Alan’s July 5, 2008 Vintages Release Tasting Notes

As I write these notes, I am sipping on a pint or two of Fullers hand pulled London Pride cask reserve bitter on a delightfully sunny day in England’s picturesque Cotswold country side. To be perfectly honest, focusing on wine is tough. Birds are chirping, the sound of the brook is calming and the view of the rural countryside is simply mind blowing. My next beer is poured and now sits in front of me. I wait in anticipation as the beige coloured mass of gas and liquid slowly evolves to become a pint of England’s finest. First sip is rich and creamy. Its texture is silky, there is a kiss of bitterness on the palate. It has nice malt/hoppy notes, a hint of caramel and a lovely long dry finish. Ok, concentrate on the wine! July 5th, lots of nice Italian wines, sadly many at prices too steep for me. Nonetheless, as always, a bargain or two can be found.

020313 GRGICH HILLS MERLOT 2004 Napa Valley, Estate Grown $57.95
A solid example of Napa Valley Merlot, laden with aromas of raspberry, black cherry, black toffee, mineral and a note of spicy arugula. The palate has plenty of grip, solid fruit flavours, spice and silky tannin. Don’t be in a rush to drink, it will hold well. Find this wine

673780 TWO TONE FARM CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2004 California $20.95
A pleasant wine with notes of tea, blackcurrant and cherry. The palate is medium bodied, the acids are refreshing. There is a sweet oaky note on the finish. Find this wine
 

510628 CHATEAU REYNELLA BASKET PRESSED SHIRAZ 2005 McLaren Vale, South Australia $34.95
Dark and inky, chock full of tempting whiffs of pepper, lavender, fresh cut flowers and ripe dark fruit. Blueberry, blackberry and mineral flavours scream across a palate that shows balance and good structure. Having drunk several older vintages of Reynella’s Shiraz, I can vouch that they do age well. The silky tannins on the finish suggest this vintage will not disappoint. Find this wine

543454 DEVIL'S LAIR RED 2003 Margaret River, Western Australia $49.95
One densely sculptured wine, full of black licorice, shoe polish, thyme, cinnamon and Asian spice. The palate is solid and tight, packed with dark fruit, licorice and chocolate. The finish has ultra length, with just enough blackberry acid and subtle oak. Find this wine

069179 ANTONIN RODET SAVIGNY-LÈS-BEAUNE LES MARCONNETS 2006 1er Cru $33.95
A nose of cedar, cured meat, bright fruit and a little sulphur note that does blow off. The palate shows some hard tannin that shuts down the fruit and there is a note of heat on the finish. Find this wine

922211 TUMARA TITAN 2003 Stellenbosch South Africa $15.95
Although the blend is a carbon copy of Bordeaux, the similarity stops there. The aromas conjure up notes of walnut, mahogany, treacle and milk chocolate. The palate however, shows a layer of sweet blackcurrant, powdery chocolate and sweet vanilla. I will buy a couple of bottles as it is well crafted and quite unique. Find this wine

069013 DUVERGEY-TABOUREAU GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 2005 $43.95
Full of dark fruit, bramble, sweet spice and pepper. The palate is spicy, it is tight, but there is a lovely layer of pure black raspberry fruit. Nice, but nothing special. Find this wine

017764 HECHT & BANNIER MINERVOIS 2005 $21.95
A fragrant nose of mineral, coal dust, black cherry and vanilla. Upfront the fruit seems powerful, there are peppery flavours, some tight tannin, but the fruit pales on the close. I will try this again though as there is potential for something tasty down the road. Find this wine

728139 CLOS DU CALVAIRE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2006 $35.95
This is fun, lots of ripe fruit, tar, pastrami and lavender. It has a fruit forward palate, with sweet cherry, arugula and pepper on the finish. Quite a tasty wine, it seems void of tannin making it enjoyable now. Find this wine

324822 DOMAINE DE BEAURENARD CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2005 $46.95
The eminent Mr. Parker praises this wine highly. I like the nose; it throws off red cherry, plum, dried mushroom and wet soil aromas. The palate has a weird sweet plastic texture. There is some spice and red berry on the palate, while the finish feels hot and shows little fruit. Find this wine

073924 DOMAINE JAUME VINSOBRES ALTITUDE 420 2005 $19.95
As Vinsobres was awarded its own AC in 2005, the wine appears without Côtes du Rhône-Villages on its label. It has nice layers of black fruit, toasty oak, lead pencil and licorice. The palate does not compare to the nose, it seems lighter than expected. Perhaps a little time in a decanter might help. It is balanced, clean and holds little if any tannin. Find this wine

718932 CHÂTEAU LE RAZ CUVÉE GRAND CHÊNE 2005 Côtes de Bergerac $18.95
A solid, dense and earthy mineral laden wine showing tar, licorice, graphite and blackberry aromas. Its palate peaks with a gratifying dose of black cherry and currant. The finish has the right amount of black fruit acidity, more mineral and soft dusty tannin. Find this wine

986380 ANTINORI GUADO AL TASSO 2004 Bolgheri Superiore $81.95
Floral, sweet spice, smoky almost charcoal notes, plum skin and a blast of pure dark fruit combine to render a beautiful nose. The palate is a mix of fruit, mineral, thyme and silky tannin with a long and very tasty finish. Find this wine

072397 ARGIANO NON CONFUNDITUR 2005 IGT Toscana $26.95
Another interesting nose, and a value minded price tag, showing cedar, straw, smoked ham, leather, plum and blackberry. It is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and rounded out with 20% Syrah. It features a palate of strawberry, black fruit, mineral and balanced acidity. Find this wine

735597 SETTE PONTI ORENO 2005 IGT Toscana $77.95
A non traditional nose of Thai basil, Szechwan peppercorn, mineral, lavender, plum and black fruit. It is powerful on the palate, it's dense, there is a ton of fruit waiting to explode from behind the veil of spicy ripe tannin. The finish is superb and has that energizer bunny syndrome.  Find this wine

072439 TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2004 IGT Toscana $67.95
Guidalberto is a unification of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Sangiovese. It is earthy and comes with aromas of hay, spice, black fruit and chocolate. Well balanced, lots of plumy and damson flavours and good length on the finish.
Find this wine

719864 MONSANTO CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2004 $39.95
Coffee, clove, iron, raspberry and cherry create a pleasing combination on the nose as the palate shows interesting mineral notes and a decent concentration of fruit. It lacks acidity on the finish, but nonetheless it is very tasty. Find this wine

065854 CANNETO VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO 2003 $39.95
Star anise and fennel seed give way to a layer of black fruit and mineral. It promises much on the nose, but the palate is lame in comparison. Find this wine

021410 CABRIZ RESERVA 2004 Dão Portugal $18.95
A dark wine featuring aromas of coal dust, mineral, iron and a whack of sweet blackcurrant jam. It has flavours of black fruit, caramel, bubblegum and tea. The finish is decent and the balance is well done. Find this wine

080424 PERFIL 2005 Douro Portugal $18.95
Floral and grapey nose with a backdrop of caramel, balsamic, lavender and Herbes de Provence. Its palate is mineral based, quite dusty. There are clearly some astringent tannins to be resolved and I believe it could use a touch more acid. Find this wine

080333 QUINTA DO VALDOEIRO TOURIGA NACIONAL 2006 Bairrada Portugal $21.95
Again, I might like this wine if there was more crispness to it. It has tons of sweet floral aromas, lots of black cherry and it is intense. It just falls flat on the finish. Find this wine

723643 BERONIA TEMPRANILLO ELABORACIÓN ESPECIAL 2006 Rioja Spain $18.95
New American oak shows its style here with perfumed aromas of coconut, smoke, blackcurrant and blueberry. It is predictably sweet and creamy on the palate, but the fruit is solid and the acids are in balance. Find this wine
 

Perfect timing, another pint please!

Cheers
CZ

BACK TO THE TOP