Cliff Lede Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, USA 2012

23 Friday Dec 2016

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An invite to my old college buddy’s house revealed this bad boy waiting to happen.  We started with a Merlot I had brought and moved into this one shortly thereafter.

Nearly black in the glass with a nose of black berries, black cherries and oak, but in a mild mannered way.  The initial attack is bold, bright and tannic.  Tons of dark fruit, cassis and espresso.  The mid palate is somewhat muted by the tannins which push through to the finish where they really shine.  The balance is slightly off between the acidity and fruit being overcome by the tannins- give this wine a few years in the cellar.  90 points from me which coincides with WS.  RP gave it 93 points, I can’t see that personally. Delicious wine but pricey at $60 per bottle make this a 3 star effort and worthy of cellaring for that special occasion.  It would rock a well marbled Ribeye, Leg of Lamb or in our case- homemade Meatballs in a Marinara sauce.  Salut….

cliff lede cabernet sauvignon

Cosentino Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley California 2005

23 Friday Dec 2016

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I bought several bottles of the Cosentino Cabernet and really liked it.  This is a follow-up after three more years in cellar.

Rich dark purple hues in the glass.  A nose of cedar, cigar, plum, violets and black berries.  The initial attack is sublime- smooth as silk plum jam, blackberry confit and some vanilla bean come right out and introduce this gorgeous wine.  On the mid palate I’m getting more of the same notes with a touch of heat and some acidity showing up.  The tannins are so melded it’s scary.  There is depth and width to this wine.  The finish is medium length with some blue fruits entering the fray, the tannins are starting to show up and leave a drying finish to the wine.  92 points from me make this wine a 5 star effort if you could still find it at the release price of $21.  I drank mine with a Standing Rib Roast, perfection.  Salut….
cosentino cabernet sauvignon napa valley

Argot Wines ‘Bastard Tongue’ Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2013

15 Thursday Dec 2016

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I good mate of mine brought this over for Thanksgiving but we never got around to it.  I am glad in a way as it meant I could devote the proper attention to tasting this well crafted beauty.  A quick check of the internet reveals a price of $70- yikes.  But damn is this wine good…

Beautiful reddish purple in the glass.  A nose of cherries jubilee, spicebox, cedar.  On the palate a gorgeous medley of cherries, rhubarb and black berries.  Nicely integrated tannins meld well with the acidity and give the mid palate a smooth mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon, more cherry and some espresso.  The coffee theme runs into the finish that shows just a touch of acidity and some vanilla.  There is a citrus peel component on the finish that leaves it a little tart which is my only concern.  Overall a very well made wine which has enough earthiness and an abundance of fruit to pull off many matches, both Burgundian and New World.  92 points from me and 4 stars.  I paired it with Lasagne because that was what was for dinner- you can do better with a Coq Au Vin dish, perhaps even a roasted Cornish hen with wild rice. Really delicious.  Salut….

bastard tongue pinot noirimg_1383

Il Roccolo Sangiovese Rubicone IGT Italy NV

12 Monday Dec 2016

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I bought two bottles from this producer for a grand total of $8.  One was a Nero D’Avola and this one being a Sangiovese.  I was not expecting much, but really enjoyed the Nero poolside watching my daughter splash around at a hotel we just stayed in.  I took no notes but decided I should do so with this bottle now that I am home and not reeking of chlorine.

A pale purple color shows typicity of the varietal as does the nose of faint cherries and cinnamon.  I’m not expecting complexity or depth here but am pleasantly surprised so far as the wine comes across very smoothly on the intro and gives some cherry notes along with a cola thing.  The wine has more acidity than tannins and lacks any  semblance of wood.  The finish is decent in length and leaves me with a slightly drying sensation, hinting at some minuscule level of tannins being offered up.  Like I said- this is a basic wine.  It drinks easily and is a serious contender for a backyard BBQ, a poolside quaff or even a light pizza partner.  For $4 or even $6 this wine rocks it and I am giving it 84 points and 4 stars.  (I have had far worse wine in the First Class sections of many airlines).  Salut….

il roccolo sangiovese

 

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel ‘de Restia’ Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009

07 Wednesday Dec 2016

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A lighter purple color with a touch of orange bricking on this crianza level wine that has 7 years of cellaring.  On the nose, a subdued level of plum and dusty earth- a hallmark of the varietal.  On the palate a somewhat rustic initial attack of dark fruits, with dried oregano, earth and very dry tannins.  The acidity is somewhat lacking and is overcome by the tannins, which is not a bad thing.  The finish is decent in length and offers up more purple fruit flavors with a touch of heat.  The dryness on the gums goes on forever, which I kinda like!  The wine, at this stage of its life is giving me pause….  It has a really tannic structure yet I feel it is not able to age much more due to the low acidity.  The fruit is starting to dry up but there is not much evolution.  All in all a pop-n-pour wine that won’t break the bank at $15 and gets 88 points from me.  This 3 star effort would pair well with some charcuterie, perhaps a bowl of pasta Arrabiatta.  Salut….

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel 'de Restia' Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Padrillos Malbec, Argentina 2014

06 Tuesday Dec 2016

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I had a few colleagues in town for a meeting and took them to a local restaurant for dinner.  This was the only Malbec available so we took a punt and tried it.  A nose of cherry, oak and black berries.  The initial tastes of dark fruits get melded into a silky vanilla blueberry compote.  The mid palate passes rather quickly with a hint of black berries and licorice.  The finish is nice with an easy going tannin profile and very faint hints of acidity.  This is a basic wine that will suffice in a pinch but I was astounded to read later on that it is only a $9 bottle that we got hosed on ($50+), but more importantly- it only got an 80 point rating from WE.  That’s rather harsh, but shouldn’t a restaurant look for any ratings before buying blindly?  I am not that down on it and will go with 86 points making it a 2 star wine.  Salut….

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Scotto Family Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi Central Valley California 2012

05 Monday Dec 2016

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I picked this bottle up on my trip to the Wine Library in New Jersey, they were pushing it as a good Thanksgiving choice.  I had other plans for Turkey day but liked it enough to buy a bottle.  In the glass it shows decent purple hues, but is somewhat lighter looking.  On the nose- Christmas cake, cherries jubilee and spice box.  On the palate, a really smooth intro of black fruits, dark cherries and cedar shingle.  Very smooth indeed, with subtle tannins and a touch of acidity.  This wine is very easy to drink due to the gorgeous mouthfeel but beware, it only hits 13% alcohol and you might find yourself sipping all night!  As the wine hits the mid palate it shows off some typical Zin notes of plums and pepper.  The finish is decent and mid length with some tannins showing up right at the end along with some plum torte.  This wine does not need food, it flows ever so nicely but I can see why they recommended it to pair with Turkey.  It would also go beautifully with a grilled Pork Chop, bone in.  Given the choice I will pick old vine Zin every time, they are more refined, smoother and in my opinion easier to drink with lower alcohol.  This wine is a great example.   I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for a delicious effort that costs $13, what a bargain!  I’m ordering more for sure.  Salut….

scotty family cellars old vine zinfandel

Concha Y Toro Grand Reserva Series Ribera del Cachapoal Carmenere Chile 2014

03 Saturday Dec 2016

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Dark purple. Nose of earthy plums and black currant.  On the palate – blackberry, plum and dusty tannins.  Half way through I’m getting some blueberry hints and the telltale earthy component that Tempranillo often shows.  The acidity is a little off for me but the tannins are ever present and leave the finish a nice shade of dry.  WS gave this wine 90 points.  I’m going with 88.  A decent drop for a pop-n-pour night at home with some spaghetti, maybe a thin crust pizza.  $12 make this a 4 star wine.  Salut….

concha y toro gran reserva carmenere

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2011 revisited

03 Saturday Dec 2016

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I’m a huge fan of this winery and am working my way through their offerings and revisiting some that I have had a chance to cellar.  I keep a stash of wines in my locker at ‘work’.  Those of you that know me will realize that my locker is half way around the world from home, but I have some gems in there that have been sitting patiently in near perfect conditions- 60 F, humid and dark.  I met up with a mate from downunda, whom we shall call Mr. Rangley and I pulled this one out for a tasting.  The last time I drank the 2011 Blue Eyed Boy it was delicious so I was really looking forward to it.

Blueberry nose with plum ganache- delicious.  On the palate is a thick, long blueberry note with dark chocolate and graphite.  The mid palate involves a full blown explosion of more blue fruits, vanilla bean and rolling tannins.  I detect some heat which makes sense as this one packs 16% alcohol.  The finish is long and full of blueberry pie, 92 points all day long.  I did not notice too much evolution over the past three years which is interesting.  I’m not sure where this wine is going over its life span but it is built for the long haul and may yet develop nuances of age and secondary flavors.  If it doesn’t that is fine too – a unique tasting Shiraz that is well made and a treat.  5 stars at $40.  Drink all by itself for the ultimate experience of this wine but if you must pair it- Filet Mignon with Bearnaise sauce and some asparagus will do the trick.  Salut….

blue eyed boy shiraz

 

 

 

Clos Pegase Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

29 Tuesday Nov 2016

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Another Napa Cabernet that I got to taste at the AMEX Centurion Lounge at SFO airport.  This one was a dazzler, but give it time.

Portlike nose with honeyed blueberries and some juniper hints.  The initial attack is all blue fruits and a crescendo of brooding tannins. This is one heck of a monster, built for the long run or a trip through the vinturi.  The mid palate shows darker fruits with plum torte, espresso and a delicious minerality.  The finish carries on with the tannic structure and leaves the gums bone dry.  Give this wine a wide berth until 2019 but buy lots, it will run for many years after that. 92 points from me even though the pros gave it 90 and said drink now.  I found it online for $39 which make it a 4 star, perhaps even 5 star wine in my books.  This wine epitomizes Napa Cabernet for me.  Enjoy with a hearty pasta dish, steak with asparagus or a grilled leg of lamb.  Salut….
clos pegs napa cabernet sauvignon