Whitehall Lane Winery & Vineyards Merlot 2014, Napa Valley, USA

04 Wednesday Oct 2017

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Bright purple presentation.  The nose is blackberry, sage, eucalyptus and pine needle.  The initial palate is vibrant, full of black fruit, bright acidity and Ribena.  The mid palate takes a turn.  The fruit is dark and brooding, giving way to the clash between the acidity and the tannins.  They are balanced mind you, just in the forefront.  They taper off on the finish and allow notes of blackberry pie, vanilla bean and blueberries to close it out.  This is a bold wine, full of fruit, structure and a solid mouthfeel.  It really could use some grilled meats, au gratin and a big salad to tone it down a touch.  Impressive if you ask me.  91 points.  $25 and 4 stars.  Salut….

Adega Cooperativa de Cantanhede Marques de Marialva Reserva 2013, Bairrada, Portugal

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

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I have said it recently and i will affirm it again- Portugal is a go-to wine source.  In tonight’s case, I needed something full of flavor to go with Braised Lamb Shanks in Rosemary Mint sauce.  Sounds fancy huh?  Costco…

This particular wine rings in at $11 and was worth a punt when I saw it with free shipping.  Here goes-  It comes in at 13% and is a blend of 50% Touriga Nacional, 30% Tinta Roriz and 20% Baga.  It is of medium shade in the glass and has no ‘legs’.  The nose is of dark fruits and wood smoke.  I also get some spice, like cinnamon.  On the palate, this wine is very soft, gentle and supple.  The flavors of black cherry, plum and espresso are very tasty.  The mid palate shows off some very fine tannins and an earthiness along with cherry.  The finish is somewhat tart, with acidity coming through as cherry and rhubarb.  This wine is rocking the full flavored Lamb and has just the right amount of acidity to cut the fat while the flavors complement the herbs of the dish.  I am going 90 points and 5 stars for this bargain.  Drink now till 2022.  Salut….

Warre’s Warrior Finest Reserve Port, Portugal

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

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I do love me some Port.  It goes well with cheese, dessert or alone after dinner.  It is one one of life’s real pleasures.

This particular one was bought with a slew of others as I am trying out as many as I can.  It looks almost black in the glass.  A brooding, dark monster.  It is after all named a Warrior, and is of the Finest Reserve.  The nose offers up burnt matches and dark plums.  Kind of a weird combo.  The thickness of the wine is evident on the presentation.  On the palate- it is rich, with dark cherry reduction and blackberry syrup.  The wine has an unctuous feel to it, somewhat akin to dessert whites.  It shows off a nice level of acidity to go along with the tannic backbone.  This one will cellar well.  The finish is long, broad and has hints of blueberry pie, some vanilla as well as dark chocolate.  I like this one and am going with 90 points.  I paid $19 and give it 4 stars.  Not a bad drop if you like Port.  Salut….

La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir 2014, California, USA

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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I remember the first time drinking this wine.  It was at a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in New Jersey, overlooking Manhattan with Moxie.  We were there attending a Gift Show, buying product for her first retail gig.  It was an exciting time for us, we learned a lot and succeeded in keeping the business running through the dark days of 2008-2011.  We were the last retail Gift shop standing in our area after the dust settled.  I remember the wine, the meal and the atmosphere of the night vividly as it would signal the beginning of our newly charted course.

The 2014 Monterey Pinot is very light in the glass, see through and pale red.  On the nose it’s all New World.  Strawberry, Framboise, a touch of oak.  On the palate, it is silky smooth.  More strawberry, earthy mushrooms, a nice dose of acidity and some Rooibos tea.  The mid palate caresses with some ever so slight tannins and a reminder of the acidity.  The red fruit theme is in force and the wine carries swiftly to the medium length finish.  It all ends with some cherry notes and a touch of vanilla bean.  A very nice wine that can be yours for $15 and gets 89 points from me and 4 stars.  I’m splapping together some creamy dill Chicken to go with it.  Drink now till 2020.  Salut....

Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Western Cape, South Africa

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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This wine was a perennial favorite many years ago.  I gravitated to reds and rarely bought it, until I saw it on sale the other day.  I’m making Sizzling Hoisin Shrimp tonight so I figured a Sauvignon Blanc would do the trick.

This wine is faint gold in color, not quite yellow, nor deep.  The nose is bright, charming and packed with citrus notes.  Grapefruit being the major player here.  The initial taste is very refreshing, quince and citrus battling it out for dominance.  The wine has a nice balance, not overly acidic yet a touch dry and offering a hint of bitterness.  I get Almond seed on the mid palate which is probably how I sense the bitterness, it is unique.  The finish is all lemon and persimmon.  I am glad I bumped into this bottle, it really is tasty while remaining relatively modest in price.  It refreshes and will go well with my dinner but I am thinking it may take on some spicy foods as well if you are in a pinch.  89 points and 4 stars for this $13 wine.  Salut….

The Sizzling Shrimp

Mooiplass Langtafel Red 2014, Stellenbosch, South Africa

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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A pleasant purple with medium density.  On the nose I get plums, a faint hint of cinnamon, black cherry and creosote thanks to the 9% addition of Pinotage.  The balance is Cabernet Sauvignon.  The initial taste is very Pinotage heavy, with more plums, some dark fruits and the telltale chemical note, often likened to nail polish remover.  I like it.  The wine transitions nicely and some very delightful tannins caress throughout.  The flavor profile doesn’t change much throughout and the acidity is very fine, barely noticeable.  The finish is relatively long, with the dark fruit balancing nicely with a hint of oak.  The bitterness of the tannins is apparent right at the end but is not detracting.  This is a tasty weekday wine that I would pop with stew, chili, grilled sausages and even burgers.  89 points and 4 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Nativ Taurasi ‘Rue 333’ 2011, Campania, Italy

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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I bought some of this wine earlier in the year but the bottles were damaged in shipment.  The vendor sent me replacemens once it cooled down.  I’m glad they did!

The wine in nearly black in the glass.  The nose of blackberry and violets has an oaky touch that adds a certain delicious factor.  It’s more of a vanilla bean flavor but it is appropriate here.  The initial tastes of black fruit get melded with some very dry tannins that really get to my gums.  The wine transcends the mid palate with a shift to plums and coconut.  The dryness really reaches a peak on the finish where the fruit flavors meet spicebox.  I don’t sense an abundance of acidity which would help the wine’s cellaring potential, but think it will last until 2020 at the very least.  I hope some secondary flavors evolve, I’m optimistic.  It is 100% Aglianico, which happens to be one of my favorite grapes.  91 points. It gets 5 stars for the value it presents at $20.  Salut….

Dao Sul Paco dos Cunhas de Santar ‘Nature’ 2012, Dao, Portugal

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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Portugal is where it’s at in the value wine market today.  Inky, dark and brooding in the glass.  The nose is of black berries, iodine.  The palate is full of dark fruits, a hint of oak, sweet black grapes and an earthiness.  The mid palate transcends that profile and adds some very integrated tannins to the mix.  The finish is long, dry and inky.  Black berry pie finishes it all off at the end.  It is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional and Alfrocheiro.  91 points, and an amazing 5 stars for this $11 marvel.  To be bought by the case in my opinion.  Drink till 2024.  I’m having mine with grilled kale salad and London broil.  Salut….

Marques de Riscal Reserva 2011, Rioja DOCa, Spain

26 Tuesday Sep 2017

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I have a history with this wine.  It was introduced to me by friends, one of whose father was Chairman of the Board way back in the day.  I have drunk many vintages over the past 20 years and look forward to each bottle.  Quality can be a little inconsistent over the years but generally speaking this is a very good staple for the cellar.  This particular vintage is dark and brooding in the glass  It offers up notes of lush blackberry with lashings of black cherry pie and vanilla.  On the palate I get some raisin, blackberry, tar and almond. Very Tempranillo-like.  The tannins are quite polished and unobtrusive.  They join the party midpalate and carry through to the medium length finish.  The flavors are mostly primal right now but I sense that development is forthcoming and this wine will evolve nicely.  The predominance of that earthy tar component really excites me as this is my favorite Tempranillo trait.  This wine will drink well till 2025 at the least and begs for roasted meats, a hearty game stew or some heavy duty cheese.  I’m going 90 points, and for $16 this is a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Dao Sul Quinta de Cabriz ‘Cabriz’ 2014, Dao, Portugal

14 Thursday Sep 2017

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$4….  Yup, even though it’s only 375ML (half a bottle).  I could not help myself to try this Portuguese blend of Touring Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) and Alfrocheiro.  As much as I love the wines from Portugal, they seldom appear in smaller stores, restaurants or places I would be traveling to.

This wine is inky, which bodes well for me!  The nose is somewhat muted right now, but there are signs of black fruit, tar, charcoal.  The initial palate has very precise flavors of black berry, kirsch and creosote.  The wine is precise, with more black fruits on the mid palate that parallel the fine grained tannins and barely perceptible acidity.  The alcohol is low at 13% which merits mention.  The minerality of this wine pops up towards the finish and shows off graphite, charcoal and licorice.  The finish has a nice ending of blackberry alongside the drying tannins.  I’m going to agree with the 90 point rating it got and give it 5 stars for the value here.  I can think of several pairings, but am enjoying it so much all by itself that I won’t bore you.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….