Sunday, August 26, 2012

Kaituna Hills Pinot Grigio 2011

Variety: Pinot Grigio
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: very fruity and citrusy, lime, white grapefruit
Taste: medium to full body, tangerine, lime, white grapefruit, good acidity, at the end slight bitterness, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: screw cap 
Reasonable Pinot Grigio, it slightly lack more zestiness and has a bit more alcohol than I would expect. If they left 12.5% with touch of residual sugar the wine would score even higher.


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Víno Marcinčák Modrý portugal 2007 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Blauer Portugieser
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Novosedly village, Slunečná vineyard
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: dark garnet red with lighter watery meniscus
Bouquet: very expressive, dominant red cherries, vanilla
Taste: medium body, very gentle, balanced, excellent combination of acidity and fruit, dominant black overripe cherries nicely complemented by vanilla tones, slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin
Overall score: 85
Price: CZK 229
Stopper: cork
This wine was big positive surprise to me. I did not expect anything serious considering previous wines from the same variety, but I was mistaken. This reminded me Rouci from Stapleton Springer, nicely aged, excellent fruit complemented by the vanilla. High extract.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Vinařství Lahofer Sauvignon 2010 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Dobšice village,  U Hájků vineyard
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 11.0%
Residual sugar: 11.3 g/l
Acidity: 8.3 g/l
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: very extractive,mineral, nettle, black currant leave
Taste: light to medium body, very refreshing and zesty, high lime acidity nicely accompanied by slight residual sugar,dominant white currant and white grapefruit,  extremely well drinkable, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
Stunning example of Sauvignon Blanc. It has very good acidity given the 2010 vintage nicely accompanied by 11 grams of residual sugar making it very nicely balanced and drinkable.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Kaituna Hills Pinot Noir Rose 2011

Variety: Pinot Noir  
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: light strawberry red
Bouquet: cherries, strawberries
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, pink grapefruit, good acidity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: salad
Overall score: 82
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: screw cap 
I expected much more, this is average rose, pity is that it is less refreshing than I thought would be given the New Zealand cool climate. Also color is darker than it should be, it is almost color of red not rose Pinot Noir.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Znovín Znojmo Chardonnay 2006 výběr z hroznů


Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Country of origin: Czech Republic  
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Vrbovec village, Vinná hora vineyard
Vintage: 2006 series 6007
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet: overripe pineapple, dry fruits
Taste: medium body,bread with good round structure, good minerality and good bottle maturity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: hard cheese
Overall score: 86
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
Very good mineral and structured Chardonnay with good round body and balance between fruit and bready tones.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Ventisquero Sauvignon Blanc Reserva Especial 2011

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Casablanca Valley, Tapiwey Vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: less expressive, gooseberry
Taste: medium body, gooseberry, tropical fruit, peach, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: vegetable salad with balsamico and parmigiano reggiano
Overall score: 82
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: screw cap
For me this was slight disappointment as I Expected more from Vina Ventisquero. 

M&S Kaituna Hills Kaituna Blue Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: watery yellow
Bouquet: cut grass, white currant, gooseberry
Taste: medium body, white grapefruit, white currant, gooseberry, good acidity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: screw cap
Very refreshing, less passion fruit than one would expect with very good acidity and dominant white grapefruit in the taste. Lat year vintage received commended from IWC. It is good value/price wine.