Tag Archives: cabernet sauvignon

Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

06 Monday Jan 2014

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A Mclaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon that garnered some pretty high scores from the pro’s.  I thought it was really good as well!  Inky in the glass it developed some interesting aromas after swirling around.  Cassis and black fruits with some earth came through for me.  On the first taste I was taken aback by the smoothness of the wine.  Big, complex and layered with blackberry, blueberry, cassis and a dose of eucalyptus make this a delicious wine.  Silky smooth tannins and a touch of acidity make it a delight to drink.  I reckon this wine has years ahead of it but is drinking nicely now.

I bought Moxie a large cast iron frying pan recently, we cooked some amazing NY Strips with it and I composed a Port and Mustard sauce that was out of this world.  The wine was impeccable with the dinner, but was great all by itself whilst I was cooking.  Highly recommended but pricey at $75.  The man himself gave this wine a 96, others went 93 and 89.  I am thinking its a 91 pointer and worthy of 4 stars.  Salut….

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Silver Oak 1996

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

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An iconic wine from Mr. Leebering’s cellar, this was my last wine of 2013.  A hefty $30 corkage was levied at our New Year’s eve dinner, but well worth it.  It was hard to delineate the color of this wine in the dark lit restaurant, but it sure smelled good.  Plums and black fruits were interlaced with an oaky infusion and some leather.  This mature Napa Cabernet was very smooth and displayed great balance of acidity and fading tannins.  The length was impressive and the wine had a surreal earthiness to it. I believe this wine runs in the $75 range and I am going with 92 points.  This is the type of wine that really rewards cellaring and goes great with steaks.  I am going 5 stars on this wine.  Happy New year and Salut….

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McCarthy & Schiering Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

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Brought to the table by my Seattle friend, whom we shall call Mr. Leebering.  I believe he paid $17 for this wine a few years back and has cellared it perfectly.  Very New World in profile but showing a hint of Bordeaux style maturity.  Multi-layered blueberry, dark cherry and leather swirl around with some earth and shaved pencil.  I enjoyed the smoothness of the tannins and the overall roundness of the wine.  Great balance and power.  I would imagine this wine is hitting peak right now and still has another 4 years minimum.  91 points and 5 stars for this outstanding effort.  Salut….

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Meerlust Rubicon 2008

29 Sunday Dec 2013

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The nice thing about Christmas time is that my friends inevitably pull out some good wines.  I have had the 2007 Rubicon before and was treated to the ’08 last night.

Like it’s older brother, a tannic, brooding wine just waiting to be unleashed.  Black in the glass with some serious notes of blackberry and plum jam.  I also got tea, mint and a dose of oak on the palate which was harmoniously balanced and very dry from the huge tannins.  The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot- a classic Bordeaux blend.  The aging potential for this wine is at least 20 years, with it starting to open up in another 3-4 years.  I feel we drank this too young and it will develop into something special with time.  I did a quick price search, it can be had for around $26.  I am giving it 92 points and 5 stars.  I need to get some for the corner of my cellar and hide it away for a few years. Great stuff.  Salut….

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Cono Sur 20 Barrels Limited Edition Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

18 Wednesday Dec 2013

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I paid $23 for this Chilean Cabernet, hoping for some fireworks.  None came, it was a damp squib.  Very ordinary and plain- not what I was expecting.  The wine was decent, but lacked any depth and complexity.  Purple in color and with basic fragrances of plums and oak.  On the palate, very straightforward black currants, oak and some mint.  Decent tannins and acidity provided a good structure.  I really did not get too much from this wine and am going with 87 points and 3 stars.   Salut….

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Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc 2009

06 Friday Dec 2013

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From South Africa comes this amazing Bordeaux blend for a mere $15.  Inky purple in the glass it showed off dark fruits on the nose with a hint of mintiness.  The flavor was sublime and the finish was nice and dry from the firm tannins.  The purple flavors of plums and blackcurrant were mingled with some slight oak and cassis.  Very balanced and showing complexity, I loved this wine.  I have read about it in several magazines over the years and this is the first time I have seen it in the shops, I  will be back to buy more.  Still young but drinkable, I reckon it will start to peak in 2015 and go for another 5 years.  I would pair this with Venison or Lamb chops all day long.  5 stars for this 91 point effort.  Salut….

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d’Arenberg The Galvo Garage 2008

04 Wednesday Dec 2013

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Another wine from this awesome winery in Mclaren Vale, Australia.  This bottle is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot- the cornerstones of the Bordeaux blend.  I was really excited to try this as the blend is right up my alley.  Bold and beautiful in the glass it showed its power right away.  Plums and Black cherries with a rich and smoky oak  came blasting throughout the gripping tannins.  On the backend came a eucalyptus tinge that was very interesting.  The wine is very young and in need of cellaring, perhaps from 2014- 2020 is where I would think it’s peak is.  Great balance and structure make this $23 wine a bargain.  Think Roast Beef and this wine will sing.  91 points and 5 stars from me.  I think I need to get more for the dungeon. Salut….

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Aristos Baron d’A 2007

29 Friday Nov 2013

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I bought this Chilean wine in Hong Kong for Thanksgiving day.  We opened it first because I could not wait and besides, never leave the good stuff till the end.  Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, it gets a touch of Syrah to soften it.  Dark purple in the glass it had a beautiful nose of blackberry and mint.  Eucalyptus was present in the taste as were black fruits and a figgy component.  Extremely well crafted tannins were evident but unobtrusive.  This is a multi layered wine that shows off class and depth.  The mouthfeel was silky smooth and the finish- long.  I must say I enjoyed this wine as we paired it with appetizers and caviar.  It was on sale for about $44, regularly priced at $54.  Im going with 91 points and 4 stars.  Salut….

 

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La Joya Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

28 Thursday Nov 2013

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The label says that this is made by the Bisquertt Family Vineyard in the Colchagua valley, Argentina.  It tastes so different from other Cabs in the region, almost bordeaux-like with a sense of terroir and the old world components like cassis, clove and blueberry.  I thoroughly enjoyed it’s difference and character with some grilled beef and veggies.  The nose of this one had blue fruits and some lavender components.  The structure was built for short term enjoyment with easy tannins and basic acidity.  The price?  $10.  A steal if you have a hankering for something different.  88 points and 4 stars for sure.  This will please with grilled meats or by itself on a windy, chilly evening.  Salut….

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Trapiche Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

27 Wednesday Nov 2013

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This is not the cheap $8 version from this winery, we ordered it off the wine list at an Argentinian Steak House.  Paying about $35, I figure it should be about a $15 bottle.  Anyway, it was so good that we ordered a second bottle after giving a Malbec a try.  We started drinking this with the appetizers and it was great.  Bluish fruits and a dark cherry component mixed with the oak and gentle acidity made it very pleasing.  The wine is not complex, nor is it basic but it is very drinkable and we all enjoyed it.  The second bottle came with the Filet Mignons and was a great match.  Filet is low in fat and is very tender making it a good match for a slightly less tannic wine that is not as complex.   Overall, a good choice as evidenced by the group’s vote for more of the same.  I would give this 88 points and reckon it is a 4 star effort if it truly were $15.  Salut….

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