Tag Archives: 90 points

Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Caton Vineyard 2011

09 Sunday Mar 2014

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Napa Cabernet is to me big, bold and beautiful.  Sonoma is more refined, less in your face and more about finesse.  Both are delicious, both have a time and a place.  I often think that Napa is synonymous with Cab and Sonoma is relegated to Pinot.  I wonder what gives me those thoughts…..

This wine was good, smooth and silky.  It showed up as a lighter shade of purple in the glass and had a nice bouquet of dark fruits and jam.  On the palate I noted rich plums and berry compote.  Good acidity and fine-grained tannins were also noted and the wine had a good length to it.  It packed an unnoticeable 14.4% alcohol and did not show any heat whatsoever, a deft hand in the cellar.  Later on I got dried figs and blue berry on the finish which was really delicious.  We served this up at a birthday dinner with some grilled meats and Chorizo sausage.  It was a perfect match and I would highly recommend it.  90 points from me and 4 stars for this $44 effort.  It could use some short term cellaring, but is drinking nicely and will do so for another 5 years minimum.  Salut….

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Handcraft Petite Sirah 2012

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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I just love Petite Sirah.   It’s thick, powerful and in my face.  I also like delicate wines that ooze class and reek of finesse.  Tonight though is for the unabashed.  This wine is a serious dark shade of purple, a warning shot of what is to come.  Blackberry and creosote on the nose, in a good way.  Dark fruits and a jammy plum element hit me right off the bat.  The grape is full on with tannins and juicy acidity.  This is night 2 of this bottle and it is drinking beautifully.  Balanced with tons of potential make this a stellar wine.  Retailing at $12 it gets a solid 90 points from me for its depth and complexity.  You know what that means folks- 5 stars!  I am in need of a few more bottles for a dark and stormy nice with some chili, or a beef Bourguignon.   Cellaring for another 5 years would reveal a treasure.  Salut….

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Paco and Lola Albarino 2011

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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Last night was Moxie’s birthday dinner at The Melting Pot fondue restaurant.  After perusing the menu and deciding on going the whole hog 4 course extravaganza I needed a white to pair with the cheese course.    Apparently every Wednesday night is half price wine on bottles costing less than $40.  I scanned the wine menu and was impressed with the offerings and prices.  Seems most bottles were in the more palatable 2X retail range rather than the more obnoxious 3X that most restaurants deem is fair for a bottle of wine.  I digress…

I picked this Spanish Albarino from the Rias Baixas region and was rewarded with a delicious, chilled bottle that hit every note I asked of it.  Straw colored it offered up a melange of fruits and spices on the nose that were delicious to smell.  On the palate it was very true to varietal with great aromatics mingling with some peaches and dried apricots, kinda like Viognier but with far more acidity.  This wine was crisp and lithe which paired very well with our cheese.  This varietal is well planted in Spain and Portugal and is definitely one which I will be purchasing for the summer.  I can imagine  sipping this one on the patio in the evenings with some cold cuts and crudités.  I bet it would rock a baked salmon and risotto dish.  When was the last time you had an Albarino?  Retailing at about $18 I am going with 90 points and 5 stars.  I hope my local shop carries it!  Salut….

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The family plus Nick's girlfriend

The family plus Nick’s girlfriend

 

Mouton Cadet 2011

20 Thursday Feb 2014

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When Moxie and I first met we used to get a bottle of this plonk, a baguette and some cheese for a midnight snack.  She used to work until late at night and this was our go-to bottle for the unwind and relax part of the evening.  Priced at $9, this flashback was brought to the party by my friend Edvard.  A good choice methinks because it brought back great memories of my early wine drinking career and the initial romance that Moxie and I started over 23 years ago.  

The wine is a bulk produced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot made by the Rothschild group.  It is considered the premier bargain wine of the Bordeaux region, and for good reason.  It came in at $9 and offered amazing value for money.  I noted Merlot flavors with Cabernet backbone on my quick sheet.  The broader notes include the black fruit and dark cherry components with some plum intermingled.  Good juicy tannins and balanced acidity made this a pleasure to drink.  The profile was very Bordeaux like and I could sense a certain terroir that was unmistakable.  90 points from me and 5 stars.  Most of all- thanks for the memories, I will be buying this wine again.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Miss Molly 2010

18 Saturday Jan 2014

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A sparkling Shiraz that Moxie and I opened on a Friday night while cooking up some Scallops.  I tried a further experiment by pouring myself a flute and a wide brimmed glass.  The results were quiet enlightening.  I will start with the flute.

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A concentrated nose of red currants, black berry and cola.  The mousse was dark purple when I poured the glass.  On the palate there was black cherry, black berries and some cola with a mid palate addition of some bubbly blueberry pie.  The wine shows some tannins, very strange in a sparkler but hides the whopping 15% alcohol very well.  The finish is long with a drying mouthfeel and trace of oak- very interesting.

The wide mouthed glass was a different beast altogether.  The nose was very subdued, given the shape of the rim.  The effervescence is wasted on this glass as I got almost nothing even after swirling the heck out of it.  On the palate, a whole different story.  The glass shape allows the wine to really open up and bring black fruits, blue berries and a raft of differing plums to the palate with a good dose of cola and some vanilla.  The mousse was not as tasty in this glass but the overall flavors were much more pronounced.

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Between the two I would sniff from the flute and drink from the wide rimmed glass.  I am going to balance the results and go with 90 points.  This is an interesting take on sparkling wine.  If you have never had a sparkling red, this is the one you should try.  For $25 this will be a treat for your palate.  4 Stars for a really tasty yet different effort.  PS.  I ended the tasting with a bit of cheese, the perfect combo if I might add.  I had some Cypress Grove Chèvre ‘Humbolt Fog’ goat cheese.  Perhaps one of the most intricate, complex and creamiest cheeses I have ever tasted.  The Shiraz was the perfect accompaniment to the acidic blue nature of this gamey, earthy yet really creamy concoction.  An amazing cheese, really.  Salut….

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Merryvale Merlot Napa Valley 2007

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

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Several points about this wine.  Firstly, I don’t remember buying it, or the second bottle I found in my ‘to drink’ rack.  Perhaps one of my mates brought them over for Thanksgiving when I was not here yet Moxie has no recollection of this occurring.  Oh well, free booze is free booze.

Secondly, the cork on bottle #1 was badly stained, never a good sign.  I sliced the second one open to see, it is safe.  So…. I will write based on the fact that I suspect this wine to be flawed, which is a shame considering it’s heritage, reputation and price.

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As you can see, pretty grim on the left side.  I shall endeavor to open the other one soon so I have a fresh recollection.   Anyway, back to the details.  Mostly Merlot with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc make this more of a Right Bank blend which excites me.  The wine is inky dark in the glass and unfortunately had a slightly oxidized nose of plums and blackberry.  On the palate I was in for a surprise.  The wine had survived nearly intact.  Big juicy black berries and dark plums with a deft addition of the wood and some spices make this a full-on wine of great depth.  The tannic structure is great with some dryness on the back end, right where it should be. I did not sense any imbalance but did notice a slight oxidized note on the finish.  I am lucky this bottle showed so well, now if only I could find it’s source!  I am giving a provisional 90 points and found it online for about $46.  Potentially a 4 star wine for me, we shall have to wait for the re-taste to confirm.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy 2011

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

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Let me preface with a Happy New Year!  This is the wine that started our evening off.  Being a celebration, we went large with some gems including this Shiraz from Australia.  Nearly black in the glass, I had a feeling we were in for a treat.  The nose was somewhat subdued in the first glass, the second one having been given a good ‘Mollydooker Shake‘.  This unique aeration method allows the aromas to explode and the fruit to unfurl.  The nose was plummy and had a bit of pepper and a touch of alcohol.  On the palate, creamy blueberry pie and black cherry.  This wine is big and full on, with additional notes of mocha and a floral touch on the back end.  Very smooth tannins and a juicy acidity were slightly overshadowed by the whopping 16% alcohol.  A very enjoyable wine, with good cellaring potential.  WS gave it 92, RP gave it 91 and I am going with 90.  $40 lets you in on this unique Shiraz and I am going with 4 stars.  Salut….

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Neil Ellis Pinotage 2009

27 Friday Dec 2013

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I have spent the past five weeks on a training course in Hong Kong, paired up with my friend ‘The Beave’.  Last night was our last proper dinner before the course ends and he decided on a steak house for the gang.  There were 10 of us and we proceeded to order copious amounts of beer before dinner as we settled in to our boys night out.  I ordered Lamb Cutlets when we were seated and was promptly handed the wine list by some eager Steak eaters.  I chose this Stellenbosch Pinotage as I figured it would have the flavor to hold up to to the Lamb and Mint sauce in addition to being smooth enough for the others Filets.

I really enjoy well made Pinotage and have been on a mission to seek it out as much as possible.  This wine was no exception.  It was a dark purple offering that had plum aromas and a touch of cedar on the nose.  The first taste confirmed my choice as correct.  This wine exploded with dark plums and black cherries with some good oak integration.  Spicebox and sandalwood came through on the mid palate and the tannins were fine and refreshing.  A balanced mouthfeel is always appreciated and the acidity was ever so slight yet present.  The weight of the wine was perfect for the mint sauce and the boys really enjoyed theirs with the steaks.  Restaurants always gouge on the prices so I will go with the retail pricing of about $17.  I feel this is a 90 point wine worth seeking out, 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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Chakana Estate Selection Malbec 2009

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Christmas dinner in a restaurant- not ideal but we made it work.  I started off with a pint of Guiness, because it’s good for you.  The appetizer was baby lobster with caviar and wild greens.  The most amazing soup followed that was drizzled with truffle oil, I nearly asked for seconds.  The moment of truth arrived when the Filet Mignon’s were served and this Malbec was poured.  The food was incredible and the wine held its own.

Dark purple in the glass as was expected from this varietal, it offered some dark plums and black cherry notes on the nose.  A very smooth initial attack was a concoction of ripe plum and blackberry jam, but not overpowering.  In fact, the wine was very balanced and restrained.  Many times I feel that Malbec is over extracted and over the top.  This wine had a certain level of civility which was appreciated on the occasion.  The Filet cut of beef is rather mild and does not need an overly tannic fruit bomb.  This wine paired perfectly and was a hit at the table.  The structure is well built and this wine could cellar easily for 5 years .  We paid restaurant prices but this wine can be had for about $22.  I am giving it 90, even though WS gave it 89.  4 stars for me and I’ll be on the lookout for it at my local wine shop.  Ps. Love the label.  Salut and Merry Christmas….

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Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas morning sleigh ride

Christmas dinner with silly hats

Christmas dinner with silly hats

Tudor Pinot Noir 2006

25 Wednesday Dec 2013

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From the Santa Lucia Highlands comes this modern styled Pinot Noir.  Bright cherries and gobs full of green pepper swirled around in some decent acidity with a nice finish. Not exactly my style of Pinot, but certainly well made and delicious.  I would bet this wine is popular with New World fans as it offers upfront fruit and a touch of the wood.  It is very smooth at 7 years of age and will probably go for another 5 years.  I don’t see much evolution a’la Burgundy but it will retain its freshness.  WS gave it 91, I’m going with 90.  I believe it can be found for $42 now which makes it a solid 3 star wine for me.  I would drink this with Roast Chicken or by itself, keeping a watch on the sneaky 14.2% alcohol so it doesn’t sideswipe you.  Salut….

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