Tag Archives: 90 points

Rosenblum Cellars Richard Sauret Reserve Zinfandel 2010

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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From Paso Robles comes this high powered Zin.  It got panned by the pros but was the hit of the night at our gathering.  It can be found for $30 and was immensely enjoyed with some Veal Saltimbocca and carpaccio salad.  I find many Zins to be too jammy, this one was not.

Dried herbs, black currants and spice on the nose were a preview of what to expect.  Spicy components mixed with dark plums and black cherry were the welcoming taste.  The 15.2% alcohol was masked in the myriad of dark fruits, cinnamon notes and espresso.  Delicious tannin structure coupled with some acidity gave it a nice mouthfeel.  It went really well with our meal and I would cellar this for drinking 2015-2020.  90 points versus the pro’s at 86.  3 stars for me.  Salut….

rosenblum richard suaret reserve zinfandel

Virna Borgogno Preda Sarmassa Barolo 2009

29 Monday Dec 2014

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I’m no Barolo expert, but this was a good bottle of vino.  I had to look it up and get some other insights to gauge my own palate and educate my senses.  Here is what I initially wrote:

Pure purple color, nose of cherries jubilee and some licorice.  Vanilla hints shine through as well.  Really smooth intro with cherry, coconut, oregano and a lashing of fine tannins. Balance is evident as the acidity is noticed and offsets the tannin. Very enjoyable whilst young this will improve with age and hopefully morph into a great Barolo. 90 points, 2014-2024

Having said all that, here is what I have gleaned from the pros.  WE 94, WS 92, JR gave it 16.5 out of 20 but her drinking window was 2016-2034.  I don’t think I have the patience to cellar this gem for that long, plus I feel it is ready to start enjoying now.  It is crisp and fruity, yet with melded tannins that don’t overpower.  A well crafted wine that I really enjoyed with a huge bowl of pasta with meat and sausage marinara. Garlic bread was involved of course!  This wine can be found for $41 and I need to up my star rating to reflect the pro’s recommendations.  I have to go with 5 stars.  Salut….

virna borgogno preda sarmassa docg barolo piemonte italy

Chateau Lamarsalle 2010

18 Thursday Dec 2014

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From Montagne St. Emilion comes this rather tasty wine.  Bright purple with a nose of kirsch, cassis and oak.  Crisp opening with a dried blueberry, spice box, graphite.  Mouth coating tannins are smooth and offset by some balanced acidity. This is a delicious, young wine that highlights the best of 2010 Bordeaux. Easily enjoyed now, it has the stuffing to cellar until 2020 at least. I’m willing to bet this one develops those beautiful secondary flavors that the region is famous for. Perfumed smoothness is instantly credited to the 55% Cab Franc, the balance is Merlot. Yummy and 90 points for this $20 effort.  4 stars.  Salut….

chateau lamarsalle

Domaine Mazilly Pere & Fils Pommard ‘Les Noizons’ 2011

11 Tuesday Nov 2014

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I hate it when I open a bottle way too young.  It’s such a waste, yet I feel compelled to begin my tasting cycle at an early stage so I can watch a wine evolve.  This bottle was unfortunately way too young for my amateur palate to really discern what the pro’s talk about.  It offered textbook color and shade in the glass with a nose of cherry and cranberry.  My initial taste was of tart cherries and crunchy pomegranate.  I tried to coax more out of it but alas, it is in slumber.  I will not delve too much deeper into the wine, saving it for a later date for a follow up.  Right now I’m going with 90 points vs. the pro’s at 92.  My drinking window would be in the 2017-2023 range.  I made note that it was not Burgundian right now, but more primal and Pinot like.  I really hope it evolves with some earth and funk, perhaps a touch of dark fruits would be nice.  I paid around $25 for it making it a 3 point effort.  Salut….

mazilly pommard les noizins

 

Maison Trenel Pouilly-Fuisse 2011

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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This French appellation has always appealed to me for it’s softer flavors and more rounded mouthfeel.  I enjoy steely Chardonnays, mineral edged ones, buttery versions and even over-oaked Cali offerings, yet Pouilly-Fuise is consistently the one style that both Moxie and I enjoy the most.  The pale golden color was a good introduction.  Pears, apples and green melon on the nose gave an inkling of what lay ahead.  A smooth entry with tart yellow apples, citrus, flint, butterscotch and a touch of clove were really confusing my overloaded palate.  I wasn’t expecting such a myriad of flavors!  A long finish with balance made me really like this wine, 90 points. Turkey, oysters and salmon would pair perfectly with it.  $28 and 4 stars for this Burgundian beauty.  Salut….

trenel les tillers

Branaire-Ducru 2002

15 Wednesday Oct 2014

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A Bordeaux from St. Julien- albeit not the greatest of vintages.  I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.  Deep purple color with no signs of aging.
Plums and cedar with thyme and sandalwood on the nose opened the way for some plums, oak and cassis on the initial attack.  Blueberry jam and rhubarb stew came across along with some long integrated tannins and balanced acidity.  90 points from me for this cellared wine which you can find for about $45.  Drinking nicely now till 2020 at least make this a 3 star effort.  Salut….

branaire-ducr

Chateau La Cabanne 2003

22 Monday Sep 2014

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The disappointment of the weekend, and rightly so.  A Pomerol wine from the infamously hot 2003 that showed off all the downsides of that tricky Bordeaux vintage.  As I pulled it out of the cellar my instinct told me we were in for a stewed and gamey wine.  I wasn’t far off the mark.  I wrote two lines for this wine-

Burnt Plum.  Cooked Prunes.  Says it all really.  Back in the day it got 90 points from WS and currently sells for $50, good luck.  Avoiding wines from this vintage is sound advice.  If you have any in the cellar, drink up as they are falling of a cliff at a great speed.  Salut….

chateau la cabanne pomerol

Edna Valley Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

22 Monday Sep 2014

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This was the first wine we opened at the Reno Air Races party last weekend.  Served with some Strip steaks on the grill it was perfect.  A dark purple glass revealed plum and meat on the nose.  Black currants and eucalyptus popped right out of the glass and jumped onto the palate of delicious tannins with a juicy acidity.  Dark plums on the mid-palate were accompanied by some slight oak which led to a nice finish.  A well balanced wine that was enjoyed by all and garnered 90 points from me.  I could not find pricing but I would imagine it to be sub $20 making it a great bargain and worthy of 3 stars from me.  Salut….

edna valley central coast cabernet sauvignon

Chateau des Jacques Morgon 2010

27 Friday Jun 2014

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When was the last time you had a Beaujolais wine, or a wine made from Gamay?  It’s been ages for me as I am not a fan of Beaujolais Nouvea and steer clear of the stuff every November on it’s annual release date.  I digress….. Last week I was on my way to Bali and drank this wine on the flight with my main course having just had the Vigneron de Buxy ‘Tete de Cuvee’ Bourgogne 2012 with the starter.  I was very impressed and glad I tried it.  It reminded me of lunches spent in Parisian restaurants, sipping chilled Brouilly on a warm summers day with Moxie.

Throwback picture of a Parisian lunch with my gal Moxie

Throwback picture of a Parisian lunch with my gal Moxie

Back to the wine… It hails from one of the 10 Cru villages in Beaujolais.  I shall just cut and paste my brief notes.

Nose of underbrush and dried cranberries.  Slightly dry tannic attack with bright acidity.  Crunchy wet fresh washed cherries.  Touch of oak with a nice spiciness.  3 to 5 years with good tannic structure and tart acidity, 90 points.  I found it on the web for about $20, which is a great price.  I would drink this all summer long with a variety of foods including chicken salad, salmon on the grill, burgers on the charcoal, even a plate of cold cuts.  4 stars for this Louis Jadot offering.  Salut….

Louis Jadot Chateau des Jacques Morgon

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2012

28 Wednesday May 2014

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Consistency is a very desirable trait in winemaking.  It gives me confidence in a winery and assures that I will be back for more, year in, year out.  Trivento is one of the best at this.  I have tasted several vintages of the Golden Reserve Malbec and love it every year.  The 2012 is drinking well now.  It started off with a dark purple hue in the glass.  A blossoming nose of plums and a hint of nutmeg welcomed me to taste the wine.  Blueberry compote came across on the initial palate and was followed up with more plums and a slight oak hint.  The wine is very ‘juicy’ with a crisp acidity that I really enjoyed.  Tannins were medium for me and made the wine easy to drink.  This vintage is approachable young and will certainly last another 5 years.  We ordered some Lamb Kebab sandwiches to go along, the match was perfect.  This wine will pair well with just about any meat, grilled or roasted.  I’m going with 90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort from Argentina.  Ps. I bought several bottles and may go back for more, it’s just that good.  Salut….

trivento golden reserve malbec