Tag: red wine review

Hawkstone Cabernet Sauvignon

 Hawkstone of Napa Valley

Barney’s Heritage Cuvee

2012

Limited release of 5491 cases

While sipping this wine, the Dude of Food felt like he had obtained a bargain. This bottle radiates heritage. From the moment you handle the bottle time slows down a little and you begin to feel the serenity of this creation. This is no fast lane wine. This wine exudes the tranquility, longevity and educated qualities of a chateau in the countryside owned by a university scholar/author. The flavors do not jump out of the glass as a sophisticated lady would not sit with her legs open. The characteristics of this wine are more subdued. They have a sense of time and are not in a hurry to get to the end. The delicate balance of depth in fruitiness, richness of earth tones and uniqueness of flavor are well balanced and make this an enjoyable bottle of wine at a reasonable price if you can find it.

hawkstone

Magistrate Cabernet Sauvignon

This 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley is not my favorite.

The label says Limited Production and I wonder if it is because they gave up.

While the bottle is nice, the label sophisticated and the expectations somewhat

elevated, this wine lacked thoroughness in both the richness and flavor departments.

wine

RAVENSWOOD California Cabernet Sauvignon

ravens wood

Going to a party and can’t decide how much to spend and not buy some junk wine that was a waste of money and made you the indirect voice of ridicule as the tasters made their statements regarding your choice? Well there is another wine to add to the list. Reasonably priced, decent tasting. The Ravenswood line is alright.

MALBEC Review – Espuela del Gaucho Reserve 2012

peter pearce photo
peter pearce photo

This tasty limited edition Malbec was also grown and bottled in the  Mendoza region of Argentina.

Imported by WX Imports, Novato, CA

          www.espueladelgaucho.com

Another fine Malbec that is now on my Top 5 Malbec list. Not as good as my favorite, Bodega de ELENA, but gets close. This wine is a 2012, so maybe it needs a year, but still was a very good selection.

The Espuela del Gaucho has unique, slow running, heavy legs. It carries a lighter body, landing gently on the tongue, joyfully leaving hints of mixed berries grown in the fresh Andes air and then drifts away.

Another quality Malbec, that any California cab or Merlot drinker would enjoy for under $12.

Malbec – TERRAZAS de los Andes 2010

terrazas

Another fine wine from the Mendoza region nestled in Argentina. 

       TERRAZAS  de  los  Andes    Reserva     Malbec 2010

Produced and bottled by Terrazas de los Andes, Argentina

Selected grapes of the Mendoza region terraces, found a little more than 1,000 meters above sea level,  make their way into this wine. The selectivity of this wine is probably why it is imported by the Moet Hennessy company.

Personally, this wine is almost as good as my still favorite Malbec, Bodega de ELENA. The Terrazas is kind of similar to the Elena, but I found it to be a touch lighter in body and flavor when landing on the tongue. The Terrazas is flowery and fruity. Perhaps the Terrazas could be imagined as a merlot version of the Elena if it were imagined as a cabernet of the same vinter.

The Terrazas is a good wine, reasonably priced and will be gone before the bottles of Mondavi that other people brought to the party.

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Malbec – Redwood Creek 2011

Raised in Mendoza, Argentina

The Dude of Food wine review

Imported by Redwood Creek Winery, Modesto, CA

www.redwoodcreek.com

I wanted to like this wine but felt it was just not quite as good as the Robert Mondavi PS  ’11 or Sensual ’12. Not sure why. Same grape, same region, same year.

This wine’s taste was much like the Sensual and Mondavi but there was a slight shift that did not work in the Redwood Creek’s favor. The price is about the same so if I had my option, I’d choose the others.