Tag Archives: 4 stars

Vigneron de Buxy ‘Tete de Cuvee’ Bourgogne 2012

27 Friday Jun 2014

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Last week I had the opportunity to nip down to Bali for two nights.  I seized the day and jumped on a southbound jet.  The lunch menu on my flight screamed ‘white wine’ for starters and a red for the main course.  I managed to take notes on my phone and the purser was kind enough to hold the bottle still so I could snap a pick.  This Burgundy white is 100% Chardonnay and aged in stainless vats.

The wine had a pale yellow complexion and started off with a fruity aroma, apples and pears being quite dominant.  Not overly acidic, it was fresh and zesty with pear and green apples opening the show with a touch of nectarine on the mid palate.  The stone fruits really came through on the back end and the wine showed good minerality.  Many times I find some of these wines to be over-oaked, not so in this case.  This wine should be drunk young and went really well with my seafood appetizer and salad.  I gave it 87 points and a quick search on the internet says you can find it for about $12, a bargain.  4 stars for the price!  Salut….

Cave des Vignerons de Buxy Bourgogne Chardonnay Buissonnier

Castello di Amorosa ‘Il Passito’ 2009

16 Monday Jun 2014

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I got this bottle of dessert wine from a friend, it turns out to be a very generous one at that.  This is a delicious sweet wine that screams Sauternes, needs a dollop of vanilla ice cream and would totally sort out some foie gras.  The wine is a blend of mainly Semillon (61%) with the balance being Sauvignon Blanc.  The grapes are left to hang until super ripe with Botrytis Cinerea (Noble Rot) taking hold to further sweeten the grapes.  This particular vintage weighs in at 14.3% alcohol and a manageable 13% Brix of residual sugar.  What this means is that the wine is not overly sweet on  my palate.

The bottle is capped in a dark yellow wax, the same color as the wine.  It pours with an almost syrupy texture which translates to a really smooth unctuous mouthfeel.  It begins with stewed Apricots, honey and walnuts on the nose, very inviting indeed.  The first sip was nirvana for me, having just finished a feast of Filet Mignon with a bottle of 1997 Musar. The wine shows a gentle sweetness with honeyed apples and more apricot jam.  Nuts and a touch of the wood come through on the mid plate where I made note that the Botrytis was ‘balanced’.  I have no idea what I meant but it sounded good at the time.  The Sauvignon Blanc contributes a nice acidic component that balances the whole package out nicely.  Moxie and I polished half the 500ml bottle off in no time, saving the rest for tonight.  I can’t wait to see it’s evolution overnight as the cork fell out letting it aerate thoroughly.

Very pricy at $89 and only available at the cellar door in Calistoga or by mail.  I loved it and am going with 93 points and 4 stars for the effort.  You won’t find excellent dessert wines for a steal, they are in a league of their own.  This example happens to be really good and worthy of it’s lofty price if you have a special occasion and really enjoy this style of wine, which I do.  Salut….

castello di amorosa il passito

Peter Schweiger Grüner Veltliner Kamptal Terrassen DAC Reserve 2008

15 Sunday Jun 2014

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I tried the 2008 Peter Schweiger a few months ago and really enjoyed it.  We ended up with two bottles of this vintage and I wrote about the first bottle we opened as there was some variation.  The main one being the effervescence that appeared in bottle 1.  Ever so slight, yet noticeable in the glass and on the palate, it was quite nice actually.  The wine was a dark straw color, not quite golden.  Stone fruits popped out on the nose with a touch of dried apricot peel which was quite interesting.  Yellow apple was the predominant flavor on the palate with some spiciness including a nutmeg twist.  The wine finished with a back end leather component that is unique for a white wine, but delicious nonetheless.  We bought each one for $10 and I would get more.   Perfect for a summer day, it would pair beautifully with some grilled salmon, perhaps a ham and cheese baguette picnic?  It arrives with a respectable 13% alcohol so be careful pounding it at lunch time or by the pool, there are Rieslings better suited for that at 8-9% alcohol.  The 2011 was much fresher, cleaner and crisper with more acidity and a finer structure.  This one seems to have taken on a more mellow stance and is maturing nicely.  A decently long finish make this a very good wine in my opinion, 89 points worth and 4 stars for sure.  Salut….

peter Schwieger gruner veltliner

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2012

28 Wednesday May 2014

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Consistency is a very desirable trait in winemaking.  It gives me confidence in a winery and assures that I will be back for more, year in, year out.  Trivento is one of the best at this.  I have tasted several vintages of the Golden Reserve Malbec and love it every year.  The 2012 is drinking well now.  It started off with a dark purple hue in the glass.  A blossoming nose of plums and a hint of nutmeg welcomed me to taste the wine.  Blueberry compote came across on the initial palate and was followed up with more plums and a slight oak hint.  The wine is very ‘juicy’ with a crisp acidity that I really enjoyed.  Tannins were medium for me and made the wine easy to drink.  This vintage is approachable young and will certainly last another 5 years.  We ordered some Lamb Kebab sandwiches to go along, the match was perfect.  This wine will pair well with just about any meat, grilled or roasted.  I’m going with 90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort from Argentina.  Ps. I bought several bottles and may go back for more, it’s just that good.  Salut….

trivento golden reserve malbec

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

17 Saturday May 2014

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Originally priced at $17, this was the other Wolf Blass I mentioned yesterday that was on sale for $10.  A steal, and tasty to boot.  This one came out of the gate with all cylinders firing.  It was inky purple in the glass and showed off a delightful nose of black currants and star anise.  My initial impression was very positive when I got Blackberry pie and some interesting vanilla on the first sip.  I enjoyed the ‘crispy’ tannins as they carried the wine to the mid palate where I tasted plums with a touch of acidity.  A very enjoyable wine that is a good buy at it’s regular price, making it a steal at the sale price.  It had a good amount of length and the mouthfeel was just right.  I would easily serve this up with beef stew on a cold night, or a juicy NY strip on the grill in the summer time.  I am going 90 points and 4 stars for this easy to find wine.  Salut….

wolf glass yellow label cabernet sauvignon

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Merlot 2012

16 Friday May 2014

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I got a good deal on two bottles of Yellow Label, this Merlot and a Cab Sav.  I have had this line before and recall it’s consistency and value for money.  I was not disappointed, and was happy to spend $10 each (RRP $17).

The wine was a deep purple in the glass which was a good start.  On the nose I got a very interesting mix of ripe plums and oak which carried through on the palate.  I also got a strange yet intriguing taste that I noted ‘woodsy component like green tree branches’.  Transitioning to the mid palate is where the Kirsch and sour cherries kicked in with some nutmeg and cola.  I feel this wine is slightly backward right now but expect it will sort itself out in the near future.  The tannins are gentle and the acidity is present in this South Australia wine.  I’m going with 89 points and 4 stars for the price.  Salut….

wolf glass yellow label merlot

Clarendon Hills Syrah ‘Liandra’ 2007

02 Friday May 2014

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When I decided to fire up the grill and roast a leg of lamb I needed a Syrah/Shiraz to go with it.  What better than a nicely aged bottle from Australia?  I have become a huge fan of the Clarendon winery, they produce amazing wines in a style that I adore.  This one was exceptionally good and the pairing was amazing.

It started out with Plum jam, blackcurrants, nutmeg and a touch of heat on the nose.  Initially there was a  dark core of black currants and plum compote with a hint of licorice.  The mid palate gave way to red raspberries after some time which was fascinating.  I noted ‘Extremely smooth with beautiful fine-grained tannins and an edge of acidity’.  This wine rocked.  It’s 14.5% alcohol was evident when the bottle was first opened but seemed to blow off with time and became a non-event.  Complexity and finesse are what this winery is good at.  They tend to be more Rhone-like versus typical Aussie Shiraz.  I prefer the subtlety and refined approach on occasions and this wine allowed the meat to showcase it’s herbs and spices without overpowering it.  The pro’s went from 89-95 on this one, but I agree with WS- it’s a solid 93-94 point wine in my opinion but at $75 is rather pricy.  4 stars however and a cellaring potential up to 2027 if you ask me.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills liandra

reverse sear big green egg

‘Reverse Searing’ the leg of lamb

Louis Guntrum Oppenheimer Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 2006

19 Saturday Apr 2014

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I figured we needed a treat, so Moxie fixed up some pan seared scallops while I grilled some garlic and lemon infused Lobster tails with Chorizo on the grill.  I had one bottle of this outstanding German Riesling left and figured it had spent enough time in the cellar and needed to be unleashed.

Not being very well versed in Rieslings, I had to look a few terms up.  Auslese means ‘selected harvest’, I was in for a slightly sweeter wine of a higher quality.  Perfecto…  The label said 8.5 % alcohol, 72% residual sweetness and 88 g/l fruit acidity (no idea what that means).

In layman’s terms, I shall proceed with my basic notes-  Petrol and apricots on the nose, a lovely combination to go with the golden syrupy texture that came pouring out of the bottle.  Slightly sweet on the initial attack but with cutting acidity that was amazing.  Mid-palate is where it got very interesting with apricots, baked apple and some guava (which I have never sensed in a wine before).  The finish is long and the acidity won’t let go.  The wine became more unctuous as the night went on and it was an amazing hit with the butter drizzled lobster and seared scallops.  I had a small salad on the side but it was mainly a distraction from the three pivotal players.

This wine can be found for about $30, scores 90 with me and gets 4 points.  It won’t go with everything due to its sweeter essence, but if you like Foie Gras or perhaps a blue cheese platter this is your wine.  Salut….IMG_0906

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Trivento Golden Reserve Chardonnay 2011

18 Friday Apr 2014

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I forgot to take a picture of the bottle, but I did capture the moment.  We put together some cheese, apple, nuts and chocolate sticks to start out the tasting.  The wine was poured and I noticed it was a very crisp looking pale yellow.  It had a nose of apples and gooseberry which translated well onto the palate.  In addition, I tasted citrus notes and green melon on the mid palate.  Good clean acidity and a sharp mouthfeel made this a delightful wine for an afternoon tasting.  Others have noted the use of oak and vanilla flavors, I did not.  I would pair it with baked salmon, perhaps grilled chicken and most definitely oysters on the half shell.  This Argentinian winery has always over-delivered for me and the pricing is excellent.  When in doubt at the wine shop I always look for the telltale golden capsule of their Reserve line and am never disappointed.  I paid $19 for it and am going with 90 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

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Merryvale Merlot 2007, revisited

08 Tuesday Apr 2014

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Back in January I discovered two bottles of this Napa Merlot blend.  I opened the first and was horrified by the state of the cork. I wrote about the wine and promised a re-taste.  Yesterday was our first real day of Spring weather, so I got the patio sorted out, cleaned the Weber and decided to open the Merryvale to go along with marinated Flank steak.  It was a glorious evening and a great precursor to the Game of Thrones season opener, bliss.

I was right, this is a damn good wine.  Forget what you saw in the movies, Merlot is a great wine and so is Chardonnay.  Merlot is highly adaptable, smooth, makes a good blend and has the stuffing to cellar for years.  It offers a softer side to Cabernet Sauvignon but has the grace to make it’s own name (Think Chateau Petrus plus the majority of St. Emilions and Right Bank of Bordeaux.)  It is blended in the this bottling with a touch of two other noble grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

I immediately got plums and currants on the nose which is way better than the last bottle.  A full bodied attack of black berries and plums was simply delicious.  This wine is rich and gorgeous with great tannins rounding out the damson and earth finish.  Good acidity give this wine the balance I was hoping for along with the great mouthfeel.  I’m bumping it up to 91 points and for $46 it is a 4 star effort.  Salut….

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Spring, glorious spring....

Spring, glorious spring….