D’Arenberg ‘The Dead Arm’ Shiraz 2006

22 Monday Dec 2014

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I have had the 2008 Dead Arm from Mclaren Vale before and thoroughly enjoyed it.  This bottle has been sitting longer in the cellar and comes with very lofty ratings from the pros.  I decided it was just what I needed with the Sunday Roast.  It was a perfect pairing.  I found myself wondering about this wine and how best to describe it.  My thoughts are this- it is pubescent.  Not young and primal anymore, yet not fully blossomed into that full blown creature it has the potential for.  It is at a crossroads in its evolution.  Stick with me…

A hazy purple in the glass with a nose of mature plum, star anise and cocoa.
Super smooth entry with blueberry, damson and oak. Levels of flavor lead to a somewhat complex wine that is primarily fruit driven right now but I could see evolution into secondary flavors. Still quite tannic with opposing acidity make this a young and balanced wine that will age gracefully. 92 points, 2014-2025 and for $50 make this a 4 star wine worthy of cellaring.  Here’s the kick:  RP gave it 95 points with a drinking window of 2018-2036 while on the other side of the fence WS gave it 91 points with a drinking window of 2009-2016.  Very opposing views of aging capacity and technical merits.  Five years after their initial write-ups and I am in the middle of both parties as to the ratings and aging potential.  Perhaps provenance and cellar conditions will be the greatest influence from here on in.  Either way, bang for the buck you can’t go wrong with this polished Shiraz from down under.  Salut….

d'arenberg dead arm shiraz

Leviathan California Red Wine 2011

21 Sunday Dec 2014

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The pretty obscure label and name made me look this one up. 55% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc- what a concoction.  Anyway, it can be had for $40 and was brought over by some friends.  Blackish purple shades in the glass promised structure and weight.  Plums, iodine and blackberry on the nose did not disappoint.  Fresh and slightly tannic entry of plums, blackberries, a touch of mint and eucalyptus made for a very interesting combo.  Well balanced with a decent finish had me grabbing for the bottle.  We drank it over cheese, olives and salami before going out to dinner.  It was perfect for the occasion but it would pair really well with Beef Stroganoff, Lamb shanks or even Osso Bucco.  91 points from me make this a 4 star wine and really well worth cellaring for a while.  2014-2020.  Salut….

leviathon red wine

Marques De Riscal Rioja Reserva 2008

21 Sunday Dec 2014

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I have an affinity to this winery, having drunk many vintages over the years.  I also happen to have friends who have vintages dating back to 1968 in their cellar.  His father used to be on the Board, hence the connection.  Anyway…..  I always think of them and my visit to Spain when I see the unmistakable bottle with it’s wire cage.  Always well priced at around $15, it is consistent and decent.  Here we go.

Bright opaque purple color with a classic earthy Tempranillo nose laced with some oak.
Iodine, black cherry and blackberry hints come through after a bit of air.  On the palate, slightly less fruit, more secondary flavors of tar, black tea, black berry and some Asian plum.  A slightly hollow mid palate has me concerned but the wine has an acidic crunch at the end that I kinda liked. Totally melded tannins that still have some good grip. 88 points is my guess.  Very enjoyable, with points off for the hollowness. 2014-2017 and 3 stars.  Salut….

marques de riscal rioja reserva

 

Worlds End Cabernet Franc Reserve ‘Against The Wind’ 2009

19 Friday Dec 2014

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I will pre-empt this post with the fact that I only bought a six pack, silly me.  Straight out of the bottle and into my glass for a lovely perfumed nose of violets, plums and cocoa.  Fruity and full-on explosion of blue fruits, pomegranate, mint and raspberry that sort of surprised me. Full bodied and almost syrupy, this wine has texture. Fine grained tannins are well integrated and the balance is razor sharp. Wow, this is good Cabernet Franc, and you know how I love this varietal. 93 points from me (One of the pros gave it 92, close enough).  2014-2019 would be a great window to enjoy this powerful, structured wine.  So easy to drink all by itself but it would pair beautifully with a lean cut of beef, perhaps coq-au-vin as well.  This wine has a near perfect mouthfeel for me.  Made by the famous Jonathan Maltus, this time from Napa Valley instead of his usual stomping grounds in Bordeaux.  Who wouldn’t pay $25 for this wine?  5 stars for sure.  Salut….

Worlds End Cabernet Franc Reserve Against The Wind

Chateau Lamarsalle 2010

18 Thursday Dec 2014

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From Montagne St. Emilion comes this rather tasty wine.  Bright purple with a nose of kirsch, cassis and oak.  Crisp opening with a dried blueberry, spice box, graphite.  Mouth coating tannins are smooth and offset by some balanced acidity. This is a delicious, young wine that highlights the best of 2010 Bordeaux. Easily enjoyed now, it has the stuffing to cellar until 2020 at least. I’m willing to bet this one develops those beautiful secondary flavors that the region is famous for. Perfumed smoothness is instantly credited to the 55% Cab Franc, the balance is Merlot. Yummy and 90 points for this $20 effort.  4 stars.  Salut….

chateau lamarsalle

Jettlynn Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

18 Thursday Dec 2014

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I bought several variations of this winery’s offerings at my local Costco.  $17 for a Paso Cabernet, I had to try it!  I was a little concerned at first, the cork was very stained almost to the top.  My fears were later put to rest.  Bright purple color in the glass.  Blackberry and iodine nose which was very unique.  Interesting mix of raspberry and oregano with black fruits on my first sip.  Good acidity gives this wine structure while the tannins are subdued. It finishes with raspberry and cherry cola flavors.  Tasty and fun Cabernet that gets 89 points and 3 stars from me.  Check them out some time.  Salut….

The offending cork, turned out to be okay after all.

The offending cork, turned out to be okay after all.

jettlynn cabernet sauvignon

Bodegas Balbas Ribera del Duero Ardal Reserva 2006

16 Tuesday Dec 2014

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An interesting Tempranillo blend from Spain.  The bottle label included a sticker eschewing it’s 92 point Parker rating.  It’s gotta be good then, right?

Bluish purple color in the glass that was quite dense.  Cranberry meets blackberry on the nose for an interesting mix of red and black.  Plum and hoisin on the initial attack with succinct acidity and deft tannins. I got a black tea component on the mid palate which is atypical for me and this varietal, enjoyable though. Mouth puckering juiciness on the tail end with a long finish of black berry pie made me salivate for more.
Secondary hints of tar and traces of oak appeared throughout as the wine mellowed in the glass. Still young with a drinking window of 2014-2022.  It would pair well with wild game, perhaps Gnocchi and truffle oil.  Would I go 92 points?  Nope.  It is serviceable, tasty and well made, but it lacks some complexity and I found the acidity just a hair out of balance.  91 points is more like it and for the $40 price tag, a solid 4 star wine.  Salut….

IMG_1697

Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2010

15 Monday Dec 2014

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Sundays in the fall are for football and Roast Beef.  Being half British means I need a weekly dose of Yorkshire pudding, gravy and tender beef served up with delicious wine.  This week was a first for me.  I have never cooked a Strip Roast.  It was magnificent, cooked perfectly and juicy to the last morsel.  The rub was key, garlic, olive oil, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.  I could go on, but this is more about the vino.

This Napa Cabernet was quite simply stunning.  Nearly black in the glass I knew I was headed to an extracted, rich, complex world….
Plums and eucalyptus greeted me on the nose and my first impressions were spot on.  Napa all the way, with gobs of plum, blueberry, black berry and mint on the initial attack. A very slight touch of wood adds complexity to the whole package.  Extremely fine grained tannins just coat the mouth, perfectly. Balanced acidity make for a great mouthfeel that leads to a long finish of cola and blue fruits laced with espresso.  I would easily award this wine 93 points, drinking between 2014-2020.  You know what to pair it with, just fork over the $65 and get going.  This is the fourth Merryvale I have tasted and I am really becoming a fan of their wine.  I think this wine merits 5 stars. I wish I had more so I could watch the evolution, I bet it’s gonna sing in a few years. Salut….

merryvale cabernet sauvignon napa valley

Strip Roast with Yorkshire Pudding and mushroom gravy

Strip Roast with Yorkshire Pudding and mushroom gravy

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1999

15 Monday Dec 2014

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An iconic wine from a crappy year.  Yup, I bought a wine that I knew was not very good.  The pro’s originally gave it high 80’s scores.  It was priced at $120 per but I picked up a case at $70 a bottle, probably because nobody was buying this vintage.  La Chapelle is a huge name in the wine world, some vintages are worth thousands, yes $1000’s of US dollars.  It is a world class Syrah, from the famed Hermitage appellation in the Rhone Valley. Buying this wine was a once in a lifetime look into something amazing, with a storied and solid history- albeit in a mediocre year.  I cellared the case for a decade before I tried the first bottle.  I was hugely disappointed, it was crap.  I couldn’t believe it, I had wasted nearly $850 on a whim.  I tried several bottles and gave one away.  The rest just sat there, forlorn in their OWC (Original Wood Case).  Until Thanksgiving, when I cellar-dove to pull out some gems for the holiday season.  I found the case of Hermitage and decided to empty it out and get ready to either drink or pour the last 5 bottles.

Glad I resisted the urge to dump, this wine has turned around and offers a modest drinking experience and may even be on an upswing.  Vintages of this wine have been known to age gracefully for nearly a century.  It is a huge wine.

Inky purple glass which is a good sign.  The bottle had large deposits of sediment on the sides but there were none in the glass.  Nose of garigue, violets, game and dark fruits.  Mellow and smooth opening with bright fruit flavors of ripe plum, blueberry and cassis, not what I was expecting considering my previous experiences with this wine.  An earthy component on the mid palate which melded well with some acidity. The tannins are fully integrated and this wine is at peak. 88/89 points were my initial and final impressions.  The pro’s have since upgraded their scores to reflect the wine’s true personality.  It is drinking at its best now and will go for another 5 years.  If you like finesse this is a wine for you, but at this price point I think there are far better wines to search out.  2 Stars unfortunately for this rather expensive yet average drinking wine.  Salut…

paul jaboulet aine hermitage la chapelle

Merryvale Pinot Noir Carneros 2011

13 Saturday Dec 2014

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Boom, after last night’s epic Pinot fail I was determined to find something worthy of my time, and the Cornish Game Hens I roasted tonight.  This was it.  I really enjoyed myself and had to remember how I got this wine.  You see, several months ago I opened a Merryvale Merlot that was corked.  The folks at the winery got in touch with me after reading about the botched bottle and offered to replace it.  Talk about customer service and a class act.  So, in finalizing the replacement I was so taken by the representative’s willingness to make sure I was happy I ordered some of their other wines.  So far so good I must say.  Here we go..

Classic new world nose of bing and white cherries interspersed with some violets.  In the glass, a very crimson purple that is see-through- typical of Pinot.  On the initial attack there is strawberry, cranberry, cherry and a subtle mouthfeel that is balanced to within an inch of it’s life.  Razor sharp focus with a hint of acidity offset by some lurking tannins make this a well made Pinot.  I timed a 30 second finish that kept morphing, amazing.  I served it up with Cornish Game Hens and steamed veggies that made this wine excel.  92 points from me for this $35 effort make it a solid 4 star wine, but I’m going to give it 5 because I’m in a generous mood.  Perfect with poultry and perhaps a cream sauce based dish.  Lovely and smooth.  Salut….

merryvale pinot noir carneros