20 Thursday Jun 2019
Pale purple and seethrough in the glass. The nose is black kirsch and charcoal. On the palate it has a definitive woodsy note that opens up the initial palate. Black berries appear alongside rooibos tea, but it’s a little thin. On the midpalate I get some juicy acidity alongside some dark fruits. The finish has some tannic bite, albeit slightly green. Overall I’m quite disappointed in this vintage. 84 points and 1 star for this $15 wine, a major pass I’m afraid. Salut….
12 Monday Dec 2016
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I bought two bottles from this producer for a grand total of $8. One was a Nero D’Avola and this one being a Sangiovese. I was not expecting much, but really enjoyed the Nero poolside watching my daughter splash around at a hotel we just stayed in. I took no notes but decided I should do so with this bottle now that I am home and not reeking of chlorine.
A pale purple color shows typicity of the varietal as does the nose of faint cherries and cinnamon. I’m not expecting complexity or depth here but am pleasantly surprised so far as the wine comes across very smoothly on the intro and gives some cherry notes along with a cola thing. The wine has more acidity than tannins and lacks any semblance of wood. The finish is decent in length and leaves me with a slightly drying sensation, hinting at some minuscule level of tannins being offered up. Like I said- this is a basic wine. It drinks easily and is a serious contender for a backyard BBQ, a poolside quaff or even a light pizza partner. For $4 or even $6 this wine rocks it and I am giving it 84 points and 4 stars. (I have had far worse wine in the First Class sections of many airlines). Salut….
09 Wednesday Nov 2016
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I’m in Japan and wanted to enjoy something red in my hotel room. I found this bottle at what looked like an Import Gourmet shop. I paid 1280 Japanese Yen for it, but it can be found for $8 USD. The notes: See-through pale purple that gives away the extraction of this wine. On the nose- subdued hints of dark cherry fruit and a touch of leather. Very hard to discern from a straight glass (no wine glasses in the hotel room!). On the palate I’m getting some black fruit and telltale Sangiovese notes. The wine has a refreshing acidity and a slight dryness from the well camouflaged tannins. The finish is short but decent, leaving behind some tannic components that grip the gums. This wine is relatively light in extraction, easy to quaff and a decent sundowner. 84 points make this a 2 star wine. Would I buy it again? Negative. Salut….
05 Sunday Apr 2015
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On my California grand adventure with my son, I managed to stop into a Whole Foods and take advantage of their sale on six packs of wine that day, they threw in a carrier for free!
I wanted a Chinon as soon as I saw the region represented. I was dying for a good Cabernet Franc, I figured the French would deliver. I was hoping for sexy, alluring violets, a dash of perfume, some silky tannins and perhaps a dollop of cassis for good measure. I was sadly disappointed. It was a lighter purple than expected with a very subtle nose of violets and damson. Light plums and some flower essence on the palate. The wine was dry yet not very tannic with a mid palate transition to darker berries and some acidity that is offset by some heat. Not an easy drinker nor was it my favorite flavor profile. 84 points and only 2 stars for this $16 effort. Pass and salut….
27 Monday Oct 2014
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Moxie bought this bottle to make some white Sangria, plans changed so the bottle was left untouched. This past weekend I returned home from Asia for two weeks of staycation and a much needed break from flying. This bottle was opened on Saturday evening for some friends, Moxie and I finished it the next night. It’s a blend of several white grapes, reminding me of the Conundrum White, but in a different league. I’m guessing Viognier, perhaps some Gewurtztraminer with a backbone of Sauvignon Blanc. There is no info on the label or the web, so I am relying on my palate. I did not take notes on this bottle, simply enjoying it for what it is. Refreshing, charming, inexpensive and unique. Perfect for an afternoon aperitif, perhaps even with some light fare. This one will please many and for the $8 price it get 3 stars for a modest 84 points. Salut….
20 Monday Oct 2014
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$9, 2 stars, 84 points, cabernet sauvignon, Cali cab, california
A very basic Cali Cab that we added to our Sunday afternoon football/wine tasting extravaganza. This was brought by a friend. Candied plums and wood on the nose were kinda intriguing. On my first taste I knew what I was in for- Violets, plum and twizzlers on the initial attack with a heavy dose of oak. I just wish they had toned down the wood, this wine just is not my style at all. Mild tannins and a hint of acidity make up a very basic backbone to this casual drinker. 84 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering. I think I would pass, there are many wines that suit my taste for the same price. Salut….
28 Monday Apr 2014
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A bargain for $9, but only if you like the style in which it is made. Me, not so much. It started out with sweet plums and cherry cola on the nose supported by a generous dose of oak. Merlot makes up the majority of the blend in this Chilean wine and gives it a youthful plum profile on the palate with a high degree of acidity. Very slight tannins give an easy to drink mouthfeel, yet the wine is over oaked with lashings of wood and vanilla. It is a casual drinking bottle that may appeal to many as an aperitif with some nuts, olives and bruschetta. I am going with 84 points and 2 stars. Salut….
09 Sunday Feb 2014
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I have previously had the Castle Rock Cabernet but from Paso Robles and the 2009 vintage. This wine follows the same mold, but is far better. Priced at a bargain price of $9, you will be hard pressed to get anything form Napa for less. It starts off with a decent color in the glass and some pretty plums flavors on the nose. This is not a complex wine, nor is it built for cellaring. It has primal flavors of plums and violets with a candied cherry finish. Very light on the oak and virtually no tannic backbone. It was very easy to drink and managed to keep up with some big players at the tasting. I gave the Paso version 82 points and 4 stars. This one gets 84 points and 4 stars as well. We enjoyed it with some cheese and (crackers). It would do well with some bruschetta, perhaps some olives and cold cuts but I would hold off on pairing it with a main course of meats etc. Good value for the money folks. Salut….
18 Wednesday Dec 2013
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This is a German Pinot Noir that we ordered on my last night in Hong Hong, dining at a German restaurant on Roasted Pig’s Knuckle and Sauerkraut. Notes of Kirsch and cherry were found on the nose and palate. A very basic wine and serviceable at $12 retail, yet lacking in any depth or complexity. Unlike Burgundy and definitely not a New World wine, it was out there on it’s own for style. The German’s are well known for Riesling, not Pinot. It went well with the Pork and Kraut with it’s own acidity to match and enough fruit to balance the meat that I slathered with hot mustard. 84 points and 2 stars, Salut….
26 Saturday Oct 2013
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In my quest to sample as many wines as possible I will even pay $8 for a co-op made wine served in a plastic cup onboard a United airlines flight. They used to serve a decent NV wine called Fox Grove.
This French version is not quite as decent but was certainly serviceable. I tried to research this one a little more and only came up with the fact that it’s a co-operative wine from the Luberon and Ventoux regions of France (south east from Chateauneuf du-Pape ). I’m guessing a Syrah blend with perhaps some Carignan. A basic wine that offered immediate pleasure without complexity or airs. It does what it’s supposed to do, drink easily and fade away quickly. Mainly blue fruits on the nose and palate, very little tannins but some good acidic juiciness. It’s really hard to pick out nuances in a plastic cup in a pressurized airplane, so I will leave at that. This is perhaps an $8 bottle that won’t embarrass you at a party. 84 points and 3 stars. Salut….
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