2009 La Vieille Ferme (Perrin & Fils) Côtes du Ventoux Rosé

On July 28, 2010, In Rose, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 La Vieille Ferme Roseicon from the Cotes du Ventoux in France. This blend of Grenache and Cinsault grapes was purchased for under $7.

Color

Darker in color than some other Rose wines. It is a slightly metallic pink.

Aroma

On the nose I detect a strong floral note. It shows rose petals along with a hint of minerals. There are fruit components including guava and strawberry. Overall it is a weak nose and I had to work hard to find those aromas.

Flavor

The palate is also not very exciting. There are flavors of cherry and strawberry on the attack and mid-palate. It finishes with a note of honeysuckle. This wine is a dry wine which will help it pair well with salads and other lighter dishes

Rating

For my palate, this wine is definitely not a match. I tried it warm and chilled. Both ways, I found it to be too bland. I rate it 75 points.

Have you tried this wine? I am sure others like it more than I do and that is great that it is in tune with their palate. Anyone recommend a dry rose with a bit more flavor and aroma?

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2009 Maipe Malbec

On July 25, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 Maipe Malbec from Proviva S.R.L. in Mendoza, Argentina. This 100% Malbec wine was purchased for under $9 and is partially aged (10%) in oak for 3 months. I previously have tasted the 2008 Maipe Malbec and I really liked the complexity on the palate.

Color

In the glass this wine is an attractive dark purple in color.

Aroma

I love the strong nose of this wine. It has some funky earthy notes when first opened. After breathing there are notes of raspberry and mint showing. Solid nose of a Malbec.

Flavor

The palate starts with a sweet attack of raspberry and blackberry. This is followed by black cherry on the mid-palate with a great cherry note in the 3rd quarter. It finishes just a tad hot with some red fruit. I don’t find this wine to be oaky and I enjoyed the finish. The tannins are mild, but the fruit doesn’t come across as a heavy syrup style. I found it to be a medium bodied wine. Although it doesn’t strike me as being a complete fruit bomb, this wine is certainly New World.

Rating

I enjoyed this wine and recommend it as an easy to drink red wine with some complexity. I rate it 89 points.

Have you tried it? What flavors and aromas did you detect? Interestingly, I didn’t enjoy the 2009 as much as when I tried the 2008 in the past. I don’t believe the vintages differed that much, so I suspect my palate is changing. Have you noted any change in your palate through the years?

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2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon

On July 14, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Haras estate Cabernet Sauvignon by Vina Haras from the Maipo Valley of Chile. This wine is made from 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13.5% Syrah, and 1.5 % Cabernet Franc grapes. It was purchased for under $10. It was aged for 12 months in oak barrels.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark garnet in color. It seems a bit darker than others, perhaps due to the Syrah.

Aroma

There is a raspberry component on the nose combined with a bit of mint. I also detect the oak as a cedar note. However the fruit on the nose is quite strong and so the oak is kept in check.

Flavor

On the attack this wine is not the fruit bomb the nose led me to expect. There are some blackberry notes at the beginning but then the mid-palate is good with vegetable components which I appreciate. The finish has a nice length and shows some sour cherry and dark chocolate. Although the alcohol level is high this wine is not hot and remains relatively smooth throughout. It should complement bold food well. It is medium-bodied.

Rating

I like this Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a solid wine and really works well if you are looking for a dry wine. I rate it 88 points.

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2008 Hacienda Araucano (Lurton) Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva

On July 13, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from Valle de Colchagua in Chile. This Cabernet Sauvignon based wine was purchased for under $11. The Araucano is a very interesting tree in Chile and let’s hope this wine is as interesting.

Color

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

Aroma

On the nose this wine exhibits a very good earthy component combined with ripe blackberry notes. In addition there is a hint of cloves and some cedar. Not a bad nose but it definitely indicates a New World style.

Flavor

On the attack I detect lots of dark cherry notes which are quite sweet. The mid-palate has some sour cherry joining the sweet fruit and the finish is long with medium tannins. I found the finish to be a little too hot. Considering that this wine is 13.5% alcohol, I would have expected the fruit to keep the heat in check.

Rating

This Cabernet Sauvignon was not a good match for me and I believe there are better choices at this price range. I found the fruit to be too simple, sweet and syrupy for me. I rate it 84 points.

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