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Posts Tagged ‘black cherry’

2006 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot

Monday, April 13th, 2009

90/A-

Tasted by Mike Supple - 10 Mar 2009

Dark ruby core with purple highlights, surrounded by a bright ruby rim. Intense, fruity nose of ripe blackberry, raspberry and red cherry wrapped in rich milk chocolate. Lush entry onto the palate: juicy red and black cherries with ripe raspberry are supported by roasted coffee and dark chocolate. The tannins are fully yet ripe and approachable, supporting the fruit through the finish. A touch of cedar spice leads to lingering cherry and mocha on the finish.

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2006 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon

Monday, April 13th, 2009

90/A-

Tasted by Mike Supple - 08 Mar 2009

Deep ruby core with a bright pink rim that stains the glass. Dark black cherry and plum aromas are accented by baking spices, a touch of fresh herbs and smooth, warm vanilla. Easy entry on the palate with great mouth feel and intensity of flavors. The tannins are very smooth and support the wine without getting in the way of your enjoying it. Spicy nutmeg and vanilla add a nice punch to the blackberry, cassis and black cherry fruits. Just a hint of toast lingers on the finish.

If you’re looking for a young, smooth, easy drinking Cab that packs all the flavor and complexity without the severe tannins, then this is your wine. Juicy and rich, yet smooth and ready to go. It has the body to last another 4 or 5 years, but who has that kind of patience? The rich fruit begs to be paired with a burger or steak, but you’ll want to grab more than one bottle of this because once the food is gone, the smooth texture and balanced flavors will keep you refilling your glass until the last drop disappears.

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2004 Chateau d’Estoublon Les Baux de Provence

Monday, April 13th, 2009

92/A-

Tasted by Mike Supple - 18 Jan 2009

Deep ruby core with a paler rim and slight garnet highlights. Clean fruit and spice aromas of plums, cinnamon and black cherry with a rustic earth, stone and leather quality, all accented by roasted coffee. Fairly full bodied in the mouth with intense flavors of smoky plums and roasted black cherries backed by spicy black pepper, coffee, nutmeg and baker’s chocolate with a hint of wild game.

This is an intense, complex wine. 2004 is sandwiched between two more critically acclaimed vintages. As a result, many great Provence wines from 2004 were overlooked, and this is a real hidden gem. While not a cheap wine, it is powerful and well balanced, and will impress any aficionado. Showing well now, but likely to continue getting better for another couple of years. A blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

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2006 Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

83 / B-

Tasted by Mike Supple - 06 Jan 2009

Purple core with a lighter rim. Smoke and gravel waft from the glass, supported by darker blueberry and cherry fruit. Black licorice candy on the palate with some juicy black cherry and a touch of earth. Thick on the mid-palate with a light tannic grip on the back end. Decent, but not particularly well balanced.

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2006 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

93 / A

Tasted by Mike Supple - 07 Jan 2009

Dark purple core to the edge of the glass – almost no rim. Rich, dense fruit aromas swarming from the glass. Dark plum, cassis and blackberry surrounded by chocolate, caramel, cinnamon and nutmeg spices, a touch of coconut and a light violet lift. Silky entry in the mouth building quickly into a full bodied wine. A big mid-palate with lots of ripe tannins. A thick core of plum, black cherry and cassis fruit is accented by baker’s chocolate and spicy cinnamon with a touch of chalk in the finish. You can drink this now, but it will easily improve in the bottle and last another decade or more.

While not a cheap wine, this still gets an A for value when put in comparison with other Napa wines of this quality. Most of the other wines from Napa that are this complete go for over $100, and most of the Cabs in the same price range are of inferior quality. This bottle is a surefire winner to impress any Cabernet snob (collector, enthusiast, etc).

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