by Andrew Chalk
2012 Gnarly Head Cabernet Sauvignon, California
The nose in this wine is extremely upfront with ripe fruit. Plums, blackberries, tar. A more complex nose than I expected fro this wine. In the mouth there is a higher level of acid than such rip fruit would portend (was it acidified?). Confirm the fruit from the nose. Also, thyme. Not a lot of complexity in the mouth. Medium finish.
$10 and worth it.
2005 Bodegas Franco-Espanola Rioja Bordon, Gran Reserva
Glorious dark ruby color. Virtually opaque. The nose has hints of American oak. and raspberry. The palate confirms the raspberry. Also black pepper, thyme. greenness. Chewy tannins, Medium plus finish.
A fairly mature wine that would be superb tonight with lamb. Very reasonably priced at about $25.
NV Evolution, American Red Wine
This wine is bottled by Sokol Blosser Winery, historically a quality producer of Oregon Pinot Noir and based in the Willamette valley. The ‘bottled’ means that they did not make it. The American appellation means that it came from somewhere in the U.S. The lack of a vintage or a grape variety are both bad omens. One taste confirms the worst. It is a simple, overly and artificially sweet cloying industrial grade red. Don’t drink unless you are paid.
2012 Mouton Cadet Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux
This is the volume wine line of the Moutons of Ch. Mouton Rothschild, whose first wine typically sell for $500 a bottle or more. This one is made from purchased grapes, likely from one of the volume areas within the Bordeaux region. Aged in stainless steel this wine is crisp and medium bodied with a nose of grass, lemon and chalk. Ideal with seafood or chicken. A pleasant well-made wine for the money. ($10)
2008 Bar Z Winery ‘Enigmatic’, Texas High Plains
Just over 75% Tempranillo. Appearance: Opaque with a brown meniscus (indicating its age). Nose of dark fruit (blackberries) and red fruit (raspberries). Also some earthiness and other subtle aromas. Drink now with red meat game, or lamb.
Order direct from the winery.
An error on my end led to the exclusion of our usual disclaimer:
“Disclosure and procedures: Some wines sent by vendor(s) at no cost to reviewer. If a local reseller is named after a price quote is the one who, on wine-searcher.com, had the lowest price. Wines sent by vendors may not be reviewed and will not be returned.”