Tasting Notes

This Appellation d'origine contrôlée wine (AOC) which means "Controlled Designation of Origin" it is a Bordeaux Superieur red wine produced in Moulon, a town which lie only few miles from the prestigious area of Pomerol in Bordeaux.
This wine is a classic 100% Merlot, which it is typical for the area and it is produced in a vineyard which lies on the side of a hill where the soil is composed basically of a clay limestone planted with vines which are 35 years old.
At the time that such grapes arrive at the Winery it is fermented for 5 day at 79F and macerated for 2/3 week. After this the wine aging in French oak for 12 months using barrel that are classify as second passage. The producer gave us a interesting detail; this chateau is using barriques that areprevious used on burgundy instead of Bordeaux, and that they prefer rent it instead of buy it.
The result is a wine which has 13.8 ABV alcohol which when you pour it in your glass you realize that has big potentiality; fresh aroma of cherry mixed with vanilla come up from the glass just when it touch your glass; aromas that are confirmed at the time that you take your first sip, finding an additional flavor of blackberry in a well balanced game between fruitiness and acidity. The wood makes its presence in a delicate way, as well as tannins do.
It could be classify as a medium full body wine with a medium/long finish.
We asked them how long we can keep it on our cellar, due to the fact that it is a "2015 only" for the next 5 years it can only improve its characteristics which will be kept until 10 year of age, but this is not our case; we enjoyed it now and in the dinner that we had the next day.

For Garden party our choice fell on a bottle of 2016 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
New Zealand is famous for its Sauvignon Blanc, especially the one produced in the Marlborough valleys which lie on the Northeast area of the Southern Island of New Zealand, where our Nobilo came from.
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is quite different from the Sauvignon Blancs produced in France; more zest, more acidic and with stronger aromas vs. France Counterpart.
This 2016 Nobilo is the classic example of what a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Means. Pale yellow color, with some undertone of delicate green is what it brings at our sight.
It offers a strong and recognizable aroma of grapefruit with hint of passion fruit and a little tone of mango.
On the palate it confirms the persistent citrus flavor based on fruity grapefruit which makes the wine well balanced between sweetness and acidity without any kind of bitterness in its finish.
Light in body as we expect from a refreshing wine it has 12.5 % ABV in alcohol which let us free to take freely more than a glass.
The finish is not really long which makes it the perfect paring to a delicate and lean fish steamed or poached, but long enough to enjoy its flavors.

This Burgans Albariño 2015 is produced by the most important cooperative in Rias Baixas called Martin Codax. Specifically in the sub zone called Sales, one of the coolest and most humid areas in the region, where the soil is composed principally by granite, schist and sand.
The vineyard is placed between 33 and 164 feet above the sea level and its vines are an average of 20 years old. This wine takes its name from the hill which the grapes came from: Burgans Hill.
It is a 100% Albariño grapes produced, and since 1988 it is classify as DO Wine (Denominacion de Origen). It is a wine that carries 12.5% ABV of Alcohol, which makes it enter in the range of medium alcohol content, typical for the dinner's wine in Europe.
It is hand harvested, and fermented in stainless steel tanks with a temperature controlled system. It is left for 3 months in the same type of tank with lees stirring.
At the first look the wine has a clear bright intensity, but we noticed some bubble in it. It didn't scare us because we know that some European white have the same characteristic. Its color was a Straw color with the tendency to the green; these two characteristics remind me another wine produced close by: the Vinho Verde, which, in some case, is produced with the same grapes; but they are produced in two completely different styles.
Coming back to our bottle, what caught our attention is that in the aroma we have found a touch of butter either if this wine didn't age in wood. Others aromas were nuts and delicate Peach. At the palate the acidity is predominant but not overwhelming; only in a second step the frutty flavor come up confirming the peach and rising notes. Citrus notes are stronger than in the aroma. We found a kind of bitterness in the end but not too much to make the wine unpleasant.
This wine is clearly a light body wine with a short but uncommon finish, because after 5/6 seconds that the flavors are gone, some citrus notes come back again.
Best paring for Albarino is fish, in almost all its different preparations, but I tried it with other dishes like chicken stew with tomatoes, and I got a good result. If I want to open a cheese, I opt for a blend sheep/ cow cheese, just as is the wine; a mix between fruit and acidity.

This wine is produced by a blend of malbec grapes which come from different areas inside the Mendoza Region. One part comes from vines with 15 year old, planted in the Uco Valley in the Andes' foothills at an elevation of 3600 ft where soil is poor, made basically by stone. Grape from this area gives to the vine color and structure, as well as elegance. Another part of the blend came from the Mendoza area of Agrelo where the soil is rich but the vines are old, around 40 years, giving to the wine soft tannins. And the last part comes from Eastern Mendoza giving to the wine fruitiness.
The bottle is 100% malbec grapes that in the cellar are submitted at a cool pre-fermentation maceration for five days at 50F degree. This to enhance the color and extraction of the flavor; after this the normal fermentation is at least 7 days long; finally the wine is place part in American Oak and part in French Oak where stands for two years.
There are several differences between vintages. The 2015 vintage (the bottle we opened), for example, has 14.2% ABV in Alcohol, 4.80% in acidity and 3.7 grams/liter of residual sugar. Conversely the 2016 has 12.8% ABV in Alcohol, 4.27% in acidity and 4.2 grams/liter of residual sugar. Interesting difference!
Looking at this wine, it has a bright clarity, red dark color with no rime change.
At first sniff it has no faults but it gives a sense of age. At the second sniff we could feel the fruitiness, such as a berry concentrate, little vanilla, and some alcohol.
On the palate there is no bitterness but acidity. We feelt some retro-odors like spiciness and more concentration of a berry flavor.
For the mouthfeel, it has a medium body and is a medium tanning wine.
We suggest pairing it with roasted meat and stew; pasta with meatball is another good option, but in accordance to the wine's characteristics, we are more oriented to red meat.

Crafted by the California winemaking team of Alison Crowe and Barbara Ignatowski, Seven Rings is named for the number of years it takes for a newly-planted grapevine to begin producing wine-quality fruit.
Their 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is produced with fruit sourced from the Yeager and Hudson vineyards in Oak Knoll District, located on the southern end of Napa Valley.
Oak Knoll District, recognized as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 2004,lies in close proximity to the cool, breezy, and foggy San Pablo Bay above San Francisco. Given its maritime exposure and relatively low elevation (sea level to 800 feet), it is the second coolest appellation in Napa Valley after neighboring Los Carneros.
With mid-summer temperatures that can swing from 92°F during the day to 50°F at night,Oak Knoll District enjoys a long growing season and, in terms of the types of varieties that can be successfully farmed there, ranks among the most diverse winegrowing regions in Napa Valley.
Seven Rings is a classic example of Oak Knoll District Cabernet Sauvignon rappresentation. The 2013 vintage is youthful and energetic. It feels rich with a full bodied. It aroma expreses touch of blackberry, fig, tobacco, and violet; followed by flavors that convey ripe black cherry, sweet cured tobacco,dried herbs, and cola. All accented with notions of nutmeg, bitters, and caramelized sugar over a balanced, layered finish. Tannins are assertive but not balaced and not invasive, acidity is moderate, and the oak is well integrate and gives a touch of spicyness.
This wine can only has all the characteristic for improve over the next several years.
We like to serve it with sharp cheeses, charcuterie, filet mignon, roasted meats, and other hearty fare. In our opinion, this wine is the wine that has to be served in any steak house restaurant; as well as with your barbecue grilled steak.

Ch. de Mercuès property is a very elegant castle that often it is surrounded from the mists of South West France.
In the glass the wine comes over as a powerful modern example of Cahors.
Cahors is made from the malbec grape variety. Actually Chaors is the born place for malbec, before to become famous in Argentina.
This wine has deep color with a lively purple edge. After a few moments in the glass, the new oak aromas begin to emerge over plum fruit and just a hint of violet. The palate is full and rounded, with some evident warming presence of alcohol. In fact it has 14.5% ABV sign of a well ripeness harvest.
Old style Cahors used to be tough and inky; it needed decades to come around. But now to make softer Chaors, winemakers seek very ripe fruit with soft tannins, and they are using a mix of new oak and old oak to age the wine, which as result adds layer of vanilla and cinnamon. Some note of milk chocolate also recalls Malbec in its Argentinean modern style.Finish is long and pleasant palate.
Due its characteristic this wine has the capacity to age. In fact, old vintages are available from a French online website which specialises in Malbec.

The Dr Loosen Cellar is more that 200 years old, which, in order to improve quality, has opted to reduce the amount of crops, and use only organic fertilizers.
Dr. L is the entry level wine in the Loosen's world. It is 100% Riesling grapes produced using gentle press and fermented in stainless steel and where the fermentation is stopped by chilling, letting the wine have more residual sugar, which reaches a 43.2 grams/liter,and low level of alcohol; in fact, the amount of alcohol in this wine is 8.5% ABV, which is justly noticeable.Sweetness and acidity, 9.1 grams/liter, are really well balanced in this wine, resulting in a crisp but fruity wine.
At the sight the wine looked bright with a pale straw color, it felt fresh without any faulty odors.
At the beginning we could not feel pronounced aromas, when, we discovered that letting it warm up in the glass, it was able release touch of citrus, some spiciness, and a very little stone flavors.
Is our opinion that this wine gives the best in the palate. The acidity, fruitiness, and sweetness were well balanced. The wine felt crispy and tasteful. Pineapple and peach were the main flavors and at the same time was possible felt the back a stony flavor.
This wine has a medium body with a long finish and pineapple and stony flavor at the end.
Riesling paring well almost all dishes, and this is a good example. He works well with any barbecue meat, mild spice dishes, salads using balsamic vinegar.
In addition do not forget that it is a "social sipping wine" because of its sweetness and acidity make it pleasant to sip whitout any side food.

Before talk about the wine we want mention about the 2015 vintage in the Beaujolais area. The growing season was mild with wet winter and spring, but with hot and dry summer. In the summer the mix between hot climate and poor rain made that the grapes stopped temporary to ripe and grow. The result has been low yields with interesting quality.
In the cellar the grapes have been submitted to carbonic maceration where the whole bunch is put uncrushed in a sealed fermenting vessel, letting the weight of the bunch poured on the top of the vessel, braking the skin of the bunch that are in the bottom. At the same time, in each single uncrushed berry begins a natural fermentation creating, inside each cluster, bubbles of carbon dioxide that are release when the berry bursts.The reason why this method is used is because it is able to enhance the fruitiness especially for the grapes such as Gamay.
Technically speaking,this wine has a 13% ABV in alcohol, 3.25 grams/liter of acidity, and only a short aging is done completely in stainless steel.
Before to talk about the wine, we have to admit that we chilled it order to improve a little the fruitiness.
Analyzing the wine, it has a bright ruby color with no rim variation, which means that it is clearly a young wine.
The first sniff confirms the freshness of the wine and no faulty odors. Swirling the glass the released aroma that we perceived has tones of fruitiness tending to the strawberry and notes of blueberry, Also an aroma of fresh must is present and integrate part of the bouquet.
At the palate the acidity is predominant over all other flavors with no sense of bitterness. The blueberry flavor become more accentuate and note of spiciness came up.
This wine is a medium body wine with little but present tannins and medium finish.
Paring Beaujolais-Village is not difficult, especially if you are vegan or avoid red meat. Spice dishes, mild cheeses and poultry are good options; also vegetarian dishes with tomatoes and peppers works well too.
Would you like to try it with fish? Try it,especially with fatty fishes as Halliburton.

Coming Soon ...... It is Still Sleeping in its Barrels