Tag Archives: 90 points

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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Manzanita Creek Winery Three Vines Zinfandel 2010

23 Monday Dec 2013

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I’m back in Asia, re-united with my partner in crime- The Beave.  He brought this highly rated Sonoma Zin from home for us to share.  Black cherry and tar with some Asian plums and a hint of oak.  Extremely smooth with gentle tannins that caress the mouth yet manage to hide the whopping 14.8% alcohol.  A long finish and good acidic structure make this a really good wine that could be cellared for a few years, but why wait?  I think he laid out about $20 for this 90 pointer and I am going with 3 stars.  Salut….

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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 15 Pinot Noir 2009

14 Saturday Dec 2013

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A cross between Old World elegance and New World charm for this delicious Pinot Noir.    I have had some really good wine from the Marlborough region of New Zealand lately and this is no exception.  Pale in color as a Pinot should be, the nose was very bright with cherry and strawberry notes.  Old world funk on the palate with bright fruit made for an interesting taste profile.  Cherry spritz comes to mind with some green peppers mingling about.  Hints of strawberry daiquiri and some cedar came through on the back end and the acidity was great.  This was a very interesting wine and we thoroughly enjoyed it with some Pate and cheeses.  I would also pair it with Turkey and cranberry sauce.  $20 and 90 points make this an outstanding 5 star wine for me. Ps. I love the label, very classy.  Salut….

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Hentley Farm Caretaker Shiraz 2011

22 Friday Nov 2013

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A Barossa Valley Shiraz that I loved.  Dark purple in the glass and offering up a generous bouquet of plums, blackberry and a touch of wood.  The mouthfeel is super smooth and allows the plums and black fruit to meld with oak and star anise.  The wine is drinking beautifully now and from the very gentle tannins I would reckon it to be at peak for the next two years.  This is my style of Aussie Shiraz, supple, smooth and offering a certain level of finesse.  This is a good wine with dimension and appeal. For $22 this is a 4 star wine with 90 points in my books.  Salut….

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Mollydooker ‘The Scooter’ 2010

15 Friday Nov 2013

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I love it when a food and wine pairing hits all cylinders.  Moxie, my little cavewoman treated us to a Bison dish with garlic, ginger, green beans and Rainbow Chard.  If you have never tried Bison, it’s a rather bland meat that takes well to marinade but is rather dry on the palate.  Chard is a very crunchy yet bitter leafy vegetable that I have been totally digging lately.  I needed something soft, somewhat sweet and not too tannic to balance the main components.  Enter The Scooter.  If you missed my last few posts, I am on a mission to taste the whole Mollydooker lineup.  This one happens to be a Merlot that hides its 15.5% alcohol in a remarkable fashion.  Albeit  over the 2 year requirement for the MD Shake, I performed it anyway.

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

Bison with Green Beans and Chard

The wine is dark purple in the glass and gave off currant and blueberry on the nose. The initial attack had Blackcurrant, Pomegranate and blue jam.  The currant and blue notes hit mid palate.  The wine displayed a certain sweetness that I noticed in ‘The Two Left Feet’.  Juicy acidity was perfectly suited to the pairing and the tannins were slight, which was the perfect due to the dryness of the Bison.  The bitterness of the Chard was offset by the sweetness of the wine and the whole package melded greatly for me.  It very approachable and is delivering a juicy, fruity wine that is sure to please any discerning palate.  For $22 this is a veritable steal and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star wine.  If you live near me, sorry- I snagged all they had at the shops.  Seriously, get some if it comes across your radar, you won’t be sorry.  Salut….

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Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2012

14 Thursday Nov 2013

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Continuing with my mission, I picked up this Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend for tonight.  If you have read my previous posts about this brand you will notice that I was concerned about the wines being closed, shut down for biz.  The lovely folks down under sent me a message to perform the Mollydooker Shake.  Basically the wine is finished with as little sulfites as possible, to preserve freshness they use Nitrogen which subdues the flavors.  Shaking the bottle and releasing the bubbles allows the wine to regain its composure and taste right.  I was dumbfounded and curious so I performed the shake with a test glass and a control glass.  The results were astonishing.  The glass on the left was the control and the one on the right was the test that I shook.  You can see the effervescence dissipating in the test glass.

IMG_0322The control wine had a very subdued nose and offered up Blackberry on the palate.  I could feel the acidity and noticed a certain sweetness, probably from the Merlot.  The finish was decent but lacked much tannic structure.  The test was a whole different beast.  Plums and black fruits on the nose came alive in the glass.  The initial attack mixed those flavors with chocolate and plums.  The mocha was very delineated and the acidity was somewhat reduced compared to the control glass.  The tannins remained in check and there was an overall balance to the wine.  Comparing this wine to the Maitre D’ I would say it is a much more approachable wine that is meant for easy drinking right away.  The pure Cab Matre D’ is much more structured and has a far greater cellaring potential.  This wine is delicious now as long as ‘the Shake’ is carried out.  Moxie and I drank it with grilled Calamari and vinaigrette laced Kale salad.  The control wine actually did better with the food as the acidity was equal to the vinegar component of the dressing.  She also made a broccoli and cauliflower soup garnished with bacon.  The test rocked this pairing.

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Overall this is an excellent wine that I purchased for $23.  Somewhat limited in availability you should get some if you see it.  90 points and a 5 star effort from me.  Loving this winery!  Salut….

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Cosentino ‘The Franc’ 2012

10 Sunday Nov 2013

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Two points to note.  I love Cabernet Franc, and I am a fan of Cosentino wines having visited their tasting room in Napa back in June with Moxie.  I saw this wine on the list at a nearby Cajun-Korean Fusion restaurant.  With no hesitation, the wine was ordered and poured into some rather nice BAG’s (Big Assed Glasses).  This wine is from Lodi fruit and was slightly atypical.  I almost sensed a Zinfandel component.  The red fruits and berry flavors gave way to some plum jam and earth with a peppery spice finishing it off.  The wine itself had good acidity and the tannins were smooth.  The flavors of the package were very delightful. I was expecting the softer more perfumed style of Franc but was happy to have experienced a different terroir and style for this varietal.  It is listed at $22 on the winery’s website and I reckon it delivers the goods.  90 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

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