Murrieta’s Well ‘Los Tesoros’ Merlot 2010

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Served on a Virgin America flight. I was pleasantly surprised, after it had a chance to breath that is. Initially, overly tannic and sharp. Once I gave it 30 minutes, very smooth and tasty- with plums and chocolate mixing it up with a eucalyptus tinge . The initial surge of dryness let up and mellowed to a delightful framework of mouth coating tannins and balanced acidity. I got nothing on the nose because it was served in a plastic cup, on a pressurized airplane. The finish, lingering. I had to upgrade my initial thoughts- this is a 90 point wine and 4 stars…. delicious. If you like Metlot , go for it! Salut….

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Round Pond Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

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Jam on the nose, the dark purple kind I used to eat with toast as a kid in England….. On the palate, somewhat confusing. Atypical of Napa Cabernet, I get sublime hints of Herbs Du Provence, plum and cassis Kinda weird and exciting. Sulking beneath this complexity hides a strong tannic frame, very well integrated and adding to the yummy mouthfeel. I am digging this wine, but can’t pinpoint why…. It’s different, fruity, complex and interesting. 92 points and for $39- 4 stars. I think it’s drinking nicely now and will cellar for 7 years at the least.

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Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot 2011

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Great fruitiness on the nose with hints of Cherry and Plums. The plum component gets a dose of dark currants and perhaps a vegetal thingy… Very smooth and rounded, this wine is balanced and the tannins are fine. This wine drinks beautifully by itself and will do so for another 6 years minimum. 91 points and at $27 it’s a 4 star offering.

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Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc 2010

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A tannic Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley that brims with dark cherries and anise. Dark purple in the glass hints to the seriousness of the wine. I can sense some complexity evolving, but it is overwhelmed by the youthful tannic grip that has closed this one down. I think it needs at least 3-4 years to be approachable and will drink for another 10. Potential for 90 points and 3 stars for this $43 offering. It does offer an extended finish though… Salut

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MontGras Merlot Reserva 2011

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A very basic Merlot that won’t break the bank. Purple ink in the glass, it had a decent nose of plums and herbs. On the palate, slightly off balance for some reason and the tannins were green. Does that make any sense to you? Let me explain… The dryness in the mouth is caused by the tannins, which in this case are not quite ripe. This results in a roughness, rather than a smooth dryish sensation. Once past the tannic grip, a mellow blend of plum compote and some mintyness combine with a certain oaky component. Not delicious, but okay. This wine was only $9, but I feel it only warrants 2 stars for me. Technically speaking, I would imagine it gets 84 points. There are way better wines out there for the same price, move along. Salut….
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Barrel Block Merlot 2011

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If you read my post on the Barrel Block Cab/Merlot, you will realize that this bottle was the other half of the BOGO deal, and it’s equally as bad.  A duo of undrinkable, insipid wines that need to be yanked off the shelves.   Here’s what the back label shows:

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The only thing correct is the softness of the wine. It was like candy water mixed with a touch of red dye. Enough said. 70 points and 0 stars.

Barrel Block Cabernet Merlot 2011

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I am always leery of BOGO deals, it’s usually a sign….  I was right on this one.  The back label talks this wine up in a big way, I ll let you read it:

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Never did I detect any of the richness, complexity, blackcurrant or oak.  This is probably one of the worst wines I have ever come across.  Light red in the glass, it tasted like sugar water and candy.  70 points and no stars.  A tremendous wave-off on this one.

Chilcas Syrah 2011

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Back on track with the Chilcas family!  I just wrote about the Carmenere disappointment and am happy to say that the Syrah bottling is right up my alley.

There are two ways to spell this varietal, Shiraz- which I find to be a much bolder expression of the fruit, and Syrah- a more refined offering and usually Old World in heritage.  This bottling is old school through and through.  Very soft in the mouth, with gentle tannins and balanced acidity.  Reserved, it shows its red berry and chocolate flavors very smoothly.  This wine, while not complex, does show off its origin and terroir very nicely (not that I’m an expert).  Did I mention the price?  A veritable steal and worthy of 5 stars and perhaps 87 points.  I think I’m on to something here, stay away from the funky Carmenere, stock up on this and the Cabernet and you can defend against any size party that pops up!  Salut….

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Chilcas Carmenere 2011

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I recently tasted the Chilcas Cabernet, which scored well on my quality/price criteria.  Moving on to the Carmenere varietal I was hoping for similar performance, but alas I was let down.

The varietal is one of the original six Noble Bordeaux grapes and is related to the Cabernet family.  I have never had a French Carmenere, only Spanish and more predominantly- Chile.  I find it to be very spicy, with strong hints of green pepper (capsicum) and lacking hefty tannins.  This particular bottling hit me with a very ‘tinny’ taste profile which was almost medicinal on the initial attack.  The spice and red currants hit on the mid-palate, but are somewhat overshadowed by the metallic taste.  I really did not enjoy the profile, but it did mellow out after about an hour.  This is a major wave-off, spend your cash on their other wines.  82 points and 1 star.

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Two Hands ‘Bella’s Garden’ Shiraz 2010

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BOOOOOM, there it goes.  What an amazing bottle of purity, essence and flavor.  Black/inky purple in the glass, I knew this was going to be good.  An incredible nose of dark fruit and vanilla made me want to just sit and sniff, for hours.  On the initial attack there is a wave of flavors, complexity at the maximum.  Blueberry, blackberry, cloves and cassis all swirled around at different times.  Multi-dimensional and layered with mouth coating tannins the likes of which I have not tasted ever before.  Extremely smooth and inviting, this wine has perhaps one of the finest mouthfeels of any wine I have tasted.  Balanced to within an inch of its life, this Barossa Shiraz has everything, for everyone.  It will drink beautifully right now, yet has the aging capacity to cellar for another 15 years, evolving no doubt.  It already displays smoothness, drinkability and a huge amount of complexity without heat, rough tannins or overt acidity.  Unlike many Aussie ‘fruit bomb’ Shiraz’s, this one doesn’t overwhelm with the fruit, but relies on subtleness to deliver the K/O.  For about $55 this is a 5 star wine only because I can’t give 6.  Technically speaking, I would go with 96 points or even higher.

As a side note, I drank this with grilled squid salad followed by Lamb Chops and asparagus, all fired on the grill and the combination was magic.

If you are looking for a ‘reasonable’ awesome wine for a special occasion, look no further.  This one will seduce the unwitting, impress the snobbish and provide you with an ethereal experience.  Salut….

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