2008 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon

On May 28, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon from the Valle Central region of Chile. I applaud Cono Sur for their commitment to CarbonNeutral delivery of this product. This wine was purchased for under $8 and is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 3% Syrah and 2% Carmenere. I have previously had the 2007 Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon, so it will be interesting to compare them.

Color

In the glass it is a dark purplish red color.

Aroma

There is a lot of blackberry and black currant on the nose of this wine. It is almost like a cobbler. That is to say it is very much a cooked or over ripe fruit aroma. There is a also a mint component. It is a rich full nose.

Flavor

This is definitely a fruit-forward, new world style of wine. I like the fact that it is not heavily oaked. The attack is more a mix of black and red currant. In the mid-palate I get some cherry flavors and then the finish has some minor tannins and a bit of a beef jerky note. Perhaps it is better described as a smoky note. The finish is longer than I would have expected.

Rating

For the price this is a decent everyday wine. It goes with strong flavored dishes, but for sipping on its own I find it a bit sweet for my palate. I rate it 85 points.

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2008 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Monte Oton

On May 27, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Monte Oton Garnacha by Bodegas Borsaoicon from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. This 100% Garnacha (Grenache) base wine was acquired for under $8. I’ve previously had the 2008 Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja Red Wine and the 2007 Bodegas Borsao Red Wine which are blends of Garnacha and Tempranillo grapes.

Color

In the glass this wine is a nice dark garnet color.

Aroma

The first component I noticed on the nose is strawberry. There is also a woody, oak note along with a damp soil component with is nicely balanced with the fruit. An unusual pomegranate aroma is also present.

Flavor

On the attack there is a fruity character with some cherry. It transitions to a complex mid-palate with dark chocolate, chili pepper, and vegetables. There is butternut squash, tomato and eggplant. All are very minor but combine to give it a green character. The finish is herbal and shows some tannins. This is a medium bodied wine which is food friendly.

Rating

This is an interesting wine and definitely complex enough to make it a value for the money. I rate it 86 points.

Have you tried this one?

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2007 Martín Códax Rioja Ergo

On May 24, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Martin Codax Ergoicon from the Rioja region of Spain. This wine was acquired for under $10 and is primarily made of Tempranillo grapes. Bodegas Martin Codax is known more for the vineyards in Rias Baixas, so it will be interesting to try this wine from the Ebro River valley.

Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red in color.

Aroma

On the nose this wine is showing a combination of dark and red fruit such as blackberry and strawberry. Typical of a Rioja wine there is also a component of oak and cedar. There is a hint of earthiness which is quite nice.

Flavor

The attack shows some strawberry and an unusual beet flavor. In the mid-palate there is a pleasant black cherry note and it finishes with more of the oak driven components. This is a medium-bodied wine and works well with grilled meats.

Rating

For my palate, this wine is an average match. The oak isn’t too offensive, but the flavors aren’t that noticeable either. I think there are many similar wines from Spain for around the same price point. I rate it 85 points.

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Monetization

On May 14, 2010, In Uncategorized, By dcpatton

As we build out the features for PalateMatch, we’ve been considering how to make enough money to pay for the service. I thought it would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Here are a couple of ideas:

  1. PalateMatch is going to provide useful ways for you to identify wines that match your palate and ways to determine what your palate is in regards to likes and dislikes. So given the service it could provide, one possible extension is to then sell products that are a good match for you via an affiliate relationship. This affiliate relationship would need to be transparent and the identification of wines could not have any relationship to the affiliate relationship.
  2. Running advertisements on the site. Online advertisements could provide enough money to make the service sustainable. Particularly if the users of the site are a well defined and desirable demographic to the advertisers. Would sign-up data help in this regard and how much could be collected without being intrusive?

What additional methods of monetization (subscriptions, …)  might be feasible for a service like PalateMatch?

Thanks for your thoughts and helping us make this a great service for you.

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2007 Almira Los Dos

On May 12, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Almira Los Dosicon from the Campo de Borja region of Spain. This wine is 85% Grenache (Granacha) and 15% Syrah and I acquired it for under $8. Los Dos or “both” is not aged in oak and is one of the signature offerings of Almira. The other is Los Dos En Barrica which is aged in oak.

Color

In the glass, the wine is a pretty red. Not super dark, but adequate.

Aroma

This wine literally takes over the room. The nose is intense with blackberries and black currant. There is also some earth components. Wet rich soil comes through. I also get some strawberries and red cherries. This is a great nose!

Flavor

On the attack, Los Dos is full of sweet fruit, but not over the top. The strawberry and red cherry flavors are there. The mid-palate is first class with a complex combination of cherries and hints of strawberry, black pepper and raspberry. The finish is very long and fruity. The tannins are soft and sweet, so drink this now. This is a medium-bodied red wine and it will pair with most cheese and meat dishes.

Rating

I highly recommend this wine. I am very impressed by the blend and style. The fruit and terroir are at their best here without any interference from oak. Great job Almira. I rate it 92 points. It also represents very good value.

If you haven’t tried this, I suggest you try it soon. If you have, what did you think of it?

My Wines Direct 6 Wines for $79, 468x60

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Organic Coaching

On May 11, 2010, In Education, By dcpatton

Eco Tourism

Laurie Forster, The Wine Coach, gives some good information about the environmental bottle labeling and policies of vineyards in her Green Vineyards post. Check it out to learn about organic wines, organically grown grapes, sulfites, biodynamics, and sustainability.

Now if only the USDA or FDA would standardize labeling so that we knew exactly what we are consuming.

What is your experience with discerning environmentally friendly wine?

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2008 Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

On May 10, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon by Concha y Toro from the Central Valley of Chile. This “Cellar of the Devil” wine bottle was purchased for under $9. It is aged for 8 months in oak

Color

In the glass this wine is a light garnet red in color.

Aroma

On the nose, there is a earthy, dirty aroma at first. Then I detect some blackberry and black cherry notes. There is also a hint of greenness with bell pepper and even an unusual hay note. Not a bad nose at all.

Flavor

The attack has quite a bit of fruit. There is blackberry and black cherry in it. It is a tad too sweet for me. The mid-palate gets interesting with a flavor I associate with the skin of a dark plum. The finish is seriously different and has a strong herbal component. It seems to be some combination of thyme and parsley. This is a medium bodied wine and benefits from breathing several hours before you pour it. Otherwise the aromas and flavors are a bit muted.

Rating

For the price I recommend trying this wine. Just be aware of some sugar on the palate. I rate it 87 points.

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2008 Chateau Los Boldos Carmenere Momentos

On May 2, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Momentos de Chile Carmenere by Chateau Los Boldos from the Valle de Rapel in Chile. This wine was purchased for under $10 and made of 100% Carmenere grapes with aging of 6 months in Oak. I previously tried the 2009 Chateau Los Boldos Sauvignon Blanc Momentos, so it will be interesting to see how Chile’s flagship grape fairs from this producer.

Color

In the glass this wine is almost like a Pinot Noir in color.

Aroma

There is a strong earth component to the nose of this wine. However, the primary note is blackberry. I also get a hint of mulberries after it has been allowed to fully open up. Overall it is a good nose, if a bit simple.

Flavor

On the attack and mid-palate this wine shows a lot of dark plum flavor. Throughout, I also note a smoky component which strikes me as unique for a Carmenere. The finish is herbal with a similarity to dried basil. This is a medium bodied wine that won’t over power food with too much fruit or sugar. It is not showing a lot of tannin structure, so drink it early.

Rating

For my palate this wine was very harmless. It had no unpleasant notes. Unfortunately it doesn’t stand out much either. I rate it 85 points.

Have you tried this wine? How did you like it? Where there any unusual flavors or aromas in it?

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