Forte Elerone Rosso della Puglia 2011

Variety: Primitivo, Aglianico, Negroamaro

Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Puglia
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: dark ruby red
Bouquet: black sour cherries, spices, feels tannic
Taste: medium to full body,round, black sour cherries, spices, dark chocolate flavor, still young tannins, medium to longer finish

Recommended food pairing: steak
Overall score: 4+7+10+6+5=82
Price: CZK 160
Stopper: cork

Bottled in quite heavy bottles I was interested of the taste of the blend with 3 autochthonous varieties from Puglia. The wine has quite high alcohol, which is not standing out in the nose, but it is slightly not matched in the body profile. It feels still quite tannic, it would probably improve over 2 to 3 years, but I know better representatives from the region.

Stanislav Mádl Ryzlink vlašský 2009 pozdní sběr

Variety: Welsh Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Velké Pavlovice sub appellation
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: not very expressive, hint of citrus, red apples
Taste: light medium body, citrus fruit, lower acidity at the end hint of bitterness, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: Schnitzel
Overall score: 4+6+9+5+4+50=78
Price: CZK 130
Stopper: plastic cork
Not very good representative of the variety, this variety simply does not thrive in Velke Pavlovice appellation, rather it requires limey soils of Mikulov appellation.

Viña Tarapacá Merlot 2004

Variety: Merlot
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Maipo Valley
Vintage: 2004
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: deep garnet red
Bouquet: cherries marmalade, coffee, hint of wood
Taste: medium body, round, gentle tannins cherries preserve, coffee, spices, still nice acidity, medium to longer
Recommended food pairing: venison
Overall score: 4+8+11+6+6+50=85
Price: CZK 199 in 2008
Stopper: cork
Excellent bottle maturity, very deep color, good balance between fruit, acidity , mild tannins and alcohol, which is not standing out at all. Merlot from times when base row of Tarapaca was so much better than nowadays (and also more expensive).

Vinselekt Michlovský Rulandské šedé 2007 kabinet

Same tasting notes as in April this year.

Vinařství Lahofer Rulandské šedé 2011 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Ponot Gris
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Dobšice village, U Hájků vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Residual sugar: 26.8 g/l
Acidity: 7.2 g/l
Color:medium yellow
Bouquet: quite gentle and not very strong, honey and orange peel, strangely enough hint of forest strawberries
Taste: medium body, peach, orange, honey, residual sugar balanced by very good acidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 4+7+11+6+6+50=84
Price: CZK 250
Stopper: single piece cork
For me this PG has very good acidity, which balances higher residual sugar, but I would like to have more herby and complex aroma, which will most likely be gained upon ageing. Also the sugar for me is slightly higher than my taste profile, but that is personal preference.

Vinařství Lahofer Ryzlink rýnský 2011 pozdní sběr

Variety: 100% Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Dobšice village,  U Hájků vineyard
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 12.0%
Residual sugar: 19.7 g/l
Acidity: 7.2 g/l
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: lime peel, honey, minerality
Taste: medium body, dry citrus peel in sugar, honey, hint of linden tree, residual sugar nicely balanced by very goodacidity, medium to longer finish
Overall score: 3.5+8+12+6+6+50=85.5
Price: CZK 180
Stopper: single piece cork

Riesling with higher residual sugar, which is perfectly balanced by very high acidity. THis will defintely age very nicely:-) Another candidate to my cellar.

Vinařství Lahofer Ryzlink rýnský 2011 VOC

Variety: 100% Riesling
Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation, Vinohrady ke Křídlůvkám vineyard 
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 13.0%
Residual sugar: 3.8 g/l
Acidity: 6.9 g/l
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: lime, apricot,zesty
Taste: medium body, perfect lime acidity, citrus fruit, appricot,  medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: fish
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6+50=86
Price: CZK 185
Stopper: single piece cork
Very nice example of VOC Znojmo Riesling, if compared to non VOC Riesling tasted 10 days ago here, this one has more acidity and apricot profile. I got one point less, but it would be good to compare them at one tasting. I will buy more of this one as well to compare it and see the bottle development. 

Casa Defra Il Leone e la Luna Cabernet Sauvignon e Cabernet Franc 2002 IGT

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Veneto
Vintage: 2002
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium garnet red
Bouquet: cherries and black currant marmalade, spices, hint of cedar wood
Taste: medium body, round, sour cherries, black currant, perfect bottle maturity balancing still amazing acidity, nice mouth drying tannins and fruit, spices, hint of coffee, longer finish
Recommended food pairing: roasts
Overall score: 4+7+11+7+7=86
Price: do not remember
Stopper: cork
Very nice and in perfect drinking conditions bottle of Cabernet blend , especially considering it is 2002 vintage. The wine aged 16 months in barrique barrels.

Giulio Pasotti Pinot Grigio 2012 IGT

Variety: Pinot Gris

Country of origin: Italy
Wine appellation: Pavia
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 12,0%
Color: watery, almost see through
Bouquet: zesty, lemon
Taste: light to medium body, very refreshing, lime, zesty acidity, shorter to medium finish
Recommended food pairing: salad
Overall score: 2+7+10+4+5+50=78
Price CZK 80
Stopper: plastic cork

Straightforward PG with zesty uncomplicated taste.

Le Gravillas Vacqueyras 2011 AOC

Variety: 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Vacqueyras
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: darker ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: huge fruit, black cherries, hint of blueberries, raspberries, plums, gage
Taste: medium body,  black sour cherries, blueberries, overripe gage, still feels young and I would even say slightly fizzy in the mouth, medium velvety tannins, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing:  pate
Overall score: 4+7+12+6+6=85
Price CZK 350

Stopper: cork

This is fruit bomb, needs to rest on a bottle to get more round and matured to show potential. On the last picture Vacqueyras is the second from left.

Le Gravillas Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2011 AOC

Variety: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Cotes du Rhone
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.5%
Color: medium ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: less expressive than Seguret, gentle cherries, black olives, I guess this one is more on Grenache than Syrah (Yes I found the composition on web and pasted it here)
Taste: medium body, red cherries, sour cherries, lighter and gentle tannins, good acidity, hint of spices, feels older than it is in a sense it is already soft and mellow in the mouth, medium to longer finish
Recommended food pairing: venison
Overall score: 3+7+12+6+7+50=85
Price CZK 250
Stopper: cork

This one is more gentle than Seguret, for me it lack a bit of fruit kick, which I would expect from CDR on the other hand the length and gentle tannins are very satisfying. On the last picture Plan de Dieu is the second from left. At par with Vacqueyras, which needs to age.

Le Gravillas Séguret Cotes du Rhone Villages 2011 AOC

Variety: could not find the co position, it will be Grenache Syrah, maybe Mourvedre

Country of origin: France
Wine appellation: Cotes du Rhone
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: darker ruby red with violet hues
Bouquet: overripe sour cherries, blackberries, plums, secondary earth and spice
Taste: medium to full body,  blackberries, black sour cherries, hint earth and spices, medium mellow and fruity tannins, plums, longer warm  finish
Recommended food pairing:  steak
Overall score: 4+8+12+6+6.5+50=86.5
Price CZK 250
Stopper: cork

Powerful CDR with huge fruit and nice hint of earth, which after 20 minutes being open changed to more fruity character and the nice earthy "smell" got more integrated into fruit. On the last picture Segurest is the first from left. Best for me from the tasting.

Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay Pupilla 2007

Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Central Valley
Vintage: 2005
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: canned pineapple, subtle vanilla notes
Taste: medium body, pineapple, round, grapefruit, still slight acidity in the mouth profile, touch of vanilla, medium finish
Recommended food pairing: cream pasta
Overall score: 4+7+11+5+6=83
Price: CZK 120
Stopper: cork
Quite nice Chardonnay, especially considering the price.Just compare it to 2005 vintage tasted in November 2012.

Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay Terraced Gran Reserva 2007

Variety: Chardonnay
Country of origin: Chile
Wine appellation: Colchagua Valley
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol content: 14.0%
Color: medium yellow
Bouquet: toast, butter,grilled pineapple, ripe tropical fruit, vanilla
Taste: full body, pineapple, very round and full mouth feel, butter, roasted almonds, medium to long finish
Recommended food pairing: creamy pasta, pork loin
Overall score: 87
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: cork
Very very nice complex Chardonnay. Toasty and creamy oak aged style of Chardonnay. Nicely done, excellent value/price ratio, but still cannot match burgundy:( Check my notes on 2006 vintage tasted in March 2013

Sax Luftikus Gruner Veltliner 2012

Variety: 100% Gruner Veltliner
Country of origin: Austria
Wine appellation: Kamptal
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol content: 11.5%
Color: pale yellow with green hint
Bouquet: zesty, green apple, lemon, lime, provoke to drink
Taste: light to medium body, lime, very refreshing, crunchy acidity, medium  finish
Recommended food pairing: on its own summer BBQ
Overall score: 3+8+12+5+6+50=84
Price: CZK 210
Stopper: screw cap
Fresh zesty style of GV, very nice refreshing drink, ideal for summer party.It is similar to different row from the same producer tasted in October 2011.

MVZ Herbarium Moravicum Tramín červený 2012 pozdní sběr

Variety: Gewurtztraminer

Country of origin: Czech Republic
Wine appellation: Moravia, Znojmo sub-appellation
Vintage: 2012

Alcohol content: 13.5%
Color: light yellow
Bouquet: tropical fruit, lychee, gentle spices, hint of roses, white grapefruit
Taste: medium body, fresh fruit profile, white grapefruit, lychee, very good acidity and freshness combined with slight spiciness, medium to longer finish

Recommended food pairing: Green curry
Overall score:  3+8+12+6+6+50=85
Price: CZK 140

Stopper: cork

Fresh and lively style of Traminer, which I like a lot, although dry it does not have this bitterness at the end of the taste profile so typical for the variety and often masked by residual sugar.

 

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: small cherries, raspberries, forest strawberries, juicy fruit combined with hint of cedar
Taste: medium to full body, sour cherries, cherries, perfect acidity, cedar flavor, touch of spices, at the end mild tannins, longer warm finish
Overall score: 4+7+12+6.5+6.5+50=86
Price: CZK 300
Stopper: single piece cork
This is very nice example of Pinot Noir from cool climate Casablanca valley in Chile, it has stunning color, very nice expressive nose and quite good flavor profile, where acidity and juiciness is nicely combined with hint of wood, which is not at all dominant. Excellent bottle maturity, will improve in 1 year, it still has stunning acidity and gentle tannins in the mouth.