Tag Archives: 4 stars

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Pommard Les Noizons 2011, Cote de Beaune, France

08 Friday Mar 2019

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Typical Pinot Noir in the glass, light, reddish, totally see through.  I can smell it from four feet away, the waft is amazing.  It’s rather young on the nose- cherries, mushroom, spruce.  On the initial palate it presents with loads of fine grained tannins.  The fruit comes later.  Cherry, strawberry, balsamic essence and cola hit me.  The mid palate is one-dimensional- sour bing cherry.  The tannins really grip on the finish and leave me with a very dry set of gums, almost painful- which is rare for me and Pinot.  The finish also shows off rhubarb, the sour kind.  The acidity presents itself in mysterious ways some times!  There is a uniqueness to this wine, I can’t pinpoint it.  Could it be the freshness of the acidity, the gushing amounts of tannin or the way it leaves my mouth feeling?  Anyways- I am enjoying it and will probably run some through the Vinturi to soften it a bit.  For now, 90 points and 4 stars for this $45 bottle.  Drink from 2022-2033.  Salut….

Cascina Adelaide Barolo DOCG 2013, Piedmont, Italy

05 Tuesday Mar 2019

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It pours out as expected, reddish purple, see through and intriguing.  On the nose I get strawberry, rhubarb and sour cherry juice.  On the palate this wine is very young with copious tannins immediately attacking the gums- finally giving way to lush cherry, cinnamon, cedar box, leather and tobacco flavors.   This wine is chock full of everything- flavors, dryness, acidity…. you name it.  Very interesting mouthfeel to boot.  It really needs a pour through the Vinturi, but I can’t help myself with these tannins, they are so intriguing and mouth puckering that I will have to sit here and suffer a little longer before I soften them up.  The mid palate is all sour cherry, not in a bad way.  The finish is much of the same…  cherry, leather, mushrooms, acidity, mouth puckering tannins but it eases off nicely.  This is going to be an awesome wine one day when it has grown up, shed the flab, softened the tannins and developed secondary flavors.  For now I am going with 92 points and 4 stars.  This Nebbiolo lists at $80 and should be cellared until 2024 then drunk till 2034.  Salut….

Liparita Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

05 Tuesday Mar 2019

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Bright purple- almost sparkly in the glass.   The nose is full-on Napa cab.  Rich plums, blackberries and cedar.  The palate mirrors- and it’s super smooth with a gentle ramp up of tannins.  The mid palate continues the dark fruit theme but this is where the black tea, crunchy tannins and Maduro leaf appear.  The finish is very dry, long and filled with blackberry jam, more tea and a touch of oak.  Delicious and worth 91 points in my book.  The only thing holding it back is the slight greenness of the tannins.  I’m serving up Sunday roast with this beauty.  4 stars for this $40 Cabernet that can be cellared or drunk till 2028.  Salut….

Bodegas Escudero Vidau 2005, Rioja DOCa, Spain

04 Monday Mar 2019

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Murky, dark purple in the glass.  The nose has Blackberry, some funk and creosote.  I have a feeling this wine might be off unfortunately.  Let’s see.

On the palate, it does taste slightly off. The murkiness of the wine may be a clue.  There is a stewed fruit component for sure alongside some really nice tannins.  Unfortunate.  The wine needs a re-taste, which will happen soon. 

 

Clear vs. murky

Bottle number 2 was definitely showing better in the glass.  That murkiness is not apparent, the color a much purer purple.  The nose has a perfumed scent, black berry and violets come to mind.  The palate is far better this time around.  Dark fruits, boysenberry and black olives.  The mid palate is fresh and lively with some nice acidity to go alongside the medium tannins.  More dark fruit emerges with tapenade and smoky flavors appearing.  The finish is quite dry, not astringent at all.  The blackberry fruits really shine with some cedar notes.  This is a tasty wine with depth and complexity.  It has had 10+ years in the cellar and is on pointe now.  92 points and 4 stars for this $45 Tempranillo.  Really tasty- it will pair great with Tapas, a Filet or even a toasted cheese sandwich!  Salut….  

 

Castillo De Albai Reserva 2014, Rioja, Spain

04 Monday Mar 2019

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Bright purple, semi opaque.  Bramble, earthiness and blackberry on the nose.  On the palate I get more black fruits, delicious integrated oak, lithe tannins and good acidity.  There is a juicy fruit preserve component on the midpalate that I’m really enjoying.  Licorice hits me on the back end alongside chocolate powder, interesting.  This wine is not overly built, it drinks well and has some cellaring potential .  90 points and 4 stars for this $14 value.  Salut….

Raats Cabernet Franc 2015, Stellenbosch, South Africa

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Very dark purple in the glass.  Bramble, creosote, black berries and blueberry jam on the nose.  On the palate this is a tannic beast- full of dark fruits, young and brooding.  It is laced with blackberries, toasty oak and mouth coating tannins.  The midpalate has some telltale violets- the varietal shines thru.  On the finish this wine offers black berries, more charred wood notes and those really grippy tannins.  A touch young- it needs aerating or cellaring. Drink till 2027 with braised lamb, Moussaka or a thick steak.  91 points and 4 stars for this $40 Cab Franc.  Salut….

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2012, Margaux, France

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Rich purple hues in the glass with classic Bordeaux notes on the palate.  Cassis, lovely oak and dark cherry are dominant on the nose.  On the palate it is slightly thinner than expected but its litheness is appreciated.  Plums, blackberry reduction, black olives and charcoal dominate the initial palate.  Very lithe tannins peak on the mid palate with very slight acidity countering them.  The finish is where the astringency kicks in with black tea, black currants and spice box.  This wine is drinking very nicely now and will improve over the next 10 years.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 Grand Cru.  Salut….

Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, South Africa

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Dark yet not very opaque.  Typical for the varietal.  Gorgeous nose of cherry reduction, dare I say mushrooms and old oak.  The palate is super smooth and full bodied, showing off cherries and cola.  The oak is dominant in this wine, but not obtrusive. The mid palate is round and slightly tannic. The cherries march on and the wine finishes with coconut notes, probably from the wood.  91 points and 4 stars for this $44 effort.  Drink this Pinot Noir till 2025 with pasta, roasted Chicken or a cheese and salami plate.  Salut….

Quinta do Covão 2014, Dao, Portugal

23 Saturday Feb 2019

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Bright purple in the glass.  Plums and black berry come off on the palate with some earthiness that I love in Portuguese wines.  There’s a dusty component reminiscent of desert air that pops up as well.  On the palate it has telltale Tinto Roriz and Touriga Nacional notes.  There’s a tar component alongside spice box and blackberry.  The tannins are very integrated, of medium intensity and not astringent.  I like the mouthfeel and the balance is great.  The mid palate and finish are both steeped in black fruits and that spiciness.  The dry, dusty notes I mentioned earlier slip back in right at the end.  This is a tasty wine that gets 91 points from me.  The $40 price point makes it a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Chateau de Camensac 2015, Haut-Medoc, France

26 Saturday Jan 2019

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This was the fourth wine of the tasting evening, which may have included a bit of palate fatigue but we all agreed it was the nicest.  The 2015 Bordeaux vintage shows its excellence here.

Medium to dark black in the glass.  Cassis, black berry coulis and some gaminess.  On the palate it reeks of Bordeaux- cassis, dark berries, oak and grippy tannins.  The mid palate is where the astringency kicks in with a black tea component and some decent blackberry jam notes.  The finish is totally dry.  Short length on the flavors but the tannins are in full force.  90 points and 4 stars for this $45 wine. Drink till 2027. Salut….