20. June 2009 by Azat.

I had an awesome evening recently with my 2 friends at Palate Wine bar.  Will write about it soon but want to write about the wine that we had which was pretty awesome.  2006 Clos Saint Jean Chateauneauf du Pape Vieilles Vignes.  The wine was very rich with lots of enticing fig sauce, heavy raspberry tones, melted licorice and boysenberry fruit notes. Sweet spice notes linger in the mouth for a long time and it has a rounded finish.

Robert Parker says, “Under the inspired winemaking talent of Rhone oenologist Philippe Cambie in addition to proprietor Vincent Maurel, 2003 marked a breakthrough vintage for Clos Saint-Jean, and that has been followed by some of the finest wines of 2004 and blockbusters again in 2005. This 120-acre estate possesses some of the best old vine parcels of the appellation and has always had enormous potential, but the style of aging the wines in foudres for 5-6 years or longer resulted in too many wines that were dried out and lacked freshness. That has all changed under Cambie’s inspired winemaking, which keeps the Grenache in large foudres or demi-muids, and then ages the Syrah and Mourvedre components in smaller barrels. Yields, which were already low, have been lowered even further, and the wine is now bottled with neither fining nor filtration. If you haven’t caught on to the exquisite quality of Clos Saint-Jean’s Chateauneuf du Papes, now is the time. Just a reminder – their 2003s were some of the great wines of that irregular vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape, and they can still be found in the marketplace. These wines still remain somewhat underpriced vis-a-vis their quality, and a real bargain is the regular cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, normally a blend of 70-75% Grenache all aged in tank or large foudres and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault.”

Rating
“The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes’ darkopaque color is accompanied by a gorgeous nose of incense, licorice, spice box, creme de cassis, cherries, and smoked meats. Notions of soy and fig are also apparent in this full-bodied, concentrated, sexy wine. Enjoy it over the next 12-15+ years.”-Robert Parker 93 Points

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29. March 2009 by Azat.

Last night went to 3 Drunken Goats up in Montrose area of Glendale for some wine and tapas.  I noticed that on the wine rack they had a bottle of The Prisoner and asked if we can have that.  At $34 it was a steal in a restaurant.

The Prisoner: its simply the most delicious Zin blend available that i have tasted. Its predominantly Zinfandel(50%) with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah blended in, it’s up there with the best California Zins that cost twice as much. Zin blends are some of the most exciting wines coming out of California today and this is perhaps the finest example. Don’t miss this delicious fruit bomb bursting with deep, rich flavors. The best release yet from Orin Swift Cellars.

92 Points Wine Spectator: “Offers both style and structure, with lively aromas of black raspberry, cracked pepper and mocha, with plush and layered flavors pf wild berry, fresh sage and licorice. Ripe tannins sneak in on the finish.  Drink now through 2014.”

The 2007 Prisoner blend is 50% Zinfandel, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Syrah, 9% Petite Sirah and a dash of Charbono and Grenache.

For the price I think The Prisoner is one of the best Zin blends I have ever had.  You can find it for under $30 at some wine shops.  I suggest you buy a few and stack up.

As for 3 Drunken Goats its a great place to go and have wonderful Spanish wine and food.  They also have some wine available for retail that you can consume in the establishment at retail prices…

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8. March 2009 by Azat.

This is one of those wines for which I started my blog and the type of wine that I enjoy and love drinking and the type of wine that some day I will offer at my wine bar/shop.

2004 Allende.  It is a beautiful red that is fresh and firm, offers cherry, blackberry, and mineral notes over supportive but not obtrusive tannins. Sleek and polished, with an earthy edge that gives it lots and lots of depth.  Here is what the Wine Advocate said about it.

92 points Jay Miller (Wine Advocate): “The 2004 Allende, a 100% Tempranillo cuvée, was barrel fermented in a mix of new and used French oak, remained in barrel for 13 months, and was bottled unfiltered. The wine is inky purple-colored and has a superb nose of pain grille, mineral, violets, cranberry, and blueberry. The youthful palate reveals layers of fruit, ripe tannin, and excellent balance. The wine merits another 3-4 years of bottle age and should drink well through 2020. Kudos to Finca Allende for a magnificent set of 2004 Riojas!”

This wine is also ranked 90+ points by Wine Spectator, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar and also by Wine Enthusiast. And the best part is that you can still find this wine for well under 25 dollars at many internet shops.  3 very solid stars

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2. March 2009 by Azat.

Just got an interesting email from Mollydooker.  As you know I love Mollydooker wine.  Especially Two Left Feet, The Boxer and Carnival of Love

They have a new wine coming out called Sip it Forward.  Here is the email
G’day Azat,Things have been flat out here at the winery with the incredible response to our ‘Please Help us find a Wine Name’ email. Sparky and I are very appreciative of your fantastic input and suggestions. In the final count we had 2000 names suggested, and as they were all great ideas, it was extremely difficult to choose just one.
After much “discussion” we are excited to announce the name that we have chosen to embody the charity wine… ‘SIP IT FORWARD’.
A huge CONGRATULATIONS goes to Ian Muncy from Miamisburg, Ohio for submitting a name which we think encapsulates the purpose of this wine; being able to bless others around us. When I first read the name, I couldn’t stop thinking that as we drink and share this wine, how we could also be helping others in the world… not just the kids in Cambodia, but perhaps someone nearby, a local charity or something that each of us is passionate about. I think that the idea of paying forward our blessings excites and empowers all of us.

Want to Order Sip it Forward?
Several people have mentioned that they would like to purchase the wine when it is released. All you have to do is reply to this email or contact us at righthand@mollydookerwines.com with the subject line “Sip it Forward Waiting List” to ensure you get the first chance to purchase this wine when its released later this year. (The wine will be $25 per bottle or $300 per case and will only be available on our website. All proceeds will benefit Transform Cambodia).

Want to Get Involved?
How’s this for exciting. One of the other wine names suggested was “Blend a Hand” and while it wasn’t selected as the name of the wine, we thought that it would be awesome to use this name for our 2009 events. We have decided that this Fall we will host a series of Blend a Hand - blending seminars where we would love for you to help us blend the 2008 Sip It Forward. We hope you can join us for this exciting, interactive and creative part of what we do to blend WOW wines. We will be posting updates to our online Travel Schedule (www.mollydookerwines.com  /Find Us/Event Schedule) in the coming months, so make sure to check back to find an event near your home town. You can also email us anytime and as a Mollydooker Mate, we’ll make sure you get an invitation.

So now we’ve chosen the name, the next fun task will be designing the label!! We can’t wait to share it with you!

With Love,
Sarah Marquis,
On behalf of Sparky, Luke, Holly and the whole Mollydooker Team

Contact our ‘Right Hands’ - AKA Customer Service:(888)MDSHIRAZ (888) 637.4472

Mollydooker Wines USA: 1325 Imola Avenue #324, Napa, CA 94559

Mollydooker Wines: 8/938 South Road Edwardstown South Australia 5039

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15. February 2009 by Azat.

2004 Cantonella Cervoles Tinto (Spain, Costers del Segre): Ah, Espana.  My coworker is at Barcelona and I was reading her facebook and made the decision that today we are going to have a nice Spanish red.  Spain the land of tapas, gambas alla plancha, and sexy citizens and GREAT Tempranillo. Some of the new superstars of the wine grape world are also coming from Spain. Cervoles Tinto is a blend of Tempranillo, Cab, Garnacha and Merlot is an inky pool of forward and full-bodied fruit and smoke that is a rave of Old World restraint and New World gluttony.  The wine is a dark and deep color and an attractive nose of black berries. On the palate, it is juicy with a rich and velvety texture followed by a well-balanced finish.  A absolutely fascinating bottle of red wine.  Robert Parker gave the wine 92 points, too.(prior year 94) And you can still find them in the 20-25 dollar range

Tasting notes from The Wine Advocate:

“Wow! What an amazing, reasonably priced wine. This 1,000-case cuvee, aged 12-14 months in French oak, from one of the appellation’s highest altitude vineyards (it borders Montsant/Priorat), is a blend of 41% Tempranillo, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Grenache, and 11% Merlot. Fabulously fragrant, with notes of crushed rock, black raspberries, blueberries, and cassis, this inky/purple-colored wine boasts great fruit, medium to full body, fabulous texture and purity, and a long, heady finish. This is a compelling as well as provocative wine to drink over the next 7-8 years.”

I would rank this wine a 3-3.5 stars and its very reasonable priced

And by the way, happy Valentine’s Day!

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8. February 2009 by Azat.

First let me say that on the top of my list of wine varietals is Chateauneuf du Pape.  In the past 10-15 years they have become favorite wine of many who like classic/old world wines.  Robert Parker is a big fan of them and CDPs consistently make the top of his list year after year.  One would think he was an honorary citizen of Chateauneuf du Pape.

Lit me give you a brief history of the town in France nad the type of grapes grown there from Wikipedia.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a town and commune in the Vaucluse département in Provence, in southern France. Its name derives from a castle built by the Popes when they ruled from Avignon.

The village and three other surrounding communes produce wine, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region. Unlike its northern Rhône neighbors, Châteauneuf-du-Pape permits thirteen different varieties of grape; the blend is usually predominantly Grenache. Other red grapes include Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse. White grapes include Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picardin, Roussanne, and Picpoul. In recent years, the trend has been to include fewer (or even none) of the allowed white varieties and rely heavily (or solely) upon the Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. One may suspect that this is a response to international wine-market trends and the desire to have this sometimes-rustic wine appeal to a broader commercial audience.

Before wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. began promoting them, the wines of Châteauneuf were considered rustic and of limited appeal in the U.S. However, his influence increased their price more than fourfold in a decade. In gratitude, the Châteauneuf Winemakers Union pushed for his becoming an honorary citizen of the village.

Now lets talk about one of the best to come from CDP at a semi reasonable price of 65 dollars.  I know its a bit high but its a good wine.  In the future I will list others that are much lower but today we will start with 2006 Vieux Telegraphe CDP.

Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf 2006

The 2006 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, which is aged only in foudre and bottled with minimal clarification, is a more masculine, muscular effort than most 2006s. Its dark ruby/purple color is followed by notions of the sushi seaweed wrapper, nori, interwoven with incense, lavender, pepper, and copious quantities of black cherry and raspberry fruit. Medium to full-bodied, with moderate tannin, and good structure as well as depth, it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age, and should keep for 15 or more years.

93 points Wine Advocate (Robert Parker)

I had  this wine few weeks back.  While the wine was still very young and can for sure benefit from another few years in the bottle it was an exceptional wine.  Big, crisp and spicy with peppery blackberry and blueberry fruit.  Hints spices like vanilla, clove and cinnamon can be tasted in the mouth.  Lots of sweet tannins which should help withe the aging of this beauty.

I would give this wine 4 stars and at 65 its not cheap but the quality for price ratio is very high.  This should be a great combo with grilled lamb or even pork chops

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6. February 2009 by Azat.

It would be a crime for me not to write about Chateau Musar.  Many times my friends who know I love wine will ask me to recommend a wine or what my favorite wine is and I always try to find out what they like or if its about my favorite wine I tell them it depends on the time of the year and the meal I’m eating, but when forced to select a single wine I always say “Chateau Musar“.  To which the answer is always a dumbfounded look and a reply “Chateau what”?

Located at 1000 meters altitude in the fertile plain of Bekaa (Lebanon), the vineyard of Chateau Musar is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault. A red Chateau Musar is usually characterized by its complexity and plenitude, the result of long aging (7 years) prior to release. Powerful and balanced, this red wine achieves full potential after 15 years.

Musar s a very complex wine.  Many wont like Musar at first as its not like the fruity wines of Spain or Australia or even California.  It has very old world tastes.  I tell people you can smell and taste the smoky earth from Bekaa Vally from the many years of battles between Israel and Lebanon.  There are many interesting stories of how the wine was stored away during the war.

Musar has a very spicy nose and complexity around the aroma. Very earthy tones in the smell of the wine as well as the taste.  Musar is earthy and spicy with a bit of bitter tang and lots of tannins.  One can compare Musar to the very stinky cheeses of France and England. If you love those cheeses you will love Musar.  If you love the simple provolone and think a sharp cheddar is a strong cheese you may get offended by Musar.

I own about 6-7 bottles of this wine from 1995 to 1999.  The 95 would knock your socks off.  They say that 1991 and the 1979 are the premier years for this wine.  Unfortunately I have never had the chance to try them

This is a 5 star wine for me and you can find in in some specialty stores for around 50 dollars if you are lucky

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2. February 2009 by Azat.

 2005 Chappellet “Signature” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

90+ points from Robert Parker: “Revealing a deeper ruby/purple color as well as a classic bouquet of blueberries, creme de cassis, spring flowers, and background earth, the medium to full-bodied, moderately tannic 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon(link to the 2006 vintage) can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15 years.” (Dec. 2008)

I got 3 bottles at the winery last summer and had the first bottle today post Superbowl with some BBQ.  The is an exceptional wine.  Dark garnet.  Black cherry and oak on the nose.  Black cherry forward fruit that takes on chocolate flavors on the finish, moderate acid, moderate soft tannins, long fruity finish.  In many ways this wine reminds me of many of the Bordeaux style wines.  This is a very nice wine with lots of fruit and interesting complexity. It is accessible now and will soften out more with a few years of aging.  Too bad I only have 2 left.

I would rank this wine 4 stars and it is a bit on the pricey side for my day to day consumption at $40 but it is a great wine for special occasions.

On a different note the picture in my intro is from the winery.  If you ever go to Napa you have to make a visit to the winery.  Its beautiful.

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25. January 2009 by Azat.

Conundrum is a beautiful wine from Caymus Vineyards.  Although its a separate brand on its own.  It is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Muscat Canelli.  In addition to that they also add small amounts of Sémillon and Viognier.  I first has this wine at my friends Babak Hosseinzadeh’s house and I was blown off my feet at the beautiful aromas and taste of this wine.  Its an excellent food wine that can be enjoyed with  wide variety of international cuisines and a whole range of courses: from appetizers through dessert. To fully enjoy its aromas and flavors, the wine is best served slightly chilled.

Wine makers notes: “Powerful aromas of green apple, tangerine zest and honeysuckle.  Core flavors of apricot, melon, pear and light vanilla are beautifully balanced by the sparkling acidity of citrus fruits. The lush, creamy, mouth-filling texture is heightened by powerful floral and bright tropical fruit notes and leads to a full, powerful finish.”

We enjoyed the wine with a great pasta dish and a wonderful desert that Krista(Babak’s wife) had prepared.

I would rand this wine at 3.5 stars and a good bargain at about $22

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20. January 2009 by Azat.

It would be a crime if I started a blog without doing my first post about my favorite wine all time…  However before I do talk about “The Boxer” from Mollydooker I want to explain the name behind 90PlusWine.com.  The main reason is that majority of the wine I consume is rated 90 points or higher by one of the major wine rating magazines(Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate(my favorite) and Wine Spectator).  Its natural for the wine that is rated high to be of better quality however wine does not necessarily need to be expensive to be 90+ points and these are the wines that I will talk about most in this blog.  Often you will see gems in the 8-12 dollar range that get great ratings.  In addition to that you will often see different agencies rank/rate wine differently and I have notices that my pallet will agree more with that of Robert Parkers ratings from Wine Advocate…  over time we will talk more about each but enough of that for now.

Lets talk about 2005 “The Boxer”.

Here is what Parker said about it “The Boxer Shiraz exhibits a black/blue purple color, an incredible density of fruit, along with that tell tale purity, blackberries, white flowers, melted chocolate, sweet licorice and subtle wood. Full bodied, beautifully textured and layered, with an awesome finish it should drink well for 4-6+ years. 95 points. Robert Parker Jr Wine Advocate # 165”

I first tried “The Boxer” about 3 years ago.  Had always been a big fan of Marquis Philips wines especially S2 and #9.  When I heard they had left that venture and started Mollydooker I had to try their new wine.  I got an early shipment of Two left Feet(we will talk about it some other time) and The Boxer.  I immediately opened a bottle of the boxer and decanter it and let it sit for an hour(in general I always recommend people decant their reds an hour or 2 prior to consumption).  When I tried my first sip I knew I was hooked to this new wine from them.  It bursts in your mouth with multiple of flavors and has a great aroma.  It is a VERY powerful, big, bold Shiraz from Australian McLaren Valley.  The taste lasts for long time and will linger in your mouth for a good 20-30 seconds after you swallow the wine.  Tones of raspberry, cherry, chocolate and oak last a long time.  The color of the wine is dark dark burgundy.  You hardly notice light even when held to the sky

I give this wine a 4 ½ stars only because I have tasted 3-4 bottles that are true 5 stars and I hate giving 5 stars and its only about $20.  Cant buy any wine in that price range that can compare.
Label for The Boxer

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