Category Archives: Wine reviews

Vermouth taste test

14 Monday Feb 2022

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Moxie (and I) enjoy a Manhattan every so often so when I made a batch for the Super Bowl I realized I needed more ingredients.  I have experimented in the past with different Vermouths ranging from the cheap-and-cheerful Martini & Rossi to the $45 per bottle Carpano Antica.  They were all out of our usual- the Dolin so I settled for a split of Carpano Classico at $12 for the 375ml.  Drinking Vermouth straight up is not something to be done daily but in my quest to build a better palate I am willing to take one for the team.  Here goes-

Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry

Right off the bat this pale amber (wine?) has aromas of juniper.  Secondarily I get bitter orange, a medicinal hint and some cooked cherry cake with baking spices.  On the palate this 16% ABV wine is off-dry with bitter orange, baking spices, medicinal notes and a dusty tree bark hint that I have never come across before.  Medium (-) acidity, medium body and a decently long finish make for a very pleasant surprise- I really like this all by itself!  It’s not a daily drinker, but a small glass every so often with some tapas would not go amiss.  It’s our go-to mixer for now.

Carpano Classico

Slightly darker and more amber in the glass this one runs the same 16% ABV.  The nose is a bit more rustic with some earth and burnt sugar (from oak?). It’s more on the Bitters side of things along with grilled orange peel, a touch of some medicinal notes and a bit of stewed cherry.  The palate is far more bitter than the Dolin, not really astringent but very much like dried orange pith.  It’s not a sipper…nope.  It feels more acidic and has a sharp mid palate of bitter orange that carries to the shortish finish.  Medium bodied it shows off the alcohol ever so slightly.  Not my favorite, but we will see how it fares as a Manhattan component.

Our Classic Manhattan recipe

  • 2 parts Canadian Whisky (I opt for the Kirkland Signature, at $20 for 1.75 ltr it’s damn good)
  • 1 part Sweet Vermouth (Usually the Dolin, at $17 a bottle it’s middle of the road on price)
  • dash of Angostura bitters (Not too much as the Vermouth is inherently bitter)
  • dash of Luxardo cherry juice (It HAS to be Luxardo, anything else is crap)
  • Shake well with ice and serve garnished with a Luxardo cherry or two

 

Two Hands Wines Lily’s Garden Shiraz 2017, McLaren Vale, Australia

12 Saturday Feb 2022

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I’m grilling Picanha steaks tonight and needed a rich red wine, Aussie Shiraz fits the bill.  This one is deep ruby, nearly dark purple.  Very brooding and mysterious.  The nose has got gobs of ripe blackberry, blackcurrant cassis, oak, purple licorice, and black plum.  The aromas are so pronounced I have to take a breather- super concentrated.  The palate is dry with an immediate back palate astringency that I don’t think I like.  I’m going to walk away and let it breathe.

It’s still there unfortunately.  Anyways- I get black fruit compote, rich cassis and oak cloaked in medium level tannins and medium (+) acidity.  I find the wine a touch thin on the mid palate making it medium bodied- not what I was hoping for tonight.  The finish, once I get past the astringent portion is actually quite nice and makes up for the thin mid.  Juicy, a touch dry from the lingering tannins and laced with licorice and black fruit.  Overall this wine disappoints me as I have had stunning bottles from this producer, perhaps this one is off.  At $50 this wine is a 2 star effort as I am going with 87 points- far below the pros who tagged it with 91,92 and even 96 points.  Must be a bad bottle.  Shame.  Salut….

Cockburn’s Special Reserve Port NV, Portugal

11 Friday Feb 2022

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The third Port in a trio I recently purchased this one is a Special Reserve.  It’s way more opaque than the Ruby I tasted previously.  The nose has nuts, lots of them, plus rich blueberry compote, blackberry jam, prunes, stewed cherry and raspberry.  A virtual melange of red, black and blue fruit.  The nuts are fascinating- walnuts, pecan and filberts.  The palate is mouth-coating with delicious, rich fruit and lithe tannins.  Medium (-) acidity allows this wine’s fruit to shine whilst the tannins sneak out to the finish.  Stewed blackberry, blueberry and cherry are the primary fruit flavors.  Walnut and pecan with a faint trace of smoke round it out.  The tannins are very fine-grained and stick around for a while.  This is delicious stuff, no doubt.  I got it for $16, and it gets 91 points from me upending the Fine Ruby as my new go-to Port to stock up on.  5 stars for sure.  Salut…..

Cockburn’s Fine Ruby Port NV, Portugal

11 Friday Feb 2022

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In my continued Port education I bough this Ruby to further get to grips with the various styles.  It is deep ruby colored- who would have thought.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of blackberry jam, raisins, blueberry pie, a touch of heat, prunes and a walnut-like note.  The palate is off-dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins.  The body is medium (+) but I don’t get a hint of the heat I caught on the nose- good thing.  The fruit is very fresh if you can call prunes and raisins fresh-tasting!  Anyways, the palate offers up the jammy and cooked flavors I got on the nose minus the walnuts.  The wine leaves a coating of lithe tannins on my gums at the finish which is medium length.  An interesting sensation to say the least.  It is making me purse my lips, wanting more of this elixir.  I like it and at $12 it is very easy to stock up on.  89 points from me makes this my new favorite 5-star Port.  Drink fresh.  Salut….

Morande Adventure ‘Vigno’ 2017, Maule Valley, Chile

10 Thursday Feb 2022

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Primarily Carignan this Chilean red also has 8% Syrah and a splash of Chardonnay- yes, you read that right.  Whilst not very common, adding a white grape with red has been practiced for centuries, especially in the Northern Rhone Valley.  This one is a medium shade of ruby with pretty thick legs.  On the nose I get waves of red cherry, black cherry, sweet oak, floral notes, vanilla, baking spice, blackberry and some bramble.  Quite complex I must say.  The palate is dry with nicely integrated tannins that are present but not overpowering.  Medium acidity, medium body and a decently long finish wrap up the rather pronounced flavors of red and sour cherries, violets, blackberry, vanilla and baking spice.  I don’t get as much oak nuance on the palate as I got on the nose.  The finish is quite tart and juicy with the tannins starting to grip a bit more.  This reminds me of a youngish Sangiovese- lots of sour cherry, good acidity and back-end tartness.  I like this wine and would serve it with pasta and steaks.  It’s a decent wine for $23, like 91 points worthy which makes it a 5 star effort to drink till 2027.  Salut….

Beaulieu Vineyard Muscat de Beaulieu NV, California

10 Thursday Feb 2022

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Medium gold in color this dessert wine has medium intensity aromas of honey, stewed apricot, cooked red apple and orange peel- not overly complex.  The palate is very slippery.  Medium (-) acidity, full body, medium intensity flavors of honey, orange pith, stewed apricot, and that orange peel.  I didn’t get the apple note btw.  It’s got weight  and a nice mouthfeel but the depth of fruit flavor is lacking.  I like it for a basic after-dinner treat on a weekday that runs $20 per half bottle that gets 86 points from me and 2 stars.  18% ABV btw.  Salut….

Dr. Konstantin Frank Hilda Chardonnay 2020, Finger Lakes, New York

09 Wednesday Feb 2022

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This Finger Lakes Chardonnay is a very pale shade of lemon in the glass.  The nose is an explosion of aromas- lemon, grapefruit, tangerine spritz, candle wax, honeysuckle and orange blossom.  It is very clean and precise.  The palate is dry with bracing acidity and tons of citrus and floral notes.  The focus is on lemon and tangerine but I also get a hint of green apple and quince.  The cutting acidity is very refreshing so is the lack of any Malolactic fermentation.  This Chardonnay is made in a much leaner style than some of the flabby, buttery ones from out West.  Medium to full bodied, it has great structure and balance that leads to a medium length finish.  I drank it at the winery and reviewed it very casually- giving it 91 points which is the same figure here.  $35 makes it a 4 star wine that I will be pairing Salmon with.  Drink over the next few years with seafood or white meat.  You can read my write-up at https://caspernick.com/2022/01/15/dr-konstantin-frank-winery-tasting/ Salut….

Hidden Bench Estate Pinot Noir 2019, Beamsville Bench, Canada

08 Tuesday Feb 2022

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I was in Quebec a few months ago and picked up a few Canadian Pinots.  This one is pale ruby in the glass with a watery sheen showing off its relatively low 13% ABV.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of strawberry, red cherry, cinnamon, earthy bramble, pomegranate and a hint of cedar.  The palate is crisp and tart.  Fine grained tannins lead the way to a sour cherry mid palate where I am enjoying a melange of red fruit.  The back end is juicy with really good acidity and a hint of oak influence.  Sour red cherry is the key here, as it should be with this varietal.  The wine is light to medium bodied and has a crunchy mouthfeel- it’s a fresh, young wine for sure.  The finish is medium in length and very tasty if not a touch sharp.  I like it.  Pairing ideas for this 91 pointer would be roast chicken, Eggplant Parm or a cheese plate.  I think it is open for business and will remain so till 2025.  At $30 USD it’s a 5 star wine that might be a bit difficult to source here in the USA, but look for it up North eh.  Salut….

Bodegas Urbina Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja DOCa, Spain

07 Monday Feb 2022

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Unsurprisingly this 17 year old wine is showing signs of age in the glass- pale garnet in color it is 50% opaque.  The nose is a melange of primary, secondary and tertiary aromas starting with ripe blackberry, plum, black currant and moving on to earthy bramble, loads of cedar, tobacco, leather and game.  I dig it.  The palate is very, very smooth.  Slightly tart, it is dry and has very fine grained tannins that are nearly integrated into the wine.  I get the same flavors as I did aromas plus a tart cherry note.  Medium to full body, medium finish and really balanced.  Delicious stuff that I am pairing with Hangar steak and baked potato.  93 points from me for this $50 Tempranillo makes it a 5 star wine that will drink beautifully till 2026.  Salut….

R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva 2009, Rioja DOCa, Spain

06 Sunday Feb 2022

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Our last wine for the 24th Virtual Wine Tasting was this Tempranillo Reserva.  At 12 years of age it was starting to show some garnet hues in the glass with a touch of bricking.  The nose was very earthy and jammy with stewed fruit and other aromas of age- musty root cellar, dust, game, leather and cigar box.  The vestiges of primary notes were ripe plum and dill.  The palate was not as exciting to me as the nose although I did note the wine was dry with well integrated tannins, medium acidity and had flavors of stewed plum, tart cherry, vanilla, citrus (from the oak), and cedar.  Full bodied, this wine had a long finish and is drinking at peak now.  For $30 this is a good intro to aged Spanish wines, but don’t delay!  I gave it 91 points and 5 stars.  It’s quite complex and needs to be drunk by itself to enjoy the nuances that older wines can present.  Nice stuff.  Salut….