Tag Archives: $9

KWV The Legend of Big Bill Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Western Cape, South Africa

08 Tuesday Sep 2020

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It’s a rich shade of purple with thick legs and an opaque hue.  The nose is fresh, briny and full of purple fruits.  On the palate I get primal black berries, dark cherry and iodine laced oak.  The mid palate is fruity, juicy and shows off a slight tannic bite.  The dark fruits are well at play and overshadow the structural components.  The finish has a nice crunchy set of tannins that interplay with the fruit and acidity.  This wine is a touch green but I am enjoying it’s youth and basic fruitiness.  It has some structure for the short to medium term cellaring but I feel it won’t evolve too much.  This is a very decent everyday drinker that will serve well against burgers, ribs, pasta and pizza.  It gets 87 points from me and for $9 it’s a 3 star wine.  Drink till 2022.  Salut…

Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet 2016, Bordeaux, France

22 Friday Nov 2019

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It’s been a while since I drank some of this old perennial favorite.  This vintage shows dark purple in the glass.  On the nose- charcoal, blackberry and fig.  The palate is very pleasant and easy drinking.  There are blackberry notes, tar, wintergreen and crunchy tannins.  They dry the gums immediately but not excessively.  The mid palate is much the same, black fruits abound.  The tannins really go the distance and lead me to the finish of blackberry pie meets a slate.  There is quite a bit of minerality alongside the tannic thrust.  The wine is well balanced and well made.  There’s a reason I drank a crapload of it in the early days, it offers good value for money.  Drink till 2025 with a nice NY Strip and creamed spinach.  I’m going 88 points and 5 stars for $9. Salut….

Nederburg The Winemasters Chenin Blanc 2016, Coastal Region, South Africa

12 Thursday Sep 2019

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Pale gold in the glass, it is crystal clear.  On the nose there’s lemon, melon, pear and lychee.  The palate echoes those flavors from front to the finish.  There is a unique mouthfeel, effervescence, without the bubbles.  The acidity is in check but not shy.  It adds depth and cut.  The Chenin Blanc varietal is widely found in France and South Africa.  Differing climates produce variations on the flavor profile but this grape is very enticing, versatile and delicious.  I am going with 88 points and 4 stars for this $9 offering that you should drink till 2022 with grilled chicken, sausage and mash or even smoked salmon.  Salut….

DFJ Vinhos Portada Winemaker’s Selection Tinto 2016, Vinho Regional Lisboa, Portugal

21 Wednesday Aug 2019

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Quite dense and opaque purple in the glass.  The nose has blueberry, iodine and espresso.  On the palate it is quite sweet with creme de cassis, vanilla and butter.  There is a hidden astringency from the very fine grained tannins.  The midpalate glides along with the blue fruit theme and finishes with a short burst of tannic thrust that leaves the gums a little quenched.  88 points, drink till 2021 with lighter fare.  For $9 it’s a pretty decent buy and gets 3 stars from me.  Salut….

Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014, Tuscany, Italy

26 Tuesday Jun 2018

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The last of my Kirkland test wines….  Cherry nose with some fresh cut pine thrown in.  The palate continues the light cherry profile but adds mushroom and a crushed violet note.  Rose water comes to mind as we transition to the finish.  Overall, this is not a great wine point wise.  It lacks depth, the flavors are somewhat out there and the extraction is pretty thin.  I’m not sure I would buy again.  85 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  Salut….

Pinot Evil Pinot Noir NV, Chile

07 Monday May 2018

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A non-vintage wine as far as I can see that I purchased for $9.  The name and label sold me.  It is see-through as expected from a Pinot Noir.  The nose drums up strawberry, cinnamon and a baked pastry note that I find really interesting.  The palate is very warm, with flavors of red berries, strawberry and cherry extract.  The wine has a juicy acidity to it and the tannins are ever so faint.  The mid palate shows off a touch of heat, even though this wine only clocks 12.5%.  The medium length finish rounds out with red currants and a chalky component.  More cherry hits right at the end.  I have to state that it’s a delicious wine that gets 90 points from me and for the price- it deserves 5 stars.  An exceptional bargain in the world of Pinot Noir.  Well done!  Buy it by the bucketful.  Salut…

PS.  Turns out there is a French wine of the same exact name and label.  The Chilean one is what I tasted.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Chile

07 Monday Aug 2017

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If you read my previous post on the 2015 Cono Sur Cab, you will recall that I ended up with two different vintages from the store.  The 2016 is much darker purple, more extracted with heavier oak on the nose which disappoints me.  I don’t like too much of the stuff.

On the palate, a much different story.  Rich, thick plums alongside blackberry jam and oak shavings.  The midpalate offers up black fruits and a tapenade note.  The finish is short, with some black fruits and gentle tannins.  This version is not as balanced and smooth as the 2015.  It’s still a good deal though and should be on everyone’s party stocking list.  I’m thinking dry rubbed ribs, burgers or even shish kebabs would pair nicely here.  88 points form me and for $9, 4 stars all day long.  No picture taken BTW.  Salut….

Cono Sur Bicicleta Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Chile

07 Monday Aug 2017

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I bought two bottles of the Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon but didn’t realize I had two vintages…. so here goes the 2015.

Very nice purple in the glass.  The nose is of ripe plums, bursting violets and a blackberry component.  On the palate I get blackberry, currants, cinnamon and some earthy notes.  The wine is easy to drink with slight tannins, moderate acidity and a good mouthfeel.  The midpalate has some very nice dark cherry notes with a touch of oak.  The tail end is shortish but nice; green olives and cherry come to mind.  Overall a very serviceable wine that gets 89 points from me and 5 stars for its $9 price tag.  Drink now for best results.  Salut….

cons sur bicicleta cabernet sauvignon

Monte Degli Angeli Sangiovese 2014, Puglia, Italy

29 Saturday Jul 2017

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I have said it before, Sangiovese reminds me of Pinot Noir. It looks like Pinot, smells like Pinot and in many cases tastes like Pinot.  This particular wine starts off a little different.  It is dark, opaque and and brooding.

On the nose, I am confused.  Tar, dark fruits and a leather component would make me guess Tempranillo, for sure.  The initial tastes confirm what my nose suspected.  This wine acts like it came straight from Rioja.  Earth, gaminess, dark plums and bramble along with the creosote.  It all points to an extraction and aging issue.  This wine has been made in a different style that had me fooled.  It is delicious, no doubt, but atypical.  The mid palate is bursting with blueberry and dark plums along with the earthiness.  The finish is more blue than black fruits.  Tannins are very lithe, acidity is very mellow and the alcohol level is a mild 12.5%.  89 points from me and 5 stars because you can pick it up for $9!  Enjoy alone or with pasta, charcuterie or even veal parmesan.  Drink now till 2020.  Salut….

Monte degli Angeli Sangiovese

KWV The Legend Big Bill Red 2014, Western Cape, South Africa

27 Thursday Jul 2017

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This blend is really dark purple.  Made up of 60% Petit Verdot, 20% each of Cab Sav and Shiraz.  The nose is bursting with currants, juniper, a touch of oak and black cherry.  The palate is very interesting and tasty.  The Petit Verdot punches through with violets, dark cherry and leather.  Tannins are persistent but not overpowering, they leave the gums slightly dry but give the wine a freshness.  The mid palate gives me mocha as well as more dark cherries.  The finish reveals a vanilla note as well as some wood.  The winemaker has done a superb job of balancing the acidity, tannins and the 14% alcohol- which is not noticeable.  The mouthfeel is what I would describe as wholesome yet fresh.  It is relatively smooth with great potential to mellow out and possibly develop tertiary flavor.  90 points from me, drink till 2025 and pair it with lamb chops and garlic mash.  5 stars because this wine rocks and it runs a mere $9 (But I found it for $6.09 in NJ, you people should be running to that store).  Salut….

the legend of big bill ridiculously big