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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2006 Veramonte Primus

On January 21, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Primusicon by Veramonte from Chile. This Bordeaux style blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah, 17% Merlot and 16% Carmenere is available for around $20. Kudos to Veramonte for such good labeling of the varietal percentage used.

Day One

I’ve just opened this wine and let it breathe for only 30 minutes.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark purple with a dark ruby rim.

Aroma

On the nose there is quite a bit of oak at first. Next there are dark berries including black berry and mulberry components. In addition, there is a hint of strawberry. Overall it has a good nose and isn’t shy.

Flavor

Loads of oak throughout this wine. It is a bit challenging to find the flavor of the wine. It finishes a little too hot for me as well. It has a medium to full body and on the attack there is some dark cherry and black berry. The mid-palate shows some sour cherry and dry tannins. The finish is long and dominated by the oak with some herbaceous notes such as oregano and thyme. I really like the tannins. It will pair well with smoked meat and strong flavored cheese.

Rating

This wine is not a good match for my palate. I rate it 81 points.

Day Two

The wine has now been open for over 24 hours and was re-corked after Day One.

Aroma

The oak is still quite prominent on the nose of this wine. There are also good components of strawberries, black currant and blackberries. A hint of mint is also noticeable.

Flavor

Blackberries on the attack quickly replaced by black cherry. The mid palate has some nice sour cherry and the finish is really hot with a herbaceous touch. The tannins are impressive, so this wine is probably going to last for a very long time. The only really big difference from the prior day is the intensity of the cherry which has improved the flavor.

Rating

This wine is not an easy wine to drink and isn’t showing well at this stage. As such it isn’t a match for my palate. I rate it 83 points.

Summary

Although this wine improved over time, it never really became enjoyable. It is well made and has some great tannins but needs better fruit for me to really get into it.

Have you had it? If so, did it match your palate?

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2007 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon

On January 11, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon from the Maipo Valley region of Chile. This bottle of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon was purchased for under $8. It is aged in French oak for 4-6 months.

Color

In the glass it is a very dark garnet color.

Aroma

The nose has a hefty component of red currant and mint. There is also a oak component present and it hides some of the earthiness.

Flavor

On the attack there is some sweet cherry flavors and the mid-palate starts to get green. It is a mix of the cherry and blackberry with asparagus and celery. It finishes with nice tannins, vanilla and oak. This is a medium bodied wine that actually is food friendly. It will pair well with beef or chocolate.

Rating

I like some of the flavors found in this wine and I give Santa Ema credit for not turning it into a syrupy mess. I rate it 86 points.

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2007 TerraNoble Reserva Carmenere

On January 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 TerraNoble Reserva Carmenere from the Maule Valley region of Chile. This wine is from 95% Carmenere and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It can be found for under $12. This wine is aged for ten months in oak, followed by an additional eight months of aging in the bottle. This will be a multiple day tasting to see how the wine evolves after being uncorked.

Day One

The bottle has just been opened.

Color

In the glass it is deep purple with red edges.

Aroma

On the nose there is luscious black currant notes along with a hint of dark chocolate. There is also a substantial component of sulfur. It could offend those that are sensitive to the wet dog type of odors, but to me this is an intriguing wine.

Flavor

On the attack, I get some red raspberry. The mid-palate is chalky and has red-currant notes. It finishes with medium tannins and very nice cherry. Overall the fruit is very muted. The wine is well made and the oak is not overdone. It will pair well with pizza.

Rating

For my palate this is a little too ordinary for me to get excited. It is easy to see why Carmenere was thought to be Merlot in Chile for so many years. This drinks very similar to Merlot based wines. I rate it 86 points.

Day Two

The bottle has now been open for about 24 hours with only a wine stopper in place.

Aroma

Most of the sulfur component has disappeared from the prior day and the black currant is still showing well. There is also a ripe strawberry component contributing to the nice berry nose.

Flavor

On the attack the fruit is quite intense with good cherry and strawberry. The mid-palate is actually quite sweet with cherry dominating. The finish is long and a little hot. Overall the fruit is intense and a bit sweet. There are not vegetable flavors to note and there is no oak component either. This wine will pair well with tomato-based Italian dishes.

Rating

For me this is a decent Carmenere. I have had similar bottles for less than $10. I rate it 86 points.

Summary

It was interesting to see how this wine showed over time. It definitely opened up and the fruit went from being muted to being intense. It was sweeter than I would like. Overall it is a good wine, just nothing special.

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2008 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 19, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon from Wakely Vintners in Southeastern Australia. This wine continues my quest to find Eucalyptus in wine. I’ve previously tried the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. I found this bottle for under $7. One amusing observation is that Wakely Vinters hasn’t changed their tasting notes on the label over the last three years.

Color

As in prior vintages, the color in the glass is a nice dark purplish red.

Aroma

There is a bit more oak showing on the nose than the prior vintages. The Eucalyptus component is still strong. There is also a blackberry component.

Flavor

The oak is present on the attack. Much more so than in the 2007 and 2006 vintages. There is also some dark fruit such as blackberry and black currant. Black cherry is present on the mid-palate and the finish is a bit hot with more oak. Overall this wine is too sweet. Perhaps the fruit has been over extracted during the wine-making process. It will pair with barbecue.

Rating

I found this wine to be too sweet for my palate. I rate it 83 points.

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2006 Glass Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 16, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Glass Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon by Markham Vineyards in California. This is a blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot and Shiraz. It is aged in oak and I found it for under $6.

Color

In the glass, this wine is closer to a Pinot Noir than Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a bit thin.

Aroma

On the nose, this wine shows some blackberry and woody aromas. It also has a earthy component to it.

Flavor

The blackberry carries through from the nose to the attack on the palate. The mid-palate is pretty plain and it finishes with some oak. There is a little hint of cherries throughout. This is a very simple wine without much flavor other than oak.

Rating

I don’t recommend spending money on this wine. I rate it 75 points.

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2006 Beringer Founder’s Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 12, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Founder’s Estate California Cabernet Sauvignon by Beringer Vineyards in Napa. I located this common brand for under $6.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark ruby. Good, but not great color.

Aroma

There is obvious oak on the nose. Cedar and tobacco are also coming through. Black pepper is showing up. There is also a tiny amount of creme de cassis which is quite unusual. Not a bad nose at all.

Flavor

The attack is quite good with sweet cherries and black currant. The oak definitely begins to dominate on the mid-palate and finish. The finish is awkward and a bit hot. There are some sour tannins on the back-end which might disturb some palates. This wine is way too sweet for a cabernet sauvignon. It has some interesting flavors and a long finish.

Rating

I think this is a drinkable wine, but not something I can recommend. It definitely has a low price point, but there are some more interesting choices in this range. I rate it 82 points.

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2008 Carta Vieja Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 12, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Carta Vieja Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. The Vina Carta Vieja or “Old Letter” Vineyard is a very old vineyard in the history of Chile. Although I found this bottle for under $7, I know it is available for less.

Color

In the glass this wine is almost black. One of the darkest I have had in a while.

Aroma

On the nose it is full of dark fruit such as blackberries and black currant. There is also arugula and lettuce components showing.

Flavor

One of the things that hit me right away is that the mouth-feel of this wine is nice. It is heavy and almost chewy. On the attack it shows some black currant. The mid-palate has some black cherry. The finish is long and a little tannic. I suspect there is also some oak in it, but I am not sure how this wine was produced. Do you know if it is aged in oak barrels? Overall this is a big wine and will pair well with equally big dishes. Particularly grilled meats.

Rating

This is a good bottle of wine if not a bit plain. I rate it 87 points.

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2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 11, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

In my continuing quest to explore wines with Eucalyptus, today I am tasting the 2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon by Wakley Vintners in Australia. I have previously tasted the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. One really amusing thing about the 2006, 2007 and 2008 (review soon) is that Wakley didn’t even bother to change the description on the back label. Either they were very lazy or the vineyard produces remarkably consistent wine each year! I found this bottle with the plastic cork (screw-cap would be better) of Cabernet Sauvignon for under $7.

Color

As in prior vintages, the color in the glass is a nice dark purple.

Aroma

The aroma jumps out of the glass and is vibrant. Unlike the 2006 vintage, this 2007 vintage doesn’t show as much Eucalyptus. There is some present, but there is much more dark fruit showing. I get blackberry and black currant along with cedar.

Flavor

On the attack there is some black currant which is very nice. The mid-palate really gets interesting with black cherry and a lot of black currant. This wine disappears quickly and has a very lack-luster finish. The tannins are minuscule on the finish so don’t expect this wine to last long.

Rating

This wine had potential and definitely started out much more promising than the 2006, but in the end the finish was just too short and plain. I rate it 86 points. However, it is ever so slightly superior to the 2006 vintage.

Any guess as to how the 2008 will show?

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2007 Falesco Vitiano

On November 10, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the Falesco 2007 Vitiano Rosso from the Umbria region of Italy. I found this equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varietal wine for under $10. I have tried it in the past and sometimes found it to be a bit too tannic and disjointed. Hopefully this vintage is better. I’ve let it breathe for around 3 hours.

Color

In the glass this is a very dark ruby color. It is just gorgeous really.

Aroma

The nose on this wine isn’t pretty. What I mean by that is that it isn’t floral or over the top fruity. I like it a lot. It has dark fruit such as black currant and blackberries, but it shows more herb and bell peppers. It seems like a new world/old world combo on the nose.

Flavor

The attack has very nice dark fruit. I get black currant, black plum and cherry. During the mid-palate there is some vanilla and spice. It gets a bit hot at the end. Overall this is a nice wine and should pair well with food. It isn’t a fruit bomb and has more subtle vegetable flavors. If you are looking for something different then this is a good wine to taste.

Rating

I recommend this with and without food. Have you tried it? I rate it 89 points.

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