2005 Chateau Chantemerle

On March 8, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2005 Chateau Chantemerle from the Medoc region of France. This is a Merlot based Bordeaux blend and was purchased for under $12. The 2005 vintage was a classic year for Bordeaux so it will be interesting to see what this wine brings to the table. If you know the percentage of grape varieties that makeup this wine, I love for you to share it in the comments.

Color

In the glass this wine is a good ruby red shade.

Aroma

Heavy oak on the nose of this wine. I also detect some blackberry notes. Unfortunately it is not showing much else right now.

Flavor

On the attack there is black currant and plums. The mid-palate has black cherry and asparagus. Finishes with sour cherry and an herbaceous, woody note. This is a medium bodied wine with big tannins. It is quite astringent and needs to breathe or be put away for a while. I’d love to have some blue cheese with it.

Rating

What this wine lacked on the nose, it made up for on the palate. This is a nice break from the fruit bombs of the New World. I like it, but wish it had less oak. I rate it 86 points.

Have you tried a Medoc wine from 2005?

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2008 Conquista Malbec

On February 12, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Conquista Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina. This Malbec based wine was acquired for under $9. I believe it is a blend of 88% Malbec, 6% Bonardo, 3% Shiraz and 3% Merlot. Anybody got the details? One interesting note is that Bonardo is produced more than Malbec in Mendoza. It is also known as Bonarda or Charbono.

Color

In the glass this wine is a dark garnet red.

Aroma

Blackberry and strawberry mix together on the nose of this wine. I also get a refreshing peppermint component. There are also earthy, clay notes showing as well.

Flavor

On the attack there is a sweet plum flavor with blackberry and black cherry in the mid-palate. The tannins on the finish are big and last for a good length. The alcohol is kept in check and there is some vanilla too. This is a good wine to drink on its own or pair with grilled vegetables and meats.

Rating

My only complaint about this wine was that seems a bit muted and lacks acidity. But for the price I can’t complain too much. I bet it will match many readers palates well. I rate it 86 points. Have you had it?

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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 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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2006 Veramonte Primus

On January 21, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Primus 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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2009 Porta Merlot

On December 15, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2009 Porta Merlot by Porta Winery (part of Viñedos y Bodegas Córpora) from the Valle Central in Chile. I am not sure if this is 100% Merlot or not. Do you know? I located this bottle for under $7. It features a screw-cap. Yeah!

Color

Very nice dark purple in the glass.

Aroma

Nice dark fruit on the nose. Blackberry and black plums along with a mint component. There is also something funky going on. It could be from an oak barrel, but I don’t know if this was barrel aged or not. Do you?

Flavor

The attack shows black currant and red currant. It isn’t overly sweet. The mid-palate exhibits some good cherry flavors. The finish has some interesting vegetal aspects. There is cherry still, but it is combined with black tea and anise. This is a medium bodied wine and will pair well with pasta.

Rating

This interesting wine is a good table wine for pasta and pizza. I rate it 84 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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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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2008 Gumdale Merlot

On November 8, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Merlot by Wakely Vintners in Australia. I found this for under $7 and the only complaint I have about the packaging is a desire for a screw cap. I previously found the 2007 Gumdale Merlot to be a good value.

Color

This wine is ruby red in the glass. A little too thin.

Aroma

The wine shows good black pepper on the nose combined with other herbs and vegetables. I detect red currants as well. This wine is pretty strong aromatically overall with a hint of oak.

Flavor

I get quite a bit of oak right off the bat along with some good blackberries. The mid-palate has cherry and the finish has some coffee and spice. This wine is young and a bit hot. It is labeled as 13.5% alcohol. I’d like to see the fruit more in balance with the alcohol so that it would finish smoother. Nice tannic structure on the finish. This would make a good pizza wine.

Rating

Unless you are a true Merlot fan, then I would not recommend this wine. I think the Gumdale Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon (and blends) are superior. I rate this 85 points.

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2007 Santa Carolina Reserva Merlot

On November 6, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Reserva Merlot by Santa Carolina from Chile. Vina Santa Carolina was founded in 1875. This Bordeaux like blend of 85% Merlot, 10% Carmenere and 5% Syrah is aged in oak barrels for 9 months and I found it for under $10.

Color

The color is a nice dark red.

Aroma

I can smell the oak right off the bat. Almost like a cedar smell to it. There is also dark fruit on the nose. Blackberry and plum.

Flavor

The attack is very good with fruit. Blackberries, black currant and black cherries are present. The mid-palate is very strong with cherries and vanilla present. The finish is long. There is a little oak on the finish and some spice. This Merlot has a nice body and mouth feel. It is excellent by itself, but also should complement bleu cheese, pork and chicken dishes.

Rating

I really like this wine and highly recommend you try it. It is one of the best Merlots I’ve had recently. I rate it 90 points.

Have you tried any Santa Carolina wines?

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