December 27, 2012

Tasting Puerto Salinas 2008


Leia em Português
Wine:
This DO Alicante red wine was elaborated with old vine grapes of Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha Tintorera. Aged 12 months in French oak, was bottled without filtration. ABV 14.5%.

Eye:
Beautiful clear and deep ruby colour.

Nose:
Clean and pronounced aromas of fruits, spices and oak.

Mouth:
Dry in the mouth, its high acidity balances well with tight tannins. Full bodied, fruity and floral, with a silky chocolate taste on the back of the mouth. Long finishing.

Conclusion:
This is an amazing wine! Fruity aromas, full of flavours and subtle oak. Outstanding!

December 25, 2012

Tasting L'esquerda 2009

Leia em Português

The name come from its unique terroir, L'esquerda. Located 350 meters above the sea level, it's composed of granitic over hills. L'esquerda is characterized by an assembly consisting mostly of Syrah, and completed with a little of Grenache and Carignan, all harvested by hand. As stated in its label, "Roussillon, a land of legend and history. A place of contrasts too, as Domain de Bila-Haut". This L'esquerda has 10% aged in oak barrels, which balances well the wild aroma of Syrah, the silky texture of Grenache and the freshness of Carignan.

Eye: Deep ruby color

Nose: It expresses its maturity with notes of black fruits, warm spices, floral and a slightly earthy from its terroir.

Mouth: Good acidity and powerful tannins, both powerful and tight, with a long fresh finishing.

Conclusion: A very good wine, potent and well balanced acidity and tannins, with lots of fruits. A truly discovery!

December 11, 2012

Tasting Lar de Paula 2010

Leia em Português

This Lar de Paula 2010 is a fantastic DOC Rioja, 100% Tempranillo, very clear ruby colour, with a clean medium nose, aromas of fruits, spices and liquorice. On the palate the medium acidity balances well with the rounded tannins, with a medium to full body. Quite jammy red berries and fruity, cherries, and a bit of tobacco as well. Medium to long length, making this wine a very good one, with a potential to keep for 3 to 4 more years yet.

December 07, 2012

Tasting IWS Single Cask Single Pot Still 17yo


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The Whiskey:
Back in April, Irish Distillers Ltd. invited the Irish Whiskey Society (IWS) to a trip around the Fox and Geese Bottling facility and followed this up an evening in the Old Jameson Distillery in Bow Street, Dublin. There they were given the opportunity to sample 3 different casks, 2 aged for 15 years and one aged for 17 years.... those present then voted to select their favourite and by a margin of 2 to 1, Cask number 1038 was deemed the winner, the 17 year old cask.

This cask was then purchased by the IWS and was offered exclusively to their members as the first exclusive bottling from the Irish Whiskey Society. The whiskey was bottled at Cask Strength so it will be supplied at 55.2%. This is extremely limited in supply (204 bottles only) and is no doubt one to savour over a long period of time and offer only a small sample to the closest of friends!

On the eye:
Very clear, nice golden colour.

On the nose:
It's clean and pronounced, with aromas of caramel, banana, ripe black fruit, vanilla and coconut milk.

On the mouth:
An explosion of flavours: floral, fruity, creamy. Long finishing, with a hint of spices and herbs. The water softened the alcohol on the nose and the spicy of the palate.. Outstanding!