Category Archives: Wine reviews

Wolf Blass Cabernet-Shiraz-Malbec 2012

29 Thursday May 2014

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I have never seen this label before and was intrigued.  From Langhorne Creek this was the ‘original Yellow Label’ wine from Wolf(gang) Blass.  A retro offering showcasing the winery’s heritage I guess.  Nowadays, the blends from them are bottled in the Red Label series, the yellow being used for single varietals.  Nonethless, it was an interesting amalgamation of three varietals.

When I poured the wine, it was nearly blackish purple, appropriate for the grapes used.  It had a nose of candied plums and strawberry twizzlers.  My first impression was ‘tinny’.  A metallic note hit me the wrong way and I was initially put off by it.  I got black currants and plum torte after that and as the wine mellowed out, the tinny component gave way to a minerality that was quite pleasing.  Good acidity and moderate tannins made this an easy to drink aperitif.  I would give it a maximum of 4 years in the cellar and pair it with pasta and red sauce, perhaps BBQ ribs or a big juicy burger.  I’m giving 87 points and 3 stars for this interesting $14 effort.  Salut….

wolf blass cabernet shiraz malbec

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2012

28 Wednesday May 2014

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Consistency is a very desirable trait in winemaking.  It gives me confidence in a winery and assures that I will be back for more, year in, year out.  Trivento is one of the best at this.  I have tasted several vintages of the Golden Reserve Malbec and love it every year.  The 2012 is drinking well now.  It started off with a dark purple hue in the glass.  A blossoming nose of plums and a hint of nutmeg welcomed me to taste the wine.  Blueberry compote came across on the initial palate and was followed up with more plums and a slight oak hint.  The wine is very ‘juicy’ with a crisp acidity that I really enjoyed.  Tannins were medium for me and made the wine easy to drink.  This vintage is approachable young and will certainly last another 5 years.  We ordered some Lamb Kebab sandwiches to go along, the match was perfect.  This wine will pair well with just about any meat, grilled or roasted.  I’m going with 90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort from Argentina.  Ps. I bought several bottles and may go back for more, it’s just that good.  Salut….

trivento golden reserve malbec

Montagnac Syrah 2012

18 Sunday May 2014

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I saw this bottle in the shop and noticed it’s low $8 price tag, but I was on a mission so I passed.  Lo and behold my buddy showed up with it later in the afternoon.  I believe it hails from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France where they  grow tons of Syrah grapes.  This one looks to be a co-operative wine.  It started off with a slightly oxidized nose of purple plums and a scent I had never encountered in wine- grape bubble gum.  I was intrigued and sniffed for a good 5 minutes before I could pinpoint it.  Since I have never smelled it in wine nor have I ever seen it used as a descriptor I was curious about the taste.  Candied plums and maraschino cherries are what hit me.  I kept getting a whiff of alcohol as well but the bottle only registered at 13%.  Very slight tannins were evident and the balance was slightly off with a tartness.  This is probably a decent picnic wine for an afternoon of cucumber sandwiches and fried chicken on a blanket in the park.  83 points and 2 stars.  Salut….

montagnac syrah

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz 2012

18 Sunday May 2014

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The third varietal in the Wolf Blass trilogy that was recently on sale is this Shiraz.  I enjoyed the Merlot and was impressed by the Cab Sav so I did not hesitate to buy this one for $10, list price being $17.  It opened up with plums and licorice on the nose, an interesting combo for this varietal. Blueberry and sour cherries came across on the palate with some nutmeg and leather rounding it out.  I was concerned about the balance and noticed some greenness in the tannins.  Whilst neither Rhone-like nor typical Aussie Shiraz, it had an interesting edge to it.  I think the tannin component has lowered the score and contributed to it’s imbalance.  Im going with 87 points and 3 stars.  Salut….

wolf glass yellow label shiraz

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

17 Saturday May 2014

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Originally priced at $17, this was the other Wolf Blass I mentioned yesterday that was on sale for $10.  A steal, and tasty to boot.  This one came out of the gate with all cylinders firing.  It was inky purple in the glass and showed off a delightful nose of black currants and star anise.  My initial impression was very positive when I got Blackberry pie and some interesting vanilla on the first sip.  I enjoyed the ‘crispy’ tannins as they carried the wine to the mid palate where I tasted plums with a touch of acidity.  A very enjoyable wine that is a good buy at it’s regular price, making it a steal at the sale price.  It had a good amount of length and the mouthfeel was just right.  I would easily serve this up with beef stew on a cold night, or a juicy NY strip on the grill in the summer time.  I am going 90 points and 4 stars for this easy to find wine.  Salut….

wolf glass yellow label cabernet sauvignon

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Merlot 2012

16 Friday May 2014

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I got a good deal on two bottles of Yellow Label, this Merlot and a Cab Sav.  I have had this line before and recall it’s consistency and value for money.  I was not disappointed, and was happy to spend $10 each (RRP $17).

The wine was a deep purple in the glass which was a good start.  On the nose I got a very interesting mix of ripe plums and oak which carried through on the palate.  I also got a strange yet intriguing taste that I noted ‘woodsy component like green tree branches’.  Transitioning to the mid palate is where the Kirsch and sour cherries kicked in with some nutmeg and cola.  I feel this wine is slightly backward right now but expect it will sort itself out in the near future.  The tannins are gentle and the acidity is present in this South Australia wine.  I’m going with 89 points and 4 stars for the price.  Salut….

wolf glass yellow label merlot

Clarendon Hills Syrah ‘Liandra’ 2007

02 Friday May 2014

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When I decided to fire up the grill and roast a leg of lamb I needed a Syrah/Shiraz to go with it.  What better than a nicely aged bottle from Australia?  I have become a huge fan of the Clarendon winery, they produce amazing wines in a style that I adore.  This one was exceptionally good and the pairing was amazing.

It started out with Plum jam, blackcurrants, nutmeg and a touch of heat on the nose.  Initially there was a  dark core of black currants and plum compote with a hint of licorice.  The mid palate gave way to red raspberries after some time which was fascinating.  I noted ‘Extremely smooth with beautiful fine-grained tannins and an edge of acidity’.  This wine rocked.  It’s 14.5% alcohol was evident when the bottle was first opened but seemed to blow off with time and became a non-event.  Complexity and finesse are what this winery is good at.  They tend to be more Rhone-like versus typical Aussie Shiraz.  I prefer the subtlety and refined approach on occasions and this wine allowed the meat to showcase it’s herbs and spices without overpowering it.  The pro’s went from 89-95 on this one, but I agree with WS- it’s a solid 93-94 point wine in my opinion but at $75 is rather pricy.  4 stars however and a cellaring potential up to 2027 if you ask me.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills liandra

reverse sear big green egg

‘Reverse Searing’ the leg of lamb

Montes Classic Series Merlot 2012

28 Monday Apr 2014

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A bargain for $9, but only if you like the style in which it is made.  Me, not so much.  It started out with sweet plums and cherry cola on the nose supported by a generous dose of oak.  Merlot makes up the majority of the blend in this Chilean wine and gives it a youthful plum profile on the palate with a high degree of acidity.  Very slight tannins give an easy to drink mouthfeel, yet the wine is over oaked with lashings of wood and vanilla.  It is a casual drinking bottle that may appeal to many as an aperitif with some nuts, olives and bruschetta.  I am going with 84 points and 2 stars.  Salut….

montes classic series merlot 2012

Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2001

25 Friday Apr 2014

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I can’t believe that this is my 500th post.  Time flies and the wines have been amazing.  I planned this post out as I just had a birthday and was going to open this bottle that night.  Turns out that Moxie had other plans and we went out to dinner where I ordered the amazing Barboursville Octagon 2009.  The Pichon was left to settle itself properly after a decade long slumber, to be paired with some serious slabs of beef and some spicy little sausages.

As I poured this wine I was trying to remember what it was like several years ago.  Young and immature?  Tannic and flabby?  Bordeaux from 2001 was overshadowed by the great 2000 vintage but many are proponents of its elegance and are amazed by its power.  This wine originally scored 92 or better from the pros and went for about $75.  It now retails at $125 or so and is nearly mature.  The colors of the initial pour surprised me a bit, a little bricking on the edges and slightly orange-purple in the glass.  Textbook Paulliac nose though, how I love it.  Cassis, leather, tobacco.  You name it, all rolled up in there.  The first sip was slightly thin for me unfortunately.  The fruit is fading whilst the tannins are in full force.  I let it sit for a while and started to enjoy the nuances of age a little more.  Plums, black currants, that telltale cassis and leather.  Heaven.  The wine is very juicy with a strong acidic streak to go with the fine grained tannins.  I can only hope and pray that this wine is in evolution, shedding the fruit and picking up the mature nuances we yearn for in an aged Classed Growth Bordeaux.  I am getting excited just thinking about the possibilities of the remaining 10 bottles I have.  If indeed the fruit is fading and nothing comes of the secondary flavors I will be devastated.  Perhaps I shall open a bottle every 6 months to gauge the progress?  5 stars from me and a 92 point effort, good luck finding some!  Salut….

pichon longvueville comtess de lalandeIMG_0945

Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir Central Otago2012

23 Wednesday Apr 2014

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I was given this bottle by a friend who just passed the Sommelier exams and was traveling to New Zealand on holidays.  Several weeks later, her husband passed his exams as well- congratulations to Christine and Tyler!  On their visit they no doubt did some winery tastings and bottle shop visits.  I looked up some pricing and could only find it in New Zealand- NZ$35, about $30 USD.  A generous gift I must say.

Textbook light purple in the glass with cherries jubilee on the nose and some spice.  On the palate I got a whopping mouth full of tart strawberry, cherry pie and some vanilla.  A rather tannic wine with a rather sharp acidic frame makes for an interesting mouthfeel.  The acidity was nigh on piercing when I first opened the bottle but mellowed out after some air.  The backbone is firm on this young wine and it bodes well for long term cellaring.  I would say 2015-2022 for a decent drinking window.  There was some interesting spice notes of clove and cocoa powder on the mid palate.  The question is what to pair it with when it grows up….  Perhaps some plank grilled salmon and roasted rosemary potatoes, I would even go with roast duck and orange glaze.  89 points and 3 stars from me for this decent effort.  Salut….

gibbston valley pinot noir central otago