Datasets:

cj94

/

wine_review

like 0

chile

consistency is always a virtue, and once again this wine is creamy, fully oaked and more european in style than most chilean chardonnays. the nose is like popcorn, with apple and peach in the background. flavors of banana, coconut, melon and apple carry the rich palate, while the finish is smooth and oaky. this is very good chardonnay even if it lacks the extra elements required of a great wine. drink now for its freshness.

maquehua

us

this is a 100% varietal wine, with a dullness to the nose and a simplicity to the palate that makes it hard to distinguish, the fruit and acidity diluted.

stargazer vineyard

us

a fresh and textural wine, this puts a spicy spin on citrus rind, peach and apricot flavors. there's an intriguing hint of white pepper as well, and an overall sensation of density, intensity and exceptional length.

dry

france

this serious, ageworthy wine is the top in the series of three wines from the moinié estate. it's powerful and perfumed, with rich dark chocolate and superripe black plum and berry flavors. the tannins are still firm, showing its considerable potential. wait until at least 2021 before drinking.

eternellement

us

this riesling collaboration between chateau ste. michelle and ernst loosen is no longer unique, but the wine has been fine-tuned over the years and sets a consistently high standard. this may be the most acidic ever made, but it is juicy rather than sour, and has a textural creaminess that adds both depth and length. the fruit flavors mix ripe apple and mandarin orange, with hints of sweet lime and wet stone.

eroica

us

camaspelo is mostly cabernet sauvignon, blended with 20% merlot. the fruit shines through brightly in this cooler vintage, black cherry and plum with a saline minerality. the wine saw 40% new oak, perhaps for the last time, as christophe baron believes “the barrel is dead” and is moving to all-neutral, large format foudres, puncheons and concrete. soft, supple and sensuous, this is a delicious wine drinking quite nicely already.

camaspelo

us

made from 89% cabernet sauvignon, 7% malbec and 4% petit verdot and aged in 100% new oak for 20 months, this is a burly red wine with impressive structure and presence. tangy red fruit, recalling cranberry and currant, is spiced with clove, mountain sage, bay leaf and molasses notes.

reserve

portugal

a ripe and creamy blend of fernão pires and arinto, this is both fresh and richly textured. it has weight as well as a smooth texture, full in the mouth while also tangy. already delicious, it will also age, so drink until 2018.

azul portugal

france

while there is a herbal character to this wine, its main interest is in the ripe orange and apricot fruits. they cut easily into the acidity and the mineral edge of this attractive ready-to-drink wine.

justin monmousseau

spain

aromas of raw oak, related spice, vanilla and berry fruits lead to a fresh palate that's slightly choppy in feel. with its cherry, raspberry and oak flavors this blend of garnacha, tempranillo and carignan blend finishes dry, spicy and steady.

reserva

argentina

spicy, leathery, gritty notes share the nose with ripe black-fruit scents on this blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% malbec. at this stage, the palate feels narrow and pinched but not miserly. flavors of spicy blackberry, briary plum and cassis finish with smooth yet strong tannins and a note of licorice. drink 2015–2022.

nicolás catena zapata

us

there's a lot to admire in this robust wine, from its soft, muddled layers of spicy cinnamon to its well-hewn bursts of black licorice and blackberry. while full-bodied and brooding, it drinks with elegance and a brightness of red fruit on the finish.

knotty vines

us

this elegant effort is 46% cab sauvignon, 36% merlot and 18% cab franc; still wrapped up tight and showing tart cassis and berry fruit. there is a lot of the classic ciel minerality underlying the fruit, with hard tannins and lightly peppery herbal details. at just 14.1% alcohol, this is a classic example of how washington brings bright new world fruit and terroir to a style that retains the elegance of the old world.

ciel du cheval vineyard red wine

chile

solid berry aromas blend with notes of mild herb, mocha and sweet oak. the palate has good structure and feel, with creamy, oaky flavors of blackberry, cassis and vanilla. dry, composed and medium-long on the finish, with freshness due to healthy acids. contains 15% malbec and petit verdot.

royale

us

a barely ripe blend of pinot gris, pinot blanc, riesling and gewürztraminer, this has strong scents and flavors that combine in a rather strange way. perfume, breath mint and tanned leather elements pile on, without really melding or enhancing one another. whatever it is, it's not dull.

auzriel melody en blanc

chile

gritty aromas of compost, animal hide, burnt beef and leather set up a pinching palate. like the nose, this carignan tastes gritty, sharp, foxy and like tart plum. a salty finish with little ripeness is grabby on the way out.

vigno old vines dry farmed

italy

this extra brut sparkler offers drying mineral tones backed by passion fruit, kiwi, pear and golden delicious apple. the aromas are delicate and so are the flavors, although they do linger long on the palate. the wine is cheerful and bright throughout.

gran cuvée pas operé extra brut

portugal

the chardonnay in this blend was fermented and aged in wood and then combined with crisp arinto fermented in tank. the result is a lightly oaked wine that has yellow fruits as well as crisper citrus. it is a finely made, ripe wine that will be ready to drink from the end of 2016.

reserva