Category Archives: Wine reviews

Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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I ordered this bottle on our recent Napa trip to pair up with Duck Confit.  Three words come to mind when I think of this Napa Cabernet Sauvignon…….  Atypical, amazing and obvious.

Atypical because this wine does not follow the Napa Cab profile.  It offers delicious Napa fruit, but in a Bordeaux style, with cassis, tobacco and a hefty plum flavor.  On the nose there is a huge amount of blue fruit.  Fine grained tannins and a balanced acidity make this easy to drink, very smooth.

Amazing, because value for money this one is a home run.  At $25 or less you are getting at least 91 points IMHO of excellence.  This wine paired up to the duck with no effort, it would easily handle a juicy New York strip and I would even serve roasted chicken with it.  Talk about versatile.

Obvious, well that stems from the fact that I was so impressed with this wine that I had to research it some more- the winemaking team behind Dominus make this as a second-second label.  Now that I know the pedigree and the lineage, it resembles it’s big brother Dominus, but in a softer, more approachable way.

5 Stars for its value and flavors, 91 points as mentioned on its technical merit.  I am on my way to the local store, hoping for a case or two….

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Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay 2011

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Moxie and I traveled to Bali for a wedding, via Napa Valley.  We ended up getting delayed on our arrival and missed out on winery visits, but the hotel had a beautiful terrace where we ordered this bottle to enjoy as an aperitif.  Very young, and served from 375 ml, this was definitely a treat.  Not too oaky or buttery, it was slightly more austere.  Great apple meets lemon on the nose traversed to the palate where it was smoothly mixed with some butterscotch on the back end.  Reminiscent of Burgundy, I sensed very aligned acidity, yet not razor sharp.  There is a time and a place for that kind of component.  This wine was very balanced and smooth.  I enjoyed my glass immensely and would highly recommend it for a pre-dinner drink, but it would pair amazingly with some poached salmon and boiled new potatoes.  I’m guessing this wine has at least 10 years in it and would be interesting to watch it’s development.  At $36 per bottle on average, you are getting what you pay for here.  Quality Napa Chardonnay at a fair price.  4 stars, 90 points….

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Tenute Arnaces Prosecco NV

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Bought this for Moxie, she likes the bubbly stuff.  Good nose of apples and cider with generous bubbles that tickled on the way down.  Dry on the palate, it was not as sweet as I was imagining.  A decent length and ease of drinking made this quite an enjoyable aperitif.  Being NV (non-vintage) I imagine that the quality is pretty even throughout the years and this would be a good addition to a cellar to make sure you had a reasonable and decent sparkler on hand.  4 stars and 89 points in my books.

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Diletto di Gellina Riserva 2009

10 Monday Jun 2013

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Served at a restaurant and I did not read the label or the wine list….  Not my favorite Chianti.  Some elements of cherry and oak on the nose and palate, with vibrant acidity and tannins.  Missing something though, and I can’t pick it out.  There seems to be a slight imbalance, but this wine is still very serviceable.  Served up with the biggest ever Veal chop, it was a great companion thanks to the acid.  The usual Chianti flavors are somewhat muted though and the wine does not show off the Sangiovese that I have come to love.  An 86 pointer that I cannot even rate with any stars due to the lack of pricing info.  I would imagine it will drink for another 5 years and hopefully come out of its shell.

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Trivento Amado Sur 2011

08 Saturday Jun 2013

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Mostly Malbec with a dose of Bonarda and Syrah, this little gem fits between the Malbec Reserve and Golden Reserve of which I am very fond of.  Deftly made with subtle oak, there is a serious tannic compound to this wine which will hold it together in the cellar for years to come.  Dark purple in the glass with very interesting blueberry notes and some mintiness on the nose.  On the palate is where the blueberry driven Malbec mixes it up with the red fruits of the Bonarda and Syrah.  I’m not sure where the tannins are derived from, but they just wont quit.  I was licking my lips forever after each sip, the mouth puckering was amazing, in a good way.  The acidity was bright and balanced in this wine.  It finished with a plumminess that was somewhat jamlike, which I enjoyed.  89 points in my book and a 5 star wine for the price.  This winery keeps on delivering the goods, a must have for the cellar to be enjoyed for the next 7 years.  Salut!

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Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon Valley Oaks 2010

08 Saturday Jun 2013

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Alas the evening was winding down, the good stuff was empty and this little Cabernet appears.  At first glimpse I was reticent.  After the first taste, not too shabby.  I have had this wine before, it is not on my list of re-buys.  However, it showed pretty well with some primal red fruits, a dose of oak and a trace of tannic backbone.  I was stunned, this wine was actually pretty good.  I am not sure if it was the level of ‘palate fatigue’ that I was being influenced by, but as an evening closer, it did the job.  I would say 84 points and for the low price of around $7-8 a 3 star wine that you need to have in reserve should the need arise!

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Agua de Piedra Gran Seleccion Malbec 2012

06 Thursday Jun 2013

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Perhaps a little young, the tannins overcame the fruit on this one.  A green note along with blackberries on the palate was somewhat offset by an imbalance in the acidity.  I was not a huge fan of this bottle, and don’t see it evolving much even with its strong tannic frame.  85 points and for under a tenner, perhaps 3 stars.  It might do for a BBQ with ribs slathered in sauce, or perhaps a grea-zee burger.

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Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard 2006

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

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An iconic name from Australia that crafts some monumental wines.  Normally this varietal is called Shiraz downunder, yet Clarendon makes it in an Old World style and reverted to the Syrah moniker.  Unlike typical Aussie Shiraz, this offering is refined, understated and showing great class.  Plum compote, chocolate and some earth transcend from the nose to the palate.  Layers of fruit emerge in this complex wine and the tannins are ever so subtle, yet omni-present.  Extremely balanced and smooth, this is finesse at its finest.  Pricey at about $100, this is no Thursday night pop-n-pour.  I served it up on a Sunday evening with London Broil and roasted potatoes.  It would pair well with Lamb chops as well as by itself.  I believe that the pro’s ranged from 92-98.  I would give it 93 personally and 4 stars (Price taken into account).  I have three more in the cellar and will watch for further development, anticipating a drinking window from now until 2020 at the least.

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Van Ruiten Old Vines Zinfandel 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Wow.  What a beautiful Zinfandel.  This wine was absolutely delicious.  Plums and blueberry galore, on the nose, the palate, the finish.  Not jammy, like many over-the-top Zins, but smooth, mellow and refined.  I can see a lot of care has been put into crafting this wine.  The winemaker has worked the old vine grapes into a powerful wine, yet hiding the massive 14.5% alcohol behind a balanced canvas of sweet tannins and bright acidity.  Very complex once you start to delve into it, the wine offered up some nuances that will no doubt further evolve when the wine is cellared.  I imagine it will develop over the next 6 years and drink beautifully until 2020 at the least.  For sure a 5 star wine and 91 points in my opinion.  If you can find a bottle of this, snag it…  Well worth the effort.

PS. This wine was a gift from a friend, I am duly grateful that he was able to share this spectacular bottle.

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Chateau Puynard 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Dense and lovely.  On the nose, red cherries and earth translate into currants and some hints of oak.  Slightly young, but not overly tannic, it is drinking well and will do so for another 4 years. A Bordeaux wine with a decent price tag that will give pleasure with stews, steaks and roast chicken.  For the price, 4 stars and 89 points.

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