Tag Archives: Cabernet

Saint Clair Premium Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot 2014, New Zealand

20 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


I’m a fan of this winery as can be seen in my two tastings of their Pinot Noir.  I came across this wine at the local store near my hotel and it was priced as a deal for two, I could not resist.

Medium to dark purple.  Nose of minerals, plum and sasparilla.  On the initial attack I get really smooth plums, with some red chili pepper hints- intriguing, sans the heat!  On the midpalate the plums continue but I start to appreciate some oak use and the intro to black fruits.  I’m thinking of Ribena on the finish along with some vanilla.  Very smooth all throughout with very melded tannins and a balanced acidity.  This is my first Merlot/Cabernet from the famed Gimblett Gravels, I’m digging the minerality and think this wine is a 90 point effort.  I think they normally retail at $18, which makes this a solid 4 star wine.  Availability in the States may be limited, but keep a lookout for this winery on your travels.  This wine would pair nicely with Beef short ribs or a hearty stew.  I’m getting more!  Salut….

saint clair premium cabernet merlot

Beringer Marston Vineyard Napa Valley 1997

03 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Yes, you read the vintage correctly.  I will explain- it was my friend’s bottle and we were celebrating his birthday, in Napa Valley.  His is name is…. Doctor J.  He is just finishing up his PHD in some abstract field of Finance to do with mortgages and some other crap I can’t understand.  He has locked himself in for the past 10 months and only had a few drinks since then.  He needed a nice afternoon out and a big steak.  We headed up to the valley in the early afternoon and arrived at Cosentino winery in time for our 4 pm member’s private tasting.  It was just the two of us and several stunning reserve wines, paired with slivers of cheese.  We finished up in the main tasting room with some of the more regular offerings.  I have written about this winery before.  If you get to Napa, they are a must visit.  Super nice people, unpretentious settings and good wine priced right.  I digress…

We went to dinner after our tasting where we had the Beringer decanted.  At 19 years of age I was shocked.  Below are my tableside notes after numerous other tastings that afternoon.

Youthful and tannic with fruits that still pop. A nose of plum compote, blackberry torte.
Fresh and lively after 19 years in bottle. Amazing bottle. 93 points easily.
Cassis, plum and leather come out on the initial attack. Mid palate shows a slight hollowness but this is overcome by a longish finish that exhibits crushed stone, black stone fruit and a dryness that begs for a juicy steak.  The tannins are still evident as is the fruit and acidity.  This wine has plenty of cellaring potential yet but is delicious right now.  I think you can still find it online for $100.  4 stars all day long, bordering on 5 stars. Salut….

beringer marston vineyard

IMG_0386

IMG_0382IMG_0385

Anwilka 2006

17 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


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….

anwilka wine

 

Chateau Bel Air 2008

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,


A Bordeaux Superier from a modest vintage that did not break the bank.  $12 buys an everyday Cab/Merlot blend with tasty red fruits and some cassis.  The tannins seemed a little unripe to me, almost like they had let some green stems stay in the must a little too long.  The result was a slightly angular back end finish.  I would buy it again and pair it with a cheese platter and some cold cuts.  Nothing special here yet appealing for some reason or another.  85 points and 3 stars.  Salut….

IMG_0462

Wolf Blass Red Label Cabernet Merlot 2012

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,


This is the third varietal in the Red Label series that I have tried from Wolf Blass.  Cabernet and Merlot blended together are one of my go-to combos.  This wine rolled in at $20 for two 1 liter bottles, do the math.  It’s a very reasonably priced wine that everyone enjoyed.  Easy to drink with raspberry and red currants on the palate and a red fruity nose.  Built for pop-n-pour, it offers no complexity and no associated stuffiness.  The tannins are slight and the acidity very gentle making it very versatile for pairing.  I think this would be an awesome party wine and believe it is widely available.  86 points and 4 stars for this one.  Salut….

IMG_0372

Peters Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

13 Wednesday Nov 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , ,


One of my favorite things in life is to drink aged Cabs that have taken on secondary flavors and evolved out of adolescence.

This is a relatively young Sonoma Mountain wine to have accomplished that task and it really shines for me.  It shows off a bright purple hue in the glass and presents itself with black plum and blackberry on the nose.  The initial attack comprises blackberry and tobacco with oak and cassis.  The mid palate came across with smooth tannins and an earthy component.  This wine is super smooth and fruity with a delightful balance of secondary flavors and a delectable dryness.  I am totally digging this one and glad to have a few in the cellar.  Pricey at $55, i believe it offers some serious value and give it a 91 point rating with 4 stars.  We had it with roasted Tenderloin and Yorkshire pudding with horseradish and mushroom gravy.  A perfect match.  Salut….

IMG_0317

Wolf Blass Red Label Shiraz Cabernet 2012

05 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Along with the 2012 Shiraz Grenache from Wolf Blass, I also bought this blend at the same time.  Priced at $10 each or in my case $14 for both.  Cabernet does better with Merlot, and Shiraz is a natural with Grenache and Mourvedre.  I thought this would be an interesting blend.  Red berry with some cassis came up and the wine was very smooth.  Easy to drink as it is made in a very fruit forward quaffing style.  I think I preferred the Grenache blend as it was more balanced.  The Cabernet seemed to be fighting with the Shiraz for top honors.  Still, a decent wine for the price that would be great for a BBQ or a picnic of roast beef sandwiches and potato salad.  For me, an 85 pointer with 3 stars.  Salut….

IMG_2624

Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Classic Series 2011

01 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


For about $8 you cannot go wrong with this wine.  Very basic Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile with red currants and a touch of oak.  Relatively smooth, with very tame tannins and a decent finish.  If you are entertaining, this is a must-have.  It drinks easily and could also pair with pasta, burgers and grilled meats.  A 4 star effort worthy of 86 points that wont break the bank.

IMG_2128

Asprolithi Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

02 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,


A first for me, Greek Cabernet. Very sharpish on the nose, with some primal fruit, oak and alcohol all fighting to get in there. My first sip was all alcohol, surprising as this one weighs in at a modest 12.5%. First impression, dump the bottle. But wait, perhaps I’ve been harsh lately, a certain crankiness overcoming my usual cool demeanor? I will let it rest for an appeal.

Now that the heat has blown off, showing much better. After a 30 minute wait, I am now getting some vanilla, raspberry and a slight vegetal thing on the nose. The palate has slid to the red berry side of the fruit scale and I can now make out a semblance of tannins. This is starting to grow on me, with perhaps a hint of plum mixing it up in there. By far not my favorite, striving for 85 points, I can only give it 2 stars. If it was $11 instead of $15 it would rank higher, but at its price- there are many far superior wines out there. I will chalk this one up to broadening my palate, and so should you.

20121002-182029.jpg

Chateau Latour Camblanes 2009 and 2008

22 Saturday Sep 2012

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,


Yup, two vintages in one blog post- by accident. My local shop was running a BOGO on this wine. I am a little leery when shops are giving wine away at half price, a sure sign of it’s inability to sell. However, my goal is to taste every thing in this particular shop (not a huge selection mind you). So, I picked up my two bottles of Latour Camblanes and a bottle of Shiraz. When I arrived at the tasting site, I retrieved all the bottles from my bag and noticed that one of them had a green top on the capsule. Upon further investigation, the labels looked slightly different. I then realized that the staff had placed the 2009 vintage behind the 2008 and the SKU’s must have registered as the same item. I had paid full price for the 2008 and got the 2009 for free- as advertised. I was excited to perform a mini-vertical tasting and proceeded to open both bottles. I started with ’08 and realized my worst fears. The wine needed to be given away at half price, it was just shabby. No flavor profile, very little tannin and generally flat. Yuck. On to the 2009, not so. Cherry and tobacco, some edgy tannins and a crisp acidity made me come back for more. I did not drink any more of the 2008 because I believe strongly that life is too short to drink crappy wine. My drunk friend didn’t care and proceeded to polish it off for us, leaving the far better ’09 for me to ponder and enjoy. In a nutshell, 2009 was a far superior vintage in Bordeaux and this point was highlighted in our little tasting. I would imagine the ’08 was a combination of poorly made wine in an average vintage versus a little more effort put into a far better vintage. It’s a shame really because I am now poisoned by this brand. I will not take a chance on their wine, knowing that they did not perform in an average year and relied on nature to help them out in an excellent year. 2008 1 star and 80 points. 2009 3 stars and 85 points. Would I buy again? Nope.

20120920-083343.jpg

20120920-083400.jpg