Tag Archives: 91 points

El Angosto Los Almendros 2009

08 Saturday Nov 2014

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I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this Spanish blend of Garnacha Tintorera, Syrah and Marselan but it sure looked good in the glass.  Oregano, violets and black fruits on the nose were intriguing.  Pepper, blackberry, tar and capsicum on the initial attack were delightful.  Pinpoint tannins and a nice balance of acidity gave this wine a rounded and smooth mouthfeel.  The tannins are long , tingling the gum for over a minute- surprising.  I drank it with smoked pork one night, but ended up drinking several more bottles of it this week with other dishes, all delightful pairings.  Focus on  juicy steak or hearty stews for the best results.  This is a really versatile and delicious wine with a drinking window of 2014-2019.  It gets 91 points from me and 4 stars with its $25 price point.  Salut….El Angosto Almendros Single Vineyard Tinto

Elderton High Altitude Barossa Shiraz 2012

21 Tuesday Oct 2014

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I have never seen this wine in the local mart where I shop occasionally so naturally I was obliged to try it having gone through most of the other offerings! This wine comes from the higher elevations of the Eden Valley and had a beautiful dark purple complexion. On the nose- black currants, plum and some tar, yummy. First impression, very smooth. Extremely smooth with fine grained tannins and a hint of juicy acidity. More black fruits and plums shine through as do some blueberries on the mid palate. Some earth and game come up later as do some herbs. A nice, medium finish caps off this excellent wine. I would drink this alone or with some lighter fare such as roast chicken, veal scallopini or maybe a cream based pasta dish. The fine structure will hold this wine until 2018 but it is drinking beautifully now. I can’t believe I never saw it before. I’m off to buy more of this 91 point, $11 wine that surely gets 5 stars from me. After yesterday’s abysmal wines it is so great to hit a home run! Salut….

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Chapellet Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

18 Saturday Oct 2014

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The difference between me and a pro is their ability to taste many wines in one day.  I tend to linger and allow my thoughts to transcend to the next bottle.  Unable to cleanse my palate or my mind of what was, I can’t accurately taste what is.  Last weekend we entertained friends at a great restaurant where we started out with the De Toren Fusion V.  I enjoyed it so much yet when it was finished I wanted something else, I was greedy and looking for two home runs off the wine list.  I scoured the offerings and decided to go with this Napa Valley icon.  I had only had it once before and remembered it as somewhat tannic, yet delicious.  Bring it on…

Deep purple hues with plums galore on the nose started me off .  Chocolate and espresso mixed with dark fruits on the palate made for a rather complex wine that had silky tannins and balance in acidity.  I would say it was technically a very good wine, 91 points in my books.  My only concern was that I had poisoned my thought process with one style of wine yet here I was trying out a totally different one, wishing it could be like the first, a conundrum.  I must learn to get past that in the future if I am to spend large amounts of cash trying several pricey wines in one sitting.  Alas I digress, I did hit two home runs that night.  $50 and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

chapellet cabernet sauvignon

Domaine Eden Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

25 Thursday Sep 2014

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I arrived early at the airport to catch my flight out west.   With time to kill I went to the wine tasting bar Vino Volo where I got to try this stunner.  A huge nose of Blackcurrants and oak greeted me and prepared me for what was about to happen.  A layered attack of black cherry, currant, plums and pencil hit the palate with a gratifying rush.  Melded tannins give structure and there is a finish of mint and herbs with tailings of wood.  Delicious and balanced, this wine was absolutely gorgeous.  Retailing at about $33 it is a 91 point wine worthy of 4 stars in my books.  I’m a huge fan of this winery and for good reason, the Santa Cruz mountains are definitely a go-to region for my tastes.  Perfect by itself, it would also pair nicely with braised beef, coq-au-vin and a host of other Autumn dishes.  Salut….

domaine eden cabernet sauvignon

 

Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Merlot 2011

22 Monday Sep 2014

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We bought this wine in Truckee where I stayed after the Reno Air Race weekend.  I have had this winery’s offerings on several occasions and recall reading about the Indian Wells wines that got favorable reviews.  Standing in a Safeway wine aisle one has to go with memory and gut, not pricing and labels.  This was a sure winner.

Priced at $15 and getting a WS score of 88 make this a good deal, I however went higher.  Pure merlot plums and butterscotch greeted on the first whiff.  Great balance of fruit, tannins and acidity came on the initial attack of purple plum torte and blackberry jam which had a sliver of oak thrown in.  Blackish purple with good extraction were the clues I got on the first pour, I was not disappointed.  91 points easy from me and 5 stars without a doubt.  The beauty of this wine is it’s consistency and the fact that they make a crapload of it making it readily available.  Buy this one by the case for a great party wine that is flexible with most foods.  2014 to 2017.  Salut….

chateau ste michelle indian wells merlot

Stags Leap Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2011

22 Monday Sep 2014

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This is a varietal that I have fallen in love with.  Not a Sirah, nor is it petite.  The grape  is also known as Durif overseas and offers up hefty tannins with spice and plum being the main component flavors.  This particular bottle had a few years of mellowing time and it came across with black currants and plum on the nose with a nearly black complexion in the glass.  Licorice was very prominent along with black fruits and cola.  Sharp tannins and great acidity balanced each other beautifully on the mouthfeel and I really enjoyed the whole package.  I paid dearly for it at the Charlie Palmer Steak restaurant in Reno, but found it online for $30.  It was the final evening of my Reno adventure and was well suited to our Filet dinner.  91 points and 4 stars from me.  Salut….

stag leap petite sirah

Primus Signature Zinfandel 2006

22 Monday Sep 2014

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My friend ‘The Beave’ was hosting the Reno Air Race party this year and invited me to raid his cellar, which I took literally.  Out popped this beauty that was the highlight of the evening.  Beautifully aged Sierra Foothills Zinfandel that offered silky purple plums with beautiful acidity and restrained tannins.  Bottle aging has smoothed this wine out like a well worn pebble.  A sweet cherry finish was the capstone of this atypical Cali Zin that strayed from the high octane, jammy wines that Zin has a tendency to become.  No idea on pricing but this is a 91+ point wine that I would give 4 stars to if it was sub $30.  Salut….

primus signature zinfandel

Anwilka 2006

17 Sunday Aug 2014

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A South African wine from Stellenbosch with huge credentials.  It’s a joint venture between Bruno Prats (formerly of Cos D’Estournel), Hubert de Bouard  (Chateau Angelus) and Lowell Jooste of Klein Constantia.  Each of these men’s wineries are world renowned and highly respected.  I got the offer by e-mail to pick up a few bottles from my local distributor so I jumped in, each priced at about $40.

A vibrant purple greeted me along with a nose of hoisin and plums.  Some cassis became apparent after a swirl which really excited me.  Straight out of the blocks- this is a young wine with some cellaring potential still to go.  Primal fruit flavors of plum, blueberry and rooibos tea came through behind the veil of youngish tannins and acidity.  Coffee notes and some oak were apparent after some time in the glass.  The wine reminds me so much of Meerlust Rubicon, perhaps the terroir plays a role.  The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Shiraz and 5% Merlot- an interesting combo if I might say so.  The bottle says it has a drinking window between 2014-2016.  I am gonna go a step further and say it will last another 5 years at least (2019).  I think it is worthy of 91 points versus the pro’s at 89.  Pricy for an everyday drinker it will do well with a Sunday roast as the weather cools down.  A big Ribeye would also complement the tannic structure to a T if you’re in a grilling mood.  4 stars from me.  Salut….

anwilka wine

 

Oak Savanna Cabernet Sauvignon Rancho La Zaca 2001

11 Monday Aug 2014

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Moxie and I went to a friend’s home for appetizers and wine before venturing out for dinner.  They had just moved house and it was my luck that he offered my choice of wines.  This one was not to be missed from his selection.  Not often do you get to try a 13 year old Cali Cab on the fly.  The only downside of this wine was a crumbled cork.

Plums with a nice oak nose welcomed us to imbibe in this smooth wine.  Cassis, plum torte and a hint of eucalyptus were the opening act with some leather and earth coming into mid-palate play.  Fully integrated tannins and great acidity made for a great mouthfeel that you get from aged wine.  I made note ‘Mature in a Bordeaux way’, but believe this was once full on fruit- tempered by time.  Slight bricking in the glass tells me this wine is absolutely at peak, start drinking if you have any more.  I have no idea what this bottle retailed for, but if it was in the $35 range back in the day it would not surprise me.  I give it a solid 91 points and potentially 4 stars if I knew the price.  Delicious wine that has rewarded extended cellaring.  Salut….

oak savanna cabernet sauvignon

Armida Winery Maple Vineyards Zinfandel 2012

27 Sunday Jul 2014

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I am becoming a fan of Armida’s wines.  I wrote about their other offerings previously with the Poizin and my first experience with the Maple Creek Zin 2009.  The style is not overly jammy, nor heavy but relies on old vines for complexity and depth.  On pouring this rather young wine I noted that it was dark purple in hue with hints of cloves intertwined with plums on the nose.  Easy drinking yet powerful with a lithe tannic backbone and entrenched acidity.  The 14.9 % alcohol was well hidden but could sneak up on the unsuspecting.  As the wine evolved we got a dark core of black fruits with plums on the secondary and lithe hints of chocolate and bramble bush.  A nice depth of different nuances made this a very good wine indeed.  I believe it can be found for about $35 and I’m going with 91 points, making this a solid 3 star effort in my book.  We drank it before a dinner of fresh caught Salmon, but I would go with any red meats, perhaps some olives and tapenade would suffice.  Salut….

armida zinfandel