Category: Tastings

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Tastings

Big Night, Italian Wine Tasting

Wine Club Miami at Ironside Pizza

2015 Bosco del Merlo Rosso * Merlot 70% & Refosco 30% from Lison, Veneto. Bosco del Merlo elaborates this 2015 Bosco del Merlo Vineargenti Rosso Riserva , a red wine from the region of Lison-Pramaggiore with the best refosco and merlot grapes from the 2015 vintage (http://www.sommelier.reviews)

2015 TORNATORE Trimarchise * Nerello Mascalese from Mount Etna, Sicily Aromas of tobacco, menthol, coconut and a whiff of oak-driven spice lead the bouquet of this wine. The firm, focused palate boasts fine-grained tannins that lithely support flavors of dried black cherry, ripe raspberry, star anise and espresso. Drink 2020–2025 (Wine Enthusiast)

2006 Michele Chiarelo La Court * Barbera from Nizza, Barbera d’ Asti La Court is a plush, chewy and richBarbera from one of the most successful wineries in Piedmont. You’ll recognize sweet oak and vanilla aromas wrapped tight by black fruit, cherry and blueberry. In the mouth, the wine is appropriately dense and fresh. (Wine Enthusiast)

2009 Lungarotti Rubesco * Sangiovese from Montecchio Umbria The 2009 Rubesco displays deep ruby red color with slight violet hues in the glass. On the nose, the wine exudes delicate aromas with good intensity, elegant complexity with hints of pepper, cinnamon and tobacco; background notes of red jam and violet. Solid structure and superb concentration, it evolves with fresh acidity; austere, balanced tannins with good balance, a fruity and slightly mineral finish. (wine.com)

2013 Il Poggione Brunello * Sangiovese from Brunello-The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino lives up to the impeccable reputation garnered by this estate over the years. This is a profound and beautifully rendered Sangiovese that delivers bold and luscious fruit quality with black cherry and spicy plum at the start. The bouquet follows through with mild oak notes of smoke, tar and toasted nut. There is another aromatic component that includes crushed stone and dried herb or mint. This Brunello shows elegant evolution in the glass and promises a very long aging future ahead. (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate)

2016 Nardo Toscana * Sangiovese & Cabernet Blend from Tuscany Fresh violets, lavender, citrus and fresh herbs are the main attraction on the nose. Full body, grainy tannins, some lovely, crunchy acidity and a salty finish. A blend of montepulciano, sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon, marselan, and alicante bouschet. Drink now. (James Suckling)

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Tastings

Pinot Noir Tasting: California, Burgundy and South African Wines

Pinot Light
Pinot Heavy



Kistler Cuvee Elizabeth 2009 –A salty, saline quality that runs through the fruit in this powerful, structured wine.Waves of fruit crescendo on the explosive finish. This is a dazzling Pinot Noir, but it will require at least another year or two in bottles. Reviewed and rated by The Wine Advocate.

 

Sea Smoke  “Ten” Sta. Rita Hills 2005 – “Ten is Sea Smoke’s biggest Pinot, a barrel selection chosen for sheer volume. It easily handles its 100% new oak coating. Needs decanting; even 15 minutes in the glass brought a unifying process, integrating the cedar and smoke with the explosive blackberry, cherry and chocolate fruit, and revealing the rich, dense, satiny texture.” Reviewed and rated by: 94 points Wine Enthusiast

 

 

Lucien le Moine Nuits St. Georges Les Vaucrains 2012-“The 2012 Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains has a precise bouquet with superb tension – a bouquet that is already shimmering with anticipation! The palate has a supple effervescent entry, with orange peel and marmalade, and fine weight on the finish. Reviewed and rated by Robert Parker Wine Advocate.”

 

Nuits St George “Les Charmois” 2010 -“Bright and sleek, with a mix of herb, cherry, earth and iron flavors. Firm and linear in profile, exerting a tight grip on the finish. Best from 2015 through 2024”. Reviewed and rated by: Wine Spectator

 


Joseph Drouhin Clos Vougeot 2005
“The 2005 Clos Vougeot from Drouhin’s two parcels in that famous cru, is much more earthy and less fine-grained than the majority of their wines from this vintage, but it exhibits impressive concentration. A bone meal-like meld of mineral and meat dominates the nose and suffuses the palate along with black raspberry, plum and cherry fruit accepted by faintly bitter fruit pit notes. This is quite full and rich, but without being heavy; overtly tannic and chewy, but without being coarse. A promising more tart than sweet juiciness of black fruit mingles with roasted meat and stony, chalky minerality in the finish. Reviewed and rated by: Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

 

Louis Jadot Latricieres Chambertin 2005–A deep meatiness and pungent spiciness unite with sweet richness of fruit on the palate, leading to a staining intensity of bitter-sweet black cherry, licorice, meat juices and cassis in a full-throttle finish. Reviewed and rated by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

 

 


Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir-The sublime 2010 Pinot Noir is aged for 10 months in oak, of which 44% was new and the remainder used. It has a ripe bouquet of redcurrant, strawberry and Morello that shows no signs of under-ripeness that Hamilton’s Pinots occasionally exhibit due to leaf-roll. The palate is medium-bodied with ripe  fleshy redcurrant and cranberry fruit that is underpinned by extremely fine tannins. This has wonderful build in the mouth and the finish is exuberant, almost feisty! This is an audacious Pinot Noir from one of South Africa’s top estates. Drink now-2020. Reviewed and rated by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

Pinot Light
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Tastings

Chateau Pommard

Preston Mohr, Wine Advisor Château de Pommard

 Burgundys largest monopole surrounds the Chateau de Pommard.       Protected by a two- meter high stone wall built at the beginning of the 19th century. 2015 Cloys Marey-Monge: “The Château de Pommard Clos-Marey Monge Monopole is our vineyard’s signature wine: a terroir-driven blend that our winemaker, Emmanuel Sala, adjusts with each vintage to showcase the microclimate of Burgundy’s largest monopole. Hand harvested grapes and hand sorted. 100% de-stemmed and placed into stainless steel fermentation vats by gravity flow”. Placed in French oak barrels. 2012 Cloys Marey-Monge:  “The palate is well-rounded and velvety and a long finish. Ruby red color with a dense and concentrated taste.  Led by morello cherry complexion with ample support from the generous and delicate scents of peony, poppy, dried rose and a plethora of black fruits” (winemaker notes)

2017 Simone-Nestled at the foot of the Château de Pommard, Simone is a 0.53 hectares plot of remarkable terroir. The delicacy and intensity of a red wine strongly depends on the quality of the internal surface of clay contained in the soil. The higher the density, the more a vineyard can produce grand cuvées. In 2009, Claude et Lydia Bourguignon, both agronomists and founders of the Microbiological Laboratory for Soils, conducted a thorough study on the Clos Marey-Monge and the Simone plot. What they found exceeded every expectation. With an internal surface of clay beyond 730 square meters per gram, Simone is close to the world record. With only 1,800 bottles of this intense, rich and complex Pinot Noir—our rarest cuvée, produced in the most generous years, Simone is available by allocation only. “Powerful and delicate, our Simone 2016 shows a deep, dark and bright ruby color with purple accents. The nose first reveals wild aromas of venison, underwood and elderberry. The palate is free, with a firm yet velvety tannic structure. This Pinot Noir shows an impressive depth that will still be there in 30 years from now” (wine maker notes). Other exceptional wines were tasted including 2015 Mersault, 2015 Volnay Premier Cru and 2015 Nuit-Saint-Georges.

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Tastings

A Night in Port at Tuyo Miami Culinary Institute

Opening image from A year in Port, documentary

1983 vintage for the Douro: This year was marked by a growing season which, during mid-summer, nobody would have predicted would be a declared vintage. The winter and spring were both cold, inhibiting flowering and retarding development, so that even as things heated up during the summer the vines were three weeks behind schedule, heralding a late harvest.(excerpt from www.thewinedoctor. com)

Tasked with a tasting for a range of Ports we took the course of : Warre’s 1983 Vintage, Grahams 30 Tawny and Quinta do Noval Vintage 2003(sourced direct from it’s vineyard). An approach that would allow to have a full range of with traditional characteristics and from notable Port houses. It is also interesting to taste wines that were reviewed many years ago with the understanding that these ports clearly upheld or even better than the rave reviews as below.

www.vintageportsite.com

The Warre’s 1983 Vintage Port “The 83 is richly perfumed and fragrant, which is so typical of ports from this vintage, and it is seemingly more forward than normal” -Robert Parker, 1989

“Slightly simple and sweet, but still very good. Deep purple with fresh violet and berry aromas. Full bodied, with very sweet fruit flavors, full tannins and medium finish”.-JS, WS 1989

Grahams 30 year tawny “The intensity and luxuriousness of this Port is a real treat. With an average age of 30 years, there has been plenty of time for the component wines to concentrate down and develop incredible complexity. Rich, syrupy and immediately nutty on the palate, sweet spices follow with a wave of cleansing acidity. Notes of dried orange peel, dried fruits, cinnamon and caramel flood the long finish. Very well balanced and surprisingly fresh”. -Decanter, 2016

Broad in feel and dark in profile, with walnut and hazelnut notes followed by flavors of brown bread, dried fig, bitter orange, singed almond and juniper. A lovely flash of green tea adds sparkle and detail on the finish, but this stays reliant on its bass line throughout. Drink now”. 1,200 cases made. – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator

Quinta do Noval Vintage 2003 has a gorgeous raisin, fig and clove-scented bouquet with more freshness than the whole of Pomerol combined. -Robert Parker 2014

For a relatively young tawny, this shows fine concentration and grip with a youthful and lively finish. Burly and powerful, this opened up over several days proving that is has some elegance too. – Wine Advocate

  • Wine Theater at MCI
Tuyo Restaurant
Miami Culinary Institute – 8th floor
Miami Dade College
415 N.E. 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33132


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Tastings

November Italian Tasting at Mira 5 Stars South Beach

photo: www.miamiandthebeaches.com

A five star night for four exception Italian reds hand picked for our perfectly paired tasting at Mira 5 Stars. These Italian wines represent the uniqueness of Italy while breaking away from the usual varietals that are typically selected for Italian wine tastings.

Petra Toscana Suvereto- 2012-is produced from two classic and international grape varieties, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Two varieties that have proven to the soil types at Petra.  www.liberusa.com

Galatrona Petrolo-2014-The polish and fine texture to this 2014 is impressive with blueberry, dark chocolate and light walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body, integrated tannins and a long, refined finish. www. jamessuckling.com

The Flaccianello della Pieve- 2012- represents a selection of the best fruit from the best vineyards (excluding, of course, Vigna del Sorbo that is dedicated to its own wine). The five parcels span various soils types and exposures, and the youngest vines are 20 years old. Because the fruit selection process is so detailed, the darkest and smallest clusters are carefully chosen. As a result, the fruit is rich in polyphenols, thick extract and extra aromatic intensity. The 2012 vintage saw yields reduced by as much as 20%, meaning that fruit selection was even more severe in this vintage. This beautiful wine shows abundant richness and generosity with toned mineral nuances that are wrapped within bold flavors of dark fruit and spice. The wine is rich and velvety in texture. – Monica Larner, Robert Parkers Wine Advocate.

The Rosso “Ca’ del Merlo”- 2010- is a complex and robust red wine produced according to the Ripasso method from different grapes. After 7 years of maturation in oak barrels it expresses rich and smooth scents and a powerful and velvety taste. It continues the maturation in bottle for many years and decades. www.callmewine.com

We are going to miss you Paul! Jeff??

Continue reading “November Italian Tasting at Mira 5 Stars South Beach”

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Tastings

The stuff that makes legends: Joseph Drouhin Wine Tasting: A perspective of four Burgundy Wines

Recent trip to Burgundy began our latest wine journey into one of  France’s most important and distinctive wineries. Visiting the cellar of Joseph Drouhin in Beaune was a tour of exceptional wines and along with the fascinating history of this legendary wine maker. A tale for the ages as the winery faced adversity during WW II – hiding it’s vintages from the Nazis and surviving. Well, that persistence has truly paid off as the winery lives on to be considered one of Brugundys signature appellations.   Once back in the US, arrangements were made for our club to taste four wines that are now available in most markets.

Joseph Drouhin Chablis AC, Drouhin-Vaudon 2015 (100% Chardonnay). Wine Maker notes:  The Moulin de Vaudon, the property of Joseph Drouhin, is an 18th Century watermill straddling the Serein River, close to the GrandCru vineyards of Chablis.  Tasting note by Veronique Boss-Drouhin – “A dry and fruity wine, easy to drink. Its colour is pale gold with greenish hues. Very fresh aromas reminiscent of citrus (lemon or grapefruit); On the palate, dry and fruity, with mineral notes. Pleasant and long aftertaste”.  WCM- The Chablis AC is a dry, fruit-forward wine with citrus aromas and slight hints of spices with and subtle hints of fruit with a lingering mineral finish. Overall very good chablis that pairs easily for a host of menu choices as it paired well with fried snapper that accompanied it.

Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Vinzelles, Mâconnais 2015 (100% Chardonnay) Wine maker notes: The wine area stretches south of Burgundy in the Mâconnais region, within 10km south-west of Mâcon. Less famous than its neighbour “Fuissé”, it has been known since the Roman times; “Vincella.  Tasting note by Véronique Boss-Drouhin”A wine for mere pleasure! Pale yellow colour with numerous bright green reflections. Intense persistant flavours of peach and white flowers harmoniously meshed together. On the palate, the wine is ample, fresh, intense, with reminiscent notes of ripe grapes, almond, fresh hazelnut and cinnamon. The mouth reveals an elegant wine endowered with a good structure”. WCM- A truly enjoyable wine with a nice sense of taste and balance. On the palate, this wine  has flavors of tropical and citrus fruits and slight oak making it a memorable wine for our tasting

Joseph Drouhin Brouilly Cru Beaujolais, Hospices de Belleville 2014 (100% Gamay) Wine Maker notes; Depending on the plot and the quality of the grapes, part of the harvest isde-stemmed for a ‘Burgundy style’ vinifi  cation with punch downs and pump overs, whilst the rest is vinified as whole cluster with carbonic maceration. Slow fermentation lasts between 10 to 15 days. TASTING NOTES: Th is Brouilly displays a deep red purple robe, a fleshy body with supple, caressing tannins, perfectly balanced, fruitiness is present with a delicately peppery note to finish. WCM-Served Chilled Note: The Brouilly has come together as a fuller wine with more complexities. Nice low tannin and full flavor give this wine easy drinkability and we are sure a wine to keep for many many years.

Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin Pinot Noir 2015 (100% Pinot Noir) Wine Maker Notes: History & tradition: Gevrey is of course the village where the Grand Cru vineyard Chambertin is located. Vines have been cultivated here since 630AD, when a certain Bertin decided to emulate the monks, his neighbors. The wine he made turned out to be spectacular – and the rest is history! Soil: lean and chalky, with a red-brown cover layer of clayey marl. WCM: Wow, black cherry,  blackberry and spice on the nose, with earthy styled nose. The Tannins blend harmoniously and a velvety texture of the wine. Overall a terrific wine with a wonderful finish and brings out the best of Burgundy.

 

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Tastings

Celebrating the Brotherhood of Port

This week we had a chance to sample excellent Porto and Douro wines at the Association of Port Wine Tasting at the Fontainebleau Hotel Miami featuring a selection of wines from Blackett Port Wine, Jorge Rosas Vinhos, Niepoort, Porto Réccua Vinhos, Ramos Pinto, Rozès and Sogevinus Wineries.


Jorge Rosas of Ramos Pinto showed off a fine line of Porto and Douro


Raul Monteiro of Sogevinus Wines showed off their 60-year-old tawny.


We were pleasantly surprised by this smooth finish of this very affordable White Reserve Porto from Rozes.


Pedro Carniero of Blackett rolled out some of our favorite ports!


The Brotherhood of Port welcomes eight new members including our good friend James Beard Award-winning wine and food writer Lyn Farmer.

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Tastings

Portugal-A wine region we forgot, a tasting that will be remembered

After 12 years of getting together monthly to taste wines from around the world, Wine Club Miami finally explored the wines of Portugal. The event was held at Fiorito in Little Haiti. A very tasty Argentinean spot that went great with the selected wines.

Overall the group was quite impressed with the quality of the wines, especially given the relatively reasonable prices  for the complexity and style. Several members commented that they would have guessed they were French wines if they were tasting blind.

Here is what we drank;

We started the evening with a crisp and fresh Vinho Verde A 2015 Caiu A Noite. A classic summer wine that pairs well with seafood and fish. Hints of green fruits, lemon and some effervescence which are all classic Vinho Verde traits.

 

The first red we tried was a 2009 Quinta Da Falorca Garrafeira Old Vines from the Dao region.
is principally a blend of Touriga Nacional (70%) and Tinta Roriz (15%) with Rufete and several others for the remainder. Enjoyed by all, it was the favorite red of more than half of the group.


The second red we tasted was the 2012 Prats & Symington Chryseia from the Douro region. The 2012 Chryseia is a blend of 72% Touriga Nacional, and the rest Touriga Franca. A rich and balanced wine that did not show as well as it will with some more time in the cellar. Would like to revisit this in a few years as the complexity and structure are there.


And the last red was the 2012 Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional from Douro. 100% Touriga Nacional, and it showed beautifully. A big, rich wine with balanced tannins that drank well now and will continue to do so for years to come.

The tasting was capped off with a 1997 Vau Vintage Port from Sandeman. A classic full-bodied Port with a nice long finish. After this tasting, I am sure we will be returning to Portuguese wines soon!

Cheers, Andrew Cohen, WCM President 2017.

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Tastings

2017 SBWFF-Wine Spectator Seminar: Beaulieu Vineyards Retrospective Tasting

A SBWFF- Wine Spectator Tasting of BV’s : Jorge Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Tapestry Red Blend wines

A notable and enjoyable wine at the SBWFF tasting was BV 2013 Tapestry Red Blend. Bordeaux style with nice finese of flavors as supple hints of black cherry and soft tannins round out a nice and lasting finish. Wine Advocate Review: “The 2013 Reserve Tapestry Proprietary Red Wine, which is another Bordeaux blend, raises the question: Is Beaulieu actually producing too many of these proprietary blends, instead of focusing on four or five top wines? In any event, this is a smooth, supple, delicious, front-end loaded style of wine for 2013, with elegant cedar wood, fruitcake and soil undertones intermixed with red and black cherries and blackcurrants. It is ruby/purple, medium to full-bodied, elegant and well-balanced. Drink it over the next 12-15 years”. (Taken from Wine Review) Score: 90, Robert Parker, October 2015

Most impressive and the well noted at this year’s SBWFF tasting was the 1997 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. A truly lasting wine with concentrated fruits and soft complexities of notable and lasting finish.  This wine drank very well as it seems to to be holding up in true form as the following review implies.”A profoundly deep nose of red and black fruit, with cedar, ginger and nutmeg. The sense of balance and grace is sublime, as layers of cassis, plum and cinnamon keep unfolding. The chewy finish is lengthy and elegant, and it should be held for no less than five years. This bottling honors its pedigree as California’s first classic cabernet.” (taken from wine review, score 94 points Wine Enthusiast)

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Reviews Tastings

New Zealand Wines, Blind Tasting


2013 Giesen Single Vineyard Selection “The Fuder – Clayvin” Chardonnay Marlborough“Wow- the brand new 2013 The Fuder Clayvin Chardonnay sure adds to the growing list of absolute knock-out Chardonnay’s of true global significance emerging these days from New Zealand. The highly revered Clayvin vineyard, from which this comes, does not fail to live up to its reputation, yielding a profoundly intense and complex wine redolent of ripe peaches, acacia honey, cashews and crushed chalk with marzipan and brioche nuances. Medium-bodied, it fills the mouth with savory and mineral flavors with a satiny texture and lively acid backbone, finishing with lingering honey-nut notes.” (Taken from wine review 95+ points Robert Parker Wine Advocate)

2013 Craggy Range “Sophia” Bordeaux Blend Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay “Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2013 Sophia Proprietary Red is intensely scented of crushed blackberries and blackcurrants with hints of cloves, cedar and violets plus a touch of pencil shavings. Medium-bodied and laden with muscular fruit, it has a solid backbone of grainy tannins and tons of vivacity in the long, multi-layered finish” (Taken from wine review 93 points Robert Parker Wine         Advocate)

2013 Rippon “Tinkers Field” Pinot Noir Lake Wanaka Central Otag0 “Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, the 2013 Tinker’s Field Pinot Noir delivers fragrant black cherries, violets and Ceylon tea notes with underlying garrigue, lavender and fallen twigs hints. Medium-bodied, the tightly knit palate gives restrained, earthy flavors at this youthful stage with a firm level of grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and multi-layered” (Taken from wine review 94 points Robert Parker Wine Advocate).                                                                                           

                      2013 Trinity Hill”Homage” Syrah Hawke’s Bay “This full-bodied, richly tannic wine delivers. It starts off with savory notes of cracked pepper, black olives, violets and cedar, then eases into concentrated flavors of blueberries and roasted meat before ending with a flourish of firm, dusty tannins. Give it a few years to soften. Drink 2020–2030″. (Taken from wine review 95 points Wine Enthusiast)