Tag Archives: 89 points

Sempre Vive Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

22 Saturday Mar 2014

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From Napa valley harks this old vine Cab Sav with some bottle age on it.  Black currants and eucalyptus on the nose with an initial attack of black fruits and some beautiful plums.  The wine is slightly tannic and has good acidity.  I would class it as medium bodied with a fruit-forward Napa style.  My only concern was that I could smell the 14.8% alcohol on my own breath after a few seconds, it was the weirdest thing.  I did not pick it up in the glass or on the palate, just afterwards.  For some complexity I noticed bittersweet chocolate and coffee on the back end.  A decent finish with good length made this a pretty decent Friday night wine with some Lamb chops and grilled Cauliflower.  It will probably drink for another 5 years or so and gets 89 points from me.  I paid $20 for it and reckon that makes it a respectable 3 star wine in my books.  Ps.  The cork had a heavy build up of sediment so I ran the bottle through my Vinturi which has a filter to trap the junk, it worked out fine.  Salut….

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The sediment

The sediment

the filter on my Vinturi

the filter on my Vinturi

Arrayán Petit Verdot 2007

21 Friday Mar 2014

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You don’t often come across a 100% Petit Verdot, it is used mainly as a blend in Bordeaux style wines.  It’s a fiercely tannic, bold and dark wine used to bulk up other, less endowed wines needing a little darkening and structure.  If you do find one that is all PV, try it and you’ll see what I’m on about.

Typical for the variety this wine was a tannic monster with an earthy nose and some funk on the initial attack.  Pencil shavings of wood and graphite add to the olfactory experience and wild flowers come up on the mid palate with a blueberry component that is quite pronounced.  On the back end is where ripe plums came into the picture.  This wine was very dark in the glass, full of backbone and needing a fatty steak to mellow it out.  I am going with 89 points and 3 stars for this $27 offering from Spain.  I think anyone who is trying to expand their palates needs a good dose of 100% Petit Verdot to appreciate its power and potential to beef up other wines.  Ps.  I finished the bottle up with some new Lindt chocolate that rocked , Caramel with a touch of Sea Salt, ever so crunchy, ever so smooth.  Salut….IMG_0848

Lindt's Caramel and Sea Salt

Lindt’s Caramel and Sea Salt

Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2010

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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My friend ‘The Beav’ brought this out of his locker for our tasting.  I remember him buying it in December for about $15.  It was delicious and started with a strong nose of sour cherries.  The profile continued on the palate with the addition of some herbs and capsicum.  The wine had an intriguing tartness that I really enjoyed and finished with some woody tannins.  The bottle came in at 13.5% alcohol, which is just about right and was very balanced.  I would reckon it is worthy of 89 points and for the price- 4 stars.  I shall be on the lookout for this Marlborough gem again.  I would pair it with pizza for sure and perhaps herbed roast chicken.  Salut….

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Wolf Blass Yellow Label Shiraz Cabernet 2011

09 Sunday Feb 2014

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The label says Limited Edition, but I think it’s just to celebrate their heritage rather than a specifically special blend.  By the time we got to this wine, we were suffering from some ‘palate fatigue’ (we were pissed, I’ll admit it).  I did enjoy this one more than I thought I would.  The Shiraz was not overdone and the Cabernet provided a healthy framework and some nice sweet tannins.  The nose of the wine was elegant with blackberry and blueberry dominating the oak influence.  The flavors on the palate included blackberry pie, cinnamon spice, some blueberry jam and tobacco.  Quite a compilation of nuances I must say.  The acid, tannins and alcohol were all in check and balanced nicely.  This really was a pleasure to drink and I am going with 89 points.  I believe my mate paid $10 for it making it a 4 star effort and a sure-fire winner.  I would serve this up with burgers, perhaps a pizza and probably a hearty pot roast.  I have tried numerous Wolf Blass wines and this one was one of the better examples from this huge winery.  Salut….

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Peitan Albarino 2012

02 Sunday Feb 2014

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This was the white wine that my mate ‘Mr Tormay‘ ordered for dinner.  If you recall, he is an avid Sauvignon Blanc fan but they ran out so he was forced to switch varietals at the Cajun/Korean fusion restaurant last night.  I got a taste as he shared the bottle with Moxie, another white wine fiend.  Albarino is from northern Spain and is a highly aromatic wine, which goes against his strict taste profile.  I understood why after a few sips. Yes, it is aromatic, but it has some cutting acidity and lacks the cloying sweetness found in other similar wines.  The nose offered melons, some Bosc pear and a hint of lemon.  The flavors of honeysuckle and peach also came through on the mid palate in addition to the pear and citrus.  A very interesting grape that I found to be quite multidimensional and easy to drink.  I would put this wine up with some grilled sardines any day.  A summer salad with a chilled bottle- awesome.  I’m going with 89 points and will be on the lookout for this $12 bottle.  4 stars for its QPR and interest factor.  Salut….

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Charles Smith ‘Kung Fu Girl’ Riesling 2011

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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A cool $10 offering from Washington state that has gotten many accolades.  I am drinking it with roast chicken and charred eggplant.  It’s working well for me.

A pale yellow/gold in the glass it offers up pear and melon hints on the nose.  On the palate, a very delicious and somewhat creamy presentation of green apples, anjou peer and some lemon zest.  This is an easy wine to drink, and a good thing it rings in at 11% alcohol because you will want to slurp it all night long.  I would say it is off-dry with just a hint of residual sugar that makes it enticing without being cloying.  The acidity is marked but not overly sharp.  The finish is interesting and long.  I am getting a sourness on the back end that makes this a really exciting wine that would pair beautifully with grilled salmon, chicken and perhaps a cheese board.  For the price, you need to purchase this wine by the case because I agree with the 89 points that WS gave it and reckon that makes it a 5 star wine.  Readily available you will recognize the label right away because it rocks.  Salut….

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Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.

Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.

 

Mollydooker ‘The Violinist’ 2012

10 Friday Jan 2014

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There is so much I want to say….  I’ll start with my mission- to taste the full lineup of Mollydooker’s wines.  Seeing as my local shop doesn’t carry all of them, the folks downunda were kind enough (no, really generous enough) to send me a sampling of their full range.  With their help I previously managed to procure the 2009 and 2010 Carnival of Love and now also have the 2012.  I will endeavor to get the 2011 so I can do a 4 year vertical.  I digress.

Verdelho is the varietal used in the Violinist.  Predominantly Portuguese, I was surprised to see it on the label of this winery’s sole white wine.  This wine was a gorgeous pale yellow in the glass, telltale of what was to come.   On the nose- pear, apple and a touch of wood.  I was blown away by the initial attack.  Pear, Quince and Yellow apple all mixing it up.  The mouthfeel is superb, with a fullness reminiscent of a Cali Chardonnay.  Gentle and balanced acidity make this a full bodied wine with some nice finishing notes of nut, Asian pear and flowers.  I timed a good 20 second finish on this wine.

Now, back to the chicken and the egg…… Did I cook chicken for dinner because I was having this wine, or did I pick this wine to go along with the bird I was going to cook anyways?  I shall not reveal the correct answer.  Once the chicken was done, I decided to immediately whip up a spicy gravy to go with it.  I just happened to have some fresh stock from the other night, so I dressed it up just so- a dash of sage, some onion powder, a hint of salt and a boatload of Chili and Red Pepper.  The resultant sauce was red in color and fiery in nature.

The combination of the spicy sauce and the somewhat sweetness of the Verdelho- a perfect combo.  This wine sits at a whopping 16% alcohol which is a shocking amount for most wines, let alone a white.  I tip my hat to the winemaker who has managed to hide the alcohol without a trace of heat, well done Andrew.

The majority of Mollydooker’s wines are priced at $25.  For this amount of cash you are getting an exceptional wine with complexity and depth not to mention great taste and mouthfeel.  I am going 89 points and 4 stars for this one and recommend drinking it with some fish or poultry.  Salut….

 

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Chapel Hill Parson’s Nose Shiraz 2011

30 Monday Dec 2013

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My grandfather once told me that The Parson’s Nose was another word for a chicken’s derriere, so when I saw this wine I just had to try it.  He also used to say Yacky Da as a toast, I think it’s Welsh for cheers.  Here’s to grandad…

This wine was a great expression of Mclaren Vale Shiraz.  Not jammy and overdone, but a more restrained offering with blueberry and black fruits showing throughout with generous oak and spice.  Medium tannins are a delight and the wine was easy to drink.  I got some very interesting mid palate flavors similar to mulled wine with cloves and cinnamon.  I really enjoyed the complexity that this very reasonable wine offered.  I paid $13 on sale and give this effort 89 points and 5 stars.  Think Osso Bucco or Sirloin on the grill.  Salut….

 

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Lionel Osmin Cie Malbec 2011

05 Thursday Dec 2013

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Cahors is a region in central France that produces ‘the Black Grape’.  The Malbec’s from this region are extremely dark, tannic and usually delicious.  They differ from Argie Malbecs because the South American version is far more fruit driven and the Old World style is for deeper extraction and more tannic substance, plus the terroir is totally different.

This bottle was flawed.  It just tasted bad.  It had good intentions, with an almost black appearance in the glass and some enticing aromas of Asian pear and black cherry.  On the palate, there was an off flavor that destroyed any hope of it being enjoyable.  I am not dismissing this wine just yet, I think it was corked.  It’s a shame really as the components all seemed to be in place.  The dryness of the hefty tannins was exactly what I was looking for and the acidity was there to balance it.  I may look for another bottle to re-taste.  This wine got an 89 from WE and it was only $13 which would have made it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

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The Black Wine

The Black Wine

 

d’Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz 2010

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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I disliked the 2009 Footbolt, thinking it was an off vintage.  I was correct.  The 2010 version is far more approachable, delicious and true to form.  Reddish purple in the glass, it offered up black fruits and a hint of cedar on the nose.  Upon tasting, the blackcurrants mingled with licorice and even some mocha came through.  Medium tannins and good acidity balanced the whole thing out.  The wine is very reasonable at $13 and gives some depth without resorting to jammyness.  I would drink it with grilled Lamb and some olive tapenade.  The bang for the buck factor is amazing though and I give it 89 points and 4 stars.  If you have not tried any d’Arenberg wines, you really should, they are easy to spot as they all have the signature red sash on the label.  Salut….

 

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