Tag Archives: 3 stars

Clayhouse Adobe White 2011, Central Coast, USA

27 Tuesday Jun 2017

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I don’t exactly recall buying this wine, but I think it was a last minute grab at the wine store.  It looked interesting with its blend of 49% Viognier, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 19% Grenache Blanc and 6% Princess (Never heard of her).

A golden yellow color in the glass.  The nose is what I was expecting, very similar to Conundrum White, another blend of similar grapes.  Melon, grapefruit, and a touch of lemon are the key components.  On the palate I am tasting raw almond, citrus and kiwi fruit.  The acidity is very mild and the wine has a nice mouthfeel.  There is a certain butteriness that hits on  the mid palate.  The finish is rather short, but leaves a trail of acidity that carries on for a while.  I am really enjoying this wine, it was made for sipping, summer and cold cuts with an olive tray.  I will go 88 points on this $15 wine which makes it a 3 star wine in my books.  Drink now till 2019.  Salut….

playhouse wines adobe white

Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2014, Anderson Valley, USA

26 Monday Jun 2017

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Very pale purple and completely see-through.  Why is this important?  Pinot Noir has several unique traits- it is a seductive grape that does not need extraction.  It treats tannins completely different to other varietals in my opinion.  It’s charm and elegance come from it’s fragility on the vine, a very difficult grape to cultivate well.  It takes on one of two personalities:  Old World with funk, earthiness and mainly cherry, whereas New World styles give more strawberry, a fruit forward style that appeals to many yet doesn’t quite allow for tertiary development.  I like both styles but prefer Old World.

This one is a New World child with fresh strawberries, some bing cherry and cinnamon?  Not sure, but it is intriguing.  The initial taste confirms my New World suspicions.  Strawberry shortcake, vanilla bean and red currants.  A touch of acidity tidy the package up nicely and let the tannins introduce themselves on the mid palate.  If you have followed me for a while you will know that I had a hard time discerning tannic structure in Pinots.  I’m learning and getting better.  Thanks for asking.

This wine has a gorgeous mouthfeel, the dryness of the tannins is very gentle and the acidity is very mild, not cutting but definitely present.  The finish is mid-length and continues the strawberry theme with some acai berry notes.  The 14.5% alcohol is very well disguised but will bode well for this wine in the cellar.  I believe it has some potential and will drink well until 2025.  I would pair it with roast cornish hens, perhaps a grilled pork chop with apple stuffing.  90 points and 3 stars for this $27 bottle.  Salut….

ferrari-carano pinot noir

Concannon Vineyard Founder’s Petite Sirah 2014, San Francisco Bay, USA

25 Sunday Jun 2017

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A lighter purple color which kinda surprised me.  I get fig, black cherry and dates on the nose, a strange combination but I write ’em as I see ’em.  The initial taste consists of a lighter set fruits, mostly blueberry, with some currants.  Gentle tannins and mild acidity give this a nice easy mouthfeel while the mid palate shows off black berries and spice.  The wine stays true to form on the finish with more blackberry and some very slight tannins.  Not a blockbuster, but certainly an easy going wine to pull out at parties, barbecues or just a lazy evening.  It will pair with many summer dishes and I would even use it for Coq au Vin.  I think it merits 87 points and for $11 will be a repeat purchase worthy of 3 stars.  Salut….

colcannon petite sirrah san francisco bay

Ceja Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012, Carneros, USA

24 Saturday Jun 2017

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Reddish purple but nearly see through in the glass.  The nose is of strawberry and rhubarb.  On the palate it is strawberry pie meets cherry with a noticeable up front acidity.  The mid palate is where it’s at with this wine- much rounder mouthfeel with flavors of red berries, more rhubarb and some tannins that are ever so gently caressing my gums.  The finish is really smooth, long and reminiscent of more strawberry notes.  Roasted chicken with garlic comes to mind.  89 points and 3 stars for this $56 effort.  Salut….

ceja pinot noir

 

Mission Estate Winery Cabernet – Merlot 2014, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

10 Saturday Jun 2017

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Really dark purple, almost opaque in the glass.  The nose is an interesting compilation of Cherry and Iodine meets blue fruits.  On the palate it’s a different story.  Much more focused on blueberry and some black berries plus a touch of oak.  The acidity is present from the get go and the tannins ramp up gently, closing out the finish with a nice dryness.  The mid palate exhibits blue and black berries as well as some nutmeg.  This is a decent wine that gets 89 points from me and will do well with Osso Bucco or perhaps a mixed grill on the barbie.  I paid $18 for it and give it 3 stars.  Salut….

WillaKenzie Estate ‘Estate Grown’ Pinot Gris 2015, Willamette Valley, USA

04 Sunday Jun 2017

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My folks are in town for JJ’s Ballet performance.  Mum likes the whites and I figured some Pinot Grigio/Gris would work well for a warmish weekend.  This one was a very pale yellow- which is a good thing for this varietal.  Nose of lemons, pomelo and green apples.  The initial taste is rather surprising- more body than I imagined with hints of wax, lemons, bergamot.  The mid palate exhibits a citrusy component that I’m enjoying.  The acidity is very mild and doesn’t really hit the palate until the finish.  Speaking of which, it is mid length and laden with more citrus in the form of lemon peel and a hint of lanolin.  89 points and a great opener to a Friday night!  $17 buys this charmer all day long and it gets 3 stars from me, I’m buying more!  Salut….

willakenzie pinot gris

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….

St. Supery Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Napa Valley, USA

01 Thursday Jun 2017

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It was a beautiful evening, 75, sunny and a gentle breeze.  The Salmon was on the grill and I cracked open this little beauty.  I don’t often drink whites, but it was the right place and the right time.  I will be buying more of it!

Dark yellow in the glass.  Nose is delightful- pineapple, honey, melon.  On the palate, very full bodied, with notes of honeydew, lemon zest and grapefruit peel.  Tasty mid plate with more citrus and almond shavings. The finish continues with the theme.  I am going with 89 points.  It can be found for $15 which makes this a solid 3 star wine.  Salut….

st super sauvignon blanc

Proemio Malbec 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

30 Tuesday May 2017

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A lighter shade of purple than I was expecting from an Argentinian Malbec.  On the nose I am getting blueberries and and fruit cake.  My initial taste is of blue fruits with very ripe mashed plums.  Strange, I know.  As the wine transitions to the mid palate I am getting a touch of tannins with a hint of dryness, some blueberry compote and a touch of spice box.  The finish has a flavor that I cannot even begin to describe, banana meets wet paper.  It is interesting, yet so unfamiliar.  I am not sure this wine is    what I was expecting.  It is a little disjointed, lacks a long term structure and is kinda meh.  86 points is all I can go, which is a shame as I am rocking a Porterhouse tonight that was begging for a hearty, tannic red full of bold flavors.  It got a monster 94 points from Ultimate Beverage Challenge, I’m just not seeing it, but for $11 it is a decent weekday quaffer.  3 stars only because the price is so good.  Salut….

proemio malbec

Korta Katarina Plavac Mali 2011, Srednja I Juzna Dalmacija, Croatia

30 Tuesday May 2017

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A friend of mine just brought this from Croatia.  He loved the winery and enjoyed their wines, so I got the spoils!  It travelled 3/4 of the way around the world before I let it sit for a week to settle down.  The varietal, Plavac Mali is found predominantly in Croatia and is a distant relative to Zinfandel.  It is tannic, high in alcohol and produces rich wines.  This one is see-through, light purple, almost a touch orange.  Delightful nose of black currants, cranberry and green peepers.  The initial taste is interesting to say the least:  upfront tannins and a dose of blue fruits with some licorice.  The dryness of the tannins carries on throughout and is the finale.  On the mid palate more red than blue fruits but I also get some acidity interlaced with the tannins.  The finish is all tannins, with just a hint of blueberry.  This wine would rock some minced meat kebabs, perhaps a grilled lamb chop too.  89 points for this delicious wine.  The 14.5% alcohol is hidden well and the structure is solid here.  I couldn’t find much info on pricing, but one place in Europe used to sell it for 28 Euros.  That would make this a 3 star effort.  Salut….
sorta katarina plavac mali