Tag Archives: $22

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2015, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

17 Thursday Aug 2017

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I have been a fan of Trivento for a while now and have reviewed several vintages of the Golden Reserve Malbec.  This one is particularly good and I am glad I bought a few bottles for the cellar.  I suggest you do too!  Almost inky in the glass, it is brooding and alluring.  On the nose I’m getting blackberry, sweet plums and a touch of cedar plank.  The palate is very much dominated by black fruits and a bold tannic attack.  The blackberry component really shines through on the midpalate with a core of tannins that grip the gums.  Acidity is present but the tannins are very fresh and dominate.  The finish is medium long with a jam component and some chocolate dust.  The ever present tannins do not taper off for a while.  This wine is young but drinkable now. It will last and develop for at least 15 years.  I’m thinking it needs a Portehouse steak with au gratin potatoes and a Caeser salad.  91 points and for $22, 5 stars.  Salut…

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec

Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port, Amador County, USA

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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This is a Port wine made from Zinfandel grapes in California.  Rich, dark purple in the glass.  The nose is stewed plum and vanilla cola.  The initial taste is rather abrupt-  plum compote, raisins and a balsamic note.  Acidic without a bite, but a touch of tannin keep this dessert wine balanced.  The finish is decent in length but the flavor is rather medicinal.  Its 19% alcohol is well hidden.  This wine is delightful and interesting, certainly not what I was expecting.  90 points from me.  I paid $22 for it which makes it a 3 star effort.  Salut….

Dog Point Pinot Noir 2011, Marlborough, New Zealand

18 Saturday Mar 2017

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Somewhat darker and denser for a Pinot.  The nose is all about the New World- strawberry, cranberry and rhubharb dominate.  On the palate I am getting spice, strawberry coulis and pomegranate.  The mid palate shows off some cherry notes as well.  The acidity of this wine is on pointe, just enough to let you know it is there and all the while balancing out the ever so slight tannins that are lurking.  The finish is nice, refreshing and laced with more strawberry notes.  This is a good wine.  I am thinking 92 points at the least.  It retails for $40, but I got it on sale for $22 making it a superb deal.  5 stars from me and hoping to find more!  Salut….

dog point pinot noir

Bollina Tavros Primitivo di Manduria 2014, Puglia, Italy

17 Friday Feb 2017

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Right off the bat I know this is going to be a rich, extracted wine.  It is nearly black in the glass and possesses a nose of ripe, dark berries.  Some oak and black anise are also present.  Onto the palate- a very interesting initial attack of blackberry, tar, and spice with cedar shavings.  Really nice tannins greet the palate right off the bat and they continue through the mid palate and onto the drying finish which also features berry jam and cedar.  This wine packs some heat, 14.5% to be precise.  It is well masked but appeared right at the end for me, which made me search the label for the exact number.  Be careful!  This wine will do wonders for a Chicken Alfredo dish, or even roast Duck with root vegetables.  I don’t get the ratings this wine got- they range from 84-98.  I am thinking it is a solid 90 point wine on my scale and for $22, it’s a 3 star effort.  I might buy some more for the cellar.  Salut….

Bollina Tavros Primitivo di Manduria

Kestrel Vintners ‘Falcon Series’ Syrah 2011, Yakima Valley

16 Thursday Feb 2017

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Very dark purple in the glass. A nose of plum, blue berries and a funky earthiness. The initial taste is of plum sauce, black olive and acai berry. Really interesting. On the mid palate I am getting dark fruits and some fig. It’s not until the finish do I sense the dryness of tannins, with some very slight acidity. This is a tasty wine with good mouthfeel that is drinking well right now and may reward some short term cellaring. 89 points. $22 make this a 3 star wine in my books. Salut….

kestrel falcon series syrah

David Noyes Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2013

15 Sunday Jan 2017

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The last time I wrote about this winery was over 4 years ago, on the Russian River Valley 2009 David Noyes Pinot Noir. I loved it then and gave it high marks, so when an opportunity came along to get more from this winery, I jumped.

Very pale, see-through purple that shows off elegance and subtlety.  On the nose mainly strawberry with hints of cherries jubilee.  I also get a very faint touch of cinnamon.  Interesting.  On the initial attack- very subdued and mild. Flavors of cherry, red currants and Rooibos tea.  The wine transitions through the mid palate with cherry pie and a lashing of very fine grained tannins.  The finish runs long and is composed of tannins under some nice tart strawberries where the acidity finally shows up!  I’m going with 90 points, not quite as rich as I had hoped but a fine bottle.  You can find it for around $22 and I am giving it 3 stars.  I paired it with slow cooked pork tenderloins in an asian braise.  It worked really well.  Salut….
david noyes sonoma coast pinot noir

Clos St. Thomas ‘Chateau St. Thomas’ Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon 2008

08 Monday Aug 2016

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I have recently started to modify the titles of my posts to more closely reflect what other sites use.  One site in particular has added my blog to their reviews section and I want to make sure they are cataloged properly.  I may go back and modify some of the reviews I have done to become more searchable and SEO friendly. In the meantime, I plan on doing more tastings and more reviews.  This particular wine is a favorite.  My father and uncle both got me a few bottles of the 2008 St. Thomas, of which their cousin owns.  When I drank it 18 months ago it was really good, yet still primal.  The notes that follow will hopefully show you the evolution and value of cellaring certain wines.  What was a 91 point wine has now come out as worthy of 92, and 5 stars for it’s incredible $22 value.

Mature, bold and balanced. This wine has finally rounded it’s tannins and now the whole package is seamless and smooth. The mouthfeel is gorgeous with rich plum, cassis, leather and vanilla. The tannins are ever present but not dominating. They counter the acidity perfectly. This wine has evolved incredibly. The mid palate is especially present with rich plum and a hint of the oak. It will evolve further and run for another 10 years minimum. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Syrah blended.  92 points. I’m serving it with grilled rib steaks and home-grown tomato salad.  Salut….

clos st. thomas wine

Alexander Valley Vineyards Wetzel Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

05 Friday Aug 2016

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I was recently in an airport lounge and saw this wine being offered.  I am a fan of the winery since our visit there in 2015.  If you are ever in the area and want to enjoy a nice tasting, fun staff and cool dog I suggest you visit Alexander Valley Vineyards.

Nice rich purple in the glass with a nose of eucalyptus and plum jam -maybe blackberry reduction. The initial taste is super smooth. I mean seriously smooth, with blackberry, nutmeg and tobacco flavors. This wine has a seamless transition from front to back. Amazing and extremely balanced. I’m loving it. 92 points, which is high but this wine is drinking on pointe and deserves credit for its immediate satisfaction. It may cellar for another 3-5 years but why wait?  I found it online for $15, but MSRP is around $22.  They blended a touch of my favorites in for color, aroma and balance.  Merlot at 6%, with a touch of Cab Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. For sure a 5 star wine, stock up and serve alone or with pretty much all the classic red wine pairings.  Salut….

wetzel fmly estate cab sauv alex valley sonoma county north coast california usa

 

Chateau Arnaud, Saint Estephe, France 2010

25 Monday Jul 2016

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A see-through purple hue in the glass with some damson and leather on the nose.  The initial taste is super smooth with plum, tobacco, a touch of oak and very well balanced tannins.  The acidity is present, but only just showing itself.  The mid palate is interesting, with the tannins and acidity swirling around, mixing it up with more dark fruits and what appears to be the beginnings of secondary flavors.  I also get a telltale hint of violets.  When Bordeaux wines mature, the better made ones will start to lose the fruit and gain tertiary flavors that most claret drinkers love.  I am hoping this wine will evolve more as I have another 10 bottles and am going to enjoy the journey.  The finish is what I would consider ‘normal’.  Not long, not persistent but still showing off some of the fruit and tannins.  2010 was an exceptional year for Bordeaux, this wine is making the most of it.  The fruit is still ever present and the structure is great, holding the wine together and giving it a cellaring potential of another 7-8 years. In that timeframe I imagine some interesting things may happen.  I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this $22 effort that is 30% Merlot, 60% Cab Sav and 10% Cabernet Franc (Which is probably why I like it so much!)  Salut….

chateau arnaud

Le Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet 2011

05 Tuesday Jan 2016

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I couldn’t help myself, it was on sale at half off.  On opening- it was a see-through purple in the glass with an enticing nose of plum, spice and violets. The palate is ever so slightly subdued but some blueberry, raspberry and vanilla notes come through. There are some nice tannic touches on the mid palate and the finale has some plum torte notes with a touch of oak. There is no overpowering acidity and at 12.5% alcohol I’m thinking this wine will be drunk in short order. It’s soft, alluring and has a slight tannic bite, an easy drinker with some class. I paid $22, on sale. I’m going with 88 points and 3 stars.  I believe it is the second wine of Sociando-Mallet.  Salut….

le damoiselle de sociando-mallet