Saturday, August 31, 2013

Vinařství Přítluky Zweigeltrebe Rosé 2012 kabinet

Final bottle of my best Rose of this summer literally finished at the end of the summer accompanying our pumpkin risotto at very hot day:-). For all tastings of this wine please follow the link.

Vinařství Petr Skoupil Hibernal 2010 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Hibernal
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Velké Bílovice village, Přední hora vineyard
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Residual sugar: 2.9g/l
Acidity: 7.9g/l
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: very subtle, not very expressive, it needed one hour to open up, hint of lime
Taste: medium body, white grapefruit, lime peel, white currant, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+5+11+6+5=81
Price: CZK 240
Stopper: cork
Being from cool 2010 vintage I expected something more, the wine is just OK, it does not have the spiciness  and freshness typical for Hibernal.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Viña Tarapacá Rosé 2012

Variety: Not stated
Country of origin: Chille
Wine appellation: Central valley
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: very pale red
Bouquet: sour cherries, red currant, hint of pink grapefruit, touch of spiciness
Taste: medium body, rounder style, red currant, pink grapefruit, hint of bitterness at the end, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: salmon
Overall score: 4+6+10+5+5=81
Price: CZK 109 (promotion), regular price CZK199
Stopper: single piece cork
It does not state the varieties on the label, but I would guess it contains Syrah grapes due to spiciness in the nose and hint in the taste. Generally good wine for the price I bought it for, but there are far better rosés from Moravia with much more live and zestiness in them:-).

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Stormhoek Chardonnay Viognier 2008

Tasting notes and description are pretty much similar to June 2013 and February 2013. This is now definitely food wine. We had it with pasta and walnut Gorgonzola sauce and it went very nice:-)

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Vinselekt Michlovský Sauvignon 2011 pozdní sběr

This is the discovery of this summer. One of the best Sauvignon Blanc tasted this summer and what is amazing is the price:-). Scoring and notes as week ago.

Doña Paula Paula Chardonnay 2008

Notes and scoring is the same as in July 28, 2013 and July 18, 2013.

Vinextra 99

Ntes and scoring did not change from January 2013.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Stanislav Mádl Chardonnay barrique 2009 pozdní sběr

Looking back at my June 2013 notes and scoring there is almost nothing, which changed:-)

Habánské sklepy Rulandské šedé 2012 pozdní sběr

Variety: Pinot Gris
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov region sub-appelation, Sedlec village
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: honey, flowers, orange peel, 
Taste: medium body, round, honey, orange marmelade, hint of spices and good acidity supported by hint of residual sugar, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: Manchego cheese
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6+50=86
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: single piece cork
Very good PG, knowing the ageing of Habanske Sklepy it wil only improve with time:-).

Vinselekt Michlovský Zweigeltrebe 2011 kabinet

Variety: Zweigelt
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub appellation, Sedlec village, Sedlecko vineyard
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light pink, pink flowers, 
Bouquet: expressive, peony flowers, raspberries
Taste: medium body, excellent fruit, raspberries, white cherries, very good acidity and zestiness, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: on its own to enjoy the hot summer day or salad
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6+50=86
Price: CZK 139
Stopper: cork
For me the second best rosé of this year, it is very similar to my favorite Zweigelt from Přítluky. I bough only one bottle to try and for sure will get couple more before the summer ends.


Herbarium Moravicum Sauvignon Blanc 2010 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 0509110044)

The wine was tasted previously in August 21 2013,  August 13 2013 and for the first time in October 2011. Notes and scoring is similar to August 13 2013. What is good that the hint of residual sugar is balance by quite high acidity and as such it goes very well with oriental cuisine.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Tanzberg Pinot Gris 2008 pozdní sběr

Variety: Pinot Gris
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Perna village, Turold vineyard
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet: expressive, minerality, honey, orange peel, spicines, herbs, feels oily(do not know how to described it better)
Taste: medium to full body, very mineral, dry orange peel, spiciness, round, but it does not taste sweet as the nose might be suggesting, medium to nicely longer lingering finish
Recommended food pairing: cheese cake
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+7=85
Price: CZK 250
Stopper; cork
Very nice properly aged PG with lots of minerality and herbs.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Peter Mertes Turmfalke Grauer Burgunder 2007

Variety: Pinot Grigio
Country of origin: Germany
Wine appellation: Rheinhessen 
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet:expressive, herby aromas followed by orange peel and spiciness
Taste: medium body, citrusy, lime and orange accompanied by slight biscuit or yeasty tones, feel zesty and lightly sparkling like young wine, although it is not sparkling at all,  medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: matured cheese
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6=86
Price: CZK 150 in 2008
Stopper: screw cap
Very nice indeed. See my tasting notes from January 2013 and Setember 2012, where are the pictures of the bottle.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2005

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc  
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium yellow, very shiny
Bouquet: concentrated, herby, gooseberry
Taste: medium body, canned gooseberry, spices, dry lemon crust in sugar, nice bottleness, medium to slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6+50=84
Price: CZK 399
Stopper: screw cap 
Following my favorite bottle of this summer 2007 vintage tasted 5 times here, I found 2005 in the cellar and I was really interested to check whether it is OK and it was very interesting! The wine is not oxidated at all (I opened oxidated bottle of different Sauvignon from NZ just 15 minutes ago:)) and rather show very nice gooseberry and herby aromas. It is not as fresh as 2007 vintage, but this shows that the wine does age even under screw cap, even though the ageing is slower.

Pazo Serrantellos Albariño 2010 DO

Variety: 100% Albariño
Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Rías Baixas
Vintage: 2010 
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquethint of green apples and peach towards apricot
Taste: medium body, rounder style, apricot, peach hint of bottle tones, at the end white grapefruit, medium to lonegr finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+7+10+6+5=82
Price: CZK 125 on sale, regular CZK 250
Stopper: cork
Not very expressive example of the variety, good for the discounted price but it would be bad deal for the regular price;-)

Friday, August 23, 2013

Grant Burge Lily Farm Muscat 2007

Variety: 100% Moscato
Country of origin: Australia
Wine appellation: Barossa
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet: dry lemon crust, hiont of flowers and slightly chemical odor
Taste: light body, fresh grapes, hint of lychee and fresh slightly unripe pinepple, light spices, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: Asian food
Overall score: 4+6+10+5+5=80
Price CZK 250
Stopper: screw cap
Just OK, I did not like the part of the nose and also the body was quite light. For Asian dishes I would rather go for more complex Alsace Gewurtraminer for the same price.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Chardonnay 2008

Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chille
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: pineapple, hint of vanilla and slight bottle tones
Taste: medium to full body, ripe pineapple, butter, vanilla, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+6+6.5=83.5
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: single piece cork
Round tropical chardonnay with nicely integrated oak, which is not overpowering the fruit. 2008 is slightly less tropical in the nose and in taste it has less acidity and as such feels heavier than 2007 tasted at the same time:-)

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Chardonnay 2007

Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chille
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: tropical fruit, pineapple, hint of vanilla and slight bottle tones, 2008 is slightly less tropical
Taste: medium to full body, ripe pineapple, butter, vanilla, balanced by quite good acidity, medium to longer finish 2008 has slightly less acidity and as such feels heavier
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+7=85
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: single piece cork
Round tropical Chardonnay with nicely integrated oak, which is not overpowering the fruit.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Herbarium Moravicum Sauvignon Blanc 2010 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 0509110044)

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. Notes and scoring the same as week ago.

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay Reserva 2008

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet: overripe pineapple, tropical fruit and hint of vanilla
Taste: medium body, tropical ripe fruit mainly pineapple, very round and creamy, butter and touch of vanilla, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: cream sauce dishes
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+7+7=87
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: single piece cork
Rounder and heavier style of Chardonnay with oak with tropical fruit and long finish.

Cantine Settesoli Tesco Finest Vermentino Sicilia 2010 IGT

Variety: Vermentino
Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Sicilia
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: apple, herbs, salvia, thyme,
Taste: medium body, very dry, hint of lime and very spicy and herby, it actually feels it was produced in big wood barrels, at the end hint of orange peel, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: see food
Overall score: 4+7+11+5+6=83
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: screw cap
Interesting wine for sure very different from Vermentinos I tasted from Tuscany and Sardegna. this is much more spicy and less limey and mineral.

Reisten Riesling Classic 2009 pozdní sběr

Variety: Rhine Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub appellation, Mikulov village, Valtická vineyard
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: minerality, lime, apricot
Taste: medium body, minerality, lime, very good acidity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork schnitzel
Overall score: 86 (4+7+12+6+7+50)
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
Very nice mineral Riesling with still visible apricot nose.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Moravíno Valtice Ryzlink rýnský 2011 výběr z hroznů

Variety: Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Valtice village, Pod Reitsnou vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: very fruity, apricot, linden tree flowers
Taste: medium body, round, similar to nose dominant fruit is apricot followed by lime and supported by hint of linden tree honey, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6+50=84
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: cork
Rounder and fruitier style of Riesling with the hint of residual sugar and slightly lower acidity due to high ripeness of the grapes from hot vintage. It would probably be good to age the wine a bit to show more character, but I tasted only this bottle with nothing in the cellar.

Modrý sklep Chardonnay 2005 pozdní sběr

Opening another bottle of the Chardonnay from Modry sklep confirmed my suspicion that yesterday bottle was different due to leaked cork. This bottle is more resembling my description from March 2013.

Znovín Znojmo Terroir Lacerta Viridis Sauvignon 2011 pozdní sběr

Same notes and scoring as month ago.

Vinselekt Michlovský Sauvignon 2011 pozdní sběr

The notes are very similar to those from May 2013. The bottle has different label, but the vineyard and even the lotte is the same. Although the same wine for me the scoring this time is 2 points higher than last time as I really like it: 4+8+12+6+7+50=87

Monday, August 19, 2013

Modrý sklep Chardonnay 2005 pozdní sběr

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub appellation, Načeratický kopec vineyard 
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color:  medium yellow
Bouquet: minerality, tropical fruit, pineapple, lime
Taste: medium body,good acidity, minerality, hint of pinepple and lime peel, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: turkey
Overall score: 3+7+11=6+6+50=83
Price: CZK 149 in 2007
Stopper: cork (single piece)
This bottle feels different from my last tastings in May 2013 and March 2013. It feels more bottle matured and less zesty and mineral, Maybe the main reason is that the cork was completely soaked through. I have more bottles so I will re-taste it.

Vinařství Gala Ryzlink Vlašský 2010 pozdní sběr

Yesterdays tasting confirmed my notes from almost month ago.

Vinselekt Michlovský Veltlínské zelené kabinet 2011

As in August 5, 2013 the notes are the same as in March 2013.

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2007

dtto August 12, 2013 notes.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Tasted at the same time as 2010 vintage this vintage is sourced predominately from Leyda valle, which is cool climate. The wine is slightly more expressive in the nose than 2010 vintage due to less time on bottle, however it is very similar to 2010 vintage and it feels cool climaty, grassy with currant leaves character. Comparing to 2010 vintage it is slightly rounder in the mouth and less zesty and fresh. Scoring and notes are the same as in JUne 2013. I gave now both wines the same scores but I have a slight preference for 2010 vintage. This is clear why in April 2011 I gave 2010 vintage 87 points as it was fresher;-)

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: Chille
Wine appellation: 70% Curico Valley, 30% Leyda Valley
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: feels cool climaty, black currant leaves, lime and grass supported by touch of white grapefruit, no peach at all:-)
Taste: medium body, zesty and fresh style, gooseberry, white currant, lime, very good acidity,second part of the palate is dominated by white grapefruit, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish, salad
Overall score: 4+7.5+12.5+6+6=86
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: screw cap
I saw in the shop among 2011 vintage one bottle of 2010 so I bough both to compare them as I remember I liked 2010 more (despite having less grapes from Leyda valley (cool climate) than 2011 vintage). Yes tasting both I can confirm that. This time I have 2010 vintage under screw cap, whereas my previous tastings in May 2012 and April 2011 were sealed under cork.  It is amazing SB for this price and also it holds very nicely under screw cap. I like it a lot similarly to concha y Torro Casillero del Diablo 2011. Review of 2011 vintage will follow and to me it feels being from hotter year. Looking fw to 2012 vintage.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Herbarium Moravicum Sauvignon Blanc 2010 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 0509110044)

For details look into October 2011 tasting. Comparing to these notes the wine is darker in color, in nose the grass is not there and I would say more gooseberry, with lime peel. In Mouth the wine is medium bodied, similar to nose the dominant is ripe gooseberry supported by lime and higher acidity, which is balanced by hint of residual sugar, medium finish. THe wine did not keep the freshness it had in previous tasting 2 years ago.

Vinium Velké Pavlovice Sauvignon 2010 pozdní sběr

Faulty bottle, although stored in my cellar, it re-fermented and tasted like zesty sparkling, actually not that bad in hot summer;-). Check the link for previous tastings.

Concha y Toro Sunrise Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Tasting notes and scoring is pretty much the same as month ago.  In Sunrise range you can find much better Chardonnay than Sauv Blanc, which is strikingly better in Casillero del Diablo range.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Same as in July 2013 please refer to June 2013 full tasting notes with the picture. Nothing has changed since than.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Emiliana Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc 
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: light yellow 
Bouquet: white currant, lime, white peach
Taste: medium body, zesty style, lime, white currant, white grapefruit, good acidity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: salad, fish 
Overall score: 4+7+12+5.5+5.5=84
Price: CZK 129
Stopper: screw cap
Good zesty and limey style of SB.