Posts Tagged ‘valley’
Sunday, February 1st, 2009
88 / A-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 22 Jan 2008
Misleadingly light ruby and pink in the glass – this wine is a big fruity monster. Bright blueberry and cherry aromas with a light citrus zest. On the palate it is rich and full, with good acidity to keep it from getting cloying. Big candied blood orange flavors back ripe cherry and raspberry with a light earthy edge to the lingering fruit.
Grenache can be tricky to work with and finding a well made cheap one is always great. This is the perfect Valentine’s day gift for an ex…
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Tags: 2006, Australia, Barossa, bitch, blood, blueberry, candy, cherry, citrus, earth, grenache, orange, pink, r wines, raspberry, red wine, ruby, South, valley, zest
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Sunday, February 1st, 2009
87 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 22 Jan 2008
Bold purple core with a ruby and violet rim. Very spicy on the nose with forward licorice, vanilla, oak and cinnamon over rich dark black cherry. Thick and full on the palate with ripe, chewy tannins. Dark blackberry and cherry are backed by roasted coffee and black licorice, leading into a toasted dark fruit finish.
A decent fruity example of Australian Cab. Nothing particularly noteworthy, but well made for the price.
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Tags: 2005, Australia, Barossa, black, blackberry, cabernet, cherry, cinnamon, coffee, evil, licorice, oak, purple, r wines, red, red wine, roast, ruby, sauvignon, South, spice, valley, vanilla, violet, wine
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
93 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 31 Oct 2008
Dark core with a touch of garnet on the rim. Fresh cherry and dark plum aromas are supported by smoky tar, violets, charred oak and lingering sweet blueberry. Smooth and juicy entry on the palate. Lots of very soft, approachable tannins supporting a core of dark fruits with highlights of vanilla and caramel. Silky from the front to the back of the palate with a long, lingering finish of raspberries and cream. In a word, delicious.
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc.
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Tags: blueberry, bonneville, brul, cabernet, caramel, carriage, char, cherry, Columbia, cote, cream, dubrul, Franc, garnet, house, juice, merlot, oak, plum, raspberry, red, red wine, sauvignon, silk, smoke, tar, valley, vanilla, Vineyard, violet, Washington, wine, yakima
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
87 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 04 Feb 2008
Bright yellow core with a golden tint, thinning around the rim. Big candied lemon aromas are accented by cantaloupe, light toasted walnut and a hint of oak. Round and full in the mouth with a nice medium-bodied weight. A good amount of acid keeps it bright. Creamy lemons are surrounded by cantaloupe and yellow pear, leading to a nice cream and butter finish.
This is a good, but not great wine. Fun if you are looking for something you don’t see very often. NOT to be confused with the famous dessert Tokaji Hungary (which is generally made from a grape called Furmint). This wine is at its peak. Drink before 2009.
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Tags: 2003, acid, Ambullneo, barbara, Bien, bright, butter, california, candy, cantaloupe, core, cream, dry, full, gold, lemon, Maria, Nacido, Nonno, oak, pear, round, santa, table, tint, toast, Tocai, USA, valley, Vineyard, walnut, white, White wine, wine, yellow, Zito
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Tuesday, January 27th, 2009
91 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 12 Feb 2008
Inky dark ruby core with a bright ruby rim. Rich blueberry fruit aromas are countered by nice slatey minerality, smoky *lardon*, and a hint of vanilla cream. The font of the palate is dominated by blueberries and boysenberries. The mouthfeel is impressively round and balanced, and much more restrained than your average overblown Barossa Shiraz. Soft and supple, this beauty is ready to bring home and pop the cork tonight.
Not the typical big jammy South Australia Shiraz. Not the wine if you are looking for an explosive fruit bomb to drink by itself, but rather a more stylish, elegant wine that would go well with powerful, meaty foods.
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Tags: 2005, Australia, Barossa, Binder, blueberry, boysenberry, bright, core, cream, dark, dry, fruit, Heysen, lardon, mineral, red, red wine, rich, Rolf, ruby, Shiraz, slate, smoke, South, table, valley, vanilla, wine
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Monday, January 26th, 2009
92 / B
Tasted by Mike Supple - 19 Feb 2008
Very dark purple in the glass with a bright fuchsia and pink rim. This wine is spicy and dense in the nose with anise, new oak and vanilla over big ripe blueberry and blackberry. Dark earth, toffee and a touch of smoky game underlie the fruits. In the mouth this is a lush, round wine with great mouthfeel. Dark, jammy fruits make this wine distinctly Aussi Shiraz, but the balance of the acid and tannin keep it from getting too hedonistic. Rich bittersweet chocolate and vanilla notes linger in the toasty, creamy finish.
More typically Australian with the huge, powerful fruit and color that will stain your teeth (probably not the best way to impress on a first date). With all that fruit though, they manage to make a wine that is well balanced and good to drink. A bit powerful for most foods, but nice fruit and easy to enjoy while sitting on a couch or just hanging around.
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Tags: 2005, acid, anise, Australia, Barossa, bittersweet, blackberry, blueberry, Bogan, bright, chocolate, cream, dark, dense, earth, fruit, fuchsia, game, jam, Kaesler, oak, pink, purple, red, red wine, Shiraz, smoke, South, spice, table, tannin, toast, toffee, valley, vanilla
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Monday, January 26th, 2009
90 / A-
Tasted by Mike Supple - 17 Mar 2008
Medium gold color with a bright rim. Rich aromas of yellow pear with a sweet beeswax and honey note around vanilla and lemon. Very round, mellow and approachable on the palate. Great balance of fruit and acidity. Lush pears and golden delicious apples with a hint of honeycomb. Long, lingering finish. 13% Alcohol By Volume
This grape is most famous in Bordeaux, and great examples of it are amazing, but also very expensive. This particular one from Australia has great balance and is much more affordable. It’s drinking well now, and I’d drink it by 2010.
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Tags: 2002, acid, apple, approachable, Australia, Barossa, beeswax, bright, Colonial, delicious, dry, estate, fruit, gold, honey, honeycomb, l'Expatrie, lemon, lush, medium, mellow, pear, rich, round, Semillon, South, sweet, valley, vanilla, white, White wine, yellow
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
89 / C+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 27 Aug 2008
Medium ruby core with a pink rim. Orange zest aromas over cassis, strawberry and red cherry with lighter charcoal and wet earth notes. Sweet cocoa and strawberries on the front palate with nice baking spices on the back. Black cherry with a touch of licorice and vanilla on the finish. This is a real easy drinker, not a lot of tannin. For the price, I’d like to see a little more tannin or complexity. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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Tags: 2005, Blend, cabernet, california, cassis, charcoal, cherry, Coast, cocoa, Collection, Donald, earth, Franc, licorice, Luke, merlot, Napa, North, Petit, red, red wine, sauvignon, spice, strawberry, USA, valley, vanilla, verdot, zest
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
91 / A
Tasted by Mike Supple - 22 Aug 2008
Purple and ruby core with a flashy pink rim. Roasted, toasted marshmallow, buttered toffee and baking spice aromas surround loads of dark cherry and blackberry with lingering crushed rose petals. Toffee and mocha flavors on the front of the palate build around juicy, fruity black cherry and plum. Medium to full bodied with lots of ripe, approachable tannins. Creamy vanilla on the back end with a toffee finish.
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Tags: 2005, Andrew, blackberry, cherry, Columbia, marshmallow, mocha, plum, red wine, rose, Ross, spice, toast, toffee, USA, valley, vanilla, Washington
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Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
88 / B+
Tasted by Mike Supple - 22 Aug 2008
Dark ruby core with a lighter rim. Roasted oak and coffee with a lot of wet slate over aromas of ripe red and black cherries with a lingering floral note and a whiff of smoked ham. Good acidity on the palate keeps it fresh and juicy. Cranberry and roasted cherries are joined by a touch of earth and smoky game on the finish. Touch heat on mid, hint bitter on finish. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot.
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Tags: 2005, Andrew, cabernet, cherry, coffee, Columbia, cranberry, earth, floral, game, ham, merlot, oak, red wine, Ross, sauvignon, slate, smoke, USA, valley, Washington
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