VINO FINO TASTERS
Southern Hemisphere Clarets,
Newly Released
June 21, 2000
This tasting was coordinated by Alex Hoeppen.
| The Wines |
Gerald's Ranking |
GROUP RANKING |
Total Points |
1sts/2nds/
Lasts |
ALPHA DOMUS
Hawkes Bay
1998 "The Aviator" Cab/Merlot/Ca Franc/Malbec $37 |
5 |
2 |
40 |
2/3/1 |
ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS
1999 Mendoza, Argentina Malbec
Reserve $22 |
3 |
1 |
40 |
2/4/1 |
ANNVERS
1998 Langhorne Creek Australia
Cabernet $35 |
7 |
5 |
49 |
3/1/1 |
BARWANG
1996 New South Wales Australia Cabernet Reserve $11 |
2 |
4 |
46 |
1/4/1 |
BIRCHWOOD
1998 Langhorne Creek Australia Cabernet $29 |
1 |
3 |
46 |
3/0/1 |
| CASA LAPOSTOLLE 1997 Rapel Valley Chile
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $20 |
8 |
8 |
76 |
0/0/3 |
HASTWELL & LIGHTFOOT
1998 McLaren Vale
Australia Cabernet $32 |
4 |
6 |
60 |
1/0/1 |
WYNNS
1996 Coonawarra Australia Estate Cabernet $13 |
6 |
7 |
74 |
0/0/3 |
As you can see, this tasting has the top five wines within a mere nine points,
so there is not a clear-cut winner according to the group.
8th Place: CASA LAPOSTOLLE 1997 Cuvee Alexandre CABERNET SAUVIGNON
This wine has a mildly herbal note to go along with some over-ripe notes
which are jammy. Add some bitter tannins to the mix and you have one rather standard
bottle of red.
7th Place: WYNN'S 1996 Coonawarra CABERNET
This was marked by a moderately herbal, green-leaf tobacco note and a pencil
lead sort of fragrance. I thought it was nice, especially for those who don't mind
that leafy note.
6th Place: HASTWELL & LIGHTFOOT 1998 McLaren Vale CABERNET
A touch of anise or licorice on the nose provides a measure of interest, but
some bitter tannins drop this down in my book.
5th Place: ANNVERS 1998 Langhorne Creek Cabernet
There's a smoky, very ripe and jammy quality to the nose of this of this
moderately oaky Cabernet....the over-ripe notes come through on the palate, suggesting
immediate drinking, rather than cellaring.
4th Place: BARWANG 1996 Winemaker's Reserve Cabernet
Fairly oaky on the nose, this shows cedary, vanillin and smoky notes.
The same qualities come through on the palate, marred only by a touch of bitterness,
perhaps from some wood tannins.
3rd Place: BIRCHWOOD 1998 Langhorne Creek Cabernet
I thought this was the most complex and interesting of the group, showing
plenty of sweet wood....cedar...vanillin....the same elements are present on the palate.
Drinkable now.
2nd Place: ALPHA DOMUS 1998 Hawkes Bay "THE AVIATOR"
Having won a tasting in the shop, this, again, made a strong showing in a
blind-tasting comparison. The sweet violet-like fragrance (or it that a blueberry
note?) is very pretty. Plummy on the palate, the wine shows a touch of tannin and a
lightly bitter note on the finish.
1st Place: ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS 1999 Argentina Malbec
This has a very fragrant and deep nose with plenty of fruit and lots of sweet
wood. I have tasted a few bottles of this vintage and find a trace of a corky or
cellar note in this wine. Obviously, many other tasters were not bothered by this.
Tasting notes by Gerald Weisl
VINO FINO TASTING ARCHIVE
2007 RUSSIAN RIVER PINOT NOIRS February 2010
A
RANGE OF FRENCH CHABLIS WINES January 2010
HOLIDAY DINNER
& WINE MARATHON December 2009
ROSÉ
SPARKLING WINES November 2009
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS October 2009
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS September 2009
GREEK
RED WINES August 2009
2005
BUDGET BORDEAUX July 2009
CAMPANIAN
WHITE WINES June 2009
MIXED
BAG OF CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS April 2009
RIOJA
WINES, MOSTLY FROM THE 2004 VINTAGE March 2009
NORTH
COAST PETITE SIRAHS February 2009
SYRAH
& PETITE SIRAH COMPARISON January 2009
A
VINO FINO CHRISTMAS December 2008
MOSTLY
2005s: NAPA CABERNETS November 2008
SONOMA
COUNTY PINOT NOIRS October 2008
SANTA
RITA HILLS -2006 VINTAGE- PINOT NOIRS SEPTEMBER 2008
NEWLY
RELEASED ZINFANDELS August 2008
WHITE
RHÔNE VALLEY WINES JULY 2008
LOIRE
VALLEY SAUVIGNONS JUNE 2008
FRENCH
CHABLIS 2005-2006 MAY 2008
NORTHERN
RHÔNE SYRAHS APRIL 2008
SANTA
CRUZ MOUNTAINS PINOT NOIRS January 2008
ANNUAL
HOLIDAY CHRISTMAS DINNER December 2007
WEST
COAST CHARDONNAYS November 2007
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ October 2007
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO WINES September 2007
SONOMA'S
2005 VINTAGE ZINFANDELS August 2007
CURRENT
RELEASE (2004-2005) ZINFANDELS July 2007
ROS
WINES FROM ALL OVER June 2007
ITALIAN
LAGREIN WINES May 2007
ARGENTINEAN
MALBECS April 2007
SOUTHERN
HEMISPHERE PINOT NOIRS March 2007
MOSTLY
2004 CABERNETS February 2007
CRU
BEAUJOLAIS January 2007
A VINO
FINO CHRISTMAS December 2006
CALIFORNIA
ZINFANDELS November 2006
PINOT
NOIRS of VALUE-PRICING October 2006
WORLD
OF SYRAHS TASTING September 2006
AUSSIE
CABERNET-SHIRAZ BLENDS August 2006
ALEXANDER
VALLEY (California) and MARGARET RIVER (Australia) CABERNETS July
2006
CALIFORNIA
PETITE SIRAHS June 2006
2004
NORTH COAST PINOTS and a FRENCH INTRUDER May 2006
AGLIANICO
: BASILICATA & CAMPANIA'S MAJOR RED WINE April 2006
NERO
D'AVOLA - A TASTE OF SICILIA March 2006
UNDER THE
VINO FINO RADAR ZINFANDELS January 2006
HOLIDAY WINE
TASTING & DINNER December 2005
BUBBLIES FROM AROUND
THE WORLD November 2005
NORTH
COAST PINOT NOIRS October 2005
STATE
OF CONFUSION CABERNETS September 2005
TIM
ZAINER'S SIDEWAYS LOOK AT MERLOTS August 2005
LOIRE VALLEY CABERNET
FRANCS June 2005
CALIFORNIA
SYRAHS March 2005
2002
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS February 2005
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY WINE MARATHON December 2004
CHARDONNAYS
OF MODEST PRICE November 2004
SPANISH
TEMPRANILLO October 2004
2002
CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIRS September 2004
AUSSIE
SHIRAZ-CABERNET BLENDS August 2004
GEWRZTRAMINERS
FROM ALSACE July 2004
2001
SOUTHERN RHNES (7 Chteauneufs & a Vacqueyras) June 2004
AGLIANICO
WINES FROM CAMPANIA & BASILICATA May 2004
MONTEPULCIANO
WINES FROM THE ABRUZZO & MARCHE REGIONS April 2004
SONOMA
ZINFANDELS February 2004
1997
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO January 2004
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA 2003
2001
CTES du RHNES September 17, 2003
2000
OREGON PINOT NOIRS August 20, 2003
WEST
COAST SYRAHS July 16, 2003
2000
Bordeaux June 18, 2003
2000
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS May 21, 2003
OFF
THE BEATEN PATH SYRAHS APRIL 16, 2003
2002 NEW ZEALAND
SAUVIGNON BLANCS March 19, 2003
1999
California CABERNETS February 19, 2003
VINO
FINO HOLIDAY BACCHANALIA December 4, 2002
AUSTRALIAN
SHIRAZ August 21, 2002
CHAMPAGNES
& SPARKLERS July 17, 2002
Interesting
Paired CHARDONNAYS
May 15, 2002
2001
Southern Hemisphere SAUVIGNON BLANCS Feb. 20, 2002
1999 ZINFANDELS January 16, 2002
HOLIDAY
SEASON BACCHANALIA
December 5, 2001
1999-2000
New PINOT NOIRS November 14, 2001
1999
CALIFORNIA ZINFANDELS October 17, 2001
1998
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 19, 2001
1999
LANGUEDOC REDS August 15, 2001
1997
SAUTERNES July 18, 2001
Mostly
1998 NEBBIOLO June 20, 2001
1999 PINOT NOIRS May
16, 2001
1996
SAINT-MILION Tasting April 18, 2001
CARNEROS
CHARDONNAYS March 21, 2001
1984-1985
NAPA CABERNETS/John Vignau Memorial Tasting October 20, 2000
1997
CALIFORNIA CABERNETS September 20, 2000
1998 CALIFORNIA
CHARDONNAYS August 16, 2000
WINES
FROM THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE: CLARETS June 21, 2000
WINES
FROM UNDER THE TUSCAN (and Umbrian) SUN Aprile 19, 2000
1997 BORDEAUX: MEDOC May 17,
2000
