02 Tuesday Jun 2015
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With no varietals mentioned on the label I took a chance on this $30 offering that was on BOGO at the local. Brooding nose of black fruits and chocolate dust. Mouth of ripe plums, cinnamon, ganache and green pepper (kinda strange I know). Rich acidity and mellow tannins. 88 points from me and 2-3 stars. Not sure yet, perhaps it needs some time. This wine hails from Sonoma and I suspect it is loaded with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Salut….
08 Monday Sep 2014
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By far the most widely searched wine on my blog has been the La Croix-Barton 2008. I did not particularly care for it, but apparently many people googled it and ended up reading my 2 cents worth. When I saw the ’09 I did not hesitate. Priced at around $14 it provides gratification with oak and mulberry on the nose to get things started. Tart cherry and plums greet the palate but they are slightly thin right now. Juicy acidity and young tannins make this an interesting wine to drink now yet I feel it could do with another 2 years in a cellar. This wine is vibrant and lively but should settle down and gain some weight in short order. It is interesting to taste wines from the same winery but from an average year versus a far superior one to see the nuances. This particular example highlights just how much variation you can get between vintages. I’m going with 88 points and 3 stars for this Merlot/Cab Sauvignon blend from Bordeaux. Salut….
17 Sunday Aug 2014
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$40, 4 stars, 91 points, Cabernet, cabernet merlot blend, shiraz, South Africa, stellenbosch wine
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….
25 Friday Apr 2014
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I can’t believe that this is my 500th post. Time flies and the wines have been amazing. I planned this post out as I just had a birthday and was going to open this bottle that night. Turns out that Moxie had other plans and we went out to dinner where I ordered the amazing Barboursville Octagon 2009. The Pichon was left to settle itself properly after a decade long slumber, to be paired with some serious slabs of beef and some spicy little sausages.
As I poured this wine I was trying to remember what it was like several years ago. Young and immature? Tannic and flabby? Bordeaux from 2001 was overshadowed by the great 2000 vintage but many are proponents of its elegance and are amazed by its power. This wine originally scored 92 or better from the pros and went for about $75. It now retails at $125 or so and is nearly mature. The colors of the initial pour surprised me a bit, a little bricking on the edges and slightly orange-purple in the glass. Textbook Paulliac nose though, how I love it. Cassis, leather, tobacco. You name it, all rolled up in there. The first sip was slightly thin for me unfortunately. The fruit is fading whilst the tannins are in full force. I let it sit for a while and started to enjoy the nuances of age a little more. Plums, black currants, that telltale cassis and leather. Heaven. The wine is very juicy with a strong acidic streak to go with the fine grained tannins. I can only hope and pray that this wine is in evolution, shedding the fruit and picking up the mature nuances we yearn for in an aged Classed Growth Bordeaux. I am getting excited just thinking about the possibilities of the remaining 10 bottles I have. If indeed the fruit is fading and nothing comes of the secondary flavors I will be devastated. Perhaps I shall open a bottle every 6 months to gauge the progress? 5 stars from me and a 92 point effort, good luck finding some! Salut….
09 Monday Dec 2013
Posted in Wine reviews
From Montagne Saint-Emilion comes this Merlot/Cab blend. It was very dark in the glass and bitingly tannic with some hidden fruits lurking. I think I drank it too young as the main flavor was the dryness of my teeth. I did manage to get plums and coffee with some interesting oak on the back end, but generally a muted wine. I paid $18 for it and give it 87 points making it a 3 star effort for me. I think it might improve but the fruit is going to really need to shine and the tannins need to recede for it all to balance up. Salut….
10 Thursday May 2012
Posted in Wine reviews
A new label perhaps? I tried to find out from the producer’s website about the details on this one, but it seems they are revamping the whole look of their web presence and are in the process of updating it. Going forward, this was a pretty good wine. Blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it has a fruity nose and nice mouthfeel. Tannins in check, and a balance in the mid palate, I would say it is a textbook attempt at making an everyday crowd pleaser. It just lacks something for me however, not sure what. My guess is that this winery is pumping out loads of wine and has an established taste profile they are trying to achieve. Boring to me and not one I would be giving as a gift, but probably a good party wine. It is easy to drink and will pair with most meats, but forget about cellaring potential as it was not made for that. A solid 85 pointer and 3 stars make this wine a decent buy for the cost that won’t embarrass you at a social gathering.
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