Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red 10'

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Naked Wine Review 114Wine: Firehouse RedGrapes used: 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 12% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Sangiovese, 2% Zinfandel, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% CarmenereProducer: Tamarack CellarsVintage: 10'Region: Washington State>Columbia ValleyPrice: 16.00Date tasted: 12/12/12Place tasted: It was raining which always makes me smile. I had finished all my chores for the day including letting the bald guy out of the attic. Time to relax; a bottle of wine breathing on the counter and me lost in the sound and scent of a vivid ocean memory...It was a year ago today that Kaya Katwoman caught her first bird. I'll never forget the look on her proud little face. You see, she had been dreaming of this day for over five years now! A worthy occasion indeed. So with a little nip and a little wine we celebrated the mighty hunter within the elegant feline form...as well as the sound and scent of the eternally nurturing ocean mother we both long to be near. Until we meet again, Cin Cin.Served with: Toasted sesame oil marinated chicken on jasmine rice with side of asparagus. A food friendly wine that can handle a fair amount of herb and spice. Grilled meats, red sauce pasta dishes, quality dark chocolate....you get the idea.Appearance: A dense opaque ruby brew with singed purple edges. On the snoot: Is the scent of delicate spice nymphs stirring a pungent and concentrated cherry blossom potion with one of those magic vanilla beans you can only get in Mexico.Taste:  She lovingly embraces the palate with hugs of dense rich cherry and blackberry laced with vanilla, tar and espresso. Close your eyes and linger here while her enchantingly soft nature and silky smooth well integrated tannins flow over wet wood and lead you through a long, gently penetrating finish. Balance: Her body is slight with skinny naked legs but don't let that fool you, she sings with all the big strong, well rounded notes of a star Mezzo Soprano; beautifully balanced, charming, and witty. Comments: Observe the oxygen molecules that work like little ants on a peony as she opens into a soft full round bloom.
Always remember to breathe and let breathe.
Rating: 3.8 tipsys

Spice Route Chakalaka 09'

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Naked Wine Review 115
Wine: Spice Route Chakalaka Grapes: 37% Syrah, 21% Mourvedre, 18% Carignan, 10% Petite Syrah, 10% Grenache, 4% TannatProducer: Charles Back and the Spice Route TeamVintage: 09'Region: South Africa>Coastal Region>SwartlandPrice: 17.00Date tasted: 2/09/13Place tasted: I was on my way home from the Zootown gym when I noticed Jesus working late. He was dancing around in the snow all dressed in his Statue of Liberty outfit and waving at the passing traffic. I waved back and smiled like I always do but my mind was focused on getting home to a quiet evening with a glass of wine, a good movie, and my faithful little feline companion. Life is good today, and so is wine.Served with: Dulce de Leche & Chocolate Chunk Bread Pudding. (If you're gonna have a chunk of this stuff you'd best have spent an hour on the treadmill first and skip dinner altogether...know what I mean?) Totally worth it. Appearance: is that of a clear deep caramelized garnet that refracts purple light. On the snoot: The fresh scent of wet earth, mineral and wood mixes with baking spice and berry to form a warm, inviting and gentle snoot.Taste: The journey begins with plum, soft oak, and a little tart elderberry shadowed by rogue tannins that behave as if they were hiding from the law in an old western. Opens up nicely after some long deep breathing, don't we all? Finish lingers in a joyous wet kiss with delicate nuances of her musky exotic perfume. Balance: Beautifully balanced. Viscus with rich meaty legs. High alcohol; low sugar; gentle acidity and medium tannin....a little less tannin than I expected but not disappointing. Comments: There is something 'old attic' and 'antique shop' about the nature of this one that I really love. She is rich with wine wisdom if you can only let go of your own thoughts long enough to listen, taste, and enjoy the scent of her story.
In Other Comments:Welcome Chinese Year of the Snake.Ancient Chinese Saying....One fish said to the other,"Do you believe in this ocean that they all talk about?"
Rating: 3.8 tipsys
Note: artwork behind wine bottle is titled 'Play' by Will Barnet.

Yalumba Unwooded Chardonnay (Y Series) 2011 wine review by (PB)

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Pale yellow with very light bouquet of vanilla and equally light tropical fruit.

Palate--Spicy first impression with slight citrus front with bitter mid palate and barely any flavor you'd want to recall. Has a good acidic foundation and that is about all I can say. At $10-$15 this is a PASS. Raise a glass of something else!

--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

Henri de Richemer Cotes de Thau Viognier 2011 Wine Review (NW)

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Fragrant melon and floral notes on the nose

Medium bodied on the palate

Nicely tapering finish of tropical fruit and some acidity

Summary:

Okay, here's a great value white wine. It's interesting, balanced, and priced right at $11. The nose is fragrant and inviting, while the acidity backs up the tropical fruit flavors. It's a basic Viognier varietal wine from Southern France, but it's well made. Pair with dishes like roasted chicken, grilled fish, or steamed vegetable. Raise a glass!



--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

Montinore Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011 Wine Review (NW)

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Tasting notes:

Subtle notes of cherry, rose, and pepper on the delicate nose

Light bodied and lean on the palate

Tart raspberry and pepper on the finish

Summary:

This wine is a very light style of Pinot from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. While it shows some of the trademark qualities of Oregon Pinot, it's so subtle and fleeting that you have to remind yourself that you're drinking wine. That has both advantages and disadvantages, depending on the circumstances. For $20, just know what to expect and don't serve it to your die-hard Cabernet friends. Raise a glass!

--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

Oscar's Estate Vineyard 2008 Barossa Valley Shiraz wine review by Billy

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Nose: Big Jammy nose of blueberry, plum.  Cracked black pepper and tar.
Palate: Incredibly soft and plush mouth feel.  Like a mouth full of silk.  Soft acid backbone and gentle tannins.  Round and full bodied.  This is a full feeling Australian Shiraz from the Barossa valley.
Finish: Green pepper and blueberry on the finish.  Slight acidic resurgence at the sides of the tongue on the finish gives a memory of youthfulness.
Overall: I paid $16 for this at the local wine store.  Its delightfully full and soft mouth feel makes it uniquely suited for drinking now.  Wait much longer and its structure will edge into flabbiness.  Fruit forward nose combined with gentle finish and softness in the mouth make this an excellent introduction to Barossa Valley Shirazzes for those who want to branch out. Raise a glass!--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier/Marsanne 2006

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Price: $15.99 @ Gary's Liquors (West Roxbury, MA)
Recommended by: Wine Spectator (90 points)
Comments: Frickin' Almond Husks. That's right. Almond husks. Who the hell knows what almond husks taste like??? I'll tell you who. A pretentious idiot whose opinion about wine you definately do not want to trust. And yet, it's the winemaker that lists among this wine's flavors . . . almond husks. Also (and not surprisingly), the winemaker finds an array of tropical fruits with quince, ginger, and lees. Speaking of which, what the hell does a lee taste like? Denim? But nevermind, we're here to review a wine. And it's a good one, although we're not sure it deserves its place in the top 100 wines of 2007 by Wine Spectator. Although we didn't note almond husk, we did enjoy its pear and grapefruit flavors. The smell is "minerally" apparently, although Rob isn't sure it doesn't have a faint scent of cat pee (but in a good way!). The finish is fairly long and buttery, and a tad bitter, but also in a good way. We would get this one again but we're not sure it's worth the price when some really fantastic Sauvignon Blancs cost less and would pair equally well with similar food (seafood, particularly shellfish).
Rating: 6.75/10