Monday, February 29, 2016

Marques de Arienzo Crianza 2003 DOCa

Found one more case of this Rioja, yupiie!!. This is 7th bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my tasting notes from February 7, 2015 not much has changed, the wine holds almost at the same level, very leather and animal style, to get higher score it would need more structure in the mouth.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2006

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my notes from May 12, 2015 they pretty much hold even for today. Very very nice Cab.

Fischer Syrah Reserve 2009

Variety: 100% Syrah
Wine appellation: Balatoni
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: dark red
Bouquet: cherries, spices, some oak
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, medium and smooth tannins, spices, good long and lasting finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+7.5+7=86.5
Price: CZK 99
Stopper: cork
I really wanted to try how Syrah could be made in Hungary, not bad. Very good value.

Rosemount Estate Rosemount Road Shiraz 2005

Variety: 100% Shiraz
Country of origin: Australia
Wine appellation: South Eastern Australia
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: deep garnet red
Bouquet: jammy, blackberries, some coffee and cola
Taste: medium body, very mellow, light tannins, fruit preserve, black cherries, blackberries jam, medium to longer slightly alcoholic finish
Overall score: 4+6.5+10+6.5+6.5+50=83.5
Price: CZK 140
Stopper: screw cap
7th bottle of this wine tasted. Average Aussie Shiraz, nothing to add. For all tastings of this wine please refer here.

Thummerer Bertram Egri Cuvée 2011

Variety: Pinot Noir, Blauer Portugieser, Blaufrankish
Country of origin: Hungary
Wine appellation: Eger
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: dark red
Bouquet: cherries, red berries, spices
Taste: medium body, sour cherries, good acidity, quite visible tannins, sapid, some spices, nice longer finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+7+7=86
Price: CZK 99
Stopper: cork
Very good value. The wine aged in big barrels and has good balance of fruit and spices. Pleasant drinking.

Herbarium Moravicum Ryzlink vlašský 2013 pozdní sběr (MIkulov, lot: 09011153116)

5th bottle of this wine tasted. What was said in January 19, 2016 nicely describes the wine.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Chardonnay 2014

4th bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to December 7, 2015.

Friday, February 26, 2016

Luis Felipe Edwards Cimarosa Malbec Limited Edition 2013

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes from December 17, 2015 apply.

Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2011 Variety: Malbec

Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium ruby red with garnet hue
Bouquet: animal, oak, canned black cherries, some chocolate
Taste: medium body, canned fruit, plums, cherries, pleasant acidity, vanilla, smooth tannins, longer finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+6.5+7=86.5
Price: CZK 279
Stopper: cork
2nd bottle of this wine tasted. it developed nicely in the bottle. Check my tasting notes from April 2014.

Hacienda Los Haroldos Malbec 2010

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes from November 29, 2015 apply. This vintage is slightly worse than 09 tasted previously.

Hacienda Los Haroldos Malbec 2009

Variety: 100% Malbec
Country of origin: Argentina
Wine appellation: Mendoza
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color: medium red
Bouquet: very subdued, canned cherries, plums
Taste: medium body, cherries, sour cherries, at the end some canned plums, medium acidity, medium tannins, medium finish
Overall score: 3.5+6.5+10+5+5+50=80
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: plastic cork
2nd bottle of this wine tasted. 1st bottle tasted in March 11, 2013. the wine improved only a bit, mainly the harsh tannins are gone.

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Herbarium Moravicum Sauvignon Blanc 2015 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot: 16111550005)

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes are the same as in December 21, 2015.

Grand Cru Vorbourg Gewurztraminer 2014

4th bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to January 25, 2016. Excellent value for Grand Cru.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Chardonnay 2014

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to December 7, 2015.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel 2012

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes from April 2015 apply.

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir 2006

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to February 19, 2016 tasting.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Michel Torino Cuma Organic Malbec 2007

4th bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes are very consistent with September 2014 tasting.

Viña Tarapacá Carmenere 2006

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. December 12, 2015 tasting notes apply.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Herbarium Moravicum Rulandské modré 2012 pozdní sběr (Znojmo, lot:2209142519)

Variety: Pinot Noir
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Color: lighter red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: wild sour cherries, red berries generally
Taste: light to medium body, small red pit fruit, wild small cherries, cranberries, good acidity, slightly harsher tannins, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+6.5+10.5+6+6+50=83
Price: CZK 150
Stopper: cork
Quite average PN. Last February same vintage, but different production lot was tasted.

Friday, February 19, 2016

Saint Clair Family Estate Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir 2006

Variety: Pinot Noir
Country of origin: New Zealand
Wine appellation: Marlborough
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: lighter garnet red
Bouquet: quite delicate, forest strawberries, leather, some earthiness
Taste: medium body, canned sour cherries, forest strawberries,generally fruit preserve with good acidity and spiciness, rounder mid profile, nicely longer in the finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: CZK 200 on sale, regular CZK 532
Stopper: screw cap
Previously had bottles of 07 vintage, now managed to find 06. Looking at my tasting notes of 07 vintage in May 2015 the wines are fairly similar, this vintage, however feels fuller in the mid profile. Very good Pinot at excellent state of bottle maturity.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Undurraga Aliwen Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2014

12th bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes from April 19, 2015 apply.

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Wairau Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2015

6th bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes are the same as in November 18, 2015.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Viña Tarapacá Carmenere 2012

Variety: Carmenere
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central valley
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium red
Bouquet: ripe black sour cherries, spices, mainly pepper
Taste: medium body, black sour cherries, black chocolate, pepper, medium tannins,at the end bit of bitterness,  medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3.5+7+11+6+6.5+50=84
Price: CZK 119 special
Stopper: cork
2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my tasting notes from May 18, 2014 the wine changed a lot in the cellar. It is not the big wine at all, but all the harsh tannins, green tones and alcohol visible in 2014 tasting is not present at all today. 

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Grand Cru Vorbourg Gewurztraminer 2014

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to January 25, 2016.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Vinařství Lahofer Dornfelder 2011 výběr z hroznů

3rd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to November 9, 2015. It drinks very fast.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Herbarium Moravicum Ryzlink vlašský 2010 pozdní sběr (Mikulov, lot: 0509110005/2)

Variety: 100% Welsh Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Mikulov sub-appellation
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 11.0%
Color: pale yellow
Bouquet: minerality, lime, herbs
Taste: light body, crispy acidity, lime, clean, austere, mineral and lean profile, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3+7+11+7+7=85
Price: CZK 120
Stopper: cork
2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Very mineral and crispy Welsh Riesling, the acidity is amazing. All due to cold 2010 vintage. Will cellar beautifully. First bottle tasted in November 2011.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Tierra y Hombre Pinot Noir 2014

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to December 14, 2015.

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Chateau Mauvesin Moulis Bordeaux 2007 Cru Bourgeois

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon based blend
Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Bordeaux, Moulis
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium garnet red
Bouquet: cranberries, red cherries, spices,
Taste: light to medium body, austere profile, red cherries, red currant, lots of spices, vry dry, still quite visible mouth drying tannins, longer finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+7+7=86
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: single piece cork
Pleasant Cru Bourgeois from complicated 07 vintage. Slightly lacks the body, but otherwise very nice.

Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Country of origin: Israel
Wine appellation: Galilee
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: dark blackish red with garnet meniscus
Bouquet: ripe black cherries, blackberries, black chocolate, spices, toasty tones, light coffee
Taste: full body, dense, overripe black cherries, black currant, medium sweet and round tannins, black chocolate at the end,  longer slightly alcoholic finish
Overall score: 4+8+12+7+7=88
Price: EUR 15
Stopper: cork
Big bony and powerful Cab, more similar to Californian style. Full bodied, concentrated, huge fruit, good oak, but no complex animal and leather tone that I love so much. From now onward these wines need to be labeled  as produced from the occupied territory in EU.

Monday, February 8, 2016

Wairau Cove Sauvignon Blanc 2015

5th bottle of this wine tasted. Tasting notes are the same as in November 18, 2015.

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel Reserve 2003

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my tasting notes from  January 2015 they are applicable even for today.

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Vinné Sklepy Lechovice Pálava 2013 pozdní sběr

Variety: Palava
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub appellation, Borotice village, Nad Kolářovým sklepem vineyard
Vintage: 2013
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: expressive, ripe peach, spices, flowers, rose petals
Taste: medium body, spicy, mango, spices, honey all nicely accompanied balanced acidity with high residual sugar, long clean finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+11+7+7.5=87
Price: CZK 199
Stopper: plastic cork
Very nice Palava, stunning balance between high residual sugar and high acidity, clean, yet nicely matured.

Grand Cru Vorbourg Gewurztraminer 2014

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. For tasting notes please refer to January 25, 2016.

Friday, February 5, 2016

Marash from Strajdja 2010

Variety: Syrah, Malbec, Petit Verdot
Country of origin: Bulgaria
Wine appellation: Straldja
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Color:deep black red with light violet hues
Bouquet: expressive, black cherries, spices, black pepper, good oak
Taste: medium body, black cherries, blackberries, spices, earth, still higher tannins, very dry and mouth drying, nice longer finish
Overall score: 4+7.5+11.5+7+7=87
Price: CZK 139
Stopper: single piece cork
This was very positive surprise. Blind purchase to test it and the wine was very nice, powerful, despite being 5 years old it was huge fruit and still quite big, yet not 100% settled tannins.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Nové Vinařství Cuvée 3 Cygnus 2010

2nd bottle of this wine tasted. Looking at my notes from December 2014 the wine has hardly changed. I very much like the high acidity of cold 2010 vintage.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Monday, February 1, 2016

Znovín Znojmo Pálava 2005 pozdní sběr 0.5l

Variety: 100% Pálava
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Kyjovice village, Špičák vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Residual sugar: 30.3 g/l
Acidity: 7.1 g/l
Color: golden yellow
Bouquet: spicy, roses, dry ginger
Taste: light to medium body, sugared orange crust, orange marmelade, ginger, spices, yet slightly lower body, pleasant acidity balances the high residual sugar,  slightly longer finish
Overall score: 5+7+11+6.5+7+50=86.5
Price: CZK 160 in 2006
Stopper: single piece cork
Palava with high residual sugar and stunning bottle maturity. About to be on its peak so the remaining bottles to be finished soon.