Eccentric Malbec Bourbon Barrel 2022, Mendoza, Argentina

07 Thursday Nov 2024

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Deep purple colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe black plum, black cherry, cassis, vanilla, acai berry and cedar plank.  The palate is dry with medium (-) acidity, medium body, and medium tannins that caress.  Flavor intensity is medium and has the plum, cherry, vanilla and acai I got on the nose.  It’s more oak driven than the nose with smoke and coffee also present.  The finish is surprisingly long and mouthwatering.  The acidity must have just caught up to the party!  It’s a soft wine, like I would expect from this varietal but the Bourbon barrel aging gives it a bit of oak drive and the vanilla is on point.  I don’t like over-oaked wines, this one is en pointe.  I’m really enjoying this 91 point that ran me $11- for sure a 5 star effort to enjoy in the near term.  Salut….

Eccentric Malbec Bourbon Barrel

Fanal Madeira Rainwater Old Reserve 10 year NV, Madeira, Portugal

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

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Pale amber with purple and copper hues and high viscosity (18% ABV).  The nose has intense aromas of walnuts, caramel, raisins, prune, desiccated lemon peel, dried flowers and railroad tie shavings.  The palate is medium sweet with a full body and medium (+) acidity.  An intriguing set of flavors layer themselves on the tip of my tongue- a melange of dried nuts, dessicated fruit, dried lemon pith and that unique shaved railroad tie note.  The finish is long but the wine is a touch thinner than other styles of Madeira so it runs lean and slightly tart from the acidity.  Unique stuff with history as to how it is made and why this style evolved.  My boss brought it from Madeira.   Price-wise I believe it was in the $30 range.  Getting 91 points from me makes it a 5 star effort to search out if you want to try something different.  Drink for the next 50 years!  Salut.

Fanal Madeira Rainwater

RARECAT Old Toll Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Napa Valley, California

06 Wednesday Nov 2024

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Deep ruby colored with moderate staining, high viscosity (14.7% ABV) and slightly hazy indicating the lack of fining/filtration?  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of ripe black cherry, bramble berry, anise, dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla, cassis, mint, dust, leather and cigar box.  Very layered and showing primary, secondary and tertiary development.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that are chalky and fine grained.  Rich dark cherry, bramble berry, cassis, anise, chocolate, coffee leather and cigar box notes.  The tannins melt nicely and leave me with a long finish that resonates rich, ripe fruit and  lovely oak integration.  Really yummy stuff that gets 94 points from me.  At $155 ex-chateau it’s a treat wine that gets 5 stars from me.  This beauty has tons of cellaring capacity left but is drinking nicely now.  I would pair it with Filet Mignon with Peppercorn sauce or Prime Rib.  Drink till 2035.  Salut….

RARECAT Old Toll Cabernet Sauvignon

Catena Zapata ‘Catena Appellation San Carlos’ Cabernet Franc 2021, Mendoza, Argentina

04 Monday Nov 2024

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Medium to deep ruby colored with slight staining and high viscosity (13.5% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of red plum, ripe raspberry, vanilla, baking spice, capsicum, acai berry, cracked black pepper and mint.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium tannins atop a medium to full body.  The flavors are medium in intensity and mirror the nose.  It’s quite a silky wine with the tannin/acid balance and nice ripe fruit that is enveloped in deft oak.  The finish is medium in length and very smooth.  I like it and for $22 it gets 5 stars for its 91 point rating.  I would drink till 2027 with lighter meat dishes, nothing too fatty.  Salut….

Catena Zapata San Carlos Cabernet Franc

Raats ‘Red Jasper’ 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa

03 Sunday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with moderate staining and a high viscosity (14% ABV).  The nose has medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, capsicum, black cherry, acai berry, vanilla, coffee, baking spice, charred oak, peppermint and dusty dried wheat (I know).  The palate is dry with medium acidity, a full body and medium (+) tannins that hit on the tip of my tongue.  Medium (+) intensity flavors of black plum, black cherry, espresso, Lapsang Souchong tea, vanilla, baking spice and charred oak.  The back end is very powerful with tea, black coffee, and charred oak being prominent.  The finish is quite dry with the tannins holding their own all the way through to a medium length ending.  It’s a different profile but very delicious if paired with food.  It’s Sunday roast so the meat and gravy will sort this delicious wine out nicely.  91 points from me for this $20 effort makes it a 5 star wine to drink till 2030.  Mainly Cabernet Franc (53%) it also has Malbec, Cab Sav, Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot- the Classic Bordeaux blend.  Salut….

Raats Red Jasper

Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Reserva Malbec 2021, Rapel Valley, Chile

01 Friday Nov 2024

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Medium ruby colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium intensity aromas of black plum, bramble berry, a medicinal note, baked pie, vanilla, a touch of green herb, and cracked pepper.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a full body, and medium tannins.  The fruit takes a turn towards tart, which is accentuated by the acidity making for some mouth puckering.  The tannins grip a bit more on the mid palate.  Flavors include dark fruit, charred oak, vanilla, baking spice, and green herbs.  The finish is a bit tart and medium in length, the acidity really grabbing hold- it’s almost to the point of imbalance.  Under $9, this bottle gets 86 points from me and 3 stars.  It’s getting paired with burgers, I’m guessing it will all work out just fine.  Drink now, Salut….

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Malbec

Blaauwklippen Red Blend 2019, Stellenbosch, South Africa

30 Wednesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with slight staining and a medium viscosity.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of rooibos tea, black and red plums, black cherry, charcoal, bell pepper, mint, cola and currants.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium body and medium tannins. The acidity really picks up on the mid palate but keeps the wine very light and fresh.  Flavors of currant, black plum, red plum, singed alder, mint and cola.  The herbaceous note I smelled is non-existent on the palate.  The tannins and acidity are nicely balanced and the wine is lip-smacking.  I paid $19 for this blend of 90% Cab Sav, 10% Cab Franc that get 89 points from me and 4 stars.  I’m pairing it with grilled Andouille and Chorizo sausages with some gratin potatoes.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Blaauwklippen Red Blend

Trivento Reserve Malbec 2022, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

28 Monday Oct 2024

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Deep purple colored with medium viscosity (13% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of crushed red raspberry (ripe), super ripe strawberry compote, candied red cherry, baking spice, vanilla thread and red licorice- it’s really not my favorite set of descriptors btw.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and medium (+) tannins sitting on a medium body.  The tannins are a touch unripe and the flavors are somewhat more tart than I was expecting.  Red fruit, but not the macerated, stewed or ripe ones I smelled plus some rooibos tea.  It’s a bit unripe and disjointed tbh, not something I was expecting from this winery.  The finish is tart and a bit astringent.  This is not what I was hoping for by a long shot- 85 points instead of the 90 that JS gave it.  I paid under $10 for it and will go with 3 stars.  Drink soon as I doubt there is much cellaring capacity.  Salut….

Trivento Reserve Malbec

Osborne Manzanilla Sherry NV, Andalucia, Spain

24 Thursday Oct 2024

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Pale gold in color with high viscosity (15% ABV).  The nose of this fortified wine has medium (+) intensity aromas of green almond, sea spray, bread dough, cottage cheese, unripe Meyer lemon zest, and green apple.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and a medium body.  The layers of flavor start with that cheesy, dough note and transition to nuts and citrus with the ever present saline twist.  It’s very unique and tasty, finishing medium in length.  I paid $16 for it but there are lower prices.  It’s worthy of 88 points and will get 4 stars from me.  A delicious aperitif to serve with tapas or nuts/charcuterie.  Drink on release.  Salut….

Osborne Manzanilla Sherry

 

Bodegas Santa Ana Homage Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, Maipu, Argentina

22 Tuesday Oct 2024

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Medium ruby colored with light viscosity (12% ABV).  The nose has medium (-) intensity aromas of candied plum, black cherry, menthol, blackberry and purple licorice.  It’s rather one-dimensional.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (-) body and medium (-) tannins.  Slightly tart black cherry and blackberry greet me with some interesting menthol and licorice notes.  Once again, not overly complex, but for $8 a pop I was not expecting much more.  The finish is rather short and succinct.  For an everyday drinker this is quite quaffable and gets 86 points from me- which makes it a 4 star effort in my book that needs to be popped and poured rather than cellared.  I’m gonna use some in a red wine reduction, let’s see how that works out.  Salut….

Bodegas Santa Ana Homage Cabernet Sauvignon