Layer Cake Shiraz 2009: Review

Pure Love Wines

McLaren Vale, South Australia

Layercakewines.com

14.9% abv

Opening Day

Appearance: deep purple

Nose: moderate berries and dark cherry

Flavors: big juicy sweet dark cherries and boysenberry.  This is all berries. 

Mouthfeel: smooth, lingering what? Yes, sweet berries. 

My Strength Rating: 4

To the Point: Not what I think a Shiraz would taste like.  It’s too sweet and nothing but berries.  I have enjoyed this wine in the past (other vintages) but, I am glad I didn’t buy any extra of this one. 

Didn’t change much the next day.  

Amalaya 2009 Malbec: Review

Bodega Amalaya

Valle Calchaqul, Salta, Argentina

14% abv

Blend: Malbec blend

Malbec, Cab. Sauv., syrah, tannat

Amalaya means ‘hope for a Miracle’

On the bottle: “Cherry and boysenberry with nuances of flowers and white pepper, while the palate is full and long with hints of vanilla…”

Appearance: dense purple with a purple rim

Flavors: sweet black cherry with a sweet vanilla cream swirling through; some light dark berries – like boysenberry or mulberry and they are juicy,

This does not make me think of a Malbec.   It’s nice and interesting. 

Mouthfeel: kind of creamy, smooth, tannins are under control and the acidity is nice. 

The next two days the mouthfeel developed a leathery feel and it was not as sweet. 

To the Point: Looking for an interesting wine this is decent for the price.  Looking for a good Malbec there are better ones out there.  Open the bottle and let it stand for a couple of hours and then cork it and serve it the next day. 

St. Innocent Pinot Noir 2009: Review

St. Innocent Winery

Salem, Oregon, USA

Temperance Hill Vineyard

Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Stinnocentwine.com

$55.00 from a restaurant

Wine aged in  26% new French oak barrels for 16 months. 

Appearance: good looking dark cherry with reddish highlights.

Aroma: this is fruity, sweet cherry, red raspberry

Flavors: this is a juicy fruit Pinot Noir, lots of fresh red berries like red raspberry, a hint of strawberry and touch of red currant, throw in a nice dose of sweet dark cherry and a touch of vanilla along with a silky smooth mouthfeel. 

Mouthfeel: the acidity is low, there is a mineral like quality, silky smooth texture, a touch of oak on the finish and aftertaste, mostly red berry like aftertaste, along the way I get a hint here and there of a light spice box.    

To the Point: While it has a very nice red berry taste it just seems to lack depth, character, and complexity.  Have this with lighter fare.  Their web site says this vintage can be aged for eight years.  

Zen of Zin 2008: Review

Old Vine Zinfandel

Ravenswood

Sonoma, California, USA

13.5% abv

Zinfandel blended with: petite sirah, syrah, and carignane added

Appearance: deep purple body with purple highlights

Aroma: mulberry, slightly inky, black licorice,

Flavors: dark berries, mild toffee flavored coffee with cream, thick earthy tone, little milk chocolate like, oak,

Mouthfeel: fairly smooth, blackberry like bite on the back of the palate, lingering berry and earth notes. 

As the wine opens up I think the aroma becomes a little sweeter and the taste a little juicier. 

My Strength Rating: 5.5 – the berries and the earthy tones help to give it a good medium body

To the Point: a pretty decent Zinfandel and worthy to purchase a bottle to give it a try.  For under 15 bucks you can’t go wrong. 

Peninsula Cellars Merlot-Cabernet Franc 2007 Reserve

Peninsula Cellars

Old Mission Peninsula

Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Peninsulacellars.com

$30.00 a bottle

13% abv

34% Cabernet Franc and 66% Merlot

2 ½ years barrel aged

The cork looks in a little ruff shape.  See the picture below.  I hope the wine is not corked. 

Appearance: rich crimson

Right after opening

Aroma: dark berries, earthy tones, oak

Flavors: dark berries, tart cranberry, earthy tones, oak

Mouthfeel: bit of an alcohol note, acidity a little strong, tannins are at work

Let me decant this wine for a half hour.

Didn’t change much.  Overall I found it uninteresting. 

Click here to read about the Cab-Merlot by Peninsula Cellars

Syrah Le Pousseur 2007: Review

Bonny Doon Vineyard

Santa Cruz, California, USA, Earth

13.5% abv

$16.20

It has been a long time since I have had a Bonny Doon Wine.  Back around 2000 they were growing and growing fast.  One day at the doctor’s office I was reading a wine magazine and it had an article about the Bonny Doon owner downsizing because – he wanted to.  He wanted to spend more time in the field between the grape vines and less time marketing his wines. 

Appearance: Purple with a pretty purple rim

Aroma: light, very light, is my glass empty?, did I not pour the wine?, it’s in there but it sure is the lightest bouquet I have ever experienced.

What am I in for?

Flavors: okay, it’s tasty, nothing wrong here so, let’s get to it.  Nice juicy dark berries, a hint of cherry, earthy – soil like, this is strange with the lack of aroma. 

I like the taste that I am experiencing but, I feel like I am being cheated – I know there is more

Mouthfeel: seems to have a nice medium body but, I think I am missing a few notes or flavors due to the lack of aroma and I think that would give me a different read on the overall texture, 

Okay, I’ll light up a cigar and finish this glass while I decant some of the wine in preparation of dinner. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 – medium body – the wine never opened up – I felt cheated.

To the Point: a bit disappointing, the flavors are nice but, they could be more with a nice bouquet

Muscedere 2010 Riesling vs Bower Harbor 2010 Riesling

Michigan Riesling vs. Ontario Riesling

First Up: Muscedere Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Coming from: Harrow, Ontario, Canada

Muscederevineyards.com

11.8% abv

$16.00 a bottle

Appearance: bright straw

Aroma: very faint, fresh apple, and let’s call it sweet apple blossom.  You will have to swirl that glass a bit and get the nose down in there. 

Flavors: a mix of fresh apple, maybe a touch of tart apple, and the acidity is giving it a little citrus squeeze. 

Mouthfeel: the acidity is a touch more than I would expect and it comes across like a citrus note. 

To the Point: I don’t know if I would guess Riesling here but, it is a tasty little white wine.  The more I drink it the more I like it.  I would pair this with shellfish – lobster, shrimp, and mussels – oh yes; cook some mussels with this that would be perfect. 

Why would I not guess Riesling?  I think for one it is the apple focus and not peach like and I am not picking up that classic petrol or mineral like quality.  So what – pick up a bottle and you’ll like it. 

Next up: Bowers Harbor Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Coming from: Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Langley Vineyard on Old Mission Peninsula

Bowersharbor.com

10.5% abv

$19.00 a bottle

Appearance: looks just like the Ontario wine – a bright straw color

Aroma: oh, that nice touch of mineral or the good old term of petrol,

Flavors: white peach like on the delivery, washed stone mineral note, a little honeysuckle, just a wee hint of citrus (actually, I think that is more on the aftertaste) and a sweet finish with a touch of petrol on the aftertaste. 

Mouthfeel: a nicely balanced white wine, the acidity seems undercontrol, a lingering touch of sweet citrus with a hint of petrol

To the Point: a nice display of the Riesling grape, very tasty and I think I’ll do this with my fish dinner tonight. 

Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne 2007: Review

Bottled by: Vietti

100% Barbera grapes

Asti, Piedmont, Italy

14.5% abv

Vietti.com

The wine is moved from stainless steel tanks to French oak or Slavonian oak casks for 12 months and then back to stainless steel before bottling.

First taster-glass poured after opening: 

Aroma: mixed berries with the focus on red

Flavors: a mix of dark berries and some red berries peeking through, black licorice,

Mouthfeel: smooth, on the light side of medium, lingering berries

Decanted Wine: (20 minutes)

Appearance: deep purple with a ruby edge.

Aroma: black berry like with a tart cherry, a slight inky and dark soil tone. 

After a good walk around the block with the dogs I comeback to a change on the nose.  I am not picking up that tart cherry and slight inky tone.  Wow, I liked it before now, it is just yummy to smell.  It is like smelling a bowl full of blackberries and dark currants mixed with some red currants, red cherries, and a few raspberries; to me there is a delicate earthy minerality with a nice touch of oak.

Flavors: the taste is following the nose; tasty dark berries and red cherries and that slight inky note has followed as well.  I like the black licorice that is swirling around the other notes.    

After that walk with the dogs the flavors are even better.  Decant this wine for a good hour is what I take from this adventure.  That slight inky note is gone; the dark berries are juicy with blackberry and black currant leading the way, a touch of tart red cherry is adding some character, and there are some sweet red berries that are spinning lightly underneath.  I think the vanilla-oak is now coming through after some real good breathing time. 

Mouthfeel: smooth, silky like, moderately coats the palate with berries, a firm medium body style.  While the aftertaste is moderate it is berry-tasty.  The tannins and acidity are well under control at this time. 

To the Point: a great time to drink this wine; remember decant for 45 minutes to an hour.  I wish I had more of this wine. 

I had this wine with dinner later in the day and the inky and tart style stood out with the meal. 

My Strength Rating: 5.5 – medium body

Incredible Red 2008 Zinfandel: Review

Peachy Canyon Incredible Red 2008

Central Coast Zinfandel

Peachy Canyon Winery

Paso Robles, California, USA

13.9% abv

$24.00 Restaurant Price

Peachycanyon.com

Appearance: rich purple body

Aroma: dark berries, cherry, on the light-moderate side, nothing special

Flavors: when I had this at the restaurant I thought it tasted like a Syrah and not a Zin.  With notes of mild blackberry, mulberry, tobacco, and light earthy tone.  Tasted like a cheap 9 or 10 dollar bottle. 

Later, when I was at home I thought the Zinfandel started to show up.  I’ll have to look this one up.  I’ll bet it is a blend which, that’s what I thought it would be.  The notes seemed like the cherry was coming through and the dark berry followed the dark cherry; along with a little herb and spice dancing around.  There is a slight creamy dark chocolate (50% like).    It just seems to lack a little character.  A bit thin at times. 

The second day: I think it tastes better today.  The body is a little firmer with some structure to it.  Yesterday, I thought is seemed a little light and a little thin at times.  The flavors are working together today.  I still get the black cherry and a bit of dark berry, there is a touch or raspberry, the earthy note is moderate at best, and along the way an oaky note developed but, it is just a hint of oak. Oh yeah, the slight creamy dark chocolate note is still swirling around.  I am not picking up any spice.  The mouthfeel is pleasingly smooth with a decent aftertaste of dark cherry, berry, and a semi-creamy feel. 

To the Point: Not bad, good for a bottle that should retail around $10 a bottle.  If, you are looking for an everyday wine or if you have a group of people over this might work for you.  Make sure to decant and let stand for 45 minutes before severing. 

Just looked it up: Blend of 82% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, and 8% Syrah.

Justin Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Justin Vineyards & Winery

Paso Robles, California, USA

Justinwine.com

Appearance: dense purple

Aroma: strong blackberry and heavy earth; the bouquet makes you think this is going to be full bodied

Flavors: thick blackberry, a little chocolate like, a little brown spice like, heavy earthy style.  This wine needs some aging.  I have two bottles and I’ll save one bottle for next year and the other for 2014. 

Mouthfeel: heavy leather like; the tannins aren’t running wild but they need to settle some.

Justin Isosceles 2008: Review

Justin Vineyards and Winery

Paso Robles, California, USA

Justinwine.com

78% Cabernet Sauvignon

13% Cabernet Franc

8% Merlot

1% Petit Verdot

Unfiltered

Interesting?... a four sided Isosceles with no equal sides. 
15% abv
$59.00 From: The Fine Wine Source

Appearance: deep ruby body with a ruby edge

Aroma: Blackberry, smoke and coffee bean

Flavors: big dark juicy berries, with a squeeze of red raspberry and red currant, coffee, chocolate, hint of smoked hardwood

Mouthfeel: smooth, semi-creamy feel, tannins and acidity are good and in balance.

Layer Cake Malbec 2010: Review

One True Vine

Mendoza, Argentina

Layercakewines.com

14.6% abv

$15.99 Holiday Market Canton, Michigan

I saw this at the market store the other week and thought to myself I have not even reviewed the 09’s yet.  So, this week I am going to be reviewing the Layer Cake wines that I have – the 09 Malbec and Shiraz and the 2010 Malbec and Shiraz. 

Appearance: nice rich crimson body with a bright crimson rim. 

Aroma: ripe dark berries

Flavors: juicy dark berries that remind me of blackberry, mulberry, and cherries; light pepper spice, black licorice, smoky, and a little chocolate is started to show up here at the bottom of my first glass. 

Second glass: boy does this wine open up nicely. The flavors blend together for a tasty Malbec experience.  For the money you just can't beat this wine. 

Here are the notes from their web site:

“Tasting Notes: Pure, rich and very elegant; a powerhouse of lush black fruit, silky cocoa, black spice and cream, wrapped around blackberry, cherry and ripe plum.  Layered and complex with a nose to linger over, a finish that never ends.  Sweet anise, hints of tobacco, black chocolate, more cherries and exotic spices, layers of jam.  This wine will stand and perform anytime you think of a Cabernet and want something just a little more exotic.  Born at the base of the Andes and fed by the purest spring waters…I love this wine.”

Peirano Estate Petite Sirah 2008: Review

The Heritage Collection

LODI

Graton, California, USA

14.2% abv

$14.00 at The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan

See Jimmy at The Fine Wine Source

He has the best prices around and tell him

WinePostings told you. 

Appearance: dark purple body with a purple rim

Right after opening:

Aroma: reminds me walking into a winery, fresh grapes galore

Flavors: rich dark berries, dark soil earthy tone with a firm oaky presence, soft white pepper

One Hour after Opening:

Aroma: the big fresh grapes are still on the scene, little smoky note, earthy tones, faint spice

Flavors: big bold dark berries, dusty cocoa, rich soil, the oaky note has mellowed since the opening,

Mouthfeel: thick on the palate, bold flavors, tannins and acidity are under control on this four year old bottle. 

My Strength Rating: 8 –full

Thurston Wolfe 2007 Petite Sirah: Review

ThurstonWolfe.com

Zephyr Ridge Vineyard

Horse Heaven Hills

Prosser, Washington, USA

14.6% abv

$20 or under

Appearance: with just a couple of ounces in the glass it has a nice crimson color.  Once the glass is full it has a deeper darker body with crimson on the edges and highlights.

Aroma: big dark berries with blackberry leading the way; good earthy structure, oak,

Flavors: black currant, blackberry, touch of black cherry, oak, earthy tones, a spicy note develops as the wine opens

Mouthfeel: blackberry bite; thick feel on the tongue; jammy on the palate

To the Point: this is one tasty Petit Sirah.  Must buy