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Friday, February 21, 2014

Three 2010 Reds from Wine Chateau

I just finished tasting through three awesome reds from Wine Chateau, a New Jersey-based wine seller. If three’s a crowd, I’m happy to hang with these three anytime. The wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted. They're all from 2010 and would pair well with a cold February evening. And they could all improve from a few years sideways.

2010 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($32)
Bright and rich purple in color. Aromas of sweet black cherries, violets, lavender, some tree bark and black olive. Complex aromatically but it clearly needs time to develop. Firm, grippy tannins are met with tangy acid in this full-bodied wine. Rich but also balanced. Love the dusty black cherry and currant fruit, laced with pepper, clove and olive tapenade flavors. Bold and age-worthy, but showing a lot of personality right out of the bottle. Worth every penny of its $32 price tag. (90 points)

2010 Tenuta Sette Ponti Poggio Al Lupo Maremma - Italy, Tuscany, Maremma, Maremma Toscana IGT ($45)
Dark ruby color. Rich aromas of berry compote (raspberries and blackberries), floral and musky incense, sweet roses, cedar and pipe tobacco. Wow, what a nose. Firm tannins, juicy acid, rich texture. Lovely currant, blackberry and strawberry fruit, equally matched by a combination of olive, honey-glazed meat, barbecue sauce and chestnut. Notes of cedar, oregano and tobacco on the finish. Beautiful stuff, elegant but full, with great purity. I wouldn’t think twice of laying this down for 5-8 years. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Petite Verdot and Alicante, aged 18 months in 100% new French oak. (92 points)

2010 Guarachi Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley ($60)
Bold magenta-purple color in the glass. Explosive aromatics of black cherries and black currants, laced with sweet red flowers, cedar, mocha and a note of eucalyptus. Solid tannic grip with a rich and dense mouthfeel, balanced a bit by moderate acid. Tons of juicy fruit: blackberries and currant fruit, a hint of blueberry. Rich cedar and cigar box elements, along with tobacco leaf and clay soil. Bold, bombastic but very pretty and well-made. Silky finish with notes of cola and mocha. Could do well with a few years in the cellar. (91 points)

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