Tag Archives: 3 stars

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel ‘de Restia’ Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009

07 Wednesday Dec 2016

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A lighter purple color with a touch of orange bricking on this crianza level wine that has 7 years of cellaring.  On the nose, a subdued level of plum and dusty earth- a hallmark of the varietal.  On the palate a somewhat rustic initial attack of dark fruits, with dried oregano, earth and very dry tannins.  The acidity is somewhat lacking and is overcome by the tannins, which is not a bad thing.  The finish is decent in length and offers up more purple fruit flavors with a touch of heat.  The dryness on the gums goes on forever, which I kinda like!  The wine, at this stage of its life is giving me pause….  It has a really tannic structure yet I feel it is not able to age much more due to the low acidity.  The fruit is starting to dry up but there is not much evolution.  All in all a pop-n-pour wine that won’t break the bank at $15 and gets 88 points from me.  This 3 star effort would pair well with some charcuterie, perhaps a bowl of pasta Arrabiatta.  Salut….

Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel 'de Restia' Crianza Selected Harvest, Ribera del Duero, Spain

Di Meo F Fiano Di Avellino DOCG 2012

26 Saturday Nov 2016

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When I visited the Wine Library in New Jersey last week they had this wine on sale and I sampled it.  Delicious and fresh with unique flavors that reminded me somewhat of Conundrum White.  It was my first experience with the Fiano grape varietal.  I bought a bottle of this 94 point (Decanter rated) wine for only $16, making it a supremely good deal.  Unfortunately I must have had a bottle with variation as it was not reminiscent of my first taste.

Light straw color in the glass.  Nose of lemon zest and sea salt/iodine.  The initial attack is lemon, green apple skin and an interesting acid component that is hitting the gums.  This acidity moves swiftly to the mid palate where is sticks.  The finish is of a decent length that consists of yet more lemon, acidity and a hint of cardamom.  This wine strikes me as a bit one-dimensional but it is refreshing and would pair nicely with raw oysters.  89 points.  I think it warrants a re-taste as my initial notes (mental) were totally different and I really enjoyed the wine much more then.  Even at 89 points it is a decent QPR and I would give it 3 stars.  Salut….

di men final di avellino

 

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013

09 Wednesday Nov 2016

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A college friend moved to our area last year and we have been trying to meet up more than just once every six months, so when he suggested bringing over some vino and charcuterie on a beautiful Saturday afternoon….  I lit the outdoor fire and cleared the patio.

First up was this gem from Napa.  Relatively young, I figured it could use decanting.  We drank it with various cold meets and cheeses and talked of the old days.  It was a fun afternoon and the wine certainly made it a memorable experience.  I did not take notes but am relying on my memory.

Color was textbook and the nose had plum, dark fruits and a hint of oak.  On the palate, super smooth.  If nothing else, this wine glides like buttah.  A rounded mouthfeel full of more dark plum and black berries.  The tannins were very integrated and not drying.  Either the decanting really did the trick or the wine is very stealthy with hiding them.  A balanced acidity make this wine very easy to drink now, but I think it will cellar well for a few years (Say till 2022).  Our pairing was excellent with the cold cuts but think this wine will be great with a fall dish like Osso Bucco, Coq au Vin or even Venison stew.  I’m liking it a bunch and will go 90 points on this $42 offering.  3 stars and worthy of splashing out with good friends.  Salut…

stags leap artemis

 

Morgan Metallic Unoaked Chardonnay Monterey County Central Coast California 2013

08 Saturday Oct 2016

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My folks were in town and took us out to dinner at this great new seafood place.  Mum loves the Chard and we were there for seafood so it made sense to order something white and refreshing.  On the nose this wine presents apple, melon and a hint of citrus.  Being unoaked I was expecting something really steely, perhaps overly flinty or minerally but this wine was well balanced and did not overstretch itself.  Anjou pear, a touch of minerality and some citrus notes were what was on offer.  Well balanced and not too acidic.  The folks and Moxie don’t like them to cut too much.  I enjoyed this wine immensely and my folks raved about it.  I think it warrants 89 points and I have found it online for $21, which is shocking considering we only paid $35 at the restaurant.  3 stars and worthy of buying a few for some trout on the grill, perhaps some shrimp scampi.  Salut….

morgan unoaked chardonnay

Sigston Swift Tatachilla Block Reserve Shiraz 2011, McLaren Vale

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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This was the second Sigston Swift bottle at our tasting, the other being the Aunt Prissy Tempranillo.  This Reserve Shiraz has a bit of bottle age on it and is drinking well.  A nice purple color that leaves a sexy set of legs on the glass and introduces you to a nose of gorgeous black and blue currants. I’m missing the telltale white pepper notes associated with Mclaren Vale Shiraz, but they are replaced with some vanilla that I’m really liking. On the initial attack I get black berry torte, some blueberry pie and a touch of cinnamon. Mid palate wise it just flows on from the front end. The wine finishes with perfume, some slight tannins and black cherries. I think this wine is worthy of 87 points and 3 stars for its $15 price point.  Drink now-2018.  Salut….

sigston swift tatachilla block reserve shiraz

Mollydooker Miss Molly Sparkling Shiraz, South Australia 2010

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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I first opened a Miss Molly in January of 2014.  This second bottle has been cellared in hopes of seeing evolution.  I only drank it in a flute, rather than tasting it as I did the first time.

Nose of cassis syrup, with an effervescent plum component.  On the palate is where it all starts- pepper, spice, black berries, plum jam and cassis.  The mousse keeps bringing back the blackberry and cassis throughout the mid palate and on to the finish.  The wine ends with a white pepper and cassis note in a somewhat short fashion.  I don’t detect any tannins but there is a definite acidity that keeps the wine fresh and bracing.  I previously gave this wine 90 points, but at this stage it gets 88 points.  We drank it with grilled salmon and Caeser salad.  It would rock some raw clams or perhaps roasted quail.  3 stars for this $25 offering.  Salut….
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BriO de Cantenac Brown 2010, revisited

28 Thursday Jul 2016

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I last tasted this wine in it’s infancy, with instructions to revisit later.  Eighteen months on and it’s starting to open up, evolve and change in fruit flavors.  When I initially reviewed the BriO I only gave it 88 points.  This time is different.

Deep, rich purple hues with a nose of black currants, violets and cinnamon. The initial attack consists of blackberry, tar, and plum pudding. The wine is still showing some primal tannins, but they integrate well with the acidity. The mid palate and finish offer up more plums and a hint of eucalyptus. A medium length ending that leaves a certain tannic edge that begs for some red meat- good thing I’m doing kebabs tonight. I think this wine is just opening up and will drink well for another 5 years. 90 points and 3 stars for this $40 bottle.  Salut….

brio de cantina brown 2010

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Beaune Vignes Franches 1er cru 2010

26 Tuesday Jul 2016

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Burgundy, and Pinot Noir can seem like such a minefield.  The nuances of the grape coupled with the intricacies of the Burgundian wine system leave me with a headache sometimes.  Having said that, I am trying my hardest to discover and having fun doing it.

See-through pinkish purple, as would be expected of a Pinot Noir. The nose intrigues me- but kinda thin. It offers shades of cherry, straw, dust and perhaps some pomegranate. The initial attack is very subtle and smooth. Cherry for sure, some capsicum, and spices. Violets come to mind as well. The mid palate is where the wine opens up- cherries, berries and some nice juicy tannins show up. The pomegranate re-appears on the finish as the wine closes out in a slightly acidic note. The whole package is quite delicious but lacks depth for now. I’m thinking it may evolve somewhat. 90 points from me (the pro’s gave it 92). Drink from now until 2025 and pair it with Cornish hens, maybe even some Salmon on the grill.  For $50,  it is a pricy wine, but very typical of small production Burgundy.  3 stars.  Salut….

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru 2010

The cork was really dark and interesting.

The cork was really dark and interesting.

Chateau Les Ormes Saint-Julien 2009

21 Thursday Jul 2016

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I love Bordeaux wines, especially from awesome vintages like 2009.  This particular bottling is 68% Cab Sav, 30% Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot.  It comes in at 13% alcohol and can be had for $80.  Do not confuse this winery with Ormes de Pez.

Dark, hazy purple in the glass it offers up a nose of black fruits, tar and some oak.  On the palate, still young and tannic but with flavors of black berries, cassis and violets.  The mid palate is somewhat muted by the tannic structure and the juicy acidity, not leaving much room for the fruit to shine, this is only a temporary problem that will be solved wth cellaring or a run through the Vinturi.  The finish is long and searing with gum numbing tannins.  The tail end shows off some berry and spice box.  The deft use of oak and lack of super extraction tell me this is a quality wine that has respected the terroir and will live long.  Not cheap, it is worthy of 91 points from me and 3 stars.  I am cooking NY Strip steaks with some Artichokes, a perfect pairing if I might say so.  I have more in the cellar and will re-visit in two years or so.  Salut….

chateau les ormes

 

Phebus Reserva Malbec 2014

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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My buddy brought this over for dinner recently and we popped it right away with some appetizers of Goat Brie, Olives, Gruyere and charcuterie.  It drank very well and was a nice intro to a big night.  I did not get very detailed in the notes as I was busy entertaining and cooking, needless to say, I would buy this again as an everyday go-to Malbec.

Dark purple. Pepper, plum and capsicum on the nose. Good acidity that frames the dark fruits with some very gentle tannins. Easy going mid-palate that takes you through to the blackberry filled finish.  88 points and at $14 it gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

phebus malbec reserva