Posts Tagged ‘tea’
Saturday, February 21st, 2009
97 / B-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 30 Jan 2009
Dark amber color in the core with a lighter brick red rim. Complex aromas pour out of the glass: brown sugar, bacon, black cherry, earth, black truffles, sweet tea and tobacco. The palate entry is incredibly smooth and the tannins are fully integrated into the wine. Flavors of coffee and toffee surround black cherry, brown sugar, bacon, smoky earth and wet stone with a lingering cherry and soy sauce note. The acid is relatively high, keeping the wine impressively fresh. The flavors linger on for quite a while.
The aromas and flavors seem to be fully developed at this point, and the earthy and spicy characteristics fully dominate the remaining fruit. While an impressive wine, it is likely on its down swing, so I would recommend drinking it rather than holding on to it for too much longer.
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Tags: 1985, amber, bacon, black, brick, brown sugar, Burgundy, cherry, coffee, conti, cote du nuits, drc, earth, france, grand cru, la tache, pinot noir, red wine, romanee, smoke, soy sauce, stone, tea, tobacco, toffee, truffle
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Sunday, February 1st, 2009
90 / A
Tasted by Mike Supple - 24 Jan 2008
Rich ruby core, with garnet hints on the rim. The aromas are spicy and rich, with red and black cherries underscored by plum with cinnamon notes in the background. On the palate this tastes and feels stunningly like a beautiful red Burgundy. Lush and ripe, with elegant, smooth tannins. Dark raspberry and cherry flavors are accented by a touch of tea and leather with light black truffle and earth underneath.
I tried this blind the first time, and while distinctly Spanish in aromas, I could swear that I had a well aged Burgundy in my mouth. Stunning little wine. Most likely in its prime now, but should be able to hold its own for several more years.
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Tags: 2001, Add new tag, alta, benito, blakc, Bodega, Bodegas, Burgundy, cherry, cinnamon, earth, especial, garnet, leather, pedro, plum, raspberry, red, red wine, Rioja, ruby, seleccion, spain, spice, tea, Tempranillo, truffle, urbina, wine
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Sunday, February 1st, 2009
91 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 13 Aug 2008
Dark garnet color from the core to the rim. Bold, spicy aromas of licorice, candied cherries, chocolate and sweet tea lead to a more intense wet clay note followed by lingering cinnamon. The wine is lush and full, filling the mouth with caramel covered cherries and spicy cinnamon, with the same hint of clay supporting the fruits and helping the round, approachable tannins give good structure to the wine. Fruit, spices and just a touch of vanilla linger in the finish.
Spicy, fruity and delicious. What more could you want from a red wine? Since it’s a Reserva, it has already been aged for you in their cellars, making it ready to pick up at your wine shop and drink tonight. While it may be a few dollars more than your average every day wine, the extra age put on it in the winery’s cellars makes this much deeper and more complex of a wine, and is more than worth the few extra dollars. A blend of 93% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha and 2% Mazuelo. It is aged for 24 months in large American oak casks, which is what gives the wine its touch of creamy caramel and vanilla flavors. American oak is used rather frequently in Spain and is a nice match for their big powerful reds.
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Tags: 2004, candy, caramel, cherry, chocolate, cinnamon, clay, Garnacha, garnet, grenache, licorice, marques, mazuelo, murrieta, red, red wine, Reserva, Rioja, spain, spice, sweet, tea, Tempranillo, vanilla, wine
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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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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
90 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 07 Feb 2008
Dark purple core with a purple and ruby rim. Dark and ripe aromas with rich sweet plum surrounded by spicy sweet tobacco and tea. Super ripe cassis and black cherry on the front of the palate. Medium to full bodied with ripe, round tannins and a big cinnamon spice kick followed my smooth vanilla leading to a fruity and full finish.
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Tags: 2004, black, brandlin, cabernet, california, cassis, cherry, cinnamon, Coast, mount, Napa, North, plum, purple, red, red wine, ruby, sauvignon, spice, sweet, tea, tobacco, vanilla, veeder, wine
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
88 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 25 Nov 2008
Medium ruby core with a garnet rim. Big aromas leap from the glass: cola, sassafras, fresh herbs and rich black cherry are accented by spicy clove and sweet tea. The flavors mirror the aromas, throwing in some juicy red raspberry popsicles. Big in the mouth with enough fruit and power to cover the 14.7% alcohol. Long, spicy finish.
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Tags: 2005, alcohol, benito, black, california, Central, cherry, clove, Coast, cola, garnet, grove, herb, juice, noir, pessagno, pinot, popsicle, raspberry, red, red wine, San, sassafras, spice, spring, sweet, tea, USA, Vineyard, wine
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Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
92 / A
Tasted by Mike Supple - 28 Jul 2008
Dark ruby core, almost black in the center, surrounded by a bright pink rim with a touch of purple. Big, complex aromas of vanilla oak over raspberry, blackberry and sweet tea. A rich core of dark chocolate floats around spicy cinnamon and toasty almonds with a teasing hint of earth. This is a full bodied Cab in the mouth, but drinking amazingly well at this young age. Chocolate covered blackberries and raspberries lead to a long finish of toasted almonds, cherry and oak. While it is full bodied the tannins are very ripe and refined making this a bottle that you can pop now, but will also hold well for another 4 - 8 years.
Caymus has very impressively maintained the price for their wine over the past several years while many other Napa Cabs have jumped in price. Their 2006 Cabernet is one of the best I’ve had from them in years. If you are looking for a solid, well made Napa Cab that is sure to please, then look no further.
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Tags: 2006, almond, blackberry, cabernet sauvignon, california, Caymus, chocolate, cinnamon, Coast, earth, Napa, North, raspberry, red, red wine, spice, tea, USA, vanilla
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
80 / C+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 27 Aug 2008
Dark purple core with a pink rim. Cranberry, tea and blackberry aromas with a hint of sulfur and some toasty oak. Thin on the palate (in flavor) with rather big tannins. Burnt licorice and black fruit flavors. Finishes gummy.
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Tags: 2006, blackberry, Bodegas, cranberry, Gil, gummy, Hijos, Juan, Jumilla, licorice, monastrell, oak, red, red wine, spain, sulfur, tea, toast
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
85 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 25 Sep 2008
Dark purple core with a ruby and violet rim. Blackberry, black cherry and cassis aromas with a wisp of violets around wet earth, mushrooms, charred oak and a touch of camphor. Smooth entry onto the palate with flavors of black cherry and candied black licorice. Medium tannins with a bit of chewiness and bitter tea on the finish. Simple wine, but easy quaffer.
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Tags: 2005, blackberry, Blend, bordeaux, camphor, cassis, cherry, earth, france, grand, licorice, mushroom, oak, Paris, red wine, rouge, tea, violet
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