Viña Tarapacá Chardonnay 2004

Tasting notes are almost identical as the ones from July this year here so I will not reproduce them.

Neoklas Šardice Augustiniánský Sklep Sauvignon 2010 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Sauvignon 
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Slovácko sub appellation, Stavěšice village, Dubový vineyard
Vintage: 2010, lotte 53/10
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: very nice and expresive, gooseberry, lime, grass
Taste: lighter body, white currant, gooseberry, pleasant lime acidity
Recommended food pairing: salad
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: cork
I just like 2010 Sauvignons from Moravia! due to cold and difficult vintage they show more cool climate characteristics than typical new world Sauvignons or those from Moravia, but 2011 vintage, which was really hot. Nice grass in the nose is accompanied by gooseberry and lime both in the nose and the taste.

Patria Kobylí Sauvignon 2006 Výběr z Hroznů

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velke Pavlovice sub-appellation, Kobylí village, Holý kopec vineyard
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Residual sugar: 17.5g/l
Acidity: 5.8g/l
Color: golden yellow
Bouquet: canned gooseberry, mirabelle, straw tones, already showing pleasant bottleness
Taste: full body, dry peach, mango, notes of honey, at the end dry orange peel, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: I had it with risotto and it went very well
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
The wine aged very well due to natural residual sugar in it. comparing to last tasting almost two years ago here where you can find a picture of the label this time it is more towards dry fruit and complexity. Wines with higher residual sugar should be left in the cellar for some time to get proper roundness and not just sugar :)

Viña Albali Gran Reserva 2004 DO

Variety: Tempranillo
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Valdepenas
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium red with lighter meniscus
Bouquet: gentle wood tones,leather, cherries, spices
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, very good structured tannins supportted by plesant acidity,touch of vanilla, at the end bit of garnet apple, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: salami
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: cork
For the picture please refer to my February tasting of the same wine here. comparing to 9 months ago,it is very similar with vanilla more integrated into the wine. Good value/price bottle of wine.

Compagnia di Volpaia Citto Toscana 2009 IGT

Variety: main Sangiovese with touch of Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Tuscany 
Vintage: 2009  
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color:  Medium red with garnet meniscus 
Bouquet: very nice!, sour cherries with touch of black currant and good wood tones, hint of spices with cinnamon and clove being the most present
Taste: medium body, ripe sour cherries, higher acidity and mouth drying plesant tannins, which are nice and mainly not young and harsh, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: lasagne
Overall score: 86
Price: CZK 250
Stopper: cork
I really like this Sangiovese, it is much better than cheap Chianti wines. Although unoaked it has a kick with excellent balance between fruits and tannis, which are stemming out from the glass.

Vinařství Petr Skoupil André Exclusive 2010

Variety: 100% André
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Velké Bílovice village
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Residual sugar: o.6g/l
Acidity: 5.8g/l
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: small red pit fruits, wild cherries
Taste: medium body, fruity, wild small cherries with visible cidity most likely due to cold 2010 vntage, medium tannis, not harsh,  medium finish
Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score:  81
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
I am surprised by the classification as it it not reach the adjective like late harvest considering quite high alcohol the must must have had high sugar level. This is quite nice north style of wine of red, it has something to it, really :-) it it not as boring as average new world red:)

Chateau Bois de Favereau 2010 Bordeaux AOC

Variety: Merlot 60%, Cabernet Sauvignon 25%, Cabernet franc 15%
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Bordeaux
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium red with viloet hues
Bouquet: sour cherries, black currant, very fruity with good companion of wood
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, black currant, vanilla
Recommended food pairing: game food
Overall score: 85
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
Good value for Money Bordeaux, It still needs to be aged for 2 years to get rounder, but already shows good combination of fruits and wood

Menhir Salento Quota 29 2010 IGT

Variety: 100% Primitivo
Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Salento
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: black red with ruby meniscus
Bouquet: huge fruit, black overripe cherries, black chocolate
Taste: medium to full body, black overripe cherries, lower acidity, very sweet and round tannins, black chocolate, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate dessert
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: cork

Menhir Salento No. Zero 2010 IGT

Variety: 100% Negroamaro
Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Salento
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: black red with ruby meniscus
Bouquet: huge fruit, black currant, black cherries
Taste: medium to full body, black overripe sour cherries, underpinned by black currant with still higher acidity, black chocolate, slightly harsher tannins, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate dessert
Overall score: 86
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: cork
Fruit very concentrated bomb,it is still young to me and I would again leave it to age for 2 to 3 years. Excellent with black chocolate.

Gérard Bertrand Tautavel Grand Terroir 2007

Variety:  50% Grenache - 35% Syrah – 15% Carignan
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Languedoc-Roussillon
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: blackish red with violet tones
Bouquet: intense, black sour cherries, black chocolate, coffee, slight alcohol
Taste: full body, canned black cherries, good spiciness and acidity, smooth velvety tannis, black chocolate, black olives, warm and lingering longer finish
Recommended food pairing: duck liver pate
Overall score: 88
Price CZK 260
Stopper: single piece of cork
Excellent example of the CDR blend, although from languedoc. It is very dense, smooth, velvety and balancing the fruits with the coffee, chocolate and tannins. It is also perfect bottle maturity and as such tannins are very smooth and pleasant.

Alain Jaume & Fils Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Réserve 2010 AOC

Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 14,0%
Color: medium ruby red with violet tones
Bouquet: quite fruity, violets, black sour cherries, spices
Taste: medium to full body, forest fruit, especially blackberries accompanied by black sour cherries, good spiciness and acidity, still younger slightly unbalanced tannins, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: duck liver pate
Overall score: 87
Price CZK 260
Stopper: single piece of cork
Very good CDR, huge fruit, spiciness and good tannins. It is still young, needs 3 years to age to be drinkable and have much higher score.

Corinto Syrah 2010 Selection

Variety: 100% Syrah
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central valley
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Residual sugar: 2.8g/l
Acidity: 5.3g/l
Color: medium ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: balckberries, balck pepper, vanilla
Taste: medium body, not following the nose it is mainly straightforward fruitier type of Syrah, blackberries, sour cherries, medium tannins, spiciness, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score: 83
Price: CZK 250
Stopper:single piece cork
Average example of Syrah from Chile.

Corinto Merlot 2008 Selection

Variety: 100% Merlot 
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central valley
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Residual sugar: 2.4g/l
Acidity: 5.4g/l
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: cherries marmelade, dry fruits, vanilla
Taste: medium body, cherries preserve, smooth tannins, round, vanila, slight spiciness, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: beef stew
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 250
Stopper:single piece cork
Good example of Merlot at the peak bottle maturity. 

Morandé Pionero Pinot Noir 2006

Variety: 100 % Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Casablanca Valley
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: light bricky red
Bouquet: canned strawberries, touch of coffee, vanilla
Taste: medium to full body, strawberry preserve with coffee support and vanilla,very mild tannins and acidity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: game food
Overall score: 83
Price: CZK 200

Stopper: plastic cork
PN at the best of its bottle maturity, very smooth and mild with visible oak tones, which are nicely integrated into the wine.

Stapleton & Springer Pinot Noir 2009 Trkmanska

Variety: 100 % Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Bořetice village, Trkmanska vineyard
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: light garnet red with bricky meniscus, opaque
Bouquet: expressive, leather, forest strawberries, earth, vanilla
Taste: medium body, very smooth, strawberry preserve with nuts and vanilla, very good balance between fruit and acidity and tannins, nice lingering longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin in pancetta
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 480

Stopper: cork
Very god Pinot Noir, out of the 7 samples tasted this week this is clear winner, It has everything it needs to have: proper color, layered nose and smooth lingering taste:). Definitely to be stored in the cellar for another 5 years.

 

Vinselekt Michlovský Vinum Palaviense Rulandské modré 2007 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of origin:Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Novosedly village, Růžová hora vineyard
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: lighter red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: expressive, red cherries, raspberries, earth

Taste: medium body, very nice and smooth, sour cherries marmalade, some spicines, good acidity, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+7+7=87
Price: CZK 290
Stopper: single piece cork
I really like this PN. The nose is fantastic, full of structure and layers. Similar follows in the mouth
where you can feel perfect bottle maturity and smoothness.

Moravíno Valtice Rulandské modré 2010 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of origin:Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Mikulov village, Pod Svatým kopečkem vineyard
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: lighter garnet red with bricky meniscus
Bouquet: slightly restrained, even though the wine was opened for 24 hours, forest strawberries, cranberries
Taste: medium body, small red cherries, strawberry marmalade, smooth tannins, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: duck
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 220
Stopper: cork
Very good example of Pinot Noir from cold 2010 vintage. It is proper color, gentle nose and balanced acidity and small red fruits.

Vinařský dům Vinohrad Rulandské modré 2011 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of origin:Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Novosedly village, Růžová hora vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: lighter red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: red cherries, forest strawberries
Taste: medium body, small red wild cherries, cranberries, good acidity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: single piece cork
Fruitier style of Pinot with good acidity to keep it alive for aging. I would only add the barrel:)

Vinařství Lahofer Rulandské modré 2011 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Vrbovec village, Waldberg vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Residual sugar: 0.7 g/l
Acidity: 5.0 g/l
Color: medium ruby red with violet hues, quite dark for Pinot Noir
Bouquet: overripe black cherries, forest strawbwrries
Taste: medium body, similar to nose dominant fruit is overripe black cherries plums, slightly higher tannins, good acidiy, touch of even black chocolate, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate cake
Overall score: 83
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: single piece cork
Very untypical Pinot Noir. The color is most likely driven by much longer maceration on the skin, which resulted also in higher tannins. Not to be drank now, but I would be interested to leave it at least 5 years to age.

Alejandro Fernandez Dehesa la Granja 2005

Variety: Tempranillo
Country of origin: Spain 
Wine appellation: Castilla y León
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: dark ruby red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: cherries preserve, dry fruits,alcohol slightly standing out
Taste: medium body, cherries marmalade,  round and full mouth feel, touch of vanilla and good tannins, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fuet
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 400
Stopper: cork
Yes much better than the oxidative bottle tasted couple of day ago here. Still it does not reach 88 as I would have guessed couple of days ago and more over it does not reach el Vínculo, the wine only men would love..

Coto de Imaz Reserva 2005

Variety: Tempranillo
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Rioja
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: expressive, caned cherries, very gentle with vanilla and touch of smoke , after 30 minutes from the opening it opens very nicely
Taste: medium body, canned cherries, cherries marmalade, vanilla, very nicely structured and balanced, still very good acidity to keep it lasting, long finish.
Recommended food pairing: dry salami
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: cork
Very nice example of proper Rioja reserva, however I would still leave it in the cellar for 2 years to get more balanced and shaped, but overall very nice! 
P.S. i will re-taste it tomorrow to ceck the development

Finca La Estacada 12 meses en Barrica

Variety: Tempranillo
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Tierra de Castilla
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium red 
Bouquet: expressive, cherries with smoke aromas, black chocolate, earth
Taste: medium body, cherries, balanced fruit with acidity and tannins,hint of black chocolae, comparing to nose slight disappointment of almost flat profile in the mouth, medium finish.
Recommended food pairing: dry salami
Overall score: 83
Price: CZK 190
Stopper: cork
For me this was more structured in the nose than El Coto tasted just before that, however in case of the taste it is not as good a the nose and to  my surprise it feels slight flat oin the mouth..

El Coto Crianza 2008 DOCa

Variety: Tempranillo
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Rioja
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: lighter to medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: canned cherries, strawberry marmalade, vanilla
Taste: medium body, wild small cherries, small red pit fruits, slightly flatter body than I was used from the sme wine but older vintages, hint of vanilla, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: game
Overall score: 83
Price: CZK 220
Stopper: corkReasonable Crianza from Rioja, I remember this winery being much better even in this basic Crianza range.

Corolilla Bobal Viňas viejas Crianza 2008 DO

Variety: Bobal
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Utiel-Requena
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: canned cherries with hint of coffee tones, clove and smoke
Taste: medium body, cherries, going towards canned cherries, higher acidity with slight tannins, medium to longer finish.
Recommended food pairing: dry salami
Overall score: 80
Price: CZK 160
Stopper: cork
Regular Spanish all rounder with much better nose than taste.

Vinařství Lahofer Dornfelder 2011 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Dornfelder (Dornfelder is a dark-skinned variety of grape of German origin used for red wine.It was created by August Herold at the grape breeding institute in Weinsberg in the Württemberg region in 1955. Herold crossed the grape varieties Helfensteiner and Heroldrebe, the latter which bears his name, to create Dornfelder. Helfensteiner (Frühburgunder × Trollinger) and Heroldrebe (Blauer Portugieser × Lemberger [Blaufränkisch]) were both crosses created some decades earlier by Herold.
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Hostěradice village, Volné pole vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Residual sugar: 0.6 g/l
Acidity: 5.4 g/l
Color: blackish red with violet hues
Bouquet: overripe black cherries, overipe black sour cherries, blackberries
Taste: medium to full body, nice, smooth and round, overripe black cherries and black sour cherries, plums, black chocolate, amazing structure between fruits, acidity and tannins, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate cake
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: cork
Fantastic Dornfelder, it does not only have huge black cherries fruit, but also excellent velvety black chocolate tannins, which makes it perfectly balanced and drinkable.

Vinařský dům Vinohrad Cabernet Moravia 2011 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Cabernet Moravia
Country of origin:Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Horní Věstonice village, Pod Martinkou vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: dark ruby red with violet hues 
Bouquet: overripe black sour cherries, balck currant, green pepper
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, black currant, good acidity, spices, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: duck liver pate
Overall score: 84
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: cork
Very big fruity CM with dominant black sour cherries and black currant. It has a good structure due to hot 2011 vintage. Nice example of how this variety can be done.