24 Thursday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
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
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
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
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
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
Posted in Wine reviews
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).
19 Saturday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
A St. Emilion from the great 2009 vintage that is Merlot based. Unfortunately I forgot to make notes and can only recall liking this wine a great deal. Not overly tannic, drinking nicely now with several years ahead. This is the kind of wine I really enjoy finding. It offers classic Bordeaux qualities, at a very affordable price and can be consumed without the customary cellaring. I would drink this wine with a host of dishes, including meats and pasta. A 4 star effort with potentially 88 points going for it.
13 Sunday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
For the second time in two nights, South African wines have scored highly and snuck in with high alcohol. This offering, at under $10 is a winner. Blackcurrant and plums on the nose transition to a full palate of blueberry pie. Very slight tannins are present and the wine is making my mouth water. Not overly complex, designed for short-term drinking, this is a delightful wine. I am drinking it with a cheese lasagna, but it would tackle a steak with ease. A solid 89 pointer that gets 5 stars for its price/quality. This wine will please at parties, casual dinners and just an evening glass of vino.
Ps. At 14.5% alcohol that slid right past me, you may want to drink responsibly…..
11 Friday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
A strange varietal only really grown in South Africa, it is growing on me. This wine is dark purple with a brooding thick nose of cherry, kirsch and tobacco. On the palate, very tannic right now, but not obnoxious. I get black berry and some vanilla that is integrating well with the oak. It’s funny how this wine hides its 14% alcohol so nicely (see previous post) yet is in balance and provides good acidity. A well made wine that I am about to enjoy with Roast Pork Tenderloins. 91 points, and 5 stars in my book. If you are looking to expand your wine knowledge, search out this produced and varietal.
11 Friday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Not sure about this one…. I had to do some research to get a better feel.
Initial impression was a simultaneous sighting of the 14% alcohol on the label and a “woohoo, this has got some kick.” I don’t like that in a wine. If a high alcohol content sneaks by, fair game. When it’s in my face, shame on the winemaker.
So, black currants and alcohol mix it up with some young tannins. The Mencia grape is either from newly planted stock giving a thin light wine, or in this case, old vines that produce darker more complex wines with aging potential. These gnarly 80 year old vines produced a dark purple offering that is just not my style. I love complexity, tannins and older wines but this one is disjointed. I have to disagree with the pro’s and give it 86 points. For the price, it comes down to 2 stars. I’m sure you may find it interesting and worthy, but not for md at this price.
09 Wednesday Jan 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Right up my grill with plums, lots of em mashed up with blueberry. It’s almost like a plum salad on the palate, really delicious in its own way. Good acidity detracts from a tannic frame that I sense exists to give this wine some aging potential. I am liking this wine for different reasons, it’s interesting, has depth and it’s making my mouth water…. 4 stars, 90 points easily.
Wine reviews 