A medium to full-bodied elegant Cabernet Sauvignon based blend from California.
Technical Data: Cabernet Sauvignon Blend. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Merlot, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Nine months in French and American oak, 17% new.
Description: Bright garnet red in color with purple hues. Intense red and black fruits nose laced with oak and old leather. Rich mouth-feel expressing flavors of ripe cherries, plum and black berries interwoven with oak, spice and leather. Elegant supple tannins with a chocolaty long lasting finish and a hint of dried herbs. This wine has some texture to it.
Food Pairing & Service: Will pair with a wide range of food. Best with BBQ-ed meats and roasted veggies.
Score: 8/10.
Ageing Potential: Drink now and up to 2 more years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $24.99
A medium to full-bodied refined, supple and elegant Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley in California.
Technical Data: 100% Pinot Noir, 10 months in 100% French oak.
Description: Bright ruby red in color. Elegant nose of red berries well integrated to rose petal and violet aromas as well as oak and spice. On the palate, the wine is lush and elegant with smooth tannins, concentrated ripe cherries backed up by rose petal flavors, plum, cedar and a touch of liquorice. Quite a wonderful program all at once!
Food Pairing & Service: Will pair with a wide range of food.
Score: 9/10.
Ageing Potential: Drink now and up to 3 more years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $25.99
A medium-bodied Tempranillo blend from the famous Rioja region in Spain.
Technical Data: 60% Tempranillo blended with 40% of Shiraz. No oak.
Description: Garnet color with purple hues. Intense nose of plum, leather and cedar aromas. Lush and fruit forwards Tempranillo blend expressing morello cherries flavors entwined with ripe blackberry and plum, peppery spiciness, coffee roast oak, smooth as a glove tannins, cedar and toast. Long lasting leathery finish.
Food Pairing & Service: Will pair well with all types of meat, game and wild mushrooms, as well as with flavorful cheese. I loved this one with Braised short ribs and BBQ meats in general.
Score: 8/10.
Ageing Potential: Drink now.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $16.69
A full-bodied Tempranillo blend from the famous Rioja region in Spain.
Technical Data: Mostly Tempranillo grape blended with a small pourcentage of Graciano grape and Malbec. On the Spanish wine labels, the term “Reserva” always mean 18 months in Oak followed by 18 months in bottle prior to the wine’s release.
Description: Dark ruby red in color. Intense ripe plum aromas mingled with toasty oak and blackcurrant notes. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied yet round with very velvety tannins and expressing flavors of juicy blackberry and ripe plum entwined with blackcurrant, black pepper, leather and toasty oak.
Food Pairing & Service: Will pair well with all types of meat, game and wild mushrooms, as well as with flavorful cheese.
Score: 9/10.
Ageing Potential: Drink now and up to 3 more years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $16.99
A medium-bodied Tempranillo from the famous Rioja region in Spain.
Technical Data: 100% Tempranillo grape. Most of the wine is aged about 8 months in oak.
Description: Vibrant garnet red in color. Intense ripe dark fruits aromas well mingled with woody aromas and spices. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and dry, displaying dark ripe fruits, cedar, some spices, leather and plum flavors combined with velvety smooth tannins. Long lasting finish with some toasty roasted coffee notes.
Food Pairing & Service: A red meat lover. Will also pair well with cheese.
Score: 9/10.
Ageing Potential: Drink now and up to 2 more years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $16.99
A full-bodied shiraz with lots of personality from South Australia Region.
Technical Data: 100% Shiraz. Aged 20 months in old and new French and US oak. the grapes for this wine comes from 6 different sub-regions in South Australia, Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Coonawarra.
Description: Deep garnet color. Blackberry aromas and cloves entwined with spices and oak. A Full-bodied Shiraz expressing flavors of ripe blackberry and plum, black pepper, some spices and hint of chocolate backed up by very soft and supple tannins as well as oaky flavors.
Food Pairing & Service: Will accompany really well a cheese called Époisse Berthaut from Burgundy in France, that suggestion of pairing was made by my friends from the “Cheese Fromagerie” Department from the store I was tasting in.
Score: 8/10.
Ageing Potential: Can be definitely drunk now, but can also be stored in cellar without a doubt for up to 10 years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $17.99
A medium-bodied Pinot Noir with lots of personality and texture from South Australia Region. Predominantly from Adelaide Hills sub-region.
Technical Data: 100% Pinot Noir. Aged in second and third use French oak for a few months. Twist off cap.
Description: Ruby red in color with garnet hues. Surprising nose expressing aromas of sweet cherries well mingled with chocolate, liquorice, toast and dried herbs. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, jammy, chewy and textured with soft refined tannins. The flavors this wine displays are an echo to its nose. Quite delightful long lasting finish.
Food Pairing & Service: Will accompany really well an Extra Mature Aged Cheddar Cheese, the one I tried it on with, was from the brand Fiscalini from California, that suggestion of pairing was made by my friends from the “Cheese Fromagerie” Department from the store I was tasting in. I love this wine by itself, what can I do, truth be told, I am a Pinot Noir Lover, but I must confess, this is the first time, Australia impressed me so much, with one of their Pinot Noir! The wine will pair well with roast duck and Turkey as well. Remember that tip when Thanksgiving will come!
Score: 9/10.
Ageing Potential: Can be definitely drunk now, but can also be stored in cellar without a doubt for up to 5-6 years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $18.39
A silky smooth Merlot Blend from Napa Valley (Yountville South). Just so you know, this wine is quite a charmer!
Technical Data: 99% Merlot and 1 tiny % of Cabernet Sauvignon, just to say there some in there:-). 16 months in 60% French and 40% US Oak barrels, 25% of were new.
Description: Ruby red in color with purple hues. Intense cherry and plum aromas backed up by light oak. Elegant and full-bodied palate showing off very soft tannins and refine characters of cherry and plum, with some tobacco, a hint of black pepper and some earthiness on top of oaky flavors. The wine is textured and jammy as well as well balanced and long lasting.
Food Pairing & Service: Will accompany really well the French cheese called Chaumes as suggested by my friends from the “Cheese Fromagerie” Department from the store I was tasting in. Also due to the richness of this wine it will go wonderfully with some hearty dishes or even a steak.
Score: 9/10. I have to say, I am not usually a Merlot Lover but this one got definitely into me!
Ageing Potential: Up to 5 years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $26.99
A rich dry wine from South-Eastern Australia. This wine is kind of reminiscent to me of an “old loved gloved” you put on your hand…Something dear you are glad to go back to once in a while, you’ll understand what I mean exactly, when you’ll try it, try it out and you’ll adopt it!
Technical Data: 100% Shiraz, parcels of this wine were matured for 14 months in seasoned oak..
Description: Deep garnet red color with purple hues. The nose expresses aromas of black fruits and plum laced with bitter chocolate, black pepper and just a tiny hint of oak. A very rich fruits forward and soft palate for this full-bodied Shiraz loaded with blackberry and blackcurrant flavors backed up by cedary notes, black pepper, leather and oak. A bit herbal at the very end. Silky smooth tannins.
Food Pairing & Service: Personally I would match this wine with “hearty” dishes.
Score: 7/10.
Ageing Potential: up to 5-7 years.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $12.99
An affordable and quite surprising blend, uniting two full of characters and bold grapes for a full bodied and dry wine from South-Eastern Australia.
Technical Data: 60% Shiraz blended with 40% of Cabernet Sauvignon, small parcels of this wine were matured with oak for 9 months total.
Description: Deep ruby red color with purple hues. An intense nose with black fruits aromas and ripe plum intertwined with roasted coffee and spices. Quite a supple mouth. Full bodied wine, rich in flavors, ripe plum, black cherries, some spices and cedary notes, a slight touch of dark chocolate and a hint of roasted coffee. Smooth velvety tannins for a extremely smooth palate. good length on the finish.
Food Pairing & Service: Personally I would match this wine with “hearty” dishes.
Score: 7/10.
Ageing Potential: This wine should be drunk in its youth.
Price as seen on DC shelf: $12.99
