Tag Archives: 92 points

Murrieta’s Well Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Livermore Valley, USA

20 Thursday Jun 2019

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Dark purple in the glass with long legs.  93% cab, 5% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.  On the nose I get rich plum, blackberry, cocoa and cedar.  On the palate I am surprised yet delighted by the rich cherry flavor that hits initially.  The wine offers up the more traditional plums and black fruit later, alongside very lithe tannins that sneak up.   Balance is great in this wine, just a touch of acidity to keep the dryness in check and allow the fruit to shine.  There’s a certain warmth that closes out the midlength finish that I’m enjoying.  This wine is drinking nicely now and will improve with age.  Drink till 2026 with steaks!  92 points and 4 stars for this $62 wine.  Salut….

World’s End ‘If 6 were 9’ Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Napa Valley, USA

09 Sunday Jun 2019

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Bright purple with nice legs in the glass.  Sweet blackberries on the nose with a vanilla bean twist.  On the palate it is crisp, dry and delicious. Black cherry jam with blackberries topped with some espresso beans.  The mid is more blueberries and plum, the tannins smoothing out.  The finish has black fruits, tea, olive and a good whack of tannic grip.  There’s a lot going on here folks, very intricate.  92 points and 4 stars for this $48 Napa beauty.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

Cascina Adelaide Barolo DOCG 2013, Piedmont, Italy

05 Tuesday Mar 2019

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It pours out as expected, reddish purple, see through and intriguing.  On the nose I get strawberry, rhubarb and sour cherry juice.  On the palate this wine is very young with copious tannins immediately attacking the gums- finally giving way to lush cherry, cinnamon, cedar box, leather and tobacco flavors.   This wine is chock full of everything- flavors, dryness, acidity…. you name it.  Very interesting mouthfeel to boot.  It really needs a pour through the Vinturi, but I can’t help myself with these tannins, they are so intriguing and mouth puckering that I will have to sit here and suffer a little longer before I soften them up.  The mid palate is all sour cherry, not in a bad way.  The finish is much of the same…  cherry, leather, mushrooms, acidity, mouth puckering tannins but it eases off nicely.  This is going to be an awesome wine one day when it has grown up, shed the flab, softened the tannins and developed secondary flavors.  For now I am going with 92 points and 4 stars.  This Nebbiolo lists at $80 and should be cellared until 2024 then drunk till 2034.  Salut….

P+S Prats & Symington Post Scriptum de Chryseia 2016, Douro, Portugal

04 Monday Mar 2019

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This is the second wine of Chryseia, it is a beautiful dark purple in the glass.  The nose gives off rose petals, perfume, black currant and cedar slate.  On the palate it is big- loads of Ribena, oregano, red licorice and a hint of wood.  The mid palate is seamless with the introduction of some very lithe tannins.  The mouthfeel is generous and warm in this wine.  It is relatively easy drinking with the mild tannins, barely perceptible acidity and warm fruit. The finish is all black currant, decent in length and not overly dry.  92 points and 5 stars for this $25 effort.  Delicious.  Drink this blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz till 2030.  Salut….

Bodegas Escudero Vidau 2005, Rioja DOCa, Spain

04 Monday Mar 2019

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Murky, dark purple in the glass.  The nose has Blackberry, some funk and creosote.  I have a feeling this wine might be off unfortunately.  Let’s see.

On the palate, it does taste slightly off. The murkiness of the wine may be a clue.  There is a stewed fruit component for sure alongside some really nice tannins.  Unfortunate.  The wine needs a re-taste, which will happen soon. 

 

Clear vs. murky

Bottle number 2 was definitely showing better in the glass.  That murkiness is not apparent, the color a much purer purple.  The nose has a perfumed scent, black berry and violets come to mind.  The palate is far better this time around.  Dark fruits, boysenberry and black olives.  The mid palate is fresh and lively with some nice acidity to go alongside the medium tannins.  More dark fruit emerges with tapenade and smoky flavors appearing.  The finish is quite dry, not astringent at all.  The blackberry fruits really shine with some cedar notes.  This is a tasty wine with depth and complexity.  It has had 10+ years in the cellar and is on pointe now.  92 points and 4 stars for this $45 Tempranillo.  Really tasty- it will pair great with Tapas, a Filet or even a toasted cheese sandwich!  Salut….  

 

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2012, Margaux, France

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Rich purple hues in the glass with classic Bordeaux notes on the palate.  Cassis, lovely oak and dark cherry are dominant on the nose.  On the palate it is slightly thinner than expected but its litheness is appreciated.  Plums, blackberry reduction, black olives and charcoal dominate the initial palate.  Very lithe tannins peak on the mid palate with very slight acidity countering them.  The finish is where the astringency kicks in with black tea, black currants and spice box.  This wine is drinking very nicely now and will improve over the next 10 years.  92 points and 4 stars for this $55 Grand Cru.  Salut….

Bodegas Bioenos Pulchrum Crespiello 2012, Cariñena, Spain

01 Friday Mar 2019

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Dark purple and showing some legs in the glass.  The nose is vibrant with black currants, licorice and oak.  On the palate this is delicious folks.  Ribena, blackberry jam and toasty oak hit me all at once.  There is a cherry stream that appears on the midpalate alongside vanilla bean.  Tannins are in check, melded and balanced with the acidity.  The finish is warm, almost alcoholic but at 14% I must be imagining things.  There is a charred oak note in the finish that is perfect for the dark berry fruit notes.  This wine is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2025.  I wish I had some Osso Bucco laying around , or even shepherds pie.  Look for this rare varietal-  Crespiello, it is an interesting one for sure.  92 points and 5 stars for its $25 price tag.  Salut….

Barboursville Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Franc 2008, Virginia, USA

01 Tuesday Jan 2019

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What a way to ring in the New Year- this is a beauty that I opened from Magnum.  I’m a huge fan of this wine and bought a three year vertical from the Barboursville winery years ago when I visited.  I also drank it in regular size offerings on more than one occasion, writing about the 08 Cab Franc back in 2011.

Dark purple in the glass and still showing signs of youth.  On the nose I get black currants, rich plum compote, a touch of oak and some Ribena.  On the palate it is gorgeous.  Black fruits galore, iodine, super smooth tannins and lithe acidity.  The mid palate has notes of Kirsch, blackberry reduction.  The finish is just a great tapering of the whole package- black fruits, gentle tannins, round acidity all ending up with a nice, balanced mouthfeel.  92 points and 4 stars as the wine is no longer readily available in regular format, $180 buys you a Magnum though.  Drink till 2024 with all kinds of meat, think Filet, perhaps Moussaka and of course Pasta.  I look forward to the next two bottles in the vertical.  I am also thinking of buying newer vintages for the cellar, this one obviously did well in its evolution.  Salut….

Chamonix Feldspar Pinot Noir 2015, Franschhoek Valley, South Africa

15 Saturday Dec 2018

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This has to be the lightest colored Pinot I have ever come across, the light red color has accents of orange and resembles strawberry juice.  The nose is totally different- packed with flavors it belies the visual assumptions.  Strawberry, kirsch, cinnamon and a touch of oregano all hit the nose. The palate is slippery smooth, very elegant yet has a surging power waiting to release.  Strawberries, cherry torte, vanilla and rhubarb all appear on the palate.  Extremely fine grained tannins are present, as is some lithe acidity that really hits on the mid – to finish.  Speaking of which- I get sour cherries on the backend that I’m really enjoying.  Toasty oak is prominent throughout but not obnoxious.  I’m serving this up with grilled monkfish and boiled potatoes.  A perfect match.  92 points and 4 stars for the $30 price point.  I am really enjoying it!  Drink till 2023.  Salut….

Clos St. Thomas ‘Chateau St. Thomas’ Rouge 2009, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

08 Saturday Dec 2018

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Dinner at my cousin’s house.  He offered me a crack at his cellar- who am I to refuse a gracious host!  Inky purple in the glass- opaque.  On the nose I get sweet blackberry, new oak, black olives.  The initial taste is intriguing.  Tannic at the outset, it gives off black fruit flavors, garrigue, lavender, black tea and a ton of mouth coating tannins.  This is a brooding wine- powerful, dry, fruity and built for the long haul.  It transitions to the back end with flavors of iodine, that black olive note and definitely more blackberries.  Good acidity holds the tannins in check, which are in full force as the wine’s long finish fades away.  This wine begs for decanting, aerating or a monster juicy Ribeye.  Drink till 2030 at the least.  92 points and 5 stars from me for this $25 wine.  If you can find it, buy by the case and cellar.  The aging capacity of this cuvee is amazing.  See my posts on the 2000 St. Thomas, the 2005, the 2006 and the mighty 2008.  Salut….

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