Category Archives: Wine reviews

Clarendon Hills Astralis 2004

10 Monday Feb 2014

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A huge, monumental, iconic wine that scored massively with the pros and cost me an arm and leg. This weekend marks a huge turn in Moxie’s store and a good reason to celebrate, hence the need to pull out a $300+ bottle of wine from the depths of the cellar. To emphasize- RP 98, WE 98, WS 97, WC 97, AWC 95. Wow….

I have been in Asia for a few days and just returned this morning. Napping the morning away, I was ready for a hearty meal and some good vino. I decided on a Lamb tagine to go with this Aussie Syrah. Yup, Syrah…. They don’t call it a Shiraz, hmmmm.

I opened the bottle at 6:30 and made immediate notes:
The wine is nearly black in the glass and the first whiff was pure alcohol. I let it settle for few minutes and coaxed dark, brooding currants and a touch of the wood in addition to some cherry hints. On the palate I did not catch any of the 14.5% alcohol! Instead I got a complex mixture of black currants, plums, kirsch and oak. The mid palate adds a fine grained tannic streak along with some tobacco and spice nuances. The finish is where the alcohol shows up, unfortunately. The tannins are totally integrated at this point and do not dry out the end game.

It’s now three hours after opening and the wine has not evolved all that much, just softening up a bit on the initial attack. I doubt it will morph much more before I polish it off. The critics reckoned this wine would go until 2030. My impressions are below, and not quite in line.

Firstly, this is not my favorite Syrah nor is it my favorite wine from this producer. I disagree with the high ratings, I don’t think it warrants more than 92 points. For the price, it is a very dear wine and I’m only giving it 2 stars. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good wine- perhaps a great wine according to the pros but for me it’s just average for the price.  I was hoping for more depth, complexity and certainly more flavor.  My quest is to expand my palate and try as many highly rated wines as possible so I will be better able to discern a truly great wine.  This one just wasn’t it, a pity.  Salut….

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Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz Cabernet 2011

09 Sunday Feb 2014

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The label says Limited Edition, but I think it’s just to celebrate their heritage rather than a specifically special blend.  By the time we got to this wine, we were suffering from some ‘palate fatigue’ (we were pissed, I’ll admit it).  I did enjoy this one more than I thought I would.  The Shiraz was not overdone and the Cabernet provided a healthy framework and some nice sweet tannins.  The nose of the wine was elegant with blackberry and blueberry dominating the oak influence.  The flavors on the palate included blackberry pie, cinnamon spice, some blueberry jam and tobacco.  Quite a compilation of nuances I must say.  The acid, tannins and alcohol were all in check and balanced nicely.  This really was a pleasure to drink and I am going with 89 points.  I believe my mate paid $10 for it making it a 4 star effort and a sure-fire winner.  I would serve this up with burgers, perhaps a pizza and probably a hearty pot roast.  I have tried numerous Wolf Blass wines and this one was one of the better examples from this huge winery.  Salut….

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Castle Rock Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

09 Sunday Feb 2014

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I have previously had the Castle Rock Cabernet but from Paso Robles and the 2009 vintage.  This wine follows the same mold, but is far better.  Priced at a bargain price of $9, you will be hard pressed to get anything form Napa for less.  It starts off with a decent color in the glass and some pretty plums flavors on the nose.  This is not a complex wine, nor is it built for cellaring.  It has primal flavors of plums and violets with a candied cherry finish.  Very light on the oak and virtually no tannic backbone.  It was very easy to drink and managed to keep up with some big players at the tasting.  I gave the Paso version 82 points and 4 stars.  This one gets 84 points and 4 stars as well.  We enjoyed it with some cheese and (crackers).  It would do well with some bruschetta, perhaps some olives and cold cuts but I would hold off on pairing it with a main course of meats etc.  Good value for the money folks.  Salut….

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Peitan Albarino 2012

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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This was the white wine that my mate ‘Mr Tormay‘ ordered for dinner.  If you recall, he is an avid Sauvignon Blanc fan but they ran out so he was forced to switch varietals at the Cajun/Korean fusion restaurant last night.  I got a taste as he shared the bottle with Moxie, another white wine fiend.  Albarino is from northern Spain and is a highly aromatic wine, which goes against his strict taste profile.  I understood why after a few sips. Yes, it is aromatic, but it has some cutting acidity and lacks the cloying sweetness found in other similar wines.  The nose offered melons, some Bosc pear and a hint of lemon.  The flavors of honeysuckle and peach also came through on the mid palate in addition to the pear and citrus.  A very interesting grape that I found to be quite multidimensional and easy to drink.  I would put this wine up with some grilled sardines any day.  A summer salad with a chilled bottle- awesome.  I’m going with 89 points and will be on the lookout for this $12 bottle.  4 stars for its QPR and interest factor.  Salut….

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Cosentino ‘The Franc’ 2012

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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Moxie and I went out to dinner with some dear friends last night at our local Cajun/Korean Fusion restaurant.  Don’t laugh, it’s an amazing combination of flavors and the food is presented in a very neat way that is meant for sharing, Tapas style.  My mate drinks white wine (which I will review later, but his wife Mercedes and I shared this Lodi Cabernet Franc.  It is 76% Franc with 20% Cab Sav and a dollop of Malbec.  I really enjoy this winery’s offerings, they are always well made, smooth and easily accessible.  This one was not far from the mark, albeit on a much more reasonable scale.  At $12 retail, it was a bargain.  Slightly tight on the nose, the purple juice flowed with black currant, dark blueberry and some white pepper.  The structure was firm as expected for such a young wine but it was drinking well.  The Franc had a nice perfume to it once it got going and the Cab Sav did wonders for the tannic backbone.  I enjoyed this wine with dinner and would like to add a few bottles to the cellar for the near future drinking.  88 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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Charles Smith ‘Kung Fu Girl’ Riesling 2011

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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A cool $10 offering from Washington state that has gotten many accolades.  I am drinking it with roast chicken and charred eggplant.  It’s working well for me.

A pale yellow/gold in the glass it offers up pear and melon hints on the nose.  On the palate, a very delicious and somewhat creamy presentation of green apples, anjou peer and some lemon zest.  This is an easy wine to drink, and a good thing it rings in at 11% alcohol because you will want to slurp it all night long.  I would say it is off-dry with just a hint of residual sugar that makes it enticing without being cloying.  The acidity is marked but not overly sharp.  The finish is interesting and long.  I am getting a sourness on the back end that makes this a really exciting wine that would pair beautifully with grilled salmon, chicken and perhaps a cheese board.  For the price, you need to purchase this wine by the case because I agree with the 89 points that WS gave it and reckon that makes it a 5 star wine.  Readily available you will recognize the label right away because it rocks.  Salut….

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Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.

Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.

 

Dona Paula Estate Malbec 2011

25 Saturday Jan 2014

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I recall the first Malbec I ever tasted, Dona Paula from the 2004 vintage.  We drank it in an Argentinian Steak house in Anchorage, Alaska.  In fact it was so good that we finished their whole stock that night (there were 10 of us after all).  I have since been a fan and have tasted numerous other vintages.  I just bought two bottles of the 2011 vintage and enjoyed one of them with some cheese and nuts.  It begs for a steak though.

Brooding dark purple in the glass it reveals plums and black fruits on the nose.  The flavor profile is very similar with a thick core of purple plums and some black tea.  The wine is well priced at $12 per bottle yet drinks like a far pricier offering.  The tannins are gentle yet present, giving way to a juicy acidity.  The wine finishes nicely with elegance and balance.  This Malbec needs a New York strip or Sirloin, something gamey yet not too fatty to bring out its fruitiness.  Bang for the buck this is a good steak wine that won’t disappoint.  I am going with 88 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

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Chilcas Carmenere 2012

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

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A few buddies and I settled into some Chilcas Cabernet yesterday and found the need to send a runner to get more vino.  ‘Coolio’ was duly dispatched while my Russian friend ‘Edvard’ and I held the fort.  He returned with the 2012 version of Chilcas Carmenere.  I panned the 2011 badly and only gave it 1 star so I was skeptical about this wine.  I was in for a surprise.

Bargain basement pricing of $9 for a liter would make most people nervous about the quality, but this wine is very well made for what it is.  The nose showed bright red fruits and a touch of oak.  On the palate, very fruity with a forward expression of red currants, raspberries and cranberry.  The wine is made in a very easy style with very little tannic framework but with juicy acidity.  This is a pop-n-pour wine that would pair nicely with charcuterie and olives or perhaps a BBQ of burgers, dogs, slaw and some baked beans.  87 points but 5 stars for over delivering on the quality/price ratio.  Think party and you will be buying this by the case.  Salut….

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Almaviva 2006

19 Sunday Jan 2014

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I have been sitting on this bottle for a while, just waiting for the right moment.  It happened last night with NY Strip, peppercorn sauce and Moxie’s delicious roast Broccoli with Garlic.

The first ‘real’ wine I ever remember having was a Chilean Cabernet, and have subsequently tried most of the top Cabernet’s for the region with the exception of the the Almaviva.  It is the most expensive of the three big names in Chilean Cabernet which include Don Melchor and Montes Alpha M, both of which I love.  This wine is a blend of the classic Bordeaux varietals with Cabernet as the main factor.  It is quite simply- delicious.

The wine show a dark purple hue in the glass and the nose explodes with kir, black berries and cassis.  On the first wave, there is a purity of blue and black fruits with secondary nuances of leather, cassis and tobacco.  The mid palate has a slight imbalance but the wine finishes with grace and length.  The tannins are fully resolved and the wine has entered it’s secondary stage where the fruit is dissipating and being replaced with interesting tertiary flavors.  I got a little eucalyptus on the back end and but no dryness.  The acidity is what was off balance on the mid palate but I could easily overlook that split second for the much more fulfilling finish.  The wine is smooth and very easy to drink and appreciate.

It is the priciest of the three top Chilean Cabs at over $100 per bottle and it scored highly with the pro’s.  I am going with 92 points and 4 stars.  If you get a chance to try this wine, it is well worth the effort as it mixes Chile’s terroir with the winemaking expertise of Concha Y Toro and the Rothschilds.  A great effort indeed.  Salut…

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Mollydooker Miss Molly 2010

18 Saturday Jan 2014

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A sparkling Shiraz that Moxie and I opened on a Friday night while cooking up some Scallops.  I tried a further experiment by pouring myself a flute and a wide brimmed glass.  The results were quiet enlightening.  I will start with the flute.

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A concentrated nose of red currants, black berry and cola.  The mousse was dark purple when I poured the glass.  On the palate there was black cherry, black berries and some cola with a mid palate addition of some bubbly blueberry pie.  The wine shows some tannins, very strange in a sparkler but hides the whopping 15% alcohol very well.  The finish is long with a drying mouthfeel and trace of oak- very interesting.

The wide mouthed glass was a different beast altogether.  The nose was very subdued, given the shape of the rim.  The effervescence is wasted on this glass as I got almost nothing even after swirling the heck out of it.  On the palate, a whole different story.  The glass shape allows the wine to really open up and bring black fruits, blue berries and a raft of differing plums to the palate with a good dose of cola and some vanilla.  The mousse was not as tasty in this glass but the overall flavors were much more pronounced.

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Between the two I would sniff from the flute and drink from the wide rimmed glass.  I am going to balance the results and go with 90 points.  This is an interesting take on sparkling wine.  If you have never had a sparkling red, this is the one you should try.  For $25 this will be a treat for your palate.  4 Stars for a really tasty yet different effort.  PS.  I ended the tasting with a bit of cheese, the perfect combo if I might add.  I had some Cypress Grove Chèvre ‘Humbolt Fog’ goat cheese.  Perhaps one of the most intricate, complex and creamiest cheeses I have ever tasted.  The Shiraz was the perfect accompaniment to the acidic blue nature of this gamey, earthy yet really creamy concoction.  An amazing cheese, really.  Salut….

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