Tag Archives: 4 stars

Clarendon Hills Piggott Range Syrah 2010, McLaren Vale, Australia

18 Thursday Jun 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I love this winery, they make very Old World style Syrah in Australia that is very rich, extracted but not jammy.  This one happens to be a younger version of the 2006 Syrah.

It’s very inky and opaque in the glass.  The nose is brooding, and the 14.5% alcohol is evident.  Black plums, dark fruit melange and spicy oak are all present.  With a good deal more swirling I get violets, Boysenberry and a charred note.  On the palate it is very juicy right off the bat.  Figs, blackberry and espresso hit my palate alongside some slightly green tannins and a nice acidic cut.  The mid palate is quite focused on that tartness alongside a blueberry meets plum note.  Tannins take a step back while the acidity plays lead.  The finish is long, mouthwatering and modestly dry.  Black fruits dominate the back end with some Mocha, licorice and that burnt wood note.  I think I preferred the 2006, but this is a very tasty wine that I feel is acid dominated and slightly off balance.  Drink till 2026.  For $100, it’s quite pricy which gets 92 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

Vina Almaviva 2006, Puente Alto, Chile

16 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


At 14 years of age this beauty is showing well in the glass.  Dark purple, opaque and leggy.  The cork was very soft so I had to pressurize it out, the corkscrew was going to crumble it otherwise.  On the nose I get blackberries, cigar box, plum and black licorice.  The initial palate is stunning- blue and blackberry ganache, cassis, leather, cedar and oregano.  Sublime tannins are ever present but very integrated.  The mid palate picks up some lapsang souchong tea, espresso and mocha.  The finish is finely balanced between the great tannins and a beautiful acidity that makes my jaw water on the long finish.  This is a sublime wine that has mellowed and matured to a great pinnacle.  Drink this wine by itself or pair it with char-grilled steaks and garlic mash.  95 points and 4 stars for this $140 blend of Cab Sav, Carmenere, Cab Franc and Merlot.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Vultour Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Napa Valley, California

03 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Bright purple in color and fully opaque.  On the nose I get lush blackberry, iodine, tar and currants.  The initial palate is very round and mouthfilling.  Black currants, fresh tannins and violets. The mid palate is quite dry with more black fruits, oolong tea, tar and mocha.  The finish is quite tannic and long.  Ribena, black berries and tea take center stage.  There’s a smokiness from the oak that hits rights at the end as well as some Sasafrass.  A really delicious, medium weight Napa Cab. 91 points and 4 stars for this $118 dazzler.  Drink till 2028 with some grilled meat.  Salut….

IMG_5954

Angela Estate Pinot Noir 2015, Yamhill-Carlton District, USA

28 Thursday May 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This Pinot is quite dark, and barely see-through in the glass.  The nose gives me gobs of New World cherry, strawberry and licorice.  On the palate I get cherry, a woodsy, earthy note and some spices, cinnamon in particular.  The mid palate is quite smooth with rhubarb, cherry and crunchy acidity.  The finish is fruit driven with red berries and cherry carrying gentle tartness to a medium length ending.  It has a decent flavor profile and is typical of the region- somewhat more full bodied than say Burgundy, more red fruit, a touch of earthiness and it’s growing on me.  I would go 90 points for this $35 offer that gets 4 stars from me.  I’m pairing with rack of Lamb and grilled Zucchini.  Drink till 2025.  ps. this was the 4th bottle from my Splashwines delivery.  Salut….

Cameron Hughes Lot 717 Super Tuscan 2015, Toscana, Italy

19 Tuesday May 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Very rich purple in the glass and semi opaque.  The nose gives off cherry, baking spices, bakers yeast and red currants.  On the palate it is very drinkable, smooth and fruity.  Raspberries, red currants and those spices hit the palate.  As the wine rolls over the mid palate I get a sour rhubarb note that gives the wine some zing.  Very fine grained tannins appear on the finish to leave a rather pleasant mouthfeel.  This light to medium bodied wine calls for white pasta dishes, roast chicken or Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus.  It gets 90 points from me and I would drink till 2024.  For $20, it’s a good deal on Super Tuscan juice.  4 stars.  Salut….

Durigutti Cabernet Franc 2017, Mendoza, Argentina

08 Friday May 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Bright purple in the glass with long legs.  On the nose it’s somewhat muted, but with a good swirl I am able to coax blackberry, vanilla bean and charred oak.  On the palate it’s very inviting with black fruits, violets, licorice and crisp tannins.  The mid palate is quite tart with sour black cherry and more blackberries.  Towards the finish this wine gets more and more dry.  The teeth and gums are coated with black and Lapsang Souchong teas, astringent yet tasty with a slight smoke note.  It’s a very tasty wine that needs a few years in cellar.  90 points and 4 starts for this $17 Cab France.  Salut….

Cusumano Nero d’Avola Terre Siciliane IGT 2018, Sicily, Italy

26 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Number two in the virtual line-up was this Nero D’Avola from Sicily.  I wanted to add a relatively unknown varietal to try and introduce new wines to my friends.  This one was a steal at $12 and scored highly amongst the attendees.  I gave it 89 points and will go with 4 stars.  It had some very nice black fruits, good tannic structure and a decent finish of licorice and oak adding to plums.  Cellar for up to 6 years.  A good wine to have in case you need a quick go-to bottle.  Salut….  

Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

21 Tuesday Apr 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,


I love this wine btw, having had older vintages in the past.  This one shows see-through dark purple in the glass.  The nose is ethereal- raspberries, rooibos tea, cinnamon and some oak.  The palate is very much New World.  Tart, crispy and loaded with red fruits.  The cinnamon and raspberry components are very much accentuated. There is a bit of heat from the alcohol, which I kinda like.  It’s only showing 13.5%, but I can sense its presence.  The mid palate is more earthy with some wild game and mushroom notes along with some red berries.  The finish is warm, with a raspberry reduction and charcoal note.  It’s quite long and a touch tart, making me lick my chops.  Overall this is a well made wine that is in a mid-life crisis.  It’s lost some fruit yet doesn’t quite have tertiary flavors developed fully.  I would give it another 3 years and drink from 2023-2030.  92 points and 4 stars for this $70 Pinot.  I’m pairing with Chicken Kabobs.  Salut….

Maison Michel Picard Le Clos Micot 2005, Pommard Premier Cru, France

12 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I’m afraid for this wine, the cork was very dry when I put the screw in and the sides were wet when I started to pull it out.  I only got halfway before the cork broke.  Luckily I have other tools to retrieve the broken half.  In the glass it looks okay, dark red, with no signs of bricking and barely any legs on the glass.  The nose is gorgeous, earthy, full of tertiary flavors- forest floor, mushrooms, bacon and a whiff of rich cherry compote.  The palate is sublime, smooth and a mix of fruit, acidity, those tertiary flavors and a warm mouthfeel.  The cherry component is backed up by rooibos tea, some nutmeg and leather.  This wine has aged nicely and thank goodness the cork held out.  The finish is long with a nice streak of acidity that delineates the fruity red berries from the secondary evolution that I get.  Nice ingrained tannins are holding it together but I feel it is peaking so drink till 2027 .  I am serving it with Baked Ham and mashed potatoes for Easter dinner.  93 points for this $100 Burgundian Pinot Noir.  4 stars.  Salut….

Gioso Barolo DOCG 2015, Piedmont, Italy

06 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Semi opaque medium tint of purple. I get a delicious whiff of black cherry, cedar, tobacco and spice box.  On the palate the wine’s visual and nose bely it’s power and structure.  It has a very forward stab of fruit alongside a crescendo of tannins that present cherries, lingonberry and leather on the initial palate.  The tannins sear my gums and carry me to the midpalate of more stark red fruits and that earthy component.  The finish- dry AF, really has some juiciness to it.  The cherries are the dominant force battling the astringency.  This wine is a cherub, the tannins almost too much at this stage but I feel this wine will evolve in the next 5-10 years.  I’m going with 92 points but either decant the hell out of it or put it away for a long time.  $30 and 4 stars for this Nebbiolo.  Drink from 2024-2034.  Salut….