Tag Archives: cabernet sauvignon

Bodegas Ego ‘Infinito’ 2017, Jumilla, Spain

02 Monday May 2022

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It says that this wine is 70% Monastrell.  Learning the different names for the same grape has been challenging in my studies but I know that this Mourvedre is also known as Mataro.  There’s 30% Cab Sav thrown in for good measure.  It is a deep ruby color and has very slow moving legs that give away the 15% ABV.  The nose is rich with blackberry, black plum, purple licorice, hints of baking spice and toasty oak.  Blueberry jam is the last thing I coax out of the glass.  On the palate it is dry with medium (+) acidity and grippy tannins.  Full bodied, it gives me waves of rich black and blue fruit notes with oak influenced spices and toast.  The purple licorice turns black on the mid palate and the charcoal and toasted oak really come out.  The finish is dry from the tannins and medium in length.  This is a tasty number that will do well with grilled beef or lamb chops.  The tannins, whilst balanced, are quite powerful on the back end- this wine will last till 2030 at the least.  91 points from me for this $20 make it a no-brainer 5 star effort.  Salut….

Tomfoolery Son Of A Gun Cabernet Sauvignon – Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia

23 Saturday Apr 2022

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Every so often I shop the bin-ends at my local wine shop, some are hits whilst others are a waste of time and money.  This blend of Cab Sav and Shiraz ran me $20.  It is showing a bit of age- medium garnet in color.  The nose is still fresh however with primal aromas of blackberry, mint, black pepper, ripe blueberry jam, cloves, cedar and vanilla.  The palate is dry with resolved and silky tannins, high acidity, medium to full body and flavors of black and blue fruit, menthol, spicy black pepper and oak by way of vanilla and cedar.  The finish is medium in length and leans on the mint/menthol as well as the blackberry fruit.  It’s a tasty drop that is at peak now and will need to be drunk by 2024 if you have some.  Pairing tonight with grilled steaks and salad.  90 points from me make this a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, McLaren Vale, Australia

22 Friday Apr 2022

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This wine is opaque with a garnet hue.  The nose is classic Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon- Blackberry, black currants, mint, eucalyptus, coffee, blueberry compote, açaí berry, bilberry and vanilla.  A very inviting and complex nose to say the least.  On the palate it is gorgeous.  Ripe tannins and medium (+) acidity coat the black and blue fruit notes with emphasis on blueberry compote.  The richness of the fruit and the oak influence make for a full bodied wine that has pronounced flavors.  The minty component is delicious.  The finish of this wine is quite long and very balanced as is the whole package.  I am enjoying this immensely.  It gets 93 points from me and for $30 it’s a 5 star effort to be drunk till 2027.  We are pairing it with Bavette steak.  Salut….

2001 Chateau Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, France

18 Monday Apr 2022

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Back in 2003 I bought 3 cases of this wine and have steadily been drinking it on occasions like birthdays and Christmas.  This week I will be opening two bottles, this one and then another with my wine class in celebration of another year on earth.

I’m shocked at the color of this 21 year old- medium ruby, with a touch of bricking.  I could call it garnet but it still shows youth in the glass.  The nose is stunningly mature yet still gives off aromas of some primary fruit.  Blackberry, cassis, leather, tobacco, mint, rose water, black plum, vanilla- the list could go on.  It is so complex and earthy.  The palate is dry with quite a tannic grip on the forefront.  Medium (+) acidity makes for a sour note on the initial attack.  As the wine warms on the tongue I get all the primary, secondary and tertiary flavors I picked out on the nose with a helping of sour cherry to keep it sharp.  The wine is medium (+) bodied and is a comfortable 13% ABV.  The finish is medium (+) in length and tapers to mainly tertiary flavors, the fruit running out of steam early.  The sourness and acidity make it a mouthwatering wine that begs to be drunk.  This is by far my favorite label.  I paid $60 back in the day for one bottle that now runs $200.  I would says it is at peak and has another 3-5 years left.  It deserves more than the 90 points it got originally.  I would say it is a 92 pointer and I have to go with 5 stars.  Pairings would include any manner of meat, cooked in pretty much any style.  Love this stuff.  Salut….

Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Sonoma County, California

15 Friday Apr 2022

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This one stumped me in a WSET blind tasting.  We were going to be discussing Spain and Portugal so I was convinced that the red wine had to be from the region but when I put this deep ruby colored wine up to my nose I was greeted by a very familiar set of smells.  Medium (+) intensity aromas of black plum, red plum, cinnamon, blackberry, cedar and vanilla made me think this complex wine was a Tempranillo.  The palate was dry with medium (+) tannins, medium (+) acidity, high alcohol, medium (+) body and medium intensity flavors of the aforementioned, albeit slightly less intense on the palate.  This gave way to a medium length finish that had me grade this wine as very good, suitable to be drunk now or aged some more.  In reality, I had just predisposed myself to thinking I was drinking one varietal when in fact it was a Sonoma Cab I was sipping!  Looking back- this wine gets 91 points and for $55 it is a 4 star effort.  Salut….

Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Coonawarra, Australia

13 Wednesday Apr 2022

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This was a wine we tasted at my WSET class.  I brought the dregs home for another look-see as the wine had some very powerful aromas and flavors that I wanted to get my head around.  Starting off it had some sediment in the bottle which is normal for an 8 year old bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.  In the glass it shows that age by way of a deep garnet hue.  The nose has pronounced aromas of eucalyptus, blackberry, coffee, black plum, blueberry compote, vanilla, mint, leather and tobacco.  It certainly is complex and showing some age as well as lingering youth.  The palate is dry with juicy acidity and a great tannic structure.  The rich fruit flavors are present coupled with oak nuance and tertiary notes but the coffee, mint and eucalyptus are the stars here.  Medium (+) bodied, this wine is very balanced and the mouthfeel is fabulous- a touch dry here and there with some juiciness to keep your palate alive.  The finish is quite a lengthy affair with black and blueberry fruit notes swirling with the tannin and acid- a nice way to end for this delightful wine.  I am impressed by this $25 effort that gets 92 points.  It needs to be drunk fairly soon- say by 2026 and gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Folk and Fable Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, California

08 Friday Apr 2022

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This medium purple colored wine has got a fruity, medium intensity nose.  I get aromas of black plum, blackberry, vanilla, blueberry jam and charcoal.  The palate has a sweetness from the Bourbon barrel- that delicious caramel, smoke, vanilla combo that melds nicely with the jammy black and blue fruit.  Medium tannins and medium acidity create a nice mouthfeel in this medium (+) bodied wine.  The finish has got loads of rich fruit and oak nuance and is short to medium in length.  This is not an overly complex wine, yet it adds a new dimension with the oak usage that makes it easy to enjoy and pair with many meat dishes, pasta, pizza and even burgers on the grill.  For $30 it is an elegant offering that gets 90 point from me and 4 stars.  Drink till 2026.  Salut….

Vignobles Andre Lurton Chateau Bonnet Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot 2018, Bordeaux, France

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

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Tasted blind, this Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cab Sav was a deep ruby color with thin legs.  Medium (-) intensity nose with aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, wet wool and purple grape- I found it to be very youthful and simple. (Plus disgusting).  The palate was dry with medium acidity, medium tannins, medium alcohol and light bodied.  Medium (-) intensity flavors of the above led to a medium (-) finish.  I called this wine poor but was corrected to- acceptable; a point for balance was deserved(?).  This wine is to be drunk now, not suitable for aging.  I did not care for it and was surprised that I couldn’t even get the varietal right.  For me this $14 wine gets 84 points with a 1 star rating.  Salut….

Two Hands Wines Sexy Beast Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, McLaren Vale, Australia

31 Thursday Mar 2022

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A deep ruby color, this 14.1% ABV wine has thin legs in the glass.  The nose has gorgeous aromas of rich blackberry jam, coconut, vanilla, ripe blueberry, black]k plum and a whiff of alcohol.  The palate is dry with fine-grained yet forceful tannins, high acidity and a full body.  The rich, jammy black fruit is interwoven with oak and some black licorice notes plus that persistent heat.  The back end is very fruit rich and dry from the tannic grip that has coated my gums.  This is a big wine with lots of structure and cellaring capacity.  The timing of the finish is medium and really delightful.  I like this $30 wine that is drinking nicely now but will develop in the coming years.  I am pairing with grilled Tri-Tip and roasted cauliflower.  91 points and 5 stars.  Salut….

Pine & Brown Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, Napa Valley, California

24 Thursday Mar 2022

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This Napa Cabernet is a deep ruby color and nearly opaque.  The nose has wonderful aromas of blackcurrants, blackberry, black plum, anise, eucalyptus, cloves and vanilla. Very precise use of the oak BTW, it’s very subtle.  The palate is interesting- sweet, yet dry.  I think the Cali sunshine is throwing me here. I would hazard a guess that there is a touch of residual sugar, but I’m not sure.  Medium (+) tannins that are a touch gritty, medium (+) acidity and a full body which stems from the 14.8% ABV (which is pretty well masked).  The fruit flavors are medium (+) intense and I get the black fruit, oak nuance, eucalyptus and anise notes.  The wine is a bit disjointed by the tannins, but it is young.  The mouthfeel is good if you like an astringent wine.  I think it needs to flesh out a little.  The finish is medium in length.  I am pairing this wine with Beef Short Ribs, which have been braising all day.  The tannins should do the trick of balancing out the fatty meat.  92 points from me for this $90 wine that gets 4 stars.  Definitely a date-night wine.  Drink till 2033.  Salut…