Archive for January, 2009
Saturday, January 31st, 2009
86 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 24 Sep 2008
Medium ruby core with a pink rim. There is a touch of Old World earth and barnyard (this is a good thing in moderation) to the aromas around a core of dark fruit. Blackberry and black cherry aromas are accented by a hint of sweet tea and leather. Light and easy drinking on the palate with good acidity. The black cherry flavors are supported by dark roasted coffee and cinnamon.
Spain offers a huge variety of wines and many compelling values. This is a perfect wine to help familiarize yourself with the Spanish style of winemaking, as well as the Tempranillo grape (this wine is 85% Tempranillo, and the rest Garnacha and Graciano). The bold acidity makes this a perfect wine for all kinds of foods, so grab a bottle, call some friends and get a Tapas cookbook. Light enough for hearty fish - think paella with scallops and mussels - yet spicy and rich enough to go with ham, beef and just about any soft sheep milk cheeses. Not a wine to age or use to impress big collectors, but something that is fun, goes with food and friends, and is produced in great quantity, making it easy to find around the world.
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Tags: 2004, barnyard, black, blackberry, caceres, cherry, cinnamon, coffee, Crianza, earth, Garnacha, grenache, leather, marques, red, red wine, Rioja, roast, spain, sweet, tea, Tempranillo, wine
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Saturday, January 31st, 2009
89 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 24 Sep 2008
Dark ruby (almost black) core with a brighter ruby rim. Lots of leather, earth and charred oak aromas over sweet cherry and cassis, with a hint of soy sauce. Smooth, easy entry onto the palate. Medium body and well balanced acidity. Ripe red cherry and blackberry fruits are backed by flavors of coffee, vanilla and a touch of earth. Cherries and fresh cream linger on the finish. Very fine grained tannins make this pleasant to drink now, but will also allow the wine to age for another 3 - 5 years.
This is a great value for Cabernet Sauvignon coming from Sonoma - and it has fortunately stayed largely out of the spotlight of the major critics…until now. Cab of this quality can easily run you up $40 or more, so finding this wine at half that price is a steal. There is plenty of body and fruit to satisfy all you monster Cab fans, yet the wine remains balanced and elegant enough to go very well with a meal. Just enough oak in the winemaking adds great complexity of flavors (coffee, soy sauce) that complement the fruit in the wine. This is a great bottle to pull if you are meeting your date’s parents for the first time. Everyone respects a good Cab, and this one clearly fits the bill.
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Tags: 2005, blackberry, cabernet, california, cassis, char, cherry, Coast, coffee, cream, earth, estate, kunde, leather, North, oak, red, red wine, ruby, sauce, sauvignon, sonoma, soy, sweet, vanilla, wine
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Saturday, January 31st, 2009
88-92 / B-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 10 Oct 2008
Dark purple core with a lighter ruby rim. Cherry and cola aromas backed by dark wet earth, all surrounded by rich kitchen spices – vanilla and fresh ginger bread. Smooth entry on the palate with a quick build to a full-bodied wine with plenty of tannins. The fruit seems to be hiding under the tannins and massive oak. Give this massive wine a few years in the cellar to allow it all to integrate.
This is way too young to get a grasp of what it will really be like. At the moment there is way too much tannin and oak, and the fruit is really muted. If it settles well, it could turn out to be a rather impressive Cab. I wouldn’t recommend popping a cork on this for at least another 3 years.
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Tags: 2005, Beringer, bread, cabernet, california, cherry, Coast, cola, earth, ginger, gingerbread, Napa, North, oak, Private, purple, red, red wine, reserve, ruby, sauvignon, spice, vanilla, wine
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Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
90 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 21 Oct 2008
Medium lemon yellow core with a bright clear rim. Ripe and tropical on the nose with yellow pear and apple fruits backed by rich mango, nectarine and a dose of wet slate. Impressively round in the mouth with nice full body and rich mouth feel. Pineapple and mango flavors are accented by zesty lemon and lime, all underscored by a good dose of minerals and acid. Round and ripe yet crisp and refreshing. A complex, fun California Chardonnay.
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Tags: 2006, apple, california, Central, chardonnay, Coast, Highlands, lemon, lime, Lucia, mango, mer, mineral, monterey, nectarine, pear, pineapple, ripe, santa, silver, slate, soleil, tropical, white, White wine, wine, yellow, zest
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Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
90 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 01 Sep 2007
Clear and bright in the glass with a medium lemon yellow core. Good intensity on the nose with ripe yellow apple, candied citrus and a touch of blue slate minerality. The palate presents the same rich ripe sweet yellow apple and pear up front with a nice moderate acidity keeping it crisp and clean. Honeyed notes and a touch of cream, candied lemon and some tropical pineapple and mango notes keep the mid-palate nice and round, and the wine finishes with a medium length of crisp bright fruit. A well made, enjoyable wine great for drinking over the next couple of years.
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Tags: 2006, apple, blue, california, candy, Central, chardonnay, citrus, Coast, cream, Highlands, honey, lemon, Lucia, mango, mer, mineral, monterey, pineapple, santa, silver, slate, soleil, tropical, white, White wine, wine, yellow
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
89 / A
Tasted by Mike Supple - 21 Oct 2008
Clear purple core with a vibrant ruby rim. Hints of violets float around candied strawberry and raspberry aromas with a darker streak of smoke, black cherry and fresh herbs. Smooth, easy entry on the palate bringing lush sweet fruits backed by smoke, a touch of game and a streak of minerality. Good supporting acid makes this an easy choice for dinner. Lingering touch of caramel on the finish.
A blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. Delivers quite a bit of flavor and power for such an approachable young wine. Minervois is a great region to find some of the best values not only from France, but in the world right now.
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Tags: 2006, averoux, black, candy, caramel, cherry, cuvee, Domaine, fernand, france, fresh, fruit, game, grenache, herb, Languedoc, leocadie, mineral, minervois, purple, raspberry, red, red wine, Roussillon, ruby, saint, sainte, smoke, strawberry, sweet, Syrah, violet, wine
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
86 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 22 Oct 2008
Dark ruby core and a garnet rim. Juicy and grapey aromas with fresh squeezed blackberry fruit underscored by a darker tar and black cherry note. Easy entry onto the palate. Juicy and round with nice blueberry and blackberry flavors. There is a hint of earth and creamy caramel on the finish.
55% Shiraz, 45% Grenache. Easy drinking. Not overly complex, but a fun wine for before, during or after dinner.
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Tags: 2005, Australia, black, blackberry, blueberry, caramel, cherry, cream, earth, eastern, garnet, grape, grenache, red, red wine, rosemount, ruby, Shiraz, South, Syrah, tar, wine
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
90 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 25 May 2008
Dark ruby core surrounded by a bright rim. Very bold caramel coated raspberry fruit aromas are backed by darker cassis, sweet dried tobacco and a spicy punch of cedar. Dark and thick on the palate. Ripe cassis and blackberry fruits are underscored by a dark wet earth tone and a streak of minerality leading to the long toffee, toast and charcoal finish. Rich and complex with a solid backbone of approachable tannins.
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 25% Syrah.
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Tags: 2004, argiano, blackberry, cabernet, caramel, cassis, cedar, charcoal, earth, italy, merlot, mineral, raspberry, red, red wine, ruby, sauvignon, solengo, spice, sweet, Syrah, toast, tobacco, toffee, Tuscany, wine
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
88 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 30 Oct 2008
Medium gold core with a clear rim. Tropical aromas of pineapple and mango join the classic yellow apple and lemon zest, all surrounded by a hint of roasted hazelnut and vanilla toast. Great acid on the palate with ripe Meyer lemon flavors taking charge. More subtle yellow pear come in on the mid-palate, joined by the hazelnut and lingering vanilla and nutmeg baking spices.
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Tags: 2004, apple, baking, california, carneros, chardonnay, Coast, gold, hazelnut, hyde, lemon, mango, merryvale, meyer, North, nutmeg, pear, pineapple, roast, spice, toast, tropical, vanilla, Vineyard, white, White wine, wine, yellow, zest
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
89 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 31 Oct 2008
Light lemon yellow core with a bright, clear rim. Rich lemon meringue aromas surround ripe lime zest and loads of wet stones and flint. A touch of fresh herbal notes in the mouth are backed by flavors of Meyer lemon, cream, lime and green apple with a touch of charred vanilla and toast. Medium bodied with a fresh, crisp finish.
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Tags: 2005, apple, blanc, bland, bordeaux, char, cream, flint, france, green, herb, lemon, Leognan, lime, louviere, meringue, meyer, Pessac, sauvignon, Semillon, stone, toast, vanilla, white, White wine, wine, yellow, zest
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