15 Thursday Sep 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
I did a tasting at a wine bar recently and this was the opener- a classic Sauvignon Blanc from NZ. Pale lemon colored with heady aromas of cut grass, gooseberry, cat pee (yes, it’s a thing), tangerine, lemon rind, melon and Passion fruit. High acidity and a medium body were to be expected and this varietally true wine delivered! It runs $13 and gets 90 points from me making it a 5 star effort to drink soon. Salut….
11 Thursday Aug 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
Medium lemon/lime colored- this South African Sauvignon Blanc has characteristic aromas of cut grass, gooseberry, lemon and grapefruit. The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and distinct flavors of the aforementioned aromas. The body is medium (-) and the wine finishes long with a tart crispness. It’s delicious stuff that makes me want to keep sipping. 88 points from me make this $10 wine a surefire 5 star effort to drink in the short term with seafood, perhaps a poached chicken salad or even grilled salmon. Very refreshing in the summer heat. Salut….
26 Tuesday Jul 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$11, 5 stars, 90 points, california, Naked Wines, Sauvignon blanc
Pale lemon/lime colored in the glass. Aromas of lemon, asparagus, cut grass, melon and cape gooseberry. On the palate this is a dry wine with high acidity. The fruit is very rounded and I get the melange of citrus meets classic Sav Blanc fingerprints and some interesting twists with the gooseberry and melon. The wine is medium (-) bodied and has a refreshing, if not short finish. Serve chilled it will pair nicely with raw oysters/clams, steamed shrimp or chicken salad. I like this $11 wine and give it 90 points and 5 stars. Drink now. Salut….
21 Tuesday Jun 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$75, 5 stars, 98 points, botrytis, california, napa valley, Sauvignon blanc, semillon
I was a bit apprehensive when the cork snapped in two, hoping I could get the rest out without further ado. I was lucky, just one floating bit. You can never trust the provenance of a State liquor store bottle btw. Having said that, this dessert wine is medium gold in color with very viscous legs in the glass. The nose has pronounced aromas of apricot marmalade, honey, vanilla nib, candied lemon peel, creme caramel, peach pie and dried hazelnuts. The longer it sits there the more tantalizing the nose gets. The palate is sweet, as expected from this late-harvest and botrytized blend of Semillon and Sauvignon. Blanc. There is some great acidity here that balances out the sugar perfectly leaving me with a very slippery wine with amazing mouthfeel that just transcends the palate from front to back with such ease. The weight of this wine is sublime, full-bodied yet light and airy. The finish is long and just a tad juicy from the acidity. The whole package is amazing- worthy of 98 points that the pros at W.E. gave it. For 375ml expect to pay $75. A stunning 5 star wine that I will be serving with Blue Cheese and crackers after dinner. Salut….
15 Sunday May 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
There’s dessert wines and then there is Chateau d’Yquem. Head and shoulders above the rest it is the only Supérieur Premier Cru in the region. This botrytised wine was still very young but we got exactly what we wanted out of it-
Deep gold colored. Honey, apricot, lemon marmalade, orange preserves, white blossom, nuts, super sweet with medium (+) acidity. Full bodied. Youthful, long finish. 96 points
A pretty basic write up, but when you are sipping this stunner with chocolate lava cake it’s hard to divert too much attention to making assessments. An amazing wine to savor with friends for the next 30 years or so. I have to agree with the pros, this is at least a 96 point wine that gets 5 stars. Salut….
21 Thursday Apr 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$15, 5 stars, 92 points, marlborough, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc
We drank this Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc at my WSET wine course and I recognized the name and bottle. Looking it up I realize that Moxie and I had drunk some of the 2012 Spy Valley on a Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Bali back in 2013.
This one is medium lemon colored with pronounced aromas of cut grass, asparagus, passion fruit, lemon, blossom and grapefruit. It is still youthful. Dry with high acidity I got medium (+) flavors of this medium bodied wine. Medium alcohol and a long finish with a juicy ending. Rating it 92 points and 5 stars cause you can grab some for $15. Drink with a crisp salad, a light pasta or even grilled trout. I would enjoy this wine till 2025. Salut….
28 Monday Mar 2022
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$28, 5 stars, 92 points, bordeaux, dessert wine, france, loupiac, Sauvignon blanc, semillon
This dessert style Bordeaux wine is pale gold in the glass- a stunning shade imho. The nose is chock full of Botrytis-driven goodness. Dried apricots, honey, marzipan, orange marmalade, candied ginger. The palate is sweet, luscious and silky- yet full bodied. It’s hard to tell that there is much acidity, but if it lacked that key component this wine would be out of balance, which it’s not. Unctuous flavors of apricot, honey, marmalade and candied ginger caress my palate so beautifully. The worst part of the finish on this wine is the the fact that it ends, after a decently long time lingering on my palate. Still young, this blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc will further evolve and be delicious until 2033. 92 points from me for this $ $28 stunner makes it a 5 star effort. Salut….
11 Saturday Dec 2021
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$15, 4 stars, 89 points, new zealand, Sauvignon blanc, Wairarapa
Pale gold in the glass. Strong aromas of lemon zest, lime, cut grass, cat pee, passion fruit and green apple. A very predictable nose and exactly what I was looking for. The palate is dry, crisp and tangy. Citrus, grass, green apple and passion fruit flavors- thank god there’s no pee on the palate. I find this wine to be light bodied and refreshing. The finish is quite long and mouthwatering. Good stuff to go with our Chinese takeaway. 89 points for this $15 Kiwi makes it a 4 star effort. Serve chilled and drink by 2023. Salut….
26 Friday Nov 2021
Posted in Wine reviews
For Thanksgiving dessert I opened this chilled bottle of sweet Bordeaux nectar. It was spectacular to say the least. Medium gold with shimmering legs in the glass. The nose had pronounced aromas of honey, apricots, candied tangerine and crystallized mango. Super unctuous, sweet, waxy – flavors of apricot, marmalade, tangerine, honey and that telltale Botrytis note. Medium acidity and full body. The finish is very long and the sweetness coats the mouth. This is one of the best Sauternes I have ever come across. For $30 per half bottle this is a must-cellar wine for short to long term enjoyment. 96 points from me and 5 if not 6 stars. Salut….
17 Wednesday Nov 2021
Posted in Wine reviews
Tags
$15, 3 stars, 88 points, bordeaux, france, Muscadelle, Sauvignon blanc, semillon
This Bordeaux blend consists of 40% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscadelle. It is a medium gold in the glass and the 12.5% ABV leaves barely a sheen of watery legs in the glass. On the nose it has all the makings of a classic Sav Blanc- gooseberry, cut grass, cat’s pee and pineapple with some waxy notes from the Semillon. The palate is refreshing with medium acidity, light weight body and fresh flavors of gooseberry, pineapple, honeysuckle and that waxy note I got on the nose. The finish is medium in length and is a touch tangy from the acidity. I like this lightish wine that sports good fruit-forward notes with a nice mouthfeel that is easy to drink. I would pair it with fresh seafood, lighter chicken dishes and salads. For $15 it is a good one to stock up on for the short term, 88 points. 3 stars from me. Salut….
Caspernick's Blog 