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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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