Tag Archives: 4 stars

First Drop Mothers Milk Shiraz Barossa 2014

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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I have tasted the 2010 Mothers Milk before and really enjoyed it, so much so that I have been on the lookout ever since.  Moxie and I were in New Jersey this past weekend and I took the opportunity to visit The Wine Library, a wine store I have shopped from online and have been following for some time.  They used to have a great podcast on wine tastings and they started http://cinderellawine.com.

I was super excited to revisit this wine.  On the nose- cherry and blackberry with red licorice.  On the initial attack there is raspberry coulis and black cherry juice flavors.  Really slight tannins open up after a while on the mid palate through to the finish, where I’m getting sour cherry from the acid.  Easy to drink and delightful, this wine is not complex but offers a balanced mouthfeel and hides the 14.5% alcohol beautifully.  This is an easy wine to quaff but would pair nicely with pizza, grilled lamb chops or a hearty winter stew.  89 points and 4 stars for this $13 effort.  Salut…

first drop mothers milk 2014

Peters Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain 2006

16 Wednesday Nov 2016

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I tasted the 2006 Peters Family Cabernet exactly three years ago and am impressed that it has evolved more and gotten a higher score from me.

A nose of black currant preserves, pine needles and tar.  On the palate a beautiful intro of plum, black berries and dried mint.  The mid palate shows off some great tannins that are persistent yet subdued.  The acidity is somewhat muted, overshadowed by the fruit and tannins.  The finish is short to medium in length but ends with the tannic dryness.  This wine has a great mouthfeel that I really like and the fruit is still vibrant.  A mostly Cabernet Sauvignon wine that has 23% Merlot mixed in.  Secondary flavors are evident and I’m excited about this wine’s development.  Drink till 2022 with pasta, steaks and roasted game.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 effort.  Salut….

peters family cabernet sauvignon

Cosentino ‘The FRANC’ Cabernet Franc Lodi 2014

24 Monday Oct 2016

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A see through purple that indicates to me a textbook amount of extraction for this seductive and silky grape.  A nose of black fruits, oak and black cherry.  I have come across this profile before, but not in a Cabernet Franc.  On the palate there is a really delicious black cherry component that mixes it up with violets.  The tannins are well integrated yet offer a certain dryness that goes well with many foods.  The mid palate and finish continue the tastes found initially and the wine rounds out with a decent mid length finish that has a tar component.  I am really enjoying this wine, not just because I love Cab Franc, but because it adheres to some of the basic tenets of the grape yet goes into uncharted territory for me.  89 points from me and for $13 it is a good deal worth 4 stars.  Salut….
cosentino the franc

Cosentino Semillon Napa Valley 2015

24 Monday Oct 2016

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Gorgeous pale gold color gives way to a nose of persimmon, ginger root and cut grass.  On the palate it introduces lemons, star fruit and a waxy component.  Sharp and cutting, it rounds out the midpalate with hazelnut.  Vanilla bean is present on the finish, which is of medium length.  This wine is racy and easy to drink.  It would pair well with oysters on the half, perhaps a middle eastern mezza, or you can be adventurous like me and serve it with Chili.  I’m a member of this winery and get an allotment twice a year, this one was a good surprise!  It retails at $24 and gets 89 points.  4 Stars from me and a repeat buy on the next order!  Salut….
cosentino semicolon napa valley

Charles Smith ‘Eve’ Chardonnay Columbia Valley Washington 2014

08 Saturday Oct 2016

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Pale yellow and offering apple, quince and lemon notes on the nose.  Somewhat subdued on the palate on day one, I am writing this on day two where the wine has really opened up.  The mouthfeel is really nice, not flabby or overly acidic.  Yellow apples are the key ingredient and they are backed up with lemon zest and nutmeg.
This is a relatively ‘clean’ chard that provides good balance without going heavy into the buttery side or steely on to the minerally side.  88 points and a great wine for sipping or pairing with some cajun seafood.  I’m going 4 stars on this $10 effort.  I am a big fan of this winery, they produce very consistent wines at several price points.  Salut….
eve chardonnay

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2010, Yarra Valley Australia

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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I got an email recently advertising this wine at a crazy good price, under $10 for a 90+point wine.  I was intrigued and bought a few bottles.

A nice purple that did not quite show over the top extraction that presented a nose of baked plums, blackcurrants and vanilla. The initial taste is somewhat expected with respect to my comment about extraction. This wine is far more subtle and refined compared to some of the more bombastic Aussie Shiraz’s I have tasted. It does come with a price though, 14.5% alcohol that just slips by unnoticed. The flavors are delicious, with blue fruits, a hint of pepper and violets. Tannins still lurk in the background and give the wine a nice crunch.  The acidity is ever so slight and does not overpower. The mid palate is where this wine shines, the fruit is very much alive and the mouthfeel hits its pinnacle. The finish is decent in length and gives a nice tannic coating that does not overpower. Overall a delicious wine that I am having with homemade pizza baked in the Big Green Egg.  89 points and 4 stars based on it’s normal retail of $16. Drink now- 2020.  Salut….

bering station shiraz viognier yarra valley

Sigston Swift Aunt Prissy Tempranillo 2014, McLaren Vale

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

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A friend brought this to the tasting, and I was impressed.  I was not expecting a Tempranillo from Australia, nor one that was this delicious.

Dark purple, with lots of extraction.  A full on nose of black currants, a hint of earth/dust and possibly some eucalyptus. A super smooth intro of Ribena, black olive and spice on the palate.  The tannins are very integrated and there is a nice touch of acidity.  The mid palate gives black fruit and an interesting note of bell peppers.  This wine drinks well now and will drink nicely all by itself or perhaps with some charcuterie.  It may have some cellaring capacity but the structure calls for pop-n-pour.  It closes with a sour cherry note and a mid length finish that I enjoyed.  I’m not sure if much oak influenced this wine but the relatively low 13% alcohol makes it a treat to drink.  I really like this wine and look forward to it becoming more widely available.  A very respectable 88 points from me and 4 stars for its $15 price point.  Salut….

sigston swift aunt prissy tempranillo

Domaine Sebastien Magnien Pommard Les Perrieres, Cote de Beane, France 2010

08 Monday Aug 2016

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A Burgundy bottling that comes with great acclaim and which I have waited long enough to try.  See through light purple, hinting at refinement and class.  The nose has strawberry, pomegranate and twizzlers.  All typical of good Pinot Noir!  The initial taste is very elegant, light and juicy. Strawberry, rhubarb and juicy acidity merge into a mid palate of cherry kirsch. The finish is long and laced with tannins as well as that bracing acidity. This wine is exuberant and young. The earthiness and funk that I crave in Burgundy wines has not yet evolved. I would imagine another 4 years in the cellar might extract the results I’m looking for. 91 points for now and I am excited for the next bottle in a few years!  4 stars for this $55 offering.  Salut….

les perrieres

Louis Jadot “Le Vaucrain” Cote de Nuits Villages 2006

19 Tuesday Jul 2016

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Louis Jadot has to be one of the more prominent wineries in our local wine shops.  You can’t glance over the Burgundy section without seeing the telltale label.  They own their own vineyards and also buy in grapes.  I tried to count how many different wines they produce but lost track.  They have numerous labels at all levels of quality and price.  This particular bottle was bought a few years ago for about $25.

An intriguing pale, see-through purple that reminds me of other delicate Pinots I have tried. Quite a deep nose of strawberry and pomegranate. On the palate- still a young and fresh wine with flavors of cherry kirsch, cranberry and a nice acidic touch. It warms up on the mid palate and offers up some strawberry along with sour cherry. The finish is dry with tannins and acidity bracing each other. I have a hard time detecting tannins in Pinot Noir, but this one serves them up, albeit all on the finish.  I’m glad I sat on this wine for as long as I did, it is just hitting its stride now. It offers a mature, refined approach to old world Pinot that I enjoy. It only lacks the earthy components I look forward to in Burgundy. Overall, I like this wine quite a lot. 90 points and 4 stars as this wine is only a Village level yet acts all grown up and has lasted well past it’s recommended drinking window yet shows another 2-3 years at the very least. Newer vintages will run you $35 or so for this delicious offering.  I would pair it with roast Cornish hens or perhaps flank steak with chimichurri sauce.  Salut….

louis jadot le vaucrain

Kanonkop Pinotage 2013

16 Saturday Jul 2016

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Nearly black in complexion showed me that this is a very extracted wine.  The nose is somewhat muted but a few swirls in the glass begin to reveal some black cherries and the telltale tar/creosote that makes Pinotage so unique.  It is a cross breed of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut only found in South Africa.

The first taste is all I expected.  Smoke, bramble and cherry hints are all present.  Licorice presents itself halfway through.  The wine offers a short burst of tannin followed by that tarry mid palate taste that I really enjoy from this varietal.  It has a nice mouthfeel, crossing from the tannic thrust over to a slightly tart acidic finish that carries some earthy components.  I like this wine a lot.  The 14.5% alcohol is well masked, making this a great pairing with some grilled beef.  I would drink this over the next 5 years at the least.  91 points and 4 stars for this $38 offering.  Salut….

kanonkop pinitage