Tag Archives: $60

Chapelle Saint Theodoric Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse 2015, Rhone, France

18 Sunday Oct 2020

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The fourth wine of the #10 Virtual tasting was a home run for me. This $60 Grenache was silky smooth, layered with flavors, complex and had an amazing mouthfeel.

It was semi opaque and had a lighter purple shade in the glass. The nose was very fruity with notes of Cedar, prunes, black cherry, smoky meat, pepper and cinnamon. One taster also threw in ‘bug spray’. On the palate it was very smooth and tasted ‘cold’- in a sense that this wine was very focused and had a concentration of flavors. It was Moxie’s favorite wine of the night and she’s not a huge fan of the reds. The tannins are what I think she liked- very fine grained and well integrated leading to a not-so-dry mouthfeel that was complex, balanced and chock full of red fruits and spice. Prunes showed up on the medium length finish. This wine was astounding to me, my first truly remarkable CDP in forever. I think the 5 years of cellaring was the key to softening this wine and allowing the tertiary notes to begin their emergence. I rated this wine 19 points on my tasting scale, a monster effort that translates into 95 points in the real world. The pro’s went 94, not far off. I know sixty bones is a big step in the wallet but well worth it for an exceptional wine that I award 5 stars to. Drink till 2030. No pairing needed, delicious all by itself. Salut….

Barboursville Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010, Virginia, USA

20 Monday Jul 2020

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The third Magnum of my Barboursville vertical was well worth the wait.  After breaking the wet cork the bottom half fell into the bottle, that was the only negative.  In the glass this 10 year old showed bits of floating cork, semi opaque red to dark red color.  On the nose- tobacco, leather, ripe plum, licorice and a whiff of alcohol.  On the palate it gives off a mature palate of secondary flavors already mentioned, some well integrated tannins, cassis and dark blueberry compote.  Delicious, aged correctly and offering a mix of fruit and tertiary flavors.  There is a nice acidity, not overbearing but just ever so present on the long finish.  Nice mouthfeel, good structure and juicy fruitiness makes this a 91 point wine. Available at the winery for $180 in large format, it has paid dividends.  5 stars for yet another example of great Virginian Cabernet Franc.  Drink till 2025.  Salut….

Molino di Sant’Antimo Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

06 Monday Apr 2020

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I have become more and more enamored with Brunellos and more importantly the Sangiovese grape of late.  I find it a very close parallel to Pinot Noir, which has also risen in my interest.  This particular wine is see-through and a light shade of purple.  The nose is somewhat muted but I do get some stewed cherry and not much else.The palate is quite lithe with some delicate cherry notes, a touch of cinnamon and some fruit cake.  It is very shallow on the flavor depth which makes me wonder if I have an off bottle.  The acidity is of medium strength and there are some very light tannins that appear on the mid palate.  The finish is mainly Kirsch and some mushroom, bacon and forest floor.  It gets better but I am a little surprised at the high scores from some pros versus the lower scores of others.  I am going with 88 for this particular bottle but will try another one soon to check on provenance.  Drink till 2028.  For $60 it’s a 2 star effort.  Salut….

Barboursville Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Franc 2009, Virginia, USA

24 Friday Jan 2020

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In Magnum, I was hoping for a repeat of last years tasting of the 2008 Cab Franc.  Dark purple, medium opacity.  Nose is exquisite- plum reduction, oaky warmth, tobacco and leather.  On the palate it shows purple framboise, some cassis, more tobacco and that delicious tertiary note of leather.  The midpalate has a touch of tart cranberry compote alongside the flavors already noted.  The finish is medium length, fresh and a touch tannic.  This wine is at peak now.  Drink till 2023.  91 points and 4 stars.  Available from the winery as part of their library collection for $180, or $60 for a regular 750 mill- wow.  Salut….

Bledsoe Family Winery ‘Flying B’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Walla Walla Valley, USA

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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Number 4 in the line up, it followed a hard act.  This is Drew Bledsoe’s brand (NFL QB).

Medium opacity in the glass.  The nose starts off with a lot of wood.  I swirl and swirl to finally get violet, damson and stone.  On the palate it is quite young, bracingly tannic and somewhat shut down for business.  What I do coax out of it include plums, fir tree essence, mocha.  The finish is very dry and decent in length.  90 points is a decent score for this winery’s first vintage Cabernet Sauvignon.  At $60 it’s a step up from everyday drinking wines, but it gets a decent 90 points from me and 4 stars.  I would cellar it for a while and drink from 2020-2037.  Pair it with some hearty grilled meats, Venison or even Osso Bucco.  Salut….

Arista Pinot Noir 2015, Russian River Valley, USA

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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The second bottle at the wine shop tasting….  unfortunately not a good sample.

A dark red in the glass, more serious for a Pinot Noir.  The nose is off as the wine has been open too long- however…. the palate offers a much richer expression of dark red fruits and cinnamon.  No rating as it would not reflect well.  However, a search on the web shows it available for $60 and gets decent 90+ scores.  Salut….

Hall Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

26 Sunday Aug 2018

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Just looking at it I see a brooding monster.  It is nearly black, fully opaque and taunting me. The nose is – wow.  

Black cherry, plum jam, black currant and sassafras.  The initial palate is thick with dark fruit compote, plum ganache, luscious oak and tannins that are en pointe.  Plums really come out on the mid palate alongside a cedar shake note.  The tannins start to grip and by the time I get to the finish they have me licking my gums.  The dryness lingers forever and my teeth feel gritty- I’m loving it.  This is a delightful sensation in the wine appreciation sense.

The finish, dry as hell, also features a mint meets eucalyptus oil note which I find intriguing.  This is a delicious, structured wine that will cellar for the mid term but is drinkable now if you like some bite.  91 points and 4 stars for this $60 effort.  If you like sunny Napa fruit and bold Cabs, this one is for you.  Serve with a juicy steak or a roasted leg of Lamb.  Salut….

Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa Valley, USA

02 Saturday Jun 2018

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The last time I tasted the 2009 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon was in 2014.  This bottle was cellared until now.  I’m doing up a Tri-Tip roast on the grill to accompany it alongside some sautéed asparagus and heirloom tomatoes.

It shows a very dark, brooding purple in the glass, which is what I expect from a powerhouse Napa Cabernet.  The nose is lush, plummy, full of fruit and a touch of oak.  After another swirl I also get blackberry in waves.  On the palate this wine is absolutely amazing.  Layers of black and blue fruit, finely grained tannins and a balance so precise between the acidity and dryness.  Ripe plums, sweet blackberries and vanilla bean are very concentrated.  Great extraction of fruit without overdoing it. I just read the label, 85% Cab Sav, 9% Malbec, 4% Cabernet Franc and a dash of Petit Verdot- which makes this a classical old-school Bordeaux blend.  Malbec being the  kicker, they don’t use it much these days over there.

The mid palate of this wine exhibits plum pie, black olive and some coffee bean.  The tannins start to reveal a slight astringency, but I am still digging it.  The finish is medium in length with more of that coffee thing I caught earlier.  Meat is what this wine begs for.  Roast it, grill it, braise it….  92 points from me for this $60 beauty.  4 stars.  Drink now till 2025.  Salut….

Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou ‘La Croix de Beaucaillou’ 2010, Saint-Julien, France

18 Friday May 2018

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This is the second wine of Ducru Beaucaillou, and comes from the good 2010 vintage.  I have been given 2 bottles from my buddy, it’s Friday night and there are Porterhouses that need some company.

It looks somewhat murky in the glass, somewhat opaque in depth.  The nose is classic Bordeaux.  Cassis, leather, tobacco, dark fruits.  I am excited.  The palate offers up delicious Claret flavors, black berries, tobacco, cassis, leather and that classic terroir that you only get from the region.  The wine transcends the whole palate with the same flavor profile.  Tannins are well integrated and the acidity is barley noticeable, but balanced.  The wine has a decent length finish that keeps giving that Saint Julien terroir.  I am really enjoying this wine and it is drinking on pointe.  The steaks are going to pair beautifully, alongside the roasted Sprouts, Radishes and Beetroot.  I am going 92 points on this wine, it is rich, full bodied, flavorful and will age for another 10 years.  $60 is not a cheap price, but when the moment arrives- this is a great wine to pop.  5 stars from me.  Salut….

Chateau Gloria 2010, Saint-Julien, France

22 Sunday Apr 2018

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My buddy brought this wine, which I was really excited to try.  Unfortunately, it was a major let down.  Color was right but the nose and flavors were earthy with a tar note.  I did not bother to write further as I was really tired and just wanted to relax.  Overall, I would have given this wine 86 points and probably a pass for the $60 price tag….until I read some more posts about it on the web.  It rated very highly with the pros and sells for its price point, so maybe I got an off bottle.  I will reserve further judgement until I get another opportunity.  Too bad.  Salut….