Archive for the ‘$50 to $100’ Category
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
One of the three single vineyard wines offered by this Mornington Peninsula producer. A lovely nose. Cherries, spice, minerals, lightly stewed rhubarb and just a whiff of the camp fire. A similarly impressive palate, fruit driven with a touch of minerals and earth, tangy and perhaps a little sweet. Youthful but displaying lovely texture and great length. This was my second bottle of this wine in the past few months; the first had a bit of a soapy finish, but this one was fine. Sealed under screwcap. 13.5% abv. RRP $70. Drink 2010-2015. 92 points based upon this bottle.
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Mornington Peninsula, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Picked a bottle of something I hadn’t ever tried before from the racks last night, and as I was extracting a long and high quality cork from the neck of it, I prayed I wasn’t committing vinocide. An intriguing nose: savoury, dried meats and spice, with cherries, stones, vanilla, nuts and black earth, and a touch of caramel. The palate was beautifully textured and structured, dark cherries and plums, tobacco, earth and meats. Great length with perhaps the acid showing a bit on the finish. Probably cost in the mid $80s. Drink 2010-2019. 92 points
Posted in $50 to $100, Italy, Notes, Price, Sangiovese, Tuscany, Varietal/Style | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
Raisins, plums, olives, black pepper and warm spice lead through to sweet fruits, raspberries and light plums, blackberries and liquorice, sweet spices and some minerals, with a almost syrupy character. Some warmth on the finish, but its cuddly rather than rasping. Still quite youthful, and perhaps needs a couple more years, though it is very drinkable now. In hindsight, perhaps a bit out of balance. Hmmmm. Showing the vintage characteristics. 86 points. Drink 2010-2015. 14.5% abv. $57.50 from a Langtons auction.
Posted in $50 to $100, France, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rhone, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Sunday, August 15th, 2010
I went to The Wine Emporium yesterday to collect some Barolo, as well as the new Crittenden Spanish offerings, and a bottle of this wine. I have enjoyed Bindi wines in the past, and this was also very enjoyable. Pleasantly spiced red fruits, cherries, a touch of rhubarb and tomato flesh, brown sugar and spice. The palate is fresh and fleshy, cherry fruits and spice, relatively simple at the moment, but presenting good flavours. Sealed under Diam. $55. 87+ points. Drink 2012-2016.
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Macedon, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | No Comments »
Saturday, July 3rd, 2010
Not sure where this bottle came from. Hopefully I wasn’t cellaring it for someone else. Still a good red colour. A ripe nose, plums more than cherries, Christmas spices, old dried meat, some spirit and a bit of acetone. An acid driven palate, some lighter fruit, cherries and cranberries, dry woody spices, some alcohol warmth, and a chemically bite on the finish. A bit lumpy with quite simple flavours (compared to the aromatics); more of a dry red style. Cannot see this going anywhere good. Drink now. Sealed under screwcap. 14.5% abv. 85 points.
Posted in $50 to $100, New Zealand, Notes, Otago, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | 1 Comment »
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
A blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Garnacha. A complex and intriguing nose, showing red fruits with a touch of mulberries, earth, pretty aromatics like rose petals, and spices like mace, with mushrooms, malt and roasted nuts. A lot going on. The palate follows on from the nose, with terrific balance, beautifully smooth and creamy in texture, slightly nutty and oh so gnawish. On the fuller side of medium bodied and very satisfying with some cooler weather. This is good – can I have some more? $60 on purchase. 14% abc. Drink over the short term, perhaps now-2012 or 2013. 92 points.
Posted in $50 to $100, Grenache, Notes, Price, Rioja, Spain, Tempranillo, Varietal/Style | 1 Comment »
Thursday, July 1st, 2010
I must say I was pleased to get a sample of this wine recently; it is one of my favourite styles of Shiraz and a tremendous producer. A deep red/purple in colour. A luscious nose, offering red currants, raspberries, cinnamon, peppercorns and some creaminess; nuanced and layered. The palate is similarly impressive, red fruited with a touch of dark plums and cherries, liquorice and a dash of spice; fine tannins, medium bodied and a lovely sense of balance and restraint. Excellent length, and should handle some cellaring. A six pack buy for me, budgetary constraints permitting. Winery sample, with a RRP of $85. 14.5% abv. Drink 2012-2017+. 95 points.
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Grampians, Notes, Price, Shiraz, Varietal/Style | 4 Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Initially quite a delicate nose: red cherries and cranberries, some stalk and smoke and a touch of sap. With time it broadened and the cherry fruits seemed a bit liqueured. On the palate simple cherry fruits with some sappyness and a slightly soapy finish. Nice texture but very much a lighter style. Got a bit better with time but remained unconvincing. Now I have seen some glowing reviews of this wine, and I really did want to like more, but when the cold hard light of morning streamed through an unwashed Riedel glass, it was pretty boring. That said, given the marque, I will put this down to a poor bottle. Sealed under screwcap. $55 on purchase. 14.0% abv. Drink 2010-2014. 83? points.
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Mornington Peninsula, Notes, Pinot Noir, Price, Varietal/Style | 2 Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
Just a short note on this one. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet Franc from the Whalebone Vineyard in Wrattonbully. On the nose, milk chocolate, blackcurrants, mulberries, iodine and a touch of tomato leaf and smokiness. The palate is nicely tannined and pleasantly textured, showing red and black fruits with dusty spices, a creamy mouthfeel and a leafy edge. Lovely balance, and very easy drinking indeed. Sealed under cork. About $70 on release I think. 14.5% abv. Drink 2010-2017. 93 points
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Price, Varietal/Style, Wrattonbully | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
2007 was a good year in the Hunter for reds. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 14% Petit Verdot. Opened for 4 hours before tasting. Colour-wise, a black core with red edges. Smell-wise, black fruits, cola, cedar, vanilla, herbs and a touch of sarsaparilla. Young. Taste-wise, currants and raspberries, earth and spice, cloves, cedar, savoury fruits with a drying edge. Smooth with good tannins. A touch of something tinny or metallic on the finish, but only a smidge. Lovely drinking now and should do 10 years plus, as is typical for the marque. Sealed under cork. $55. 13% abv. Drink 2010-2017+. 92 points.
Posted in $50 to $100, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hunter Valley, Notes, Price, Varietal/Style | 2 Comments »