Tag Archives: $11

Atrevida Malbec 2018, Medoza, Argentina

16 Monday Mar 2020

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Semi opaque, lighter shade of purple in the glass with no legs evident.  The nose is very fruity and dare I say somewhat candied?  Raspberries and red twizzlers come to mind.  On the palate it’s a touch sour right off the bat.  Rhubarb, raspberries and other red fruits get melded into a somewhat acidic opening.  The mid palate is a touch thin for me, more red fruits and a hint of tannins.  The finish is where the acidity grips my tooth enamel alongside the very lithe tannins.  There’s a tug of war here between the structural pieces and the red primal fruits.  I hope the fruit puts on a better effort because the wine is a little light on flavor and heavy on acid.  It gets better with a bit of air and I hope it pairs well with leftover beef and wild rice.  87 points.  For $11, its a 3 star wine to drink till 2023.  Salut….

Cellar Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica Old Vines 2016, Montsant, Spain

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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Medium opacity with good purple color and very fine-stranded legs. The nose is dark.  Blackberry, hoisin, raisins and cinnamon.  On the palate it’s slightly lighter- sweet black cherries, violets and creosote.  Very lithe tannins sneak up on me and the mid palate becomes a mouth puckering event that allows waves of black cherry to mingle with rooibos tea and tar.  The tannic grip is further highlighted on the finish.  Evergreen, black tea and blackberries surrounded by that astringency take me to a medium length ending that has my mouth watering.  Delicious, youthful and cellarworthy.  This wine is versatile in its power and flavor profile.  Really yummy and worthy of 92 points from me.  One pro went as high as 94!  Great stuff for $11, a steal really.  Drink till 2026.  5 stars for sure for this 85% Grenache/15% Syrah blend.  Salut….

Angeline Pinot Noir 2017, California, USA

25 Thursday Apr 2019

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Darker and more opaque than most Pinot Noirs.  The nose has a strawberry candy note plus blueberry paste and a fig component.  Sounds strange- I know.  On the palate it delivers on that fig thing, surprisingly.  I also get blueberry and some oak.  The tannins are crispy, appearing on the midpalate and carrying us through to the finish which has blueberry and charcoal.  Very tasty indeed.  The tannins are long lived, drying out my gums for well over a minute.  This will will age nicely methinks .  90 points and 5 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Dona Paula Los Cardos Sauvignon Blanc 2017, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

27 Thursday Dec 2018

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Very pale gold.  The nose gives off lemon zest, honeydew, yellow apple. On the palate it defies my expectations with tart citrus, pineapple and ginger.  The wine has a nice acidity and a light mouthfeel, refreshing.  The finish is short and to the point.  That lemony hint comes back and the tang is pronounced.  A very delightful quaffer.  I am going to use some in my cheese fondue recipe.  88 points and 4 stars for this $11 value- drink now.  Salut….

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Central Valley, Chile

04 Thursday Oct 2018

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Medium opacity, good color.  Nose is full of espresso, black berry and lush plums.  The palate is very smooth, slightly acidic and starts off with black currants, charred oak and olives.  The mid palate has more black fruit with the tannins starting to grip.  I like the deft use of oak here and it smooths the wine nicely.  The finish is medium in length, brimming with black cherry with the tannins receding nicely.  88 points and 5 stars for this $11 wine.  Great value from Chile.  Salut….

Quinta de Roriz Prazo de Roriz 2016, Douro, Portugal

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Medium intensity in the glass.  The nose is a bit funky, heavy on the oak and reeking of red fruits.  Not particularly my favorite profile btw.  The palate is very woody- raspberry and black cherry are the predominant flavors with a tart note to boot.  There is a greeness to the midpalate to go along with the medium tannins.  Acidity is decent and the wine balances on the finish.  It’s a bit disjointed initially but comes together on a decent length ending.  88 points and 3 stars for this $11 effort.  I may not purchase again as I don’t like the profile, some others may enjoy it though.  Touriga Naconal 38%, Tinta Barroca 26%, Tinta Roriz 20%, Touriga Franca 14%, Tinto Cao 2%.  Salut….

Mark West Pinot Noir 2014, Willamette Valley, USA

25 Friday May 2018

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The Brown truck arrived today with a box full of these.  They were on sale so I decided to pull the trigger on 6.  I probably should have let this one rest a few days, but there are more in case it shows poorly.

Slightly more opaque than what I was expecting from Pinot Noir.  The nose is airy and uplifting, with strawberry, that certain Pinot scent that I get and some elderberry.  The palate is exactly what I was expecting, New World all the way but not in a powerful, jammy way.  Smooth strawberry with a lithe vanilla stripe and more of that wild berry fruit.  The acidity is on pointe, just a nudge every now and then.  The mouthfeel is great with some ever so slight tannins swirling around.  Cherry/Strawberry cooler happens on the finish with that sourness that is really okay in Pinot.  My mouth feels a tad dry from the acidity/tannins when it’s all said and done.  I like this wine and am serving it with some smoked pulled pork that I just finished.  The acidity is perfect to counter the fattiness and smoke from the meat.  I’m going with 90 points here and for the $11 I paid, it’s a 5 star wine.  Drink now till 2024.  Salut….

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, South Australia

16 Wednesday May 2018

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Very opaque purple.  Nose of blackberry, oak and plum purée.  The palate is nothing what I was expecting.  Lush, but lithe with dark blackberry pie notes, loads of acidity with some very fine grained tannins.  The mid palate exudes smoothness with more dark fruit compote, a small dose of wood and very drinkable tannins/acidity.  The finish is rather dry with some plums appearing amongst the dark berries.  I also come away with mocha, tobacco and a touch of jam. 90 points and 5 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz 2016, South Australia

20 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Very purple in the glass with a nose of Ribena, sweet oak, white pepper and blackberry jam.  On the palate it is smooth, supple and has tons of blackberry, silky tannins, cedar slate, vanilla bean and ripe acidity.  The mid palate stresses the vanilla component and allows the tannins to really shine.  The finish focuses on dark fruits and the astringency of the tannins.  The wine is decent, full bodied and quite tasty.  89 points and 4 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Charles Smith Wines ‘The Velvet Devil’ Merlot 2015, Washington, USA

27 Monday Nov 2017

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If you read my post about the Eve Chardonnay, you will know I am a fan of Charles Smith Wines.  I couldn’t help myself and bought this Merlot for the tasing.

It appears as a very light purple with low opacity.  The nose gives off candied plum, not my favorite profile mind you.  There’s a bit of oak in there as well.  I am leery going in for the first sip.

All is good- it is a decent wine, not overly oaked and offering ripe tannins, juicy acidity and plums galore.  I get Blackberry on the mid palate transition after the initial plum injection.  The wine is somewhat one dimensional but it will appeal to many for its smoothness and bracing tannins.  The dryness is great if you are into that kinda thing.  Overall, refreshing and tasty.  An easy going wine that will do well with grilled New York Strip, perhaps a hearty baked ziti.  I paid a mere $11 for it and am going with 89 points and 4 stars.  You may want to sit on a few bottles until 2019 to see how they develop.  Salut….