29 Friday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
This bottle came along after the Turkey dinner was over and we had polished off all the other bottles. I was trying to figure out the basic flavors and I kept thinking ‘purple’. I know colors don’t taste like anything, yet I closed my eyes and saw it. The wine was a little jammy, with plums and fig dominating, hence the purple connotation. A basic wine with a short shelf life as the cellaring components are not there. I am giving it 85 points and for the $15 price tag, 2 stars. Salut….
29 Friday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
I bought this Chilean wine in Hong Kong for Thanksgiving day. We opened it first because I could not wait and besides, never leave the good stuff till the end. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, it gets a touch of Syrah to soften it. Dark purple in the glass it had a beautiful nose of blackberry and mint. Eucalyptus was present in the taste as were black fruits and a figgy component. Extremely well crafted tannins were evident but unobtrusive. This is a multi layered wine that shows off class and depth. The mouthfeel was silky smooth and the finish- long. I must say I enjoyed this wine as we paired it with appetizers and caviar. It was on sale for about $44, regularly priced at $54. Im going with 91 points and 4 stars. Salut….
28 Thursday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
The label says that this is made by the Bisquertt Family Vineyard in the Colchagua valley, Argentina. It tastes so different from other Cabs in the region, almost bordeaux-like with a sense of terroir and the old world components like cassis, clove and blueberry. I thoroughly enjoyed it’s difference and character with some grilled beef and veggies. The nose of this one had blue fruits and some lavender components. The structure was built for short term enjoyment with easy tannins and basic acidity. The price? $10. A steal if you have a hankering for something different. 88 points and 4 stars for sure. This will please with grilled meats or by itself on a windy, chilly evening. Salut….
28 Thursday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
As the name implies, there’s lots of oak in this basic Malbec. We drank it with charcoal grilled beef sweetbreads and it was a perfect match. The charred edges of the food paired well with the oaky blueberry fruit and the tannins, although slight, agreed with the lightness of the dish. The color of the wine was as expected and the nose was heavily oaked. I’m all for the use of the wood as long as it is done deftly. I knew what to expect with this one and was pleased. Simple in structure, it was easy to drink and all the guests enjoyed it. Reasonable at about $10, I would give this wine 88 points and 4 stars. It was the juicy Malbec I was searching for the other night. Salut….
27 Wednesday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
I disliked the 2009 Footbolt, thinking it was an off vintage. I was correct. The 2010 version is far more approachable, delicious and true to form. Reddish purple in the glass, it offered up black fruits and a hint of cedar on the nose. Upon tasting, the blackcurrants mingled with licorice and even some mocha came through. Medium tannins and good acidity balanced the whole thing out. The wine is very reasonable at $13 and gives some depth without resorting to jammyness. I would drink it with grilled Lamb and some olive tapenade. The bang for the buck factor is amazing though and I give it 89 points and 4 stars. If you have not tried any d’Arenberg wines, you really should, they are easy to spot as they all have the signature red sash on the label. Salut….
27 Wednesday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
The second bottle ordered at our Argentinian dinner was this Malbec. You can’t have Argie steaks without Malbec, they go hand in hand. This one was the traditional inky purple as expected and gave off red fruits and fig compote on the nose. The palate was different, more blackcurrants and cranberry with some mintiness mixed in. I enjoyed this wine but have had better Malbecs and would look for more tannins and better acidity. The big man himself gave it 90, I’m going with 88. $20 at retail makes this a 3 star effort for me. Salut….
27 Wednesday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
This is not the cheap $8 version from this winery, we ordered it off the wine list at an Argentinian Steak House. Paying about $35, I figure it should be about a $15 bottle. Anyway, it was so good that we ordered a second bottle after giving a Malbec a try. We started drinking this with the appetizers and it was great. Bluish fruits and a dark cherry component mixed with the oak and gentle acidity made it very pleasing. The wine is not complex, nor is it basic but it is very drinkable and we all enjoyed it. The second bottle came with the Filet Mignons and was a great match. Filet is low in fat and is very tender making it a good match for a slightly less tannic wine that is not as complex. Overall, a good choice as evidenced by the group’s vote for more of the same. I would give this 88 points and reckon it is a 4 star effort if it truly were $15. Salut….
24 Sunday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
If you read my previous post about the d’Arenberg winery you will know that I thoroughly enjoy their offerings and find them to be consistent and delicious. This wine held true. It was dark purple in the glass, always a good sign, and the nose showed off black fruits and cedar box. A really delicious palate was made up of blackberry, blueberry, pepper and a hint of oak. Well balanced and drinking en pointe with smooth tannins and good mouthfeel. This is a sure fire winner and for $15 it gets 5 stars from me for its 91 point rating. We drank it pre-dinner but it would hit every imaginable red wine combo. Salut….
22 Friday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
A Barossa Valley Shiraz that I loved. Dark purple in the glass and offering up a generous bouquet of plums, blackberry and a touch of wood. The mouthfeel is super smooth and allows the plums and black fruit to meld with oak and star anise. The wine is drinking beautifully now and from the very gentle tannins I would reckon it to be at peak for the next two years. This is my style of Aussie Shiraz, supple, smooth and offering a certain level of finesse. This is a good wine with dimension and appeal. For $22 this is a 4 star wine with 90 points in my books. Salut….
20 Wednesday Nov 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
If you read my post on the Santa Ana disaster, it leads into this wine. My buddy bought two bottles of the nasty stuff and returned one the next day. They offered him this bottle as a replacement so I don’t know the value of it. A lighter shade of red in the glass and some hints of raspberry on the nose. On the palate I got red cherry and strawberry with some earth. Not my favorite profile for a Cab Sav but I was willing to roll with it. Nice mouthfeel yet not very complex. I don’t think this is a serious/expensive wine yet it was intriguing. Suffering from jet lag and hunger we polished it off and headed out for dinner. If this was a $10 bottle I would give it 3 stars. I reckon it is an 85 point wine and think you may enjoy it as an aperitif. I can’t quite pick a pairing because of the somewhat strange flavors for the varietal, best to be drunk by itself I reckon. Salut….
Wine reviews 