Tag Archives: 86 points

Proemio Malbec 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

30 Tuesday May 2017

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A lighter shade of purple than I was expecting from an Argentinian Malbec.  On the nose I am getting blueberries and and fruit cake.  My initial taste is of blue fruits with very ripe mashed plums.  Strange, I know.  As the wine transitions to the mid palate I am getting a touch of tannins with a hint of dryness, some blueberry compote and a touch of spice box.  The finish has a flavor that I cannot even begin to describe, banana meets wet paper.  It is interesting, yet so unfamiliar.  I am not sure this wine is    what I was expecting.  It is a little disjointed, lacks a long term structure and is kinda meh.  86 points is all I can go, which is a shame as I am rocking a Porterhouse tonight that was begging for a hearty, tannic red full of bold flavors.  It got a monster 94 points from Ultimate Beverage Challenge, I’m just not seeing it, but for $11 it is a decent weekday quaffer.  3 stars only because the price is so good.  Salut….

proemio malbec

Bodega Tapiz ‘Zolo’ Malbec 2015, Mendoza, Argentina

13 Thursday Apr 2017

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Disclaimer- this was served on a United flight (No one was hurt BTW).  For an airplane wine-  Dark and brooding in the glass.  Barely a nose due to cabin air and plastic cup but I’m getting black currants, plum tart.  At first I get plums, iodine and a dose of oak.  The mid palate shows off the rather dry tannins that balance out the acidity.  On the finish I sense mostly tannins, not much fruit.  Overall, an enjoyable airplane wine to go with my pasta and meatball.  86 points from me and I was able to find it for $12 which make it a 2 star wine in my opinion.  Salut….
Bodega Tapiz 'Zolo'

Bollina Corte Medicea ‘Aros’ Rosso Toscana IGT 2014, Tuscany, Italy

10 Friday Mar 2017

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I just saw the 95 point sticker on the label, it must be good or this particular critic is dead to me…

Dark purple color, from the 50% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Lets see what the 50% Sangiovese brings.  Olives, plum jam and seaweed hit the nose.  On the palate I get a very intriguing flavor.  I can’t quite put my finger on it…Black plums, dark, dark stone fruits and perhaps black tea leaves.  I am getting a very one dimensional hit of tannins as well.  The mid palate is all black tea and tannins.  The finish is bitter, with faint notes of black plum and oversteeped tea.  I don’t get it.  This wine was hyped by a pro, written up by the seller as soft and supple, with gentle tannins.  Quite the opposite for me, and bottle variation doesn’t count here.  This wine is barely 86 points in my book and for $20 I think I will look elsewhere.  2 stars.  Salut….

aros toscana

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Padrillos Malbec, Argentina 2014

06 Tuesday Dec 2016

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I had a few colleagues in town for a meeting and took them to a local restaurant for dinner.  This was the only Malbec available so we took a punt and tried it.  A nose of cherry, oak and black berries.  The initial tastes of dark fruits get melded into a silky vanilla blueberry compote.  The mid palate passes rather quickly with a hint of black berries and licorice.  The finish is nice with an easy going tannin profile and very faint hints of acidity.  This is a basic wine that will suffice in a pinch but I was astounded to read later on that it is only a $9 bottle that we got hosed on ($50+), but more importantly- it only got an 80 point rating from WE.  That’s rather harsh, but shouldn’t a restaurant look for any ratings before buying blindly?  I am not that down on it and will go with 86 points making it a 2 star wine.  Salut….

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CVNE Rioja Reserva Spain 2012

12 Wednesday Oct 2016

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I will start out by saying that the label and name got me.  The 93 point WS capsule sold me along with the $15 price tag at my local Costco.  How could I pass on this amazing QPR (Quality Price Ratio).  I have read much about this winery and all their award winning wines.

Nose of blueberry and earth.  On the palate I get subdued notes of blue fruits, some blackberry and a swath of fine grained tannins.  There is an offsetting acidity that is bracing.  The wine is short on the finish but I fear I am drinking it prematurely.  For now it lacks depth and is rather thin.  If I were to score it on it’s initial presence- 86 points is all I could.  The label  states that it got a monster 93 points, which would make this $15 bottle a 5 star wine.  Let it breathe for 24 hours and revisit.

Nope, still a little light in the flavor profile and the wine seriously lacks depth.  Did I get a bum bottle?  I am heading back to Costco soon and will get another, surely I am wrong.  For now I will reserve judgement on this Tempranillo blend and just give a preliminary rating of 86 points and 2 stars.  Stay tuned for updates on what could be the biggest winner out there (3 pts for $15….Dang).  Salut….

The cork, hmmm

The cork, hmmm

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The talker...

The talker…

Esperance Du Retout Haut Medoc 2013

31 Sunday Jul 2016

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Not much could be dug up on this wine so I I don’t have pricing or details.  It says Cru Bourgeois on the label and consists of 62% Cab Sav, 32% Merlot and 6% Cab Franc.  I like this ratio of blending.  The wine is an opaque purple in the glass and gives a charming nose of black fruits with some oak hints.  The initial attack is all black currants.  There is a sour cherry mid palate taste that feeds into the finish of more black fruits and very lithe tannins.  The acidity is slightly off-balance and there is a green note in there.  The wine slides in with 12.5% alcohol  which makes it pleasing to drink.  Overall a decent bottle of Bordeaux from a lackluster vintage.  I am giving it 86 points but without pricing, I can’t give a star rating.  Salut….

esperance du retout haut-medoc

Montes Classic Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

07 Friday Aug 2015

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Bright purple. Oaked up nose of blue berries and green peppers. Not my style as it has a strange tinge to it. Much better on the palate with some plums, blue fruits and some mint. A slightly green mid palate with sharp acidity comes through midway. Mild tannins and a shorter finish. 86 points and 3 stars for this $8 offering.  Salut….

montes cabernet sauvignon

Cune Crianza 2010

14 Sunday Jun 2015

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From Spain’s Rioja came this blend of Carignan, Grenache and Tempranillo that I had a hard time with.  The pro’s were all over the map with scores ranging from 90 down to 82.  I paid $13 for it but found it for $10 elsewhere.

Nose of earth and blue fruits with some hint of oak.  Atypical for Rioja- muted flavors of blueberry and bramble. Slightly rough tannins but good acidity seem to balance out in the end with a very muted finish overshadowed by the tannic frame. 86 points from me and 2 stars.  I think one merits another look as it may be bottle variation.  How is it possible to have such varied impression from others I wonder.  I will look for it in the future and report back.  Salut….

cune crianza

Penfolds Koonunga Hills Shiraz Cabernet 2012

06 Friday Jun 2014

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Along with the pure Shiraz I just wrote about there was this blend on sale for $10.  Slightly better with more ‘real’ flavors- this bottle was passable.  It had a subdued nose but opened up on the palate with blueberry and cherry.  Slightly oaky, it had medium tannins and a balanced finish.  Very basic everyday wine and priced right.  I am going with 86 points and 3 stars, far better than the last bottle.  Salut….

penfolds koonunga hills shiraz cabernet

Tridente Tempranillo 2009

20 Thursday Feb 2014

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My buddy ‘the Beave’ brought this little gem to the party.  He paid $9 for it, which is the price of all three wines we tasted that day.

I love Spanish wines, the Tempranillo grape is delicious and flexible.  Serious wines made from the varietal are long lived, complex and rewarding to cellar.  Wines like the Tridente are made in an easier style, meant to be consumed without cellaring and offer tremendous value.  This wine was a stunner.  It was everything you could want in an everyday wine and delivered it with style for under $10.  Dark cherries and judicious oak give way to some spice box and earth.  The tannins are present yet not too dry.  The mouthfeel is great and makes this wine equally good with or without food.  I gave it 86 points and reckon it is a 4 star wine worthy of looking out for.  Salut….

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