Tag Archives: california

Argot Wines ‘Bastard Tongue’ Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2013

15 Thursday Dec 2016

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I good mate of mine brought this over for Thanksgiving but we never got around to it.  I am glad in a way as it meant I could devote the proper attention to tasting this well crafted beauty.  A quick check of the internet reveals a price of $70- yikes.  But damn is this wine good…

Beautiful reddish purple in the glass.  A nose of cherries jubilee, spicebox, cedar.  On the palate a gorgeous medley of cherries, rhubarb and black berries.  Nicely integrated tannins meld well with the acidity and give the mid palate a smooth mouthfeel with notes of cinnamon, more cherry and some espresso.  The coffee theme runs into the finish that shows just a touch of acidity and some vanilla.  There is a citrus peel component on the finish that leaves it a little tart which is my only concern.  Overall a very well made wine which has enough earthiness and an abundance of fruit to pull off many matches, both Burgundian and New World.  92 points from me and 4 stars.  I paired it with Lasagne because that was what was for dinner- you can do better with a Coq Au Vin dish, perhaps even a roasted Cornish hen with wild rice. Really delicious.  Salut….

bastard tongue pinot noirimg_1383

Cosentino ‘The FRANC’ Cabernet Franc Lodi 2014

24 Monday Oct 2016

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A see through purple that indicates to me a textbook amount of extraction for this seductive and silky grape.  A nose of black fruits, oak and black cherry.  I have come across this profile before, but not in a Cabernet Franc.  On the palate there is a really delicious black cherry component that mixes it up with violets.  The tannins are well integrated yet offer a certain dryness that goes well with many foods.  The mid palate and finish continue the tastes found initially and the wine rounds out with a decent mid length finish that has a tar component.  I am really enjoying this wine, not just because I love Cab Franc, but because it adheres to some of the basic tenets of the grape yet goes into uncharted territory for me.  89 points from me and for $13 it is a good deal worth 4 stars.  Salut….
cosentino the franc

Michael David Petite Petit Lodi Central Valley California 2014

12 Wednesday Oct 2016

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Moxie and I went to the local Costco yesterday and I steered us into the wine aisle…  I picked up some interesting wines but the label on this one sold both Moxie and me.  She’s a graphic artist by trade and has a good eye for marketing.  This label was a winner.  I glanced at the back label and immediately decided I needed to try this blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petit Verdot.

Wow, what a beautiful dark purple in the glass.  A nose of twizzlers, strawberry jam and some oak.  It’s not my favorite profile but I’ll wait to taste.  The initial taste is deelish.  This is a rich wine that starts off with black cherries, dark stone fruit and strawberries on the mid palate.  Ripe tannins round it out for a balanced mouthfeel. The wine finishes strong with notes of cherries jubilee laced with some tannins.  I’m loving the flavor profile if not the aromas.  I bought this wine for $12.89 at Costco.  You know I love both Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot which makes this wine really appealing.  It rates a 90 with me and that makes it a must buy and 5 stars.  I’m getting more in the morning.  Drink now till 2019 with red meat, venison and stews.  A perfect fall wine.  Besides, look at that cool label- winner!  Salut….
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Wente Beyer Ranch Zinfandel 2012

25 Wednesday May 2016

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A funny thing happened on the way home.  I was on the return flight across the country, flying on United Airlines when I decided to try their other premium offering.  I asked for the Pinot Noir and was given a Chardonnay.  I returned it for something a little more red and ended up with a Zin.  The wait was excruciating, I had already paid my $15.99 for a 375 ml and was now forced to endure the flight attendant’s attempts to open the bottle.  It took a good 5 minutes longer than it should, for a good reason.  See below….

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The real story is the wine…which was served in a plastic cup again.  The notes:

I get some “nothing” on the nose, the cup does this wine no justice.  The initial taste is pleasing with black plum, some bramble and dark cherry cola. A spiciness hits the mid palate and I get some very integrated tannins on the finish. The wine is quite tasty and flows well with good mouthfeel. The 14.5% alcohol is well masked as is a touch of acidity. This wine is 4 years old and drinking at peak now. This is United’s other premium red wine offering and is worth the trade up from two smaller bottles of their regular $7.99 offerings. I’m finding Zins from Livermore are getting better and more refined. I’m glad I tried this one. 87 points and 3 stars.  The average score across the web is 84-86 points and retails for $13, I guess I was enamored!  It went great all by itself but would pair nicely with some Osso Bucco, perhaps a spicy sausage pasta or even some roasted chicken.  Salut….

wente beyers ranch zinfandel

Yup, she really did try it!!!

 

The Buccaneer Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

19 Tuesday May 2015

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I needed some wine for a friends evening so I stopped into Bevmo to pick some up.  I was confronted with their 5Cent sale, buy from a selection of wines at full price and the second bottle is only 5 cents- basically a BOGO offer.  This one was appealing from the shelf talker so I thought ‘what the heck’.  $10 per bottle for California Cabernet?  No brainer.

Bright damson nose with tar and plum on the first sip.   Mild tannins and gentle acidity make this very approachable.  Cinnamon and spice on the mid palate add a level of complexity and there is a longish finish of tannins and acidity that I only just noticed. 89 points with a window of 2015-2022 make this wine is a lurker. Good value from Bevmo at $20 for 2. At full price this would be a 3 star wine.  Salut….

the buccaneer cabernet sauvignon

Alexander Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 2013

08 Wednesday Apr 2015

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If you recall reading about my trip to California with my son, this is the winery that we took a tour of.  I was so impressed with the warmth the staff showed and the casual way in which they took great care of us on our tour.  The winery is located off the beaten path and has cellars cut into the hillside.  The Pinot was an interesting balance of styles.  Quite a bit heavier than most Pinots, it also had a delicacy about it.  Nose of new world Pinot with strawberries and bing cherries. Initial hints of white cherry and strawberry with some nutmeg and spice on the palate. Very smooth mouth feel which includes very slight tannins and a touch of acidity. Nice and rounded for a balanced profile that drinks well by itself but begs for some smoked salmon and capers. Roasted chicken and a risotto would take a close second. 2015/2020 91 points. 4 stars for this $28 effort.  Thanks for the tour and the memories!  Salut….

alexander valley vineyards pinot noir

Me and Jet, checking out the cellar

Me and Jet, checking out the cellar

The entrance to the cellar

The entrance to the cellar

Alexander Valley Vineyards

Alexander Valley Vineyards

The unofficial tour guide that Jet loved

The unofficial tour guide that Jet loved

The Russian River, from above

The Russian River, from above

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort California Pinot Noir

21 Wednesday Jan 2015

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I snapped a picture of the back of this bottle, it had the winery’s name that actually produce this wine for the resort.  Of course I deleted it prematurely (been happening a lot lately).  So, we’ll go without that info.  This bottle was a present, price unknown and there is nothing on the web about it.  I shall proceed….

Pretty with see-through purple hues and nice looking legs.  The nose of cherry, ginger and orange peel was quite exciting.  Cherry torte, orange marmalade and a touch of oak on the initial attack but a slight acidic bite on the first taste was a little offsetting.  Tasty mid palate with some cherry and clove notes left me with a good overall impression.  This is a decently made wine that gets 89 points from me.  I’m sure if you go to the resort they will have plenty around to sell, worth bringing home a case or two if it’s in the $15-20 range.  Salut….

Leviathan California Red Wine 2011

21 Sunday Dec 2014

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The pretty obscure label and name made me look this one up. 55% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc- what a concoction.  Anyway, it can be had for $40 and was brought over by some friends.  Blackish purple shades in the glass promised structure and weight.  Plums, iodine and blackberry on the nose did not disappoint.  Fresh and slightly tannic entry of plums, blackberries, a touch of mint and eucalyptus made for a very interesting combo.  Well balanced with a decent finish had me grabbing for the bottle.  We drank it over cheese, olives and salami before going out to dinner.  It was perfect for the occasion but it would pair really well with Beef Stroganoff, Lamb shanks or even Osso Bucco.  91 points from me make this a 4 star wine and really well worth cellaring for a while.  2014-2020.  Salut….

leviathon red wine

Magistrate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

20 Monday Oct 2014

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This wine rounded out our trio of Sunday Cabs-with-Football.  I recognized the label right away when my friend poured us a taste.  I wrote my notes based on this bottle and just now looked up the previous vintage that I tasted.  Yup, I hated the Magistrate 2011 just as much as I disliked this offering.  Sorry, but candied plums and oak again make me realize that there are far too many nasty wines out there that are merely juice with oak chips and tannin powder.  This one in particular had a slightly lighter body with purple fruits and wild flowers with slight tannins and a hint of acidity.  83 points and 1 star.  Major pass, yet again for this $13 bottle.  Salut….

magistrate cabernet sauvignon

Milestone Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

20 Monday Oct 2014

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A very basic Cali Cab that we added to our Sunday afternoon football/wine tasting extravaganza.  This was brought by a friend. Candied plums and wood on the nose were kinda intriguing.  On my first taste I knew what I was in for-  Violets, plum and twizzlers on the initial attack with a heavy dose of oak.  I just wish they had toned down the wood, this wine just is not my style at all.  Mild tannins and a hint of acidity make up a very basic backbone to this casual drinker.  84 points and 2 stars for this $9 offering.  I think I would pass, there are many wines that suit my taste for the same price.  Salut….

milestone cabernet sauvignon