Alain Jaume & Fils Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Réserve 2008 AOC

Variety: not stated on the label, I could not find this vintage precise composition on web, GSM, cinsault type of blend
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Côtes du Rhône
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 13,5%
Color: medium ruby red
Bouquet: black sour cherries, hint of spices and light coffee
Taste: medium to full body, blackberries, black sour cherries, good spiciness and nice acidity, still nice tannins, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: duck liver pate
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+7=85
Price CZK 240
Stopper: single piece of cork

CDR in perfect bottle maturity. Huge fruit so typical for younger vintages is nicely rounded with some spiciness in the mid palate.

Bodegas Castillo Viejo Cata Mayor Tannat Reserva 2008

Nothing to add to my April 2014 notes. This was my 2nd and last bottle of this wine:-(
Look at the wine stone residuals in the glass.

Herbarium Moravicum Chardonnay 2013 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 1107143003/2)

Tasting notes and scoring is the same as 2 weeks ago.

Vin D' Alsace Muscat 2012 AOC

Variety: 100% Muscat
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Alsace
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: fresh and citrusy, lime, light muscat flower
Taste: light to medium body, citrusy style, lime, light apricot, dry, very good acidity, slight spicy tones, medium to slightly longer finish
Recommended food pairing: Asian food
Overall score: 3+7+11+6+6=83
Price CZK 100

Stopper: plastic cork

Dry style od Muscat. Looking back at my tasting notes of the same wine but 2011 vintage tasted in October 2013 this is quite different as it is nicely dry and limey, whereas 2011 vintage was on the sweeter side. I definitely prefer 2012 with nice acidity.

Wunderlich Cabernet Franc 2006

Variety: 100 % Cabernet Franc
Country of origin: Hungary
Wine appellation: Villany
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: dark ruby red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: expressive, spices, pepper, clove, leather, blackberries marmalade, toast, smoke
Taste: medium to full body, structured, overripe sour cherries, blackberries, pepper, superb tannins, , very round mid profile, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: game food
Overall score: 4+8+13+7+7=89
Price: CZK 299
Stopper: cork

Full bodied but austere at the same time, superb work with the barrique, which is fantastically absorbed by the fruit and playing the important role in the nose and taste and what I like it does not have the sweet vanilla element like NW wines, rather rustic, toasty, spicy. On blind tasting I would say it is Bordeuax, St-Emillion. 

Ironstone Cabernet Franc 2006

Variety: Cabernet Franc
Country of origin: USA
Wine appellation: California, Lodi
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: light to medium garnet red
Bouquet: subdued, wild forest strawberries, canned cherries, vanilla, cola, botlle maturity
Taste: medium body, canned cherries, lower mid profile, medium (still mouth drying) tannins, vanilla, cola, hint of spices, alcohol slightly standing out in the end of the palate, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: chocolate cake
Overall score: 3+7+11+6+6+50=82
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: plastic cork

Description from my previous tasting in October 2013 holds. This is easy going wine, I would say it is on its decline, I have one more bottle in the cellar so this one will be finished very quickly.

Hardys Stamp of Australia Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Same tasting notes and scoring as in July 2014.

Chateau de Valcombe Prestige 2007 AOC

Variety: Syrah (80%), Grenache (20%)

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Cotes du Rhone, Costieres de Nimes
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 14,0%
Color: dark ruby red
Bouquet: very subdued (1h after opening), hint of black forest fruit and black cherries, slight tones of damp barnyard and coffee EDIT: after 3 hours of opening the nose slightly opened up, surprisingly towards licorice and canned fruit tones, but still less intense and complex
Taste: medium body, round, black sour cherry, canned blackberries, pepper, coffee, spices longer finish
Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score: 4+6/[7]+11+7+7=86/[87]
Price CZK 410
Stopper: single piece cork

Formerly CdNimes belonged to Languedoc, later on (2004) due to Rhone varietal used and much more resemblance to Rhone than to Languedoc it was based on the winemakers request adjoined to Rhone.

What is strange that there is almost no nose, I waited 3 hours to check the difference and there was only slight, not a big difference [in brackets]. But the wine is very drinkable with the alcohol level being perfectly integrated in the wine and having nice round character combining fruit and wood.

Ebenezer Seppeltsfield Barossa Valley Shiraz 2009

Variety: Shiraz 

Country of origin: Australia
Wine appellation: Barossa Valley
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: deep blackish red with light garnet meniscus
Bouquet: intense, blackberries, black chocolate, pepper, mint
Taste: full body, huge fruit, overripe black sour cherry, blackberry followed by black currant, very round, spiciness, medium tannins, good acidity, alcohol is slightly burning at the back of the mouth, longer finish

Recommended food pairing: juicy medium rare steak
Overall score: 5+8+12+7+7+50=89
Price: CZK 400
Stopper: screw cap

For lover of Shiraz this is BIG Shiraz, I would score it even higher should it have lower alcohol. I cooled the wine down to 18°C and the alcohol still was not well encompassed in the texture. Maybe my palate is still not completely burned with heavy new world wines and keeps the finesse that this Shiraz decided to kill by filling every pore of my tongue. The wine is from St. Hallet winery made by Toby Barlow for M&S. I tasted similar wine from St. Hallet  in May 2013 from Tesco. However this one seems to be be higher play. The wine still feels quite fruity with almost no tertiary tones developed (screw cap??).But do not get me wrong it is not young and prematurely opened, knowing my taste I will leave the remaining bottles still for 1-3 years in the cellar to check the development of the wine. The only problem I have is the  fact that the bottles will have to be tasted with some NW wine lower as I already started to move from NW wines back to Europe. Yes the wine is very nice, (I remember in 2004 I was in big tasting of Australian Shirazes and I loved it), but the time has moved and I am not a huge fan of it at this point. Despite that I tried to be as objective as possible, maybe the real score of this wine for Shiraz lovers be 1-2 points higher:-).

Doña Paula Paula Malbec 2013

Variety: Malbec
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium violet red
Bouquet: very fruity, black sour cherries, spices hint of plums and blueberries,
Taste: medium body, similar to nose the wine is predominantly fruity, overripe black sour cherries, blueberries, good acidity, slight tannins (not unripe and greeen), medium to slightly longer finish (alcohol slightly standing out at the end)

Overall score: 3+7+11+6+6=83

Price: CZK 100 on sale

Stopper: screw cap

Very nice value Malbec, heavy and fruity style. Not much complexity, but nicely done (or in this case engineered:-)). I have one more bottle, which will be finished soon as there is nothing the wine will add with time in the cellar. For this price you will hardly get better wine:-)

Chateau Beauville Lalande 2010 AOC

Variety: Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Bergerac
Vintage: 20010
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: lighter ruby red
Bouquet: not very expressive, hint of sour cherries and some spices
Taste: medium body, quite thin profile, spur cherries, hint of green tones and unripe tannins with higher acidity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: pork
Overall score: 3+7+9+5+5=79
Price: CZK 80
Stopper: plastic cork

Very basic Bordeuax type of blend from Bergerac. Not worth more commenting

Viña Tarapacá Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of origin: Chille
Wine appellation: Central valley
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium ruby red
Bouquet:  cassis, black cherries, proper cab sauv nose on slightly fruitier side
Taste: medium body, nice fruit of black current,  and black sour cherries, are combined with still slightly higher tannins, good acidity, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score: 4+7+11+5+6=83
Price: CZK 99 on special
Stopper: cork

Good value for the money considering it was bought on special 1.5 years ago. When bought and tasted for the first time on March 2013 it was rather basic fruit driven wine although with tannis, still at that time the wine was rather harsh. 1.5 years later the wine aged and rounded up nicely, nothing big but solid CS, and for CZK 100, what do u want??. It still has 2 years to go.

Jedlička a Novák Kácary 2006 pozdní sběr

5th bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my notes from October 2013 there is hardly any change, despite the wine being almost 1 year older, the sealer is the same as in October: Plastic cork.

MVZ Bzenec Ego No.81 Ryzlink Rýnský 2005 výběr z hroznů

Variety:  Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Dobré pole village, Staré vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: straw to golden yellow
Bouquet: expressive, complex, overripe fruit, honey, sugared lemon crust

Taste: medium body, round, oily, dry fruit profile,  orange marmalade, canned apricots, minerality, honey, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 5+8+12+6+7=88

Price: CZK 250
Stopper: single piece cork
Mineral, herby and nicely bottle matured Riesling, less benzin tones but more dry fruits and complexity. This shows that residual sugar in Riesling is of no harm when properly done and bottle matured.

Herbarium Moravicum Ryzlink vlašský 2011 pozdní sběr (Mikulov, lot: 1601141004)

Variety: Welsh Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation,
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light to medium  yellow
Bouquet:  white flowers, meadow, white peach
Taste: medium body, white currant, mineral, white grapefruit, slightly lower acidity, hint of herby character, medium finish
Recommended food pairing:
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6+50=84
Price: CZK 149
Stopper: cork

Looking at my notes of the same vintage, appellation, but different production lot tasted in April 2013 this bottle seems to be different and slightly less zesty style. Comapring to 012 vintage tasted at the same time this vintage is rounder less acidic, more flowery.

Herbarium Moravicum Ryzlink vlašský 2012 pozdní sběr (Mikulov, lot: 0309142033)

Variety: Welsh Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation,
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: minerality, lime, citrus fruit
Taste: medium body, crispy lime acidity, minerality, white grapefruit, medium finish
Recommended food pairing:
Overall score: 4+6.5+11+6+6.5+50=84
Price: CZK 140
Stopper: cork

Comparing to 011 vintage tasted at the same time this one is more crispy with lime acidity and most likely will age better. 

Vinařství Líbal Sauvignon 2010 VOC

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Horní Dunajovice village, Frédy vineyard
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Residual sugar: 9.5g/l
Acidity: 6.5g/l
Color: despite 4 years of age still light yellow
Bouquet:  expressive, gooseberry, dead nettle, elderberry and light herby tea
Taste: medium body, white currant, white peach, gooseberry, slight residual sugar is balanced by good acidity do typical for 2010 vintage,  medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+7=85
Price: CZK 295

6th and last bottle of this wine tasted. It is starting its way slightly down. Had very good memories for this wine, it was nowhere met in 2011 and 2012 vintages that I tasted from this producer. They lacked acidity, which was so typical for 2010 vintage, 2013 is looking more similar to 2010 vintage, maybe now time for repeat?? PIcs are in June 2013 tasting notes. 

Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011

5th bottle of this wine tasted. There is not much I can add to my June 2014 tasting.

Undurraga Sauvignon Blanc 2013

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: watery
Bouquet: white currant hint of grass, lime
Taste: medium body, white currant, lime, good acidity, hint of white grapefruit at the end, medium to longer finish

Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 149
Stopper: screw cap

Fresh style of SB, however without any whoom effect. decent drink nothing more. Label looks the the same as 2012 vintage.

Undurraga Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: white currant, gooseberry, white grapefruit
Taste: medium body, white grapefruit is major fruit component, white currant and hint of lime, at the end there is a bit of bitterness, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+6+10+6+5=81
Price: CZK 149
Stopper: screw cap

Tasted at the same time with 013 vintage this is less fresh and comparing to my September 2013 tasting of the same wine (where you can find the pictures) the wine is already going slightly down. It is probably made for very quick consumption within 1-2 years. 

Herbarium Moravicum Chardonnay 2013 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 1107143003/2)

Variety: 100% Chardonnay

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol content: 12.0%, lot: 1107143003/2
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: gentle, clean, white flowers, lime
Taste: medium body, fresh zesty style, crisp lime acidity, green apple, white grapefruit, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 3+7+11+6+7+50=84
Price: CZK 139
Stopper: cork

Zesty and fresh style of Chardonny with superb acidity typical for 2013 vintage, very different from 011 vintage from Mikulov tasted at the same time. This is good candidate for cellaring, if it only had less of this white grapefruit bitterness at the end it would score even higher.

Herbarium Moravicum Chardonnay 2011 pozdní sběr (Mikulov, lot: 2211131127)

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. My notes from August 2014 are still valid. I am not a big fan of residual sugar with lower acidity.

Milan Nestarec Muzika Nach Pinot Noir Zweigeltrebe 2011

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. Same as in Aug 2014 I refer you to my Feb 2014 tasting notes and scoring as the wine hardly changed.

Sileni Tahuna Pinot Noir 2004

Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Hawke's Bay
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: light bricky red with orange meniscus
Bouquet: delicate, canned strawberries, wild forest strawberries, vanilla
Taste: medium body, gentle, elegant, wild forest strawberries, cherries marmalade, vanilla, longer finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7+50=88
Price: CZK 475
Stopper: screw cap
10th bottle of this wine tasted. The wine has developed more towards canned fruit, however still retaining nice elegance, acidity and gentle oak. For previous tasting notes refer here.

Francis Ford Coppola Director's Cut Collection Chardonnay 2009

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: USA
Wine appellation: California , Sonoma, Russian River
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 14,5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: fresh pineapple, lemon, hint of vanilla
Taste: medium to full body, full mouth profile, round however with still good acidity, fresh tropical fruit, pineapple, in the mid profile lemon crust, slight bitterness of the grapefruit at the end, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: smoked cheese
Overall score: 4+7+12+7+7+50=87
Price: CZK 660
Stopper: single piece cork

Heavier style of Chardonnay, however still with very good acidity

Domaine de Viranel Viognier 2012 AOC

2nd bottle of this wine tasted, the notes and scoring is the same as in August 2014.

Cimarosa Estate Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2013

7th bottle of the wine tasted, the previous tasting notes are from June 2014 and April 2014. Very refreshing zesty style of SB with nice grassy element.

Vinné Sklepy Lechovice Sauvignon 2012 VOC

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub appellation, Borotice village, Nad Kolářovým Sklepem vineyard
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: expressive, lime candy, dead nettle flower, citrus style
Taste: medium body, white peach, lime, pleasant acidity, at the end white grapefruit, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+8+11+6+7=86
Price: CZK
Stopper: single piece cork

Quite expressive in the nose, it just lacks a bit of freshness that I like on specific NZ Sauv Blancs. In direct comparison with Cimarosa 013 it lost by one points.

Michel Torino Coleccion 2005 Shiraz

Variety: Shiraz
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Northeast, sub appellation Salta/Cafayate
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: dark garnet red
Bouquet: forest fruit marmalade, coffee
Taste: Medium body, similar to nose the dominant taste is of forest fruit marmalade supported with spices, pepper, clove, and at the end slight black coffee, medium to long finish
Recommended food pairing: salami
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6=84
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: single piece cork
This is the first bottle of the 6 case that I found in the cellar. The wine is sealed with single piece cork, which is not the case for younger vintages anymore. It is an example of bottled aged Shiraz with nose slightly better than the taste.

Vinselekt Michlovský Malverina 2007 Organic

Variety: 100% Malverina
Country of origin:Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation, Klentnice village, Nad svatým Leonardem vineyard
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: mineral, citrus fruit, hint of herbs and nice gentle hazelnut
Taste: medium body, similar to nose there is nice minerality and proper lime acidity, followed by excellent herby character with light touch of the oak, longer  finish
Recommended food pairing: lamb
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 250

Out of the 2005 and 2009 vintage I tasted from the same producer this clearly was the best. I had unfortunately only one bottle. It again is from different vineyard from the two vintages. The best measure of the quality is how quickly the bottle disappears after opening. In this case it was rather fast:-)

Herbarium Moravicum Rulandské modré 2011 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 1205141543/2)

Variety: Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: lighter red with watery meniscus
Bouquet: less expressive, gentle wild cherries
Taste: medium body, similar to nose there are wild small cherries, with slightly higher tannins, red grapefruit at the end, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: pork loin
Overall score: 4+6+11+6+6+50=83
Price: CZK 140
Stopper: cork

Frutier type of Pinot Noir. What is interesting that I looked at my notes and I tasted from the same producer Pinot Noir 2011 vintage from Znojmo sub-appellation in March 2013 and September 2013, although they all have different level of alcohol and different production lot. So they all look like quite different wines.

Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay Terraced Gran Reserva 2006

4th and last bottle of this wine tasted. the wine is at the peak right now. Heavier food style oaked Chardonnay. For tasting notes please refer to my June 2014 tasting.

Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Chardonnay Viognier Don Nicanor 2006

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. I liked it very much, looking at my notes from January 2014 there are pretty much the same as today's notes.

Michel Torino Cuma Organic Malbec 2007

Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Cafayate valey
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: dark red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: canned plums, earth, light coffee, invigorating for drinking
Taste: medium to full body, canned fruits, plums and black cherries, hint of mulberries (yes those I remember as a kid in big trees, less tannic and less spicy than blackberries), very gentle tannins, medium and pleasant acidity, light oak, medium to longer nicely  lingering finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+12+6.5+7=87
Price: CZK 299
Stopper: single piece cork

Lat time tasted in April 2014 at our Malbec tasting this wine is slightl less animal as the previous tasting notes would suggest. What holds is the perfect balance between the fruit, acidity and oak all supported by perfect bottle maturity. I have one more bottle to go in the cellar:-)

Viu Manent Malbec Reserva 2011

Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: predominantly fruit driven, plums, blackberries, black sour cherry, hint of chocolate
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, blackberries, still slightly unripe tannins, slighty higher acidity at the end touch of  black chocolate, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3.5+7+11+6.5+7=85
Price: CZK 200
Stopper: screw cap

I remember tasting form the same winery and reserva row 08 vintage in in April 2014. This vintage (11) is rather different, it seems to me it was from cooler vintage  due to paler color and less dense profile in the taste. I just bought one bottle to taste whether I should buy more to my cellar for ageing and I will not do that as I am afraid the wine does not have the desirable qualities for improvement despite having higher acidity and higher (slightly harsh) tannins. Drinking it at the same time with Trapiche 08 this is clear outsider.

Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec 2008

Variety: Malbec
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: dark ruby red
Bouquet: intense, overripe black cherries, forest fruits: blackberries, blueberries, hint of black chocolate
Taste: medium to full body, quite concentrated, similarly to nose there are ripe black sour cherries, with nice acidity supported fully by blackberries with pleasant drying tannins, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: juicy steak
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: cork
This is always save bet for reasonably priced Malbec, in 2013 I tasted 05 vintage.This 08 vintage still feels still young and needs to age further 3-5 years to get in the peak conditions. It has good dispositions to do so: food concentration, good acidity and still good tannins.