11 Sunday Jul 2021
Posted in Wine
This Malbec was the second wine in the 19th Virtual Wine tasting. Deep purple with nice legs it had aromas of tobacco, smoke, pepper, black cherry, plum, chocolate and black licorice. The tasters got rich plum, medium tannins, medium acidity, pepper, raspberry, cocoa powder, black cherry and licorice on a medium finish . No apparent oak notes btw. I liked it and for $26 this 90 point effort is getting 4 stars. Drink til 2028 with grilled meat. Salut….
10 Wednesday Feb 2021
Posted in Wine
Medium shade of gold in the glass. On the nose it is floral and aromatic. Pineapple, papaya and pink grapefruit. On the palate – more papaya and some yellow guava. Lithe acidity makes for a rounded mouth-feel. The mid palate – more floral with honeysuckle, paperwhites and peach. It’s quite a complex set of flavors, but that’s what’s so nice about this varietal. It’s not your run-of-the-mill. The finish is smooth, fruity, and lacks the big bite from the acid, just enough juiciness. I’m looking forward to pairing this with my baked salmon and shallot sauce. 90 points and 5 stars for this $17 charmer. Drink until 2023. Salut….
22 Friday Jan 2021
Posted in Wine
This Pinot Noir is classic in the glass- dark red shade and totally see-through. On the nose I get cranberry and a hint of capsicum with some strawberry notes. The palate is very pleasing, if not a touch sweet. Lithe tannins greet me alongside red fruits and tangy acidity. The cranberry motif is very evident and continues through to the mid palate and beyond. It brings with it a nice zesty dollop of acid that is making my jaw water. The finish is of decent length and keeps the theme of cranberry, strawberry and red currants. The green note I got on the nose is a non-starter. Yummy stuff if you like them fresh, primal and perky. This one will drink nicely till 2025 and gets 88 points from me. Pairings to consider- roast chicken, Duck l’Orange or even grilled Swordfish. At $18 it gets 3 stars from me. Salut….
11 Monday Jan 2021
Posted in Wine
I harvested a Deer a few weeks ago and had the butcher make some Spicy Sausages. Having never tried them I was at a loss for a wine pairing until I came across this blend of Malbec, Bonarda and Syrah. I have had the Amado Sur before and this seemed the most likely candidate. Dark purple and totally opaque. On the nose I get candied strawberry and red licorice. The palate is a touch darker in the fruit department with black berries, dark cherry coulis and bitter plums. There is a whack of acidity to this wine but a medium serving of tannins. Perfect for my pairing, as Venison is very lean and we are pairing this with pasta and Vodka sauce, which is somewhat creamy. The mid palate is really juicy and I have quickly forgotten/forgiven that stlightly sweet nose profile which I really don’t care for. The finish ends abruptly but not before I get that bitter jab again. It’s an issue IMHO. Overall this is a decent weekday pop-n-pour and it serves my needs tonight. 87 points make this $14 wine a 3 star effort. Previous vintages that lacked the bitterness were better BTW. Drink till 2022. Salut….
28 Monday Dec 2020
Posted in Wine
Quite dark and brooding in the glass. The nose is somewhat muted but I managed to swirl some black cherry and cassis. The palate is basic with black and blue fruit notes, gentle acidity and mild tannins. The mid palate is a little hollow but I do get some plum and blueberry notes. The finish is rather short but the tannins hold on for a while, not overly dry but present. A weekday wine to pair with pasta or pizza it gets 85 points from me. Drink till 2022. This unique Argentinian red nlend of Bonarda, Malbec, and Syrah cost me $21 and gets 2 stars. Salut….
06 Sunday Dec 2020
The finale to our Virtual Wine Tasting was this stunner. I saved the best for last. It’s a 72/28 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon that is inky in the glass. On the nose we got black cherry, Damson plum, leather, fruitcake, hay, raisins, smoke and molasses. On the palate it was immediately evident that this wine is powerful, yet subtle. Very smooth with super fine grained tannins that are barely perceptible make for a gorgeous mouthfeel. Plums, fruit cake, black berry cassis and violet. The finish was a medium length affair that was simply delicious, not dry or acidic. A stunning wine that I gave 19 points out of 20. Technically speaking it is worthy of a massive 96 points from me which jibes with the pros. I would not bother pairing this beauty with anything- just drink it with a loved one and appreciate the depth of flavor, the complexity and the balance of this $70 treat. I have to go with 5 stars. Drink till 2025. Salut….
22 Sunday Nov 2020
This Malbec was the Wine of the Night (WOTN) for many at the 12th virtual wine tasting. We enjoyed menthol, lilac, raspberry, Damson plum, smoke tar, leather, violets and gravel on the nose. That’s a lot of descriptors. On the palate it is very fruity with just enough tannic grip to give it structure. Plums, dark fruit, licorice and ‘Cognac’ flavors were noted and I felt the wine had a jammy concentration to it. There was a definitive jab of acidity on the decent length finish and the wine had a very pleasing mouthfeel. It was elegant and full of flavor making it the go-to drink after the tasting was over. Well made and worthy of 92 points from me which gets it 5 stars for the $25 price tag. Drink till 2025. Salut….
15 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Wine
I’m cooking Lamb Shanks tonight so a Malbec made sense. This one is semi opaque and a medium shade of purple. Blueberry reduction, smoky wood and black licorice hit the nose. The palate has got a delightful sweet blackberry entrance with plums, anise and a very smooth mouthfeel. I sense raspberry on the mid palate, could that be? More licorice and that red fruit note are dominant with very svelte tannins and a touch of acidity. The finish is refreshing- it has an earthy minerality with some raspberry. The mouthfeel is great if you are looking for an easygoing wine that will not bite with tannins or acidity. Built for the present with tons of fruit, it will drink well till 2023 and gets 88 points from me. 3 stars for this $22 effort. Salut….
28 Monday Sep 2020
Posted in Wine
This wine was all over the shop with the group at the #9 virtual wine tasting. Some loved it, others hated. It’s an 80/20 Malbec/Cab Franc blend from Argentina. It is a very dark shade of purple in the glass. The nose is chock full of cigar box, smoke, Port wine, tar and oak. The fruit finally appears after a big swirl- black cherry and Welch’s Grape juice. There is a concerning acetone whiff, not a good sign. On the palate it is very rich and upfront with pepper, bitter chocolate, black plum and violet. That medicinal/tarry note that I am associating with the acetone is bothering me. The wine finishes with a touch of tannin and some oak influence. This is not my fave- I think it may have flaws and only gets 86 points from me. For $35 it only gets 1 star. Salut….
15 Tuesday Sep 2020
Posted in Wine
Tags
$11, 5 stars, 90 points, Argentina, cabernet sauvignon, Malbec, Mendoza, Naked Wines, Uco Valley
I recently ordered six different bottles from Naked Wines. This Mendoza wine is the first of the series. At $11, I’m not sure what to expect, here goes.
It’s a nice shade of purple and semi opaque in the glass. I sense dark plums, black currants and spice box on the nose. The palate is really juicy with a fruit forward approach. Dark fruits dominate with black cherry as the leader. There is a really nice tannic component that is not too astringent but gives just the right amount of dryness. The mid palate is really juicy with a nice rounded acidity and good mouthfeel. The fruit is very warm and satisfying. The fruit components are joined by some black tea notes and more spice box. Cedar shake also comes to mind as I ponder the finish. It’s decent in length and has the right amount of tannic grip to keep me interested without making my gums wince. The acidity is very gentle and balanced.. I really like this wine for an everyday drinker and give it 90 points. At that price it’s worthy of 5 stars and a stock up, drink till 2026. A blend of Malbec and Cab Sav that I’m pairing with grilled Santa Maria Tri-Tip roast and baked potatoes. Well done. Salut….
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