Giant Wine Sale & Tasting at Cellar on Greene Columbia, SC 6/18/2011
Tasted Saturday, June 18, 2011 by Mike Kopanski with 648 views
Introduction
On another hot and sticky day in Columbia, SC when it seems over half the population of the city was thirsty for some good wine, Cellar on Green had a nice line up, and plenty of patrons. I did not get there early enough to try all the wines today. I had tried a few 2 weeks earlier. Instead of starting at the front and following in order, I skipped around a little. Especially wanted to try the Burly 2006. Had tried the 04, and the 05 with Jose Mendez in Sonoma. This wine should be receiving more accolades considering the quality, depth, and concentration.
NV Cupcake Vineyards Blanc de Blancs 86 Points
France
Nothing special, nothing wrong, just an affordable sparkler that will work with any food or drink by itself, especially for that first taste of the day. Almost clear in color. Floral nose. Very dry. Small bubbles. Lemon and white pear fruit. Kind of yeasty on the finish.
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2010 Jean-Luc Colombo Cape Bleue Rosé 86 Points
France, Provence, Mediterranée
I'm not that big a fan of bleed rose, so this one was not one of my favorites. I can see why some would like this. It has intense fresh red fruit. The nose is awesome with rose petals and big red fruit aromas. Once you break those skins, the resulting wine can be very dry in the mouth, which this one is. It is even a little bitter. Very fruity, and somewhat tasty, just not my favorite style.
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2010 Zum Martin Sepp Grüner Veltliner 87 Points
Austria
Gruner Veltliner always impresses me with how big it feels in the mouth. This one is a little past medium bodied. I am also a fan of those white wines that are not dominated by malic acid, and this one is very moderate in the acid department. Some real nice lemon on the nose and palate. Balanced, rounded, but still refreshing. Losses some score because I feel a slight, unwelcome bitterness on the finish.
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2010 Indaba Chenin Blanc 88 Points
South Africa, Western Cape
Although this is not my favorite style of South African Chenin Blanc, I have to give them credit for making a relatively complex, terribly interesting bottle of wine. Typically, with South African Chenin Blanc, I can catch some of that Loire Valley earthy, mineral mustiness. This one does not have that to the extent I like. What it does have, that I am not all that happy about, is too much Granny Smith Apple malic acid. It dominates the palate and masks most of the other flavors. Possibly I tasted this too cold, because as it warmed, I started to make notes of mineral, and shale. It has a deep golden color. The mouth feel is medium plus bodied, with a very nice, oily, lanolin viscosity. The nose has a honeysuckle and dried hay. The honey continues on through the palate with some citrus, and even a little pineapple. The finish is mineral and citrus, with some honey.
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2009 William Hill Winery Chardonnay Napa Valley 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
I have always been a fan of this winery's Chardonnay (and Merlot). Since the Gallo's bought them, things have only gotten better. I do miss the picture of the leaf on the label. This is big boy Chardonnay. The color is golden hay. There is cream and honeysuckle on the nose. There is rich ripe fruit of the heavy type like mango, guava, and pineapple, backed up with white peach, pear and some lemon. Big mouth feel. Noticeable and welcome toasty oak. Leaves a buttery spicy finish.
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2009 Bodegas Salentein Pinot Noir El Portillo 87 Points
Argentina, Mendoza
I'm starting to develop an appreciation for the Pinot Noir's from Argentina. I am getting a handle on the distinctive difference in the flavor and aroma profile of grapes grown in high altitude. They have adapted their vinification techniques also to enhance the unique characteristics of the fruit they grow. The color starts off pretty dark for a Pinot, though still relatively clear. The nose has some spicy, smoky, fresh strawberries and cranberries, with some of that forest floor minerality. The fruit is focused and fresh red fruit. For want of a better word, I'm going to call it oily in viscosity. It is not thick, or heavy, just more weighty. Very nice natural acidity for grapes this ripe (must be the altitude) Supple, ripe little tannins. Bright fruit, mineral and road tar finish. Need to practice drinking more of this.
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2008 Backhouse Pinot Noir 86 Points
USA, California
An ultra value Pinot Noir that really has some merit. They have delivered a surprising amount of what we expect in a Pinot. The color is correct. There is cherry and vanilla on the nose. The palate has soft red cherry, and other red berries. It is smooth and easy drinking with adequate acid. Not particularly tannic. Not going to win any awards for complexity, but it does taste good. Enough oak treatment to round things out, and leave a hint of vanilla on the finish.
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2008 Mandrarossa Nero d'Avola Estate 86 Points
Italy, Sicily, Menfi DOC
This is a relatively simple, easy to drink red wine. The nose is very fresh red fruit, with a touch of flowers. The color is very purple. It is not quite medium bodied. The acid structure is only adequate, it feels almost thin in the mouth. The fruit on the palate is definitely not up to the standards set by the nose. Fruity finish. Nothing bad here, just not very complex.
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2008 João Portugal Ramos Vinho Regional Alentejano Loios 86 Points
Portugal, Alentejano, Vinho Regional Alentejano
Even these ultra value Portugese red wines have a unique and interesting flavor profile. Medium dark color. The nose is a lot more than just fruit. There is a rooty, earthy, minerality, and even a a touch of violets. The fruit is bright and jammy, but old world in the sense that is surrounded with earth, herbs, and minerals. Still soft and easy drinking. Balanced, not complex, just tasty.
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2009 TerraSur Bonarda Fingerprints 85 Points
Argentina, Mendoza
My experience with Bonarda has been hit and miss. I love this grape, but we don't always get great tasting results from the producers. This one is kind of in the middle of the spectrum. It exhibits some of those tasty, rustic, sharp, red fruit flavors. It is a little on the thin side, both in color and on the palate. Very nice hearty but elegant dark cherry fruit flavor. Has a pretty good dose of tannin for a wine this light. Not quite medium bodied. Still rustic on the finish. This is one of the better tasting Bonarda's lately, no after taste, no mysterious off flavors.
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2008 Allegrini Valpolicella Corte Giara Mio Valpolicella 84 Points
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella
This is one of those wines that does not show good in a tasting glass. At first whiff, I got a lot of rubber and road tar. Swirling did not help much. The flavors are also too closed to escape that little glass. What I did get was a lot of red cherry. Plenty of color. Medium bodied. Kind of simple with minimal tannins and just enough acid for balance.
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2007 R Wines Shiraz Boarding Pass 82 Points
Australia, South Australia
Another Australian red wine that I don't really like. I get a spicy burn on the mid palate that just screams "VA" It doesn't seem to have a complete flavor profile. There are some things to like, like some serious blueberry fruit. There is some smoke and leather to accompany the fruit. The tannins are ripe and smooth. But there is this overly spicy acid thing that just screws up the wine, and I think it never should have been bottled.
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2009 Cucao Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points
Chile, Rapel Valley
Hey, this is a serviceable Cabernet Sauvignon for about 10 bucks. They did almost everything right. I'm still struggling with how to describe what I smell and taste from Chilean Cabernets. Today I am thinking fresh cut wood and bark. The color is inky dark. There is blueberry on the nose along with all kinds of subtle non fruit stuff I struggle to identify and describe, but may be dark tea and wet leaves. The blueberry fruit is joined by other dark fruits, and some red cherry. There a spicy earthiness that only enhances. It is not particularly heavy. The tannins are silky and ripe. There is not much influence from oak, which if here would have helped round things out. But this is still a very young wine. There is a little bitterness on the finish, which might age out. Very nice for the price.
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2005 Atalon Merlot 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
I'm not sure what to think with this wine. It is a 2005, so that means we are 5 1/2 years past crush, and about 4 years past bottling. I don't think it is ready yet. The fruit is mountain grown, and it is not giving up the fight yet. I get a touch of that green pepper herbaceousness on the nose, with some menthol and alcohol. The wine is fruity in a controlled, subdued manner, sort of typical to mountain grown fruit. There is an underlying white pepper spiciness. The tannins are mild. Just past medium bodied. I get some chocolate on the finish I attribute to medium heavy toast oak. I'll bet this will be terrific in a few more years.
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2008 Celler Malondro Montsant Besllum 90 Points
Spain, Catalunya, Tarragona, Montsant
This is a big mouth full of dark red wine. Made in a more New World, fruit forward style. Full bodied and full flavored. Gobs of blue fruit, backed up with layers of slate like minerals, and spice. Plenty of oak, probably medium heavy toast, brings forward a chocolate taste, and mouth coating creaminess. Probably more rough, roof of the mouth coating, tannin than I prefer. Acid in abundance also. Long finish beginning to show some licorice and leather. There is every reason to believe this wine is still young and will greatly benefit from some bottle age.
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2007 Engelbrecht Els Proprietor's Blend 85 Points
South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch
At first I was not sure what to think. On the nose I got diesel and geraniums, which to me is never a good thing. Rarely do I look farther to find redeeming qualities, but this time I did. This combination of grapes, and pedigreed wine making in theory should result in a thick, tasty, blockbuster wine, and beside the diesel, all the good stuff we expect is here. Strong red and dark fruit. Solid mid palate. Medium plus bodied. Balanced acidity. But. if you don't like the taste, well no big score.
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2006 Burly Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
This is another instance where the 2006 vintage in Napa Valley just did not deliver like the previous and following vintages. For several reasons, the grapes did not develop, and a lot of the wines did not meet the standards we have come to expect. This is still a respectable wine. The fruit did not develop to the level we like, but there is still a layered complexity of blueberry, blackberry, and cassis. What seems most out of line is the pretty harsh tannins, which do not allow the fruit to shine like it could, and feel a little rough on the palate. Still saw lots of new French oak. Those tannins affect the finish also. Really not all that bad, but we were super spoiled by the 04, and 05 vintages of this wine.
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