The Desert Wine Guy - 2017 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

   At the time of the writing of this article it is of course Winter. That however has never stopped The Desert Wine Guy from enjoying whatever wine varietal I feel like enjoying. By the way, I am hereby giving you permission to follow suit :) So what are you tasting today Mr. desert Wine Guy? Excellent question there dear readers. Today I will be tasting the 2017 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (http://www.whitehaven.co.nz/default.aspx). Today my best friend (Mrs. Desert Wine Girl) and I were out at Costco today doing some shopping and I made my usual visit to the wine section because they always have the nicest and sometimes coolest and rarely available wines and at the nicest prices. When I got to the wine section I was very surprised how few wines of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal were available to choose from. After doing some searching I thought that I had decided on one of the three different Sauvignon Blancs they had on display but for some reason this particular one caught my eye, I guess you could say that the 2017 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc sort of reached out to me and well, the rest is history.

   Let me to now get to some of the specifics for this wine. This wine comes in at 13% as far as Alcohol percentage which is fairy normal for the varietal and comes from the Marlborough region of New Zealand, it is also sealed with a Screw cap. The wine was completely created in Stainless Steel and without a touch of Oak, it is distributed in America by Ernest & Julio Gallow. The wine sells for $12.99
   Let's now move to what I personally consider to be a pretty big part of any wine and one that gets very little if any attention by wine reviewers and that is the label. Many people might ask me why would someone who is supposed to be tasting and reviewing a Liquid worry about the outside container?  That is a question that until recently I could understand being asked. I would find myself wondering aimlessly up and down the wine isle in the store trying to choose a wine. Aside from going into the store with a particular varietal in mind, what I unknowingly was doing was looking for a wine that took itself seriously. Let me ask you this, what is the very first thing that attracts you to a bottle of wine? Yes, the label. Go ahead and look at the picture of the wine above and see for yourself that the label exudes sophistication and classic style. Check out the Font used for the letters as well as the different colors used. Three different and striking colors that go incredibly well together. This is what caused me to put the other wine down that I had in my hand and purchase this one.
   Lets see now how this white wine presents itself in my glass. Beginning with the outside of the glass I can tell you that the wine comes across a pale yet failrly presentable Gold. looking at the wine the technically correct way with a piece of white paper under the glass (white background) the wines edges were an even deeper Gold and formed a ring around the inside of the part of the glass over the paper. The wine elsewhere was almost clear with perhaps a very pale straw color which was only slightly visible.

   Moving now to this wines Bouquet I noticed the note of super massively clean, crisp & fruity (not sugary) gooseberry that made the wines nose stand out and me certainly stand up and take notice that this wine, at least so far, did indeed take itself very seriously. The wine immediately made it known that it was not a California expression of the varietal. A Grapefruit note comes in around the back end of the Bouquet yet certainly gets it's point across. Orange Blossom & Pear notes while certainly not exploding on the nose certainly presenting themselves for your approval (Twilight Zone anyone ). So far this wine is earning my respect all around but the really hard part is yet to come and that is will the wine impress me on the Palate. The wine also displayed for me on the Nose a certain sense of  belief that is is certainly crisp and clean with nice Acidity.
   So far so good but what am I getting off of this wine in the mouth? Let's not waste any time and get to the wines Palate presentation. After taking just two decent size sips of this wine I will very simply say, WOW, absolute WOW! Let me continue by letting you know that the Gooseberry note that is so prominent and so lovely on the nose transfers right over to the Palate.......I'll say, superbly. Since this is not a California expression of the varietal there are no sweet, sugary fruity notes that come lunging out at you. Now, don't get me wrong because I do love the California expression of the varietal as much as the Marlborough expression but they are different in their presentation of the very same grape. I do also keep in mind that aside from me there are lots of people that love one and not the other. I think that anyone who is familiar with the differences would understand and agree as well. If however, you prefer the California expression then send your (unopened) bottle of this wine to me because this is an outstandingly superb wine folks. Moving on now, there is slightly more then a touch of Meyer Lemon here yet it is

presented without the sharp "tang" that might cause you to step back and give it time to mellow or maybe even cause a dislike of the wine. Now, don't get me wrong, as there is a "tang" yet it is without that harshness or sharpness and is not overpowering nor is it anything that would offend the Palate yet it certainly does without a doubt makes its impact on the Palate. These notes blend seamlessly and lead us to out next note which is of fresh cut grass on the Palate and it and the other notes mentioned are simply freely flowing across it.  From the beginning of the wine in the mouth to the end, this wine shines with the note of this fresh cut grass. My senses right now are just being lite up with the freshness and brightness of an amazing Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. There is an amazing straw note here as well that blends right in with the other fresh notes that I am tasting. This is a dry wine readers and I think the wine would be falling short in its presentation if it weren't. Hold on folks because the wine is not done and neither am I as there are Fruit Tannins that just scream across the Palate folks and are so very apparent throughout the wines entire presentation. Now, here is where the wine changes things up a bit. There is a bit of a Tropical note here in this wine yet it is not the Tropical note that you might expect if you are partial to the hotter climate grown expression of the grape. This particular Tropical note is like a higher level fruit but is missing a good amount of the sugary, overly fruity aspect that the hotter weather expression usually brings out of the grape. Surprisingly and I believe this is also where the slight more sugary portion of the wine comes from is a Honey Suckle note present that is without a doubt also needed. I did say, without a doubt right? Without this note as well, the wine would be missing a certain something that is needed to help to complete it. Continuing with the slight tropicalness of the wine is a note that while hidden for the most part but once again leaves its Mark is a note of Pineapple that you have to really sit back and take the time to find at first but once you do it never leaves your Taste Buds. Once again, this note is not anywhere near being an overly sugary or forward note. The Pineapple injects its flavor into the wine but leaves an overwhelming amount of its sugar at home. Continuing with this line of fruit are the fruitiness of Apricot & Nectarine that once again only bring part of their normal Sugar with them yet bring most definitely all of their taste. Together all these NORMALLY sugary and sweeter fruit forward types fruits create an absolute impact on the Palate yet without the sugar. Oh but were not done yet. There is some super nice bursting crisp zesty acidity that is presented seemingly with pride by this wine and you will be forced to sit back in your chair and take notice as it rather demands it. The wine is presenting the zesty acidity as if it is so comfortable in doing it. Here is another, absolute WOW moment.

   Well guys, I have to end this review as it is late and I have saved a glass for Dinner which is Crab Stuffed Salmon that I also bought at Costco today. With that being said, let's get to my final thoughts on the wine as well as my rating of this nice wine. First however I feel it necessary to break down what I mean by the term "tropical notes" so I'll go ahead and do that now.
   If I could explain the meaning of the term "tropicalness" in general I would use the comparison of Sugar brilliance, Apple, Melon, ripe Peach. These notes are usually reserved for a California expression of the Sauvignon Blanc as opposed to Lemongrass, Lime, Grapefruit which is usually reserved for the Marlborough, New Zealand expression of the varietal. These notes are generally what you can expect from each expression of the same grape.
   So here we are at the closing of this review. Folks, Super crispness throughout the entire tasting of the wine as well as on the finish is just one of the notes that this wine wants to express to you. This is without a doubt the best Marlborough expression of this varietal that I have ever tasted, plain and simple. The wine is so super fresh, the wine is juicy, obviously young, grassy and is the new standard for the New Zealand expression of the Sauvignon Blanc varietal. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am proudly, excitedly giving this wine 94 points. Let's talk for a minute about I recommend you eat with this wine for Lunch or Dinner. I am thinking Shrimp, Lobster, Crab and a serious Salmon perhaps stuffed with that Crab such as like I previously said I will be having tonight. Ill throw in peppery Chicken into the mix. Either way you go will put you into absolute Heaven. For those of you who are into this sort of thing, here (http://www.whitehaven.co.nz/UserFiles/Pdfs/tastingnote-210.pdf) is the Tech Sheet for the wine.

P.S. - This brings me to a challenge of sorts. Chill the wine in your Freezer for two hours. Break out the wine and your favorite White wine glass. Yes folks, the good Crystal glass that you save for the "good" White Wine". Go to where ever you are going to relax and open the bottle. Pour a half a glass and take a small sip. I always taste in small sips by the way. With the wine in your mouth, sit back and gently (this isn't a Mouthwash) circulate the wine throughout your Palate. Allow the wine to sit in your mouth, in every part of your mouth, are you tasting that? DO you see what I mean about everything that I have written in my review? This is an Intense wine Ladies &Gentleman. A wine that isn't too proud to be sold to us, the Common Folk at a place where we shop. I give tremendous respect to the Winemakers  Sam Smail and Diana Katardzhieva. Enjoy the wine folks.

                                                                                                                 The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert Wine Guy - 2016 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

   Today's wine for review is unfortunetly the 2016 Kim Crawford (http://www.kimcrawfordwines.com/us/our-wines/) Sauvignon Blanc. Here is another wine that I purchased while doing some shopping at Costco, it also happened to be the only Sauvignon Blanc that was available in the store at the time. I was hoping that I kind of lucked out as it originates from the Marlborough AVA (Wairau Valley ) of New Zealand but I realized after drinking it, why it was the only Sauvignon Blanc left. The reason in my opinion is that no one wanted it. Our review wine comes in at 13% Alcohol, sells for $9.99 and is sealed with a Screw Cap.
   Let's begin this very short review today at the wines appearance in the my glass. Watery looking in the middle with spectacular Gold edges that actually extend about a half an inch into the glass. On the nose the wine exhibits tremendous herbaceous notes combined with White Grapefruit. A note of Nectarine makes an attempt to shine thru but is mostly subdued to a large extent. My nose also picked notes of Lemon Grass and Stone, both were about the same strength as the Nectarine. All in all the Bouquet was semi complex and rather nice, acidic and stony.

   On the Pallete the wine simply falls apart and I begin having some major issues with it. This wine is extremely heavy on the acidity side, way heavy on the acidity side and I for one don't like it. Lemon Grass is heavy in the wine and as you can probably imagine, the two notes being overdone and together do not make for a pleasant tasting wine. Upon first tasting the wine you very quickly think that you are tasting Tropical fruits, which you are but the big problem comes right after that immediate tropical note and that is there is a huge amount of tart / acidic lemony / Stone-fruit type notes that just envelope the Palette and overtakes everything else. There is tropical melon and a sour Green Apple as well as Grapefruit that I tasted in here but overall the offensive notes take control / dominance and simply......ruin / destroy the wine. 

   Let's wrap this review up as in my opinion it is not worth a lenghty review. At first I was thinking that perhaps the issue I found here is that this wine is extremely dry. My overall impression of this wine is summed up in four words and they are these, crisp, grassy, snappy and offensive. I'm sorry folks, you can read other peoples reviews of this wine and you will find that it appears that everyone loves it. I'll stick to my opinion and rating of this wine which is 81 points which is specifically reserved for wines that are "Not recommended, offensive notes or lacking and redeeming qualities". Yeah, I said no "redeeming qualities"

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The Desert Wine Guy - 2014 Awning Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Awning Estate - Cabernet Sauvignon

   Sooooo, the first thing that I want to bring to your attention in this review is that this the very first red wine that I have ever seen that has a Screw Cap to seal it. I am sure you already know by now but if you don't I will tell you, I do not like Screw Caps and this is not Soda or some other fizzy soft drink. This is not Mad Dog 20/20 or Night Train, this is real wine. Actually, this actually normally is a $20 bottle of wine at that. I can put up with (not like) or deal with a Screw Cap on a white wine but on a red? So, let's get into this review, talk about this wine and see if there is any saving grace for this wine.
   The other day I received an E-Mail from the Wine Of The Month Club (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-desert-wine-guy-review-of-wine-of.html) that advertised the 2014 Awning Estate - Cabernet Sauvignon wine for $4.99. Now, I am always getting E-Mails from them with wine deals but I usually have other wines in the house so while I will check them out on the Internet, I usually don't end up buy them. What I have found is that when they say a wine sells for $20 elsewhere they are always telling the truth. Well for some reason I was interested in this particular wine and when I checked it out on other sites I saw that this wine that was selling for $4.99 here was indeed selling for $20 everywhere else. After seeing some "reputable" sites also raving over this wine I decided to but four (4) bottles of  it. The reason I usually don't buy wine on line is because of the shipping costs, in this case however the shipping was $12.....for four wines. That, is really good. Anyway, that is why and how I came to be reviewing this wine. Now, onto specifics of the wine.

   The wine comes in at 13.5% Alcohol and is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah (Shiraz), 2% Petit Verdot. The wine is imported from the country of Chile by Austral Wines LLC.  The grapes for the wine were all grown at the Awning Estate. Something interesting here is that I have learned is that in Chile a wine must be at least 75% of a specific varietal for it to carry that particular varietal as the sole one on the label AND be consumed in Chile. If the wine is exported it must have 85% and must also have 85%from the designated vintage year. To list a particular wine region one particular varietal must be at least 85% from that region. The Winemaker for our wine is Sergio Hormazabal Baglietto who's remarkable resume includes making wine on three continents, with experience in Spain, France, Italy and the United States. Sergio was awarded Winemaker of the Year in Chile in 2012. Now that's what I'm talking about. Here (http://goldenfrogproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Awning_TechSheet_2014.pdf) is the Tech Sheet for the wine and for those of you who are as interested in that sort of thing as I totally am. The wine was matured in French Oak (25% new) for 12 months. Alright then, it is time to move on to the next phase of this review and that is the labeling of the wine so let's go ahead and get to that now.

   Looking at the label here I see there really isn't really what you could consider to be a label on this wine, it is more of lettering. Looking at the bottle I wanted to stare at it for a long time as it was beautiful. Look at the pictures that I have included, are you liking it as much as I do? Not only is the front of the bottle beautiful but the back of the bottle which has the same type of lettering is also very informative and tells you a lot about the wine as well. I believe it is a nice touch of elegance and impressive as well.
   Now onto the appearance of the wine in my glass, in other words what am I seeing? Well, I'm glad you asked because I am seeing a very dark red / Garnet in color wine with the bottom of the glass just barely visible to me. The wine is extremely consistent in it's appearance all the way through from the edges of the wine all the way until the middle of the glass. Some wines appear lighter then others at different points in the glass. This is another wine that as far as appearances also looks rather serious minded indeed. Looking at the glass from the outside there are long thin legs (Marangoni Effect) that were put on a nice display as they ran down the side of the glass. I wish my Cellphone was able to pick them up but it cannot and I'm too lazy to break out my good Camera, sorry. Well anyway, lets do some more checking into this wine and get to its Bouquet.

Paul Kalemkiarian (owner Wine of The Month Club) & Ed Masciana

   So here we are, onto the Bouquet of our $4.99 bottle of wine. First up is a semi Dark Cherry note that meshes rather nicely with a note of medium Oak. The Dark cherry note is dominating but not by much. Both notes get together to combine for almost a note of their own and one that you most defenitely can taste is a well put together and serious one. There is a Blackberry note as well here but you have to (and should) kind of seek out as it comes toward the back end of the Bouquet. Weirdly. There is also a sort of ultra light, almost hidden in the back, vegetable type note that I have never experienced expressed in this way this before. Now, before you go getting crazy one me I should let you know that I do like it and also let you know that no, this is not the smell of a bad wine, it is however the smell of a rather unique wine. If you really want to pick up that Vegetable type note you must really take your time and check deep into the wine glass because that is where it is. Let's now talk about a super nice and super deep note of an oakey, Baked Cocoa that manages rather nicely to somehow blend in with the vegetable type note and tone it way down to as I said, the way back end of the Bouquet. One last thing I must repeat to you guys is that if you choose to simply give a once over of the wines Bouquet, you will definitely NOT pick up the vegetable note but you will pick up that medium Oakey type note of the Baked Cocoa. I don't know about you but at this point in my review I am thinking "$4.99 huh"
   Guys I to take a break for a minute and I am going to give you guys a heads up of sorts by telling you that I have to admit that I have been so busy enjoying this wine that it has taken a really long time to get to this point of the review. While it may appear that my reviews are written within an hour or so trust me, they are not, particullary this one. I will get into my wine review the process at another time but for now just know that I can be in my Loft (Office) for 3-4 hours tasting the wine and rocking out to 80s music. I know, I know, poor Desert Wine Guy :). As I said, I have been rather distracted on this review as I found myself caught up in my ultra enjoyment of this wine. Well, I am done for the moment being distracted with the wine so I have time to tell you what I am tasting so let's get to that part of the review.

Cabernet Sauvignon

   Right off the bat with this wine is the note of spiced Cherry, not a sweet Cherry but rather an incredible spiced Cherry that is darkened with a super wonderful French Oak, wow.just wow.  Now, I am going to say the following however I don't wish that any of my readers to take the following note for an overly sugary or sweet one. The wine seems to express a note that some (me included) might call......slightly......"Jammy" yet it is not the jamminess that we all are used to and that (in my opinion) absouletely destroys a wine. Readers, this wine is not sweet, nor is it sugary, nor is it a jam sandwich. Yes, there is just an ever so slight touch of a Jamminess note which is where any sugar on the Palate might come from BUT in no way can it be said that this an overly sweet, poorly made wine, so far at least. There is a note of Blackberry yet it doesn't dominate the Palate because of the jamminess note that appears to keep everything in this wine in it's proper perspective and in check. There is Acidity on the Palate as well that seems to encompass the entire Palate yet is not anywhere near being what I would consider offensive to the Palate or overdone. Having thrown out to you a necessary defense of the wine I hopefully also provided for the easing of your mind when hearing the word "jamminess" in relation to this wine I now without any doubt need to discuss with you guys the Cassis that his wine is proud to seriously present. I want to use just two simple words here to describe the Cassis and they are "mouth encompassing", what do you think about that? The Cassis note exhibited in this wine is just simply.......outstanding, yeah really. Not really soft on one hand yet not overpowering on the other either. In other words, simply perfection in my book. I have noticed that at least in my opinion, it seems that all of the red wines that I have rated in the mid ninety's all seem to have that expression of really nice or rather "aggressive" Cassis or Tannins. I have a little more to say about this in the closing paragraph. Let's discuss now a note of Ceder that somehow manages to appear in the wine and yes, I did say Cedar. I know that the wine sat in French Oak yet I can't see to shake the note that I am picking up of Cedar. Super nice and super up front this note is really enjoyable. As I continue on here lets talk about more notes that this wine proudly presents. Ripe Berries jump forward and almost seems to beg for themselves to be noticed from the wine drinker. Here again is another darker type mood that the wine loves to set as there is no soft brightness or lightness in this wine, it is serious all the way from the opening all the wayto the finishing of the bottle. The wine presents as well a note of Coffee which once again adds to the the moderately dark depth of overall the wine. Folks, this is a red that is the epitome of a juicy wine yet is also on the moderately dark side yet is not overbearingly on that dark side as the notes are not not overpowering in the least bit. Now, what I am about to say may surprise you as much as it did me. There seems to be an elegance of sorts to this wine that appears to kind of come out of nowhere. I first noticed it when I sat back in my chair and was trying to decipher exactly what a particular feeling the wine was presenting. I mean yes, I certainly knew about the dark boldness of the wine yet there was something else.  What I discovered is that I was feeling a sort of sense of Elegance that the wine was presenting and it was actually throughout its entire presentation. Perhaps the elegance is because of the Syrah varietal that is being expressed here, I am not surebut what I am sure of is that it only adds to the wines superbly crafted presentation. Folks, keep in mind throughout this review the amazing fact that I paid $4.99 for the wine so when I tell you now that the wine is presenting more that I need to tell you about you will know why I am in absolute amazement. How about some Anise and earthy leather? These notes are so much more then merely, detectable, they first appear on the front Palate and extend to the mid Palate. The quality of these notes are what you would expect from aat least a $50 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Leather in particular brings a sort of toughness to the Palate that when combined with the Cassis is........well, once again, out of this world guys. The Leather note is as comfortable on the Palate as a jacket that you have just broken out for the Winter as it feels like an old friend. I somehow get the feeling that some of the wines Palate directing notes come from the Syrah. How can a Varietal that is a mere 12%  make such an impact on a wine? All I can say is that perhaps it is the nature of that particular grape. I'm thinking as well that perhaps that is where the darkness or depth of the wine comes from as well. So, the wine has all of these wonderful notes but how about some silky Tannins, can the wine have that note as well? The answer is both yes and no. While the Tannins are front and center they are not in my humble opinion what you would say are dominate or in need of settling down.Oh yeah, for some the Tannins (and Cassis) presented might be over the top but if you are use to enjoying the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal wines that are in the $50 range and higher you are at home here as the wine is happy to be what it is. Currant, and licorice. You mean there is more to the wine there Desert Wine Guy? Oh gosh, yes there is. I believe that Black Currant is where that perfect presentation of Jamminess might perhaps be coming from. This fruit also I believe assists in bringing the wine to expose that juiciness that it exhibits from beginning to end. As I mentioned earlier, this wine has a semi-dark presence that it just loves to present to its enjoyer. You simply can't avoid that presence because to do so would have you avoiding the entire wine, it is that nice. Let's go ahead and add one more note shall we? Before I get to the closing paragraph I need to talk about a super, really nice note of Black Pepper that this wine is proud to show off. Readers add all the other notes onto that of the Black Pepper note and whatever good things you are imagining, that is what the wine is. Once again, nothing overdone here yet you will taste and appreciate the Black Pepper and it only adds to the greatness of this wine. Guys, I must end this review now as I seem to have spent a lot of the time working on it as well as enjoying the wine. Mrs. Desert Wine Girl has cooked a wonderful Dinner of smoked Chicken and I must get going. With all this being said I must move to the closing paragraph and give my final thoughts and rating of this wine.
   I know that I keep saying this but this wine present itself as more of a wine that would normally go for $50 instead of of the $4.99 or $20 that it would normally cost. Go the the Wine of The Month Club and buy the wine, NOW! Readers, I am not sure how they are able to sell this wine for what they are selling it for but you need to buy the wine. I am about to E-Mail them and ask them how they are doing it so hold on a second. Okay, so I really did E-Mail them and I will include their response in my final review. Guys, after drinking the entire bottle here are my recommendations. Let the wine Decant for about an hour, that's it. Although a simple recommendation the wine is certainly way much more then a simple wine. This is a full bodied red wine and one that not only demands but deserves your time and respect, it certainly has mine. This is a wine that managed to receive three spots in my wine cellar......yeah, you read that right folks, three spots as I will be entering three bottles into my collection. If you are worried about the Tannins and Cassis being too overbearing have no fear as you too can place some bottles into your Cellar as well and hold them for a few years. I know that there are those of you who have a real dislike for those two notes of Cassis and Tannins when presented in what might be considered "aggressive" levels, for those of you I would either look elsewhere for a red or follow my suggestion and put the wine away for a few years. As for me the Cassis and Tannins are right now moderate in my opinion and I love them as they are are. Now, did I say cellar a $4.99 wine? Yes, I did say cellar a $4.99 wine. Folks at some sites this wine is already unavailable at others it is indeed around $20. This is a succulent and juicy wine that will absolutely floor you. None of the notes mentioned which the wine presents and which are mentioned in this review are out of position on the Palate, they are well thought out and almost wait in line for one another and for their time to impress. Those notes are also near perfect representations of what they are meant to be in this varietal and when crafted perfectly. There isn't any unwanted softness nor is there any harshness to the wine. I have to just simply get to the point here. On The Desert Wine Guy Rating I give this wine 94 points. An Absolutely spectacular wine at a absolutely spectacular price.
  
P.S - The Wine of The Month Club responded to my E-Mail which said " Today I receoved four (4) bottles of the 2014 Awning Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and am in the process of writing a review on it. WHat an outstanding wine it is. I promised my readers that I would stop the review however in order to ask how you are able to sell this wine for $4.99? This is an incredable wine and I will be getting more soon." The wine club said "Thank you for the kind message! That is nice that you are spreading the word about the bottle, it is one of my favorites too. Our cellarmaster Paul got this bottle for a really great deal with a personal connection he has and right now we have a surplus amount of it, so that is why it went on sale for such an amazing price! If you have any other questions, please let me know and I can help. Have a lovely day!" By the way I just checked and the wine has gone up to $12.48 (their normal price) which is still a great deal.Now, if I haven't already said enough, I must end this review with a big push for the Wine of The Month Club. Here (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-desert-wine-guy-review-of-wine-of.html) is an article that I wrote on them a few years ago. By the way, I get nothing in the form of compensation nor do I know anyone who works for them.
                                                                                                                               The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert WIne Guy - 2013 Wilson Creek GSM "Family Reserve"

   Today we are going to be reviewing a wine from the beautiful Wilson Creek Winery. Wilson Creek is located in Temecula California and is about 45 minutes North of San Diego. I received this wine in my regular shipment one month while I belonged to their wine club. Today's review wine is the 2013 Wilson Creek GSM "Family Reserve". This particular wine is a blend of three different grape varietals. These varietals are 45% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 30% Mouvedre. If you are like most people, myself included, I myself am not that familiar with the varietal named Mouvedre (also known as Monastrell) so let's do a little education concerning that particular varietal. Mouvedre is usually a full bodied wine whose origins are from Spain (where it is popularly known as Alicante) and where there are
approximately 150,000 Acres grown. The varietal is most popularly used in the making of Port style fortified wines. The Mouvedre varietal is also known to produce fairly tannic wines that are normally higher than average in their alcohol percentage. Some of the other characteristics for this varietal are notes of Black Pepper, smoke, gravel & meat. Body and color comparisons would best be described as close to the Syrah varietal. This particular wine is coming in at 14.3% Alcohol so the Mouvedre has certainly lived up to that standard of a higher Alcohol varietal. Proper food pairing for this varietal would be very rich types of meat such as Barbecue Lamb, Rabbit, Pork Sausage or Beef Ribs. So now that we have all learned a little bit about this wine and it's makeup, the big question is what did I think of the wine? Well let's continue reading and see what is going on with this wine.
   On the pour I have to tell you straight out that this wine started off unimpressive in appearance to say the least. The wine is extremely uncharacteristically light in it's appearance and was certainly on the watery side especially around the edges of the glass where it appeared almost clear in color. As your eye looks beyond the unimpressive edge of the glass the wine does seem to darken up a slight bit as you move to the center of the glass but nothing that I would note as visually impressive or anywhere near in keeping with it's varietal standards described above. With hopes of the wine improving let's move onto my impressions on the nose.
   On the nose the wine seems to stand out and shine with aromatic notes of rich Red berry fruit, Caramel / Cocoa, Raspberry and smoke. I have to say here that the nose of the wine is certainly really inviting and rather impressive with the fruit note as well as the others. I am now anticipating the next step in this review which of course is the actual tasting.

   On the Palette is where the wine develops its real issues. The wine exhibits a definitely moderately harsh and acidic cherry notes that immediately envelope the Palette. This acidic cherry note certainly does take some getting use to and never really does accomplished that getting use to task in my opinion. I have to say here that upon initially tasting the wine, my Palette was really offended, or seriously put off by that acidic cherry combination. Closely on the heels of this Acidic cherry there is a sort of Caramel or Cocoa note that comes across mixed rather nicely with notes of Oak as well. Red Current is most definitely present as well in the wine and comes across on the Palette as a sort of Tannic note. The Oak note itself is both smoky and earthy and believe it or not sort of in a way elevates or makes up somewhat for the initial acidic cherry issue that I mentioned. These notes have a way of working fairly well around this Acidic Cherry issue and almost (I said almost) manages to pull off making up for the acidic note rather nicely. There is however a fair amount of the previously mentioned acidity remaining on the tongue that does unfortunately still stand out and continues throughout the tasting.  I also discovered that if you can give this wine a while to open up (at least an hour) and allow yourself to put the acidic cherry note to the back of your mind as best as you can, the other notes do a pretty decent job in presenting themselves and exposing that there is more to the wine than you might have initially thought. I definitely liked the Cocoa that is on the nose however while it does indeed appear on the Palette it is unfortunately only noticeable for a short time and than fades rather quickly but nonetheless is enjoyable while it lasts. I have come across this issue previously where a particular not will impress only to fade really fast. Getting back to the acidic cherry note I have to let you know that the wine is going to lose four (4) points (yeah it bothered me that much) for this moderately offensive and persistent note. What will the final review be with the four (4) points removed? You will have to wait until the end of the review guys for that answer. Moving quickly now here I feel that I would be remiss if I didn't make specific mention of the pepper from the Syrah. A moderate Black Pepper spice clearly shines through and also helps make up partially for the acidic cherry. Do notice that once again notice there is something attempting to act as a cover for the acidic cherry.

    Well, you made it, it's now time now to wrap all this rather short review up and tell you my final opinion on this wine.This is a wine that I certainly have to say I have mixed feeling about. On one hand there is the wonderful bouquet to the wine and that can't be taken away, on the other hand there is that ever present and certainly at the very least, moderately offensive note of acidic cherry that really threw both the wine and Palette off big time. While there was definitely a large part of the wine that I did indeed like, there also was what I think ended up being a large issue that I really didn't like. That darn acidic cherry was of major concern to me. In my book this note was enough to drop this wine 4 (four) points off The Desert Wine Guy rating scale. The loss of these 4 (four) points was also unfortunately enough to drop this wine out off the ninety point scale. With that being said, I feel this wine earned a rating of 86 (83–86 Good suitable for everyday consumption, often good value) points on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale.
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The Desert Wine Guy - 2015 Josh - Cabernet Sauvignon

Josh Cellars - 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

   Today has been a busy day for me on the Computer. Today I finally managed to completed and post my review of the 2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-desert-wine-guy-2014-bv-cabernet.html) which I rated 94 points by the way. The review was the longest review that I have ever done as I had much to say. I spent the whole Morning reviewing my rough draft and finalizing the review. Why then you ask, am I back on the Computer reviewing this wine? The answer is because I am The Desert Wine Guy, that's why :) Today I will be reviewing the 2015 Josh - Cabernet Sauvignon. Mrs Desert Wine Girl and I made a rare trip to Sam's Club (we like Costco better) for some Tri-Tip that she was interested in and I of course just had to hit up the wine section. Did I mention that I like Costco better? The only really interesting wine they had besides this one was a Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon but I didn't feel like spending $50 again (she was watching) so I spent $10.98 for this wine. The Alcohol percentage is 13.5% which is reasonable as well. This was the only bottle of its kind left so I figured (hoped) it must be good and here we are. Let's get right to it as I am actually pretty tired of being on the Computer today and would love to just kick back and relax.

Split Cork

   The next item I need to discuss is very disappointing and so sad. From the very uncorking of the bottle there was a problem as the Cork had a major issue as you can see from the photos. The first thing that I checked was to ensure that the Cork Screw went in properly and it certainly did as it went straight through the middle of the Cork. To me it appeared as if a separation of the Cork occurred almost as if it were created in layers of a sort. Now, if this wine were being opened in a Restaurant or Bar I would hope the Waiter or Bartender would not even present it to me. I wasn't about to run back to Sam's Club to exchange the wine and when I got to the first pour and second pour there were a few very tiny particles of Cork in the wine, I actually used this a lesson for my kids as to how they should address the issue when they get older should this type of wine actually be presented to them. These particles only lasted to the second pour and then were gone so I decided to go through with the review. I should note here however that in no way was the sealing of the wine compromised.

Cork Particles In Wine

   I have been on a kick as of late for the Labels of wine and I don't see why I should stop now as I think the Label is at times a good part of the selling of the wine especially when the wine is an unknown. I thought this Label was classic and due to the Font chosen was very classy. I thought that the Label overall was inviting and eye catching.
   Let's discuss the Bouquet for a bit. Mild Oak and a moderate Clove spice, medium depth Blackberry. Finishing it off is a Cocoa note. There is also a hint of Menthol
   On the Palate this wine presents up front Blackberry that is kind of middle of the road but edges slightly toward the softer side. Following this note up is a note of Bing Cherry that is in it's prime tasting time. Mixed within is a note of Black Liquorice that is content sitting slightly froward of Mid-Palate. Following all this up is a Plum that is edging towards the end of its tasting peak but that is okay here because the flavor that it present is impressive and while it doesn't give any darkness to the wine it does provide the hint of dark fruit in a certain way. This is a very Jammy wine folks, too Jammy for me in actuality. If this weren't enough there is a Vanilla note that seamless meets a slight Oak note and becomes one with the other notes. There is a medium dark fruit richness but not a Sugary richness that I think is really nice as well. There is a serious Jammy, fruit forward richness that really throws my Palate off. I must discuss the Oakey note that this wine presents. Yes, there is Oak but it is held in check as there is truly no real darkness or real depth to the wine. Cloves seem to express itself rather nicely here and is not overpowering and just seem to be along for the ride as some of the other notes are. You can simply taste the prominent note of Cloves (like for Sure, like totally) in every sip of the wine. There are really no Tannins in the wine however there is a nice amount of Cassis that makes itself known on the Palate and I really enjoyed. Let's go ahead and not forget that there is a dried Fig fruit note that is at Mid-Palate and is fairly forward as well. Let me add one more note here and that is of Cloves.

Joesphs Father "Josh"

   In closing this review out I have to add a few things because the wine at first was what I would call........"nice" as it certainly can't (at the time at least) offend anyone because it was a......"nice" wine. As another thought concerning the wine I at first would say that the wine was very "pleasant" as well. Sooooo, what does that mean there Desert Wine Guy? Well, what that means is that at the time the wine had a lot of overall fruit flavor without anything offensive.  I guess the professional word to use here is "approachable" and I guess that at the time that word fit perfectly as well. You could  at the time even use the term "easy drinking" as well and be right on point here.Remember these comments were fitting the wine perfectly for about the first 45 minutes but the wine began to change at first slowly but then this change sped up until I had in my glass a very Fruit Forward and overly Jammy red wine that was supposed to be a Cabernet Sauvignon but certainly did not show as one either. This wine is a barrier crossing wine but that is not necessarily a good thing as it is not a true representation of the Varietal of the cabernet Sauvignon varietal. This is more of a cross between a Fruit Forward and overly Jammy Cabernet Sauvignon and a Fruit Forward and overly jammy Merlot to be precise.So what is my final say on the wine?

Joseph Carr - Founder Josh Cellars Wine

If you don't like an "Old Fashioned", deep, oakey Cabernet Sauvignon but you love a sugary, fruit forward and Jammy red wine that has the notes mentioned above then you will absolutely LOVE this wine. One review had someones Wife saying "A good bottle of wine and one that my wife, who isn't a fan of cabs, thoroughly enjoyed". This sums up this wine perfectly and I couldn't have said it any better myself. My comments taken from the same piece but from the Husbands point of view is ". It lacked many complexities that I've found in other cabs at similar prices". Overall this wine was simply too overwhelmingly sweet, Jam Monster in my opinion. Overdone, offensive and lacking of depth and structure is what comes to mind for me. While there were some nice notes that the wine did present very well in the end it was done in by the Sugar note. On The desert Wine Guy rating scale I give this wine 86 points.                                             
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The Desert WIne Guy - 2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford

2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford

   So it seems as if the last few weeks yours truly has stepped up his game and has been reviewing wines that I have to admit are outside my normal budget as well as outside the "average wine drinkers" normal budget. Oh sure there are occasions where we all have justified the spending of unusual amounts of money on a wine by saying something like "this is a special occasion" or "I guess this once I'll do it" and of course the old "my spouse won't know", for me it seems as if that justification has come more often than it should the last few weeks and of course that crazy spending on wine will be ending. Okay, okay, so what I am actually saying is that Mrs. Desert Wine Girl has put an end to it:) So with that being said, this review of the 2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford (https://www.bvwines.com/en-us) (will be the last of the premium wine reviews......for a while that is :) Let's get into this now. Prior to getting into the Heart of this review though I want to say that a lot of times I will have at least tasted the wine prior to sitting down at the Computer to begin my review, this time however, I have not. I can now only tell you my expectations because as I have said, I have not tasted the wine.  My expectations are based on the Winery itself as well as the location (Rutherford C.A) so I am anticipating a pretty good wine and a rather abnormally long review as I also anticipate having a lot to say here. My expectations are for a classy, full bodied and juicy wine. Well, with that all being said let me get started on this review and see what the has to say for itself. First however I want to tell you how I came across this wine.

BV Wine Tasting

   A local Liquor warehouse was running its "Penny Sale" where they pick selected wines and if you buy one you get the second one for 1 Penny. Most of these wines are small label wines but the BV Coastal (only) wines are included. Now keeping it real with you guys I have never been a big fan of the "Coastal" series of wines that BV puts out but I really have been a big fan of all of their other offerings. Well, I'm walking around the store and I wasn't interested in any of the wines that were included in the "Penny Sale but I did however come across this particular wine. Today I wish to present my review of the 2014 BV Cabernet Sauvignon-Rutherford. Here is just a little information on the wine itself. I paid $45 dollars for the wine which included tax. The wine has an Alcohol content of 14.6 % and was Decanted for 1 hour. The wine is a small blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec and was soaked and aged for 15 months in 50% new Oak. The vines for this wine were planted in 1900 folks. So far so good. Okay now, it's time to dig deeper into this wine so let's go ahead and do that.

BV Winery Tasting Room

   While doing this review I feel that I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the label of the wine. In my opinion the label on the bottle is......well.....stunning. Take a moment and look at the label yourself. Take a look at the Font used for the lettering. Look for a moment at the utterly classic script and how that script is expertly layed out. In my opinion this is the most classy, inviting, special occasion looking bottle available on the market today. If you brought this bottle out to guests each and everyone would of them would stare at it and think in their minds "man, this guy went all out, he even went into the wine cellar for us". Great job here BV Wines.

   So, here I am now, looking into the good crystal glass that I reserve for special wines and I see a wine when I looked down the middle of my glass that is deep red and is consistently wonderful looking at it from the edges of the glass to the middle of the glass, it is also super inviting and irresistible to the eyes. Looking at the wine from the side of the glass the wine gets even darker, either way you choose to observe the wine it shows wonderfully.

BV Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes

   Shifting now to the Nose of this wine there is Cassis and Oak that presents itself from a big bold wine, Old School type point of view. On the Nose this Cassis and Oak seem to have been waiting around both content in the bottle and aging rather nicely until it was time to be released. The nose comes across as a wise old men who are content in their wisdom. There is also some really wonderful Dark Chocolate on the initial Nose but unfortunately while it does enrichen the Nose, it also seems to fade rather quickly. There is a light Dark Cherry note that is presented here as well that seems to be rather shy as it must be searched out because it is somewhat on the faint side. Overall readers, I am not totally impressed with the wines Nose but it is rather fading however as it does not seem to be on display long.

   On the Palate the wine right from the gate presents both a deep, dark oaked, dark Cherry note. This super nice note of Oak latches onto the dark Cherry note and they both combine together in creating some ultra depth and seriousness in the wine. Have you ever experienced "seriousness" in a wine? This is the point where a red wine gets down to business and begins to impact and impress. This particular wine happened to have that point occur right from the very beginning of the tasting. To me this "seriousness" is not merely a promise of greatness that the wine is attempting to put on but a definitive guarantee. Moving along now I want to discuss the Tannins that are ever present in the wine. In this wine those Tannins begin from the moment I tasted the wine and followed through all the way to the Finish. The Tannins are fairly firm and juicy and in my opinion are just about perfect as I love a red wine with serious Tannins. Here is a word of warning to you folks who are not lovers of Tannins or the mouth feel they present, in your case this might possibly dictate the need for the wine being layed down for another couple of years, that is completely up to you. From what I have already described here this should inform you that the wine is anything but soft & mellow. No folks, I am currently reviewing an extremely up front and in your face red wine. Let's move on now and discover what else I can tell you about the wine and whether or not it continues to live up to my expectations. A serious Blackberry note has come forward almost immediately and is making itself very evident as and it is meshing super well with the notes of Oak and dark Cherry and continues this wines path to stardom. Readers, this is a wine that is to this point is already past the point of being simply "nice".

Welcome To BV Wines

I have tasted very few wines such as this in the past and I am seeing this wine fall right into line with those wines that I have rated as excellent in the past. So we have dark cherry already but now I want to add a note of Bing Cherry that is showing itself here s well. This Bing Cherry is just underneath the dark cherry yet is still worthy of mention. Structure. What level of structure does this wine present guys? Firm and unflexing is what I am getting. This wines structure is tight, complex, straight forward and a superb expression of the varietal. So far, other than the Nose of this wine there is no softness or lacking in that the wines presents. If you like some spice in your Cabernet then you are in for a treat here as well as there is a deep dark spice that starts from the beginning of the wines impact on the Palette and continues all the way through to the finish. This deep dark spice appears to latch onto the Cassis and Tannins that are ever present throughout the Palette and creates together a force of their own to steam this wine forward. If you have ever heard the term "black fruit" but have doubts as to what the term means, then drink this wine because once you do you will have discovered what it means and have no more wonders. This wine is surely on it's way to greatness folks. Aside from the notes I have already discussed I believe that aside from the dark oak there is a note of sweet Oak spices that the wine expresses.

Classic BV Wines On Display

Perhaps the sweet oak is in reality two different notes and they just behave as if they are one but whatever the reason is this note(s) makes me long for more. Guys, this is a big wine. One of the notable points concerning this wine is that although it is a big wine it also offers a unique semi soft note to it once it is kept in the mouth for a few seconds. No, the wine doesn't soften or lighten up on the Palate, not at all. What I am talking about is more of something that you sense that comes in when it is needed to help the wine avoid being too big or bold. As with any real big red that I prefer, this wine presents a note of Caramel, oh yeah folks, Caramel. Not overly sweet and again on the darker side it almost seems to coat the Tongue and present an ever so slight dark richness in the wine as well as a creaminess. I did and you will also enjoy this note as it blends into (but doesn't disappear) the other dark notes. So here I am readers talking about a wonderful wine that incorporates just a touch of  creaminess to it that truly makes its Mark on the wine and certainly your Palate. Guys, there is so much more that I want to discuss about this wine so I am not (can't) be done here. Overall there is a Toast note that adds to the semi darkness of this wine and saturates the wine with a black type depth that continues the wine down the path it was already going.

Warning to all the fruit forward Cabernet lovers. This is not a bright, fruit forward wine folks, if that is what you are after then I suggest you look elsewhere for a wine because this is not a wine for you. Having said that would you like to know about any Acidity that this wine may present? Okay, as an old Comedian once said, can we talk? So, there certainly is an Acidity to this red. This Acidity that I am speaking about in my opinion seems to search out from the Cassis and Tannins and it seems the three have made an agreement to become one in thought as well as expression. Super wonderful acidity begins on the Mid-Palette and carries through to the Finish. In case you haven't noticed there are a lot of notes here in this wine that beginning on Mid-Palette and continue to the Finish.  I think that is great in my opinion but don't worry as there is more than enough on the opening to start off the wine in the mouth and carry it to mid-Palette point and way beyond as well. With all this you would think again that I surely must be done now because this wine can't possibly present any more.......can it? Well.......your wrong. Break time for a second guys. I am sitting in my Loft right now and I am so happy that the wine I spent so much money on and from a Winery that I have so much respect for is turning out to be more then worth the price and able to keep my respect. I see a couple of bottles headed to the Cellar in the very near future. Okay so let's talk about a note of Smoke that shines throughout the wine.

Another BV Wine Tasting

From start to finish the wine has a smoky presence to it that simply adds on top of every other note to keep this wine headed to the top of the chart. This Smoky note is dark (of course) and also integrated so nicely with the other notes that it will take you some time to distinguish it from the other dark notes that the wine presents in its package. If there were ever a wine that you had to sip and hold in your mouth for a few seconds this would be it. You know, I mentioned that the wine is integrated in it's notes right? For a minute I want to talk a little about what that really means. We all know that a wine has certain notes that dominate certain areas of it, sometimes a particular note will even dominate the entire wine. When all the notes work expertly together and none of them fight for dominance, none of them clash with one another this is when we say the notes are integrated. There is nothing quite like a wine that presents this unique quality. A wine with integrated notes is usually considered to be smooth and everything about the wine itself works well together without pulling your Palate in different directions. This is precisely how this wine is guys. Every aspect of this wine knows precisely where their place is and when their time is come and done, the notes also know when it is time to step aside and allow the other notes to pick up where they left off. I again am about to expand your horizon guys with the term "silky".

When you discuss a wine and tell people that the wine was "silky" it is expressing a characteristic of.....well silkiness, a sort of smoothness either at a certain point in the wine or perhaps (as in this wine) throughout the wine. This wine carries that quality of silkiness throughout the wine and uses it as a sort of baseline that flows from the opening to the Finish and every other note adds on top of it yet doesn't overpower one another or destroy that silkiness. I guess you can say that in actuality that every note that starts at the opening of the wine is a part of that baseline. Folks, I am not done, nope, I'm not done. There is an ever so slight yet noticeable note of a smooth Oakey type note of Leather. This note as with all the others doesn't even attempt to dominate or lead the wine or the drinker to follow or wander off into another direction. No, this note simply adds to the darkness and overall seriousness of the wine in a way that I have never had the pleasure of experiencing prior to this. This oakey Leather is not front & center so to speak but rather more of a feeling that the wine exhibits, it adds a roughness to the wine but doesn't touch that silkiness. Readers I have just one more note to tell you about and that note is of dark Plum that begins at around Mid-Palette but culminates toward the Finish, It also once again assists in providing a darkish note to the wine. Now, I simply must move to the finish as it is getting late in the Evening and I must finish this review so that I can just sit back and enjoy the remainder of the wine in peace.

BV Wines Aging

   Dear readers, here are my recommendations on what you I found helpful for my full enjoyment of this wine other than extending the decanting. The first thing that you simply must do is allow the wine to Decant for at least three hours. I read prior to reviewing this wine that 1 hour of decanting was enough in order for this wine to develop however it is not. Next take a small sip of the wine and when you take that sip please do it as a small sip and with gentle respect to what you are drinking. Take the wine in your mouth and allow it to move slowly from side to side (it's not a Mouthwash) stopping in the middle so that all of your Tongue gets to taste, feel and appreciate it. Are you feeling, tasting and appreciating all those notes folks? Is the wine getting bigger as it encompasses the Tongue? This is what is known as an "expansive mouth feel" in case you didn't know it. Remember that your Palette is definitely deserving of this wine because not only did you spent $45 for it but it is a incredibly awesome wine and you deserve to enjoy it. Now, call, E-Mail or Text a friend and tell them what you are tasting. Tell them that you are tasting an absolutely incredible wine and that they must go buy at least one bottle. Guys, I am in love all over again (with a wine that is).

Winemaker - Jeffrey Stambor

In my opinion if you love a deep complex Cabernet Sauvignon you are simply going to be in Heaven. In closing here I must tell you that this a very concentrated and juicy wine yet as I already said, not what I would call or consider to be a fruit forward wine. Now, this is very important so I feel the need to repeat it. Please remember to give it the three (3) hours to Decant prior to enjoying. As an ending note I must give props to Winemaker Jeffrey Stambor as he has done an outstanding job in creating this wine.   On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I give this wine 94 points. So tell me, if you have already tasted this wine what would you rate it, are we close?  If you agree with my rating then you might want to think about following me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DesertWineGuy/). Please remember that I receive no payments nor any form of compensation for my reviews, I do this because I enjoy teaching, educating and sharing wines with the average wine drinker. What you read and the opinions that I post are my feelings concerning the industry and the wines that I review, I am not beholden to anyone.

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