Tag Archives: $20

Chateau Arnauld 2006

01 Tuesday Apr 2014

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It’s not very often that I find an aged Bordeaux in a local convenience store, but when I do there is this certain curiosity that overwhelms me and I take the $20 plunge.  This was a good find in my opinion.  Slightly bricking on the edges, it is almost past its peak and heading into old age.  I know Cru Bourgeois is not as cellar-worthy as Grand Cru so this ’06 vintage was a bit of a gamble.  The wine has a mature nose of violets and kirsch to go along with some garigue.  This also came across on the initial palate with some funk and plums.  The wine has Haut Medoc terroir stamped all over it and is showing some drying tannins on the finish.  I could smell the 12.5% alcohol, but only just.  This was worrisome as this level should not have been noticeable.  Overall I really enjoyed the terroir and my guests thought it was the bottle of the tasting.  I am going with 88 points and 3 stars- drink up though.  Salut….

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Sempre Vive Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

22 Saturday Mar 2014

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From Napa valley harks this old vine Cab Sav with some bottle age on it.  Black currants and eucalyptus on the nose with an initial attack of black fruits and some beautiful plums.  The wine is slightly tannic and has good acidity.  I would class it as medium bodied with a fruit-forward Napa style.  My only concern was that I could smell the 14.8% alcohol on my own breath after a few seconds, it was the weirdest thing.  I did not pick it up in the glass or on the palate, just afterwards.  For some complexity I noticed bittersweet chocolate and coffee on the back end.  A decent finish with good length made this a pretty decent Friday night wine with some Lamb chops and grilled Cauliflower.  It will probably drink for another 5 years or so and gets 89 points from me.  I paid $20 for it and reckon that makes it a respectable 3 star wine in my books.  Ps.  The cork had a heavy build up of sediment so I ran the bottle through my Vinturi which has a filter to trap the junk, it worked out fine.  Salut….

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The sediment

The sediment

the filter on my Vinturi

the filter on my Vinturi

Chateau De Carles 2009

16 Thursday Jan 2014

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From Fronsac in the eastern part of Bordeaux comes this little charmer.  Blackish blue in the glass and giving up very little on the nose- I knew I was in for a seriously closed wine.  This wine is built to last folks, it is completely in its dumb phase with only a solid core of blueberry fruit able to penetrate the bracing tannins.  Manageable acidity make this a cellaring bottle, of which I have several more.  I am looking forward to the evolution over the next 5 years.  For now, I had to do some research. It got 92 from Suckling.  That is why I am not a pro, I cannot give scores like that when a wine is so young and unapproachable.  I cannot see past the tannins and dryness to delineate the fruit flavors and potential of the wine.  I paid $20 and going by his points this should be a 4 plus star wine- just give it a few years to emerge from its monster shell.   Salut….

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Keller Estate ‘Casa de la Cruz’ Pinot Noir 2010

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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I am a fan of this winery and have had many bottles of their regular Pinot.  I brought this particular wine from home, all the way to Asia and opened it on Christmas day with the fellas before dinner.  The wine is labelled a Sonoma Coast product yet it merges Old World Pinot with New World fruitiness.  A great cherry component with underlings of earth, iodine and strawberry.  The cherry fruit becomes a bit muted on the mid palate and is replaced with red currants and some cola.  The mouthfeel is good and the acidity is present but not biting.  Perhaps this particular bottle is suffering some jet lag. I think it is somewhat muted and could use a few days to settle down after the journey.  I paid $20 for it and am going with 88 points right now.  It potentially could go to 90 if it balances out after some cellaring.  3 Stars from me, Salut….

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Manzanita Creek Winery Three Vines Zinfandel 2010

23 Monday Dec 2013

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I’m back in Asia, re-united with my partner in crime- The Beave.  He brought this highly rated Sonoma Zin from home for us to share.  Black cherry and tar with some Asian plums and a hint of oak.  Extremely smooth with gentle tannins that caress the mouth yet manage to hide the whopping 14.8% alcohol.  A long finish and good acidic structure make this a really good wine that could be cellared for a few years, but why wait?  I think he laid out about $20 for this 90 pointer and I am going with 3 stars.  Salut….

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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 15 Pinot Noir 2009

14 Saturday Dec 2013

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A cross between Old World elegance and New World charm for this delicious Pinot Noir.    I have had some really good wine from the Marlborough region of New Zealand lately and this is no exception.  Pale in color as a Pinot should be, the nose was very bright with cherry and strawberry notes.  Old world funk on the palate with bright fruit made for an interesting taste profile.  Cherry spritz comes to mind with some green peppers mingling about.  Hints of strawberry daiquiri and some cedar came through on the back end and the acidity was great.  This was a very interesting wine and we thoroughly enjoyed it with some Pate and cheeses.  I would also pair it with Turkey and cranberry sauce.  $20 and 90 points make this an outstanding 5 star wine for me. Ps. I love the label, very classy.  Salut….

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Zuccardi Serie A Malbec 2011

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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The second bottle ordered at our Argentinian dinner was this Malbec.  You can’t have Argie steaks without Malbec, they go hand in hand.  This one was the traditional inky purple as expected and gave off red fruits and fig compote on the nose.  The palate was different, more blackcurrants and cranberry with some mintiness mixed in.  I enjoyed this wine but have had better Malbecs and would look for more tannins and better acidity.  The big man himself gave it 90, I’m going with 88.  $20 at retail makes this a 3 star effort for me.  Salut….

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Greyrock Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2012

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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A new world version of Pinot from New Zealand.  Pinkish red in the glass, it exploded with strawberry and cherry on the nose.  I usually prefer the Burgundian style of this varietal but every so often I come across a refreshing new world bottle that I appreciate.  This varietal never offers up tannins in the usual sense, making it hard for me to discern and predict aging potential.  This wine seems like it could go the distance yet it offers immediate bing cherry, strawberry and red currants.  The whole package is well balanced and easy to drink.   I found it for $20 and it gets 89 points from me and 3 stars.  Salut….

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Chateau Hanteillan 2010

17 Sunday Nov 2013

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I have had the 2006 Hanteillan before and hated it.  This is a totally different beast.  2010 is a much better vintage and it shows in this offering.  A very young yet approachable wine that displayed a dark purple hue in the glass.  Searing tannins greeted me on the first pass, but after getting acquainted the blackberry and cassis came shining through.  A strong plum chord struck on the mid palate and there was an  earthy component that surfaced on the back end.  Cellaring would be good for this wine and 2016 would be an opportune time to pull some out and pair them with game, steaks and pasta.  I wonder if secondary flavors will evolve and would like to get some for my cellar.  I found it online for about $20 and give it 89 points making it a 3 star effort pour moi.  Ps.  I drank it after lunch on a flight, served with cheese and dessert.  Salut….

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