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Substance Cs Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, Columbia Valley, USA

27 Thursday Jul 2017

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As I was pouring this wine I couldn’t help but notice the rich purple color, mesmerizing.  On the nose I get gorgeous plum meets an oak shaving.  This wine smells amazing.  There is an intensity to the aroma that is really pure and focused.  This pureness continues on to the initial taste.  This is a great wine folks.  It tastes amazing, has very fine grained tannins, is balanced and has got me grabbing for more.  Plums continue to the mid palate and are joined with coffee beans, Ribena and a crescendo of tannins.  They really hit on the back end with a really nice dryness that hits my gums in the right way.  The wine finishes with cassis, espresso and a swath of tannins, delicious.  An extremely well crafted wine that gets 92 plus points from me.  I am a huge fan of Charles Smith, his winemaking is always on pointe.  In fact, I search out his wines-looking for absolute gems like this one.  I paid $13, and rate this as one of my all-time best buys.  5 Stars for sure and I am buying a case.  Drink it alone or pretty much with everything from now till 2022.  A steal, literally.  Salut….

Charles Smith ‘Kung Fu Girl’ Riesling 2015, Columbia Valley, USA

15 Thursday Jun 2017

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I am a big fan of this wine, it’s cheap, tasty and fills in for many different occasions.  I reviewed the 2011 Kung Fu Girl and gave it 89 points.  This version is better!

Pale yellow in the glass.  Lemon zest, pineapple peel and some green apple come to mind.  On the palate, much fuller weight than I was expecting, almost waxy.  Lemon curd, sweet pink grapefruit and bee pollen (yes, bee pollen, I eat it every day and this wine has a corresponding note).  The mouthfeel is delightful, albeit not what I was looking for to quench my thirsty on this 92 degree day.  I like it though, a lot.  The mid palate is very smooth with more of the same theme while the finish exhibits some lemon spritz, interesting.  90 points from me and for 9 bucks this is a must have 5 star wine for every fridge, buy it by the case.  Salut….

Kestrel Vintners ‘Falcon Series’ Syrah 2011, Yakima Valley

16 Thursday Feb 2017

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Very dark purple in the glass. A nose of plum, blue berries and a funky earthiness. The initial taste is of plum sauce, black olive and acai berry. Really interesting. On the mid palate I am getting dark fruits and some fig. It’s not until the finish do I sense the dryness of tannins, with some very slight acidity. This is a tasty wine with good mouthfeel that is drinking well right now and may reward some short term cellaring. 89 points. $22 make this a 3 star wine in my books. Salut….

kestrel falcon series syrah

Charles Smith ‘Eve’ Chardonnay Columbia Valley Washington 2014

08 Saturday Oct 2016

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Pale yellow and offering apple, quince and lemon notes on the nose.  Somewhat subdued on the palate on day one, I am writing this on day two where the wine has really opened up.  The mouthfeel is really nice, not flabby or overly acidic.  Yellow apples are the key ingredient and they are backed up with lemon zest and nutmeg.
This is a relatively ‘clean’ chard that provides good balance without going heavy into the buttery side or steely on to the minerally side.  88 points and a great wine for sipping or pairing with some cajun seafood.  I’m going 4 stars on this $10 effort.  I am a big fan of this winery, they produce very consistent wines at several price points.  Salut….
eve chardonnay

Charles Smith Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2012

05 Sunday Apr 2015

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I saved this one for last in the Charles Smith repertoire that I picked up in Cali.  It was worth the wait.  Dark purple in the glass with a nose of cherry, blueberry and a hint of oak.  The initial attack consisted of black cherry and plum jam.  Nice acidity and slight tannins make for a nice mouthfeel. The mid palate is rather one dimensional, yet the tannins start to grip at this point. The finish is interesting with the tannins still coating the gums along with some mint and violet. Really interesting bottle. 89 points with a drinking window of 2015/2020
PS. After an hour this wine has really mellowed, opened up and that mid palate issue I had is gone. 90 points now.  4 stars at $15.  Tasty and worthwhile cellaring a few bottles.  Salut….

charles smith cabernet sauvignon

Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah 2013

05 Sunday Apr 2015

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If you have been following the last several posts you will know I went on a California adventure with my son.  Apart from the two wineries that we visited, I made sure I was stocked with wine for each evening.  I was super excited to find numerous different Charles Smith wines, of which we cannot seem to get on the East Coast.  This was actually the second bottle that I opened.  The first was a Charles and Charles Merlot, out by the hotel fire pit while my son was making s’mores.  I took no notes, just enjoying the moment of father/son time and relishing the fresh evening breeze of the Monterey Peninsula.  The  Boom Boom is a Syrah from Washington State with pretty purple hues and a nose of candies, plum and oak.  Whilst not my favorite profile it appeals to many so I will not let that detract from the score.  A gentle entry of plum sorbet and dark cherry with a touch of heat. It’s a very easy drinker with slight tannins and a hint of acidity. This is an everyday drinker that will please many when paired with burgers, beef brisket, even barbecued chicken with a tangy sauce. 88 points from me and therefore 3 stars for this $17 effort.  Salut….

charles smith boom boom syrah

The Boom Boom

Charles and Charles Merlot- not reviewed

Charles and Charles Merlot- not reviewed

The fire pit, just at the edge of the golf course

The fire pit, just at the edge of the golf course

Charles Smith ‘Kung Fu Girl’ Riesling 2011

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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A cool $10 offering from Washington state that has gotten many accolades.  I am drinking it with roast chicken and charred eggplant.  It’s working well for me.

A pale yellow/gold in the glass it offers up pear and melon hints on the nose.  On the palate, a very delicious and somewhat creamy presentation of green apples, anjou peer and some lemon zest.  This is an easy wine to drink, and a good thing it rings in at 11% alcohol because you will want to slurp it all night long.  I would say it is off-dry with just a hint of residual sugar that makes it enticing without being cloying.  The acidity is marked but not overly sharp.  The finish is interesting and long.  I am getting a sourness on the back end that makes this a really exciting wine that would pair beautifully with grilled salmon, chicken and perhaps a cheese board.  For the price, you need to purchase this wine by the case because I agree with the 89 points that WS gave it and reckon that makes it a 5 star wine.  Readily available you will recognize the label right away because it rocks.  Salut….

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Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.

Charring the eggplant, I will add chopped onions and lemon juice.