returned home from Asia for two weeks of staycation and a much needed break from flying.  This bottle was opened on Saturday evening for some friends, Moxie and I finished it the next night.  It’s a blend of several white grapes, reminding me of the Conundrum White, but in a different league.  I’m guessing Viognier, perhaps some Gewurtztraminer with a backbone of Sauvignon Blanc.  There is no info on the label or the web, so I am relying on my palate.  I did not take notes on this bottle, simply enjoying it for what it is.  Refreshing, charming, inexpensive and unique.  Perfect for an afternoon aperitif, perhaps even with some light fare.  This one will please many and for the $8 price it get 3 stars for a modest 84 points.  Salut….

sterling vintner's collection aromatic white

Elderton High Altitude Barossa Shiraz 2012

21 Tuesday Oct 2014

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I have never seen this wine in the local mart where I shop occasionally so naturally I was obliged to try it having gone through most of the other offerings! This wine comes from the higher elevations of the Eden Valley and had a beautiful dark purple complexion. On the nose- black currants, plum and some tar, yummy. First impression, very smooth. Extremely smooth with fine grained tannins and a hint of juicy acidity. More black fruits and plums shine through as do some blueberries on the mid palate. Some earth and game come up later as do some herbs. A nice, medium finish caps off this excellent wine. I would drink this alone or with some lighter fare such as roast chicken, veal scallopini or maybe a cream based pasta dish. The fine structure will hold this wine until 2018 but it is drinking beautifully now. I can’t believe I never saw it before. I’m off to buy more of this 91 point, $11 wine that surely gets 5 stars from me. After yesterday’s abysmal wines it is so great to hit a home run! Salut….

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Magistrate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

20 Monday Oct 2014

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This wine rounded out our trio of Sunday Cabs-with-Football.  I recognized the label right away when my friend poured us a taste.  I wrote my notes based on this bottle and just now looked up the previous vintage that I tasted.  Yup, I hated the Magistrate 2011 just as much as I disliked this offering.  Sorry, but candied plums and oak again make me realize that there are far too many nasty wines out there that are merely juice with oak chips and tannin powder.  This one in particular had a slightly lighter body with purple fruits and wild flowers with slight tannins and a hint of acidity.  83 points and 1 star.  Major pass, yet again for this $13 bottle.  Salut….

magistrate cabernet sauvignon

Milestone Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

20 Monday Oct 2014

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A very basic Cali Cab that we added to our Sunday afternoon football/wine tasting extravaganza.  This was brought by a friend. Candied plums and wood on the nose were kinda intriguing.  On my first taste I knew what I was in for-  Violets, plum and twizzlers on the initial attack with a heavy dose of oak.  I just wish they had toned down the wood, this wine just is not my style at all.  Mild tannins and a hint of acidity make up a very basic backbone to this casual drinker.  84 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  I think I would pass, there are many wines that suit my taste for the same price.  Salut….

milestone cabernet sauvignon

Evans and Tate Strange Bedfellows Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

20 Monday Oct 2014

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A Margaret River Cab Sauvignon we picked up for $9.  A casual afternoon watching football was on the cards so we added a wine tasting to the fray.  Blue fruit compote on the nose from the reddish purple glass.  Tart cherries and some oak with blueberries on the palate lead me to think of this as a basic, drinkable red worthy of 85 points.  It did the job, and well.  Basic components tell me that this Aussie wine will drink between 2014-2016.  2 Stars, Salut….

evans and tate strange bedfellows cabernet sauvignon margaret river