Tag Archives: $14

Napa Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Napa Valley, USA

19 Saturday Aug 2017

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I would describe the color as ‘peachy’.  The nose does in fact offer up some peach stone, banana and pineapple. Intriguing.  On the palate I get more stone fruits, some pear and a citrusy hint.  The acidity is very subdued here, which is a welcome change.  The mouthfeel, especially on the midpalate is very nice, gentle and somewhat unctuous on the tail end.  The finish is very refreshing with green pear and a lemon component.  This wine certainly has a lot going on with a very easy going structure.  I’m really enjoying it while cooking up some pasta that will be finished with lobster and fresh veggies.  89 points and for $14 this will be a repeat 4 star wine.  Salut….

Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

22 Saturday Jul 2017

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Very see-through purple, almost Pinot like.  Nose of cherries Jubilee with licorice and mocha.  On the palate I get a really nice, smooth intro to some cherry kirsch, a strawberry note and some more exotic spices.  The acidity is on pointe here, creating just the right amount of tartness yet leaving room for the lithe tannins to make an appearance.  On the mid palate I get more of the same, but with the addition of some mushrooms and a bit of gaminess.  It is bizarre.  The finish wraps up with the tannins taking control and leaving the mouth pleasantly dry, to the gums.  I am really enjoying this rather light, refreshing wine that has some serious complexity.  I must go with 90 points and recommend it for a nice summer evening with charcuterie, perhaps some olive tapenade on crusty baguette.  For $14 you can’t go wrong.  5 stars and drink till 2024.  Salut….

Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico

Quinta do Vallado Tinto 2013, Douro, Portugal

30 Tuesday May 2017

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I really look forward to Portuguese wines.  I normally find them to be full of flavor, with good structure and interesting profiles.  This one was on sale for $14 and relied heavily on past vintage points awarded.  It starts off very promising with a rich deep purple in the glass.  Nose of bramble, blackberry and earth.  The palate is initially a little light for me.  Black cherry, more blackberry but that’s about it.  The mid palate is one dimensional, offering a dusty blackberry note and not much else.  The finish is slightly dry with some tannins finally appearing.  This wine is too thin for me, not extracted enough and lacks any long term cellaring.  I don’t think it is a repeat purchase.  83 points and 1 star from me.  Salut….

vallado douru

Rivallana Crianza 2013, Rioja DOCa, Spain

13 Saturday May 2017

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Nearly see-through medium shade of purple.  A somewhat subdued nose of black currants and earth.  The initial taste is of more black fruits, including black cherries and some currants.  The wine is not as full bodied as I thought it would be but it has a certain elegance that I am enjoying.  The mid palate has plum tart and a toasty oak hint.  The wine shows a decent amount of acidity and the tannins are very fine grained and well integrated.  The finish shows a touch oak and some raisins.  I would pair this wine with grilled pork chops, eggplant parmesan or some cheese, ham, and olives.  89 points from me but the label says it got 95 Decanter points, I’m not seeing that. I paid $14, which make it a 3 star wine.   Salut….

Rivallana Crianza, Rioja DOCa, Spain

Trivento Amado Sur 2014, Mendoza Argentina

29 Sunday Jan 2017

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I am a big fan of Trivento, as can be seen in my write-ups.  The Amado Sur is a blend of Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah.

Dark purple in the glass.  A nose of black currants, oregano, chocolate powder.  On the palate- currant, cinnamon stick and crunchy tannins.  On the mid palate there are some plum notes as well the currants.  The tannins are really apparent in the finish, and give off a dry mouthfeel.  This wine is balanced and tasty, but perhaps young.  It will reward some cellaring but offers good flavors and structure right now to pair with prime rib, eggplant moussaka or even roast duck with orange sauce- or some cheese and chorizo like I did.  I like it and am going 90 points.  For $14, this is a really good deal.  4 stars.  Salut….

amado sur

 

Bulgariana Imperial Red Blend Thracian Valley 2009

19 Wednesday Oct 2016

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I’m not holding my breath on this $8 offering.  I just had to try it, for the sake of seeking out a high QPR wine.  The wine is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cab Sav and 5% each of Rubin and Mavrud- both of which I have never heard of let alone try.  The wine is 7 years old so I am a little surprised that my local Costco was carrying it in bulk.  Anyway, it begins with a dark purple in the glass and a nose of spices, mulled plums and sushi.   I know that sounds strange but there is a component that is intriguing me and it reminds me of the seaweed in a sushi roll.  I’m kinda digging it!
On the palate this wine is really delicious with some searing tannins.  I am impressed.  Plums, black cherry, a touch of wood and cola syrup.  This wine reminds me of a monster Tannat, thick, brooding and bone dry with tannins running amuck.  It is young and needs several more years to mellow.  I am returning for more and sticking them in the cellar.  I think it would work great with a well marbled steak, Lamb stew or something else needing the tannins to offset fatty dishes.  The wine could also be sent through a Vinturi or decanted but it really is delicious by itself if you like the dry ones.  I’m going 90 points and for sure 5 stars for its exceptional QPR (Quality Price Ratio).  PS.  I searched for it online, it runs $14- still a great value.  Salut….
bulgariana imperial red blend

Phebus Reserva Malbec 2014

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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My buddy brought this over for dinner recently and we popped it right away with some appetizers of Goat Brie, Olives, Gruyere and charcuterie.  It drank very well and was a nice intro to a big night.  I did not get very detailed in the notes as I was busy entertaining and cooking, needless to say, I would buy this again as an everyday go-to Malbec.

Dark purple. Pepper, plum and capsicum on the nose. Good acidity that frames the dark fruits with some very gentle tannins. Easy going mid-palate that takes you through to the blackberry filled finish.  88 points and at $14 it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

phebus malbec reserva

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

07 Tuesday Oct 2014

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A wine with great pedigree from Colchagua in Chile yet it failed to impress me.  It was on special, 3 for $28, regularly priced at $14.  Plum and oak on the nose from a very dark purple glass made for a promising drop.  Unfortunately it was tart and thin on the opening leaving me puzzled.  I did manage to get some plums and eucalyptus on the palate along with some very basic tannins.  Black berries finally showed up on the mid palate with a certain sourness that was a little too unbalanced for me.  I initially gave this wine 86 points, but after opening the other two bottles I think I may have had some bottle variation.  Final verdict- 87 points and 2 stars overall.  I plan on re-tasting this one.  Salut….

los vascos cabernet sauvignon

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Shiraz 2011

22 Monday Sep 2014

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Seems like 2011 was the favored vintage this past week.  This wine was the last of them and unfortunately came after the Indian Wells Merlot that banged out 91 points.  Nevertheless it was a respectable showing that garnered 89 points from me.  It started off with noticeable heat and plums on the nose that translated onto the initial palate with a juiciness of blueberries and plum jam.  Slightly unbalanced it took some time to come around, which it did nicely.  The telltale signs of Barossa and the style of Shiraz they make was evident in this wine.  I paid $14 for it and reckon it’s a 3 star effort.  It could use some decanting or perhaps a year or two to mellow out some.  Salut….

jacob's creek reserve shiraz

La Croix-Barton 2009

08 Monday Sep 2014

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By far the most widely searched wine on my blog has been the La Croix-Barton 2008.  I did not particularly care for it, but apparently many people googled it and ended up reading my 2 cents worth.  When I saw the ’09 I did not hesitate.  Priced at around $14 it provides gratification with oak and mulberry on the nose to get things started.  Tart cherry and plums greet the palate but they are slightly thin right now.  Juicy acidity and young tannins make this an interesting wine to drink now yet I feel it could do with another 2 years in a cellar.  This wine is vibrant and lively but should settle down and gain some weight in short order.  It is interesting to taste wines from the same winery but from an average year versus a far superior one to see the nuances.  This particular example highlights just how much variation you can get between vintages.  I’m going with 88 points and 3 stars for this Merlot/Cab Sauvignon blend from Bordeaux.  Salut….
la croix barton