posted on 1 April 2009 by sarah
I don’t like to lower my standards. I don’t want to buy store-brand ginger ale, I don’t want to ski on rocks, and I don’t want to use a plastic bag as a shower cap. I don’t use shower caps but it would be a sad day if I had to use a glad bag. BUT “lower” isn’t necessarily a bad word. Who doesn’t want to lower his or her cholesterol? Or find a lower interest rate? Or in the case of the Calvet Reserve 2006 Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux enjoy a wine with a lower tannin level.
Any single woman can tell you that no matter how many of your friends tell you the dude is great, shares your interest in harpsichord, unicorns, and also has a speech impediment; it’s not going to work out if you have to lower your standards. I can’t say that this Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Bordeaux is Mr. Perfect, but it’s a not a mercy date either. It’s friendly, charming, smells good (no really, it has a nice nose) but you probably wouldn’t call it after three dates. It just doesn’t really deliver. Don’t feel badly, Cabernet Sauvignon’s have thick skins.
I read a few reviews of this Calvet online and one of the critics raved about its smooth texture. The quote reads, “The Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon has a lovely crimson color and is followed by a red-fruit bouquet set off to perfection by vanilla and a slight hint of menthol.” Pardon, did you say “menthol?” Like Halls Metho-Lyptus? No can do. I don’t recommend going out with guys described as “funny, bright, and has an amazing ability to produce phlegm.”
Tags: bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, menthol, merlot, Mr. Perfect, red bordeaux, Sarah Osteen
Category: Girl on Grape | Comments (0)
posted on 22 March 2009 by jeff
The Languedoc does not have the reputation for producing wines of finesse that its more northern french brethren have. They are uniquely Mediterranean wines: wines that reflect the region’s ancient, and cosmopolitan heritage. What the Languedoc lacks in Bordelais gentility and Burgundian abstraction, it makes up in sunny approachability.
Le Grand Noir captures the rough-and-tumble accessibility of the area. The wine is made of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, (note the modern terminology of the latter). The wine is technically classified as vin de pays, which allows Languedoc growers to produce and label wines made from grapes outside of the region’s traditional viticultural context. In simpler terms, this means that a winemaker can make a wine from say, Merlot, and label it as such, rather than being confined to local, lesser known varietals such as Carignan, or Cinsault.
In the glass the wine is an earthy, slightly rusted red. The nose is somewhat conflicted; it leads with the spiciness of the Syrah, but definitely suggests the slightly under-acidic juiciness of the Cabernet.
On the palate the wine is best described as fun. This is the kind of bottling that wine-business old-timers refer to simply as, “good juice.” There is nothing particulary complex about the wine; it has strong, red/purple-hued fruit, and a straightforward, if a bit workman-like, structure.
With an $11.99 price tag this wine is head-turningly good. I suspect it will be even better outside this summer, paired with a very large, recently grilled hamburger. I recommend you check this wine out soon. Look for the wine with the large sheep on it.
J.
Tags: cabernet sauvignon, france, languedoc, sheep, shiraz, vin de pays
Category: Wine Reviews | Comments (0)
posted on 17 March 2009 by jeff
South America is currently as hot as any wine-producing region on Earth. Every store’s shelves are stocked with nearly as many bottles from Mendoza and Colchagua as from Napa and Bordeaux. Wine buyers who were a few years ago incapable of locating the Andes mountains on a map, now sing the praises of mountain-grown Malbec. This posting is, accordingly, an obvious attempt to capitalize on the overwhelming popularity these wine have achieved.
Yali’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere blend is an admirable addition to the the aforementioned acceleration of Chile’s international acclaim, (how’s that for alliteration). At under $12, it fits with South America’s reputation as a price-conscious shopper’s dream. Additionally, it’s not a wine which one fill find in many places, and so should succeed in satisfying even the most well-informed boozehound.
In the glass the wine is clear, cranberry-tinged, ruby color. The nose suggests a spiced, cooked fruit aroma.
Though there is a lot of fruit on the palate of this wine, it is not necessarily the fruit I was expecting. There is a distinct red-berry tartness in this wine which I don’t immediately associate with either of the present grapes. This is not unpleasant. In point of fact, this wine is refreshingly fun; it definitely falls into the, “drink me now, drink me often” category. I suspect it will be excellent out-of-doors come summer.
I recommend grabbing this wine on a weeknight when you’re not sure what’s for dinner and you don’t care. This is a wine that works when you want something you can drink until it’s gone. Pick the right sunny day, and this will be perfect on a picnic with your significant other, (or that picture of Blanche from the Golden Girls that Tony carts around with him).
Tags: blanche, bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, carmenere, chile, colchagua, malbec, mendoza, Napa, tony
Category: Wine Reviews | Comments (0)
