Chapellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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The difference between me and a pro is their ability to taste many wines in one day.  I tend to linger and allow my thoughts to transcend to the next bottle.  Unable to cleanse my palate or my mind of what was, I can’t accurately taste what is.  Last weekend we entertained friends at a great restaurant where we started out with the De Toren Fusion V.  I enjoyed it so much yet when it was finished I wanted something else, I was greedy and looking for two home runs off the wine list.  I scoured the offerings and decided to go with this Napa Valley icon.  I had only had it once before and remembered it as somewhat tannic, yet delicious.  Bring it on…

Deep purple hues with plums galore on the nose started me off .  Chocolate and espresso mixed with dark fruits on the palate made for a rather complex wine that had silky tannins and balance in acidity.  I would say it was technically a very good wine, 91 points in my books.  My only concern was that I had poisoned my thought process with one style of wine yet here I was trying out a totally different one, wishing it could be like the first, a conundrum.  I must learn to get past that in the future if I am to spend large amounts of cash trying several pricey wines in one sitting.  Alas I digress, I did hit two home runs that night.  $50 and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

chapellet cabernet sauvignon

Bayten Sauvignon Blanc 2013

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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From the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa comes this sleek racy number.  We ordered it at our Seasons 52 dinner for those who wanted white.  I only got a sip or two in from Moxie’s glass so my notes were very thin.  I will say it was a good wine and was enjoyed by all that partook.  Lemon zest, apple and cut grass nose that led into a melange of key limes, gooseberry and some slate.  Medium acidity with a mid palate cut finished out the lovely mouthfeel of this wine.  I gave it 88 points.  Having looked it up after the fact WS gave it 90, and it can be had for about $16- a decent price for this calibre of wine.  4 stars I reckon.  Salut….

bayten sauvignon blanc

De Toren Fusion V 2011

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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Back in March of this year Moxie and I went to a charity event where we bid on several interesting items in the silent auction.  One of our winning bids was a Chef’s Table dinner for 8 at Seasons 52 in McLean, Virginia.  We invited some good friends to join us and drove like lemmings to where the GPS took us.  Not until then did we realize that the restaurant was in the mall, of all places.  Not sure what we had gotten ourselves into, we traipsed into the bustling shopping center, all dressed up in our Saturday evening gear.  Once we reached the restaurant it all became clear.  Our table was well inside the restaurant, away from the madding crowd, secluded and curtained off from peering eyes.  We were introduced to several chefs and given a rundown of what to expect.  With each course, the chef in charge would come out and give us a brief outline of the dish.  The beauty of the whole thing was not having to worry about ordering.  Every plate, morsel and combination was delicious, fresh, unique and enjoyed by all.  Our waiter was great and helped make a few of the wine selections.  Sauvignon Blanc for some, Cabernet for others.  The dinner lasted well over 2 hours, the balance of the plates with the wine and friendship was amazing and well worth the money and the wait.  We will no doubt be back for another Saturday evening soiree.

The Chef's Menu

The Chef’s Menu

The first bottle we ordered was this Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch.  It was magnificent.  A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc & 4% Petit Verdot make this a Left Bank clone if ever I saw one.  My style of vino without a doubt.   My notes had to be discrete as Moxie kept nudging me when I had my phone out….  Short smooth black and blue fruit nose from a dark purple glass.  Bordeaux-like with plums, cola, cassis, herbs and  smooth tannins with mild acidity.  I gave it 92 points with a drinking window of 2014-2020.  WS gave it 91, close enough.  I found it online for about $50 making it a 3 star wine technically but I’m gonna give it 4 because it hit on all cylinders for me.  If you see it on a wine list, don’t  be shy to order this well integrated beauty.  Salut….

de toren fusion v

Branaire-Ducru 2002

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

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A Bordeaux from St. Julien- albeit not the greatest of vintages.  I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.  Deep purple color with no signs of aging.
Plums and cedar with thyme and sandalwood on the nose opened the way for some plums, oak and cassis on the initial attack.  Blueberry jam and rhubarb stew came across along with some long integrated tannins and balanced acidity.  90 points from me for this cellared wine which you can find for about $45.  Drinking nicely now till 2020 at least make this a 3 star effort.  Salut….

branaire-ducr

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

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A wine with great pedigree from Colchagua in Chile yet it failed to impress me.  It was on special, 3 for $28, regularly priced at $14.  Plum and oak on the nose from a very dark purple glass made for a promising drop.  Unfortunately it was tart and thin on the opening leaving me puzzled.  I did manage to get some plums and eucalyptus on the palate along with some very basic tannins.  Black berries finally showed up on the mid palate with a certain sourness that was a little too unbalanced for me.  I initially gave this wine 86 points, but after opening the other two bottles I think I may have had some bottle variation.  Final verdict- 87 points and 2 stars overall.  I plan on re-tasting this one.  Salut….

los vascos cabernet sauvignon

Smith Wooton Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2011

03 Friday Oct 2014

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This wine came highly recommended from a little wine shop in North Carolina where I visited last summer.  I paid around $36 for it and there were only 135 cases made.  I love this varietal and was waiting to pair this bottle with some Strip steaks, it was tasty starting with the raisin and cranberry nose.  A floral hit with black plums and lavender greeted me on the initial attack. Gripping tannins and juicy acidity gave this wine some serious structure yet I felt it was slightly one dimensional on the mid palate.  Heat on the back end that hit the nostrils made me look up the level-14.5%.  A slightly green finish dropped one point off this otherwise good wine.  89 points and 3 stars from me.  I would hold off and cellar this wine, drinking from 2016-2020.  Salut….

smith wooton cabernet franc

Cedre Heritage Malbec Cahors 2011

03 Friday Oct 2014

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To put the words Malbec and Cahors together in the title is a bit redundant.  The only wines allowed in the AOC are Malbecs, a minimum of 70% with either Tannat or Syrah allowed into the blend.  It is also known as the Black Wine, due to the style in this region.  Unlike Malbecs from Argentina, this style is much more tannic, less fruit forward and much more intense.  These are generally age worthy and backwards yet can offer much up  front pleasure if treated right.

This particular bottle costs about $15 and is a great starting point for those looking to explore Cahors.  As I mentioned earlier this wine was expected to be dark in the glass, no problem- it was black.  A funky nose of tar, black fruits and oak that kept rolling over and changing was intriguing.  Tannic and brooding with some juicy acidity, plums, cola, black cherry and creosote hit the palate in stages.  Some funky notes were interplayed and I noted that this wine is less fruity yet more structured than most, belying it’s heritage and style.  We ended up running it through an aerator to try and tame some of the tannins and to help blow off some of the funk, it worked.  The wine mellowed somewhat with some air time and was very approachable.  For me this is an 88 point wine and worthy of 3 stars.  If you try a Cahors, keep an aerator on hand just in case and perhaps pair it with some hearty fare.  Salut….

cedre heritage malbec cahors

Settesoli Nero d’Avola 2012

25 Thursday Sep 2014

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I really dig Nero d’Avola, it’s a Sicilian specialty that offers up great tannins and a nice mouthfeel of plums and dark fruits.  This particular bottling has Syrah added to brighten it up slightly.  I enjoyed the plums and blackcurrants of this bottling along with some oaky, smoky hints and star anise.  Cherry cola comes to mind as a mid-palate descriptor.  Smooth tannins balance the mild acidity and give this wine a nice, if short finish.  An easy drinker that won’t break the bank, it offers a medium body with some level of complexity at only $15 a bottle.  88 points from me make this a solid 3 star wine that introduces this neat grape to the masses.  Look for it and serve it up with some pasta, perhaps even osso bucco.  Salut….

settesoli nero d'avola

Domaine Eden Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

25 Thursday Sep 2014

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I arrived early at the airport to catch my flight out west.   With time to kill I went to the wine tasting bar Vino Volo where I got to try this stunner.  A huge nose of Blackcurrants and oak greeted me and prepared me for what was about to happen.  A layered attack of black cherry, currant, plums and pencil hit the palate with a gratifying rush.  Melded tannins give structure and there is a finish of mint and herbs with tailings of wood.  Delicious and balanced, this wine was absolutely gorgeous.  Retailing at about $33 it is a 91 point wine worthy of 4 stars in my books.  I’m a huge fan of this winery and for good reason, the Santa Cruz mountains are definitely a go-to region for my tastes.  Perfect by itself, it would also pair nicely with braised beef, coq-au-vin and a host of other Autumn dishes.  Salut….

domaine eden cabernet sauvignon

 

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz 2011

22 Monday Sep 2014

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Seems like 2011 was the favored vintage this past week.  This wine was the last of them and unfortunately came after the Indian Wells Merlot that banged out 91 points.  Nevertheless it was a respectable showing that garnered 89 points from me.  It started off with noticeable heat and plums on the nose that translated onto the initial palate with a juiciness of blueberries and plum jam.  Slightly unbalanced it took some time to come around, which it did nicely.  The telltale signs of Barossa and the style of Shiraz they make was evident in this wine.  I paid $14 for it and reckon it’s a 3 star effort.  It could use some decanting or perhaps a year or two to mellow out some.  Salut….

jacob's creek reserve shiraz