Tag Archives: $22

Michael David Winery Earthquake Zinfandel 2011

22 Monday Sep 2014

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Continuing with our Reno weekend collection of wines, this Lodi Zin was a real treat.  However, I was starting to suffer ‘palate fatigue’ not to mention a slight buzz so my notes got shorter and less detailed.  The essence of this wine is as follows-

Black cherries
Purple plums and black currant mid
89 points
Good acidity and a mild tannic hint

That’s what it comes to at 2 am after a gut full of vino and good times.  I found it online for $22 and was surprised to see that it only got 84 points from WE yet my peers at cellartracker gave it 90.  Strange variation but I’m going with 3 stars for my 89 points and it’s 22 price.  Sorry for the brevity!  Salut….

earthquake zinfandel

Sass Pinot Noir 2012

31 Sunday Aug 2014

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I took Moxie out for a late supper last night at our local Korean/Cajun fusion restaurant called Mokomandy.  We were deep in conversation when the drink order was up, so I asked the waiter what he would recommend and ended up with this Willamette Valley Pinot to go with our eclectic dinner.

It’s funny how some wines taste a certain way to some people, yet others have totally different opinions.  Here we go…

Pinot Purple in the glass, with the telltale see-through hues of a this fickle grape.  Red fruits and a straw component hit me on the nose, I was excited to discover what shade of ‘New World’ this wine would be.  I immediately got sour cherry, strawberry and cranberries on the initial attack, and when I say sour- yowsah….  This wine is most definitely Oregonian in style with some bracing acidity and melded tannins.  The finish was decent with a lingering note of forest floor and strawberry.  The acidity was a little too much for me, making the wine seem a tad off-balance.  I bet it will hold up well in the cellar though and perhaps come out strong in a few years.  Back to the differing of opinions- the winemaker’s website claims flavors of blackberry and black cherry with peppery notes.  I went the other direction with red fruits and certainly no pepper, interesting.  89 points from me for this tasty effort and 3 stars for it’s $22 price tag.  Salut….

sass pinot noir

Chakana Estate Selection Malbec 2009

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Christmas dinner in a restaurant- not ideal but we made it work.  I started off with a pint of Guiness, because it’s good for you.  The appetizer was baby lobster with caviar and wild greens.  The most amazing soup followed that was drizzled with truffle oil, I nearly asked for seconds.  The moment of truth arrived when the Filet Mignon’s were served and this Malbec was poured.  The food was incredible and the wine held its own.

Dark purple in the glass as was expected from this varietal, it offered some dark plums and black cherry notes on the nose.  A very smooth initial attack was a concoction of ripe plum and blackberry jam, but not overpowering.  In fact, the wine was very balanced and restrained.  Many times I feel that Malbec is over extracted and over the top.  This wine had a certain level of civility which was appreciated on the occasion.  The Filet cut of beef is rather mild and does not need an overly tannic fruit bomb.  This wine paired perfectly and was a hit at the table.  The structure is well built and this wine could cellar easily for 5 years .  We paid restaurant prices but this wine can be had for about $22.  I am giving it 90, even though WS gave it 89.  4 stars for me and I’ll be on the lookout for it at my local wine shop.  Ps. Love the label.  Salut and Merry Christmas….

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Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas dinner with silly hats

Christmas dinner with silly hats

Monte Zovo Valpolicella Ripasso 2009

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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Whenever I see a Ripasso in a restaurant, I buy it. I love the elegance of Valpolicella and the brute force that comes when they ‘pass it through’ the Amarone lees and make a Ripasso. Dried cherry and licorice come to mind with some really tasty tannins. The acidic component is slightly off but the fruit over-compensates. This particular bottle was not as aromatic and extracted as I like but it went superbly with our Osso Bucco dinner. 88 points and 3 stars for this $22 effort. Salut….
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Hentley Farm Caretaker Shiraz 2011

22 Friday Nov 2013

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A Barossa Valley Shiraz that I loved.  Dark purple in the glass and offering up a generous bouquet of plums, blackberry and a touch of wood.  The mouthfeel is super smooth and allows the plums and black fruit to meld with oak and star anise.  The wine is drinking beautifully now and from the very gentle tannins I would reckon it to be at peak for the next two years.  This is my style of Aussie Shiraz, supple, smooth and offering a certain level of finesse.  This is a good wine with dimension and appeal. For $22 this is a 4 star wine with 90 points in my books.  Salut….

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Mollydooker ‘The Scooter’ 2010

15 Friday Nov 2013

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I love it when a food and wine pairing hits all cylinders.  Moxie, my little cavewoman treated us to a Bison dish with garlic, ginger, green beans and Rainbow Chard.  If you have never tried Bison, it’s a rather bland meat that takes well to marinade but is rather dry on the palate.  Chard is a very crunchy yet bitter leafy vegetable that I have been totally digging lately.  I needed something soft, somewhat sweet and not too tannic to balance the main components.  Enter The Scooter.  If you missed my last few posts, I am on a mission to taste the whole Mollydooker lineup.  This one happens to be a Merlot that hides its 15.5% alcohol in a remarkable fashion.  Albeit  over the 2 year requirement for the MD Shake, I performed it anyway.

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

The wine is dark purple in the glass and gave off currant and blueberry on the nose. The initial attack had Blackcurrant, Pomegranate and blue jam.  The currant and blue notes hit mid palate.  The wine displayed a certain sweetness that I noticed in ‘The Two Left Feet’.  Juicy acidity was perfectly suited to the pairing and the tannins were slight, which was the perfect due to the dryness of the Bison.  The bitterness of the Chard was offset by the sweetness of the wine and the whole package melded greatly for me.  It very approachable and is delivering a juicy, fruity wine that is sure to please any discerning palate.  For $22 this is a veritable steal and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  If you live near me, sorry- I snagged all they had at the shops.  Seriously, get some if it comes across your radar, you won’t be sorry.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Maitre D’ 2012

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I’m on a mission, tasting as many of the Mollydooker line as possible.  I snagged this one at my local shop for $22 and proceeded to pop-n-pour.  Inky black in the glass- I knew I was in for a treat.  This is a super concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon that needs a good aerating, cellaring or severe pouring through a Vinturi.  It screams black fruit and offers up some blue fruits as well on the initial attack.  The nose is currently closed for business, perhaps a dumb phase.  There is a certain minerality to this wine that I love and some serious pencil lead and blackberry on the mid palate.  The tannins are ferocious right now and left me with a massive case of dry mouth for about 20 minutes.  The balance of acidity and fruit is going to be great when this whole package comes together.  This is a serious Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon that needs some time to sort itself out.  I reckon this one will hit a few home runs and provide amazing pleasure in 3-5 years.  I drank it over two days and noticed a marked softening by day 2.  I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this wine and will be buying more for the cellar.  Salut….IMG_0314IMG_0315

Cosentino ‘The Franc’ 2012

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Two points to note.  I love Cabernet Franc, and I am a fan of Cosentino wines having visited their tasting room in Napa back in June with Moxie.  I saw this wine on the list at a nearby Cajun-Korean Fusion restaurant.  With no hesitation, the wine was ordered and poured into some rather nice BAG’s (Big Assed Glasses).  This wine is from Lodi fruit and was slightly atypical.  I almost sensed a Zinfandel component.  The red fruits and berry flavors gave way to some plum jam and earth with a peppery spice finishing it off.  The wine itself had good acidity and the tannins were smooth.  The flavors of the package were very delightful. I was expecting the softer more perfumed style of Franc but was happy to have experienced a different terroir and style for this varietal.  It is listed at $22 on the winery’s website and I reckon it delivers the goods.  90 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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Mollydooker ‘The Boxer’ Shiraz 2010

09 Saturday Nov 2013

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I have always wanted to try this wine, it’s list of accolades is long and distinguished.  I had my chance last night, pre-dinner with some very close friends.  I unscrewed the cap and poured a small taste into the glasses, not sure of the need to decant or aerate.  My hunch was correct and out came the Vinturi.  A very young wine, with brute strength and bold fruit.  Inky purple in the glass it offered up plums and blackberry on the nose.  The first attack was blackberry tart and plum torte.  I later picked up the vanilla and oak mingling in the fray.  This wine is not a jammy Aussie Shiraz, but more like a fruit concentrate ready to burst.  Albeit young, the tannic component seems subdued.  The one thing of note is the deft masking of the massive 16% alcohol.  This is a feat in and of itself.  I prefer lower alcohol but appreciate the winemakers touch when such camouflage is executed so perfectly.  The result is a delicious wine, somewhat young and in a dumb phase I reckon.  I will cellar the rest and wait another 2 years before I venture there again.  $22 and 90 points from me make this a 4 star effort.  Salut….

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Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue 2009

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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Moxie and I went out for dinner with friends and after perusing the menu I decided on this wine.  I was going to order Venison, my mate was getting a braised and roasted Beef rib.  We needed a somewhat tannic and juicy wine to pair with these two meaty dishes.  The wine was spot on.  The precise blackberry on the nose and palate was delicious.  I later got a slice of blueberry pie and some vanilla bean on the finish.  The tannins are what impressed me the most.  Crisp and linear but not over the top.  The dryness was perfect and the mouthfeel was exactly what we needed to cut the fat of the beef yet not too dry for the venison.  The wine was definitely old world and not overly fruity which worked to our benefit.  The acidity was excellent and the overall balance was great.  I love it when a plan works out!  We paid around $56 at the restaurant but I believe it can be had for about $22, a veritable steal.  90 points and 5 stars from me for this Merlot based St. Emilion.  Salut….

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