Maculan Cabernet Breganze 2008

Fausto Maculan is one of Veneto's most inspired producers. Maculan's higher-end wines are typically among the finest in the region (Fratta). These entry-level offerings deliver plenty of bang for the buck. They are a small winery in the Vicenza region which is a region not typically known for its wine production but these guys know how to bang out good wines. I also had a chance to visit this winery last year and i'll definitely be posting up pics from my tour.

Bottle was opened 3 hours prior to drinking. This Cabernet which is actually 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc is a fantastic blend. The heavy duty Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with the lighter Cabernet Franc make for a wonderful blend. It has a nice DARK ruby red color. Dry with Medium to full bodied characteristics. Slight fruit, earthy, woody taste, very smooth and goes down easy. Alcohol comes in at %13. I paired with crumbly aged cheeses (Manchego and Asiago) and they went super well together. It would probably taste even better in a couple of years but who has all that time to waste? It's good enough right now. Can be found for around $15 give or take your location in the world which makes this an excellent value. GO GET THIS WINE!!


Price:Value Rating
4.5/5

2008 Pelee Island Cabernet Franc VQA

Winemaker notes: These are picked early in the day in mid-October when they have reached 20.2 brix, and arrive at the winery within hours of picking. The grapes are destemmed, crushed and fed into a rotor fermenting tank. Maturation temperature for this wine is controlled at 26 degrees Celsius. The key to the intense flavours and spicy aromas are the mature grapes and modern technology. This modern piece of technology allows for strict temperature control during fermentation: its gentle agitation of the wine extracts more colour and tannin from the skins, and the partial pressure this vessel is under during the time of fermentation allows higher concentration of fruit flavours to remain in the wine. Finally, this wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in the barrel room, which stabilizes its red colour and enhances its firm tannic finish. 


Medium ruby red color.  I get raw red pepper on the nose. Plummy with some balanced acidity on the palate.  Good body and goes down easy with a crisp finish. Toss it in the fridge 30 minutes before serving and it will be awesome. Easily had for under 10 bucks.


Price:Value rating
4.3/5

McGuigan Black Label Shiraz

This is a nice wine at a good price. Structure is decent. Color is dark plum. Deep deep berry on the nose while soft and very fruity on the palate (sweet sweet sweet). Very easy wine to drink with or without food. The winemaker claims this is the #1 selling red wine in Australia. I have  found no proof of that. A simple shiraz that shiraz lovers will love. Can be had on the cheap side. Drink now.


Price:Value Rating
4/5

Francis Coppola Ivory Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Wine Maker notes: For our Ivory Label Cabernet Sauvignon, we combine fruit from appellations as far north as El Dorado and as far south as Paso Robles where some of our vineyards experience diurnal temperature extremes, which slows the ripening process and enhances the rich, succulent flavors of the fruit, as well as the complexity of the palate.



Appellation California
Blend  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol 13.5%
Barrel Regimen 12 months French oak
Suggested Retail $18.00



After decanting for 2.5 hours...The nose had tons of fruit and vanilla. Color was ruby red. Taste wise, a little thin but Sweeeeet and  smooth going down. Slight oak with tons of cherry and red berries. OK structure. I wish the finish was longer though. Paired with bolognese spaghetti.


Price:Value rating
3/5

2007 Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon

What’s in it: Cabernet Sauvignon, final blend includes a touch of Syrah and Merlot to create added layers.
Where’s it from: Washington state, USA
Alcohol: 13.5%

Nice ruby red color which is typical for a Cab wine. Aromas of berry and old leather and on the palate I get ripe cheery and tobacco. Pretty smooth finish but also tastes a bit too oaky. Can be had for cheap too (under $10). Paired with Grilled Flank Steak. Drink now, Its ready.

P.S. Great label

Price:Value Rating
4/5

Campagnola Corte Agnella Corvina Veronese 2008

Corvina Veronese which is one of the main grapes when producing Amarone wines. This wine is from the hilly sunnyside vineyards of Marano di Valpolicella. Alcohol comes in at 13%.


Decanted for an hour before drinking. A wine with a nice dark color. Not too much on the nose to be honest which is pretty uncommon. Taste is quite earthy with a slight sweetness of red fruit with a little spice at the end. I thought it was AMAZING. Best part... it can be found for 15 bucks or so. I paired it with some cured meats and firm goat cheese and it was the perfect match. Definitely a big bang for your buck!!


Price:Value Rating
4.5/5

Marco Scolaris Schioppettino Friuli Isonzo 2004

Before I review. I must state that the bottle i had was from 2004 and was properly cellared. Nevertheless, this wine is usually drunk when relatively young. I want to also add that this wine is from an area in Northern Italy (Friuli) which are known for their fantastic white wines and not red wines.

Deep bright-red colour with a scent of spices. Bouquet of red fruits and sour cherry with almost too much cherry and it does have a slight sour taste when going down. Fairly light tasting and is alcohol content is %12.5. Decent sipping wine but not much more than that.

Price:Value Rating
3/5

Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Georges de Latour founded his winery with the vision of creating world-class Cabernet Sauvignon from the exceptional terroir of Rutherford. In the century since, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has become the benchmark Napa Valley Cabernet as well as one of the most collected American wines.

After opening the bottle 3 hours prior to drinking and wasn't decanted. velvety layers of blackberry and plum. Definitely a little sweeter than most red wines (which is quite common with California wines). Color of the wine is very dark and purplish. I could almost drink this wine by itself but i did Pair with a sirloin steak and mushrooms and it was awesome.

Price:Value Rating
4/5

Chateau de la Dauphine Fronsac (2000)

Appellation: Fronsac.
Surface area: 20 hectares (50 acres)
Soil types: clayey-limestone, Fronsac “mollasse”
Grape varieties: 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc
Density: 6,300 vines per hectare
Yields: 40 to 45 hectolitres per hectare
Average age of the vines: 33 years
Aged: for 12 months in Oak barrels whereas 1/3 of the barrels are new
Alcohol: 13%

Was properly cellared and definitely ready to drink. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking. Very very very smooth and balanced. Typical Bordeaux Color and subtle red berry taste. A little acidy at first but when paired with a beef filet, it really shined. Wine can be quite pricey @ $40+ but if you enjoy Bordeaux wines, it is definitely worth it.

Price:Value Rating
4.3/5

2008 Rosso del Camul Tonon Veneto

This wine originates from stony soil along Piave river, in particular the area between Conegliano and Treviso in the Veneto region of Italy. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Pinot Nero or Pinot Noir. The low yield per hectare (80-90 quintals grape, 60-65% wine) improves the quality of the wine.Pinot Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon mature separately in Slavonian oak barrels for about 15 months. They are finally bottled together and the wine refines for 12 months in the bottle.

I decanted the wine for 2 hours prior to drinking it. For the price, its definitely hard to beat. Not too sweet and well balanced. Alcohol is at 13.5% and definitely has that full bodied feel and smooth when swallowed. Nice hints of cheery but not overpowering in any way. Best of all, it Can be easily had for under $20

Price:Value Rating
4.5/5