(McLaren Vale Shiraz-100%, I think?; paid $16, suggested retail is about same; 14.5% ABV).
Look: Very typical Shiraz inky purple; long legs in the glass.
Nose: Red cherry and blackberry pie mix. Rather fruit-driven, but fairly appealing.
Taste: Heavy- body; presence of oak, but not objectionable. Nice use of tannins and acid to round out the fruit driven flavors; secondary flavors are a bit weaker compared with Laughing Magpie (their Shiraz/Viognier blend). Finish is medium+ in my view, but gradually tails off and tastes like a high quality wine. Does a really good job of avoiding tasting too hot/boozy.
Overall feel is just a touch manipulated, in particular with a slightly abrupt acid entry into the palate (common with Aussie Shiraz), although it's crafted quite well and tastes obviously well blended. Luckily doesn't taste manipulated in terms of the oak/tannins, and the fruit flavor has a very nice purity to it. General flavors on first day were blackberry and plum and heavily fruit driven. Somewhat more mellow on second day with focus shifting to red cherry and blackberry, with some graphite and dust secondary flavors coming through. Also a touch of cinnamon/allspice on the finish the second day. Wouldn't mind more prominent secondary notes, but this is a moderately priced wine, so it's not expected. Should age decently.
Surprisingly good with food (better than many Zins in my view, and certainly better than most Napa Cab/Merlot) and can try with a variety of things. Actually tried with some chocolate with vanilla nd that was really good.
QPR is good but not incredible. But personally, this is a sentimental wine for me as this was one of the first higher quality wines I ever tried (older vintage obviously) and I am very much a fan. It introduces some secondary flavors, which is nice, and I think this is really good for a relatively new wine drinker who wants to get serious about trying higher quality stuff.
Really good example of Aussie Shiraz (along with Torbreck Woodcutters).
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Bought for about $5 on sale; normal price is $10ish. Not really worth the money, although OK for $5 I suppose.
Color: Typical dark purple.
Nose: Nothing that special; kind of plum and blackberry mix.
Taste: Extremely disjointed, with too much oak on initial entry. Some blackberry, which is nice, but just the whole thing is kind of a hot mess. Has some plum and blueberry too, but not secondary flavors. Bit harsh and slightly boozy on the feel (ABV isn't that high, so it shouldn't). Finish is medium in length. Tried to keep it out for two hours in decanter to see if it improved things; it didn't really.
Probably wouldn't buy again.
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(from Hawke's Bay, NZ; ABV is 13.5%; retail is about $14, but got on sale for $8 at PLCB store).
Color: Rather light purple for a Merlot; certainly not the dense colors that I expect to see.
Nose: Rather modest, but detect some plum and a note of acid.
Taste: Begins with a mouthfeel mixing with black cherry, plum, and a bit of blackberry (reasonably typical for Merlot, but initial thought on tasting was this reminds me more of a lighter bodied Malbec). Finish is medium in length overall and wine has a very silky, elegant mouthfeel, which is again typical for a better Merlot. Solid secondary notes of cola and dark chocolate, but was hoping for more minerality to show up. Lacking the typical density I'd expect to see from a Merlot, but has reasonably typical Merlot flavors (i.e., not especially cool climate), so it has a bit of a disconnect between the taste, density, and feel, but overall is fine for the money.
Very good, but short of outstanding. Solid value at $14; excellent value at $8. Would go well with lamb chops, prime rib, or maybe even something like a pot roast. But it has too elegant of a feel to call this a wine you can drink well with every meal.
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2016 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Footbolt
3/29/2020 - VenetoWineLover Likes this wine: 89 Points
(McLaren Vale Shiraz-100%, I think?; paid $16, suggested retail is about same; 14.5% ABV).
Look: Very typical Shiraz inky purple; long legs in the glass.
Nose: Red cherry and blackberry pie mix. Rather fruit-driven, but fairly appealing.
Taste: Heavy- body; presence of oak, but not objectionable. Nice use of tannins and acid to round out the fruit driven flavors; secondary flavors are a bit weaker compared with Laughing Magpie (their Shiraz/Viognier blend). Finish is medium+ in my view, but gradually tails off and tastes like a high quality wine. Does a really good job of avoiding tasting too hot/boozy.
Overall feel is just a touch manipulated, in particular with a slightly abrupt acid entry into the palate (common with Aussie Shiraz), although it's crafted quite well and tastes obviously well blended. Luckily doesn't taste manipulated in terms of the oak/tannins, and the fruit flavor has a very nice purity to it. General flavors on first day were blackberry and plum and heavily fruit driven. Somewhat more mellow on second day with focus shifting to red cherry and blackberry, with some graphite and dust secondary flavors coming through. Also a touch of cinnamon/allspice on the finish the second day. Wouldn't mind more prominent secondary notes, but this is a moderately priced wine, so it's not expected. Should age decently.
Surprisingly good with food (better than many Zins in my view, and certainly better than most Napa Cab/Merlot) and can try with a variety of things. Actually tried with some chocolate with vanilla nd that was really good.
QPR is good but not incredible. But personally, this is a sentimental wine for me as this was one of the first higher quality wines I ever tried (older vintage obviously) and I am very much a fan. It introduces some secondary flavors, which is nice, and I think this is really good for a relatively new wine drinker who wants to get serious about trying higher quality stuff.
Really good example of Aussie Shiraz (along with Torbreck Woodcutters).
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2018 Trapiche Malbec Oak Cask
1/15/2020 - VenetoWineLover wrote: 82 Points
Bought for about $5 on sale; normal price is $10ish. Not really worth the money, although OK for $5 I suppose.
Color: Typical dark purple.
Nose: Nothing that special; kind of plum and blackberry mix.
Taste: Extremely disjointed, with too much oak on initial entry. Some blackberry, which is nice, but just the whole thing is kind of a hot mess. Has some plum and blueberry too, but not secondary flavors. Bit harsh and slightly boozy on the feel (ABV isn't that high, so it shouldn't). Finish is medium in length. Tried to keep it out for two hours in decanter to see if it improved things; it didn't really.
Probably wouldn't buy again.
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2016 Oyster Bay Merlot
1/9/2020 - VenetoWineLover Likes this wine: 87 Points
(from Hawke's Bay, NZ; ABV is 13.5%; retail is about $14, but got on sale for $8 at PLCB store).
Color: Rather light purple for a Merlot; certainly not the dense colors that I expect to see.
Nose: Rather modest, but detect some plum and a note of acid.
Taste: Begins with a mouthfeel mixing with black cherry, plum, and a bit of blackberry (reasonably typical for Merlot, but initial thought on tasting was this reminds me more of a lighter bodied Malbec). Finish is medium in length overall and wine has a very silky, elegant mouthfeel, which is again typical for a better Merlot. Solid secondary notes of cola and dark chocolate, but was hoping for more minerality to show up. Lacking the typical density I'd expect to see from a Merlot, but has reasonably typical Merlot flavors (i.e., not especially cool climate), so it has a bit of a disconnect between the taste, density, and feel, but overall is fine for the money.
Very good, but short of outstanding. Solid value at $14; excellent value at $8. Would go well with lamb chops, prime rib, or maybe even something like a pot roast. But it has too elegant of a feel to call this a wine you can drink well with every meal.
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