Tag Archives: 91 points

Carpe Diem Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

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I ordered this bottle on our recent Napa trip to pair up with Duck Confit.  Three words come to mind when I think of this Napa Cabernet Sauvignon…….  Atypical, amazing and obvious.

Atypical because this wine does not follow the Napa Cab profile.  It offers delicious Napa fruit, but in a Bordeaux style, with cassis, tobacco and a hefty plum flavor.  On the nose there is a huge amount of blue fruit.  Fine grained tannins and a balanced acidity make this easy to drink, very smooth.

Amazing, because value for money this one is a home run.  At $25 or less you are getting at least 91 points IMHO of excellence.  This wine paired up to the duck with no effort, it would easily handle a juicy New York strip and I would even serve roasted chicken with it.  Talk about versatile.

Obvious, well that stems from the fact that I was so impressed with this wine that I had to research it some more- the winemaking team behind Dominus make this as a second-second label.  Now that I know the pedigree and the lineage, it resembles it’s big brother Dominus, but in a softer, more approachable way.

5 Stars for its value and flavors, 91 points as mentioned on its technical merit.  I am on my way to the local store, hoping for a case or two….

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Van Ruiten Old Vines Zinfandel 2010

27 Monday May 2013

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Wow.  What a beautiful Zinfandel.  This wine was absolutely delicious.  Plums and blueberry galore, on the nose, the palate, the finish.  Not jammy, like many over-the-top Zins, but smooth, mellow and refined.  I can see a lot of care has been put into crafting this wine.  The winemaker has worked the old vine grapes into a powerful wine, yet hiding the massive 14.5% alcohol behind a balanced canvas of sweet tannins and bright acidity.  Very complex once you start to delve into it, the wine offered up some nuances that will no doubt further evolve when the wine is cellared.  I imagine it will develop over the next 6 years and drink beautifully until 2020 at the least.  For sure a 5 star wine and 91 points in my opinion.  If you can find a bottle of this, snag it…  Well worth the effort.

PS. This wine was a gift from a friend, I am duly grateful that he was able to share this spectacular bottle.

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Chateau Leydet Valentin 2009

08 Wednesday May 2013

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A St. Emilion Grand Cru from the heralded 2009 vintage that is predominantly Merlot based.  Delicious, fruity and possessing 10+ years of aging capacity, shame about the price though.  Solid purple in the glass, it offered up a nose of blueberry and black fruits.  On the palate, some oak integration to go along with a cassis and spice concoction.  Very nice tannic framework is allowing this relatively young wine to be enjoyed now, but giving it the ability to last.  Somewhat complex, this is a good wine, worthy of 91 points easily , but 3 stars for its $30+ entry fee.  It’s a shame as I reckon a case of this in the cellar would reward your patience: one bottle/year so you could watch its evolution would be rather fun too.  Oh well, yet another reason to seek out the excellent 2009 vintage from the Bordeaux region.

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Veuve Clicquot NV

05 Sunday May 2013

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I normally put the picture after my notes, but in this case I figured it was worth a thousand words.  Who does not recognize this wine?  It is widely available, decently priced and always a consistent performer.  NV means it is of no particular vintage and signifies two points.  The wines were not of a quality for the Champagne house to ‘declare’ a vintage, and 2: The wine is consistent with the house style of previous years.

On the nose, bright apple mixed with some interesting yeast notes.  On the palate, very smooth bubbles open up a spicy citrus laden apple pie thingy.  It’s hard to explain, but a very interesting mix of flavors.  This is by far the best bottle of VC I have had.  Its acidity was well defined and the balance of the key components was excellent.  When you buy a real ‘Champagne”, it’s going to cost.  At around $45 per bottle, this is a 4 star wine that I would give 91 points to.  A crowd pleaser for most occasions.

I was going to Sabre the bottle, but ran out of time.  Here’s how I did it in the past- a neat party trick.

Allain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2005

05 Sunday May 2013

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Syrah is synonymous with Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage.  This is  land where the French have perfected fine Syrah for hundreds of years.  Made in a traditional style, respecting the grape, the soil and the palate.  These wines are about complexity and balance, leaving the extraction and over-the-topness to New World producers who refer to it as Shiraz.  This wine has started to evolve and is now taking on what I yearn for in aged wines- funk.

Purple in color, the nose had a definite pepper note mixed with some blue fruit and dirt.  Sounds funny, I know, but when a wine matures and picks up barnyard, earth or other non-fruity attributes, it excites me.  This wine came through with earth meets blackberry on the palate.  Very smooth tannins are almost imperceptable and the acidity was in check.  For an 8 year old wine, it has certainly evolved, yet I fear it will only last a few more years.  It is at peak right now and would accompany a Filet perfectly.  A gift from a friend that in my opinion should be a 91 pointer and worthy of 4 stars.  I decanted the bottle and let it open for about an hour as it had some sediment and I figured it would benefit from ‘opening up’.

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Langmeil ‘Blacksmith’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

15 Friday Feb 2013

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I’m not a huge fan of Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon, but wow! This is good wine, straight up. Rich blackberry on the nose translates to blueberry, plum and deft oak on the palate. Very complex, this wine is making me pucker up. The tannins are beautiful, rounded and powerful. This wine is just starting its crusade and should last until 2020 at the very least. Well balanced, it should take a steak in stride, but would absolutely marry a rack of lamb. Loving it with 4 stars and at least 91 points.

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Spier Pinotage Vintage Selection 2010

11 Friday Jan 2013

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A strange varietal only really grown in South Africa, it is growing on me. This wine is dark purple with a brooding thick nose of cherry, kirsch and tobacco. On the palate, very tannic right now, but not obnoxious. I get black berry and some vanilla that is integrating well with the oak. It’s funny how this wine hides its 14% alcohol so nicely (see previous post) yet is in balance and provides good acidity. A well made wine that I am about to enjoy with Roast Pork Tenderloins. 91 points, and 5 stars in my book. If you are looking to expand your wine knowledge, search out this produced and varietal.

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Chateau Guillot 2001

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

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2001 Bordeaux is underrated. Following on the heels of the hyped 2000 vintage, it was overshadowed- and I’m glad. Prices were much lower, while quality remained high. I have just started to open my ’01’s and have found them to be approaching the ‘Claret’ age that I like. This particular chateau is peaking with fruit, tannins and secondary flavors all coming together. Classic Pomerol on the nose, there are dark berry fruits and cedar on the palate. Cassis rolls in as does some earthiness. Well integrated tannins are smooth, yet starting to fade ever so. A long finish gives the ultimate gratification. It’s hard to numerically score an aged wine, but I think this is a definite 91 pointer and worthy of 4 stars.

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Blockheadia Ringnosii Petite Sirah ‘Top of the Block’ 2010

28 Friday Dec 2012

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I first got a nosefull of blueberry, but after a while it turned more blackberry meets plum in an oak tub. On the palate, well integrated tannins meld with blueberry pie and spice. Slightly annoying alcohol is excused by the smoothness, but 14.4% is too much. This dark purple offering is just a babe, I reckon in 2 years its gonna rock when all the pieces are in the right places. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and reckon it’s a 91 pointer with 5 stars in my book.

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Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay 2009

17 Monday Dec 2012

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I have known that this wine is good for several years, having noticed it in Wine Spectator’s top 100 for several years now. A friend even claimed it was the best Chardonnay he had ever tasted! I’m a fan of their pinot noir, in a big way. This winery makes Burgundian style wines from California’s cooler-climate Santa Cruz mountains. My style…for sure.
Back to the wine….deelish. Apple tart on the nose gives way to a lush, buttery lemon meets green apple on the palate. Very full and rich without being over-oaked. Did I mention a beautiful pale golden color? I wish I had more experience with white wines to really pass judgement on this wine as I reckon it is a top notch effort, yet I can’t get my head around the price. My general knowledge of whites is limited, but I can say this is a really good wine. It got 91+ points from the pro’s. I can’t give it a score but would see it as a 5 point wine if the points/price are considered. If you like Chardonnay, you need to try this wine.

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