Location “P” Edition 4, Wine Review 97!

It’s not often that we get to try a 97 point wine for under $25, but when we saw that one of our red blends had garnered a 97 point score from Wine Review Online, we had to decant the Location “P” Edition 4 and taste for ourselves.
 
Just after pouring, the aromas of prunes, blackberry compote, leather, roasted vanilla beans, and the spiciness of crushed black peppercorns filled the glass.  A brief 10 minutes of air exposure brought forward sumptuous flavors including cherry liqueur, hints of soft bay leaf, dark, dry chocolate, and a depth of purple violets.
 
At 25 minutes of decanting, another side of the Location “P” emerged with hints of crushed stone, faint smoke, baking spices, and cherry pipe tobacco coming forward.
 
30 minutes in, we took our first taste and enjoyed a generous 40-45 second delivery of rich cherry liqueur, prunes, and roasted vanilla. Being mostly Touriga Nacional, the principal grape in port, every sip delivered delicious port-like flavors in a unique completely dry style.
 
With a sub $25 price tag, 97 point review, and a delightful blend of Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, and Touriga Franca, this is a superb wine that will be a must try for all the lovers of big Zinfandels and Shirazes as well as anyone who enjoys contemplating a wine’s complex aromas.

- Andrew, Jimm, and Tasho

2010 Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva, Decanter 95!

Due to its Decanter 95-point score at just $17, we've had the 2010 Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva targeted for tasting since discovery. It certainly has not disappointed and, at $17, this wine way over delivers. I'd be impressed by this wine at five times its price.

We poured this wine in a decanter and violently agitated it washing-machine-style for about 5 minutes to get it going. I'd recommend being on point after 25 minutes of decanting to nose the wine and take a few test sips over about 10 minutes to the 35-minute mark when I'd start slowly sipping the wine.

The initial nose offers cold, dry chocolate, blueberries, blackberries, pencil lead, and cool, dry herbs (not quite spearmint or wintergreen, but slightly cool). On the palate, there's a free delivery of abundant blue and black fruits along with notions of the other mentioned components. By 25 minutes in, additional elements of chalk and black plum skins emerge with a very slight tartness that alludes to developing red-fruit complexity. 

At 32 minutes, the wine is opening further, becoming a harmonious melding of the scents and flavors above while new complexities of elegant cedar and violets stir around the nose. If you are not into this wine by now, you're late to the party.

Later, slightly raisinated black plums with hints of red-fruit brightness emerge to take the complexity of fruit to extraordinary levels. Eventually, the red-fruit nuances become convicted in offering up dark cherries that join with the other fruits to deliver an incredibly dynamic palate that spans the entire red-blue-black spectrum.

The 2010 Baron de Ley Rioja Reserva and the 2013 Aquinas Pinot Noir are my top two must-have red recommendations.

- Tasho Katsaboulas

2014 Concannon Cabernet, Paso Robles, Tastings 93!

This 2014 Concannon Cabernet from Paso Robles is coming in with a 93 point score from Tastings.com, and at $15.69 per bottle, it's fighting well above its weight. The Concannon has initial aromas of blackberries, black currants, and whiffs of cocoa powder. However, a little swirling of the wine introduces blueberries, eucalyptus, and hints of bell pepper to the nose.

On first taste, juicy black fruits, riding on acidic energy, flood the palate while the conclusion is a cascade of black grapes, black plums, and blueberries. For decanting, this wine is ripe for test sipping between the 20-30 minute mark where beautiful oak, vanilla bean, and elegant cedar notes fill the nose. After 30 - 35 minutes of decanting, one's patience is handsomely rewarded as a seamless wine with character and elegance that far exceeds its price reveals itself. Concannon has come through with a massive over delivery in this wine that easily drinks like a wine twice its $15 price!

- Andrew Dunaway, Jimm Brumley, and Tasho Katsaboulas

2014 Casarena Estate Malbec, Mendoza -Suckling 92

2014 Casarena Estate Malbec, Mendoza (Suckling 92): The 2014 Casarena Estate Malbec is from famed Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.  By the end of our experience, Jimm and I (Tasho) were amazed at how delicious and easy drinking this wine is while still displaying intriguing minerality. After vigorously agitating in a decanter, an initial nose of sweet charred oak, rich vanilla extract, and blackberries with faint sage emerged. At 10 minutes, aromas of damson plums join with a whiff of dried dill. On the palate, the juicy blackberries and luscious plums finish with slight spice and attractive minerality. At 25 minutes, a lightly floral aspect like violets adds complexity with faint wet chalk or a slight soapiness. By 45 minutes in, the fruit is becoming even more textured in revealing a red-fruit dimension like cherries. The wine is elegantly balanced with juicy acidity keeping the wine light on its feet while gracefully delivering rich fruits. Everything that this wine does is in perfect harmony. It's like each flavor was meant to go with the other in the proportions delivered. Malbecs don't get much better at $16, and the ones that are won't appeal to as many as this one.

2014 Casarena Cabernet (Suckling 92)

James Suckling reviewed this outstanding $16.98 value 92 points. The wine's initial aromas are of cranberry skins, struck flint, dry herbs, and white pepper. With air, dark fruits begin to emerge on the nose with pleasing oaky aromas, charred vanilla, and mocha. The initial palate is lively displaying tart black cherries, cranberry skins, and yellow plums. At 15 minutes, blue fruits join on the nose a palate with dry mint flavors. At 25 minutes, the wine starts becoming more varietally correct with a whiff of bell pepper accenting black currants, mocha, dry mint, and vanilla extract. With more time, the wine seems to become darker and richer while still maintaining a tart cherry component that keeps the wine dynamic. This Cabernet is a steal. 

- Tasho Katsaboulas

2014 Casarena Estate Malbec, Mendoza (Suckling 92)

The 2014 Casarena Estate Malbec is from famed Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina and was reviewed an impressive 92 out of 100 by the former senior editor of Wine Spectator, James Suckling.  By the end of our experience, Jimm and I (Tasho) were amazed at how delicious and easy drinking this wine is while still displaying intriguing minerality. After vigorously agitating in a decanter, an initial nose of sweet charred oak, rich vanilla extract, and blackberries with faint sage emerged. At 10 minutes, aromas of damson plums join with a whiff of dried dill. On the palate, the juicy blackberries and luscious plums finish with slight spice and attractive minerality. At 25 minutes, a lightly floral aspect like violets adds complexity with faint wet chalk or a slight soapiness. By 45 minutes in, the fruit is becoming even more textured in revealing a red-fruit dimension like cherries. The wine is elegantly balanced with juicy acidity keeping the wine light on its feet while gracefully delivering rich fruits. Everything that this wine does is in perfect harmony. It's like each flavor was meant to go with the other in the proportions delivered. Malbecs don't get much better at $16 and the ones that are won't appeal to as many as this one.

Casas Del Bosque 2013 Reserva Pinot Noir, Vinous 90 points, $16.98

View fullsize

The Casas Del Bosque 2013 Reserva Pinot Noir ($16.98/Vinous 90 points) from the Casablanca Valley of Chile is a remarkable wine that we were very excited to try. Trying this wine were the usual crew of Jimm, Tasho, and myself (Kyle). We, as always, poured the wine into a decanter. We also served the wine with a small chill. The nose was very impressive on this wine with notes of peppery spice, dried herb, and also there was a dried mint component (think a stick of dried-out spearmint gum). Also, we picked up a slight gun-smoke minerality and slight hints of cooking chocolate. On the palate, their were gobs of delicious black cherry, black raspberry, and cherry pits. This wine had a remarkable 35+ second harmonic finish that wrapped up the experience of tasting in style. For $16.98, the Casas Del Bosque 2013 Reserva Pinot Noir is a value. Value can be an overused word in the wine world, but in this case, calling this wine a value is an understatement! 

Until We Taste Again,
Kyle

This article was published on September 6, 2015

Purple Cowboy 2013 Tenacious Red (Syrah-Cabernet), Paso Robles, $14.98, Wine Review 90 Points!

View fullsize

This wine is selling well with lots of repeat buyers. Honestly, after trying the wine, I'm a little surprised. My surprise stems not from there being anything wrong with the wine, but from the wine's need for decanting. Usually, the average consumer just opens, pours and drinks. On wines we've tried that need a certain amount of decanting to show their best, we always advise our patrons of that specific need. In this instance, the 2013 Purple Cowboy benefits greatly from 25-30 minutes of decanting which may seem somewhat lengthy for a sub-$15 wine. For those of you who have been liking this wine without decanting it, I know that you will love it after 25-30 minutes of air!

During the decanting process, the wine starts out dark and charred with aromas of blackberry liqueur, stewed black plums, and burnt matchstick. There's a slight bitterness to the fruit flavors that eventually disappears. As the wine begins opening, aromas of pencil shavings, earth, and distant bell pepper emerge. 

At about 27 minutes into the decanting process, the gradual improvement of the wine reaches a point that becomes very inviting. All of the aromas and flavors mentioned above meld nicely. A hint of black cherry emerges adding a red-fruit complexity that nicely contrasts the stewed black plum and blackberry flavors. Aromas and flavors of cassis begin to further complicate the wine. At 38 minutes after opening, an interesting aroma comes up that's like Juicy Fruit gum. Warm aromas of cinnamon and oak join in with the cool aroma of dried soft green leaves. Although the wine has a nice 25-second finish, it seems to start fading a bit past 50 minutes after opening. Therefore, the drinking window begins after about 27 minutes of decanting and last 30 minutes.

The 2013 Purple Cowboy has the perfect personality for cool to cold Fall and Winter evening. Enjoy this one on the patio with friends after dinner. It will pair nicely with flavorful grilled ribeyes. With proper decanting, I find that the wine lives up to Wine Review's 90-point score (quite good for a sub-$15 wine).

Tasho Katsaboulas

This article was published on February 9, 2016

Vina Robles 2012 Red 4, $16.98, Wine Review 90 Points

Tasho and I (Jimm) tasted this wine under our usual rigorous tasting conditions, giving the wine ample time to open and show its hand. As mentioned, this is a Rhone-inspired blend from Paso Robles, California. However, atypical from Southern Rhones, this blend showcases an interesting 50% Petite Sirah with the normal Rhone elements of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre composing the other half. Also, while this wine does display a power one might expect from a Paso Robles red, it does it with finesse, complexity, and less alcohol (13.9%) than some of the high-octane offerings from the region. But the fruit is unmistakably the star of the show here and is well displayed and supported.

Initially, the nose reveals a tarry quality, yet combined with a dry, spicy leafiness. There is an earthy depth here, stewed plums with reduced blackberry paste, and blue fruit and dark chocolate powder that richly extends to the plush mid-palate. The fruit-forward finish is long and underpinned by an herbal/spice softness.

While not the usual would-be Rhone blend, fans of the style will find a welcome value here, rich and complex, powerful without unnecessary muscle, and delicious fruit served upon very balanced tannins. A joy to drink.

JB

This article was published on February 12, 2016