Sunday, November 24, 2013

Flag Hill 2011 Marechal Foch Red Wine







Sadly my blind tasting of four New Hampshire Marechal Foch red wines didn't go well, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of heat for this, but I have to call them as I see them.

Flag Hill 2011 Marechal Foch Red Wine, $10.99-$12.99, 76 points, appeared dark cranberry red with a broad clear rim.
Profuse black grape with a hint of rubber on the nose wasn't pleasant, but chocolate notes were helpful.
Mild acid and tannin were supported by an astringent, rough, and tart body of cranberry and petrol notes that were juxtaposed to my Barolo from last night, and in comparison made Flag Hill MF almost undrinkable as were all the Marechal Foch red wines.
The trailing palate of the finish was saved by hints of tobacco and spice. The 11.6% alcohol was almost unnoticeable.

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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Petit Ken Forrester Wines South Africa 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot






Petit Ken Forrester Wines South Africa 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, $11.70-$13.00, 87 points, appeared near opaque ruby trending burgundy red at the clear glass wall.
The aroma of rich red fruit with a slight hint of petrol was good.
With a medium-plus juicy body, fair acidity, and mild tannin Petit was an easy-drinking wine with good flavors of plum, black currant and licorice.
Finished fair with some spice and just a hint of the 13.5% alcohol.
I bought this wine at the Londonderry Hannaford's Supermarket.

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Friday, November 22, 2013

Conterno Fantino 2007 Barolo Sorì Ginestra






Conterno Fantino 2007 Barolo Sorì Ginestra, $75.64-$88.99, 94 points, appeared in the glass surprisingly opaque trending crushed blackberry and pomegranate red with a transparent rim.
Perfume, roses, with hints of cedar and chocolate on the nose, though subtle and not profuse, were beautiful.
Without hesitation I describe this wine in it current maturation as massive, acidic and immensely tannic (I love it); I sense where it will be five or ten years from now and I'm pleased with just sipping and enjoying it: Vive La Différence!
Texturally early palate smooth with an accelerating mouth numbing near full body that carried more herbaceous notes than fruit notes, with hints of cardamom, tobacco, loam, and black cherry.
Finished extremely long on heat (15% alcohol), spice, and mint.

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Barbaresco, Barolo, and the Enigma of the Nebbiolo Grape Produced in Piedmont Italy







Barolo wines, just maybe the best known Nebbiolo product, are not real common on the shelves of New Hampshire wine boutiques. That won't stop me from tasting the few I can find and or afford!
The rather long article by Lettie Teague is an historic eye-opener, a massive commitment, but to me it's really the cost, age, and the availability of these mysterious "denizens of the deep" red wines that keeps them off the tables of the NH Hoi Polloi.
Another, more approachable web-site that covers specific Barolo wines which have been tasted, not to mention all things Italy, is Tuscan Vines; just type "Barolo" in the search box.
Salute!

Barbaresco



Ca' Rome Romano Marengo DOCG 2007 Barbaresco, $65.44-$76.99, 92+ points

Ca' Rome Romano Marengo Maria di Brun DOCG 2008 Barbaresco, $59.39-$83.99, 92+ points





















Viberti Giovannni Langhe 2020 Nebbiolo (DOC), $17.64-$23.99, 90 points,

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Thursday, November 21, 2013

San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Maule Valley Chile 2007 Carménère




San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Maule Valley Chile 2007 Carménère, $18-$20, 90 points, appeared opaque and quite deep purple-red with a clear rim at the leggy glass wall.
Has a pleasant black cherry aroma with warm floral notes.
The medium-plus body carried mouth watering acidity with "untypical" ( Carménère "is supposed" to be more a soft Merlot-like red wine) intense tannin.
Rather one dimensional, but good flavors of cherry and red grape, marked by a bit of astringency faltered a bit, but the explosive, very long finish with cayenne, white pepper spice, and alcohol notes (14.5%) excelled. 
I bought this wine at the Londonderry Hannaford's Supermarket.



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Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Alamos 2008 Malbec






Alamos 2008 Malbec, $7.64-$8.99, 89 points, is black with just a hint of burgundy-red near the clear class rim.
The aroma is subtle cherry trending near closed.
Full bodied with fair acidity and mild to moderate tannin carries a rather smooth, quite drinkable red wine, that for the money, has a very good Quality-Price-Ratio.
A delicious red wine with hints of plum, black currant, violets, wood notes, and mint.
Finishing on a trailing palate, with a gathering and escalating spice which accentuates the 13.5% alcohol and a touch of eucalyptus, caps-off an excellent wine tasting.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Clayhouse Red Cedar Vineyard Paso Robles 2009 Tempranillo





Clayhouse Red Cedar Vineyard Paso Robles 2009 Tempranillo, $29.23-$38.99, 91 points, appeared as a deep purple red with a clear rim at the mildly leggy glass wall.
The aroma, though good, is a rather tame red cherry.
The medium-plus body carried good acidity and strident tannin that carried throughout most of the deeper palate and into the finish.
Good flavors of red cherry, tobacco, and a hint of eucalyptus trailed into the very long finish of tannin and spice with a hint of the 14.1% alcohol.
I doubt that this wine is for most Merlot lovers, but for those who want something food friendly, a bit more intense than their normal Merlot, or just for those who don't believe that California can produce an excellent Tempranillo, this just might be an eye-opening and delicious alternative.


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