Tag Archives: 5 stars

Bodegas Balbas Ardal Seleccion Especial Reserva 2012, Ribera del Duero, Spain

12 Thursday May 2022

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This blend of Tempranillo and Cab Sav is nearly opaque with a bright purple color.  On the nose I get rich black plum, dusty earth, blackberry, vanilla, baking spices, menthol, some farmyard funk and bramble.  The palate is dry, quite tannic and high in acidity.  I love Spanish Tempranillo- it has such an earthy, dusty, brambly component and they throw a good bit of oak at this level (Reserva) which adds dimension, complexity and flavors/aromas of vanilla, baking spices and toast.  The black fruit is ripe and juicy- the Cabernet adding richness and grip.  The body is full and the finish is medium to long in length.  Structurally- this wine is a baby and needs some cellaring unless you like them searingly dry and astringent.  There is plenty of fruit to last a while and the whole package should drink beautifully until 2032 at the least.  I am going with 93 points and for $40 this is a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Bodegas Valduero Gran Reserva 2001, Ribera del Duero, Spain

08 Sunday May 2022

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It’s been nine years since I last tasted the 2001 Valduero, which I opened by accident.  Today’s bottle is intentional- Mothers Day Sunday roast.  It is deep garnet colored with definite signs of aging.  The nose smells divine- leather, earth, blackberry jam, cassis, mint, coffee bean, vanilla, baked blueberry and a medicinal note.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and melded tannins which caress my gums.  This 100% Tempranillo is full bodied and I get flavors of stewed/cooked black and blue fruits, earth, leather, oak influence (coffee, vanilla and the medicinal note) and a tart black cherry note on the long finish.  The tannins start to grip on the back end and cover my teeth and gums with a ‘hairy’ feeling.  This 21 year old wine is still showing youth in structure and some fruit, amazing.  It will go beautifully with our dinner and could potentially cellar some more with a drinking window out to 2027.  I paid $60 back in the day for this 95 point wine which I would award 5 stars to.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills Grenache ‘Clarendon’ 2009, McLaren Vale, Australia

07 Saturday May 2022

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The more Grenache I drink, the more I like it.  This older bottle from near Adelaide has turned the color corner- medium garnet in the glass.  The nose has vivid aromas of ripe raspberry, black cherry, sarsaparilla, cedar, charcoal, red plum, a hint of vanilla and some coffee.  The palate is… wowsa.  Dry yet sweet from ripe fruit.  Rich raspberry, dark cherry, oak nuance, coffee, black cherry, red plum and sweet vanilla.  Medium acidity and very integrated tannins make for a lovely mouthfeel.  The body is quite full and the finish is nearing 30 seconds.  I like this wine, a lot.  It is very easy to drink but makes me give pause to consider what else I am experiencing in its complexity and depth.  It gets 93 points from me and for $45 it’s a 5 star wine.  I love this winery BTW.  Drink till 2027.  Salut….

Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot 2018, Loire, France

07 Saturday May 2022

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The red wine theme for our 27th VWTC tasting was Cabernet Franc.  We kicked it off with this classic Chinon from the Loire valley.  As I opened the bottle and took a sniff I was very worried about the wine’s acceptance into our group.  It was very, very funky with loads of herbaceous aromas- not everyones cup of tea mind you.  This wine is deep purple colored with pronounced aromas of green pepper, dried herbs and earth.  We also got funk, cave moss, overripe blackberry, sea salt, lavender, violet, plastic band aid, overripe cherry and sarsaparilla.  There was definitely some minerality in this very complex wine.  The palate was dry with medium (+) tannins, medium (+) acidity and was full bodied.  In addition to the herbaceous notes we also got flavors of tart cherry on the plate, especially towards the back end.  Oak was present by way of svelte cinnamon and nutmeg flavors and the wine finished to a medium length. I was pleasantly surprised how this $38 monster developed in the glass and became one of the group’s favorite wines.  Some just love the funk!  I gave it 91 points and would drink this over a 10 year window with hearty steaks, venison or rich stews.  It gets 5 stars from me, just beware of the herbaceous quality of this varietal- times 10.  Salut….

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2021, Eden Valley, Australia

07 Saturday May 2022

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Our second wine of the 27th VWTC event was this dry Riesling that was served at room temperature first and then chilled.  The group thought this pale straw wine had aromas and flavors of citrus, white geranium florals, caramel, honeysuckle, tangerine, pear skin and almonds.  The tangerine was very prominent on the dry palate which had medium (+) acidity, a medium body and a slightly mineral edge to it.  The finish was medium length and this wine was enjoyed by most.

Served chilled it was far more focused with greater citrus thrust, higher perceived acidity, some white peach in there as well as some unique additions of cotton candy and bananas in addition to the citrus (tangerine) and floral components.  I was hoping for a crisp wine- this 89 pointer delivered.  (One pro went as high as 96 points!).  For $16- it’s a great value that gets 5 stars from me.  Drink till 2026 with fresh seafood or baked chicken with green beans Almandine.  Salut….

Frog’s Leap Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 1990, Rutherford, California

06 Friday May 2022

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This 32 year old wine is a medium shade of garnet- to be expected.  The nose has medium intensity aromas of prunes, caramel, steeped blackberry, cola, vanilla bean, coffee, eucalyptus, baking chocolate, cassis, mint- I could go on.  This is a spectacularly complex and well-aged wine that still shows youth.  The palate is super smooth and balanced with extremely fine grained tannins balancing out the medium acidity.  Flavors of baked and steeped black fruits galore- tertiary notes are evident and oak influence is deft yet precise.  This wine is stunning.  Medium bodied it shows power yet finesse that leads to a long finish.  This is the epitome of Napa Cabernets.  Delicious in youth yet built for the long run and lasting over three decades.  I would not call this wine fragile, but it has a delicacy that requires a deft choice in pairings, if any.  I am sipping it without fare.  In its day this would have been a 94 point wine.  No idea on price, suffice to say it would be a 5 star effort.  Drink soon.  Salut….

Cakebread Cellars Apple Barn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Anderson Valley, California

05 Thursday May 2022

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From one of the coolest California AVA’s comes this Pinot Noir that is medium ruby in the glass with thick watery legs.  The nose is medium intensity with aromas of steeped strawberry, red plum, orange peel, baking spices, black raspberry and rosewater.  The palate is dry with high acidity, medium, well ingrained tannins, a medium body and lovely flavors of dark red fruit, oak influence by way of orange peel and baking spices and some freshness from the rose component.  The wine is very silky, balanced and slippery with a medium length finish.  I like this wine, even though it’s not my style of Pinot.  91 points for this $60 beauty makes it a 5 star effort that I am pairing with beer-can Chicken and sautéed spinach.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Tomfoolery Black and Blue Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia

04 Wednesday May 2022

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It’s nearly opaque- probably medium to deep ruby in color.  It’s age is not showing at all but the alcohol (14.5% ABV) presents some lively legs in the glass.  The nose is a beaut.  Rich blackberry, black plum compote, purple licorice, mint, coconut, vanilla, baking spices and a blueberry jam note on the tail end.  Quite complex and certainly chock full.  The palate is dry with juicy acidity and melded tannins. The flavors are not as pronounced but they balance beautifully with the structural components to give me a full bodied mouthfeel that leaves me with a medium finish that is jaw watering.  I like this wine, it has layers of fruit and nice secondary notes.  It drinks relatively easily but is full of flavor and is still fresh.  91 points, as I think it is peaking now.  For $30 it gets 5 stars from me.  Drill till 2026 with some hearty meat dishes or Moussaka.  Salut….

Bodegas Ego ‘Infinito’ 2017, Jumilla, Spain

02 Monday May 2022

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It says that this wine is 70% Monastrell.  Learning the different names for the same grape has been challenging in my studies but I know that this Mourvedre is also known as Mataro.  There’s 30% Cab Sav thrown in for good measure.  It is a deep ruby color and has very slow moving legs that give away the 15% ABV.  The nose is rich with blackberry, black plum, purple licorice, hints of baking spice and toasty oak.  Blueberry jam is the last thing I coax out of the glass.  On the palate it is dry with medium (+) acidity and grippy tannins.  Full bodied, it gives me waves of rich black and blue fruit notes with oak influenced spices and toast.  The purple licorice turns black on the mid palate and the charcoal and toasted oak really come out.  The finish is dry from the tannins and medium in length.  This is a tasty number that will do well with grilled beef or lamb chops.  The tannins, whilst balanced, are quite powerful on the back end- this wine will last till 2030 at the least.  91 points from me for this $20 make it a no-brainer 5 star effort.  Salut….

Tomfoolery Son Of A Gun Cabernet Sauvignon – Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia

23 Saturday Apr 2022

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Every so often I shop the bin-ends at my local wine shop, some are hits whilst others are a waste of time and money.  This blend of Cab Sav and Shiraz ran me $20.  It is showing a bit of age- medium garnet in color.  The nose is still fresh however with primal aromas of blackberry, mint, black pepper, ripe blueberry jam, cloves, cedar and vanilla.  The palate is dry with resolved and silky tannins, high acidity, medium to full body and flavors of black and blue fruit, menthol, spicy black pepper and oak by way of vanilla and cedar.  The finish is medium in length and leans on the mint/menthol as well as the blackberry fruit.  It’s a tasty drop that is at peak now and will need to be drunk by 2024 if you have some.  Pairing tonight with grilled steaks and salad.  90 points from me make this a 5 star wine.  Salut….