PX This.

Trazado Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Maipo Valley, Chile
Cost: $24.99/bottle

On my way to the checkout counter at my local wine shop, I came across this in the “featured” aisle— with a sign expressing that this is Chile’s version of a Read more…

Quintessa 2004 – Bordeaux blend – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $250/bottle restaurant retail or app. $125 store retail

A bit of a splurge on the Quintessa 2004, a wine made predominantly of cabernet sauvignon, but with dollops of other red varietals. Nose of liquid Snickers, and mocha-java coffee that lingers above the blackberries and blueberries, with mild oak, anise spice, and just a touch of underbrush. The wine was carefully decanted to allow maximum air and it was worth it. In the mouth, so creamy smooth, decadent and alive, powerful lush dark berries with chocolate ganache. This is a voluptuous wine, and perhaps the finest Quintessa I have ever been privileged to enjoy. I will look for this wine, and lock down a couple of bottles to relive the moment. It’s just that good.
Rating: 97

Oreno – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese – 2006 Tuscany
Cost: $80-$85/bottle

A dark opaque purple wine, moderately full-bodied with rather elevated acidity and tannins. Granted, it is young (recently released, that is). Its nose is already revealing— with great black cherries, black raspberries, violets, cedar, graphite, and a touch of vanilla bean. In the mouth, it’s quite layered and velvety, loaded with black fruit and dark tannins. It should rest at least 5 to 7 years, but there is plenty of fruit to support its evolution into something rather special. Despite its youth, I still enjoyed the wine very much; its nose was quite inviting. A solid example of a Super Tuscan at its finest.
Rating: 94

Marquis Philips Roogle 2008 – Riesling – Australia
Cost: $13.99/Bottle

Light topaz in color, crisp and grippy on the palate, this Marquis Philips Roogle Riesling is quite a bargain find. Aromas and flavors expose a grapefruit, lime and tangerine dominated essence. It finishes strong with that citrusy lingering aftertaste, quite nice and refreshing. A perfect wine to match your favorite seafood dish.
Rating: 91

Opus One 1997 – Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley
Cost: $125/Bottle (purchased in 2000)

This is a dark ruby wine, full-bodied and velvety in texture, with a weightiness like blood. It’s rich and superb as it hits the front palate and glides through to the mid and back palate. Aromas are a bit funky, initially band-aid like, but yields to some juicy black cherry and currant fruit with plenty of suede and Timberland boot-like scents. The wine required some serious air time but could never eliminate that bandaid and suede nose, even by the end of dinner. Overall a decent wine, with quite a perfect mouthfeel and flavor profile, but the funky nose may not be for everyone.

Rating: 89

Laurel Cellars – Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 – Alexander Valley, California
Cost: $12.99/bottle (on sale)

This wine is dark plum in color, medium-bodied and silky. The aromas are one dimensional, with notes of toasted oak, herbs, green leaves, vanilla extract and some berry fruit. In the mouth, simple and rather oaky fruit through and through, with some green spices. For $12.99, I couldn’t expect that it would be great, but it’s decent. A repeat purchase for me… probably… maybe… not sure yet.. I bought this because some great fruit and wine come from Alexander Valley, but it is quite oaky (I do have a good tolerance for oak, however).
Rating: 84

Justin – Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 – Paso Robles, California
Cost: $28.99/bottle

Justin vineyards in Paso Robles, located midway between Monterey and LA, certainly had one of their finest vintages in 2006. After getting overwhelmed by the 2006 Isosceles (their flagship wine), and then an impressive Justin Orphan (their leftover grapes wine), this cabernet is in no way middle of the road in quality. This one is just a touch under the Isosceles in the yum factor of yumminess. Beautiful notes of black cherry, blueberry, toasted oak, coconut and bittersweet chocolate are enjoyable to sniff and taste. It’s moderately full bodied and with firm tannins, but it comes across as harmonious with the levels of alcohol, fruit and sweetness. It’s a dry wine, make no mistake about it— but it’s quite flavorful and delicious. I’m picking up a case of this stuff, it tastes a lot better than most cabernet costing twice or three times this. Great value.
Rating: 93

Amizetta Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $22.99/bottle

It’s quite a surprise to find an 11 year-old California cabernet at a wine store these days— but I came across this for just a penny under $23 and thought it certainly worth checking out. My palate tends to prefer older more mature wines for their complexity and intrigue which, personally, I find a most exhilarating experience. This Amizetta exhibited telltale typical mature California fruit. The nose is initially dominated by spearmint, ripe currants and black cherry notes. The wine evolves over time in the glass revealing cola notes while maintaining its mintiness. In the mouth, it remains moderately full bodied with supple tannins, at a virtually low acidity (but with plenty of fruit that wraps the tastebuds). It was quite easy to drink and remains soft on the palate, which one wouldn’t normally expect of an aged wine— but it’s possible this wine may have seen better days early on, and perhaps I caught it on the tail end of its peak drinkability. For $23 a bottle, it’s a decent value, and I may look for more recent vintages of this wine in the future.
Rating: 89

Karl Lawrence – Aldin Red Table Wine 2006 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $29/bottle

Just released by the Karl Lawrence winery as an adjunct, this is really an experimental blended wine of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Notes of cherry, Flintstone’s vitamins, sweet oak and berries are consistent on both the nose and palate. However, I must add that it tasted quite young and in need of rest for a few more months, as it appeared very monotone and unevolved. Still it is medium-bodied, with fair levels of fruit that need to settle for it to bolster the structural integrity of the wine. I opened the wine not 24 hours from taking it out of the box, which was shipped the prior day to my home. Will have to explore this further, perhaps later in the year.
Rating: 87

Francis Ford Coppola – Director’s Cut 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Cost: $18-$24/bottle

Dark purple opaque in color. Very young, almost fresh pressed juice but still with a tannic presence. Nice fruit content showcasing notes of toasted oak, vanilla extract, black and red currants and a touch of Read more…

Peter Michael Winery – Les Pavots 1997 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $110/bottle

Rainy Sunday, but there’s nothing like having a decent cabernet sauvignon with lunch. Peter Michael has a long reputation of producing fine cabernet, and the 1997 certainly lives up to its pedigree. Still exhibiting its youthful nose upon open with cherry, currants, and lead pencil, but this wine evolves in the glass after 20 minutes, showcasing a mature complex nose of suede, toast, and bittersweet chocolate. Moderately full bodied, silky on the mid-palate but with good fruit — with dusty tannins and just a touch of heat on the mouth, leaving a slight cherry/menthol note. After living about 9 years in my wine cellar, this wine has been served — quite well, quite well indeed.

Rating: 92

Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $110/bottle purchased in 2002
Consumed: 2009

Montes – Alpha, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Chile)

Cost: $22/bottle

This is a ‘big bang for the buck’ wine. I have had 3 bottles of the 2006 vintage and I keep coming back for more. Notes of saddle leather and toasty oak greet you up front and slowly evolve into a genuine ripeness of blackcherry and cherry fruit, with subtle hints of roasted coffee bean, scorched earth, and charred embers that eventually evolve again into more ripe fruit. Amazing for such a young wine— this has density, depth of fruit, and a sensational texture. This is a ‘must buy’ case for me.

Rating: 92

Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Cros Parantoux 1997
Cost: $150/bottle

Dining at the Café Panache, a fine French cuisine is always paired nicely with a great Burgundy. This was showing nicely with its dark cherry, herbal tea, underbrush, and damp earthy complexity. Slight hint of band-aid on the nose that blows up with some swirling. In the mouth, the acidity seems nicely in tune with the fruit and somewhat residual tannins. Good inner fruit persistence from front attack to the back palate gives this wine a juicy, rather ripe “California” like texture; although the nose is Burgundian.

Rating: 91

Peter Michael – Les Pavots 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $85-110/bottle 

An impressive performance from a mature “at peak” cabernet. 15 years from the vine and the tannins have resolved and are well integrated with the fruit and alcohol. Notes of leather and cedar, combined with currants, plum, and black cherry with a touch of anise/fennel. Very smooth and velvet like on the mid-palate with a fine, moderately full bodied texture. A great cabernet!

Rating: 97

Showkett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $49.99/Bottle

A georgeous weekend, we dined outdoors with a lovely bottle of cabernet sauvignon from Showkett Vineyards, which, as not too many know, is a neighboring vineyard literally a stone’s throw from the famous Screaming Eagle vineyards. Having visited the winery perhaps about 12 years ago, I do recall this was one of the highlights of my trip, and it’s quite nice to pick up a bottle of this hidden gem if/when I see it on a store shelf. The cabernet is the hallmark of this winery, and the 2005 appears to be an outstanding effort, with notes of blackcherry, cassis, a touch of sage, smoke and vanilla, and— with a bit of airing and swirling, a rather enjoyable confectionary sugar powder that also emerges. In the mouth, very balanced, good persistence of fruit backed by polished tannins, and a nice cherry-vanilla lingering finish. It’s forward in that you can enjoy today, but give this a couple of years resting for maximum peak enjoyment.
Rating: 92

 
Karl Lawrence – Aldin Chardonnay 2007 – Napa Valley California
Cost: $25/Bottle

This is a nice summer-like chardonnay… with its fine notes of buttery oak laced white wine seemingly loaded with pear, honeysuckle and tangerine oil on both aroma and flavor. Has good acid levels and becomes nice and creamy on the palate. Full bodied, full flavored, and rich from mid to back palate.
Rating: 90

St. Supery – Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 – Napa Valley, California
Cost: $64/Bottle off the menu at Johnnie’s HideAway in Kissimmee, Florida (Retails for about $30 to $35/bottle)

Recommended by the waiter, this is my first taste of this winery, and I must say it was superb. This dark plum red colored wine is medium bodied with a smoky oak, burnt firewood nose that eventually reveals black currants, anise spice, blackberries, and vanilla extract. Dry but balanced keeps this wine open and tasty with a moderate finish. Lingering flavors along with the rather fruity nose and subtle hints of oak and anise are refreshing. Worth looking for when I get back home.

Rating: 91

Chateau St. Michelle – Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Cost: $31/bottle at Bonefish Grill (retails $12-$15 at wineshops)

Medium bodied with a rather dark ruby color that becomes nearly purple in the center. Silky smooth with soft tannins and an aroma of black cherry, vanilla, and a note of damp earth. With time in the glass, the aromas become more pronounced but with a hint of celery and a touch of oak. In the mouth, it has decent tannins and acids and with perhaps just enough fruit to keep you interested. Still it appeared and tasted rather monotone having that earthy feel to the wine, which made it a bit awkward. I will admit that matching with Bonefish Grill’s famous Bang Bang Shrimp and Chilean Sea Bass with their spicy and rather salty chimichurri sauce overwhelmed the wine at certain points of the evening, but if anything, it should have been an advantage due to its fruit and sweetness. In this instance, it was not. Tasted plain and quite frankly flat at some points. Rating: 82