Saturday, November 30, 2013

Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2004

September 2013 notes and scoring still applies

KWV Roodeberg 2008

VarietyCabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz-Merlot blend that spent 12 months in large oak barrels

Country of origin: South Africa
Wine appellation: Western Cape
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium ruby red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: canned red fruit, spices hint of coffee
Taste: medium body, caned cherries, just ripe blackberries, wild plums, less complex and full in the mid profile,  medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork chops
Overall score: 4+7+10+6+6+50=83
Price: CZK 200
Stopper:single piece cork
Good everyday wine, nothing very complex and structured, rather base wine to wash down some food.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Šlechtitelská stanice vinařská Velké Pavlovice Poštor André 2011 pozdní sběr

Variety: André
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub appellation, Velké Pavlovice village, Nadzahrady vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: dark violet red
Bouquet: overripe black sour cherries, blackberries
Taste: medium body, extreme fruit, black sour cherries, dense, still young and higher tannins (so typical for Andre!), nicely structured and layered, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: venison
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6+50=84
Price: CZK 190
Stopper: cork
I opened the wine to see the potential and whether to buy few bottles more. The answer is yes t both questions, whilst still being very young though. The wine needs at least 5 years in the cellar to get in proper shape.

Vinselekt Michlovský Rulandské modré 2011 kabinet

Variety: Pinot Noir

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velkopavlovická sub-appellation, Rakvice village, Trnkmansko vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: pale bricky red
Bouquetcranberries, red currant, wild sour cherries, gentle
Taste: medium body,  red currant,cranberries, good acidity, still feels slightly younger, with pnik grapefruit astringency at the end,  medium to longer warmer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 129
Stopper: cork
Interesting very pale version of PN with red currant and cranberries being the major fruit.  Comparing to my notes from October 2013 when I first got it  I scored it this time 2 points higher as it feel it better and rounder, however still very young designed to age for another 5 years.


Tierra y Hombre Pinot Noir 2012

My notes and scoring are the same as in October 2013. Easy going but quite nicely done Pinot.

Víno Marcinčák Rulandské modré 2006 výběr z hroznů

Variety: Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Novosedly village, Růžová hora vineyard
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium ruby red
Bouquet: very fruity, sour cherries, slightly less expressive
Taste: medium body, similar to nose the wine is very much fruity despite 7 years old, major fruit arre juicy red sour cherries, slightly higher acidity, hint of pink grapefruit at the end of the palate, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: duck liver pate
Overall score: 3+6+10+6+6=81
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: single piece cork
What is amazing on this wine is the huge fruit with almost no bottle maturity and darker and still ruby red color with slight violet tone despite the vintage.. Looking back at my notes from tasting of the same wine almost one year ago (where you can find the pics of the bottle) the wine moved very slightly and this movement was to its better side.

Cave de Beblenheim Riesling 2007

Variety: 100% Riesling

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Alsace
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: benzin, lemon crust in sugar
Taste: medium body,  similar to nose dominant is lemon supported with minerality, good lime acidity, and slightly herby character from bottle ageing, medium to longer finish with grapefruit character
Recommended food pairing: Schnitzel
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 129 in 2009
Stopper: single piece cork
Perfect bottle aged Riesling, for comparison please check my previous tastings of 2011 and 2007 vintages here (including the pics).

Bremerton Verdelho 2007

Notes and scoring is the same as in September 2013.

Quinta de S. Pedro de São Miguel do Outeiro Reserva 2009 DOC

Variety: Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Rufete, Aragonez a Alfrocheiro.

Country of origin: Portugal
Wine appellation: Dão
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium ruby red 
Bouquet:  cherries, spices, leather, oak
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, cranberries, pepper, good balance between fruit acidity and tannins,  medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6=86
Price: CZK 89
Stopper: single piece cork
Positive surprise considering the price. Very nice value indeed.

São Domingos Reserva 2010

Variety: Baga, Touriga Nacional
Country of origin: Portugal
Wine appellation: Beira Atlantico
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: very fruity, violet flowers, sour cherries, hint of animal tones
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, slightly higher acidity and tannins, feels young,  medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3+7+11+6+5=82
Price: CZK 89
Stopper: single piece cork
Very good value wine, needs time to age to smooth up.

Canepa Oak Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah 2004

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Colchagua valley
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium garnet red with bricky meniscus
Bouquet: black currant preserve, leather, hint of coffee
Taste: medium body, round, jammy tomes of black currant and forest fruit, smooth tannins, vanilla, black chololate, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score: 4+7+12+6+6+50=85
Price: CZK 250 in 2007
Stopper: single piece cork
Comparing my notes to tasting of the same wine in April 2013, where you can find the pictures, it looks like the wine is on its top.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Canepa Oak Aged Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah 2004

Tasting notes and scoring is the same as one month ago.

Bodegas San Huberto Malbec 2003

Variety: Malbec
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2003
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: deep black garnet red, slightly opaque
Bouquet: forest fruit marmalade, plum jam (povidla), coffee
Taste: medium body, similar to nose forest fruit marmalade, with support of pleasant acidity and still gentle mouth drying tannins, round profile, coffee at the end of the taste and very nice longer finish
Recommended food pairing: game food
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 200 in 2005
Stopper: cork (single piece)
Very good example of bottle aged Malbec. Round, good combination of fruit with tertiary tones, nicely long and persistent.

Durdovanský Veltlínské Zelené 2011 neskorý zber DSC

Variety: Gruner Veltliner

Country of origin: Slovak Republic
Wine appellation: Malé Karpaty, Modra sub-appellation, Chorvátsky Grob village
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: almonds, red apples
Taste: medium body, very neutral, red apples, hint of spices and almonds, medium  finish
Recommended food pairing: schnitzel
Overall score:4+6+9+5+4= 78
Price: EUR 7
Stopper: plastic cork
Not very good example of GV, feels a bit dull and not zesty. Worse Slovakian example than Ludvik tasted recently.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Merlot Reserva 2008

Variety: Merlot
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Rapel Valley
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: deep red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: cherries, vanilla
Taste: medium body, black cherries, sour cherries, rounder and softer mid plate with lower acidity, touch of vanilla, at the end hint of pink grapefruit, medium to longer slightly alcoholic finish
Recommended food pairing: BBQ
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: single piece cork
Decent Merlot from Chile, nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be excited about.

Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Tocornal

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appelation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13%
Color: medium ruby red with lighter meniscus
Bouquet: black currant, black sour cherries, hint of coffee
Taste: medium body, black currant sour cherries, good acidity, touch of coffee, medium to slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: beef steak
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: cork
Very good value price Cab Sauv from Cono Sur. What is good is the replacement of plastic cork for real cork in this base row.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country of origin: Australia
Wine appellation: South Eastern Australia
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium garnet red
Bouquet: black currant, mint, hint of oak
Taste: medium body, canned cherries, black currant, vanilla, oak,sweet tannins, lower acidity, medium to longer slightly alcoholic finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: cork
Good bottle maturity, sweeter new world character. Alcohol slightly standing out from the wine. Overall good value wine.

Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Vaillon 2010 Premier Cru

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Chablis
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light to medium yellow
Bouquet: gentle, lime, hazelnut, minerality
Taste: medium body, very nicely layered, minerality, lime acidity, nice structure, green apple, hint of hazelnut, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+9+14+7+8+50=92
Price: CZK 859
Stopper: cork (pressed from very small almost sand pieces)
Excellent finish of the evening. Superb Chablis. It has everything it needs:-) Check my tasting notes of the same wine, but 2011 vintage from April 2013.

Pascal Bouchard Chablis Les Vieilles Vignes 2009 AOC

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Chablis
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: lemon, hint of bottle tones
Taste: medium body, lime, red apple, less lively acidity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+5+50=83
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: cork (pressed from very small almost sand pieces)
Average Chablis, less zesty and lively I would expect.

Vinařství Volařík Ryzlink vlašský Železná 2012 pozdní sběr

Variety: Welsh Riesling

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub appellation, Perná village, Železná vineyard
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Residual sugar: 3.7g/l
Acidity: 5.6g/l
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: white flowers, citrus, minerality
Taste: medium to full body,rounder, lower acidity, mineral, white grapefruit,  medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3+8+12+6+7=86
Price: CZK 315
Stopper: single piece cork
Rounder style of WR. It is very mineral, I miss slightly the acidity.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Tesco Finest Beaujolais Villages Nouveau 2011 AOC

Variety: 100% Gamay

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Beaujolais
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: very fruity, raspberries, sour cherries
Taste:  medium body, straightforward, fruity,raspberries, cherries, pink grapefruit,  medium finish
Recommended food pairing: BBQ
Overall score: 3+6+10+5+4=78
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: screw cap
As this week was the third Thursday when Beaujolais Noveau was released I did not really feel like to have that young wine so I rather bought village AOC wine. Although it should be considered more serious than Noveau brother this bottle still is pretty basic wine. Svatomartinske is usually slightly better and cost half price:-).

Tesco Finest Alsace Gewurztraminer 2008

Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Alsace
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: golden yellow
Bouquet: expressive, rose petal, concentrated, spices
Taste: medium body, oily, litchi, honey, spices, dried orange crust, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: Asian food
Overall score: 5+8+12+6+7+50=88
Price CZK 170 in 2010
Stopper: plastic cork
Concentrated, expressive, oily GT in very good bottle maturity despite being sealed with plastic cork, which is usually very bad stopper. It is produced for Tesco by Kuehn winery.