James the Wine Guy

Layer Cake Mendoza Malbec - 2007 - 8.7 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:30:15 +0000

Layer Cake Malbec presents a very herbaceous wine; this wine seems to be very similar to a South African wine; high black pepper notes, chocolate, baked red plum and cardamom and ground clove.

Franciscan Magnificat Napa Valley - 2006 - 9.1 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:24:20 +0000

This is a flagship wine for Franciscan; this is a Meritage with the following varietal breakdown: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. This is a delightful Meritage giving a full expression of these Bordeaux varietals; this wine gave a plenitude of blackberry-blueberry confit, fall baking spices and ends with a sublime herbaceous finish.

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Robert Foley Napa Valley Charbono - 2006 - 8.9 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:52:52 +0000

There are very few Charbono producers only a half dozen in California. A curious grape; deep inky color; thick tannins and deep dark roasted red and black fruit; dense and aromatic; slight chocolate and splendid herbaceous finish.

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Cima Collina Monterey Pinot Noir - 2006 - 8.7 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:07:13 +0000

This wine presents with lots of terroir; a lesser complex wine when compared with other Pinot Noir from Cima Collina; this wine gives notes of cinnamon, rose petal, and ground clove.

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Cima Collina Hilltop Ranch Monterey Pinot Noir - 2005 - 9.0 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:10:02 +0000

This is the estate Pinot Noir for Cima Collina; this Pinot Noir is bold and distinctive; sophisticated and gives exotic notes of chocolate, Fall leaves, winter baking spices, rich roasted red cherry and Pasilla chile.

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Bodega Catena Mendoza Malbec - 2006 - 8.5 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez -

jamesthewineguy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:24:01 +0000

A high acid Malbec which profoundly changes the usual Malbec that you might expect; still spicy- black pepper, roasted red pepper, and Tandoori spices.

¡Salud!

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Koutsoyiannopoulos Santorini - 2007 - 8.8 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:14:40 +0000

A refreshing and wondrous Assyrtiko; splendid almond, biscotti, cinnamon and a slight amount of nutmeg; a great wine for a warm day or with shell fish.

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Ridge Sonoma Llewelyn Zinfandel - 2000 - 8.7 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:45:19 +0000

This wine is 77% Zinfandel and 23% Carignane; 15.2% alcohol; this wine was still quite bold with a formidable back structure of wood, raspberry, diminishing raisin and a lot cooler than I expected considering alcohol at 15.2%. I am glad I didn’t wait another year to drink as I think this was slightly post-prime.

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Tierra Prometida Mendoza Malbec - 2006 - 7.9 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:06:26 +0000

A trend continues to take hold; the synth cork; two wines from Argentina in a row. I was so looking forward to this bottle; a beautiful label and name. The synth cork continues to diminish what could a very nice wine to a wine that has a finish that imparts it’s synthetic closure.

The wine presents baked red plum, allspice, and some mushroom qualities. Overall, the wine had promise but the synth cork did alter the taste.

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Paris Goulart Mendoza Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon - 2006 - 7.7 - James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez

jamesthewineguy — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:36:50 +0000

Beyond my initial disappointment with a synth cork, I found this bottle of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon an uncertain blend that does not have any focus of either berry, spice or wood; the finish was weak.

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