Tag Archives: 89 points

Thunevin Calvet Cuvée Constance 2010

10 Thursday Oct 2013

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Half and half Grenache and Carignan, a great blend from the Roussillon region.  I was seeking a basic country wine to go with my roast chicken and Peri Peri sauce (spicy as a mo-fo) with Arugula (Rocket) salad, more spice.  I needed a raw, acidic, somewhat tannic, fruit forward wine for my meal.  I was not far off.  Usually, spice kills the red wines as I discovered.  This particular dinner was more about spice than heat.  The Peri Peri sauce comes from Nando’s, a South African restaurant that uses the sauce to warm things up a bit.

The wine itself was purchased for about $15.  A great deal considering the big man gave it a 90+ rating.  I’m going with 89.   It offers up raw Blueberry, green peppers and lithe tannins with a bracing acidity.  The blue component was the right anti-spice and the acidic component was right up my alley for the meal.  It’s difficult to pair red wines with anything spicy, the rougher the better I reckon.  What I mean is that finesse has no place here.  The fruit needs to be forward and really in your grill.  Secondary nuances are overwhelmed.  Stick to the basic, young country wines that have the brawn.  This is a wine that is flexible, capable of tackling heat, grilled meats and even roast chicken.  I would imagine it would kill a Lasagne.  4 stars in my system.  Salut….

Mietz Cellars Sonoma Pinot Noir 2008

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Note:  My buddy ordered this wine for us to split a case.  I did not really know what I was getting, but it retailed at $25 per (we paid about half that).

Totally New World in profile, it screamed Sonoma.  Cherries, more cherries and some red rhubarb.  Very defining acidity and a noticeable tannic structure make this a serious wine.  It is rather heavy for a Pinot Noir and strays from the traditional flavors with some additional notes of red currants and perhaps some oaky smoke.  Riding a hefty 14.8 %, I think extraction was foremost on the winemaker’s mind.  It works out though and I am digging this wine.  Question is, what would I drink it with?  Salmon with lemon butter, that’s what.  I think it has a certain flavor that would complement the fish and the acidity/tannins would cut nicely into the fatty component.  Steak is not ideal for this hefty wine, it lacks tannic punch.  I figure it is worthy of 89 points, and for the price- 4 stars.  Cellaring for another 5 years would be fine, but it is providing pleasure right now.  Salut….

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Chateau Marjosse 2010

03 Thursday Oct 2013

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I have committed wine infanticide again.  Way too young and a shame to waste a decent bottle of wine. From the Entre Deux Mers Appelation in Bordeaux comes this  Merlot based  wine.  It was very subdued on the nose, giving few hints of what was to come.  I have found many clarets tend to go through a ‘dumb’ phase and go into hibernation.  I believe that to be the case here.  On the palate, hiding behind a cloak of mouth coating tannins was a very smoky plum component with some graphite.  Blueberry and Vanilla flavors came along after the bottle had been opened for a while.  Good acidity coupled with the tannins make this wine cellar-worthy  I would not even approach it again until 2015.  I believe this to be a well made wine that I got for $17, but right now it is not giving pleasure.  Technically speaking it could be an 89 point wine, but I am going to give it 3 stars.  If you can get some bottles to lay down, I am sure it will turn out to be a treat.  If I were at home, I would have run it through the Vinturi, trying to coax the fruit out one way or another.  Salut….

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Savignola Paolina Chianti Classico Riserva 2010

29 Sunday Sep 2013

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With Pizza, one must serve Italian wines.  I love Chianti, the Sangiovese grapes offer up a unique flavor profile that gives me strawberry, cherry and tar flavors.  In this particular bottle, there was some muted flavors, and more heavily weighed on the tart cherry side.  I think it is a little young as the tannins were very prominent.  Nicely acidic  but slightly out of balance for me, I think the wine is a little disjointed.  Perhaps a few years of slumber and the fruit will emerge, the tannins will meld and the balance will come about.  At $32, it is a pricey bottle to take a dive on.  The pro’s gave it 91, I would go 89 and 3 stars.  Salut….

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Firriato Nero d’Avola Harmonium 2010

23 Monday Sep 2013

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For tonight’s dinner, I prepared a Chicken Alfredo with seasonal salad and garlic bread (yummmm)  I first thought a Chianti would be a good match, but alas there is a new wine in my cellar from Sicily that begs to be opened.  Nero D’Avola is native to Sicily and means Black of Avola.  I didn’t get much on the nose, perhaps a hint of blue fruit but some alcohol mixed in there.  This particular wine is not very dark but shows off really sweet tannins with plum compote on the palate.  Spiciness and a certain rock minerality show through and there is definite acidity here.  I think the structure will bode well for short term cellaring and the wine could mellow somewhat and hide that 14.5% alcohol.  My guess is that the volcanic soils of Sicily perhaps influence the secondary flavors??

I am always on the hunt for new and exciting wines.  Another varietal that comes to mind is Aglianico.  Very tannic but delicious, you should be on the lookout for some if you hanker for some mouth puckering juice fit to sort any cut of meat out.

At $35 this wine is not a bargain and only gets 3 stars from me due to the price.  Technically speaking, I would rate it 89 points. I do like the label though!  Salut….

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Caves Saint-Pierre Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Mitre 2010

21 Saturday Sep 2013

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A basic CDP, with straightforward fruit of Black Cherry, Earth, Green Pepper and Stones.  A razor minerality and some fine grained tannins bring structure.  A decent level of acidity balance the package, yet I am not feeling the love.  I tried the bottle straight from the opening, and then poured it through the Vinturi for the second glass.  It came across smoother and more fruity, which speaks well for aerating this bottle.  It could probably use 2-3 years in the cellar and should last until 2018.  I opened it for a Roast Beef dinner, figuring it would have the right tannins to sort out the beef and horseradish.  I was right.  89 points, and 3 stars for this $54 offering of 60% Grenache, balanced with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah.  Salut…

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Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2012

01 Monday Jul 2013

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When you mention Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the first few things that come to mind are: cat’s pee, grapefruit, cut grass and green apples.  This wine had it all, plus a cutting acidity that balanced the fruit nicely.  In the mouth, very smooth and inviting, making me pucker up for more after its long finish subsided.  It went perfectly with the salad course, and I imagine it to be a stunner on a hot summer’s eve.  This region in New Zealand has been excelling in the varietal, making delicious and lush wines.  I would imagine it to be an 89 point wine and for about $15, worthy of 4 stars.

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Tenute Arnaces Prosecco NV

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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Bought this for Moxie, she likes the bubbly stuff.  Good nose of apples and cider with generous bubbles that tickled on the way down.  Dry on the palate, it was not as sweet as I was imagining.  A decent length and ease of drinking made this quite an enjoyable aperitif.  Being NV (non-vintage) I imagine that the quality is pretty even throughout the years and this would be a good addition to a cellar to make sure you had a reasonable and decent sparkler on hand.  4 stars and 89 points in my books.

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Trivento Amado Sur 2011

08 Saturday Jun 2013

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Mostly Malbec with a dose of Bonarda and Syrah, this little gem fits between the Malbec Reserve and Golden Reserve of which I am very fond of.  Deftly made with subtle oak, there is a serious tannic compound to this wine which will hold it together in the cellar for years to come.  Dark purple in the glass with very interesting blueberry notes and some mintiness on the nose.  On the palate is where the blueberry driven Malbec mixes it up with the red fruits of the Bonarda and Syrah.  I’m not sure where the tannins are derived from, but they just wont quit.  I was licking my lips forever after each sip, the mouth puckering was amazing, in a good way.  The acidity was bright and balanced in this wine.  It finished with a plumminess that was somewhat jamlike, which I enjoyed.  89 points in my book and a 5 star wine for the price.  This winery keeps on delivering the goods, a must have for the cellar to be enjoyed for the next 7 years.  Salut!

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Chateau Puynard 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Dense and lovely.  On the nose, red cherries and earth translate into currants and some hints of oak.  Slightly young, but not overly tannic, it is drinking well and will do so for another 4 years. A Bordeaux wine with a decent price tag that will give pleasure with stews, steaks and roast chicken.  For the price, 4 stars and 89 points.

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