New Hampshire Wine-man

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #8 William Hill Napa Valley 2006

William Hill Napa Valley 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $20.99-$25.99, 90 points, is one of those Cabernet wines that's NOT better than their comparable Merlot, but are of the same quality and price.
The William Hill Napa Valley 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, it is rich, having a fruit-forward character, pleasant aroma wound in a medium-body and ending with a nice long spice finish.
Winemaker Ralf Holdereid has produced a classic Napa Valley Cab at a very good price; as a special treat, a gift, or even as an everyday wine that will compliment a rib-eye, T-bone, or any steak for that matter, you won't go wrong here.
As a vignette, I just want to say that when you come across a good wine at a good price, you'll not need every detail, but if you want more to persuade you, check-out: wine.com

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Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #7 Silverado 2005

Silverado Napa Valley 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $36.99-$49.99, 91 points, is NOT a QPR Cabernet.

Is it BIG? Yes! Is it cherry and plum, balanced and rich? Yes! Is the Silverado well constructed with a balance of alcohol (14.5%) and acidity (5.61 gpl) yes! But that dog-gone QPR raises its ugly head; for example: "I've opened a 2006 Hall Cabernet (94 points) and discovered one of the most complex wines I know of ($32.99 NH liquor stores), a wine to sip and muse-over with a good book or movie, a wine to contemplate by, but there is no end to the flavors neatly, furtively woven throughout this fine wine, and that's not to say that there isn't dramatic boldness, but this wine is a symphony." her is the Hall Cabernet Review

Does Silverado, at more money than the Hall rise to that kind of greatness? No! Is it smooth enough? Not in my opinion. Does it have a Big reputation? Yes, but at what price?
At a time when inflation has made itself known, the wineries are cutting prices, or trying to; only the very best wines are going to demand the big prices, and my guess is that if their wines are not the "BEST" wines, they'll suffer.

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Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #6 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley 2006

Robert Mondavi Napa Valley 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon,

$23.99-$29.99, 90 points, has a defined aroma of Currant and spice, complex fruit-driven (Black-berries, Plum) with subtle hints of spice, and is rich yet mellow (12% Merlot).

Everyone hears the name Mondavi, but there is other wineries with that name, and there are lesser and greater products than the the Napa Valley Cabernet, but at a reasonable price, this is the one for me.

The Oakville is almost twice as much, the Reserve is five-times as much, and their $8.99-$10.99 is just a so-so wine to me.

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Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #5 Geyserpeak 2005 Alexander Reserve

Geyserpeak Winery Alexander Valley Reserve 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $17.99-$40.00, 90 points, is at $17.99 a Big-Red-Wine at a Big-Savings, and a good deal.
The Geyserpeak is typical in every way: color, aroma, great structure of balanced tannin, acidity, alcohol, fruit, and flavor: it is a generically sound wine, but it is not an outstanding wine.
As stated, this is a good value at $17.99, maybe $24.99, but it is only a "good red wine", a dinner wine that will not detract from your meal, but accentuate it, and that means almost anything, including pasta, red meats, hearty stews and soups.

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Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved, Template provided by Blogger

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #4 Louis M. Martini Napa Valley 2005

This is one of those iconic wine companies that almost everyone has heard of, and even if the name doesn't ring a bell, it sure fits a wine maker perfectly.

Louis M. Martini Napa Valley 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, $19.99-$23.99, 90 points, is crafted with 9% Merlot, 2% Syrah, and 1% Petite Verdot. Meticulous care is taken to prepare the grapes from the Napa Valley Appellation (Early morning picking and keeping the grapes whole).

The results are splendid aromas, deep Bordeaux colors, layers of berry flavors throughout, with a rich texture and long finish.

The photograph to the right is of the more expensive Alexander Valley Reserve, but the price is ironically the same, because of a "power-buy" by the New Hampshire liquor Stores.
I can't wait to taste mine!

The photo below is the 2007 Sonoma, but since I lost my review notes, I'll be trying this one again, especially since I liked it so much, I bought several bottles.

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Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #3 Columbia Crest Reserve 2006

Columbia Crest Reserve 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, $27.99, 91 points, is, at least others have told me, comparable to the famous 2005 vintage, which Wine Spectator rated the top of the 100, 2009 wines.
There is a complexity with this Cabernet, but I found it just a bit unbalanced, though the aroma is beautiful, the color deep ruby, and the flavor and texture is rich and lush, with a long pepper finish.

This is a worthy wine, and I recommend it, because it is unique and fresh, with interesting berry notes.
However it is a bit pricey; if you are like me, you'll skip two or three day's worth of "regular wine-fare" to try this, if you can find it.

Cabernet Sauvignon Vignette #2 Joel Gott 2007

Joel Gott 815 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, $13.00, 87 points, is a "nice" wine, balanced alcohol (14.3%), acidity, flavor, color, aroma, and ends with a fine finish, which usually implies a good wine. Will this Cab knock you over? No! But QPR is very good, the wine is interesting, and will pair with most red-meat cuisine.