2000 Spain
Medium bodied, with a deep red color. A fruity flavor, I would dare say cherries? Light on the after taste, a nice fresh tasting red.
4/5 fleur dis lis
Monday, January 28, 2008
Vinos Pinol Ludovicus Terra Alta
2005 Spain
This was a while ago, and i forgot to post it but my memory of the wine is a fond one. It was dry with a heavy body. It oddly had a type of fishy flavor but it did not put me off of the wine. I think it would complement a red sauce very well.
3/5 fleur dis lis
This was a while ago, and i forgot to post it but my memory of the wine is a fond one. It was dry with a heavy body. It oddly had a type of fishy flavor but it did not put me off of the wine. I think it would complement a red sauce very well.
3/5 fleur dis lis
Monday, January 21, 2008
La Posta Malbec 06
Pizezella Family Vineyard, La Consulta, Mendoza; $16
The bouquet comprises spice box and exotic scents. Light body, very little tannin. Magenta color. Flavors linger for quite a long time. It's fantastic. There was a bit of sediment in the neck due to BevMo's careless treatment of wine (this should've been in the bottom corner if it was racked properly and wouldn't be a problem if poured slowly or decanted). All in all, it's a very easy-going wine with nice exotic flavors which makes it a pleasure to drink (I drank it with pita bread and red-pepper hummus and it didn't overwhelm the light meal).
The bouquet comprises spice box and exotic scents. Light body, very little tannin. Magenta color. Flavors linger for quite a long time. It's fantastic. There was a bit of sediment in the neck due to BevMo's careless treatment of wine (this should've been in the bottom corner if it was racked properly and wouldn't be a problem if poured slowly or decanted). All in all, it's a very easy-going wine with nice exotic flavors which makes it a pleasure to drink (I drank it with pita bread and red-pepper hummus and it didn't overwhelm the light meal).
Chateau d'Aigueville 05
Côtes-du-Rhône
Nice berry flavors, but it's a bit softer than I like. Some pepper on the nose with a little bit of green. Medium body. I have no idea how much I paid for it, but I'll say it's a good $12 wine, but a bad $20 wine.
Nice berry flavors, but it's a bit softer than I like. Some pepper on the nose with a little bit of green. Medium body. I have no idea how much I paid for it, but I'll say it's a good $12 wine, but a bad $20 wine.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Cicchitti Blend
05, Malbec & CS; Mendoza, Arg.
My third delicious Malbec in a row. If I had to rank my favorite <$15 Malbecs, I'd say Pascual Toso, Cicchitti, Alamos. All from the 05 vintage, all from Mendoza.
This blend (60% Malbec) had a fairly strong bouquet of tobacco and leather. Dark, inky purple in color. Medium body with a solid tannic backbone. The tannins masked some of the plum flavors that I slightly tasted. Overall, it was very quaffable without a lot of complexity. I would purchase again and pair with a sausage pizza or something of the like.
My third delicious Malbec in a row. If I had to rank my favorite <$15 Malbecs, I'd say Pascual Toso, Cicchitti, Alamos. All from the 05 vintage, all from Mendoza.
This blend (60% Malbec) had a fairly strong bouquet of tobacco and leather. Dark, inky purple in color. Medium body with a solid tannic backbone. The tannins masked some of the plum flavors that I slightly tasted. Overall, it was very quaffable without a lot of complexity. I would purchase again and pair with a sausage pizza or something of the like.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Domaine Chante Cigale
04 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. ~$15 K&L
This needed to breathe. When I first opened her, on Friday, she was way over the top. She had a strong bouquet of ripe fruit and alcohol. The first glass was a bit overwhelming and I didn't find it immediately enjoyable. I decided to cork the bottle and leave it out for a few days.
On Sunday, I tried her again. She calmed down, significantly. It's stunning how much wine can change over time... The wine has a nose of cassis and black pepper. She still had a bit of the heat, but the fruit seemed to have opened up enough to give her more balance. It's almost as if the grenache backed off and the syrah took over. She was very balanced and full-bodied. Secondary flavors were reminiscent of bacon, smoke, and oak.
I'll repurchase, but decant next time.
This needed to breathe. When I first opened her, on Friday, she was way over the top. She had a strong bouquet of ripe fruit and alcohol. The first glass was a bit overwhelming and I didn't find it immediately enjoyable. I decided to cork the bottle and leave it out for a few days.
On Sunday, I tried her again. She calmed down, significantly. It's stunning how much wine can change over time... The wine has a nose of cassis and black pepper. She still had a bit of the heat, but the fruit seemed to have opened up enough to give her more balance. It's almost as if the grenache backed off and the syrah took over. She was very balanced and full-bodied. Secondary flavors were reminiscent of bacon, smoke, and oak.
I'll repurchase, but decant next time.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Oakley Five Reds
03, Cline; Oakley, CA, $12
Pairing: Chateaubriand, rare (deliciously cooked by me) and bleu cheese after dinner.
I've never had a Cline I didn't like. I've never had a wine from Oakley. I've never had a mix of Syrah, Zin, Petite Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, and Mourvedre. I couldn't pass this chance up.
I was impressed, very. Split over 2 days, the wine was much more lively on the first day; on the second, she lost some of her brawniness, which was a bad thing for this brash wine.
Very dark color. Aromatic of ripe fruit and peppers on the nose. The best thing about this wine is that the initial sensation is heaviness and brawniness, yet it settles down mid-sip into a much smoother layer. Considering the first three grapes listed are some of the richest, I was amazed at how she transformed into an easy sensation of tobacco and black pepper. This is actually a wine that I'd like to keep in a cellar for a while. It reminds me of a Northern Rhone and will probably age well.
Very good. Great price. Repurchase.
Pairing: Chateaubriand, rare (deliciously cooked by me) and bleu cheese after dinner.
I've never had a Cline I didn't like. I've never had a wine from Oakley. I've never had a mix of Syrah, Zin, Petite Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, and Mourvedre. I couldn't pass this chance up.
I was impressed, very. Split over 2 days, the wine was much more lively on the first day; on the second, she lost some of her brawniness, which was a bad thing for this brash wine.
Very dark color. Aromatic of ripe fruit and peppers on the nose. The best thing about this wine is that the initial sensation is heaviness and brawniness, yet it settles down mid-sip into a much smoother layer. Considering the first three grapes listed are some of the richest, I was amazed at how she transformed into an easy sensation of tobacco and black pepper. This is actually a wine that I'd like to keep in a cellar for a while. It reminds me of a Northern Rhone and will probably age well.
Very good. Great price. Repurchase.
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