Cave Spring Icewine: Review

Cave Spring Icewine

Cave Spring Cellars

Jordan, Ontario, Canada

Cavespring.ca

10% abv

100% Riesling

Appearance: golden crystal with nice legs on the glass

Aroma: light bouquet, sweet pear

Flavors: honey dipped white summer fruit – apple and pear; golden raisin; very light lemon twist on the finish

Mouthfeel: silky smooth, nice icewine syrupy feel coats the palate and lingers on the palate with a touch of lemon twist – the kind you just rub on the rim of a glass.

To the Point: a must buy for icewine drinker.  This is a sipper – just like all icewines.  One or two ounces and that is it – the sugar content is way too high to drink more – believe me.   

Layer Cake 2009 Malbec: Review

One True Vine

Mendoza, Argentina

14.9% abv

$17.99

Layercakewines.com

I have always enjoyed the Layer Cake line up of wines.  They are good in quality and they have a great price tag.  I always like it when a 20 dollar bottle of wine makes you think you are drink one twice that price versus – a 40 dollar bottle making you think you have a 15 dollar grocery store wine.  Now, let’s get one thing straight … I am not saying this is a $40 a bottle quality … I said, ‘makes you think it is so.’ 

I am finally reviewing the 09 here and I probably reviewed the 2010 a year ago – yep I just looked at the posting 3-14-12.  I better get to the store and pick up the 2011 before they are all gone. 

Appearance: rich garnet body with a purplish rim.

Aroma: dark berries with a touch of cocoa; I’m not picking up any spice right now – it is a freshly opened bottle.  Took the dogs for an hour walk and then poured another glass and the aroma has opened.  Still solid dark berries and the usual spice is on the nose now. 

Flavors: juicy blackberries, boysenberries, with a touch of dark cherry (sweet), oak spice on the palate; as always a good earthy feel – like you can taste the soil the grapes were grown in; it is like I can taste the minerals and the composting of the rich soil; dark chocolate like dryness and bitterness on the finish and aftertaste, I am changing the oak spice to a cedar spice

Mouthfeel: nice acidity, nice blackberry and dark chocolate bitterness, dry spice that is reminding more of an oaky spice rather than black pepper.  Now that I am thinking about it … it is more of a cedar spice. Nice rich feel overall for this Malbec.   

My Strength Rating: 6.5 – medium-full

To the Point: as I have always said about this wine, ‘for the money you can’t beat this wine.’  So, go out and buy some.  Just don’t look for the 09 for the 2011 is out on the market – just a good guess on my part. 

I have not bought any wine in a long time so, I need to go and buy some current stuff.  I have been trying to lower what I have in my stock so to say.  I did buy some Michigan wines on a recent Traverse City vacation.  Other than that Jimmy at my favorite wine store, the Fine Wine Source in Livonia Michigan probably has been wondering what happened to me.  

Justin Isosceles 2006

Justin Vineyards and Winery

justinwines.com

Paso Robles, California, USA

Blend: 86% Cab Sauvignon, 9% Cab Franc, 5% Merlot

Justin Isosceles 2006, how I love it and how I hate to see it go.  This is my last bottle of the 06 and I am going to enjoy it … hopefully. The last time I reviewed this wine was back in 2010 so, let me give an update on how it is doing.  I wanted to wait till 2016 to review it but, I just can’t wait … .

Appearance: typical Justin wine dark purple body with a ruby edge and great legs on the glass

Aroma: deep rich dark berries – blackberries, mulberries; peppery spice; mocha-coffee like

Flavors: follows the nose; bowl of dark berries, slightly peppery on the palate, solid earthy style … rich soil like, and a good medium roast coffee note.   I am not picking up that caramel note that I had back in 2010. 

Mouthfeel: this is Boldness and Elegance at its best

The Hattrick 2005 The Professor

Igor Larionov’s nickname is ‘The Professor’

And, I am a Professor (my job) and I am a Professor of wine, cigars, and beer too.

Igor Larionov Select Wines

Napa, California, USA

Blend: 41% Cab Sauvignon, 39% Cab Franc, 20% Merlot

14.5% abv

$34.99

I couldn’t believe that I never reviewed this wine.  I reviewed the other Hattrick wines but, I could not even find the bottle that I bought back when I purchased all the other ones.  I bought this one a couple months back at a store that I usually don’t buy from.  This must be the last bottle of this wine on the market.   

I came back out to my cigar lounge and there is the bottle.  The big magnum bottle of The Professor and it is empty … I drank that a long time ago and I must have enjoyed it for I didn’t do any writing on it. 

Appearance: deep garnet

Aroma: dark berries, touch of oak and a hint of smoke – this reminds me of the Merlot (see review) – interesting two years later and I right the same thing just in a different order. 

This wine still needs a little time to breathe

Wow, I was just reading my old review on The Hattrick Cab Sauvignon and I reviewed it with the Kiboko cigar from Don Lino’s Africa lineup on March 17, 2011.  Here it is March 19, 2013 and I am smoking my very last Kiboko cigar (they don’t make them anymore) with a bottle of The Hattrick The Professor.  I did not plan this – back to the review

Flavors: good soil earthy tone; thick dark berries that remind me of black currant, boysenberry and a touch of blackberry; nice oak and oak spice; a touch of mocha coffee;

Mouthfeel: smooth, elegant feel; nice dark berries linger on the palate

The Cigar and Pairing

Different bottle in the pic

Don Lino Africa Kiboko

Size: 6.5 x 58

See old review for information

No real need to break this cigar down in flavor profile for it is no longer available and with that said, I am truly enjoying this very last one from my humidor with this wine.  These two are prefect for each other.  I am just sitting back and enjoying these products that are no longer around.  I feel like I am saying good bye to two good old friends. 

Look at the great cigar box 

Justin 2008 Syrah: Review

Justin Vineyard & Winery

Paso Robles, California, USA

Justinwine.com

15% abv is printed in the smallest font and in the left bottom corner of the label.

I just looked at my list and I have never reviewed this wine … wow, I must have been just enjoying and not wanting to share.  So, let’s share

Appearance: mid-night black body with a ruddy ruby edge

Aroma: dark berries, spice, and I am surprised by the amount of alcohol that I pick up but, I just opened the bottle

Flavors: I need to let this bottle to breathe a little here … I would think an 08 might be open and drink with a Syrah but, not with this one … at least today.

Okay, now I remember … it is not my favorite Justin Wine but, I still like it and it needs some time out of the bottle to settle. 

Blackberries on the tart side, peppery for the spice, earthy … soil like, and there is an alcohol burn.  

2008 was a rough year for those grapes so, maybe this is the result.

Good thing for you this vintage is not on the shelf anymore.  I’ll look for the 2010 vintage and hopefully it is better than this 08. 

Maybe this is way I never reviewed it … it just is not balanced … but I’ll sit back with a fine cigar and enjoy the rest of the bottle anyways.  

Boathouse Red 2010: Review

Boathouse Vineyards

Lake Leelannau, Michigan, USA

Blend: 50% Cabernet Franc, 35% Merlot, 15% Syrah

Aged 10 months in French and American Oak Barrels

12% abv

$22 a bottle

I think I paid $32 at Apache Trout Grill in Traverse City

Appearance: ruby

Aroma: fruity, light nose overall

Flavors: light red and dark fruity style, raspberry, black raspberry, red grape, sweet cherry,

Mouthfeel: mild-medium body, smooth, light aftertaste, tad shallow, tad on the sweet side for me

My Strength Rating: 3.5 –

To the Point: an okay red for 22 bucks, lacks depth and character, it’s just fruity