Category Archives: Wine reviews

BV Tapestry Reserve ’07

04 Wednesday Apr 2012

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My second go at this wine and the initial impression is-wait. Too young, and a bit awkward. With a high 93 point rating from the big boys, I have yet to see it evolve beyond a highly alcoholic beast. Lurking are some brooding tannins, which hold this wine high as the more it matures, the better it’s gonna get. A Meritage ( blend of Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot), it mimics Bordeaux wine in composition using very ripe California fruit, hence the whopping 14.9% alcohol that hits the nose, the palate and the rest. I think with time, the tannins will subdue this wine and meld all the pieces together. Right now, lots of blueberry is coming on the initial and mid-palate. It will be interesting to see where the secondary flavors steer this wine. I am thinking it has a 5 star potential, but at this point- sit still. Cellar it until 2015 at the earliest and then see. Not too shabby and holding out for better years.

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Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon ’10

05 Monday Mar 2012

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I have to be fair to this wine and tell you it was up against some big guns.  We started the tasting with two of my favorites, a ’96 Napa Cab and an ’04 Reserva from Rioja.  We followed them with the Trivento Malbec that a friend brought, and ended up with this offering from Chile.

Once you have stained your palate with exceptional, aged wines costing up to 8 times the price, it is hard to be partial- here goes.

Fruit, BIG-BOLD-BLUE-FRUIT.  Blueberries and blackberries were in abundance.  On the nose, very sweet hints of Blueberry.  On the palate, decent fruit coupled with subdued tannins and a good finish.  The winemakers state red fruit as the predominant flavor, with subtle blue fruit.  I disagree, and could not find the vanilla they talk about.  Perhaps my taste buds were skewed by the previous bottles.  Anyway, this is a decent bottle for most people, just not my style with the way it shouts “Fruit Forward”.  I prefer slightly more subdued styles and have had many Chilean Cabs that fit the bill.  Some people may love this wine for what it is, especially in a relaxed surrounding, perhaps a BBQ, with some grilled meats.  For the price, it is a definite buy if you are in the hunt for something that will please a crowd and not break the bank.  3 stars and perhaps an 86 point rating in my books.  Besides, what an awesome label!

I Balzini ‘White Label’ ’06

05 Monday Mar 2012

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Mixed emotions on this one as I have opened three bottles on different occasions before coming to a conclusion.  It was rated very highly when I bought a case of this 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.  I would not normally drink such a blend, but with a nice write-up, what the heck.  Firstly, this blend does not work for me, secondly- my initial bottle was tremendously disappointing.  Thin is the descriptor that comes to mind.  This wine had nothing going for it.  Sangiovese is well known in Chiantis and is regarded as a light grape.  When mixed with the powerhouse Cabernet, neither grape got a chance to shine, merely masking the power of the Cab, and totally drowning out the Sangio.  With 6 years of age, there could have been some secondary flavors starting to develop, but I sensed none.  The nose lacked any formal fruit, and the tannins were a little screwy.  Over a period of three hours, it did develop some Strawberry hints on the mid-palate, thanks to the Sangiovese, but nothing really powerful.  Bottle two was a bit better as there was a definite delineation between the two grapes.  I could make out some of the nuances of each but still had a hard time with the winemakers choice of blend.  Bottle three was by far the best and was actually pretty good.  I detected telltale fruit on the nose, the midpalate seemed right and the tannins were present but unobtrusive.  Overall this wine is a major letdown and a big pass.  2 Stars, and only because the third bottle came through for me.  As for a formal rating, I cannot even dream of what it deserves, perhaps an 80-88 depending on which bottle you get stuck with.  Wish me luck on the remaining 9……i balzin white label

Louis Boillot Clos De La Chapelle ’08

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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From a 1er Cru Volnay , this Burgundy (made from 100% Pinot Noir) was not what I expected.  New World Pinot came to mind when I opened it up and took the first taste.  Strawberry on the nose and initial attack rather than the more typical cherry flavors that were quite nice, yet somehow disappointing.  For me, Burgundy has a certain place in the wine world, a definitive flavor that others try to emulate, but rarely succeed.  Most New World Pinot makers don’t even strive to copy Burgundy, it just can’t be done, so they make a different style.  So why does this bottle not follow tradition, and stray to the modern version of this seductive grape?

When speaking of tannins and structure, Pinot Noir, to me, is the most difficult grape to analyze.  I can never sense the tannic structure of Pinot, I have tried to no avail.  Cabernet Sauvingnon is easy, if my mouth puckers- tannin.  Burgundy makes ageworthy wine, and winemakers rely on balance and tannins to build up the backbone of these wines.  Gauging the cellaring potential of this bottle is nigh on impossible.  I cannot sense where it is going and how long it will take to get there.  As I mentioned, it has no typicity to the region, and I wonder if it is the vintage in question, or a new style that the winemaker is trying to achieve.  Being confused here, I cannot decide what more to say.  If you like Pinot, but are not really looking for Burgundian flavors, then give it a try.  If it is true Burgundy that you seek, stay away.  I am going to retaste it in a year and pass judgement, until then- 3 stars.

louis boilot volnay

Parusso Barolo ’05

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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I love Barolo, but not this one.  Confusion comes to mind when I try to review this wine.  To me, Barolo is a very unique wine made from Nebbiolo grapes that produce an amazing, powerful wine with a tannic structure sure to make an ageworthy wine.  Considered ‘the king of wines and the wine of kings’, it is never cheap, thin or meant to be drunk young.  With seven years of age, I was figuring this would be a tannic monster that was going to stain my teeth and give me a mouth full of the Nebbiolo I was looking forward to.  Not so.  The tannins were all over the place, I couldn’t quite place the structure, nor could I get any sort of flavor profile.  I have drunk old Barolos that have taken on the secondary flavors and lost their tannic grip, they taste like aged Burgundy – beautiful.  I have tasted young Barolos and enjoyed the tannins because the primary flavors of the grape are so intriguing.  This bottle offered neither.  Could it be that I hit it in it’s ‘mid-life’ crisis?  Stuck between the young monster and the old, graceful charmer?  Not sure, but I have had this bottle before and remember that it was too young, hence the need to try it again this year.  I will continue to cellar the remaining bottles and open one in a year or so to see the results.  Perhaps it just needs more time, but I am not holding my breath.  It just doesn’t seem balanced, lacking in either primary or secondary fruit and has a very uneven mid-palate.  I retasted it after several hours and albeit slightly better, there was nothing in it for me.  Very disappointing and only worthy of 1 star at this point.  I had to see what others are saying about this bottle, and the consensus from ordinary peeps like me on the web indicate my hunch is right.  I suggest decanting for several hours to try and coax something out of it.  PS It got a massive 92 point rating from the big boys and the regulars like me gave it between 87 and 90.  My estimate- 85.

parusso barolo 2005

Ravenswood Zinfandel Old Vines ’10

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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Not being a huge fan of Zinfandel, I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  Normally, Zins come in at a whoppingly high alcohol content and can be quite jammy.  Registering at 13.5%, this “Old-Vines” Zin was very smooth and delectable.  Caressing tannins and a good mouthfeel from such a young wine show promise.  The nose was elegant, the alcohol was not noticeable and the balance was just right.  I have tasted this wine twice in the last week and consider it a great effort, whether you like Zins or are impartial like me.  I would easily drink it alone, or with any type of meat dish.  Dark fruit and a touch of oak make it enticing and different. Seriously, a 5 star effort and possibly 89 points.  An easy choice when you need a flexible wine, and probably very easy to find.  Did I mention the price?  A terrific QPR (Quality Price Ratio) at under $15 per bottle….

ravenswood old vine zinravenswood old vine zinfandel 2010

J Vineyards Pinot Noir ’07

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Given to me at Christmas, I have been waiting for the right time to try this one out. Strawberry on the nose and initial attack give way to New World Pinot. I really enjoyed this wine for what it is, modern and fresh. This grape, and particularly this wine-making style have been made popular recently by a movie. I can’t argue that it is not well made, nor that it has appeal, yet it is no Burgundy. I cannot see any complexity, long-term potential or the justification for its average retail price of $32. Scored an average 88 points by the various peeps, I would give it 3 stars. It appears to have some backbone in the tannin structure that would give it another 5 years tops. The word ‘refreshing’ comes to mind, and this wine feels like it should be drunk on a warm day with some lighter fare. Don’t try it with a hefty slab of beef, perhaps some game hens or a Salmon steak.

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Wolf Blass Shiraz/Grenache

17 Friday Feb 2012

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The “Red Label” blend of of Shiraz and Grenache has no vintage, a 13.5% alcohol content, and nothing to differentiate it from the masses of ordinary Aussie plonk. On the nose, not much. On the palate, not much. Wait a minute, there is something…. Jammy Shirazy funk. I am really not sure why they bother, except there is a huge market down under for cheap Barbie wine. I’ve had their other lines, the yellow and black labels. This does not merit buying unless you are half-pissed already.
I was hoping for a little bit of interest here, considering the addition of Grenache, but alas, it is no Rhone Ranger. It is smooth though, with no tannins to get in your way, no complexity to make you pause, and an aftertaste that nags at you. Harsh? Perhaps, but life is far too short for cheap and nasty. Spend a little, live a little, and avoid this mass-produced garbage that gives Australian Shiraz a bad name. 1 star, and if I were a pro- 80 points, just because the label looks nice.

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Burgess ’96

17 Friday Feb 2012

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I once bought 6 bottles of this Napa Cabernet and was so blown away, I couldn’t wait to get more.  Alas, they were all out.  So, I moved on with my life and ended up buying several different vintages, pining for just one more bottle of this nectar.  Well, as luck would have it, I came across a deal and snapped up two cases.  Being the generous kinda guy I am,  one went to my neighbor, one to a friend, and we opened a few this past week.  Showing a slight ‘bricking’ in the glass tells me this wine is nearing it’s “sell-by” date.  The nose is amazing; tobacco, dark fruit and cassis.  Tasted blind, you would swear it was a Bordeaux.  With over 16 years on it, she’s still holding on, barely.  The secondary flavors are in full force, the tannins, receding.  The balance I remembered from previous bottles was slightly amiss.  Not sure what was happening there.  Instant gratification is all I can say when I open one of these.  A remarkable wine that I will say was one of the first Napa Cabs that really did it for me.  Must run, the other bottles are waiting for a decant- which I did not do for the first bottle.  Almost forgot- 5 Stars!  Perhaps a 93 pointer if you are into that kinda thing.

burgess cellars 1996

gritty wine

The need to decant

Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier “Y” series ’10

10 Friday Feb 2012

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If you read my previous post about this brand, and the 2008 wine, you will know that I liked it.  For a further comparison, I bought the ”Y’ series model, from the 2010 vintage to compare.  Priced a few dollars cheaper, it is obviously slightly lower on the pecking order for this producer.  Don’t get me wrong, it is still good, just different.  More jammy, typical of Aussie Shiraz, the Viognier doesn’t seem to come through on this bottle.  The nose is telltale Australia, not quite as pronounced as the other wine.  The tannins on this one are more evident, probably due to age.  I can taste a slight acidity, which should disappear in a year or two as the tannins meld.  There is a surprising length as well, which I like and is a sign of a well made bottle.  I’m not sure what the percentage of each varietal is, but looking at the 14% alcohol, the lack of softness from the Viognier, I would imagine a 90-10 split.  Whilst I give this one 3 stars and probably an 85 rating, I would suggest it would be a great addition to any party or BBQ with some big, earthy meat.  Very good value from a consistent producer, thumbs up you lot!

yalumba shiraz/viognier 2010 y series