26 Saturday Jan 2013
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Not much going on with this wine. A muted offering that just had me guessing where it was going. I got some berry and earth, but only slight. Tannins were very subdued so drink up. A complete blur and a pass if I was to spend close to $20 again. 1 star and 85 points.
26 Saturday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
A very basic red wine from California that won’t break the bank or impress the ladies. Kirsch and bright cherry are about it from this sub $10 offering. Not much complexity or backbone, just an easy drinker that I would not personally buy. 2 stars and 84 points.
25 Friday Jan 2013
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Whoa there Mr. Fruity-up-my-nose-guy… I am not a fan of this wine. Absolutely in my grill with the blueberry jam and across my palate with a rather sweet compote of blue and red berries with no finesse whatsoever. I did not detect much tannin nor any structure to this wine. If you like easy to drink wines, get some. If you are slightly more serious, give this a major pass. 1 star and 80 points. I can’t believe I paid $12 for it.
25 Friday Jan 2013
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A Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois from St. Estephe, this 2006 came across as ferociously tannic when first opened. I was amazed at the levels since this wine has been sitting for 6 years. True to form, it exhibited raw power with cassis, tobacco and dark fruits on the nose and palate. Getting past the tannins, this wine was really delicious, if not everyone’s cup of tea. My drinking partner and I decided it needed a good decanting and aeration, so we left it for a while. It is absolutely amazing how much this wine mellowed out in a short period of time. The tannins melded and gave way to more perfume and a touch of oak. The fruit that was already displayed became more rounded and the wine was rapidly changing its stripes. I have never witnessed such a rapid transformation in a bottle of wine like this. I doubt it would even be a shadow of itself if left for a day. Be careful with this wine… If you like searing tannins, pop-n-pour. It would be an awesome companion to a Ribeye or other really fatty cut of beef. Do not drink it by itself, it is not designed for that. Overall, I would carve out a space for it in my cellar and give it 4 stars, but only 85 points for its volatility. (I paid about $21 for it).
25 Friday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
A perennial winner, this wine is consistent for quality and value. Nothing special, just plain old reliable with decent fruit, easy to drink and no harshness. Very light on the tannins, the point of this wine is to enjoy the blueberry and plum flavors without the complexity. It is a pop and pour wine suitable for an evening drink, large party or quick pasta meal. Very widely distributed and easy to find for under $10, every house should have an emergency stash of this stuff in case a block party breaks out. 5 stars for its consistent quality to price and a respectable 86 points (WS gave it 89!).
24 Thursday Jan 2013
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An extremely ripe infant that blew my nostrils out and then attacked my grill with full on blueberry and spice. I can’t even imagine where this wine is going in the next 5 years. Good structure with acidity and tannins out the wazoo. 90 plus points and potentially a 5 star wine if it all comes together.
24 Thursday Jan 2013
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A muted nose (too young??) gives way to a medley of ripe young berries on the palate. Spice and cherry come through as well. The tannins are fine grained and sharp, albeit young. I feel this wine will open up in three years and mellow out to be a beauty. Right now, a babe, stick it in the cellar. 89 points and 3 stars.
24 Thursday Jan 2013
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Full on fruit up my snozzzz. Stewed plums and oakiness on the palate with a definite vanilla hit. I do not like this style of wine. It exhibits good tannic structure and a sharp acidity yet I feel it is just makeup. Something is out of balance for me. 86 points and moving on….2 stars.
24 Thursday Jan 2013
Posted in Stuff...., Wine reviews
I have had this wine before, from the 2008 vintage. More fruity, the 2010 starts out as dark purple in the glass. A strong whiff of really blue berries leads to a full-on attack of the fruit when I took the first sip. This wine was delicious, almost too much so. The texture was strangely ‘thicker’. I can’t describe it very well, but this wine was almost (syrupy?). Not as tannic as the 2008 vintage, it still offers a balance and smoothness that are really good. I recall some pluminess and tobacco on the palate in addition to a long finish. A very nice wine, perhaps more suited for drinking than pairing with food. I see this as a 4 star wine that would get 88 points. In a pinch, this wine will please most people that is affordable and widely distributed.
24 Thursday Jan 2013
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New World nose of mushrooms and red fruit. Sharply acidic on the palate, it is also offers some raspberry and plum. Not obvious, there are some fine tannins in the background. This 2008 vintage is at peak now and offers a certain quality that is hard to pinpoint. My guess is that it started life as a 90 pointer and I would value it as a 3 star wine (for my palate versus its price).
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