Tag Archives: grenache

Cellar Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica Old Vines 2016, Montsant, Spain

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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Medium opacity with good purple color and very fine-stranded legs. The nose is dark.  Blackberry, hoisin, raisins and cinnamon.  On the palate it’s slightly lighter- sweet black cherries, violets and creosote.  Very lithe tannins sneak up on me and the mid palate becomes a mouth puckering event that allows waves of black cherry to mingle with rooibos tea and tar.  The tannic grip is further highlighted on the finish.  Evergreen, black tea and blackberries surrounded by that astringency take me to a medium length ending that has my mouth watering.  Delicious, youthful and cellarworthy.  This wine is versatile in its power and flavor profile.  Really yummy and worthy of 92 points from me.  One pro went as high as 94!  Great stuff for $11, a steal really.  Drink till 2026.  5 stars for sure for this 85% Grenache/15% Syrah blend.  Salut….

Guy Mousset & Fils Cotes du Rhone Rose Domaine Guy Mousset 2018, Rhone, France

02 Monday Sep 2019

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This rose’ is quite dark, almost orange in the glass.  On the nose I get Lychee, rose water and strawberry.  The palate is crisp, with red berries, strawberry and honey.  There is a vibrant acidity which is in check that gives the wine a freshness.  The honey component carries through the mid palate where I get more red berries.  The finish is decent with a lingering tartness alongside that strawberry component.  Overall a very charming and easy drinking summer rose’ that begs for burgers, some salami and olives or just by itself poolside.  88 points and 3 stars for this $12 Grenache from France.  Drink till 2020.  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2016, Rhone, France

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Very dark in the glass.  The nose is plummy with sweet black currant syrup hints.  The palate has black currants, espresso and nutmeg notes.  Mouth drying tannins appear on the mid-palate where I  get big doses of coffee and charcoal.  The tannins really grip on the finish.  The wine begs for aeration or a juicy ribeye.  The acidity is there, somewhere.  I just can’t sense it.  Overall- quite tasty, young and in need of cellaring or aerating.  Drink till 2026 with hearty fare.  88 points from me which is in stark contrast with the monster 92+ points the pros gave it.  I think a re-taste is in order.  For now this $20 effort gets 3 stars.  Salut….

Chateau Rochecolombe Cotes du Rhone 2016, France

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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Really rich hues of purple in the glass.  The nose contains a certain funk…. not sure if that blows away.  Earthy, plum, iodine and ink all come to mind while swirling.  The initial palate is typical for the region.  Bold, punchy and full of black fruits.  Great balance between the medium tannins and acidity alongside a dollop of blackberry jam.  The midpalate is drier, more primal.  The dark fruits hold on and overcome the tannic bite, barely.  This wine is a seesaw of fruit vs. structure- I’m loving it.  The finish is long, dry with heaps of blackberry, oregano and olives.  Very much in-your-face.  91 points, drink till 2024 with charcuterie, roasted game, lamb chops or a hearty pasta.  This is tasty stuff folks.  5 stars for the $17 price tag.  Salut….

Famille Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2015, Rhone, France

15 Saturday Sep 2018

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Medium opacity with a lighter purple hue.  On the nose it screams black currants with some bacon fat and oregano.  There is a hint of forest floor at the back end of the nose.  On the palate – berries, medium intensity tannins, tea and olives.  The wine transitions nicely to the mid palate with the tannins providing a nice dryness to the mouthfeel.  The flavors are consistent through to the finish where I also get some licorice.  The balance is nice for a wine that is made for medium term drinking.  Perfect for a game dish, even a seasoned Cornish Hen.  Drink now till 2033.  91 points and 4 stars for this $34 blend of mainly Grenache mixed with Syrah and Mouvedre.  Salut….

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2013, Barossa, Australia

17 Friday Aug 2018

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Wow…. super dark and brooding.  I get nice, rich blackberry notes with coffee bean and vanilla extract on the nose.  The initial palate is thick with black fruit preserves, finely integrated tannins, chocolate powder and an oak hint.  The mid palate continues the theme but the tannins start to build.  By the finish my mouth is coated with caressing dryness and a blackberry meets tar note.  Intriguing.  I think this wine will open up with decanting and develop somewhat in the glass.  It is young and the potential for it to gain tertiary flavors is definitely there.  I would cellar for another 2-3 years and pair it with roast lamb all day long.  Delicious, powerful, well made and worthy of 92 points.  For $36 it is not an everyday wine, but it gets 5 stars from me.  Salut….

Pomar Junction The Crossing GSM 2013, Paso Robles, USA

30 Wednesday May 2018

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Lighter in the glass than I was expecting but the nose- wow.  Black berries, spice box, vanilla.  On the palate there’s tons of spiciness, cedar box, black fruits, cinnamon. The bite from the acidity is pinpoint, tannins are very lithe. On the finish I get maduro, black cherry and more vanilla from the wood dressing this wine has been graced with.  Very tasty Grenache, Syrah, Mourverdre blend.  92 points and 4 stars for this $54 wine.  Drink now till 2024.  Salut….

Domaine de Cristia Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2007, Rhone, France

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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It’s a murky purple with a hint of bricking, not unusual for an 11 year old wine, but not likely for a CDP.  The nose gives it away I’m afraid.  This wine is over the hill, cooked.  Aromas of stewed prunes and bacon hit me right away.  I managed to coax a little plum out of the melange, but I was searching for it.  The gaminess is a little much for me.  On the palate there exists a port like profile.  It smacks of dark fruits, cooked plums and blackberry jam.  It is not a bad experience, just a shame really.  This wine has some very interesting components that were probably on pointe a few years ago.  I cannot determine if it is really over the hill (doubtful considering the heritage) or has been improperly cellared (it was a gift to my father).  Either way, I cannot imagine this to be representative of the wine and will therefore pass on scoring this $50 effort.  Sucks.  Salut….

Henschke Henry’s Seven 2015, Barossa, Australia

27 Tuesday Feb 2018

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Somewhat opaque but dark purple.  The nose gives up candies, plum, oak, cherry pie, vanilla bean.  The palate is super spicy, loaded with fruit and very smooth.  Plum ganache, mocha, cafe au lait and blackberry preserve round out the initial palate.  The transition to mid palate shows off some very integrated tannins, a red berry note and some cedar plank.  The finish is mid length and coats the mouth in plum sauce, coffee and chocolate dust.  92 points from me for this $32 effort, which contradicts the pro’s 89, oh well.  I liked it and will buy again for a juicy Sunday roast companion.  5 stars for this Shiraz/Grenache/Viognier blend.  Salut….

Mas de Boislauzon La Chaussynette 2015, Rhone, Vin de France

24 Tuesday Oct 2017

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A reasonably priced number that hails from France, the Rhone Valley to be more precise.  It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre typical for the region.  I bought it on sale for under $10, but it normally sells for $15.

A very pretty medium depth purple color bodes well!  On the nose I get raspberry, spice, a hint of smoky oak and some bacon fat.  The initial palate suggests more of the same, which is really a treat.  I enjoy all those flavors melded together.  The tannins are really nice, juicy and not too dry.  They complement the fruit and don’t overpower. This wine has a great feeling mid palate, with some cassis, black olives and more raspberry making appearances.  The finish is nice, longer than expected and offers an oaky tinge along with the fruit and tannins.  I have to say, this is a really good wine, far more complex than the price would allude to, far tastier than I imagined and it has some short term cellaring potential to boot.  I am drinking it with some Broccoli Cheddar soup, which seems to work really well.  It would pair great with some thin crust brick oven pizza, perhaps even a Beef stew.  I have to go 91 points, which is above and beyond the rating I saw, and award this wine 5 stars for sure.  I wish I ordered more.  Salut….