Tag Archives: 4 stars

Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard 2006

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

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An iconic name from Australia that crafts some monumental wines.  Normally this varietal is called Shiraz downunder, yet Clarendon makes it in an Old World style and reverted to the Syrah moniker.  Unlike typical Aussie Shiraz, this offering is refined, understated and showing great class.  Plum compote, chocolate and some earth transcend from the nose to the palate.  Layers of fruit emerge in this complex wine and the tannins are ever so subtle, yet omni-present.  Extremely balanced and smooth, this is finesse at its finest.  Pricey at about $100, this is no Thursday night pop-n-pour.  I served it up on a Sunday evening with London Broil and roasted potatoes.  It would pair well with Lamb chops as well as by itself.  I believe that the pro’s ranged from 92-98.  I would give it 93 personally and 4 stars (Price taken into account).  I have three more in the cellar and will watch for further development, anticipating a drinking window from now until 2020 at the least.

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Chateau Puynard 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Dense and lovely.  On the nose, red cherries and earth translate into currants and some hints of oak.  Slightly young, but not overly tannic, it is drinking well and will do so for another 4 years. A Bordeaux wine with a decent price tag that will give pleasure with stews, steaks and roast chicken.  For the price, 4 stars and 89 points.

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Conundrum White 2011

21 Tuesday May 2013

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An interesting blend of white wines from California, from the same clan that make Caymus and Belle Glos.  Obviously a thoroughbred wine, this bottle is delicious.  The label does not name varietals, but I am guessing a healthy dose of Viognier, a good proportion of Sauvignon Blanc, some Chardonnay and what else?

The Viognier is forefront, giving it that rose and floral scent that I love.  Some apricots are also indicative of the semillon, let’s add that to the fray.  I sense some cat pee and grass, telltale signs of Sauvignon Blanc and the balancer is the chardonnay.  Acidity is decent, albeit not as sharp as I like in a white.  Elegant and smooth on the palate, it has a long finish.

This wine is intriguing.  It offers pre-dinner pleasure and paired well for my midweek fish and chips with the kids meal.  In fact, Moxie even had a glass, which says something.  It is not in everyone’s taste, yet I think it scores well technically and I really enjoyed it for the price.  As an aside, I served Moxie hers in a Riedel Vinum Sauvignon Blanc glass while mine was poured into the Chardonnay version.  Whilst you may be laughing at the sublety, there is a difference.  Hers tasted more cat-peeish and had stronger green grass notes, while mine was more aromatic and fuller in the mouth.  I had to really work hard at differentiating, but the proof is in the glass.  Make sure you use the right one, and always go for a quality brand, versus some fancy crystal one with useless carvings and engravings.  You can read about my unofficial taste test here.  Meantime, 4 stars and 88 points.  Great for a summer’s eve.

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Sav Blanc | Chardonnay

Thomas Fogarty Cabernet Franc 2008

12 Sunday May 2013

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From the Santa Cruz mountains comes this little gem.  You know I like the varietal and I am also a big fan of this AVA, where the cooler climate refines the wines into ‘my style’ but not stripping the Cabernet Franc of its character.  Layered with black berry and plum flavors, it offers up good tannins and balanced acidity.  At 5 years of age, it is drinking on point and still has another 5 to run.  We drank it with an Italian meal of spicy shrimp and red sauce, allowing the boldness of the wine to offset the acidity of the tomato based sauce.  It worked a charm and I highly recommend it!  I think this is a good wine worthy of 90 points and at $25 it gets 4 stars.

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Belle Glos Pinot Noir ‘Clark and Telephone Vineyard’ 2008

12 Sunday May 2013

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A cloudy looking Pinot in the glass, this is an interesting beast.  I have never seen a wine look so unfiltered, yet taste so refined.  A whopping 14.7% alcohol was so deftly masked that it can really sneak up on the unsuspecting.  A mix of Old and New World styles, I was intrigued by this wine from Santa Barbara County.  It showed off an interesting mix of cherry and cloves, a certain spiciness I have never tasted before.  Very smooth, I mean like ‘Buttah’.  Very well integrated tannins and a juicy acidity leave you with a nice mouthfeel.  We drank two bottles and they were identical, no variation.  A serious Pinot Noir that is hitting peak and should last another 5 years minimum.  At $40 plus, it’s not an everyday drinker, but certainly worthy of a Sunday Roast, perhaps Veal Saltimboca or even a cheese plate after dinner.  4 stars and 92 points in my books.

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Chateau Meaume 2009

08 Wednesday May 2013

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I recently had the 2008 Meaume and enjoyed it for its price, quality and mass appeal.  The 2009 version takes it a step further.  More intense than the ’08 with red fruits and currant on the nose, the oak is cleverly masked.  On the palate, an appealing tannic presentation of plum and red berries that is evenly balanced with the acidity.  Not overly complex, it is clearly made to appeal to the masses, yet I find myself wanting to cellar a few bottles just to see.  I think it would pair greatly with duck confit, beef burgundy, even sloppy joe’s!  At under $15, well worth searching out this charming Bordeaux.  4 stars easily for its goodness ratio, and 88 points if you want to get technical.

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Big White House Petite Sirah 2009

08 Wednesday May 2013

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I prefer finesse to powerhouse, but every once in a while along comes something that makes me pause.  Petite Sirah is that pause.  This varietal is juicy, tannic, bold, flavorful and not at all subtle.

In the glass, this particular wine was inky purple.  On the nose, definite Cherry and pepper components.  Once it hit, I was amazed at the fruit and body of this wine.  Cherry, but not in the Pinot Noir sense, mixed with oak and spice.  A powerful combination that had depth.  This wine is muscular with teeth-coating tannins that are just starting to mellow.  If you like a dry wine, this baby is right up your alley.  The fruit is well integrated with the wood and the wine is extremely ‘juicy’, making me salivate at the mere thought of it.  My only concern with this bottle was a slight metallic tinge that I noticed on the back end.  Apart from that, a solid 90 pointer worthy of 4 stars.  If you have never had Petite Sirah, you need to explore it.  Yum……

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Concha Y Toro ‘Marques De Casa Concha’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

05 Sunday May 2013

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There once was a time that this wine was my go-to Cabernet.  Back in the day, it was a 90 pointer for about $13- amazing value for amazing quality.  It now prices at $19, and still hammers out a consistent 90 point rating.  You cannot go wrong with this wine.  It is mass produced in Chile under the Concha Y Toro brand.  I liken it to their second best offering.  Dark purple in the glass, it smell of Black Currants and some mint.  Eucalyptus is another trademark of Chilean Cabernet, it shows up on the mid palate along with some plum and blueberry dipped in chocolate.  It really is amazing what depths this wine can pull for such an affordable price.  Not overly tannic, it has a structure that will help it mellow out for a few more years, with good acidity to balance.  Are you salivating yet?  I completely agree with the pro’s, 90 points all day long, and for the price- a 4 star wine.  Stashing a case of this in the cellar is an insurance policy should all your friends descend on you uninvited.  They will drink well!  Salut……

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Veuve Clicquot NV

05 Sunday May 2013

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I normally put the picture after my notes, but in this case I figured it was worth a thousand words.  Who does not recognize this wine?  It is widely available, decently priced and always a consistent performer.  NV means it is of no particular vintage and signifies two points.  The wines were not of a quality for the Champagne house to ‘declare’ a vintage, and 2: The wine is consistent with the house style of previous years.

On the nose, bright apple mixed with some interesting yeast notes.  On the palate, very smooth bubbles open up a spicy citrus laden apple pie thingy.  It’s hard to explain, but a very interesting mix of flavors.  This is by far the best bottle of VC I have had.  Its acidity was well defined and the balance of the key components was excellent.  When you buy a real ‘Champagne”, it’s going to cost.  At around $45 per bottle, this is a 4 star wine that I would give 91 points to.  A crowd pleaser for most occasions.

I was going to Sabre the bottle, but ran out of time.  Here’s how I did it in the past- a neat party trick.

Allain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2005

05 Sunday May 2013

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Syrah is synonymous with Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage.  This is  land where the French have perfected fine Syrah for hundreds of years.  Made in a traditional style, respecting the grape, the soil and the palate.  These wines are about complexity and balance, leaving the extraction and over-the-topness to New World producers who refer to it as Shiraz.  This wine has started to evolve and is now taking on what I yearn for in aged wines- funk.

Purple in color, the nose had a definite pepper note mixed with some blue fruit and dirt.  Sounds funny, I know, but when a wine matures and picks up barnyard, earth or other non-fruity attributes, it excites me.  This wine came through with earth meets blackberry on the palate.  Very smooth tannins are almost imperceptable and the acidity was in check.  For an 8 year old wine, it has certainly evolved, yet I fear it will only last a few more years.  It is at peak right now and would accompany a Filet perfectly.  A gift from a friend that in my opinion should be a 91 pointer and worthy of 4 stars.  I decanted the bottle and let it open for about an hour as it had some sediment and I figured it would benefit from ‘opening up’.

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