18 Wednesday Dec 2013
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I paid $23 for this Chilean Cabernet, hoping for some fireworks. None came, it was a damp squib. Very ordinary and plain- not what I was expecting. The wine was decent, but lacked any depth and complexity. Purple in color and with basic fragrances of plums and oak. On the palate, very straightforward black currants, oak and some mint. Decent tannins and acidity provided a good structure. I really did not get too much from this wine and am going with 87 points and 3 stars. Salut….
14 Saturday Dec 2013
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Having just drunk the more delicate Pinot Noir, this was a smack to the face. A huge, tannic, rustic wine that was nearly black in the glass. Full bodied and not afraid to show it, this wine had notes of blackberry, licorice and oak on the nose. On the palate, very earthy, almost too much even for me. The garrigue infused funk overpowered the black fruits. The tannins were great and will hold this wine for at least 5 years but it is drinking great right now. My personal opinion is 88 points for this wine. The balance of fruit and secondary flavors weighed the scoring down for me. For $24 it may be worthy of a try but be prepared for it. I suggest pairing this Syrah/Grenache blend with a beef stew or lasagna- something hearty. I’m going with 3 stars for now. Salut….
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….
09 Monday Dec 2013
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From Montagne Saint-Emilion comes this Merlot/Cab blend. It was very dark in the glass and bitingly tannic with some hidden fruits lurking. I think I drank it too young as the main flavor was the dryness of my teeth. I did manage to get plums and coffee with some interesting oak on the back end, but generally a muted wine. I paid $18 for it and give it 87 points making it a 3 star effort for me. I think it might improve but the fruit is going to really need to shine and the tannins need to recede for it all to balance up. Salut….
03 Tuesday Dec 2013
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A Bordeaux Superier from a modest vintage that did not break the bank. $12 buys an everyday Cab/Merlot blend with tasty red fruits and some cassis. The tannins seemed a little unripe to me, almost like they had let some green stems stay in the must a little too long. The result was a slightly angular back end finish. I would buy it again and pair it with a cheese platter and some cold cuts. Nothing special here yet appealing for some reason or another. 85 points and 3 stars. Salut….
29 Friday Nov 2013
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When eating at a South African restaurant, it’s obligatory to drink Pinotage. I am really digging this grape as the winemakers have transformed it from lazy plonk to good quality table wine. Originally derived by crossing Pinot Noir and Cinsault varietals, it is only grown in South Africa. This particular one was ordered to go along with some rather awesome Ribeyes. Dark purple in the glass, it gave off the telltale notes of plum and oak. On the palate, the plums and spice give way to black currants and a decent grippy finish of dryness from the tannic structure. Medium acidity round the package out and I must say it was a good balance for the steaks. It can be found for about $15 and I rate it 87 points with a 3 star medal. Salut….
29 Friday Nov 2013
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I don’t believe I have tasted a New Zealand Merlot, so this was a new one for me. It was slightly pale in the glass and had an almost Pinot looking hue to it. On the nose, some cherry and cranberry notes were detected. On the the palate it was very modern in style with Kirsch and cranberry flavors. Not overly dry, it had some decent acidity and was rather refreshing. I am not sure of the typicity to region, but it was an interesting twist on Merlot. I shall have to taste more of the varietal from there to get a baseline. This bottle was on special for $9 but usually costs $18. A crowd pleaser because it was easy to drink and different. 87 points from me and 3 stars. Salut….
29 Friday Nov 2013
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Product of France….. Look closer at the label. It’s generally a decent wine made in an old world style with zest, lime and apple components. Slightly more acidic than the previous wine, it had a bit of a bite that I enjoyed. Pale straw colored in the glass, it had a nose of lemon/lime and some earthy funk. I have no idea how much it was purchased for but would imagine in the $10-$15 range. I’m giving it 86 points and 3 stars. Think shellfish or grilled squid and you would have a great pairing. Salut….
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….
20 Wednesday Nov 2013
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If you read my post on the Santa Ana disaster, it leads into this wine. My buddy bought two bottles of the nasty stuff and returned one the next day. They offered him this bottle as a replacement so I don’t know the value of it. A lighter shade of red in the glass and some hints of raspberry on the nose. On the palate I got red cherry and strawberry with some earth. Not my favorite profile for a Cab Sav but I was willing to roll with it. Nice mouthfeel yet not very complex. I don’t think this is a serious/expensive wine yet it was intriguing. Suffering from jet lag and hunger we polished it off and headed out for dinner. If this was a $10 bottle I would give it 3 stars. I reckon it is an 85 point wine and think you may enjoy it as an aperitif. I can’t quite pick a pairing because of the somewhat strange flavors for the varietal, best to be drunk by itself I reckon. Salut….
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