Torbreck ‘The Struie’ 2010

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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This is a massive wine with great credentials.  Almost black in the glass I knew I was in for a treat.  Hoping for complexity, finesse and not the usual Aussie fruit bomb, I was not disappointed.  This wine offered layers of blackberry, blueberry and chocolate with ripe plums interlaced .  The tannins are fully integrated now and there is a gentle acidity to balance the package up.  2010 was a great year for Barossa and it shows in this gem.  Moxie and I paired this up with some massive Ribeyes, Spaghetti Squash, roasted Rutabaga and sautéed greens.  The combination worked and allowed the wine to shine against the relatively basic flavors.  This wine got large points  (93 WA, 91 WS) for a good reason.  It is well made and will provide lots of enjoyment for the $42 price, I agree with 91 and give it 4 stars.  Salut….
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Mollydooker ‘The Scooter’ 2010

15 Friday Nov 2013

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I love it when a food and wine pairing hits all cylinders.  Moxie, my little cavewoman treated us to a Bison dish with garlic, ginger, green beans and Rainbow Chard.  If you have never tried Bison, it’s a rather bland meat that takes well to marinade but is rather dry on the palate.  Chard is a very crunchy yet bitter leafy vegetable that I have been totally digging lately.  I needed something soft, somewhat sweet and not too tannic to balance the main components.  Enter The Scooter.  If you missed my last few posts, I am on a mission to taste the whole Mollydooker lineup.  This one happens to be a Merlot that hides its 15.5% alcohol in a remarkable fashion.  Albeit  over the 2 year requirement for the MD Shake, I performed it anyway.

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

The wine is dark purple in the glass and gave off currant and blueberry on the nose. The initial attack had Blackcurrant, Pomegranate and blue jam.  The currant and blue notes hit mid palate.  The wine displayed a certain sweetness that I noticed in ‘The Two Left Feet’.  Juicy acidity was perfectly suited to the pairing and the tannins were slight, which was the perfect due to the dryness of the Bison.  The bitterness of the Chard was offset by the sweetness of the wine and the whole package melded greatly for me.  It very approachable and is delivering a juicy, fruity wine that is sure to please any discerning palate.  For $22 this is a veritable steal and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  If you live near me, sorry- I snagged all they had at the shops.  Seriously, get some if it comes across your radar, you won’t be sorry.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2012

14 Thursday Nov 2013

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Continuing with my mission, I picked up this Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend for tonight.  If you have read my previous posts about this brand you will notice that I was concerned about the wines being closed, shut down for biz.  The lovely folks down under sent me a message to perform the Mollydooker Shake.  Basically the wine is finished with as little sulfites as possible, to preserve freshness they use Nitrogen which subdues the flavors.  Shaking the bottle and releasing the bubbles allows the wine to regain its composure and taste right.  I was dumbfounded and curious so I performed the shake with a test glass and a control glass.  The results were astonishing.  The glass on the left was the control and the one on the right was the test that I shook.  You can see the effervescence dissipating in the test glass.

IMG_0322The control wine had a very subdued nose and offered up Blackberry on the palate.  I could feel the acidity and noticed a certain sweetness, probably from the Merlot.  The finish was decent but lacked much tannic structure.  The test was a whole different beast.  Plums and black fruits on the nose came alive in the glass.  The initial attack mixed those flavors with chocolate and plums.  The mocha was very delineated and the acidity was somewhat reduced compared to the control glass.  The tannins remained in check and there was an overall balance to the wine.  Comparing this wine to the Maitre D’ I would say it is a much more approachable wine that is meant for easy drinking right away.  The pure Cab Matre D’ is much more structured and has a far greater cellaring potential.  This wine is delicious now as long as ‘the Shake’ is carried out.  Moxie and I drank it with grilled Calamari and vinaigrette laced Kale salad.  The control wine actually did better with the food as the acidity was equal to the vinegar component of the dressing.  She also made a broccoli and cauliflower soup garnished with bacon.  The test rocked this pairing.

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Overall this is an excellent wine that I purchased for $23.  Somewhat limited in availability you should get some if you see it.  90 points and a 5 star effort from me.  Loving this winery!  Salut….

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Peters Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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One of my favorite things in life is to drink aged Cabs that have taken on secondary flavors and evolved out of adolescence.

This is a relatively young Sonoma Mountain wine to have accomplished that task and it really shines for me.  It shows off a bright purple hue in the glass and presents itself with black plum and blackberry on the nose.  The initial attack comprises blackberry and tobacco with oak and cassis.  The mid palate came across with smooth tannins and an earthy component.  This wine is super smooth and fruity with a delightful balance of secondary flavors and a delectable dryness.  I am totally digging this one and glad to have a few in the cellar.  Pricey at $55, i believe it offers some serious value and give it a 91 point rating with 4 stars.  We had it with roasted Tenderloin and Yorkshire pudding with horseradish and mushroom gravy.  A perfect match.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Maitre D’ 2012

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I’m on a mission, tasting as many of the Mollydooker line as possible.  I snagged this one at my local shop for $22 and proceeded to pop-n-pour.  Inky black in the glass- I knew I was in for a treat.  This is a super concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon that needs a good aerating, cellaring or severe pouring through a Vinturi.  It screams black fruit and offers up some blue fruits as well on the initial attack.  The nose is currently closed for business, perhaps a dumb phase.  There is a certain minerality to this wine that I love and some serious pencil lead and blackberry on the mid palate.  The tannins are ferocious right now and left me with a massive case of dry mouth for about 20 minutes.  The balance of acidity and fruit is going to be great when this whole package comes together.  This is a serious Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon that needs some time to sort itself out.  I reckon this one will hit a few home runs and provide amazing pleasure in 3-5 years.  I drank it over two days and noticed a marked softening by day 2.  I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this wine and will be buying more for the cellar.  Salut….IMG_0314IMG_0315

Man ‘O War Sauvignon Blanc 2011

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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This is what my mate Mr. Tormay requested at last night’s Korean/Cajun fusion dinner.  He is fan of the varietal and quickly ordered this without hesitation.  I got a taste in before he polished it off and was very impressed.  In the glass it was more golden in color than I was expecting.  The glass burst with cut grass, apple and tart lemon flavors.  My initial taste was overwhelming.  Cat’s pee (a normal descriptor for Kiwi Sav Blac by the way) meshed with cut grass and green apple.  The waves continued with some citrus and cutting acidity.  The wine had quite a heavy presence in the mouth which made it that much more interesting.  This is not a thirst quenching easy to drink wine, it is much more food driven wine that offers complexity and depth.  I really liked it and will look for it in the shops.  $16 and 89 points make this a 4 star effort for me.  Salut….

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Cosentino ‘The Franc’ 2012

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Two points to note.  I love Cabernet Franc, and I am a fan of Cosentino wines having visited their tasting room in Napa back in June with Moxie.  I saw this wine on the list at a nearby Cajun-Korean Fusion restaurant.  With no hesitation, the wine was ordered and poured into some rather nice BAG’s (Big Assed Glasses).  This wine is from Lodi fruit and was slightly atypical.  I almost sensed a Zinfandel component.  The red fruits and berry flavors gave way to some plum jam and earth with a peppery spice finishing it off.  The wine itself had good acidity and the tannins were smooth.  The flavors of the package were very delightful. I was expecting the softer more perfumed style of Franc but was happy to have experienced a different terroir and style for this varietal.  It is listed at $22 on the winery’s website and I reckon it delivers the goods.  90 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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Alamos Malbec 2012

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Cheap and cheerful for $12.  This is a must-have wine for everyday drinking.  It offers juicy Malbec flavors of plums, blackberry, vanilla and it does it all in an easy to drink style.  Slight tannins and juicy acidity give this a great party wine mouthfeel.  It handles pasta, burgers, steaks and just plain old pre-dinner drinking really well.  This winery is consistent and the wine can be found everywhere.  I am a fan and think it’s a  respectable 87 point wine worthy of 4 stars.  Salut….

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Gorys Crespiello 2008

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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This wine got huge accolades from WA and was originally $100.  I got it for far less and was intrigued by the varietal.  Made from old-vine Vidadillo from Spain I was not sure what to expect.  It was dark purple in the glass and had a subdued nose of plums and tar.  I Picked up some Grenache like notes on the palate amidst the thick tannins. The wine was relatively young yet somewhat complex.  Swirling it in the glass again it started to open up after I poured it through the Vinturi.  The black fruits and tar came through more clearly and the acidity was decent.  The pro’s gave it 93 points, I must be missing something here as I would only venture 89 and for the price- 3 stars.  It was an interesting opportunity to try something different but I don’t think I would repeat.  Salut….

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Valley Gate Vineyards Chardonnay Versada Vineyards 2010

09 Saturday Nov 2013

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I tasted this wine before, in July and really did not get to grips with it.  I vowed to wait until re-tasting before I wrote about it.

Honey yellow in the glass it immediately gave up some citrus and pineapple on the nose.  Beautiful mouthfeel with vanilla, butterscotch, lemons and pineapple come through again on the mid palate.  Sharp acidity is making my mouth pucker slightly and the finish is long on this one.  I am really enjoying this wine and think it would absolutely rock a Salmon with dill butter and boiled new potatoes.  The balance is correct and the wine rocks.  I have a few more in cellar and will drink them sparingly for the next 4 years.  Rather pricy at $40 but a terrific Napa Chardonnay.  When compared to equivalent white Burgundy- a veritable steal for this 90 point wine.  I reckon 4 stars and if you like Chard, give it a go.  Salut….

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