Tag Archives: 4 stars

Christopher Creek Petite Sirah 2005

18 Wednesday Dec 2013

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I have just returned back from a month in Asia, eating at restaurants and not having access to my own cellar.  Well, my first meal at home was a huge success.  Moxie threw together some Korean Short Ribs, mashed Cauliflower, Carrots and a Kale salad.  I needed a rustic, powerful wine to go with the multi-dimensional ribs which had been slow cooking all day.  I decided on the Christopher Creek from the Russian River Valley as I remembered it to be rather full bodied and high in alcohol, something I figured might help cut the fattiness of the meat.  I was spot on.  What I did not realize was that the wine has evolved since I last drank it 18 moths ago.  Smoother, more mellow and not visibly showing off it’s 14.3% alcohol any more.  The baby fat is gone off this brooding monster.  Dark purple and ready to go with black currant, black berries with a touch of cassis.  Very smooth with fine grained tannins and a good cutting acidity.  This wine keeps getting better and I reckon will further evolve, perhaps drinking well until 2018 at the least.  The pairing was awesome and my love of Petite Sirah has been cemented yet again.  I believe it used to retail for $33.  I am going with 91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

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Lionel Osmin Cie Malbec 2011

05 Thursday Dec 2013

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Cahors is a region in central France that produces ‘the Black Grape’.  The Malbec’s from this region are extremely dark, tannic and usually delicious.  They differ from Argie Malbecs because the South American version is far more fruit driven and the Old World style is for deeper extraction and more tannic substance, plus the terroir is totally different.

This bottle was flawed.  It just tasted bad.  It had good intentions, with an almost black appearance in the glass and some enticing aromas of Asian pear and black cherry.  On the palate, there was an off flavor that destroyed any hope of it being enjoyable.  I am not dismissing this wine just yet, I think it was corked.  It’s a shame really as the components all seemed to be in place.  The dryness of the hefty tannins was exactly what I was looking for and the acidity was there to balance it.  I may look for another bottle to re-taste.  This wine got an 89 from WE and it was only $13 which would have made it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

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The Black Wine

The Black Wine

 

Barwang Big Sky Shiraz 2012

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

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A bottle we bought at the bar for some crazy price, it should cost about $14.  Dark purple is always a good thing in Shiraz, this wine was spot on.  Plums and oak on the nose translated straight to the palate.  Adding some coffee and spiced pepper made this wine quite complex and the subtly oaky finish was very smooth.  I think this is my style of everyday Aussie Shiraz, flavorful yet not jammy and over da top… 88 points and 4 stars from me.  I would drink this again with some BBQ or a bold pasta dish.  Salut….

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Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc 2012

29 Friday Nov 2013

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We opened this wine for the Turkey dinner and it was a hit.  I always enjoy Marlborough Sav Blancs.  The telltale gooseberry, lime and cut grass components all melded with the crisp acidity.  Not overly cutting, the balance is nice with this wine and I really enjoyed it with the bird.  It was on sale for $13 and will fit into many pairings or it can be drunk on a warm day, well chilled with some smokehouse almonds.  Bang for the buck, this varietal always delivers for me.  4 stars and 88 points.  Salut….

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Aristos Baron d’A 2007

29 Friday Nov 2013

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I bought this Chilean wine in Hong Kong for Thanksgiving day.  We opened it first because I could not wait and besides, never leave the good stuff till the end.  Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, it gets a touch of Syrah to soften it.  Dark purple in the glass it had a beautiful nose of blackberry and mint.  Eucalyptus was present in the taste as were black fruits and a figgy component.  Extremely well crafted tannins were evident but unobtrusive.  This is a multi layered wine that shows off class and depth.  The mouthfeel was silky smooth and the finish- long.  I must say I enjoyed this wine as we paired it with appetizers and caviar.  It was on sale for about $44, regularly priced at $54.  Im going with 91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

 

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La Joya Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

28 Thursday Nov 2013

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The label says that this is made by the Bisquertt Family Vineyard in the Colchagua valley, Argentina.  It tastes so different from other Cabs in the region, almost bordeaux-like with a sense of terroir and the old world components like cassis, clove and blueberry.  I thoroughly enjoyed it’s difference and character with some grilled beef and veggies.  The nose of this one had blue fruits and some lavender components.  The structure was built for short term enjoyment with easy tannins and basic acidity.  The price?  $10.  A steal if you have a hankering for something different.  88 points and 4 stars for sure.  This will please with grilled meats or by itself on a windy, chilly evening.  Salut….

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Trapiche Malbec Oak Cask 2011

28 Thursday Nov 2013

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As the name implies, there’s lots of oak in this basic Malbec.  We drank it with charcoal grilled beef sweetbreads and it was a perfect match.  The charred edges of the food paired well with the oaky blueberry fruit and the tannins, although slight, agreed with the lightness of the dish.  The color of the wine was as expected and the nose was heavily oaked.  I’m all for the use of the wood as long as it is done deftly.  I knew what to expect with this one and was pleased.  Simple in structure, it was easy to drink and all the guests enjoyed it.  Reasonable at about $10, I would give this wine 88 points and 4 stars.  It was the juicy Malbec I was searching for the other night.  Salut….

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d’Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz 2010

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I disliked the 2009 Footbolt, thinking it was an off vintage.  I was correct.  The 2010 version is far more approachable, delicious and true to form.  Reddish purple in the glass, it offered up black fruits and a hint of cedar on the nose.  Upon tasting, the blackcurrants mingled with licorice and even some mocha came through.  Medium tannins and good acidity balanced the whole thing out.  The wine is very reasonable at $13 and gives some depth without resorting to jammyness.  I would drink it with grilled Lamb and some olive tapenade.  The bang for the buck factor is amazing though and I give it 89 points and 4 stars.  If you have not tried any d’Arenberg wines, you really should, they are easy to spot as they all have the signature red sash on the label.  Salut….

 

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Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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This is not the cheap $8 version from this winery, we ordered it off the wine list at an Argentinian Steak House.  Paying about $35, I figure it should be about a $15 bottle.  Anyway, it was so good that we ordered a second bottle after giving a Malbec a try.  We started drinking this with the appetizers and it was great.  Bluish fruits and a dark cherry component mixed with the oak and gentle acidity made it very pleasing.  The wine is not complex, nor is it basic but it is very drinkable and we all enjoyed it.  The second bottle came with the Filet Mignons and was a great match.  Filet is low in fat and is very tender making it a good match for a slightly less tannic wine that is not as complex.   Overall, a good choice as evidenced by the group’s vote for more of the same.  I would give this 88 points and reckon it is a 4 star effort if it truly were $15.  Salut….

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Hentley Farm Caretaker Shiraz 2011

22 Friday Nov 2013

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A Barossa Valley Shiraz that I loved.  Dark purple in the glass and offering up a generous bouquet of plums, blackberry and a touch of wood.  The mouthfeel is super smooth and allows the plums and black fruit to meld with oak and star anise.  The wine is drinking beautifully now and from the very gentle tannins I would reckon it to be at peak for the next two years.  This is my style of Aussie Shiraz, supple, smooth and offering a certain level of finesse.  This is a good wine with dimension and appeal. For $22 this is a 4 star wine with 90 points in my books.  Salut….

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