Tag Archives: 5 stars

Bodegas Balbas Ardal Seleccion Especial Reserva 2010, Ribera del Duero, Spain

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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Really bright, rich purple in the glass.  The nose offers up sweet cherry concentrate, with blackberries and dare I say- banana?  On the palate the wine is super smooth, polished and oozing blackberry coulis, sage and creosote.  The mid palate shows off some delightful dryness from the juicy tannins.  The overall mouthfeel is really nice, starting out very smooth, building on a dryness and finishing with a tannic yet acidic bite.  Tasty.  The dark fruits carry on throughout.  You could pair this wine with many dishes or just drink it alone, but the back end grip really calls for Ribeye.  Plain and simple.  94 is what it gets from me and the pros.  This is a big wine folks.  5 stars only because I can’t give 6 for this amazing $17 bottle.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Chateau Rochecolombe Cotes du Rhone 2016, France

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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Really rich hues of purple in the glass.  The nose contains a certain funk…. not sure if that blows away.  Earthy, plum, iodine and ink all come to mind while swirling.  The initial palate is typical for the region.  Bold, punchy and full of black fruits.  Great balance between the medium tannins and acidity alongside a dollop of blackberry jam.  The midpalate is drier, more primal.  The dark fruits hold on and overcome the tannic bite, barely.  This wine is a seesaw of fruit vs. structure- I’m loving it.  The finish is long, dry with heaps of blackberry, oregano and olives.  Very much in-your-face.  91 points, drink till 2024 with charcuterie, roasted game, lamb chops or a hearty pasta.  This is tasty stuff folks.  5 stars for the $17 price tag.  Salut….

Cantina Colomba Bianca ‘Vitese’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Inky purple with medium opaque hues.  Nose is crushed blueberries with black berry jam.  The palate is lovely, blueberry with açaí berry and fig.  The tannins are so sleek, they sneak up on me at the end.  The mid palate has a nice body to it and shows off more blue fruits.  The finish is of medium length, slightly dry and more of a black fruit tint.  90 points and 5 stars for this $12 wine.  Paired with Truffled Ravioli, seared Petit Sirloin and tomato jam.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….

Amalthea Cellars Reserve Merlot 2015, Outer Coastal Plain, USA

22 Monday Oct 2018

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This is the second bottle of Amalthea that my cousin brought over.  Bluish purple with nice legs showing in the glass.  The nose has plum, blueberry and filberts.  The palate has rich blue fruits, juicy acidity, nice tannins from the outset and a hint of that nuttiness I caught on the nose.  The wine transitions nicely to the mid-palate and finish where the tannins really grip.  More blueberries, black tea and a mineral note close it out.  The wine is very balanced with really well crafted tannins that give a nice level of dryness without astringency.  This is a much smoother wine than the Cabernet, which can be expected with the varietals.  It paired nicely with my Tri-Tip roast, Yorkshire pudding and roasted potatoes.  Drink till 2024.  91 points and 5 stars for this $21 effort.  Of note- both wines have had freezing issues which does not harm the wine, only crystalizing some sediment in the glass.  Salut….

Crystals from freezing

Tri Tip Roast

 

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Central Valley, Chile

04 Thursday Oct 2018

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Medium opacity, good color.  Nose is full of espresso, black berry and lush plums.  The palate is very smooth, slightly acidic and starts off with black currants, charred oak and olives.  The mid palate has more black fruit with the tannins starting to grip.  I like the deft use of oak here and it smooths the wine nicely.  The finish is medium in length, brimming with black cherry with the tannins receding nicely.  88 points and 5 stars for this $11 wine.  Great value from Chile.  Salut….

Francis Ford Coppola Director’s ‘King Kong’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, California, USA

09 Sunday Sep 2018

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Rich plums and thick oak staves fill the nose on this nearly black wine.  On the palate I get delicious black berries, lush dark currants and a tar component.  I’m trying hard to pinpoint the missing flavor, could it be coffee?  Tannins are present but not obtrusive, with dark fruits and more wood present on the mdi to back end.  90 points and 5 stars for this uniquely labelled Cab that runs about $18.  Salut….

Vergelegen Reserve Merlot 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa

26 Sunday Aug 2018

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I have had two other wines from Vergelegen. Both were excellent so when I saw this Reserve offering I had to buy it!  Medium intensity in the glass.  Black currants, olive tapenade, charcoal and pencil on the nose.  The palate has a ton of dark, ripe plums coupled with anise and violets.  Rich and tannic, this wine has weight.  The midpalate is all black currant.  The grippy tannins don’t let go- all the way through the medium length finish.  Dark fruits aplenty here.  91 points, drink till 2025.  5 stars again for this $22 bottle.  Salut….

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor’s Creek Pinot Noir 2016, Marlborough, New Zealand

17 Friday Aug 2018

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A couple of us met up and had a tasting of several nice wines.  We started with this Pinot Noir, building our way up to the Bordeaux by way of some Portuguese, South African and Spanish bottles.  Read on for the highlights!

Gorgeous purple- see through but clear.  The nose is heavy on the strawberry.  Nutmeg is present, spice box and vanilla bean round it out.  On the palate it is lush, light and layered.  Strawberry coulis mixed with cedar plank and cherry abound.  The mid palate exhibits a darker fruit component and more spices that I found on the nose.  The wine has a very nice acidity and the very lithe tannins only show up at the finale.  An excellent bottle that drinks beautifully now and will go on for another 5/7 years.  91 points for this Pinot and 5 stars.  It is a perennial favorite of mine and is consistent, year in and year out.  $20.  Salut….

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2013, Barossa, Australia

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Wow…. super dark and brooding.  I get nice, rich blackberry notes with coffee bean and vanilla extract on the nose.  The initial palate is thick with black fruit preserves, finely integrated tannins, chocolate powder and an oak hint.  The mid palate continues the theme but the tannins start to build.  By the finish my mouth is coated with caressing dryness and a blackberry meets tar note.  Intriguing.  I think this wine will open up with decanting and develop somewhat in the glass.  It is young and the potential for it to gain tertiary flavors is definitely there.  I would cellar for another 2-3 years and pair it with roast lamb all day long.  Delicious, powerful, well made and worthy of 92 points.  For $36 it is not an everyday wine, but it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Bodegas Balbas Reserva 2001, Ribera del Duero, Spain

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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As you may know, we are moving.  Our last dinner gathering included two magnums that were still at the house.  I did not want to move them, so the opportunity to enjoy was present.  I did not take notes of the second bottle, the Perbrun- as I was hoping to do so the following day with what was left over.  Unfortunately, it was not as good as I had hoped and the leftovers had a ton of sediment.  It was originally $57 my price for the 2010 vintage.  Glad we started with the Spaniard!

Nearly black in the glass.  Nose is earthy, with tons of plums, black berry and violets.  The initial palate is very upfront with black, tarry fruit, ripe tannins, earth and a floral component.  The mid palate is quite dry, the tannins ruling the roost.  Eventually it transitions to a Ribena like finish with loads of rich black fruit.  Oak is present, but not overpowering.  It adds a vanilla dimension to the finish and smooths it out some. This wine is still in youth, 17 years after vintage.  It will last another 10 at least, mellowing out along the way.  93 points is what the pro’s gave this Tempranillo and I agree.  For the $40 entry fee it is a solid 4 star wine, but I am going to up it to 5 as I think this wine will evolve some more as it mellows.  I roasted two Beef Tri-tips for the pairing with an endive and frissee salad laced with Balsamic infused Shallots.  It was a grand last evening of fun in my beloved home.  Salut….

Delicious and young

Not quite as good