LUNGAROTTI, Pinot Grigio, UMBRIA 2004

Yet another Italian wine (i think its the world cup..).. LUNGAROTTI, Pinot Grigio, UMBRIA 2004.

Being Pinot Grigio, the wine is expected to be light-medium body.. with high acidity..

It has distinct smell of pear, mixed of fruits and some sauvignon blanc.. (weird.. but well..)

True enough, the acidity is on the higher side.. dry wine with short finish..

Of course, preferred to be chilled, this will numb the acidity..

LUNGAROTTI Sangiovese 2003

This is definitely the best of the night.. Italian, LUNGAROTTI Sangiovese 2003..

The slight alcoholic smell brings out the unique aromatic floral smell of the wine.. .

On the palate, it is dry, well-balanced with soft tannins, fruity.. with medium-long finish... should serve slightly chilled than normal red and allow it to warm in the glass in order to experience the full spectrum of the wine flavours..

Sally's Paddock 2001

Do not be deceived, at 2001 vintage, this wine is still way too EARLY to open! With another 5 years.. it will be great. Anyway, if you really can't wait.. try decanting..

With an exceptional blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, it is made to be complex and for aging..

I allowed it to age in glass just to catch what would be the matured flavour.. it is dry, and has an oaky touch on the palate, medium-full body.. and end with medium fruity flavours..

It will be unfair for me to rank this bottle when i couldn't really extract the full flavours of it.. but still ..

BERSANO Moscato D' Asti 2005

The distinct 'cream soda' is what everyone around the table 'exclaimed' almost unanimously. Very pleasant, off-dry dessert wine which is definitely a crowd pleaser. (a sure hit with ladies)

You can serve the worse of all wines and serve this dessert wine last to save them all. However, personally i would like it with a little stronger for more body rather than just plainly sweet.

And Italian wine which is only meant for dessert... the low alcohol level also ensure that you can drink a bit more than you should..

CAPE BARREN GSM 2004

Got new committment at work, but now things are more sorted out. Anyway, I have been travelling a lot, and of course, drink a lot. Just did not get the motivation to blog every bottle tasted.

But well, things are more or less in track now and this wine blog will continue..

Tasted this bottle, a 2004 Australian, CAPE BARREN, GSM (not your mobile network).. though at year 2004, this bottle is still a bit too early to drink, will be better for another 2-3 years. It took the wine 15-30 mins to breathe in my glass in order to get the flavours.

Freshly out of bottle, the wine is spicy to the nose.. smell something like those gum we used to blow bubble through a small plastic tube (my age people will know).. but the smell will smooth out after 15 mins... leaving it pretty aromatic..

After breathing the wine, it is well balanced, full-bodied wine with balanced tannins to form the structure of the wine. Grenache fruitness on first taste, then took over by shiraz.. with good medium finish..

Couldn't the colour as it under dim lighting, but this wine is worth more than a try and should go very well with rich red meat like beef.

New Zealand - SAINT CLAIR Riesling 2004

I love this wine. This wine is a light bodied wine with an impressive sweet citrus flavour, hints of minerals and floral. It can be enjoyed on its own or should goes very nice with sweet meat. It's balanced acidity will wets your appetite, so it can also be an aperitif. {}{}{}{}{

1998 Heathfield Ridge Show Reserve Cabernet Shiraz

Alex bought this premium bottle and we all were impressed by this round, full bodied Cabernet Shiraz, a blend which has the firm structure of Cab and the tamed spice of Shiraz.. on the palate, it has fine oak, chocolate.. with supple spice and hints of mint.. the finishing is long with amazingly smooth and creamy tannins, leaving a creamy layer of coating on the tongue. we all liked it, but too bad its limited and there is no more stock available. {}{}{}{}{}

CULLEY Sauvignon Blanc 2005

"Ki-yam Chai" (Salted vegetables) was one of the most distinct description which Xuanhui has proposed. heh. Personally, i find this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc refreshing when served cold, overall balance is good with hints of white fruits and greens. The usual zesty and light bodied. Easy to drink anytime. but it really sucks with the fried drumsticks. hahah. {}{}{}{

Beaujolais Villages "La Jacarde" 2001

Tried this bottle of wine yesterday night... simply like it.. but it didn't work too well with Alex though. Anyway, the wine evolves as we sipped. started of as a light, sweet, fruitly with nice floral aroma on the nose.. short finish with soft tannins. and as it breathe a little longer, the tannins strengthen giving its structure, while retaining its vibrant juicy taste with a little spice and wood.. {}{}{}{}

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

PENMARA - Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

Could really say much about this but a typical Australian wine, unchallenging colour of slight brown to red. On the nose it is simple with blackberries. It is easy to drink straight from the bottle, soft tannins, medium body with short finish and should goes with red meat. The wine is drinkable and of good value based on the price. Something simple and probably suitable for casual drinkers who don't need something more complex. {}{}{

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

VIU MANENT Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Last week in the tasting session, we tried VIU MANENT Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2003 from Chile. It got a bright ruby to purple colour and i think i should have let it breathe a little longer before trying it as straight out the bottle, the tannins seem to be too strong. However, it has a great nose, exploding with plum and berries flavours.

Anyway, on the second day when i try the same bottle (cannot finish it), it is almost perfect, the tannins soften, not so tough on the tongue, yet it retains a firm structure with a slighty sweet-bitter oak taste.

In fact, i got some leftover roast duck meat to go with it and yummy! It is a medium bodied wine with a long finish backed with oak and firm tannins. Personally, i would give it another 2-3 years from vintage or let it breathe for 1-2 hrs before drinking it. Serve slightly chill but not cold. {}{}{}{

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

How to buy wine

Most wines available today are generally produced as ‘everyday’ wines; which means you can forget about the old saying that the longer you keep the wine, the better it will taste. It is true, but not for most wines today. If you try to save that budgeted Sauvignon Blanc that you got at a close down sales for 10 years, all you get then is probably stale acidic juice of some sort. But of course, there are extraordinary wines (more common in Old World wines), which can age very gracefully over decades, normally the prices are also pretty extraordinary.

Yes, most wines now are made for immediate or recent consumption and not meant to last, but that does not mean that they are not good. In fact, with the overall increase in wine consumption in recent years, wine producers have increased their production, incorporate technology into research, increased exports and pushing prices down to remain competitive, and that is where we as consumers can enjoy good wines at such affordable prices.

So you are shopping for wines and you are spoilt for choice. The selection is made more difficult the wide range of price and foreign sounding names (worse when you try to pronouns some of them). You might be thinking, “Oh, this wine is so cheap, don’t know can drink or not” or “What is the difference between a $17 per bottle and $32 per bottle”.

Yes, I have been through that and in fact, wine choosing can still daunt me sometimes, but I figured that the easiest way to get to the bottle is to get the bottle. Of course, no one would want to get a $63 bottle just to ‘try’. There have to be an easier way, and there is.

First, whenever there is sampling of wines, go for it. The trick is do not be shy, just taste it. If you like what you tasted-remember it, if you do not like it-remember it. I got a notepad to keep track of all the wines i tasted, and of course this website too. Anyway, as you do that consistently, you will build up a wine database of how different varietals would taste like in general, you will also identify what favour your palate and nose, what turns you on, and what not.

Anticipating how a particular wine would taste like and what kind of wine you prefer will eventually shorten your wine choosing process, or at least you could end up with something you would probably enjoy. Example, you can safely go for Cabernet Sauvignon if you like strong tannins, or Riesling for something sweet, Sauvignon Blanc for that zesty feel. However, always be adventurous, try sometime new, different and excite your palate once a while. You might like fish burger, but that does not stop you from trying a hotdog, right?

Normally, I would not suggest choosing by price, but sometimes it helps (a little). Generally, higher priced wines would be of higher quality but of course this is a sweeping statement, and is only more relevant for Old World wines. However, having said that, this price equates quality ideology is quickly changing as the Old World wine gears up to the competition of New World wine.

We need to realize that prices are influenced by many factors. First of all, demand-and-supply; in Singapore, New world wines like Australian wines, enjoys low prices basically due to competition and high turnover. On the other hand, Old World wines like, France which has strict regulations in wine production and exports results in lower quantity available for export, they are normally more expensive (because they are rare) than New World wines.

Another factor is the geographical distance between the countries, the lower the shipping risk, the cheaper the shipment and the cheaper the wines will cost. The economics of the country of origin also plays part. If it cost more per labour hour in France as compared in Chile, then it will logically cost more to harvest and produce the wines in France than in Chile.

Lastly, the quality of wine contributes greatly to the price you are paying. The quality of the wine is a collective effort of many factors ranging from the roots of the vines to the experience of the winemaker, which we will not discuss here in details.

Ok, now for choosing wine. The first rule, ‘A person’s $20 bottle is another person’s $200 bottle’ (Don’t believe me? Try a blind wine tasting). The value of the wine is perceived by the balance between how much you LIKE the wine and how much you are willing to PAY (or paid) for it.

My suggestion – before buying wine, ask yourself how much are you willing to spend on a bottle of wine and what is it for? If you know that your future father-in-law is going to be the one drinking that wine, you might want to consider a wine that will impress him. If it is for your weekly family dinner, you might want something more affordable with wider appeal. If it is going to be a good friends gathering, where conversation and bonding take on higher priorities, get something exotic and excite your friends without burning a hole in your pocket.

In Singapore, for every bottle of 75cl wine, about $7 belong to government tax, and you can make your own predication and calculation on the profit margins as the wine travel down the supply chain of importers, wholesalers and retailers before reaching you, then you should have an abstract idea how much a quality you will get from a bottle of wine retailing at $10-13. A decent wine experience usually cost around $18-$28, but if you are willing to stretch that dollar a bit more, you can bet on a more rewarding experience most of the time. Of course, I'm not saying that all cheap wines are no good, you just have to be your own judge.

How about those bottles that cost over $100 or even more? Normally, these are wines of good vintage from good appellation with exceptional wine quality and probably limited. However, the same rule applies, value = cost + preference. You can drink boil tap water or deliciously bottled Perrier. Hence, if you are in for a spurge or just want to pamper yourself to something extraordinary, why not?

There are wines plastered with awards which make you wonder if they have won the Olympics. Are they better? Well, experts are humans and humans have different palates, they can be proficient in identifying the distinct flavours and characters of the wines, but they cannot tell you that you will definitely love it as much as they do or don’t. Further to that, more medals, more stars and higher ratings often inflate the price of the wine, and sometimes more than what the wine really worth. Although highly rated wines are like gems to be discovered, just be mindful that you might be paying for a crystal held in a Tiffany box.

Besides, there are thousands of wines made from thousands of vineyards every year and not all of them get to be reviewed. Thus, for every wine that is rated, there is a thousand more which did not get chance even to display their labels in front of the panel of experts. No award does not mean that the wine is undrinkable.

So, just relax! Choosing wines is supposed to be fun and rewarding and not some mindless chase after awards unless you are out to impress your boss. Be adventurous and who knows you might just surprise yourself, I know I did.

Family dinner and wine..

Sunday we had our once-in-a-while family dinner at home. it is dfficult to get everyone including my grandma under one roof for some simple home-cooked food. This time round however, I was able to contribute by opening one of my wine collection. haha. Black Tower Riesling, a German white wine.

And the result? simply classic! even my 70 year old grandma likes it. Usual for German wine to be rich in flavours and this Riesling blossoms with fruity flavours, medium off-dry wine with strong green apples, peaches on the nose.. a light bodied wine with a lingering finish. {}{}{}{}{}

And with much surprise, i learnt, over dinner, that my Grandma is making her own wine! A great cook as she is, she has always been very adventous with food and recipe. But making wine at home? woah! haha.. can't wait to taste them.

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

The Crossing - Pinot Noir 2002

For those who have not adjusted to the tannins in red wine, this is something you could 'practise' with. A New world Wine - New Zealand, THE CROSSING-Pinot Noir 2002. Ruby red to purple color. A oaked flavoured Pinot Noir with touches of berries. It is light bodied, non-complex, with pleasant and easy tannins (at least my gal could drink a second glass).. Light bodied with a medium finish. {}{}{}{

It did not go well with my dry. spicy. instant noodle. not at all. hah. but on its own, it is pretty fine.

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

BLACK TOWER - Rivaner 2002

Don't be deceived by the picture, the wine is in fact a white wine; i couldn't get anthing closer enough as yet. German wines has always been perceived to have strong aromatic flavours, and this Rivaner did the same thing. It has a nice pale yellow to white color. It is extreme aromatic with sweet floral and fruity flavours, perhaps stronger in pinepapple. It is medium body and extremely smooth which makes it a simple to drink for beginners. Low acidicity and off-dry, easy going on the palate, rich in flavours with a lingering finish. It is almost like drinking dessert wine only less sweet. {}{}{}{

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

Nederburg - Paarl Resling 2004

This South African Resling is aromatic with floral and sweet flavours. it has a clear nice pale green to light gold. it has a rich scent of floral, honey maybe some white fruits. Not so dry.. with a refreshing acidic lingering ending.. {}{}{}{}

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

WYNDHAM ESTATE, Bin 555 - Shiraz 2002

A medium to full bodied, dry wine with a nice deep ruby to purple colour. on the nose, it lingers with pepper and spice, on the palate, it is fruity with berry and oak tannins. Persistent finish.. {}{}{}{}{

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

BALDUZZI late Harvest 2004

My final wine for the night (and i couldnt finish it), Balduzzi Late Harvest 2004, a dessert wine. Brillant golden to honey color with a full-body. On the nose, of tropical fruits and honey. Pleasantly balanced acidicity with a medium structure and long finish. Impressive. {}{}{}{}{

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

SUTTER HOME Chardonnay 2002

A California wine made exclusively for Marks & Spencer (again), as i had this wine side by side with the previous BURGUNDY Chardonnay 2004, the difference could be identified. This Chardonnay is of a yellow to light gold color, on the nose it is of green apple and peach, pretty similar to BURGUNDY if not for the more "gasoline" scent. Slighty stronger body, a strong structure backed by its acidicty. Dry with medium finish. {}{}{}{}

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

BURGUNDY BOURGOGNE Chardonnay 2004

This is one wine which i regretted getting a 20cl bottle (should have gotten a standard 75cl!). Oddly made exclusively for Marks & Spencer, this Chardonnay 2004 display a brillant yellow to white colour with fruity green apple and peach on the nose. On the palate, it is dry with pleasant tannins, light to medium bodied but impressively smooth and round, with a slightly short finish. {}{}{}{}{

I venture this wine with my dinner, dry mi goreng instant noodle, and yes, it did not react adversely to it, and in fact, it forms a pretty complete feel. ####

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

Pairing Advocate
# : Oh, sucks!
## : Ok lor..
### : Swallowable.
#### : Good enough.
##### : Perfect match!

Wine shopping spree..

This is what happen if you go shopping for wines.. .

What's on my "taste" list..

The Crossing, Pinot Noir 2003
Black Tower - Riesling 2003
Hogue, Fume Blanc 2003
Hogue, Cabernet Merlot 2001
Kendall-Jackson, Collage, Zinfandel-Shiraz 2002
Wolf Blass, Presidents Selection - Chardonnay 2002
Wolf Blass, Yellow Label, Merlot 2003
Ariel, Brut Cuvee
Jacob's Creek, Grenache Shiraz2004
Bordeaux, Timberlay,m Sauvignon 2000
Bon Courage, Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2002
McWilliam's , Semillion Sauvignon Blanc
Ashbrook, Semillion 2004
Wyndham Estate, Shiraz 2002
Penmara, 5 Familes, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
and more.. hehe..

Balduzzi Chardonnay Reserve and other wines..

Wine: Balduzzi Chardonnay Reserve 2004
Clear pale white with yellow highlights, aromatic bouquet of pear and white fruits, impressive acidicity on the palate, light bodied with strong tannins and medium finish. {}{}{

Wine: Chapel Hill, Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Bold dark red to garnet colour with hints of chocolate, pepper and spicies. on the palate is woody, smoky with a dry long finish. {}{}{}

Near the end of the session, we tried pairing Deep Fried Yam cake (salty based) with all the wines.. haha. yes, kinda crazy, but we got diversed opinions. Roy like it with red, i find it better without any. hah. maybe should go with something of light body and dry. But wasabi peas goes with white, that's the general opinion. hah.

Deep Fried Yam Cake : Red # White #
Wasabi Peas : Red # White ####

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

Pairing Advocate
# : Oh, sucks!
## : Ok lor..
### : Swallowable.
#### : Good enough.
##### : Perfect match!

Chateau Pichon Longueville.. vintage 1996

This is one of the wine we tasted last night. Guys, just a note, this wine is suppose cellar and aged till around 2010-2025... err.. hahah. see here.

Anyway, it was not too bad isnt it? Deep red to garnet colour, full-bodied with hints of oak. but i think with aging, we will get more of the fruit and the tannins will be more mellowed? Ah, what a waste. haha.

Wine Tasting.. 21 wines..

In a span of 2hrs, I tasted 21 types of wines; starting with Champagne to the whites to red and end with a sweet dessert. by the end I felt like wine bottle itself.

And in the night, it was another round of wine tasting with Roy and gang, we tasted two white and two red, which the names I could include them but I left my notebook at roy's place. Damn. tried them with fried carrot cake and wasabi peas... So stay tune.. For now, will post my "love story" experience with the 21 wines. wah. haha.

Under the category of Bubbly, there were two champagne, Brut Souverain and Blanc Souverain. Do you know that Champagne cannot be called Champagne if they are not from the region of Champagne, France? Other areas, we call them Sparkling wine.. heh.

CHAMPAGNE HENRIOT - Champagne, France - Brut Souverain - elegant light gold colour with persistent fine bubbles, large amount of Chardonnay, sharp taste with a tingle of green apple, not overly sweeten, hence refreshing. {}{}{}

CHAMPAGNE HENRIOT - Champagne, France - Blanc de Blancs - Pale gold hue with hints of green, more intense than Brut with complex floral nose. Fruity and slight sweeter than Brut, same sharpness and persistent with citrus aftertaste. {}{}{}{}

There are 4 whites.

WAIPARA WEST - Waipara, New Zealand - Riesling 2001 - Brilliant light yellow gold-ish, with aromas of lemon. medium body with dry finish. A youthful wine which my tongue didn't take too well, a bit to osharp, but should evolved into something better if can be cellared for a few years. {}{}{}

HEYMANN LOWENSTEIN - Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany - Riesling Schieferterrassen 2002, though 2002 is not considered as a great harvest year, this wine still managed very well for me except for its unpronounceable name, hahah. Anyway, First scent, fruity, amazingly strong aroma, typical of German wines. Fruity but not overwhelming, balanced with long finish.{}{}{}{}{}

LA VIEILLE FERME - Southern Rhone, France - Cotes du Luberon 2004 - a pretty budgeted French wine. Bright pale yellow with hints of green, aromatic with green fruit and maybe a little hazelnut. Youthful wine with a light body with a slightly dry finish. {}{}

PENMARA - New South Wales, Australia - Reserve, Chardonnay 2002 - Pale gold in colour. on the nose, you'll get apple.. on the tongue, refreshing acidic finish with a subtle touch of oak. {}{}{}

Finally.. by this time, my tongue desperately needed a rinse. my tongue felt as though it has been dripped into acid. ok, iterally, it has. Anyway, if you do the math, I have 15 more to go..

14 reds!!! here goes.. ahh..

LA VIEILLE FERME - Southern Rhone, France - Cotes du Ventoux 2003 - deep cheery red to violet colour, a light bodied, simple and youthful wine with tannins and rich spicy nose. not really complex, good for beginner drinkers. {}{}{}

BOUCHARD PERE et FILS - Burgundy, France - Gevrey Chambertin 2003 - a red wine from a region reowned for their great whites. heh. anyway, deep ruby red colour. moving close to brown even. aromatic with earth. intense with medium weight and with a slightly long finish. {}{}{}{}

BARONE RICASOLI - Tuscany, Italy - Campo Ceni IGT 2003 - Brillant deep red with purple hues. Pretty acidic with a slight touch of pepper and spicy. medium body with a medium finish. {}{}{}

CASTELLO DI LUCIGNANO - Tuscany Italy - IL Solissimo IGT 1999 - a nice vintage with intense crimson red. no wonder its the flagship of CASTELLO DI LUCIGNANO. a complex wine with good depth. strong on the nose with a well balanced tannins, ending with touch of oak and spicy. {}{}{}{}

CLOS DES PAPES - Southern Rhone, France - Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2002 - strong red ruby colour with a little sour and spicy. medium body with light tannins and dry long finish. {}{}{}{}

PERRIN & FILS - Southern Rhone, France - 'Les Cornuds' Vinsobres 2001 - Deep ruby with purple rim. strong oak and red fruit on the nose. a pretty light bodied red wine with a refreshing tannins finish. {}{}{}{}

TABLAS CREEK VINEYARD - Paso Robles, California - Cotes de Tablas Rouge 2002 - Dark violet-red colour,the nose is strong with spice and smoke. on the palate is strong with tannins with hints of oak and long finish. {}{}{}

DOMAINE GRAMENON - Southern Rhone, France - Cotes du Rhone 'La Sagesse' 2003 - made from 100% Grenache, it is expected to be fruity and easy to drink. and sure enough, it is! tasty and full bodied palate with long finish. great for those who never liked red. {}{}{}{}{}

CHATEAU TURPAUT 2002 - Bordeaux, France - Bordeaux - ok for the benefit of those who didnt know, its pronouned as "bor doh", not "bor-de-ox" k? heh. a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. deep red to violet colour with sweet, oak and spicy nose, well balanced and round on the palate. {}{}{}{}

DOMAINE DU COLOMBIER - Northern Rhone, France - Crozes Hermitage 'Cuvee Gaby' 2000 - Bright ruby to violet colour with sweet nose and a little pepper. full bodied red with spicy, oak long finish. {}{}{}

DE TRAFFORD, Stellenbosch, South Africa - Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 - finally, something familar from the new world. Deep dark purple with red rims. soft on the nose with wood and little fruit. straightfoward with fruity persistent finish. {}{}{}{}

JEAN LUC COLOMBO - Northern Rhone, France - Cornas 'Le Mejeans' 1999 - made from 100% syrah, so I expected it to be heavy with a little of pepper and herb.. and yes it is.. medium bodied deep ripe with strong tannins, acidic and dry finish. {}{}{}

*panting*

VIU MANENT - Colchagua Valley, Chile - Reserva Malbec 2003 - Another new world wine. Instene violet, bitter at taste with lingering chocolate and earth. Round and long finish. {}{}

REMELLURI - Rioja, Spain - Reserva 2000 - impressive light ruby to violet colour, a complex wine with hints of tobacco, oak, and cherry. semi-dry with medium finish. {}{}{}{}

Finally! Dessert time!

CHATEAU LIOT 2000 - Barsac, France - Barsac 2000 - nice clean light gold colour, with hints of honey and almond, usual for dessert wine to have a long finish and it is with not so sweet and fruit finish too. {}{}{}{}{}

yeah! by that time, I could almost agree to anything.

Chill.

My bottles:
{} : Drink it when its free
{}{} : When you feel adventurous
{}{}{} : You might just like it
{}{}{}{} : Its good
{}{}{}{}{} : Simply classic!

Balduzzi Carmenere

It was late and i felt like having a toast with my gal. i browsed my collection and found Balduzzi Carmenere. A varietal which is almost exclusive to Chilean wine now.

Dark deep violet in colour, and i could smell mainly spicy sweet aroma.. pretty ok till now. Finally the taste.. karin's face stringed at the first sip, and she refused the second sip. ok, granted that she is not a red wine lover.. haha. well, i do find it ok. Dry, with medium body and a short finish.. a little fruity and chocolate ending and that's about it.

i flipped through and find no cheeze or other "valid" food to go with it, so i ended up with Julie's chocolate biscuits.. haha. i tried dissolving both of them together in the mouth, ok, the dry spicy taste did not do so well with the rich sweet chocolate biscuits i think.

my overall impression for Carmenere is 15 points. (full marks 20), ok on its own or maybe pork chop with low dressing.

My own advocates:
1-5 : Free bottle? Why not?
6-10 : No harm getting one bottle.
11-15 : You might just like it.
16-20 : Its great! get another bottle!