Tag Archives: 89 points

Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Maipo Valley, Chile

16 Wednesday May 2018

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Pretty purple color with a nose of raspberry, mint, violets.  The palate is fresh, with bright plum and  red berry flavors, hazelnut, juicy tannins and a crisp acidity.  The ph of this wine is substantial yet balanced with the well integrated tannins.  More mint notes come through on the finish along with some oak and raspberry.  The wine leaves my mouth very dry, I kinda like it!  Pairing it with super thick Strip steaks, Chorizo, roasted Brussel Sprouts and chargrilled baby onions.  89 points and 4 stars for this $13 wine- drink till 2020.  Salut….

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz 2016, South Australia

20 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Very purple in the glass with a nose of Ribena, sweet oak, white pepper and blackberry jam.  On the palate it is smooth, supple and has tons of blackberry, silky tannins, cedar slate, vanilla bean and ripe acidity.  The mid palate stresses the vanilla component and allows the tannins to really shine.  The finish focuses on dark fruits and the astringency of the tannins.  The wine is decent, full bodied and quite tasty.  89 points and 4 stars for this $11 wine.  Salut….

Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Paso Robles, California

06 Tuesday Mar 2018

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It was a birthday celebration at Texas De Brazil that put this wine on the table, it was the special offer.  They were ‘giving’ it away for $56, regularly $70.  It retails for $20.

Plums, cinnamon stick and blackberry on the nose.  The palate is juicy with plum torte, cedar plank, rich tannins, juicy acidity. The finish is dry where the tannins are in full force but not obtrusive. Black cherry notes round it all out.  89 points and 3 stars from me.  It did well with the abundance of meat served in various styles and cuts from a classic (expensive) Churascarria.  Serve all day long with grilled meats.  Salut…..

Mellasat Tuin Wyn 2011, Paarl, South Africa

06 Tuesday Mar 2018

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We were over at our South African friend’s house for dinner and the hostess pulled this unfortified dessert gem out.  I was not in much of a state to make notes, but I did scratch these down:  Nose is unique- lanolin, beeswax, lemon curd, and turmeric.  Orange marmalade and apricot jam are the key components on the palate.  The finish is mid length, more orange notes yet the curry component still lingers.  It is truly bizarre yet somewhat intriguing.  I enjoyed it and appreciated the nuances of variety, the terroir differences and the subtle changes in style.  89 points from me and without any pricing info it’s hard to give it points.  This Chenin Blanc is tasty and will pair beautifully with some Blue Cheese, Creme Brûlée or even some chocolate eclairs!  Salut….

Barista Pinotage 2016, Paarl, South Africa

08 Thursday Feb 2018

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I’m always on the lookout for new stuff.  I love Pinotage, finding it rather unique and somewhat inconsistent in flavor profiles between producers.  That is not necessarily bad, it just adds to the different variations I can try of a unique to SA grape, grown in a rather limited geographical area.

This one is medium depth purple in the glass.  The nose is delicious.  Just what I was hoping for when I purchased this $17 bottle.  Tar, violets, plum and that rubber smell that squarely denotes Pinotage.  The palate is very rich, warm and full bodied.  It gives off mocha, chocolate dust, star anise, blackberry, creosote and plum on the palate.  Tannins are very refined, subdued and well integrated.  The acidity is on pointe, not overbearing.  The finish is medium in length and consists of mainly plum and that tar component I seek in this varietal.  Good stuff!  I am drinking this by itself but would pair it with roast chicken, wild game, steak and moussaka.  I am going with 89 points and 4 stars.  I have to disagree with the 86 point rating it got from one trade magazine, this wine belongs in my cellar for the short to medium term, drinking till 2022.  Salut….

La Mascota Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Maipu, Argentina

11 Thursday Jan 2018

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I’m a little nervous about this wine, it was a gift and I just noticed that the cork was pressing up against the capsule, a sure sign of heat stress.

It’s a pretty hue of purple in the glass, which is a good sign.  The nose gives off black berry, mint and licorice.  The palate is fine, no sign of damage, thank goodness.  Bright black berry, some cola, very primal tannins and blueberry pie greet me on the initial palate.  The wine continues the theme on through the mid palate and the tannins start to take over, drying the gums ever so gently.  The texture is nice, if you like a dry wine.  The acidity is barely apparent and offers a nice balance.  The finish is quite long, with nicely interwoven tannins, some blueberry and a herb note.  I think this is a very nice wine, capable of matching most game dishes, a steak all day long, charcuterie would be great or all by itself.  Short term cellaring might soften the tannins but drink by 2020.  89 points and 4 stars for this $16 wine.  Salut….

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Breede River Valley, South Africa

09 Tuesday Jan 2018

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Light purple, medium opacity.  A nose of black currants and cedar shavings.  On the palate- plums, blackberry, fig paste, iodine.  Very nice mouthfeel, not overly tannic but a touch dry with low acidity and a decent finish. 89 points and a sure 5 stars for this $7 stunner, buy it by the case for short term cellaring and enjoy at it parties, barbies and with pretty much anything from the grill.  Salut….

Chateau d’Arcins 2013, Haut-Medoc, France

09 Tuesday Jan 2018

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Medium density purple in the glass.  A nice bright nose of blackberries, cinnamon and  pencil shavings. On the palate the wine is a tad thinner than I had been expecting.  Blueberry, very well integrated tannins, some cassis and a modicum of acidity.  The wine opens up pretty quickly and the cassis really shows up on the mid palate, transcending the medium length finish.  Overall, this wine drinks nicely and will cellar for the short term.  89 points and 3 stars for this $22 effort.  Salut….

Charles Smith Wines ‘Chateau Smith’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Columbia Valley, USA

06 Saturday Jan 2018

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As you may know, I am a fan of this winery and had to pick this up the other day.  Very dark, near black and opaque in the glass.  On the nose, bright fruit flavors of plum, espresso, tree bark and vanilla bean.  On the palate I get a very smooth mouthful of violets, plum compote, spice and very lithe tannins that are very integrated.  The acidity is very mild, making for a very soft mouthfeel.  Easy to drink, yet I suspect there is some cellaring potential here, I’m just not sure where it’s going.  The purple fruits are very prominent on the finish and the wine ends nicely with a dry note.  Drink by itself or pair with lighter fare- cornish hens, burgers or a white pasta.  89 points from me.  I paid $16 and am giving it 4 stars.  Salut….

Inkberry ‘Mountain Estate’ Shiraz – Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Central Ranges, Australia

06 Saturday Jan 2018

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It’s not often at a restaurant that someone walks past your table, plops a half finished bottle down and says ‘Enjoy’!  Well, that’s what happened the other night at a Bay Area steak house where I was having dinner with Moxie and Jet, my number 3 son.  I was already well into the 2014 Spellbound, but I took the time out to make a very brief taste test of this Aussie blend of Cabernet and Shiraz.

Gorgeous nose. Blueberry, blackberry and açaí berry.  The palate shows off abrupt tannins, nice finish and good structure.  89 points.  I researched it and found out it retails for $14, making it a 5 star wine in my books.  (Sorry about the abbreviated review, but this one was obviously not planned!).  Salut….