Louis Josse Cuvée Claude Dominique Chablis 2007 AOC

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Chablis
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: very sharp, dry citrus crust, green apple with visible bottle maturity
Taste: light to medium body,sharp acidity of unripe green apples, lime, noticeable bottle maturity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+6.5+10+6+5.5+50=82
Price: CZK 250
Stopper: screw cap

Cheap for Chablis, nothing against it. Despite being sealed by screw cap the wine is already behind its zenith, still sharp acidity in the taste, but without the stunning minerality and precision of Chablis. I already had better value AOC Chablis for slightly higher price.

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2007

TAsting notes and scoring is the same as a week ago.

Tasting of Pinots: Secano Estate Pinot Noir 2012

Variety: Pinot Noir

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Leyda Valley
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: light red with violet hue
Bouquet: clean, small red fruit, small sour cherries, hint of wood and smoke
Taste: medium  bodied, very precise, clean, wild sour cherries, perfect acidity, hint of vanilla and toast,  medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+7=87
Price: CZK 299
Stopper: screw cap

Very good Pinot where the oak perfectly balances the fruit and which will only improve with at least 3 years in the cellar. Different to Plesinger, this one has more fruit and less oak and is less rustic in style. I realized that I tasted the same wine, but 2009 vintage in April 2011.

Tasting of Pinots: Vinařství Plešinger Rulandské modré 2007 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Velké Pavlovice  village, Staré hory- Francle vineyard
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: light garnet red
Bouquet:  canned fruit, strawberries marmalade, strong wood, hint of smoke
Taste: medium body, forest strawberries, strawberries marmalade, very dry and slightly higher tannins, toast, longer nicely lingering finish

Overall score: 4+7+12+7+7+50=87
Price: CZK 450
Stopper: single piece cork

Pinot where the wood is quite visible despite being 7 years old. It is quite dry and more woody than pure fruit. I liked it, but majority of people prefered Secano Pinot. I am however not sure about future ageing as the fruit is already in transforme canned form and there is visible proper botlle maturity right now.

Tasting of Pinots: Jedlička a Novák Rulandské modré 2005 výběr z hroznů

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Bořetice village, Terasy vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: quite expressive, cherries, strawberries and cherries marmalade, cigar box, toast, vanilla
Taste: medium to full body, nicely structured, black cherries marmalade, forest strawberries,  rounder style but still with good acidity accompanied by chocolate and vanilla, longer nicely lingering finish

Overall score: 4+8+12+7+8+50=89
Price: CZK 190 in 2007
Stopper: plastic cork

Best of the 3 pinot tasted. I very much like it, what is amazing is the fact that the alcohol is not noticeable neither in the nose nor in the taste. Wine is absolutely in stunning conditions of bottle maturity.  For previous tasting of this wine please refer here.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Domaine Chavy Chouet Meursault Les Narvaux 2011

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Burgundy
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: light to medium yellow
Bouquet: needs time to open up, then nicely mineral, with hazelnuts, pineapple, toast bread
Taste: medium body, pineapple and citrus fruit with good minerality accompanied by nice hazelnuts and creamy vanilla, nicely lingering longer finish
Overall score: 4+8.5+13+7+8=90.5
Price: CZK 990
Stopper: single piece cork
Nicely structured complex Burgundy, it will improve with age. Winner of the tasting.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Santa Rita Chardonnay 2006 Reserva

Variety: Chardonnay

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Casablanca Valley
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: medium yellow to light golden
Bouquet: superb, expressive, grilled pineapple, smoke, toast bread, hazelnut
Taste: medium body, round, structured, grilled pineapple, hazelnut, light vanilla, butter, toast bread, good acidity, medium to longer nicely lingering  finish
Overall score: 5+8+13+6.5+7.5+50=90
Price: CZK 350

Stopper: single piece cork
2nd place, but for me the winner of the night taking into consideration the price. The wine is in state of superb bottle maturity and very expressive in the nose and proper oak chard in the mouth profile. Casablanca valley is cooler region and used for Sauv Blanc as well.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Escorihuela Gascon 1884 Chardonnay 2009 Reservado

Variety: Chardonnay

Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 12.9%
Color: light brown yellow (oxidated?)
Bouquet: canned pear, apples, lots of vanilla and slightly oxidative tones
Taste: medium body, canned pear, pineapple, lower acidity, baked apple, vanilla,  medium to longer  finish
Overall score: 3+6.5+10+6+5.5+50=81
Price: CZK 270
Stopper: plastic cork

Very round with lower acidity and lots of vanilla. The wine is already behind its zenith as there are visible oxidative tones in the nose, which are confirmed in taste (I guess due to plastic cork).

Tasting of Chardonnays: Kosík Chardonnay TADEAS 2011 Barrique pozdní sběr

Variety: Chardonnay

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Slovácko sub-appellation, Týnec village, Stará hora vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: white flowers, white peach, ripe fruit and feels sweet, light touch of oak
Taste: medium body, ripe white fruit, white peach, white pear, lower acidity , it has residual sugar and lower acidity, medium finish
Overall score: 3+6+10+5+5+50=79
Price: CZK 299
Stopper: single piece cork

Last place (8th), it is just odd to add Chardonnay with residual sugar to barrique barrels.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Kaituna Hills Chardonnay 2012 Reserve

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: very expressive, however not very typical for oaked chardonnay, white flowers, citrus fruit and very light oak
Taste: medium body, very fruity, citrus, slightly unripe pineapple, zesty, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3+7+11+6+6+50=83
Price: CZK 350
Stopper: screw cap

Zesty and fruity style, less mineral I would expect and less rounder and toasty. Some people love that some gave lower scoring due to being less typical for the variety. Some people even argued there is Sauv blanc in the blend:-)

Tasting of Chardonnays: William's Creek Chardonnay 2011 Reserve

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Australia
Wine appellation: South Eastern Australia
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: hint of tropical fruits towards apricot, vanilla
Taste: medium body, pineapple, tropical fruit, ripe melon, light vanilla, lower acidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+6+11+6+6+50=83
Price: around CZK 200
Stopper: screw cap

Basic oaked CHardonnay. Ended on 4th place.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Sottano Chardonnay 2011

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: grilled pineapple, toast
Taste: medium body, pineapple, citrus fruit, light vanilla, good acidity, medium to longer  finish
Overall score: 4+7+12+6+7+50=86
Price: CZK 170
Stopper: screw cap

This ended on the 3rd place, best value for sure and will improve with 2-3 years on bottle.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Misiones de Rengo Chardonnay Reserva 2009

Introductory wine to our tastings of Chardonnay. Same scoring and notes as week ago.

Tasting of Chardonnays: Elesko Chardonnay 2 D.S.C 2009 výber z hrozna

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Slovakia
Wine appellation: Malé Karpaty, village Vištúk, vineyard Zoya
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: tropical fruits with pineapple being the dominant
Taste: medium to full body,ripe pineapple, pear, rounder style, slightly lower acidity, medium finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: EUR 10

Stopper: single piece cork

Heavier food style unoaked Chardonnay. I would prefer this either being oaked or if unoaked with higher acidity.The wine is more matured when compared to my tasting on July 2012.

Trapiche Oak Cask Chardonnay 2009

Variety: Chardonnay

Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza

Vintage: 2009

Alcohol content: 13.5%

Color: medium yellow

Bouquet: expressive, grilled pineapple, toast, hazelnut

Taste: medium body, round, similar to nose grilled pineapple, hazelnut, vanilla, nice acidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+7=87
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: cork

Very nice Chardonnay, oak is perfectly integrated with nice hazelnut and vanilla tones and still good acidity. Very good value. This confirmed the good scores of previous vintages tasted in the past. Perfect bottle maturity.

Ludwig Rulandské modré 2011 výběr z hroznů

NOtes and scoring is the same as 3 weeks ago.

Bodegas Olcaviana 1564 2004

Variety: Tempranillo, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon

Country of origin: Spain
Wine appellation: Castilla La Mancha
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: dark garnet red
Bouquet: jammed tones, coffee, hint of spices and vanilla
Taste: medium to full body, full mouth feel, canned fruit, jammy, vanilla, nice matured tannins, slightly lower acidity, with visible botlle maturity, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fuet
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+7=85
Price: CZK 320
Stopper: cork

OK Spanish wine, looking at my notes from 3 years ago, it does not reach the scoring of pure Syrah, however it is 3 years older and I'd say it is beyond its peak, however not bad, but fragile.

Ernest & Julio Gallo Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

11th bottle of 2005 vintage tasted. Notes are the same as in February 2014.

Stanislav Mádl Tramín červený 2006 pozdní sběr

Variety: Gewurtztraminer

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub appellation, Velké Bílovice village, Vinohrádky vineyard
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: straw yellow
Bouquet: intense, rose, lichi, spices, orange marmalade
Taste: medium body, spicy, lichi, dry orange crust, lower acidity, medium to slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: Thai food
Overall score: 4+7+10+5.5+6+50=82.5
Price: CZK 120 in 2007
Stopper: cork

5th bottle of this wine, started to go down, there is lower acidity, which would not keep it as long due to hot 2006 vintage. For previous tastings see the link.

Morandé Pinot Noir Reserva 2006

Variety: 100 % Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Casablanca Valley
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: lighter to medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: forest strawberries, raspberries jam, vanilla
Taste: medium to full body, sour cherries, strawberries, good acidity, spices, hint of wood, still very nice tannins, at the end alcohol slightly standing out, longer warm finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+7+7+50=86
Price: CZK 300

Stopper: single piece cork

Pinot at the peak of its conditions, very nice drink for later spring evening though. Last bottle of mine. For previous tastings see the link here.

Misiones de Rengo Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Reserva 2007

Variety: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon , 32%  Syrah

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Rapel Valley
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: very deep garnet red
Bouquet: spices, canned black currant and forest fruit, pepper, hint of black chocolate, coffe and toast
Taste: medium to full body, round, canned black currant, blackberries, good tannins, spices, coffee,black chocolate , medium to longer finish

Recommended food pairing: black chocolate
Overall score: 4+7+13+6+7=87
Price: CZK 179
Stopper: single piece cork
Very nice Cab sauv Syrah blend for very good price. Comparing to my notes from October 2013 the nose is more towards spices and toast with touch of coffee. Feels austere despite higher alcohol and at very good bottle maturity.

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: different to standard NZ wines, less of passion fruit rather lime and grass element, white currant, nettle, gooseberry, feels very Pouilly Fumee
Taste: medium body, white grapefruit, white currant, gooseberry,  proper acidity, lime and lemon crust, medium to slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+8+13+6+7+50=88
Price: CZK 399
Stopper: screw cap
Tasted 7 moths after the last one (end of very nice summer and this time beginning of summer:-)), this wine confirms that the zesty passion fruit Sauv blancs die quickly whereas austere, slightly grassy live longer and develop quite nicely liked this one. This vintage, was tasted (together with 2005 vintage) several times last year.

Espiritu de Chile Carmenere 2006

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes from December 2013 still hold.

Herbarium Moravicum Rulandské modré 2011 pozdní sběr (Slovácko, lot:1409131542)

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Not much to add to my December 2013 tasting notes.

Viña Tarapacá Chardonnay Reserva 2009

Variety: Chardonnay

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Maipo Valley
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: ripe pineapple, hint of mango and slight citrus fruit
Taste: medium to full body, overripe pineapple, orange, citrus fruit, good acidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+7+12+6+6=85
Price: CZK 230
Stopper: single piece cork

Comparing to Misiones de R. same vintage tasted at the same time, this wine has more acidity and les oak, also the alcohol is not that apparent.

Misiones de Rengo Chardonnay Reserva 2009

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Rapel Valley
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: tropical fruit, pineapple, pear, hint of  vanilla, alcohol slightly standing out
Taste: medium to full body, overripe tropical fruit, mainly pineapple,  hint of pear, lower acidity, round, medium to longer warmer alcoholic finish
Recommended food pairing: salmon
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6.5+50=84.5
Price: CZK 159
Stopper: single piece cork
Food driven round and heavier style of Chardonnay. Oak is well integrated, however the alcohol is quite visible. Lat time I tasted the wine in July 2013 with very similar notes.

Vinzavod Assenovgrad Assena 2002

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon and Mavrud (a Bulgarian cross breeding of Syrah and Nebbiolo)

Country of Origin: Bulgaria
Wine appellation: Assenovgrad
Vintage: 2002
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Colour: Deep dark garnet red
Bouquet: coffee, canned fruit, spices, clove, good bottle maturity
Taste: medium body, very smooth and gentle, nice mouth drying tannins, which are nicely round and not edgy, slightly flatter in the mid palate, canned black currant, coffee, medium to  longer nicely lingering finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+7=87
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: cork

Tannins in this wine are what makes it so good, they are nicely accompanied by fruit in canned form and good acidity. For previous tastings of the same wine please refer here.

Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Ivory Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Country of origin: USA
Wine appellation: California
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13,5%
Color: medium to darker red with lighter meniscus
Bouquet: not very expressive, sour cherries, cassis, hint of black chocolate, does not have the sweet cola type nose like other Californian wines
Taste: medium body, smooth, round, black sour cherries, black currant, medium tannins, hint of black chocolate, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate desert
Overall score: 4+7+12+6+6+50=85
Price: CZK 550
Stopper: cork

I expected slightly more from this Cab Sauv especially considering the price:-). It is fine, but there are better cabernets for this price.

Bodega Tamarí Malbec Cabernet 2006

Same tasting notes as 3 weeks ago.

Viña Tarapacá Merlot 2004

The wine has not really changed from my October 2013 tasting notes, where I also referred my November 2013, December 2013, January 2014 tastings. I am finishing my reserves from my cellar as I was afraid the wine would drop, but it is very nice and still perfectly drinkable despite 10 years of age.

Viajero Limited Edition Chardonnay 2007 Gran Reserva

For detailed tasting notes please refer to my tasting week ago.

Robert Mondavi Chardonnay Woodbridge 2005

Nothing has changed from my November 2013 tasting notes.

Chateau Tour Saint-Vincent Bordeaux 2009 Cru Bourgeois

Variety: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Bordeaux, Médoc
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium ruby red
Bouquet: expressive, black sour cherries, minerality, brambles, hint of chocolate
Taste: medium to full body, big fruit (most likely due to very hot 2009 vintage) - black sour cherries, black currant, perfect acidity, good tannins (still young though), freshness, lots of everything, longer finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 349

Stopper: single piece cork
I quite like this Bordeaux, it is full of everything, but it really needs ageing to get everything together. I will buy few more bottles to check the ageing process:-)

Bernard Magrez Chateau Croix Espérance Bordeaux 2006 AOC

Variety: 100% Merlot

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Bordeaux, Lussac-Saint-Emilion
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: canned cherries, wood, spices
Taste: medium body, cherries marmalade, good acidity, lower tannins, slightly flatter mid palate, spices,medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 349

Stopper: single piece cork
Average Bordeaux, good bottle maturity now, will not probably improve, slightly flatter in the mid palate, good balance between fruit and oak.

Domaine Rossignol Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 2007 AOC

Nothing has changed from our tasting in January 2014, where I refereed to detailed notes from December 2013, which are still valid.

Stapleton & Springer Pinot Noir The Best of Jaroslav Springer 2012

Variety: 100 % Pinot Noir

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub-appellation, Bořetice village, Trkmanska vineyard
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.5 %
Color:  lighter red
Bouquet: gentle, vanilla, cream, leather, strawberry marmalade
Taste: medium body, gentle, round, small red pit fruit, lower gentle tannins, rounder style, lower acidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+9+12+6+7=88
Price: CZK 1300
Stopper: single piece cork

4th sample, for me the best of the four 2012 Pinots from Springer tasted. It feels rounder, creamier, more vanilla, lower acidity. However it looks like it is from older vintage or at least some part in the bottle is from  older vintage.