Tag Archives: oak

Red Wine: Chateau Ste Michelle, 2011, Columbia Valley Indian Wells, Washington

89 Points – $25

Blood red in color with a nose of oak, boysenberry, black current and cherry. A nice mouth of boysenberry and blackberry. Smooth finish. A good wine for spicy pasta and meats.

Red Wine

Name: Chateau Ste Michelle

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Columbia Valley Indian Wells

Maker: Chateau Ste Michelle

Price: $25

Alcohol: 14.5% 

Red Wine: Great Wall Cabernet Sauvignon, China.

88 Points – $16

This dark red wine has the aromas of new oak, cassis and black fruits. A mouth of blackberry and currant and a tart finish. A wine to try from a new wine making area.  $16 (98 rmb)

Red Wine

Name: Great Wall 

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: China

Maker: China Great Wall Wine Co.

Price: $16

Alcohol: 12.5% 

Red Wine: Sottano 3S Reserva de Familia, 2008, Mendoza, Argentina.

92 Points – $29

Dark dusty red with a good nose of cherry, oak, mocha, tar and mincemeat. Full in flavour. Cherry, mincemeat and pepper with a furry long spicy finish. I wonder how this one will age. Very good stuff. One of the up and coming wineries from Argentina.

 

Red

Name: Sottano 3S Reserva de Familia

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Maker: Bodega Sottano

Price: $29

Alcohol: 14.8%

Red Wine: The Laughing Magpie, 2004, Australia.

88 Points – $28

Dark black in color with a nose of plum, oak  and the floral notes fom the viognier. A full mouth of cherry, plum, violets and spice. Good finish. Another good wine from D’Arenberg.

 

Red Wine

Name: The Laughing Magpie

Grape: Shiraz 93%, Viognier 7%

Region: McLaren Vale, Australia

Maker: D’Arenberg

Price: $28

Alcohol: 14.5%

 

 

Red Wine: Melba Lucia Yarra Valley, 2007, Australia.

87 Points – $30

Named after the Yarra Valley diva Dame Nellie Melba, whose performances in the opera Lucia Di Lammermoor made her famous in the 1860’s when cuttings for these wines were first planted. Oak and caramel fill the nose and a full palate of fruit, molasses and caramel. Medium bodied with a disappointing finish for the age of the vines it comes from. Must try other years.

 

Red Wine

Name: Melba Lucia Yarra Valley

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon 91%, Sangiovese 9%

Region: Yarra Valley, Australia

Maker: De Bortoli Wines

Price: $12

Alcohol: 13%

 

Red Wine: Sandhill 2005 Two, Okanagan, Canada

90 Points – $39

This Bordeaux styled wine is a blend of wines that have been aged 16 months in French and American oak. Complex in smell this dark red wine exudes the aromas of blackberries, plums and spice. A full mouthful of dark spices, pepper, plum and oak finish in a long smooth fashion. An ageable wine from the small lots program. Very good stuff here.

Red Wine

Name: Sandhill 2005 Two

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon 53%, Merlot 33%, Cabernet Franc 14%

Region: Okanagan, Canada

Maker: Sandhill

Price: $39

Alcohol: 14%

Red Wine: Dona Bernarda, 2007, Colchagua Valley, Chile.

92 Points – $37

A fine nose of oak, tobacco and mocha greet you and lead to a mouthful of plum, dark fruit and cocoa flavours. A long dry finish. Very good.  A tribute to Luis Felipe Edwards’ wife from handpicked grapes blended from the outstanding grapes of each vintage then aged 18 months in French oak.

Red Wine

Year: 2007

Name: Dona Bernarda

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile.

Maker: Luis Felipe Edwards

Price: $36

Alcohol: 14% 

Red Wine: Old River Road Ponderosa Vineyard, 2005, California.

86 Points – $27

Medium in color and body, this wine has a tannic smell with notes of oak and currants. Acidic in taste with fruit and mocha overtones. Plush furry finish. Needs to mellow with decanting.

Red Wine

Year: 2005

Name: Old River Road Ponderosa Vineyard 

Grape: Pinot Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: California, U.S.A.

Maker: Old River Road Cellars

Price: $27

Alcohol: 13.6%