Monday, September 29, 2008

Bitch 2007 South Australia Grenache

Light ruby color. Leather and oak smells predominate. Red raspberry jam flavor along with alcohol warmth and oak and petillance on the tongue.

The next day the smell includes red raspberry jam, the flavor is much as it was.

I would not buy this again for $12.29: overall my impressions are negative. I find this on the simple side, a high-alcohol poorly balanced fruit bomb.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Granrojo 2005 Garnacha

Deep purple / dark red color. Smell of leather and dark stone fruit. Tastes of plums and black cherries, oak and roast beef. Dark chocolate in the smooth-textured if tannic finish. Blueberry too?

The next day emphasizes the fruit in the smell and flavor, brings out an earthy quality in the smell that was less apparent yesterday.

I enjoyed this, but probably would look somewhere else to spend my $12.99. Would certainly look into subsequent vintages.

Big Red. Big Bad Red! ♭♮♯♪♪♫♬♪♫♪♩♪♩

Monday, September 22, 2008

Bodegas Castano 2004 Hecula Yecla Monastrell

Inky-dark purple color. Smell of oak and berries, black cherries and plum, leather. Flavor of plum, black cherry, slightly bitter tannins and bacon.

The next day the smell hasn’t changed greatly but the fruit is more apparent in the flavor.

Not only would I buy this again for $13.29, I intend to do so and let it breathe a bit next time.

Monastrell is probably the same grape as Mourvèdre. Whatever the ampelographers finally decide though, this is very much a Rhone-like wine.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

La Valentina 2005 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Deep purple/ruby color. Berry/cherry smell. Black cherry flavor, some blueberry, some licorice. Adequate acid to balance the fruit, rich texture, some alcohol warmth in the finish and some cleansing bitterness. Restrained tannins.

The next day the smell of fruit is more apparent, as is the berry flavor.

I’d buy this again for $13.29.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Bell'agio 2007 Chianti

Deep ruby color. Unremarkable smell, alcohol and cherry, no apparent oak. Warm cherry fruit flavor, a bit thin, but in no way objectionable. Adequate acid to balance the fruit.

The next day no surprise, the wine renains open and fruit-forward. It’s not profound, but it is pleasant and rewarding.

I admit that nostalgia for the packaging (the fiasco) was a significant reason for deciding to buy this rather than some other Chianti for a like price. I wouldn’t buy this again for $13.79, but bring the price down under $10 and we’re talking.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Joseph Drouhin 2006 Moulin-a-Vent

Deep ruby color, strikes me as an unusually deep color for a Beaujolais. Smell of strawberry and raspberry, hint of vanilla oak. Tart taste of berry fruit, some alcohol warmth, just a hint of bitter tannins and oak. I read elsewhere that perhaps this will benefit from further cellaring. I find that believable.

The next day perhaps the wine had further opened and was displaying the fruit even more prominently..

I won’t buy this again for $19.99. It’s in no way a bad wine, but neither is it a good bye. I’d probably spend that much on a bottle of 2007, when it becomes available, though.

This is the last Beaujolais for now. A nice Beaujolais is always welcome, but I'll be looking at some other things in the next few weeks.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Chateau des Capitans 2004 Julienas

Deep purple red color. Full smell of raspberry, warm alcohol and some vinegary carbonic maceration character with a hint of vanilla. Full fruity flavor, raspberry and strawberry, well-balanced with crisp acid.

The next day the smell is still loaded with fruit, as is the flavor.

While this seems a relatively sturdy Beaujolais, I foresee no significant improvement from further age. I don’t think it’s going to deteriorate in the next few years, either.

I feel comfortable saying I’d buy this again for $15.99, and that I’ll certainly keep an eye out for future vintages.