2005 Château De Saint Philippe

On February 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Chateau De Saint Philippe Cotes de Castillon from the Bordeaux region of France. It was purchased for under $11. Cotes de Castillon is an AOC on the right bank region of Bordeaux where the wines are Merlot based and also contain some Cabernet Franc. I do not know the percentages for this wine. Do you?

Color

In the glass it is a dark garnet color.

Aroma

Notes of blackberry are prevalent on the nose of this wine. It also shows some black plums and a hint of raspberries. Overall a good nose.

Flavor

On the attack there is a good amount of chalky, earthiness to it. The blackberry transitions form the nose. The mid-palate has very faint notes of cherry and it finishes with mild tannins and cherries. This is a light to medium-bodied wine. Thinner than I expected, a bit simple and the fruit is too bland. It pairs well with pasta dishes and burgers.

Rating

This was a little bit disappointing. I was hoping to have found a good value from a minor AOC. I rate this 82 points.

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2008 Doulce France Vouvray Alfio Moriconi Selection

On February 7, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Doulce France Vouvray by Bougrier Depuis from France. Like most Vouvray wines, this is probably made from 100% Chenin Blanc. I acquired this bottle for under $10. Although it has Doulce (Sweet) in the name the back label declares it to be “OFF-DRY”. Vouvray wines come in sec, demi-sec (off-dry), moelleux and doux levels of sweetness with sec being the most dry. So, I am excited to try this demi-sec version.

Color

In the glass this wine is a nice pale yellow straw color.

Aroma

On the nose there is a dominate lemon component. It is accompanied by green apple and pear. There is a hint of a floral component such as lilies. Overall it comes across as fresh and showing the aromas of raw fruits. Very pleasant.

Flavor

On the attack there is peach and apple. The mid-palate has some honeydew melon in the mix and it finishes with a hint of lemon and red grapefruit. This is a sweet wine. I was a little surprised at how sweet it tastes. Not a lot of acidity but will pair well with a desert that isn’t too sweet. I am thinking of a pound cake or lemon cake.

Rating

For my palate this wine was a bit too sweet and awkward. Perhaps I need to find a sec or even a sec-sec (dry-dry) Vouvray next. I rate it 82 points.

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2007 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Cabernet Sauvignon Los Vascos

On February 6, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon from Colchagua Valley in Chile. This bottle of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was purchased for under $8.

Color

In the glass this wine is dark ruby red.

Aroma

A strong blackberry component dominates the nose. It is quite aromatic and also has some black currant, black pepper and bell pepper. Nice nose.

Flavor

On the attack there is black currant and some mild tannins. The mid-palate starts to get very green. What I mean by that is that instead of the sweet fruit of some wines, this wine shows lots of vegetables. I get asparagus, celery, turnips and even a little tomato juice. The finish shows more of the dry tannins and a bit of sour cherry. This is definitely not a fruit bomb. It is really dry and green and I like the fact that the oak treatment is not prominent, so you can taste the flavors. It is medium bodied and will pair well with pizza and pasta dishes.

Rating

I like this wine. It is unusual and you have to know your palate to determine if it is a match. If you prefer sweet, oaky, fruity Cabernet Sauvignons then avoid this wine. I rate it 87 points.

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2009 Anakena Sauvignon Blanc

On February 5, 2010, In White, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 Anakena Sauvignon Blanc from the Valle Central of Chile. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc based wine was purchased for under $8 and comes attractively packaged with a Double Headed Duck engraving. This wine is not aged in oak barrels. I’ve previously reviewed the 2007 Anakena Sauvignon Blanc, so it will be interesting to compare these vintages.

Color

In the glass it is surprisingly golden for a Sauvignon Blanc that has seen no oak. Very attractive.

Aroma

On the nose there are lime and grapefruit components. It comes across as very fresh and full of citric acid notes.

Flavor

The lemon and lime shows well on the attack with more of a lemon custard component on the mid-palate which is really nice. The finish is little hot but showing good acidity and grapefruit. The flavors linger for a decent amount of time. This wine is food friendly and will pair with salads, shrimp, and lighter fish.

Rating

This is a simple but decent Sauvignon Blanc. It doesn’t have any incredibly interesting flavors that make it notable on its own, but I recommend it be consumed with a meal. I rate it 86 points.

I found this vintage to be about as pleasing as the 2007, although the flavors and aromas do vary. Have you compared vintages over time? Did you see any changes in the flavors and aromas or do you think your palate might have also changed over time?

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2007 Dominio de Eguren Tempranillo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla

On February 3, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Tempranillo by Eguren from Spain. This Tempranillo based wine was purchased for under $8.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark purple, but very thin.

Aroma

On the nose there is black currant and oak. There is also a licorice component and damp leaf litter from the forest floor. Not uncommon for this varietal.

Flavor

On the attack it is simple. With nothing much more that a sweet raspberry note. The mid-palate then explodes with sour cherries which hang around through the finish and are combined with smoky flavor that lingers. This is a light-bodied wine and doesn’t have many 2nd or 3rd tier flavors that bigger wines bring, but the sour cherry is very strong. It will pair well with pork and herbed chicken.

Rating

I find this wine very easy to drink and could see it working well as a food pairing during the week. I rate it 84 points.

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2008 Domaine de la Presidente Côtes du Rhône Grands Classiques

On February 2, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Cotes du Rhone Grands Classiques by Domaine de la Presidente from the Southern Rhone region of France. This Rhone blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Carignan was purchase for under $10.

Color

In the glass it is a light, but bright ruby red.

Aroma

This is a very aromatic wine. It is bursting out of the glass and taking over the room. Strawberry and red currant are definitely present on the initial inhale. There is also a earthy clay aroma. Overall the nose has no artificial notes.

Flavor

On the attack there is a cherry component. The mid-palate has more of a sour cherry cola flavor. The finish has some mild but enjoyable tannins and a little heat, but not much else. Unfortunately, the finish does disappear quickly. This is a wine that will be at its best when consumed with food. On its own, it is just too light and simple. It will pair with pork and turkey.

Rating

For my palate, this wine is not a good match by itself. It does work with food. I rate it 80 points.

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2007 Grao Vasco Dao Tinto

On February 1, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Grao Vasco Dao Red wine from the Dao region of Portugal. This blend of Jaen, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Nacional grape varietals was acquired for under $7.

Color

In the glass it is a beautiful dark red almost turning black at times.

Aroma

On the nose there is a strong sulfur component which gives it an earthy characteristic. This is complemented by some fruit notes such as strawberry and blackberry. I also get a hint of green pepper and black pepper.

Flavor

The attack has strawberry and is sweet. The mid-palate continues with strawberry and then sour cherry starts to show. The finish is relatively quick with a bit of black cherry. This is a medium to light bodied wine and comes across as fresh. It is food friendly and will pair with many dishes, but on it’s own it is plain.

Rating

This is not a complex wine, but is easy to drink. I rate it 83 points. Have you tried it? What aroma and/or flavors did you get?

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2007 Errazuriz Single Vineyard Carmenere

On January 31, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Single Vineyard Carmenere by Vina Errazuriz from the Don Maximiano Estate in the Aconcagua Valley of Chile. You can find some great notes on the harvesting and production of this 97% Carmenere and 3% Syrah based wine. This wine can generally be found for around $15.

Color

In the glass this wine shows excellent color of dark purple.

Aroma

The nose makes you immediately aware of the 12 months in new oak barrels that this wine was aged. It also exhibits a piney menthol note which might be some eucalyptus showing. There is good blackberry components along with a intriguing red beet aroma.

Flavor

On the attack the blackberry is dominant, followed up by sweet blueberries. The mid-palate exhibits cherry flavor with good tannins. The finish again shows some oak but also a bit too much alcohol. This wine is rated at 14.5% alcohol. The wine starts with a thick sweet nature and ends hot and dry. Quite a roller coaster on the palate. After breathing for a while, it starts to show some red fruit components such as strawberry on the mid-palate. Also of note is the length of the finish which is quite impressive. This is a big wine and will pair well with steak or blue cheese.

Rating

I enjoyed this wine, particularly after letting it open up some. It should age nicely. I rate it 89 points.

This wine has been reviewed by a lot of other bloggers and it is interesting to see what aromas and flavors they detected. How about you?

Here are some of those reviews for you to check out:

CheapWineRatings.com

A Good Time With Wine

2 Days Per Bottle

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2008 La Joya Reserve Merlot

On January 28, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 La Joya Reserve Merlot by Vinas Bisquertt from the Colchagua Valley of Chile. This 100% Merlot based wine is aged in Oak for about 10 months and was purchased for under $9.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red color.

Aroma

There is an earthy component which comes through. It is definitely like rock and soil. Other pleasing aromas include ripe dark fruit and a good cocoa note.

Flavor

On the attack there is some sweet black plum flavor which transitions to a mid-palate of cherry and good tannins. The finish shows a little oak and is a bit too hot from the alcohol. There is also a nice hint of sour cherry on the finish. At first I thought this was going to be over extracted and syrupy, but it isn’t and has a good body to it. It pairs well with chocolate.

Rating

This is a solid wine. Oddly, the wine label describes red fruits, but I never got any. I rate it 87 points.

If you have had this wine, did you get any red fruit flavor or aroma?

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2008 Spier Pinotage

On January 25, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Spier Pinotage from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa. I assume this wine is made from 100% Pinotage grapes. It was acquired for under $10. Pinotageicon is a interesting grape that is a cross of Pinot noir and Cinsaut. It is widely associated with South Africa and is noted for sometimes having a Banana aroma.

Color

In the glass, this wine shows a nice thin garnet color.

Aroma

On the nose there is definitely banana. It is not really the peel, but more the fleshy inside fruit portion. It is very obvious on this wine and not one of those subtle aromas that is hard to detect. In addition there are also blackberry and mint components. I also get a hint of black cherry. Overall it is great and intriguing nose.

Flavor

On the attack there is dark plum. The mid-palate has cherries and a hint of creamy vanilla. The long finish is extraordinary with smoke, tobacco, and white pepper. This wine is very dry and medium to full-bodied. I detect no tannins so drink it young. It will pair well with BBQ meats.

Rating

I think the variety of flavors and aromas offered by this wine make it a winner. Don’t be fooled into thinking it will be a fruity red wine. It is definitely not. I rate it 88 points.

Have you tried a Pinotage?

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