Don David Malbec 2012 Michel Torino Estate

Don David is named for David Michel who emigrated from France to Argentina in 1892 and founded Michel Torino Estate in Cafayate. The high altitude winery features over 1500 acres of vineyards that thrive on warm days, cool nights, and low humidity. The color is deep plum. There are three qualities of the nose thatContinueContinue reading “Don David Malbec 2012 Michel Torino Estate”

Gnarly Head 2012 Old Vine Zin

Gnarly sounds like surfer dude language to me, but in this case it describes the 35 to 80 year old gnarled vines that have been pruned in such a way so that they form a knotted, mangled top. Old Vine Zin is an audacious, full-bodied fruit bomb. There’s nothing subtle about the blood red colorContinueContinue reading “Gnarly Head 2012 Old Vine Zin”

Menage a Trois Rose 2012 by Folie a Deux

It’s refreshing to have a chilled wine when the weather is hot but I’m having trouble selling my drinking partner on whites. Maybe a Rose would do the trick? We tried a Tavel Rose last summer that was predominantly Grenache and the “dry minerality” as described in the tasting notes was not our preference. ThisContinueContinue reading “Menage a Trois Rose 2012 by Folie a Deux”

Eighth Wonder Lively Grove 2011

We recently tried a wine called Lively Grove made with the varietal Pinotage. The wine is from Eighth Wonder in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Created in 1920, Pinotage is a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsault that is indigenous to the Western Cape region. The bottle indicates that Pinotage was dubbed “Red Gold” by the MastersContinueContinue reading “Eighth Wonder Lively Grove 2011”

Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso Toscano 2011

I recently wrote about Tosca Rosso Toscano which was a winner for us in the $9 – $15 range. Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso Toscano 2011 is a big hit in the $16 – $20 range. Hues of rich ruby red and dark plum fill the glass. The nose is a subtle balance of currant andContinueContinue reading “Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso Toscano 2011”

Benjamin Nieto Senetiner Malbec 2013

We are excited to try a new Malbec, 2013 Benjamin Nieto Senetiner from Mendoza, Argentina, with a hanger steak on a nice crusty Calandra roll for dinner. As the splash of deep-hued purple color swirls around my glass, I detect a woodsy aroma mixed with plum. From the color and nose, I’m expecting a bold,ContinueContinue reading “Benjamin Nieto Senetiner Malbec 2013”

Norton Malbec Reserva 2010

We pour Norton Malbec Reserva 2010 from Mendoza, Argentina and start sipping right away. The nose is pleasantly plum plus something I can’t quite identify. The taste is a tight concentration of fruit and I don’t detect any secondary flavors. The finish is somewhat bitter. At this point the wine hasn’t made a very goodContinueContinue reading “Norton Malbec Reserva 2010”

Cryptic Red Wine 2011

With wine and desire anything is possible, says the mirror writing on the Cryptic Red Wine label. Like a little kid, I’m excited to look at the bottle in the mirror. I hope I’m as impressed with the wine as I am with the packaging. Cryptic is the latest brand (2012) from Purple Wine CompanyContinueContinue reading “Cryptic Red Wine 2011”

Brazin Old Vine Zin

We enjoy the bold spiciness of Seven Deadly Zins and set out to find another wine in the same vein. Based on a few online reviews, we selected the 2010 Brazin (B) Old Vine Zin from Lodi, CA. The wine’s name is very descriptive of its personality. Brazin is brazen, a bold and unabashedly flavorfulContinueContinue reading “Brazin Old Vine Zin”