Category Archives: Wine reviews

Two Hands ‘Bella’s Garden’ Shiraz 2010

18 Sunday Aug 2013

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BOOOOOM, there it goes.  What an amazing bottle of purity, essence and flavor.  Black/inky purple in the glass, I knew this was going to be good.  An incredible nose of dark fruit and vanilla made me want to just sit and sniff, for hours.  On the initial attack there is a wave of flavors, complexity at the maximum.  Blueberry, blackberry, cloves and cassis all swirled around at different times.  Multi-dimensional and layered with mouth coating tannins the likes of which I have not tasted ever before.  Extremely smooth and inviting, this wine has perhaps one of the finest mouthfeels of any wine I have tasted.  Balanced to within an inch of its life, this Barossa Shiraz has everything, for everyone.  It will drink beautifully right now, yet has the aging capacity to cellar for another 15 years, evolving no doubt.  It already displays smoothness, drinkability and a huge amount of complexity without heat, rough tannins or overt acidity.  Unlike many Aussie ‘fruit bomb’ Shiraz’s, this one doesn’t overwhelm with the fruit, but relies on subtleness to deliver the K/O.  For about $55 this is a 5 star wine only because I can’t give 6.  Technically speaking, I would go with 96 points or even higher.

As a side note, I drank this with grilled squid salad followed by Lamb Chops and asparagus, all fired on the grill and the combination was magic.

If you are looking for a ‘reasonable’ awesome wine for a special occasion, look no further.  This one will seduce the unwitting, impress the snobbish and provide you with an ethereal experience.  Salut….

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Finca La Solana de Luzon 2011

16 Friday Aug 2013

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This is what United Airlines is serving up on domestic First Class, but that’s not saying much….  Anyway, I mistook it for a Syrah.  I’m not sure what I was thinking, but I could taste telltale Syrah notes and a deft use of oak.  Bluish in the fruit department, it had a mid palate hollowness that bothered me at first but I got used to it.  The acid and tannins are ok, but not in balance (Much more tannic than acidic).  I then took a look at the bottle to reveal the true varietal.  Monastrell, or Mouvedre as it is known, is grown widely in the south of France and used mainly as a blend (think GSM).  Anyway, I looked up pricing and found it to be very reasonable.  Would I recommend it for a party, sure….  Would I serve it?  Not a chance.  It’s just not very good technically and I would give it 84 points tops and therefore a 2 star rating.  Cheap it might be, but not up to spec for me.   Salut….

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Chilcas Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

12 Monday Aug 2013

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Brought by a fellow wino, this was a full liter of delicious Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.  What it lacked in depth, it made up for in charm.  Purple ink in the glass, it showed off primal hints of blueberry and mint on the nose.  Very easy to drink, it gave pleasure with the blue fruitiness mixed up with some spices (eucalyptus??).  A very subtle tannin structure was enjoyable as was the acidity.  A bargain wine that plays like a middle weight!  Some slight oak was evident, but unobtrusive.  Bang for the buck this is a 5 star wine, and technically speaking 88 points.  I’m thinking you need a few laying around in case a block party erupts.  This wine will please anyone, with or without food.  Salut….

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Clos du Bois Chardonnay Calcaire 2010

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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A friendly bartender gave me a sample of this stunner.  Straight up one of the best Chardonnays I have had in a long time.  Classic California Chard, but not over the top.  Buttery, without being flabby.  Citrusy, without being sour.  Oaked, deftly.  This is multi-dimensional and offers apricot and pineapple to go with the green apples.  Crisp acidity, but not too sharp left me feeling refreshed, not flabby.  I reckon this may need to be bought by the case and will be the champion at the next Salmon dinner I serve, or the next Chicken I grill, or I might just drink it for the hell of it….  5 stars, 91 points (no brainer!).  Salut….

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Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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A younger, more primal version of the Carpe Diem 2009 I tasted several months ago.  Much more Blueberry and less plums than the older brother.  Strong aromas of the berry and a hint of oak came through for me.  On the initial attack, the fruit was somewhat sidelined by the young tannins.  Almost mouth-puckering, these will have to meld over the next two years for this wine to really shine.  It is too young to really appreciate, yet I believe it will fill out, mellow out and really soar to a potential 91 point finish.  I bought this bottle for $25, and think it would be a 4 star wine after being cellared for 2+ years.  It should last well into 2020.

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Clos Du Marquis 2005

05 Monday Aug 2013

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The second wine of a Second Growth from an amazing vintage in Bordeaux.  I usually cellar Claret for 10 years, and 5 for their little brother ‘Second’ wines.   The wine may be a second, but it fires up like a baller.  This thing is way too young, tannic and in the dumb phase of its maturation.  I could have decanted, aerated and maybe even stuck it in the blender- but I doubt it was ready to play.  Drinking window starts in 2015 at the earliest, and should last another 10 years after that.

What I did get, besides the gripping tannins was dark, brooding blackberry and cassis.  Tobacco and leather were very faint, being secondary flavors and all.  A long finish, helped by the puckering tannins tell me this is going to be awesome when it comes around.  It’s a shame I wasted such a bottle, but we drank it with Jerk Lamb and thick Ribeye steaks.  The components of the food were very much complemented by the structure of the wine.  In the future, when the real drinking window opens up, I am going to pair the next bottle with filet or some other less fatty cut.  Can’t wait…91+points and perhaps  4 stars if it comes out of the shell.  Salut…

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Viña Cobos ‘Bramare’ Malbec 2007

03 Saturday Aug 2013

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I’m not sure why my buddy opened this $70+ wine at the end of the evening, it should have been opened at 6 pm and decanted for an hour.  It was inky purple in the glass, with dark, piercing fruit on the nose.  Relatively young, it had a good structured tannic frame that hovered around the blackberries and licorice.  Very smooth and balanced, it drank easily, yet offered some complexity.  Unfortunately, at this price point, I am expecting much more in the layers and secondary flavors.  Technically speaking, a 91 pointer, but only 2 stars in my opinion.

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d’Arenberg Shiraz ‘The Dead Arm’ 2008

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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If you are in a wine store, unsure of what to buy for a spur-of-the-moment host bottle then d’Arenberg is your go-to wine.  The winery makes a bunch of different wines but most have the red/yellow stripe on the label which makes them easy to identify.  Quality and consistency come to mind with this brand.

Dark purple in the glass, it comes off the blocks with blueberry, plum and a hint of oak.  On the initial palate, I was getting licorice and eucalyptus in addition to the fruitiness.  Great acidity kept the wine on track and the tannic structure is built to last.  On the back end, vanilla comes to mind as does blackberry pie.  Drinking well now, it will cellar for another 10-15 years easily.  We drank this with Tenderloins and salad, I cannot think of a better combination.  Pricey at $35+, it scores well at 92 in my books and has to be a 4 star effort.  Treat yourself to some really good Shiraz this summer and try a d’Arenberg.  Salut……

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Argyle Pinot Noir 2011

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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I have had this wine in previous vintages and bought it on reputation…. Mistake.

I was bewildered by it’s pale red color, it appeared watered down.  On the nose, strawberries and cherry got me excited, only to be let down by the thinness of this wine.  It really was not what I had hoped for.  It provided some enjoyment as we fired up the grill on a hot and humid evening, but I could not imagine it standing up to the grilled meats we were about to devour.  Luckily we had a Shiraz waiting in the wings….  83 points and 1 star.

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Château Moulin de Barrail 2009

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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I’m telling you, 2009 Bordeaux was an awesome year. I don’t hesitate picking up any bottle from the region if it was made in this stunning vintage.

An entry-level Cru that was about $13, this wine had all the makings of decent Claret.  Dark purple in the glass, it showed off Plums and earth on the nose.  The initial attack was fruit driven, with purple fruits and some oak integrating.  The earthy component reappeared and there was also a hint of cassis.  Decent tannins and good acidity wrapped the whole package up nicely.  We drank it alongside the Yalumba Shiraz and they just seemed to complement each other.  The cellar potential for this is about 3-5 years, but it is drinking well now.  Not too complex, it would be great with some pasta or Shish Kebabs.  88 points and 4 stars.

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