Mollydooker Enchanted Path 2005

Last night, we had this at "Proof" (they call themselves a "wine-centric restaurant"). This is a 2005 red blend by the Marquis with 66% Shiraz and 34% Cabernet. We had to admit that we really like this one. Nice inky color (although the illumination in the dining room was too dim) with a good nose of black fruits with some "protein" or meat-like aromas. The mouth feel is extremely smooth (glycerin feel) with lots of fruits but not fake or "sugarfied" taste. Tannin has good structures but is rather soft and smooth. Long finish. It went particularly well with venison tenderloin. This is the wine that everybody can like. No funky basement nose and it does not require sensitive palate to extract subtle tastes from austere wine with only tannin as the taste you can have without much efforts or imagination. Despite many previous attempts (at appreciating old world wines), we like this type of new world wines!

NOVEMBER 23,2007

This was a supprisingly good wine, winepath thought it to be a Syrah-turns out to be a Petit Verdot made in Arizona by with imported California grapes! Winepath thought this was a definite 3, Jimmy thought a 2. But Petit Verdot?-you think this grape is only added in small amounts to give your Cab a kick! Great!

NOVEMBER 23,2007

Present were Uncles E, Piroca, Jimmy and winepath. Tasted two unusual wines, a spanish Jumilla and an Arizona wine brought by Uncle E (SEE DESCRIPTION ABOVE). The Jumilla was a Monastrell (5% Grenache), with suprisingly good nose, fairly tannic body with some dark fruit. "Acidic" (Uncle Piroca), "I taste citrus and rubber tyre" (Uncle E). Got a 2, from Jimmy and a 3 from winepath (he was biased, since he brought it). Cannot beat this wine, at $10.40/bottle.

10 overrated

Even the screaming chicken made it on the list


http://men.style.com/theupgrader/living/features/most-overrated-wines?mbid=mwn

November 2, 20007

Chilean carmenere. Outside France, this varietal has caught on very well in Chile. Suprisingly good, dark ruby in color; with cherry and slightly shirazzy nose. Pleasant, it was a supprise, thank you uncle winepath. It was a 3.

Caymus, at its best. Unanimously, a 4. What a wine! Super nose , rich, dark color, what can I say? You should have been there to make up your own story. Uncle Piroca, please bring two more bottles of this next time.

This is a Napa cab. Got a 3 for sure. Low-key nose, but velvety on the palate, coffee, chocolate. Long finish. Uncle E's contribution, we liked this one a lot.

Brooklyn, Saturday night, October 3, 2007

Uncle winepath hosted a night in a very cozy spanish/portugese restaurant in Brooklyn, called Osteria Convivium (68 5th Avenue) Lovely grilled octopus and excellent red snapper. With an atmosphere of old portugese azulejo wine cellar;we had two bottles of Rioja Allende, 2003, wow, it's what a Bordeaux should taste like when it grows up: fine nose of funky vanilla with undertones of clementine and tangerine dark-roast ethiopian coffee. Musty hints of green peppercorn and rubbing alcohol (isobuthanol, to be exact). The tannins reflected the 36 months spent in eastern-silesian bariques, followed by 400 days in in norvegian aspen barrels. Definitely spicy, peppery on the mid-palate with medium-toasted sesame, ginger afalfa and new mexican blue corn with a hint of lebanese cedar resin and european white oak acorns. Not bad for $100/bottle. Unfortunately, they did not accept credit cards, so winepath had to wash dishes to pay off the $600.00 bill, but who is complaining...

Chateau Lascombes 2001

We do not know why we do it but we are drinking Bordeaux again. This got RP 92. We are not sophisticated enough to enjoy this type of wine but we keep trying thinking that one day we may develop the taste. We have the correct food; fillet mignon (perfectly cooked), asparagus, mashed potatoes etc for this wine. We even had croc monsieur as Hors d'oeuvre. The nose; yes the nose, pure Bordeaux nose, that is to say "funk" or "basement" (our basement does not have this type of smell, by the way) and we can not smell anything beyond that. The taste; it tastes better than it smells. Again, Bordeaux taste with austere characters and with relatively mild tannin. But we can not get over the smell!

One day, when we grow up, we will appreciate this but until then, we will be happier with less sophisticated wines.

P.S. Last night, a strong myasma smell (happens rarely for whatever reason) arose from the nearby marsh...Initially, we thought the smell was from this bottle left on the balcony. We commented on how pervasive the funk from the wine had become.

Aalto Ribera Del Duero 2004

I hear that you guys had good wines on Friday (3 and 4?). This is from Ribera del Duero. On the label it does not say what kind of grapes but I guess mostly Tinto Fino (Tempranillo).
Nice nose with black cheery and slightest hint of "funk". Extremely smooth mouth feel. Not a fruits bomb but nice black berry and blueberry flavors. Good firm tannin and nice finish with moca or coffee. With food, the strong tannin appears to diminish. Among the Ribero del Duero wines we tasted in the past (including Vega Sicilia, thanks to Piroca), we like this the best. Very complex wine. we will give either 3+ or 4-. WA (Jay Miller) 94.