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Tag Archives: 2 stars

Tinazzi No 3 Vinum Italicum Opera Rosso NV, Italy

30 Tuesday Apr 2019

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$30, 2 stars, 89 points, corvina, Italy, nero d'avola, primitivo


Medium purple, somewhat opaque int the glass.  On the nose I get bramble, black cherry and bacon.  On the palate it has a unique flavor profile.  Very meaty with that black cherry note along with licorice.  Smoke and tar really hit me on the mid palate alongside black berry and mid level tannins.  The finish is black, dark- brooding and tannic.  Black fruits dominate with some Lapsang Souchong tea notes.  Earthy, smoky and strong.  This is a unique wine which is composed of the following grapes: Corvina, Primitivo, Nero d’Avola.  The pros went with red fruits, I am sticking with black.  This is a non-vintage wine, so there is room for wiggle on style and tastes.  It gets 89 points from me- forget the 98 rating it splashes on the bottle, that guy uses a strange rating system.  Pair it with steaks, pasta (of course) or a heavy duty stew.  It’s tasty, unique and worth a try, but at $30, it’s a bit pricey.  2 Stars.  Salut….

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Familia Blanco Mairena Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Mendoza, Argentina

14 Thursday Mar 2019

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$18, 2 stars, 86 points, Argentina, cabernet sauvignon, Mendoza


Pretty purple in the glass, quite opaque.  On the nose it is all blackberry.  The initial palate is black cherry, an awkward greenness and tar.  The mid palate offers much the same, with more vegetal notes than I care for.  This wine rates well with the pros at 90+ but I don’t get it.  The finish is sour, green, the tannins are astringent.  Not my cup of tea at all.  There might be some of you who enjoy austere wines, this one might be up your alley.  I’m going 86 points.  For $18, it is a pass from me but you may want to give it a try- 2 stars.  Drink now.  Salut….

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Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Colchagua Valley, Chile

25 Tuesday Sep 2018

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$8, 2 stars, 86 points, cabernet sauvignon, chile, colchagua


Medium purple with a bluish hue.  Dammit, that sugary, oaky nose that I really dislike just hit me.  Red sweets, twizzlers and cotton candy.  On the palate- pretty much the same but with some decent acidity to brighten things up.  Very lithe tannins are barely perceptible. This wine is the quintessential bbq drop.  Easy to quaff, bright fruit, pleasant enough and capable of pairing with smoked or charred meats and sweet/tangy sauces.  It’s not my cup of tea but should appeal to many.  Drink this 86 point wine in the near term.  $8 all day long make this a 2 star wine.  Salut….

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Koyle Royale Carmenere 2014, Colchagua Valley, Chile

01 Sunday Jul 2018

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$25, 2 stars, 87 points, carmenere, chile


Recently added to the local shop- I’m excited to try this Carmenere from Koyle.  I love their Syrah and Cabernet.  It’s nearly black in the glass and very opaque.  The nose gives off nice warm blueberry pie, oregano and violet notes.  It has a very extracted quality.  On the palate it is a touch austere with plums, blueberry and acidity that has a nice bite.  The midpalate is more juicy, the blue fruits turning red.  The acidity is countered on the back end with some greenish tannins.  As you might tell this wine is a bit disjointed, slightly green and probably needing some food.  I’m going 87 points and 2 stars for this $25 effort.  Drink now if you have any.  Salut….

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Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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$9, 2 stars, 85 points, chianti classico, Italy, sangiovese


The last of my Kirkland test wines….  Cherry nose with some fresh cut pine thrown in.  The palate continues the light cherry profile but adds mushroom and a crushed violet note.  Rose water comes to mind as we transition to the finish.  Overall, this is not a great wine point wise.  It lacks depth, the flavors are somewhat out there and the extraction is pretty thin.  I’m not sure I would buy again.  85 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  Salut….

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Chateau Giscours 2013, Margaux, France

30 Monday Apr 2018

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$50, 2 stars, 88 points, bordeaux, france, margaux


Purple, nice.  Mint, plums, wintergreen on the palate.  Very interesting.  The palate is fresh, young and tannic.  Blue fruits, sasparilla and cedar dominate.  Fine-grained tannins are evident but not overwhelming.  On the mid palate I get a strong blueberry component along with cedar.  The finish is short to medium in length and offers blue fruits, gentle tannins and some mild acidity.  This wine is rather basic, bland and thin.  It offers short term pleasure but is not age worthy.  Drink now.  88 points and 2 stars for this $50 Third-growth Margaux.  Salut….

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Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Valley Shiraz 2015, Australia

14 Thursday Sep 2017

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$12, 2 stars, 85 points, Aussie, aussie shiraz, shiraz


After trying the Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon I had to line up their Shiraz and make some comparisons.  This Shiraz displays nicely in the glass with medium opacity, purple hues and a definite show of legs.  The nose is somewhat muted even after a few big swirls.  I finally coax blackberries and eucalyptus out of it.  On the palate I get black fruits with a dose of greeness that is very prominent.  There is a touch of cedar as the wine transitions to the mid palate.  I sense very fine grained tannins approaching along with a dark cherry note.  The black fruits continue on the finish but the tannins overwhelm them in the end.  The wine has a strong acidity that I can sense on my teeth.  The green notes I talked of earlier reappear on the finish.  It’s almost like the fruit included some unripe clusters that have given this wine a certain sourness along with the over abundant acidity.  85 points from me and 2 stars for this $12 effort.  Salut….

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Lionel Osmin & Cie La Reserve Malbec 2014, Vin de France

29 Thursday Jun 2017

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$9, 2 stars, 85 points, france, Malbec


A reddish purple in the glass.  On the nose I am getting blueberry, vanilla and red licorice.  My initial impression is slightly tart with blueberry pie, and that’s about it.  The mid palate keeps the blueberry theme alive and adds a layer of tannins and some sour cherry.  The finish is bracing, the acidity and some green tannins really take over. Unfortunately, this wine is a little thin, lacks depth and is off balance.  85 points at best, but for only $9 I could go 2 stars.  We are grilling ribs and corn, might just work.   Salut….

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Puramun Reserva Malbec 2013, Uco Valley, Argentina

28 Wednesday Jun 2017

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$20, 2 stars, 88 points, Argentina, Malbec


A very purply purple, quite distinctive.  The nose is very fruity with plums, black berries and cedar shavings.  On the palate I get more black berries, but also some red currants and a vanilla bean component.  The mid palate has more of the black berries and some bracing acidity.  Tannins are very integrated and mild, when they appear on the tail end.  There is a slight bitterness to the wine that I find odd.  It’s not tannin related, which is unfortunately a distractor.  This wine is going to rock the Strip roast I am cooking in the smoker, along with some Artichokes and a tarragon mayo.  I am going with 88 points on this wine, which I paid $20 for.  A decent wine once past the bitterness.  It may just be me as it got 91-94 points from various pros.  It gets 2 stars from me unfortunately.  Salut….

paramount malbec

 

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Bodegas El Porvenir de Cafayate ‘Amauta Absoluto’ Tannat 2016, Cafayate, Argentina

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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$15, 2 stars, 87 points, Argentina, Tannat


Pretty dark purple in the glass.  Nose of plum and blackberry, but it’s hard to coax the flavors as this particular bottle has been chilled.  The initial taste is more blackberry with some spice box.  The tannins are very subdued as is the acidity, which is atypical for this varietal.  I get tar and creosote on the mid palate, with some blackberry.  The finish is more black berries and some fig paste.  87 points for this $15 offering make it a 2 star wine.  Salut….

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