Tag Archives: 4 stars

Calstar Cellars Anderson Valley ‘Londer Estate’ Pinot Noir 2007

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

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I was lucky to snag 4 bottles of this delightful Pinot Noir.  With a stonking huge smoked Turkey drumstick, some roasted potatoes, beets and a dollop of Scharfer Senf (German hot mustard) I was all set to get busy with this 6 year old wine.  The pairing was near perfect.  A very pretty light purple in the glass as expected,  I had some cork crumbles that I needed to sort out.  On the nose; strawberry, cherry, pepper and oak shavings.  Unfortunately I could also whiff the 14.2% alcohol.  Never mind, the initial attack on the palate was delicious.  Typical of New World Pinot Noir, yet somewhat reserved.  Cherries Jubilee meets strawberry swirl.  Delicious undertones of white pepper and a touch of vanilla came through.  I prefer Old World Burgundian style Pinots, but every once in a while New World stuff excites me like this one.  I think it has to do with the finesse versus the new stuff with the ‘in-your-face’ fruit.

If you have read my other Pinot posts, you will know that I have a hard time discerning the tannins in this varietal.  I did notice a decent acidity that was focused.  With 6 years of age, it is drinking beautifully and I reckon it will last another 4.  Pricey at $50, you get what you pay for.  Pinot is never cheap if it is any good (think Burgundy).  It is a very finnicky grape that challenges every winemaker.  I get it…  So, I reckon it is a 91 pointer, and worthy of 4 stars.  Glad I still have 3 more and will look for a different pairing next time.  Salut….

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Stonehedge Reserve Dry Creek Valley Petite Sirah 2010

23 Monday Sep 2013

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Well, it’s Sunday night and we did things backwards this weekend.  Sunday Roast happened on Saturday and Ribeye steaks on Sunday.  I added the ‘make your own salad’ to our menu as I have some picky peeps.

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SO- I picked a Petite Sirah to go with the steaks. When choosing wine for a fatty cut, I look for tannic wines or really fruity ones with plenty of acidity. Petite Sirah, of which I am a closet fan, gives both. This particular bottle showed off some of the prettiest purple hues in the glass, a beautiful sight. On the nose, tremendous waves of blueberry fruit and a somewhat exciting alcohol component. I was ready to pair the wine with our dinner. Crescendoes of blueberry and blackberry came rushing over my palate with an extremely fine grained set of tannins. I was looking forward to some slightly more edgy tannins to cut the fat, but instead I was treated to a healthy dose of acidity. The combination was magical. Instead of the mouth-puckering tannins sorting the beef out, I was treated to a more austere approach with the acidity making up for the backbone. Secondary flavors of stone and bell peppers added to the treat. Petite Sirah is an amazing varietal, not everyones cuppah. It is bracing, tannic, acidic and needs to made well. It offers black and blue fruit, big tannins and an a bright acidity. It does not resemble Syrah at the least. Give it a try, you may love it….. For $30, this is a great effort for a nice steak dinner and worthy of 91 points and 4 star in my book. Salut….

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De Martino Estate Merlot 2010

15 Sunday Sep 2013

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Sticking with Chilean Merlot, this one was the third in our tasting and runs at about $14.  A more concentrated wine, with plum and raspberry notes melding with some nice oak and spice.  Very easy to drink, it had the right balance of acidity and a nice tannin framework.  The finish was decent and enticed me to take another sip.  This wine is drinking well now and can be short-term cellared.  I would drink this with pasta, perhaps veal chops and definitely some shish kebabs.  4 stars and 88 points.  Salut….

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Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010

11 Wednesday Sep 2013

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In 1999 we moved to England, where I started to ‘collect’ wines, and had my first CDP.  I always think of this region as unique, rich, rewarding and expensive.  Inflation has not been kind to the consumers of Châteauneuf, it’s prices going higher and higher by the vintage as the region gains accolades from ‘The Big Man’ which adds dollars to the entry fee, (mind you the quality is also coming up).  The region was named after the Pope’s New Castle, and allows seven grapes to be blended with the main Grenache varietal.  Think Cinsault, Mourvedre, Syrah and more.  Makes my mouth water just listing them.

Back to the wine at hand.  Dark purple in the glass and a nose of blackberry meets rock.  Yup, rock.  This wine has a minerality that took a while to pick up.  The palate comes across as young, yet ready to play… with Blackcurrants, stone and a green pepper component.  Very smooth tannins are built for aging yet are allowing drinkability right now if you decant/aerate (which I did).  The structure of this wine is really good, with acidity balancing the alcohol, which alarmed me initially.  This particular wine is running at 15%.  It’s main backbone coming from 80% Grenache with 18% Syrah smoothing it out and 2% Mourvedre which no doubt adds the tannic and alcohol components.  The minerality and stone notes no doubt coming from the terroir, which consists of galettes or round stones.  These galettes help maintain the day’s heat and help mold the flavors of the wines and give them that uniqueness.

For about $32, you are getting a lower priced CDP that drinks well, has good cellaring potential and is a good introduction into the region if you have never forayed there.  91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

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El Bombero Cariñena 2008

10 Tuesday Sep 2013

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A hefty Grenache from Spain that will hide it’s 15% alcohol very well until – boom.  Dark purple in the glass, it exuded blackberry and vanilla on the nose.  My initial impression was the smoothness of the fruit, coupled with the drying tannins.  It is likely this wine has peaked, but in doing so it has offered berry and a mint component plus some red fruits, perhaps strawberry on the palate.  Good balance, but somewhat short on the fruit finish.  My friend brought this over so I had to do a search- perhaps $10 per bottle.  86 points, but in its day this would have been a 4 star wine.  Drink up if you have any.  Salut….

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Cavalier Bartolomeo Barolo Vigneti Solanotto Altinasso 2007

08 Sunday Sep 2013

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Now that’s a long name! Tasty wine, perhaps a little young and definitely built for the long term. I am relatively new to Barolo’s, they present themselves as big brooding monsters that cost an arm and leg, need years of cellaring and present a minefield when trying to pick one. This one is no exception, at 6 years of age, still a pup. Bing Cherries on the nose, it presented itself as a deep purple offering. I sensed some spices, perhaps cloves and lavender. Intricate tannins, very fine grained were the first impression on the palate. The cherry component came through with some Cola and Kirsch. It is very possible that this wine will come out of its youth and present itself with some great secondary flavors, I’d give it 5 more years to find out. Presently, it is a good wine, with the structure to pair with Ribeyes or a Spaghetti and Meatballs dinner. The price is decent at about $37, which for a Barolo is a steal. Going forward, I think it is a 91 pointer with perhaps 4 stars after you give it some cellaring time. Salut….

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Round Pond Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

01 Sunday Sep 2013

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Jam on the nose, the dark purple kind I used to eat with toast as a kid in England….. On the palate, somewhat confusing. Atypical of Napa Cabernet, I get sublime hints of Herbs Du Provence, plum and cassis Kinda weird and exciting. Sulking beneath this complexity hides a strong tannic frame, very well integrated and adding to the yummy mouthfeel. I am digging this wine, but can’t pinpoint why…. It’s different, fruity, complex and interesting. 92 points and for $39- 4 stars. I think it’s drinking nicely now and will cellar for 7 years at the least.

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Ty Caton Upper Bench Merlot 2011

01 Sunday Sep 2013

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Great fruitiness on the nose with hints of Cherry and Plums. The plum component gets a dose of dark currants and perhaps a vegetal thingy… Very smooth and rounded, this wine is balanced and the tannins are fine. This wine drinks beautifully by itself and will do so for another 6 years minimum. 91 points and at $27 it’s a 4 star offering.

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Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

11 Sunday Aug 2013

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A younger, more primal version of the Carpe Diem 2009 I tasted several months ago.  Much more Blueberry and less plums than the older brother.  Strong aromas of the berry and a hint of oak came through for me.  On the initial attack, the fruit was somewhat sidelined by the young tannins.  Almost mouth-puckering, these will have to meld over the next two years for this wine to really shine.  It is too young to really appreciate, yet I believe it will fill out, mellow out and really soar to a potential 91 point finish.  I bought this bottle for $25, and think it would be a 4 star wine after being cellared for 2+ years.  It should last well into 2020.

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Clos Du Marquis 2005

05 Monday Aug 2013

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The second wine of a Second Growth from an amazing vintage in Bordeaux.  I usually cellar Claret for 10 years, and 5 for their little brother ‘Second’ wines.   The wine may be a second, but it fires up like a baller.  This thing is way too young, tannic and in the dumb phase of its maturation.  I could have decanted, aerated and maybe even stuck it in the blender- but I doubt it was ready to play.  Drinking window starts in 2015 at the earliest, and should last another 10 years after that.

What I did get, besides the gripping tannins was dark, brooding blackberry and cassis.  Tobacco and leather were very faint, being secondary flavors and all.  A long finish, helped by the puckering tannins tell me this is going to be awesome when it comes around.  It’s a shame I wasted such a bottle, but we drank it with Jerk Lamb and thick Ribeye steaks.  The components of the food were very much complemented by the structure of the wine.  In the future, when the real drinking window opens up, I am going to pair the next bottle with filet or some other less fatty cut.  Can’t wait…91+points and perhaps  4 stars if it comes out of the shell.  Salut…

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