January 2018 - Another Year of Wine

Weather can't make up it's mind

2009 Passalacqua Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma, Ca

Tasting Notes

The 2009 vintage of Block Two shows an intriguing note of cola on the nose, deepening into dark, luscious black plum flavors on the palate. The fruit is complemented by toasted oak, nice acidity and smooth tannins softened by two years of aging in Demptos French barrels. This is the perfect companion to your Cabernet dishes such as crispy roasted duck with plum glaze.

Gift from my Brother – a very nice bottle of Sonoma Cabernet. Just enough bottle age to have smooth tannins, with a nice fruit flavor throughout the moderate finish. Very nice.

 2013 d’Arneberg GSM Stump Jump, McLaren Vale, Australia                                                    

Winemaker Notes

From raspberry and rhubarb to cedar and soot. Aromas jump unimpeded from the glass. The medium weighted palate is similarly expressive, its impressive array of fruit given lift and vibrancy by an equally scintillating line of acidity. Towards the finish, chalky tannins sweep across the tongue, adding savouriness and crunch. Bright Grenache, earthy Shiraz, and spicy Mourvedre marry harmoniously in this ever popular GSM.

Blend: 48% Grenache, 27% Shiraz, 25% Mourvedre

Critical Acclaim  RP           89           Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2013 The Stump Jump Grenache / Shiraz / Mourvèdre displays a gorgeous kirsch, black raspberry and dried mint-scented nose with hints of anise and roses. Medium-bodied, it packs in the spicy berry coulis flavors with soft, velvety tannins and an herbal lift on the long finish.

As always, a steady fun wine that gives good fruit, nuances of herbs and floral with a nice finish. Used to drink o lot of this over the years, just haven’t done as much Aussie wines as I used to. I want to say it was on sale for$10, well worth the money.

2015 Le Monde Cabernet Franc  Grave, Friuli, Italy

Grapes / Soils    Cabernet Franc                 Planted 1980      Clay and Calcareous        3 ha

The Wine             Vineyard Profile                               Soil Composition:  Argilaceous, Calcareous

Training Method:  Guyot              Elevation (feet):  60

Exposure:  North South Year Vineyard Planted:  1980

Harvest Notes   Harvest Time:  Early October       First vintage of this wine:  2008

Fermentation Container:  Stainless steel                               Length of alcoholic fermentation:  18 days

Aging container:  Stainless steel & Oak barrel. 30-40% of the wine is aged in a combination of first and second passage barrique, 9 HL tonneau and 50 HL French oak barrels for 4-6 months.

Winemaker's Notes

Color: Intense red ruby with garnet tints.

Nose: Rich, persistent bouquet with intense hints of jam, good intensity, balanced.

Flavor: Elegant, aromatic and highly persistent. Light in the mouth, with good expansion and acidity enabling good balance.

Somewhat light bodied wine – flavors were pleasant but not memorable. Priced around $15, a maybe…

2015 Fabre Montmayou Reserve Cabernet Franc, Mendoza, Argentina

About the Wine

Cabernet Franc has traditionally been used in small amounts as a blending grape in Mendoza, adding a savory component to Malbec based bottlings. In recent years winemakers have realized that Mendoza’s terroir is fantastic for the varietal as it is warm enough to fully ripen the grape thus avoiding pyrazine (green) flavors, yet cool enough at night to preserve complexity and balance.

This bottling comes from vines in the high altitude sub-district of Agrelo, and Decanter magazine called Fabre’s Cabernet Franc Reserva the “Best Example of New World Cabernet Franc under $20" at their 2014 World Wine Awards.

Vintage: 2015 | Wine Type: Red Wine 

Varietal: Cabernet Franc

Origin: Argentina | Appellation: Vistalba, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza 

Elaboration: Hand picked grapes harvested from April 15th - April 18th. 60% of the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months 

Winemaker: Hervé J. Fabre 

Tasting Notes

 A brilliant, crunchy wine with aromas of mint and black fruit. There's so much energy here with a flood of sweet black fruit flavours. Very precise with enormous length and silky tannins. A rich expression.

This was a very nice Cab Franc – fairly long flavors of red and black fruit with herbs scattered throughout. Moderate finish – nice wine for about $15.

2015 Steele Cabernet Franc, Lake County, CA

Aromas are of raspberry and cassis with peppery undertones, on the palate you will find blueberry and raspberry fruit, with notes of coffee and cocoa; medium tannins and a lingering finish

The richly tannic texture of this full-bodied, well-balanced wine makes it a pleasure to sip, supporting ripe fruit flavors and a generous dash of oak spice. Concentration, layering and depth all add to the enjoyment.

Broader nose on the wine, the aromas are followed by the flavor of raspberry and blueberry with mocha and some spice undertones. Mild tannins and a moderate finish – very nice bottle at around $20.

2013 Domaine De Pallus, Les Pensees de Pallus, Chinon, Loire Valley, France

2013 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Pensees de Pallus is a dark ruby-colored.  The 2013 Chinon Les Pensées de Pallus Cabernet Franc offers a nicely matured and sweet red fruit aroma intertwined with floral aromas like licorice and violets, but also crystalline or earthy/vegetal flavors. Silky-textured, fresh and vital, with a stunning finesse and charming sweetness, this is a pretty Burgundian Chinon with a long and aromatic, seriously concentrated finish.

This Cab Franc had that hint of violet in it that I find very attractive. It had red fruits with hints of earthiness on a moderate long finish with integrated tannins. Costs around $20, very nice bottle.

2012 Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Saint Cosme, France                                    

Winemaker Notes

Gigondas 2012 is very good. It contains the typical freshness of a good Saint Cosme and it will age well. It is well built. It is complex and it shines like the wine that gets good acidity. On the nose you will get nice red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry with underlying qualities of violets and white pepper.

Critical Acclaim  RP           92           Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Moving to the releases in barrel, the 2012 Gigondas (60% Grenache and the balance mostly Mourvedre, with some Syrah) has plenty of potential, with juicy black raspberry, sweet spice, licorice and toasty notes as well as medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Nicely balanced, it shows the purity of the vintage, as well as a relatively approachable style that should allow it to drink nicely on release.

I have always loved the wine from Gigondas; more like a poor man’s Chateaunuf-de-Pape. I got this closed out under $20 – it was a great bottle that went so well with beef. Still has a long finish with mild tannins - the fruit is still holding up well and the nuances of flavors are just awesome. You ought to get some

Well, I hope you survive Flu Season. Meanwhile, keep popping those corks and I'll meet you out behind the grapevines...