May 31, 2007
I am in the constant search for the ultimate Malbec but to be fair I am searching for the most incredible wines that I have yet tasted. Wine is a great experience and I believe that I am always going to find one better than I had before and that many of the best wines have yet to be reviewed. That is the quest that I enjoy in my wine experiences.
Alta Cedra is not the memorable Malbec that I talk my friends ears about. The notes were in a middle range of nothing in particular stood out. There were pleasant notes of dried cherry, lite cacao content, mild wood and some spice. None of the notes stood out over another and the notes did not live on evenly in the initial to finish tastes.
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patrico Meléndez
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Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 29, 2007
I knew this was not going to be the best of wine experiences when I saw the synth cork. I knew my experience was going to be un-exciting at best. The tannic structure was weak and each subsequent note equally so. Oddly enough the near absence of any tannins focused the pepper notes too heavily. In the end, I had to say this wine was so weak that I pondered whether it was wine.
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
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Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 28, 2007
Bodegas Riscal Tempranillo is a standard bearer tempranillo. A good value and this presented with a cork! This wine presents bold rich peppers, anise, and deep roasted red fruit. Nice structure and on top of it a good value. A good wine to be served as a stand-alone or with food.
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
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Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 28, 2007
I don’t know if I have ever tasted a PX that I didn’t like; I am still up for that challenge. Vinicola Hidalgo is a wondrous PX. Super sticky and with a mouth suspension of this Sherry will promise absolute delight. This PX has an expansive notes of roasted nuts and wood; a hint of leather, and burnt caramel.
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Read more of my wine reviews: jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com
© 2008 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Pedro Ximenez, Sherry, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 28, 2007
I have gotten in touch with one of my heritages and have fallen head over heals for one of the greatest wines on our planet. Sherry and Champagne are two very difficult wines to make but one I certainly could not live without. Sherry is painstakingly difficult to produce but those hard effort pay off in ways that cannot be described other than ethereal.
The Spanish have the good fortune of producing one of the most amazing and yet under appreciated wines - Vino Jerez / Sherry / Xeres.
PX is my favorite of the Sherries. Upon first experience you might say to yourself– this is it! This is the flavour profile that I have been seeking yet have not found until now. PX have a few commonalities 1) viscous 2) glorious. This PX by Bodegas Dios Baco is rich with harmonious deep roasted notes of chestnuts, almonds and balanced with hazelnut, straw, cedar, vanilla, cacao; each mouth feel is anticipating this amazing wine; each suspension brings a crescendo that never dies. When you take a taste; leave it in your mouth for many seconds for me it is half a minute; each finish will be clean and you will wonder if there is alcohol in this wine.
¡Salud!
$17.99 (500 ml) at tasting (purchased from The Spanish Table - Berkeley, CA)
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Read more of my wine reviews: jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Pedro Ximenez, Sherry, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 28, 2007
This Shiraz was technically well made but just because a wine has it’s technical acumen in order; sometimes wine is about imagination and a longing that cannot be had by any other substance. I need a wine, a desire it to be something, that will have a persistence of memory that I must seek that bottle out again.
Vodka and Gin are generally consistently the same year over year but that is the bittersweet with wine. Wine is different year to year and from wine maker to terroir. This wine exhibits Brandywine tomato, a white pepper that upon it’s detection goes away as quickly, and an over abundance of strawberry. This style of Shiraz is not for me. I need pepper, dark fruit and an abundance of haunting herbaceous characteristics.
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Syrah / Shiraz, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 24, 2007
Australian Shiraz are boldly different and often exciting than their brethren found elsewhere. This shiraz exhibited generous and silken tannins, dried cherry, cedar, and eastern simmering spices. An enjoyable and suitable wine for a stand-alone drink or drink with food.
¡Salud!
****
Read more of my wine reviews: jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Syrah / Shiraz, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 21, 2007
Pinots, no matter where they come from, have two distinct possibilities 1) sublime (these are rare) and 2) disappointing. Pinot Noir is rarely in the middle and if it were I am not sure what they would taste like. But with that being said I do think there is a logarithmic scale on the sublime side.
Byron Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir is truly a wondrous and not over the top in one direction or another. This Pinot has distinct flavors but do not take them on fully and get carried away. Pinot can go to the sour cherry in a light second (when you just want the best of that initial cherry taste) without the bitter or sour. This Pinot exhibits drenched plum, raspberry puree, red and black pepper; there is a gorgeous rose hue to the color but more importantly the nose. I imagine that this is how a very expensive Burgundy must taste. And yes I have had some amazing Burgundy’s but I know that the ultimate Burgundy I wil taste in the future. Then again, I should not compare this to a Burgundy or Pinot’s from other wine worlds. It is a unique and satisfying Pinot Noir on it’s own.
¡Salud!
****
Read more of my wine reviews: jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
1 Comment | Pinot Noir, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 21, 2007
Mumm Napa an off spring to the well known G.H. Mumm has been in Napa producing markedly different and disappointing compared to the mothership in Champagne. I rarely every have a problem completing a glass of sparkling but this one I am rarely excited about. It seems to be a chore to complete just a glass. There are no highly energized flavor components that one would expect - Passion fruit, pepper, boysenberry, cherry, almond, bread, bread dough, mineral… no distinction can be experienced by this wine.
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Sparkling, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
May 21, 2007
Chateau St. Jean has had many great reviews for it’s Cinq Cepages wine. The predominance of appellations and vareitals should create uniqueness and differentiation. The varietal story is Cabernet Sauvignon and much smaller amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The barrel program is mainly new French.
My impression was not awe struck as I always pine when tasting a California Cabernet. I expected to be speechless and begin a solitary journey and lose track of time. But this was not one of those times or experiences. The wine seemed to be highly acidic and had a very slight scent of cedar, leather, a hint of bramble and some blackberry. The wine did not beg for food as one might think it would.
¡Salud!
****
Read more of my wine reviews: jamesthewineguy.wordpress.com
© 2007 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez
No Comments » | Cabernet Sauvignon, wine | Permalink
Posted by jamesthewineguy
