Tag Archives: 4 stars

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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d’Arenberg Shiraz ‘The Dead Arm’ 2008

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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If you are in a wine store, unsure of what to buy for a spur-of-the-moment host bottle then d’Arenberg is your go-to wine.  The winery makes a bunch of different wines but most have the red/yellow stripe on the label which makes them easy to identify.  Quality and consistency come to mind with this brand.

Dark purple in the glass, it comes off the blocks with blueberry, plum and a hint of oak.  On the initial palate, I was getting licorice and eucalyptus in addition to the fruitiness.  Great acidity kept the wine on track and the tannic structure is built to last.  On the back end, vanilla comes to mind as does blackberry pie.  Drinking well now, it will cellar for another 10-15 years easily.  We drank this with Tenderloins and salad, I cannot think of a better combination.  Pricey at $35+, it scores well at 92 in my books and has to be a 4 star effort.  Treat yourself to some really good Shiraz this summer and try a d’Arenberg.  Salut……

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Château Moulin de Barrail 2009

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

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I’m telling you, 2009 Bordeaux was an awesome year. I don’t hesitate picking up any bottle from the region if it was made in this stunning vintage.

An entry-level Cru that was about $13, this wine had all the makings of decent Claret.  Dark purple in the glass, it showed off Plums and earth on the nose.  The initial attack was fruit driven, with purple fruits and some oak integrating.  The earthy component reappeared and there was also a hint of cassis.  Decent tannins and good acidity wrapped the whole package up nicely.  We drank it alongside the Yalumba Shiraz and they just seemed to complement each other.  The cellar potential for this is about 3-5 years, but it is drinking well now.  Not too complex, it would be great with some pasta or Shish Kebabs.  88 points and 4 stars.

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Casalvento Chianti Classico Riserva 2009

18 Thursday Jul 2013

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Wow, a full power Chianti with years ahead of it.  Purple in the glass, the nose offers dark brooding fruits and a hint of earth.  On the palate, a very definitive tar component mixed with dark cherries and black berries.  A very powerful tannic structure is making my mouth pucker and the acidity is great.  This wine is 4 years young and will last another 10 at the minimum.  Mainly Sangiovese, it weighs in at 13.5% alcohol, a decent number these days.  It does not follow typical Chianti/Sangiovese profiles (which I love), instead there is a departure from the norm and you can tell this is a well crafted wine.  92 points I reckon, and a 4- perhaps 5 star rating for its $35 price point.  I think this wine needs another 3 years in cellar, and should absolutely rock any pasta dish you could throw at it.

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Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Classic Series 2011

01 Monday Jul 2013

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For about $8 you cannot go wrong with this wine.  Very basic Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile with red currants and a touch of oak.  Relatively smooth, with very tame tannins and a decent finish.  If you are entertaining, this is a must-have.  It drinks easily and could also pair with pasta, burgers and grilled meats.  A 4 star effort worthy of 86 points that wont break the bank.

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