Tag Archives: 5 stars

Chateau Musar 1999

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

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By far one of my favorite wines, Musar is elegant, soft, seductive and powerful all at the same time.  I visited the winery several years ago and came away with 4 Magnums from 2 vintages that I am saving for the right occasion.  This particular wine was served at a birthday dinner at the famous Peak Lookout Cafe on Hong Kong island, perched on top of the world.  I don’t see Musar on many wine lists so I grab it when I can.  I remember buying it in the Dubai Duty Free on arrival for $16 per bottle and drinking it with pizza.  Nowadays it must run closer to $50.

The wine is mainly Cinsault, with Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon supporting.  Pinkish red in the glass with some bricking on the edges leaves you wondering if the wine is too old.  Alas, it is always this way and this wine is young and vibrant.  A delicate nose evolves and cinnamon, earth and red fruits come wafting out.  The first taste reminded me of all those bottles I have had in the years gone by.  No two bottles, let alone vintages are exactly the same with this winery, yet they all have that unique Musar taste.  One of my mates hated it, the others loved it.  It’s just that way.

The red fruits and spices really melded well with the funk and earth of the wine and the silkiness was amazing.  The wine was well balanced between acidity, underlying tannins and fruit.  As you can tell I am passionate about this wine and look forward to every bottle with anticipation.  95 points for me and 5 stars for this beauty.  We drank it with Lamb Chops and mint sauce, a perfect combination.  Salut….

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d’Arenberg High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

24 Sunday Nov 2013

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If you read my previous post about the d’Arenberg winery you will know that I thoroughly enjoy their offerings and find them to be consistent and delicious.  This wine held true.  It was dark purple in the glass, always a good sign, and the nose showed off black fruits and cedar box.  A really delicious palate was made up of blackberry, blueberry, pepper and a hint of oak.  Well balanced and drinking en pointe with smooth tannins and good mouthfeel.  This is a sure fire winner and for $15 it gets 5 stars from me for its 91 point rating.  We drank it pre-dinner but it would hit every imaginable red wine combo.  Salut….

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Tilia Merlot 2012

18 Monday Nov 2013

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Can you say QPR?  In essence, when taking cost into account this wine is a must try.  I paid $9 for it and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Reminiscent of right bank Bordeaux, the Merlot was round, fleshy and tasted of plums, chocolate and red berry.  A certain earthiness came though and the tannins were slight but present.  I found this wine to be a great basic wine with no faults and loads to offer.  We drank it pre-dinner and I reckon it would go well with pasta, steaks and pizza.  Not for cellaring, buy it by the dozen in case a party erupts, everyone will love it.  88 points and 5 stars from me for this Argentinian gem.  Salut….

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Mollydooker ‘The Scooter’ 2010

15 Friday Nov 2013

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I love it when a food and wine pairing hits all cylinders.  Moxie, my little cavewoman treated us to a Bison dish with garlic, ginger, green beans and Rainbow Chard.  If you have never tried Bison, it’s a rather bland meat that takes well to marinade but is rather dry on the palate.  Chard is a very crunchy yet bitter leafy vegetable that I have been totally digging lately.  I needed something soft, somewhat sweet and not too tannic to balance the main components.  Enter The Scooter.  If you missed my last few posts, I am on a mission to taste the whole Mollydooker lineup.  This one happens to be a Merlot that hides its 15.5% alcohol in a remarkable fashion.  Albeit  over the 2 year requirement for the MD Shake, I performed it anyway.

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

The wine is dark purple in the glass and gave off currant and blueberry on the nose. The initial attack had Blackcurrant, Pomegranate and blue jam.  The currant and blue notes hit mid palate.  The wine displayed a certain sweetness that I noticed in ‘The Two Left Feet’.  Juicy acidity was perfectly suited to the pairing and the tannins were slight, which was the perfect due to the dryness of the Bison.  The bitterness of the Chard was offset by the sweetness of the wine and the whole package melded greatly for me.  It very approachable and is delivering a juicy, fruity wine that is sure to please any discerning palate.  For $22 this is a veritable steal and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  If you live near me, sorry- I snagged all they had at the shops.  Seriously, get some if it comes across your radar, you won’t be sorry.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2012

14 Thursday Nov 2013

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Continuing with my mission, I picked up this Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend for tonight.  If you have read my previous posts about this brand you will notice that I was concerned about the wines being closed, shut down for biz.  The lovely folks down under sent me a message to perform the Mollydooker Shake.  Basically the wine is finished with as little sulfites as possible, to preserve freshness they use Nitrogen which subdues the flavors.  Shaking the bottle and releasing the bubbles allows the wine to regain its composure and taste right.  I was dumbfounded and curious so I performed the shake with a test glass and a control glass.  The results were astonishing.  The glass on the left was the control and the one on the right was the test that I shook.  You can see the effervescence dissipating in the test glass.

IMG_0322The control wine had a very subdued nose and offered up Blackberry on the palate.  I could feel the acidity and noticed a certain sweetness, probably from the Merlot.  The finish was decent but lacked much tannic structure.  The test was a whole different beast.  Plums and black fruits on the nose came alive in the glass.  The initial attack mixed those flavors with chocolate and plums.  The mocha was very delineated and the acidity was somewhat reduced compared to the control glass.  The tannins remained in check and there was an overall balance to the wine.  Comparing this wine to the Maitre D’ I would say it is a much more approachable wine that is meant for easy drinking right away.  The pure Cab Matre D’ is much more structured and has a far greater cellaring potential.  This wine is delicious now as long as ‘the Shake’ is carried out.  Moxie and I drank it with grilled Calamari and vinaigrette laced Kale salad.  The control wine actually did better with the food as the acidity was equal to the vinegar component of the dressing.  She also made a broccoli and cauliflower soup garnished with bacon.  The test rocked this pairing.

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Overall this is an excellent wine that I purchased for $23.  Somewhat limited in availability you should get some if you see it.  90 points and a 5 star effort from me.  Loving this winery!  Salut….

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Mollydooker Maitre D’ 2012

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I’m on a mission, tasting as many of the Mollydooker line as possible.  I snagged this one at my local shop for $22 and proceeded to pop-n-pour.  Inky black in the glass- I knew I was in for a treat.  This is a super concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon that needs a good aerating, cellaring or severe pouring through a Vinturi.  It screams black fruit and offers up some blue fruits as well on the initial attack.  The nose is currently closed for business, perhaps a dumb phase.  There is a certain minerality to this wine that I love and some serious pencil lead and blackberry on the mid palate.  The tannins are ferocious right now and left me with a massive case of dry mouth for about 20 minutes.  The balance of acidity and fruit is going to be great when this whole package comes together.  This is a serious Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon that needs some time to sort itself out.  I reckon this one will hit a few home runs and provide amazing pleasure in 3-5 years.  I drank it over two days and noticed a marked softening by day 2.  I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this wine and will be buying more for the cellar.  Salut….IMG_0314IMG_0315

Lynch Bages 1996, the final bottle

09 Saturday Nov 2013

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I will preface this post by telling you that this is perhaps my top 3 wines of all time.  I bought the case in Paris and hand carried the bottles over when I was working in Europe, two at a time.  I have savored this revered nectar and opened it only on special occasions.  Last night our very best friends came to visit.  We have not seen them in nearly 18 months and ‘Tom’ and I enjoy wine on a grand scale.  I prepared for the evening by buying a Beef Tenderloin, carving out 4 monster Filet Mignons.  Moxie did the rest;  Bang Bang Shrimp and roasted Broccoli with Sweet Potato and Garlic.  My only mission was to fire the charcoal and uncork the gem.

!7 years young and still marching on.  Dark purple in the glass it exploded on the nose.  I used the BAGs (Big Assed Glasses) and they came unto themselves.  The aromas were generous of cassis, tobacco, plums, black berry and tar.  This was probably the most impressive sniff I have ever gotten from a wine.  On the palate, gorgeous caressing tannins offered up waves of dark fruit, the cassis was amazing and the earthy factor from an aged Paulliac was spot on.  Textbook Bordeaux.  I cannot imagine anything finer than the pleasure this wine has offered me over the many years of watching it evolve.  94 points again from me and for sure a 5 star wine.  I paid $60 back in the day.  I look forward to enjoying my later vintages of this wine over the next 15 years.  Salut….

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Spier 21 gables Pinotage 2010

04 Monday Nov 2013

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This bottle was brought to the weekend retreat by my mate, we’ll call him Johnny.  He originally introduced me to Pinotage and I have been a fan ever since.  This particular bottle is a ‘Private Collection’ from Stellenbosch that could be had for $25.

Dark and lurking in the glass it offered up generous fruit on the nose.  On the first taste it was different from other Pinotages- more serious, complex and richer.  I instantly thought of black fruits and figs.  Rich oak and a delightful tannin backbone are interlaced with some great acidity.  The wine blossomed and offered up some secondary flavors of licorice and earth.  A thoroughly enjoyable wine that kicked the flank steaks into high gear.  If you have some spare cash and want to broaden your reach, Pinotage is becoming a must-try in my book, this example being rather terrific. 90 points and 5 stars from me.  Salut….

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Chateau Laplagnotte-Bellevue 2009

03 Sunday Nov 2013

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Moxie and I went out for dinner with friends and after perusing the menu I decided on this wine.  I was going to order Venison, my mate was getting a braised and roasted Beef rib.  We needed a somewhat tannic and juicy wine to pair with these two meaty dishes.  The wine was spot on.  The precise blackberry on the nose and palate was delicious.  I later got a slice of blueberry pie and some vanilla bean on the finish.  The tannins are what impressed me the most.  Crisp and linear but not over the top.  The dryness was perfect and the mouthfeel was exactly what we needed to cut the fat of the beef yet not too dry for the venison.  The wine was definitely old world and not overly fruity which worked to our benefit.  The acidity was excellent and the overall balance was great.  I love it when a plan works out!  We paid around $56 at the restaurant but I believe it can be had for about $22, a veritable steal.  90 points and 5 stars from me for this Merlot based St. Emilion.  Salut….

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Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 1996

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

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I took a bottle of 2001 Calon Segur to my friend’s house for dinner last night.  After we had finished the Piper Heidsieck with the appetizers, we drank the decanted Bordeaux.  When that was done, he showed me his tiny refrigerated ‘cave’ where he stored some real gems going back to the ’50s.  He pulled the pristine ’96 Napa cab out and proceeded to open it.  I had no presumptions about this wine, but it shocked me.  For a 17 year old bottle of Cabernet, it was fresh and lively yet mature and brooding.  It had cassis, black fruit, leather, earth, plums and eucalyptus on the palate with ample tannins and vibrant acidity.  It rolled in at 13.5 % and was a delight.  Still dark purple in the glass, this wine has some years to go and can be found for roughly $75.  I have always been a lover of French Claret, eschewing Napa Valley as overpriced and under-delivering.  It’s wines like this that make me realize how narrow my focus used to be and I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my palate.  If you need a very special treat, this is sure-fire.  92 points and 5 stars, albeit quite pricey it’s worth the coin.  Salut….

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