Tasting Notes of Wines around the World
Wines >100 CHF: Last month I organised a blind tasting of wines that sells between 100 CHF and 150 CHF.
The six wines we tasted were freely picked by the participants to the event. We usually taste completely blind, without even knowing the wines we are tasting. This time we decided to announce the wines beforehand. Continue reading “Wines >100 CHF”
The colour is deep ruby. On the nose sumptuous and fruity, with plums, blackberries, and dark chocolate. In the mouth enjoyable, but without the structure you would expect from a single-varietal Cab. The finish is pleasantly fruity, although the aftertaste doesn’t last long.
Black Stallion Estate Winery is located on Silverado Trail in Napa Valley. Continue reading “Black Stallion Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon 2018”
The colour is pale straw for the first and medium ruby for the second. On the nose Il Bianco di Chiara gives very discreet mineral and citrusy sensations, Il Rosso di Chiara displays mainly oak aromas, with some blackberries. In the mouth the white is dominated by the oak, but in an elegant way. The aftertaste is pleasant, but not very long. The red has less structure than you would expect and seems fading, although it is only 4 years old. The aftertaste is not very long. Continue reading “Il Bianco di Chiara 2019 e Il Rosso di Chiara 2017”
The colour is medium garnet. On the nose sour cherries and some animal notes. In the mouth a pronounced acidity, with a gently tannic “tea-leaf” finish. The aftertaste is rather short.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of several classic Tuscan red wines based on the Sangiovese grape variety. It comes from the vineyards that surround the town of Montepulciano. Sangiovese (known locally as Prugnolo Gentile) must make up at least 70% of the final wine. In this case, the blend is 90% Prugnolo Gentile, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Continue reading “Tenuta Trerose Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016”
The colour is medium ruby. On the nose at first closed. With some air, dark berries and smoky notes show up. Despite the name, no chocolate whatsoever. In the mouth velvety and fruity, with an enjoyable drying finish. The aftertaste is pleasant, but short.
The Chocolate Block is a barrel-aged red wine made by Boekenhoutskloof winery in the Franschhoek Valley (“French corner” in Dutch), a broad vineyard-lined valley that has been producing wine since the 17th Century, when exiled French Huguenots brought their viticultural know-how to their new home in South Africa. Continue reading “The Chocolate Block 2016”
The colour is medium garnet. On the nose dark berries and prunes under spirit. In the mouth fresh, with well-integrated tannins. The aftertaste is tasty and very, very long.
The 2008 El Nido is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Monastrell, aged for 24 months in new French and American oak. Continue reading “El Nido 2008”
Last month I organized a wine tasting focused on the main wine producing regions of Spain.
In the last few years, I travelled extensively to the different wine regions of Europe and I covered all the major denominations of Spain. Continue reading “Spain”
The colour is deep ruby. Not much neither on the nose, where I barely detect some sour cherries, nor in the mouth, where I feel drying tannins and a bitter finish. The aftertaste is short.
Le Difese is made by Tenuta San Guido, the producer of the famous Sassicaia, first produced with the 1968 vintage. Le Difese is the third wine of the estate, first produced with the 2002 vintage. In between, the winery produces a second wine, labelled Guidalberto, first produced with the 2000 vintage. Continue reading “Le Difese 2018”
The colour is dark ruby. On the nose dark cherries, dark berries and dark chocolate, accompanied by balsamic and spicy notes. In the mouth smooth, with a marked sensation of dark chocolate that last in the long aftertaste. With air the sensations change and become more subtle, which makes tasting this wine interesting.
This wine is a blend of 60% Monastrell, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. It ages for 18 months in French and American oak barrels. Continue reading “Juan Gil Blue Label 2018”
Despite the COVID-19 resurgence in Spain, early August I decided to stick to my plans and to go discover the wines made in the area around Alicante and Murcia.
My first visit right out of the plane has been Bodegas Volver, which I discovered by reviewing a wine I bought at Denner: Solnia 2014 (www.thelovedwine.com/solnia-2014). Continue reading “Bodegas Volver & Casa Rojo”