Tag Archives: 4 stars

Almaviva 2006

19 Sunday Jan 2014

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I have been sitting on this bottle for a while, just waiting for the right moment.  It happened last night with NY Strip, peppercorn sauce and Moxie’s delicious roast Broccoli with Garlic.

The first ‘real’ wine I ever remember having was a Chilean Cabernet, and have subsequently tried most of the top Cabernet’s for the region with the exception of the the Almaviva.  It is the most expensive of the three big names in Chilean Cabernet which include Don Melchor and Montes Alpha M, both of which I love.  This wine is a blend of the classic Bordeaux varietals with Cabernet as the main factor.  It is quite simply- delicious.

The wine show a dark purple hue in the glass and the nose explodes with kir, black berries and cassis.  On the first wave, there is a purity of blue and black fruits with secondary nuances of leather, cassis and tobacco.  The mid palate has a slight imbalance but the wine finishes with grace and length.  The tannins are fully resolved and the wine has entered it’s secondary stage where the fruit is dissipating and being replaced with interesting tertiary flavors.  I got a little eucalyptus on the back end and but no dryness.  The acidity is what was off balance on the mid palate but I could easily overlook that split second for the much more fulfilling finish.  The wine is smooth and very easy to drink and appreciate.

It is the priciest of the three top Chilean Cabs at over $100 per bottle and it scored highly with the pro’s.  I am going with 92 points and 4 stars.  If you get a chance to try this wine, it is well worth the effort as it mixes Chile’s terroir with the winemaking expertise of Concha Y Toro and the Rothschilds.  A great effort indeed.  Salut…

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Mollydooker Miss Molly 2010

18 Saturday Jan 2014

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A sparkling Shiraz that Moxie and I opened on a Friday night while cooking up some Scallops.  I tried a further experiment by pouring myself a flute and a wide brimmed glass.  The results were quiet enlightening.  I will start with the flute.

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A concentrated nose of red currants, black berry and cola.  The mousse was dark purple when I poured the glass.  On the palate there was black cherry, black berries and some cola with a mid palate addition of some bubbly blueberry pie.  The wine shows some tannins, very strange in a sparkler but hides the whopping 15% alcohol very well.  The finish is long with a drying mouthfeel and trace of oak- very interesting.

The wide mouthed glass was a different beast altogether.  The nose was very subdued, given the shape of the rim.  The effervescence is wasted on this glass as I got almost nothing even after swirling the heck out of it.  On the palate, a whole different story.  The glass shape allows the wine to really open up and bring black fruits, blue berries and a raft of differing plums to the palate with a good dose of cola and some vanilla.  The mousse was not as tasty in this glass but the overall flavors were much more pronounced.

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Between the two I would sniff from the flute and drink from the wide rimmed glass.  I am going to balance the results and go with 90 points.  This is an interesting take on sparkling wine.  If you have never had a sparkling red, this is the one you should try.  For $25 this will be a treat for your palate.  4 Stars for a really tasty yet different effort.  PS.  I ended the tasting with a bit of cheese, the perfect combo if I might add.  I had some Cypress Grove Chèvre ‘Humbolt Fog’ goat cheese.  Perhaps one of the most intricate, complex and creamiest cheeses I have ever tasted.  The Shiraz was the perfect accompaniment to the acidic blue nature of this gamey, earthy yet really creamy concoction.  An amazing cheese, really.  Salut….

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Chateau De Carles 2009

16 Thursday Jan 2014

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From Fronsac in the eastern part of Bordeaux comes this little charmer.  Blackish blue in the glass and giving up very little on the nose- I knew I was in for a seriously closed wine.  This wine is built to last folks, it is completely in its dumb phase with only a solid core of blueberry fruit able to penetrate the bracing tannins.  Manageable acidity make this a cellaring bottle, of which I have several more.  I am looking forward to the evolution over the next 5 years.  For now, I had to do some research. It got 92 from Suckling.  That is why I am not a pro, I cannot give scores like that when a wine is so young and unapproachable.  I cannot see past the tannins and dryness to delineate the fruit flavors and potential of the wine.  I paid $20 and going by his points this should be a 4 plus star wine- just give it a few years to emerge from its monster shell.   Salut….

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Merryvale Merlot Napa Valley 2007

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

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Several points about this wine.  Firstly, I don’t remember buying it, or the second bottle I found in my ‘to drink’ rack.  Perhaps one of my mates brought them over for Thanksgiving when I was not here yet Moxie has no recollection of this occurring.  Oh well, free booze is free booze.

Secondly, the cork on bottle #1 was badly stained, never a good sign.  I sliced the second one open to see, it is safe.  So…. I will write based on the fact that I suspect this wine to be flawed, which is a shame considering it’s heritage, reputation and price.

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As you can see, pretty grim on the left side.  I shall endeavor to open the other one soon so I have a fresh recollection.   Anyway, back to the details.  Mostly Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc make this more of a Right Bank blend which excites me.  The wine is inky dark in the glass and unfortunately had a slightly oxidized nose of plums and blackberry.  On the palate I was in for a surprise.  The wine had survived nearly intact.  Big juicy black berries and dark plums with a deft addition of the wood and some spices make this a full-on wine of great depth.  The tannic structure is great with some dryness on the back end, right where it should be. I did not sense any imbalance but did notice a slight oxidized note on the finish.  I am lucky this bottle showed so well, now if only I could find it’s source!  I am giving a provisional 90 points and found it online for about $46.  Potentially a 4 star wine for me, we shall have to wait for the re-taste to confirm.  Salut….

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Silver Oak Alexander Valley 2005

12 Sunday Jan 2014

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When searching for the right wine to go with Steak Au Poivre last night, I asked my guest ‘Johnny’ what types of wine he liked. He panned Syrah, liked Pinot and was open to Cabernet.  He loves Pinotage as he comes from Afrika Suid after all.  So, off I went on a mission to find the right bottle.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon hails from Sonoma County, the Alexander Valley to be more precise- which is located in the northeast corner of the county.  Fully mature now it offers up dark plums, some herbs and a dose of pencil out of the inky glass.  On the palate, more dark fruit, but intertwined with leather, maduro tobacco and some eucalyptus.  The wine is still somewhat dry with tannins in the finish but they were delicious.  The texture of the wine was great with the steaks and peppercorn sauce.

This wine got trashed by WS, an 82 point rating on release was a big shocker for this iconic steakhouse wine.  I think they got it wrong that time.  I am going with 91 points and 4 stars for this $75 treat.  I think it epitomizes higher end California Cabernet with its balance of New World fruit and Old World depth and complexity.  Salut….

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Mollydooker ‘The Violinist’ 2012

10 Friday Jan 2014

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There is so much I want to say….  I’ll start with my mission- to taste the full lineup of Mollydooker’s wines.  Seeing as my local shop doesn’t carry all of them, the folks downunda were kind enough (no, really generous enough) to send me a sampling of their full range.  With their help I previously managed to procure the 2009 and 2010 Carnival of Love and now also have the 2012.  I will endeavor to get the 2011 so I can do a 4 year vertical.  I digress.

Verdelho is the varietal used in the Violinist.  Predominantly Portuguese, I was surprised to see it on the label of this winery’s sole white wine.  This wine was a gorgeous pale yellow in the glass, telltale of what was to come.   On the nose- pear, apple and a touch of wood.  I was blown away by the initial attack.  Pear, Quince and Yellow apple all mixing it up.  The mouthfeel is superb, with a fullness reminiscent of a Cali Chardonnay.  Gentle and balanced acidity make this a full bodied wine with some nice finishing notes of nut, Asian pear and flowers.  I timed a good 20 second finish on this wine.

Now, back to the chicken and the egg…… Did I cook chicken for dinner because I was having this wine, or did I pick this wine to go along with the bird I was going to cook anyways?  I shall not reveal the correct answer.  Once the chicken was done, I decided to immediately whip up a spicy gravy to go with it.  I just happened to have some fresh stock from the other night, so I dressed it up just so- a dash of sage, some onion powder, a hint of salt and a boatload of Chili and Red Pepper.  The resultant sauce was red in color and fiery in nature.

The combination of the spicy sauce and the somewhat sweetness of the Verdelho- a perfect combo.  This wine sits at a whopping 16% alcohol which is a shocking amount for most wines, let alone a white.  I tip my hat to the winemaker who has managed to hide the alcohol without a trace of heat, well done Andrew.

The majority of Mollydooker’s wines are priced at $25.  For this amount of cash you are getting an exceptional wine with complexity and depth not to mention great taste and mouthfeel.  I am going 89 points and 4 stars for this one and recommend drinking it with some fish or poultry.  Salut….

 

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Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

06 Monday Jan 2014

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A Mclaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon that garnered some pretty high scores from the pro’s.  I thought it was really good as well!  Inky in the glass it developed some interesting aromas after swirling around.  Cassis and black fruits with some earth came through for me.  On the first taste I was taken aback by the smoothness of the wine.  Big, complex and layered with blackberry, blueberry, cassis and a dose of eucalyptus make this a delicious wine.  Silky smooth tannins and a touch of acidity make it a delight to drink.  I reckon this wine has years ahead of it but is drinking nicely now.

I bought Moxie a large cast iron frying pan recently, we cooked some amazing NY Strips with it and I composed a Port and Mustard sauce that was out of this world.  The wine was impeccable with the dinner, but was great all by itself whilst I was cooking.  Highly recommended but pricey at $75.  The man himself gave this wine a 96, others went 93 and 89.  I am thinking its a 91 pointer and worthy of 4 stars.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy 2011

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

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Let me preface with a Happy New Year!  This is the wine that started our evening off.  Being a celebration, we went large with some gems including this Shiraz from Australia.  Nearly black in the glass, I had a feeling we were in for a treat.  The nose was somewhat subdued in the first glass, the second one having been given a good ‘Mollydooker Shake‘.  This unique aeration method allows the aromas to explode and the fruit to unfurl.  The nose was plummy and had a bit of pepper and a touch of alcohol.  On the palate, creamy blueberry pie and black cherry.  This wine is big and full on, with additional notes of mocha and a floral touch on the back end.  Very smooth tannins and a juicy acidity were slightly overshadowed by the whopping 16% alcohol.  A very enjoyable wine, with good cellaring potential.  WS gave it 92, RP gave it 91 and I am going with 90.  $40 lets you in on this unique Shiraz and I am going with 4 stars.  Salut….

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Neil Ellis Pinotage 2009

27 Friday Dec 2013

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I have spent the past five weeks on a training course in Hong Kong, paired up with my friend ‘The Beave’.  Last night was our last proper dinner before the course ends and he decided on a steak house for the gang.  There were 10 of us and we proceeded to order copious amounts of beer before dinner as we settled in to our boys night out.  I ordered Lamb Cutlets when we were seated and was promptly handed the wine list by some eager Steak eaters.  I chose this Stellenbosch Pinotage as I figured it would have the flavor to hold up to to the Lamb and Mint sauce in addition to being smooth enough for the others Filets.

I really enjoy well made Pinotage and have been on a mission to seek it out as much as possible.  This wine was no exception.  It was a dark purple offering that had plum aromas and a touch of cedar on the nose.  The first taste confirmed my choice as correct.  This wine exploded with dark plums and black cherries with some good oak integration.  Spicebox and sandalwood came through on the mid palate and the tannins were fine and refreshing.  A balanced mouthfeel is always appreciated and the acidity was ever so slight yet present.  The weight of the wine was perfect for the mint sauce and the boys really enjoyed theirs with the steaks.  Restaurants always gouge on the prices so I will go with the retail pricing of about $17.  I feel this is a 90 point wine worth seeking out, 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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Chakana Estate Selection Malbec 2009

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Christmas dinner in a restaurant- not ideal but we made it work.  I started off with a pint of Guiness, because it’s good for you.  The appetizer was baby lobster with caviar and wild greens.  The most amazing soup followed that was drizzled with truffle oil, I nearly asked for seconds.  The moment of truth arrived when the Filet Mignon’s were served and this Malbec was poured.  The food was incredible and the wine held its own.

Dark purple in the glass as was expected from this varietal, it offered some dark plums and black cherry notes on the nose.  A very smooth initial attack was a concoction of ripe plum and blackberry jam, but not overpowering.  In fact, the wine was very balanced and restrained.  Many times I feel that Malbec is over extracted and over the top.  This wine had a certain level of civility which was appreciated on the occasion.  The Filet cut of beef is rather mild and does not need an overly tannic fruit bomb.  This wine paired perfectly and was a hit at the table.  The structure is well built and this wine could cellar easily for 5 years .  We paid restaurant prices but this wine can be had for about $22.  I am giving it 90, even though WS gave it 89.  4 stars for me and I’ll be on the lookout for it at my local wine shop.  Ps. Love the label.  Salut and Merry Christmas….

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Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas dinner with silly hats

Christmas dinner with silly hats