Tag: italian wine

Wine Review – John Duval Eligo 2008

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John Duval Eligo 2008

Country: Australia
Region: Barossa Valley, Eden Valley
Grape: 100% Shiraz
ABV: 14.5%

Colour: Deep purple, slight clear garnet on the edge

Nose:
Clean, medium+ intensity, fully developed. Plum, blackberry, blueberry, pepper, savoury smoke, oak, graphite, touch of leather

Palate:
Dry, medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins, medium+ alcohol, full body, medium+ flavour intensity.
Plum, saline, black cherry, blackberry, liquorice

Finish: Long finish, pepper, integrated oak, waves of dark fruits for a good 15-20 seconds.

Score: 88/100

A great wine from the legendary Australian wine maker – John Duval, and Eligo being their flagship wine. Decanted for 1.5 hours. Fully developed, with some structure to hold onto its prime for at least 2-4 more years, would highly recommend drinking in the near future if you still have a bottle.

The nose is rather intense, showing a great balance of fruit, matured notes, and the classic peppery spice. On the palate, abundant of mellow black fruits, liquorice, and pepper, with a touch of saltiness, followed by a long finish that lingers for 15-20 seconds.

This is a very good wine, riding right on its prime. Although not as complex as a I thought it would been, the wine as a whole is well composed, from the nose, flavour, mouthfeel, and finish. Not the typical fruit bomb of Barossa, but shows a nice balance of power and elegance.

Wine Review – Pierre Sparr Alsace Gewurztraminer Reserve 2016

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Pierre Sparr Alsace Gewurztraminer Reserve 2016

Country: France
Region: Alsace
Grape: Gewurztraminer
ABV: 13%

Colour: Medium- straw

Nose: Rose pedal, lychee, orange flower water, light honey, faint green tea

Palate: Touch of residual sugar, off-dry. Medium- body, medium- acidity. White flower, chalk, grapefruit

Finish: Medium finish, crushed stone, citrus zest, lemon

Score: 77/100

A rather textbook example of Alsace Gewurztraminer. The usual aromatic nose of rose pedal, lychee is definitely present, with orange flower water, light honey, and faint suggestion of green tea on the back end. The palate is off-dry, and simple, could do with more acidity, fresh notes of citrus and minerals all the way to the finish. I would drink this within a year or two.

Wine Review – Chateau La Fleur Pourret Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009

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Chateau La Fleur Pourret Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2009

Country: France
Region: Saint-Emilion Grand Cru AOC
Grape: Merlot based Red Bordeaux Blend
ABV: 13.5%

Colour: Dark purple core, light garnet on the edge, showing some sign of age

Nose: Potpourri, smoke, integrated oak, plum, black raspberry, blackberry

Palate: Full-bodied, dry, medium acidity, medium+ tannins. Plum, tobacco, integrated oak, raspberry

Finish: Long finish, plum, drying

Score: 83+/100

I rather nice Bordeaux at this price point, showing signs of maturity, but still have the structure to live on and further develop. The nose is very generous, potpourri, smoke, dark fruits, with a nice integrated oak aroma weaving in and out. Drinking very well now, similar to the nose on the palate, with a nice touch of tobacco giving it extra complexity, followed by a long, drying finish. Perfect paring to a nice prime rib roast. Drink now, or hold for 3-5 more years.

Wine Review – Clarendon Hills Liandra Syrah 2006

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Clarendon Hills “Liandra” Syrah 2006 [Clarendon Hills] [Wine-Searcher]

Country: Australia
Region: Clarendon
Grape: Syrah/Shiraz
ABV: 16%

Colour: Dark purple core, lighter on the rim.

Nose: Ripe black fruits (blueberry, blackberry, plum, blackcurrant jam), chocolate, raisin, bacon fat, touch of herbal, spice.

Palate: Full bodied, medium acidity, medium well-integrated smooth tannins. Plum, blackberry, metallic (iron), vanilla, clove, pepper.

Finish: Long finish, lingering metallic and spicy notes. Well-integrated alcohol.

Score: 87/100

The wine is showing very well, all the components fully integrated with one and other.

The nose was very intense, with concentrated black fruits, chocolate, raisin, bacon fat, a touch of herbal tone that I associate with aged Syrah/Shiraz, and touch of pepper. The nose overall is very balanced, allowing each component to shine through the waves of black fruits, showing a great deal of complexity.

Moving onto the taste, a wonderfully aged, full bodied Syrah. Despite the 16% alcohol, it is very well integrated, drinking more like a 14-14.5%. Aside from the abundance of black fruits, there is this metallic, iron note showing throughout the palate, with a touch of vanilla, clove, and pepper forming a long and lingering finish.

This is a very good wine, with some unusual note going on (the metallic note on the palate), overall a very pleasant tasting experience. The wine is ready, drink before 2020.

Fattoi Brunello di Montalcino 2007

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Fattoi Brunello di Montalcino 2007

Colour: Medium garnet core, light tawny rim.

Nose: Meaty, savory, cherry, plum, dried rose, tobacco, leather, grilled red pepper, baking spice, sweet dates, undertone of crushed stone.

Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, medium- tannins. Blast of sour cherry, plum, blackberry, touch of sweet cherry, faint leather, touch of green.

Finish: Medium finish, faint grasp of herbs and spice on the very end.

Score: 83/100

Greeted by a very attractive, and savory nose. Very meaty, followed by waves of red and dark fruits, tobacco, leather, grilled red pepper, with a touch of baking spice and mineral hanging around.

Mouthwatering acidity, followed by a noticeable lack of tannins, still a touch grippy in the mouth. The palate isn’t all that complex, with the usual sangiovese notes, with a touch of sweetness and green note. Faint suggestion of herbs and spice in the finish.

The acidity makes this wine excellent to be had with food, just like majority of the offerings from Italy. The wine is ready to drink, and I don’t see it evolving much more with that lack of tannins already at such a “young” age for a Brunello. Drink now or over the coming 2-3 years.

Villa Mora Montefalco Sagrantino 2006

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Villa Mora Montefalco Sagrantino 2006

Colour: Medium+ ruby core, light ruby rim

Nose: Sweet cherry, ripe plum, black raspberry, floral, leather, herbs, dark fruits, all well integrated.

Palate: Dry, full bodied, high acidity, full grippy tannins. Chocolate covered berries, plums, raisin, espresso, cedar, thyme.

Finish: Long finish, cacao dust, herbs, touch of nice earthiness.

Score: 84/100

First time having Sagrantino, and this one is brilliant! Pleasantly surprised, layed this one down for a long time. Needs 2-3 hours of decanting.

Very well integrated throughout, on the nose it’s a harmony of flowers and berries, touch of leather and herbs, hard to pin down the subtle notes. Still very tannic on the palate, good acidity. Again, chocolate covered berries, various dark fruits along with raisins, nice thyme and cedar to round things off. Followed by a long finish, full of cacao dust and herbs.

Wonderful wine, paired with sous-vide prime rib later-on, and this wine needs food with its massive tannins. This wine will live on for another 5+ years!

Castelsina Chianti Riserva 2010

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Castelsina Chianti Riserva 2010

Colour: Clear medium ruby

Nose: Dried cherry, plum, sweet herbs, violets, smoke, meaty, touch of green.

Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, full tannins. Cherry, plum, sapling, earthy.

Finish: Medium finish, drying cherry note.

Score: 74/100

 

Fairly standard Chiranti, got a good nose, but not too much in terms of complexity on the palate, doesn’t carry much interesting notes either. Need food with this wine due to the high acidity and rough tannins. Drink now!

0-49 = Terrible

50-59 = Bad

60-79 = Ok-Good

80-84 = Good

85-89 = Very Good

90-95 = Excellent

96-99 = Magnificent

100 = Legendary

Gets exponentially harder to score higher, only the exceptional ones deserves 90+. Price does not affect my scores.

Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2014, Domaine Antonin Guyon Les Cras Chambolle-Musigny 2012, Rizieri Sori del Ricchino Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba 2015, Teodosio Aglianico del Vulture 2011.

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Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2014

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Elegant floral nose, with notes of lemon, crushed stones, touch of grass and vanilla, dried honey, all very well integrated.

Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, medium acidity. Very complex, pineapples, peaches, mineral, and a touch of oak. All notes are in harmony.

Finish: Long finish, well integrated oak and mineral note.

Score:87+/100

Very high quality white Burgundy, everything is so well integrated together which makes it harder to pick out all the notes. This is how real Burgundy should behave, elegant, refined, and harmonized. I can see it ageing well for the next 7-12 years.

Domaine Antonin Guyon Les Cras Chambolle-Musigny 2012

Colour: Clear light ruby core

Nose: Whiff of smoke, greeted by a very savoury nose, ripe apricot, red cherry, sun dried tomato, perfume.

Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium- tannins. Plum, dusty oak, sour cherry, Chinese medicinal herbs.

Finish: Medium+ finish, plum, mineral, and herbal note.

Score:81+/100

Feels very closed at the moment, more savoury than I would expect. great structure for further development. Should tuck this away for at least the next 5-10 years.

Rizieri Sori del Ricchino Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba 2015

Colour: Clear medium purple core

Nose: Very pronounced cherry candy nose, strawberry swirl candy(crème saver), stone.

Palate: Dry, full-bodied, medium acidity, high grippy tannins. Strawberry gum, mineral, and a touch of oak.

Finish: Long finish, strawberry candy, touch of spice.

Score: 72+/100

One dimensional, fruit forward, strawberry dominant thorough-out, lacks balance.

Teodosio Aglianico del Vulture 2011

Colour: Clear medium+ ruby core

Nose: Herbal, diluted cola, black cherry, plums, mineral, and cedar.

Palate: Full-bodied, medium acidity, high grippy tannins, salt, black cherry, black raspberry, crushed stones, touch of tobacco and liquorice.

Finish: Medium+ finish, salty, leather, black raspberry.

Score:80+/100

Very surprising quality, showing good complexity and structure. Should evolve over the next 3-5 years.

Masi Campofiorin 2013

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Masi Campofiorin 2013

A very popular wine in Masi’s lineup, also I believe it’s one of their cheapest? Let’s dive in!

Left in the glass for an hour before consumption.

Colour: Deep ruby core

Nose: Clean nose, intense black cherries, red cherries, red currant, touch of oak and spice.

Palate: Dry, medium-bodied, high acidity, medium- tannins, juicy red cherries, plums.

Finish: Medium finish, plums and touch of pepper.

Score:74/100

–Note my scores are tighter than average.

 

Very solid wine, the nose is very pleasant with waves of sweet red fruits. The high acidity of this wine is mouthwatering, giving the impression of juicy fruits and a touch of spice on the palate. Lacks complexity, at this price point I would be much happier shopping for wines like San Vincenti Chianti Classico 2012 which happens to be slightly cheaper as well.

The wine drinks well on its own or with food such as steak or grilled sausages, and pizza. Great for those looking for something that is easy-drinking.

Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet 2014, Roux Pere & Fils Les Valozieres Aloxe-Corton 2013, Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo 2011, Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

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939dce840d094944a18ba5913730611b.jpgChâteau de la Maltroye Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Cru 2014

Colour: Pale lemon

Nose: Clean nose, mineral, peach, pineapple, citrus, white flower.

Palate: Dry, full bodied, high acidity, citrus, pineapple, mineral.

Finish: Long finish, mineral and pineapple.

Score: 75+/100

On the simple side, aside from the long finish, nothing special.

Roux Père & Fils Les Valozières Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru 2013

Colour: Light purple core

Nose: Clean nose, cedar, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, floral, touch of smoke.

Palate: Dry, medium body, high acidity, low tannins, raspberry, salt, mineral, sour cherry, pepper.

Finish: Medium finish, raspberry, cherry, touch of oak.

Score: 80+/100

Lacks layers of complexity of a great burgundy.

Paolo Scavino Bric dël Fiasc Barolo 2011

Colour: Medium purple core

Nose: Clean nose, black tea, banana, light red fruits, floral, touch of earthiness.

Palate: Dry, medium+ body high acidity, full tannins, raspberry, sour cherries, blackberries, well integrated oak, touch of spice.

Finish: Medium+ finish, red fruits, oak.

Score: 86+/100

Classic Barolo on the nose, drinking quite well now but will definitely improve in the next 5-15 years.

Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012

Colour: Dark purple core

Nose: Clean nose, liquorice, black currant, bell pepper, black currant leaf, black cherry, raspberry, mineral.

Palate: Dry, full body, full grippy tannins. Black currant, blackberries, raspberries, liquorice, well integrated oak, floral, pepper.

Finish: Long finish, black fruits, oak, and a touch of spice.

Score: 84+/100

Classic Napa cab sauv, showing great depth, great refinement. Wouldn’t pay $275CAD asking price for it.

**Do note I score tighter than average, and price isn’t part of the considering for scoring.

Conclusion: Burgundy and Napa over priced as usual, and there are better Barolo for less.