Giant Wine Sale & Tasting Cellar on Greene, Columbia, SC 2/23/2013

Another stellar performance by Ricky, Kaitlin, and staff. What better use of our time do we have on a February Saturday than taste a bunch of affordable, tasty wines? We have tasted and reviewed several of the offered wines earlier, but in the pursuance of wine research, we gladly re-tasted. I actually arrived in time to try the reserve wines.

• NV Caposaldo Prosecco 87 Points

  Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Prosecco

  I've tried this several times lately, at tastings, and by the flute, and have to admit, this is tasty stuff. Nothing really jumps out and overwhelms your taste buds. Just really well made, smooth and crisp. I believe this a little more fruity than most Prosecco. The color is more white than anything else. Some floral hints on the nose with lemon and other citrus. Crisp and refreshing.

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• NV Gruet Winery Brut 89 Points

  USA, New Mexico

  I may not be tasting the same wine as everyone else, but I thought this was awesome. There is a depth, structure and character reminiscent of real Champagne. The color is rich golden. Across the palate are rich earthy flavors of peach skin and apricot with some slate type minerality. Superb little active bubbles. Smooth. Refreshing. Crisp. Surprising long finish. Great job.

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• 2011 Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau Côtes Catalanes Le Cirque 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes

  I think this bleed style rose, which is not exactly my cup of tea. The skins have been broken releasing all kinds of rustic earthy flavors that would not be present in a drain style rose. I can see why some people would like this wine. The color is deep intense pink. The nose is aggressive, slightly pungent squished red raspberry and strawberry. There is plenty of fresh red fruit, but it is surrounded by mineral, earthy, slightly bitter flavors from skins. Has nice balance and a long flinty red fruit finish.

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• NV Cadelamsa Catalunya Blanc Pescador 85 Points

  Spain, Catalunya

  I'm not sure I know how to appreciate or review this wine. To me it was was way over the top metalic and unlike anything I have ever tasted. Everything seemed so raw and unripe. It is only 11.5% alcohol, so the grapes could easily be unripe. I have to believe this wine would be awesome with fresh oysters. Besides being metalic, there is a certain green garden component. Surprisingly non acidic. Just a small touch effervescent. Very Old world in style. You get the flavor of grape skins. Think I need to try a bottle with various types of food.

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• 2011 Spanish Vines Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León 87 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León

  Quite rich and tasty this is a nice change of pace from what we usually drink for crisp whites like Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. Has a relatively big mouth feel. Medium golden yellow color. The nose has what to me is a salty almond aroma mixed with lemon rind, that continues on through the palate. Nice combination of citrus fruit like lemon with orchard fruit like peach and pear. That savory, toasted almond flavor is really unique. Not concentrated enough to pull a big score, but still fresh and vibrant. Not huge in the acid profile. The finish is refined with some honeydew melon enhancing the other fruits.

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• 2011 Wild Rock Sauvignon Blanc The Infamous Goose 85 Points

  New Zealand, South Island, Marlborough

  As much as I liked the 2010 for it's mild manners and drinkability, I dislike this 2011 for being on the harsh side. My first sniff was cat pee, not a big dose, but still there. I thought they figured out how to eliminate that problem. There was also plenty of in your face grassiness, with even some evergreen and fern aromas. When it hits the palate, things are a lot more civilized and normal. The fruit flavor profile is downright smooth and easy drinking. Not a big wine, just about medium bodied. Nice combination of tangy citrus and peach with nectarine and apricot. Very balanced and controlled acidity. Wish the nose smelled better.

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• 2011 Monteflor Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Velio 85 Points

  Italy, Delle Venezie

  This vintage displays more of the Old World style than what I remember from previous vintages. There is so much wet stone and shale flavors, they drown out the fruit. I got a hint of diesel on the nose which carried through the palate. There is a faint hint of pear and citrus underneath all the rocky stuff. The acidity is very strong and slightly out of balance. Might really open up with some cheese. not my favorite.

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• 2011 Anne Amie Pinot Gris 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This is good stuff. I knew as soon as I took a wiff we were in for a treat. The nose has a butterscotch and honey with squeezed apples just before they become cider that is so lively and pure. These Oregon Pinot Gris' have a soft elegance that belies the mouth coating intense fruitiness across the palate. The color is almost clear. The fruit is vibrant, intense and aggressive green apple and pear, for just a few seconds before it settles into a more civilized, soft mouth feel. There is plenty of mouth puckering acid that is well balanced by the fruit. Does not have, or need a big finish.

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• 2011 Pierre Henri Chardonnay 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d'Oc

  A value priced unoaked Chardonnay from the south of France that tastes very much like we would expect from Chardonnay, if a little on the light side. There is a light hint of butter and herbs accompanying the crisp peach, white apple and tangy citrus on the nose. Solidly medium bodied. Smooth. Lots of herbal and mineral influences enhancing the peach pear, and white apple fruits. Very clean, no oak. The finish features more earth and minerals than fruit. Pretty good deal at $9.

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• 2011 MacRostie Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  They got this one right. A well conceived and produced Sonoma Chardonnay. They blended several vineyards, and used several wine making techniques to bring us a delightful mouth full of flavors. The nose is fresh and young with a touch of vanilla, maybe a little butter, with citrus, and a floral component. The citrus, spicy pear and apple, with even a taste of fig, fruit has a whole cluster freshness accented with some smoothness from barrel fermentation. Just enough oak to keep things interesting. This wine has the stuff to have handle full malo lactic and bring plenty of fresh acidity. I got a really nice butterscotch and caramel taste with the fruit on the finish.

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• 2010 Ventana Vineyards Pinot Noir 86 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Seco

  Definitely a cool climate Pinot. There are lots of non fruit type flavors on the nose and palate. Pretty dark color. Earthy black cherry and cranberry nose. The fruit is pretty rustic and young with all kinds of secondary flavors like sassafras root and wet tree bark enhancing the black cherry fruit. Lively and expressive, especially considering the under $10 price. Not yet quite integrated. Decent hit of oak. A little bitter on the cranberry finish.

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• 2010 Semaphore 7 Alentejo 87 Points

  Portugal, Alentejano, Alentejo

  This is the second vintage we have tried of this wine, and we are really learning how to appreciate it. There is nothing complicated here. Just lots of red fruit with minimal or no influence from oak. Light magenta color, but still pretty rich. Floral and strawberry nose. Soft, smooth and approachable red fruit like strawberry and red raspberry. Young. Fresh. Vibrant, Juicy. Just enough acidity. Strawberry finish.

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• 2009 La Noble Merlot Vin de Pays d'Oc 85 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d'Oc

  Just a fairly straight forward, relatively Old Word style, affordable Merlot from the south of France. Displays more non fruit than fruit components on both the nose and the palate. Nose is black cherry and wet earth. The palate is not particularly fruit but exhibits all kinds of secondary flavors from lead pencil, mushrooms, wet earth, slate and minerals. not complex. Little or no oak. Dry finish with more wet slate, earth and grippy lingering soft tannins.

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• 2011 Mannara Primitivo Salento IGT 87 Points

  Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT

  This is very Zin like. It has that same thin skinned mouth feel where you know the grapes willingly gave up everything they have. It has a smooth, easy on the palate entry, that compared to our familiar California Zin, though relatively fruit forward, exhibits an almost equal amount of secondary flavors. There is spice, leather, graphite and some other earthy stuff enhancing the bright fresh black cherry, blackberry and cherry fruit. Not especially tannic, or acidic. Dry graphite, not so fruity relatively short finish.

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• 2011 Sleight of Hand The Spellbinder 88 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley

  Another super approachable, fruity, fleshy red wine from Washington State. Has that fresh juicy softness that I usually attribute to some or all whole cluster fermentation, but may in this case be the result of the sunshine and terroir of the desert conditions of this area. The color is rich purple. Expressive fruity and floral complex nose as expected from a blend of 4 of the Bordeaux varieties with some Sangiovese and Syrah. Medium plus bodied. Not very tannic. Nicely integrated oak program, and good enhancing acid that stays in the background.

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• 2010 Tortoise Creek Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points

  USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi

  Really not too bad. A decent rendition of Lodi Cabernet. This is one of those Cabernet's that by design tastes more of red fruit than black. This one is basically varietally correct. Designed to be ready to drink almost at release. Not complex, just smooth and easy drinking. A little light for Cabernet. The blak fruit is ripe plums, while the red is red raspberry and sharp red cherry. Little or no influence from oak. Balanced as no one component jumps out. The finish shows some earthy and wet leather elements with the mostly red fruit.

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• 2009 Bodega Alto Cabernet Sauvignon Alto 3 Reserve Alto 3 88 Points

  Argentina, Valles Calchaquíes, Catamarca

  When I first tasted this, I was unaware of the special circumstances of it's origin. My notes were quite unlike any Cabernet I had ever tasted. This region is 500 miles north of Mendoza. The vineyard is at almost 5000' The aromas and flavors reflect these unique conditions. The color is inky dark. The nose is incredibly spicy with roasted black fruit and herbs. The mouth feel is very grainy and rustic, probably more like a Chilean wine, which is only a few miles away. I get some of those sassafras root flavors with the very expressive, briary black fruit especially black currants. There is some serious depth and structure, some from oak but mostly from the terroir. The finish is rustic, a little grainy with all kinds of those hard to describe wet earth flavors.

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• 2010 Conundrum Wines Red 90 Points

  USA, California

  If you like assertive, fruit forward, all the grapes can give you, California red wine at it's pinnacle of expression, this wine is for you. Even if you don't appreciate that style, you need to try a taste of this to see what the other side is creating. This wine is so pure in presenting red fruit, you almost feel like you are biting into something just picked. They used modern wine making processes to bring us as much raw, fresh fruit as possible, and it is greatly appreciated. This is not for everyone, and there are scores all across the wine reviewing spectrum. The color is lip and glass staining purple. The nose is fresh floral and just picked red fruit. The fruit explodes across the plate, and never slows down, much less quits. One of those wines that is so in balance, it tastes a little sweet, but probably is totally dry. The acid, oak and tannins, are doing their thing so well, we almost cannot pick them out. The finish is blackberry preserves with all kinds of little secondary stuff like wet leather, red licorice, and graphite, all working together.

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• 2009 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  A real treat. These grapes are grown on hallowed ground and brought to us at a price considerably under wines grown within a few hundred feet. Some investigation informs us there are actually 7 grapes in this blend; the 5 Bordeaux varieties plus Syrah, and Petit Sirah. This 2009 is made to age, and at this point is very youthful. The nose is still a little closed. We did not have a chance to decant. This is not a California fruit bomb. At least half the flavors and aromas are non fruit things like graphite, leather, charcoal, minerals and earth. This is a big mouth coating wine that is still very elegant and gentle. The fruit is substantial, mostly black in character like deep black cherry, but it is waiting for some more bottle age. Things change quickly in the glass. A vintiri, or decanting would really help those flavors express themselves. Complete and balanced. Plenty of oak. Long, complex finish.

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