Dona Paula Estate Malbec 2011

25 Saturday Jan 2014

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I recall the first Malbec I ever tasted, Dona Paula from the 2004 vintage.  We drank it in an Argentinian Steak house in Anchorage, Alaska.  In fact it was so good that we finished their whole stock that night (there were 10 of us after all).  I have since been a fan and have tasted numerous other vintages.  I just bought two bottles of the 2011 vintage and enjoyed one of them with some cheese and nuts.  It begs for a steak though.

Brooding dark purple in the glass it reveals plums and black fruits on the nose.  The flavor profile is very similar with a thick core of purple plums and some black tea.  The wine is well priced at $12 per bottle yet drinks like a far pricier offering.  The tannins are gentle yet present, giving way to a juicy acidity.  The wine finishes nicely with elegance and balance.  This Malbec needs a New York strip or Sirloin, something gamey yet not too fatty to bring out its fruitiness.  Bang for the buck this is a good steak wine that won’t disappoint.  I am going with 88 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

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Chilcas Carmenere 2012

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

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A few buddies and I settled into some Chilcas Cabernet yesterday and found the need to send a runner to get more vino.  ‘Coolio’ was duly dispatched while my Russian friend ‘Edvard’ and I held the fort.  He returned with the 2012 version of Chilcas Carmenere.  I panned the 2011 badly and only gave it 1 star so I was skeptical about this wine.  I was in for a surprise.

Bargain basement pricing of $9 for a liter would make most people nervous about the quality, but this wine is very well made for what it is.  The nose showed bright red fruits and a touch of oak.  On the palate, very fruity with a forward expression of red currants, raspberries and cranberry.  The wine is made in a very easy style with very little tannic framework but with juicy acidity.  This is a pop-n-pour wine that would pair nicely with charcuterie and olives or perhaps a BBQ of burgers, dogs, slaw and some baked beans.  87 points but 5 stars for over delivering on the quality/price ratio.  Think party and you will be buying this by the case.  Salut….

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Almaviva 2006

19 Sunday Jan 2014

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I have been sitting on this bottle for a while, just waiting for the right moment.  It happened last night with NY Strip, peppercorn sauce and Moxie’s delicious roast Broccoli with Garlic.

The first ‘real’ wine I ever remember having was a Chilean Cabernet, and have subsequently tried most of the top Cabernet’s for the region with the exception of the the Almaviva.  It is the most expensive of the three big names in Chilean Cabernet which include Don Melchor and Montes Alpha M, both of which I love.  This wine is a blend of the classic Bordeaux varietals with Cabernet as the main factor.  It is quite simply- delicious.

The wine show a dark purple hue in the glass and the nose explodes with kir, black berries and cassis.  On the first wave, there is a purity of blue and black fruits with secondary nuances of leather, cassis and tobacco.  The mid palate has a slight imbalance but the wine finishes with grace and length.  The tannins are fully resolved and the wine has entered it’s secondary stage where the fruit is dissipating and being replaced with interesting tertiary flavors.  I got a little eucalyptus on the back end and but no dryness.  The acidity is what was off balance on the mid palate but I could easily overlook that split second for the much more fulfilling finish.  The wine is smooth and very easy to drink and appreciate.

It is the priciest of the three top Chilean Cabs at over $100 per bottle and it scored highly with the pro’s.  I am going with 92 points and 4 stars.  If you get a chance to try this wine, it is well worth the effort as it mixes Chile’s terroir with the winemaking expertise of Concha Y Toro and the Rothschilds.  A great effort indeed.  Salut…

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Mollydooker Miss Molly 2010

18 Saturday Jan 2014

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A sparkling Shiraz that Moxie and I opened on a Friday night while cooking up some Scallops.  I tried a further experiment by pouring myself a flute and a wide brimmed glass.  The results were quiet enlightening.  I will start with the flute.

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A concentrated nose of red currants, black berry and cola.  The mousse was dark purple when I poured the glass.  On the palate there was black cherry, black berries and some cola with a mid palate addition of some bubbly blueberry pie.  The wine shows some tannins, very strange in a sparkler but hides the whopping 15% alcohol very well.  The finish is long with a drying mouthfeel and trace of oak- very interesting.

The wide mouthed glass was a different beast altogether.  The nose was very subdued, given the shape of the rim.  The effervescence is wasted on this glass as I got almost nothing even after swirling the heck out of it.  On the palate, a whole different story.  The glass shape allows the wine to really open up and bring black fruits, blue berries and a raft of differing plums to the palate with a good dose of cola and some vanilla.  The mousse was not as tasty in this glass but the overall flavors were much more pronounced.

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Between the two I would sniff from the flute and drink from the wide rimmed glass.  I am going to balance the results and go with 90 points.  This is an interesting take on sparkling wine.  If you have never had a sparkling red, this is the one you should try.  For $25 this will be a treat for your palate.  4 Stars for a really tasty yet different effort.  PS.  I ended the tasting with a bit of cheese, the perfect combo if I might add.  I had some Cypress Grove Chèvre ‘Humbolt Fog’ goat cheese.  Perhaps one of the most intricate, complex and creamiest cheeses I have ever tasted.  The Shiraz was the perfect accompaniment to the acidic blue nature of this gamey, earthy yet really creamy concoction.  An amazing cheese, really.  Salut….

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Chateau De Carles 2009

16 Thursday Jan 2014

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From Fronsac in the eastern part of Bordeaux comes this little charmer.  Blackish blue in the glass and giving up very little on the nose- I knew I was in for a seriously closed wine.  This wine is built to last folks, it is completely in its dumb phase with only a solid core of blueberry fruit able to penetrate the bracing tannins.  Manageable acidity make this a cellaring bottle, of which I have several more.  I am looking forward to the evolution over the next 5 years.  For now, I had to do some research. It got 92 from Suckling.  That is why I am not a pro, I cannot give scores like that when a wine is so young and unapproachable.  I cannot see past the tannins and dryness to delineate the fruit flavors and potential of the wine.  I paid $20 and going by his points this should be a 4 plus star wine- just give it a few years to emerge from its monster shell.   Salut….

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Merryvale Merlot Napa Valley 2007

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

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Several points about this wine.  Firstly, I don’t remember buying it, or the second bottle I found in my ‘to drink’ rack.  Perhaps one of my mates brought them over for Thanksgiving when I was not here yet Moxie has no recollection of this occurring.  Oh well, free booze is free booze.

Secondly, the cork on bottle #1 was badly stained, never a good sign.  I sliced the second one open to see, it is safe.  So…. I will write based on the fact that I suspect this wine to be flawed, which is a shame considering it’s heritage, reputation and price.

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As you can see, pretty grim on the left side.  I shall endeavor to open the other one soon so I have a fresh recollection.   Anyway, back to the details.  Mostly Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc make this more of a Right Bank blend which excites me.  The wine is inky dark in the glass and unfortunately had a slightly oxidized nose of plums and blackberry.  On the palate I was in for a surprise.  The wine had survived nearly intact.  Big juicy black berries and dark plums with a deft addition of the wood and some spices make this a full-on wine of great depth.  The tannic structure is great with some dryness on the back end, right where it should be. I did not sense any imbalance but did notice a slight oxidized note on the finish.  I am lucky this bottle showed so well, now if only I could find it’s source!  I am giving a provisional 90 points and found it online for about $46.  Potentially a 4 star wine for me, we shall have to wait for the re-taste to confirm.  Salut….

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Il Veltro Brunello Di Montalcino 2005

13 Monday Jan 2014

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In case you missed it, Moxie (the wife) and I are on the Paleo diet.  I have had no pizza or pasta for over three months and I feel better for it.  JJ, my daughter loves pasta and is a self-proclaimed 9 year old vegetarian.  This makes it really hard in our short-order kitchen to cater to all the various diets and preferences.  So…. last night I let her chose.  Spaghetti and Marinara sauce. I could not resist her charms and gave in, immediately seizing the opportunity to crack open an uncharted Brunello.  The sauce was dressed up with loads of spicy Italian sausage and I loved every guilt laden mouthfull.

The wine was just ok though.  It was touted as a 90 point wine with bright berry nuances and background notes of spice, cola, tobacco and leather.  I got blackberry, tar and some earth but no tobacco, no leather and very little spice.  What I did get was green tannins and a touch too much of acidity making this wine slightly unbalanced and off pointe.  The flavors were decent, don’t get me wrong.  The balance was very off-putting and I wish it would sort itself out.  I love Brunello yet know so little about it.  I was hoping for something delicious and was left wondering what happened.  I sadly will give this 86 points and hope for the best.  It cost me $25 on sale and will get 3 stars for now.  Hoping for a miracle on the other three bottles I bought.  Salut….

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Broadbent Porto 2003

12 Sunday Jan 2014

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I love Port, but never seem to have any lying around so I only drink it when out to dinner.  I bought two bottles of this Vintage Port before Christmas and gave one to my parents, they love the stuff.  I opened my bottle last week and have been sipping on it every so often.

Gorgeous stuff is all I can say.  Dark flowing purple in the glass it explodes with aromas of blackcurrant, cassis and earth.  Slippery smooth on the palate make this a treat to drink.  Dark plum compote and blackberry tart come to mind with some leather and sweet candy- like twizzlers.  A generous use of wood is balanced out with loads of fruit weight.  The wine is somewhat tannic, which I thoroughly enjoyed along with a balance of fine acidity.  I did not decant the wine but the bottle showed signs of residue in case you have one lying around.  The cellaring potential for this wine is long, perhaps until 2030 at the least.  The back label has a ton of information relating to maturation, varietals, etc.  I won’t bore you with the details, suffice to say it’s a delectable wine that finishes a nice meal in grand style.  93 points from me and a retail price of $60 make this a 5 star wine to be brought out for special occasions (mine happened to be a delayed Christmas season!).  Salut….

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Silver Oak Alexander Valley 2005

12 Sunday Jan 2014

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When searching for the right wine to go with Steak Au Poivre last night, I asked my guest ‘Johnny’ what types of wine he liked. He panned Syrah, liked Pinot and was open to Cabernet.  He loves Pinotage as he comes from Afrika Suid after all.  So, off I went on a mission to find the right bottle.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Sonoma County, the Alexander Valley to be more precise- which is located in the northeast corner of the county.  Fully mature now it offers up dark plums, some herbs and a dose of pencil out of the inky glass.  On the palate, more dark fruit, but intertwined with leather, maduro tobacco and some eucalyptus.  The wine is still somewhat dry with tannins in the finish but they were delicious.  The texture of the wine was great with the steaks and peppercorn sauce.

This wine got trashed by WS, an 82 point rating on release was a big shocker for this iconic steakhouse wine.  I think they got it wrong that time.  I am going with 91 points and 4 stars for this $75 treat.  I think it epitomizes higher end California Cabernet with its balance of New World fruit and Old World depth and complexity.  Salut….

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Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Beaune Vignes Franches Premier Cru 2010

12 Sunday Jan 2014

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I was excited to open this Burgundy with some appetizers last night, it’s been sitting in my ‘to drink’ rack for a few months now.  I was expecting Old World nuances in this Pinot Noir, but was greeted with bright cherries and strawberries on the nose.  Quite light in the glass as to be expected- but it was really light in the mouth as well.  Very delicate flavors of white cherries, some cranberry and floral notes plus a touch of herbs.  I sensed some tannic intrusions and the acidity was crisp yet the wine was very light in mouthfeel.  My mate ‘Johnny’ was over for the feast and he agreed that it lacked any body.  I think this wine needs another 5 years in cellar before it comes around.  I am hoping it gains a few pounds, picks up some funk and rewards me for the patience I am bestowing onto it!  One critic went as high as 92, I’m going with a preliminary 88 points for now and 3 stars for this $29 offering.  Salut….

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