Drink

Flagbearer cabernet sauvignon of the Bendigo region. Grown on vines planted in 1969, 1970 and 1978. Always a wine I look forward to tasting.

A June Monsoon of Maroon, Um, WineAnd now for my next trick, I'll make this wine disappear from this bottle. Time for another parade of wines and the accessories that love them. If you haven't seen our special summer wine shipping policies, get familiar with them before you roll out the barrel. It's just one more way we make summertime the season of wine.

Woowee!  It’s been a busy couple weeks for me and I’ve been slacking at updating things here at Cheap Wine Ratings.  But I know you’re looking for a new wine to try, so let me get another review out there. This one is going to be a short and sweet review as I don’t have much background about the wine, other than I know it’s good.  Well… I do have a little more background than that. This wine is a cabernet franc, which is a Bordeaux variety.  It’s a variety that’s often compared to it’s close cousin, cabernet sauvignon.  Cabernet franc is known for being more aromatic/perfumey and fruity than cabernet sauvignon.  I’ve heard some people describe cabernet franc as having more “vegetal characteristics” but that’s actually indicative of bad cabernet franc.  Herbal is OK, but strong vegetal notes is indicative of overcropping, which means the fruit to leaf ratio on the vines was too high—preventing the grapes from fully ripening. Chile isn’t particularly known for cabernet franc, but that’s where this one was produced.  To be more specific, this comes from the Colchagua Valley in Chile.  And based on how good this one is, perhaps Chile will become more well-known for this variety.   The nose is pretty intense, with loads of black cherry, plum, blackberry and chocolate aromatics.  There’s quite a bit of spice too, like nutmeg.  In the mouth it’s more big black cherry, plum and cassis.  Moderate tannins give it slight silkiness.  The acidity is just right.  The finish is quite long, with lingering berry flavors and spice. Wine: Calcu Cabernet Franc Variety: Cabernet Franc Vintage: 2010 Alcohol: 13.5% Rating: 90 Price: $14.00 Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample. Find Calcu Cabernet Franc with Snooth

Not in the same class as the White Label but then, half its price.

Bendigo may not be renowned for its chardonnay, but Balgownie Estate often makes a good fist of it. A wet/cool season like 2011 may not have done it much harm either. Grown on two blocks of vines planted – remarkably – in 1975 and 1983.

Yesterday, on the occasion of his state visit to Berlin, Barack Obama was presented with a gift of 2011 Piesporter Goldtröpchen Spätlese from the estate of Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt. The same honour was bestowed upon John F Kennedy during his famous Ich bin ein Berliner visit to Berlin in.

A June Monsoon of Maroon, Um, WineOne bottle for each day of the week! (You're gonna spend that seventh day sleeping it off.)Time for another parade of wines and the accessories that love them. If you haven't seen our special summer wine shipping policies, get familiar with them before you roll out the barrel. It's just one more way we make summertime the season of wine.

Hamptons Lane offer a variety of high-end coffees from various roasters. The Montauk Sunrise is a smooth, light coffee with a gentle acidity and no sharp edges.

The new François Chidaine winery under construction: early April 2013 in HusseauThe underground section of the winery: October 2012Following Monday's devastating hail storm in Vouvray here are three articles here, here and here urging us to do what we can to help. Although the hail only lasted 15 minutes or so, its effects may well be long lasting affecting not only this vintage but the next as well. The French Minister of Agriculture has offered assistance and while financial aid will doubtless be welcome it won't replace markets that may well be lost through a lack of wine to sell. It will hit young vignerons just starting out but may also well hit established growers who have embarked on projects requiring significant funding. If a business is to progress it must invest and to be hit by two very difficult years climatically is very tough. One example highlighted today is François Chidaine (Montlouis, Vouvray and Touraine) hit in 2012 and now again in 2013. We have to hope that his bankers will continue to support him as the Loire needs high quality producers like François. Unfortunately the bad news does not stop there with reports and photos today of heavy downpours and flooding in Chinon and elsewhere ... and we are still waiting for the flowering to start as we move closer to July.

A June Monsoon of Maroon, Um, WineDepression. Anxiety. Pink eye. Inflated self-worth. Hemorrhoids. Rabies. You name it, bacon can cure it.Time for another parade of wines and the accessories that love them. If you haven't seen our special summer wine shipping policies, get familiar with them before you roll out the barrel. It's just one more way we make summertime the season of wine.