Tag Archives: 91 points

Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa

21 Monday May 2018

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Given to me by a good mate from South Africa, I have been holding on to this one for the right time.  It shows very rich purple in the glass.  A 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% each Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it is a classical Bordeaux blend.  The nose is a little muted, probably because I just pulled it out of the 55 degree cellar.  I have managed to coax black cherry, ribena and toasty oak after several swirls.  The palate is very smooth, rich plum ganache and black cherry reduction greet me with some somewhat pointy tannins.  The wine has a definite wood profile, but is not over-oaked by any stretch.  Rather, it is a unique flavor in the mix.  Blackberry rounds out the finish which is quite tannic and dry.  My gums are feeling it well into the second minute – quite long.  There is a mintyness that comes across at the end that is interesting alongside a faint licorice note.  Clocking in at 14% this wine is well built, balanced and totally ready for another 10 years in the cellar if you have the patience.  91 points from me for this $49 effort and 4 stars.  Salut….

EnRoute Les Pommiers Pinot Noir 2015, Russian River Valley, USA

07 Monday May 2018

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A darker purple then expected from Pinot Noir.  Nose gives off gobs of strawberry, cherry pie and cedar plank.  The palate gives me some spicy notes of red fruits, violets and fig paste.  The finish is lengthy with very caressing, smooth tannins that are in perfect balance with the acidity.

This is a delicious wine that will reward instant gratification yet will cellar well for another 10 years.  I paired it with some of the best Lamb Chops I have had in a long time.  91 points and 5 stars for this $40 effort.   I’m buying some for the cellar.  Salut….

Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2015, Franschhoek Valley, South Africa

30 Monday Apr 2018

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See-through purple.  Nose is enticing with ripe blueberry, cocoa powder, mint and a touch of oak.  The palate is very interesting with plum ganache, blueberry pie, cacao and super fine grained tannins.  The mouthfeel is delightful, with some pinpoint acidity.  The mid palate is ripe and rich, layered with espresso bean, vanilla and more oak.  The finish is long, dry with tannins and mouthwatering with blueberry.  91 points and 5 stars for this $25 blend of Syrah (71%), Grenache Noir (15%), Cabernet Sauvignon (8%), Cinsault (5%) and Viognier (1%).  It was a gift, but I will be buying more.  Delicious stuff for immediate drinking or cellaring till 2023.  Salut….

Fonseca Late Bottle Vintage Unfiltered Port 2009, Porto, Portugal

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Nearly black, it exudes power.  Rich plum puree with some oaky toast and blackcurrant jam greet me on the nose.  The palate is very smooth, with more dark berry fruits and toast.  It exudes more blueberry/blackberry compote that I am really liking.  The mid palate shows off some dry tannins that reach back to the molars and give me a delightful dryness. There is a smoky component which slides in and out that I am really enjoying.  It is very faint, but there.  The sweetness of the wine is offset by its balancing acidity, the dryness is left in check.  Overall, this wine is really good and I would pair it with Manchego, some dried apricots and almonds.  Or you can just drink it by itself, delicious.  91 points and for $25 it gets 4 stars from me.  Salut….

Mollydooker Two Left Feet Shiraz – Cabernet – Merlot 2012, McLaren Vale, Australia

09 Friday Mar 2018

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I have written about the Mollydooker Two Left Feet 2012 vintage before.  I sat on this bottle for an eternity and since we are moving house, it’s time to drink up.  I have not read my old review so as not to taint this one.

I must say, all Mollydooker red wines appear dark and very purply in the glass.  This one is no exception.  Extraction is the key to their success methinks.  It has a nose of plums, sarsaparilla, fig.  I already performed the Mollydooker Shake in case you were wondering.  The palate gives up super smooth flavors of blue fruits.  Blueberry, plum, currant jam, that root beer thing again and some super ingrained tannins.  Like, so smooth and barely detectable.  The astringency hits on the finish, but the wine drinks beautifully with nice, if somewhat restrained acidity.  The mouthfeel on this wine is sublime, extracted, rich and smooth.  The finish shows a faint trace of the well hidden, monstrous 16% alcohol.  Beware…

I am pairing it with pan seared Flat-Iron steak that I coated with Santa Maria rub, plus some sautéed mushrooms, a tomato salad and edamame to boot.  91 points from me for this $25 offering.  5 stars for this blend of 69% Shiraz, 16% Cabernet, 15% Merlot.  Salut….

Chateau Leoville Barton 2008, Saint-Julien, France

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

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My buddy brought this bottle from home, where it has been resting since he bought it en primeur.  I love this chateau, they produce classic Saint Julien and are consistent, fairly priced and good quality.

Nearly black in the glass, it shows off beautiful legs.  The nose offers up charcoal, plum, black berries, a whiff of alcohol and cassis.  On the palate it is somewhat thinner than expected but fresh, bright and still young.  I get more dark fruits, gorgeous tannins, ripe acidity, capsicum, leather and Maduro leaf.  Black tea shows up in the midpalate with some tar and plum.  The finish is medium length, quite dry from the persistent tannins and gives off a white pepper note.  Overall this is a delicious, young wine that will stand up to hearty meats, grills, cheese or just by itself. 91 points from me.  It currently runs $90, and got an average of 92 points from the pros.  For my points, it gets 4 stars, just because I love good Bordeaux!  Salut….

Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin 2006, Cote de Nuits, France

12 Friday Jan 2018

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I have been sitting on this for a while, waiting for the right time to re-taste.  Tonight just happened to be it!  I noticed a little bricking when I was pouring the glass, which seems a little premature for a 12 year old Burgundy.  It’s quite opaque considering the varietal though.  Swirling like mad to get something on the nose I finally notice an earthy note, some cherries, but not much else really- I’m intrigued.  The palate is where it’s at folks- strawberry puree, cherry, barnyard, straw and some really edgy tannins.  I have a hard time discerning them in Pinot Noir, but they are most definitely present in this bottle.  I get a grippy dryness to the gums, the mouth is puckering and they meld very well with the acidity.  This wine is not bad!  I just re-read my review of it from 2012, It really did what I expected, and then some!  The funkiness is not as much as I had hoped for but it does exist, somewhat muted.  I am going with 91 points and 4 stars for the $50 bottle.  Drink till 2025 at the least.  Salut….

Thelema Mountain Vineyards ‘Thelema’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Stellenbosch, South Africa

09 Tuesday Jan 2018

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Nearly black in the glass, very brooding.  The nose is a gorgeous mix of black berries, kirsch and cassis.  I also get some black cherry which quickly translates over to the palate.  Really nice, grippy tannins greet me with a dry sensation, which is perfect for the Lamb stew I am preparing.  Dark fruit galore across the palate, with a  touch of creosote, some mintiness and spice box.  The wine takes on some smoke and pain grille at the end and the finish is long, interlaced with a mouth puckering tannic component.  I am digging this wine, wishing I had more bottles to track evolution, betting it will age gracefully and take on some interesting secondary flavors.  Drink till 2025. I think this wine deserves 91 points and am giving it 4 stars for its $43 tag.  Good stuff.  Salut….

Chateau St Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Alexander Valley, USA

28 Thursday Dec 2017

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Inky purple in the glass.  I am really hoping for an extracted powerhouse, that’s what I am in the mood for.  The nose has black currants, a hint of oak, some cinnamon and fig paste.  On the palate I am ecstatic- it is full bodied, tannic and surely a mouthful. Black fruits intertwine with the brooding tannins, mouthwatering acidity and smoky notes.  A great level of balance even though this wine is very tannic right now.  It needs several years in the cellar to soften unless you need a dry wine right now, or have a Vinturi to run it through.  The wine later exhibits some black cherry and eucalyptus, only to be overshadowed on the finish by the tannins.  I think this wine will develop nicely and am going with 91 points.  For $24 it’s hardly a steal but gets 4 stars from me.  Pair now with hearty game, Prime Rib or a char-grilled Porterhouse.  Salut….

Vite Colte Barolo Docg 2012, Italy

26 Tuesday Dec 2017

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Very pale and see through, just like a Pinot.  On the nose I get crushed cherry, strawberry  and slate.  Kinda like Pinot!  On the palate it’s different, much more brooding than lets on.  The flavor profile is more strawberry but I get a dark fruit note as well.  Tannins are grippy and give the wine a juicy mouthfeel.  The finish is generous with dark fruits coming through on its medium length.  This wine needs a bit of time, 2019-2027.  It gets 91 points from me and for the $45 list price- a 4 star effort.  Salut….