Tag Archives: 5 stars

Beyer Ranch Merlot 2013, Central Coast California

21 Tuesday Feb 2017

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This was on special at my local wine store, regularly $11, on sale for $10.  I had to try it.  It is vinted and bottled by the Wente Family Estate, which is a rather big and well know operation.

A good shade of purple in the glass, with a nose of black berry and kirsch.  On the palate, black stone fruits and black berries.  Very nice and supple mouthfeel, not overly acidic with very subtle tannins.  A pop’n’pour wine that is sure to please- for the price, it is a really outstanding effort.  88 points and 5 stars for its price to quality ratio.  Drink by itself or pair with pretty much anything!  Salut….

beyer ranch merlot

Torbreck The Steading 2003

05 Sunday Feb 2017

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I have been sitting on this one for a long time.  While setting up to cook some Steak au Poivre I decided I needed a heady Australian to accompany us, this one happened to be next in line in my kitchen chiller.  Unfortunately the cork crumbled so I had to decant it through a wire mesh to filter out the bits.

At first glance, the wine has a certain amount of bricking and is not very clear.  Age will do this to a wine, I hope it is still okay.  The first whiff is incredible, very Bordeaux-like.  Cassis, leather, plum and spicebox.  I am intrigued as to what it beholds. Remember, this bottle is 13 years old…

Amazing, smooth, calculating.  This wine is gorgeous!   Plum, pepper, tobacco, a touch of oak and some violet.  The mid palate is svelte, with extremely tight tannins swirling around the precise acidity, coupled with nuances of blueberry pie and more leather.  The finish is great, mid length and a continuation of the story.  This wine is drinking beautifully.   A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mataro and 20% Shiraz, it combines the finesse of a Rhone wine with the power of Aussie fruit.  Beware the well hidden 14.5% Alcohol, which has probably been a key to why this wine has held together so well and been able to develop tertiary flavors.  A gem.  95 points from me and I wish I had more.  The critics were mixed about this wine on release, ranging from 89 to 93 points.  Just goes to show you what a little time in a dark, cool room will do.  I found it online for $50, well worth it for a big occasion.  5 stars from me, Salut….

torbreck the steading

Chateau Pavie 2000, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

21 Saturday Jan 2017

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This is my first 100 point wine and was brought by a good friend to celebrate his promotion and pay off a football bet!  At $450 per bottle it’s a pretty steep price to pay for perfection but you only live once.

Nearly black in the glass.  A stunning nose of leather, tobacco, blueberry, coconut.  Young is my first impression. Fresh fruit, bright tannins, good acidity… blueberry tart, leather and spice box with maybe some plum on the mid palate. I’m also getting graphite.  Did I mention the mouth coating tannins?  They go on forever. This wine is extracted, polished, deep and complex, but it’s also a baby.  It needs another 5 years minimum before it starts maturity but will last till 2040 at the least.  It currently shows primal fruit but will evolve in a massive way once secondary flavors develop.  I am lucky I got to taste it at this stage of its life cycle and hope to be so fortunate in the future to experience it at peak.  I can only imagine how great this wine will be.  We drank it with some cheese and crackers, that is about all you need.  I would think this wine is worthy of 98 or 99 points, but the man himself gave it 100 on several occasions, so who am I to argue!  Shall we say 5 stars?  Salut….

chateau pave 2000img_1485

Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2011, Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa

21 Saturday Jan 2017

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Disclaimer- I got this bottle from a distributor.  They retail for around $23.

Bright golden yellow.  A nose of petrol, lemons and flint, very intriguing.  On the palate, very smooth with lemon, some green apple, wet stone and very lithe acidity.  The mid palate just continues the theme right up to the long finish.  I drank this bottle with a friend who was also impressed.  I initially served it at room temperature to show off all the nuances and highlight any defects.  I found none.  I slipped the bottle into an ice bucket for the second round, which was more typical.  It really shone when chilled and I would imagine pairing it with Lobster, fettuccine Alfredo or even smoked duck salad.  This wine is reminiscent of an edgy Burgundy wine, but the use of oak is very defined and not overly lavished on it.  A nice balance and worthy of 92 points from me.  5 stars!  Salut….
Newton Johnson family vineyards chardonnay hemel-en-aarde

Dona Paula Estate Malbec 2014

11 Wednesday Jan 2017

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I can’t even tell you how many bottles of this wine I have drunk in my day.  I was introduced to it at an Argie steak house in Anchorage, Alaska of all places.  We used to go there in small groups and empty their supply every time.  I saw this bottle when I was in Boston with the family on a skating trip.  I couldn’t resist.

In the glass, a paler version of purple was on display.  On the nose- black berry and nutmeg come to mind.  The initial palate consists of really delicious dark fruits, some plum ganache and some very tart tannins.  The wine shows off a dryness that takes over the mid palate and finish but still allows flavors of blue and black currants to peek through.  There are not many tertiary flavors but that is okay, this is a primal wine that begs for steak.  It offers one stop shopping if you are in the market for a reasonably priced wine that bangs it with grilled meat, does well alone and will make charcuterie sing. This is one for you to look for.  At $13 this is a good deal and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  Drink till 2020 and buy in bulk.  Salut….

dona paula estate malbec

Neethlingshof Estate Pinotage 2015

10 Tuesday Jan 2017

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My father asked me what I wanted for Christmas.  He has 3 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws and 5 grand kids.  I wanted something that would not bankrupt the man, but would mean something to me.  I told him “a bottle of wine”.  He hit it, right on the head with this banger.  I am so surprised at this wine and am super happy that my dad got it for me.

In case you haven’t read my notes about Pinotage, I love this varietal.  It is a quirky oddball only found in Afrique du Sud and made really well in Stellenbosch.

Reddish purple in the glass with a nose of tar, beautiful violets, black plums and a really nice hint of blueberry right at the and.  On the initial attack I get blueberry pie, some tar, cherry and plum jam. The mid palate yields some very entrenched tannins that come out of hiding and balance the acidity.  More plums hit after the tannins and they lead you into a really nice dry finish of vanilla, coffee bean, and berry.  Really good, a delicious wine.  91 points and at a shocking price point of $15 this is my first 5 star wine of the year.  Kudos to dad for popping this bad boy under the tree, he has hit wine nirvana.  I drank it with braised Beef ribs and purple potatoes.  Heaven!  I hope you have a wine that has significant meaning that hits it on all cylinders too.  Salut….

neethlingshof pinotage

Cosentino Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley California 2005

23 Friday Dec 2016

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I bought several bottles of the Cosentino Cabernet and really liked it.  This is a follow-up after three more years in cellar.

Rich dark purple hues in the glass.  A nose of cedar, cigar, plum, violets and black berries.  The initial attack is sublime- smooth as silk plum jam, blackberry confit and some vanilla bean come right out and introduce this gorgeous wine.  On the mid palate I’m getting more of the same notes with a touch of heat and some acidity showing up.  The tannins are so melded it’s scary.  There is depth and width to this wine.  The finish is medium length with some blue fruits entering the fray, the tannins are starting to show up and leave a drying finish to the wine.  92 points from me make this wine a 5 star effort if you could still find it at the release price of $21.  I drank mine with a Standing Rib Roast, perfection.  Salut….
cosentino cabernet sauvignon napa valley

Scotto Family Old Vines Zinfandel Lodi Central Valley California 2012

05 Monday Dec 2016

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I picked this bottle up on my trip to the Wine Library in New Jersey, they were pushing it as a good Thanksgiving choice.  I had other plans for Turkey day but liked it enough to buy a bottle.  In the glass it shows decent purple hues, but is somewhat lighter looking.  On the nose- Christmas cake, cherries jubilee and spice box.  On the palate, a really smooth intro of black fruits, dark cherries and cedar shingle.  Very smooth indeed, with subtle tannins and a touch of acidity.  This wine is very easy to drink due to the gorgeous mouthfeel but beware, it only hits 13% alcohol and you might find yourself sipping all night!  As the wine hits the mid palate it shows off some typical Zin notes of plums and pepper.  The finish is decent and mid length with some tannins showing up right at the end along with some plum torte.  This wine does not need food, it flows ever so nicely but I can see why they recommended it to pair with Turkey.  It would also go beautifully with a grilled Pork Chop, bone in.  Given the choice I will pick old vine Zin every time, they are more refined, smoother and in my opinion easier to drink with lower alcohol.  This wine is a great example.   I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for a delicious effort that costs $13, what a bargain!  I’m ordering more for sure.  Salut….

scotty family cellars old vine zinfandel

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz 2011 revisited

03 Saturday Dec 2016

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I’m a huge fan of this winery and am working my way through their offerings and revisiting some that I have had a chance to cellar.  I keep a stash of wines in my locker at ‘work’.  Those of you that know me will realize that my locker is half way around the world from home, but I have some gems in there that have been sitting patiently in near perfect conditions- 60 F, humid and dark.  I met up with a mate from downunda, whom we shall call Mr. Rangley and I pulled this one out for a tasting.  The last time I drank the 2011 Blue Eyed Boy it was delicious so I was really looking forward to it.

Blueberry nose with plum ganache- delicious.  On the palate is a thick, long blueberry note with dark chocolate and graphite.  The mid palate involves a full blown explosion of more blue fruits, vanilla bean and rolling tannins.  I detect some heat which makes sense as this one packs 16% alcohol.  The finish is long and full of blueberry pie, 92 points all day long.  I did not notice too much evolution over the past three years which is interesting.  I’m not sure where this wine is going over its life span but it is built for the long haul and may yet develop nuances of age and secondary flavors.  If it doesn’t that is fine too – a unique tasting Shiraz that is well made and a treat.  5 stars at $40.  Drink all by itself for the ultimate experience of this wine but if you must pair it- Filet Mignon with Bearnaise sauce and some asparagus will do the trick.  Salut….

blue eyed boy shiraz

 

 

 

Clos Pegase Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

29 Tuesday Nov 2016

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Another Napa Cabernet that I got to taste at the AMEX Centurion Lounge at SFO airport.  This one was a dazzler, but give it time.

Portlike nose with honeyed blueberries and some juniper hints.  The initial attack is all blue fruits and a crescendo of brooding tannins. This is one heck of a monster, built for the long run or a trip through the vinturi.  The mid palate shows darker fruits with plum torte, espresso and a delicious minerality.  The finish carries on with the tannic structure and leaves the gums bone dry.  Give this wine a wide berth until 2019 but buy lots, it will run for many years after that. 92 points from me even though the pros gave it 90 and said drink now.  I found it online for $39 which make it a 4 star, perhaps even 5 star wine in my books.  This wine epitomizes Napa Cabernet for me.  Enjoy with a hearty pasta dish, steak with asparagus or a grilled leg of lamb.  Salut….
clos pegs napa cabernet sauvignon