The Desert Wine Guy - 2016 Black Stallion Estate Winery - Unfiltered Chardonnay

2016 Black Stallion Estate Winery - Unfiltered Chardonnay

   Today I am doing a review on one of the very first of a few wines which I brought back from my recent trip to the Napa Valley a few weeks ago. Today's review is of the 2016 Black Stallion Estate Winery - Unfiltered Chardonnay. I want to tell you wine lovers that Black Stallion (http://www.blackstallionwinery.com/) wines actually came to my attention a few years ago quite by accident when I had a bottle of their 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon at a restaurant and fell in love with it. I still actually have a bottle of that wine in my Wine Cellar and I actually did a review (https://desertwineguy.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-desert-wine-guy-2011-black-stallion.html) on it as well. I also have a bottle of their 2012 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon in my Wine Cellar. Both of these bottles are resting there for just the right time to be opened. By the way, I have in the past tried one of their Chardonnays (the 2016 Heritage) but found that it was simply an over oaked, buttery mess to be quite honest. Here is a little heads up, this one is not. Let's go ahead now and talk for a second about the Black Stallion Estate Winery itself. The Black Stallion Estate Winery is one of the wineries which are owned by the Delicato Family (https://www.delicatofamilyvineyards.com/vineyards/).

The family owns a total of three vineyards and their total acreage of Vineyards combined covers around 6,000 Acres. Originally the Black Stallion Winery was "once home to the Silverado Horseman’s Center with ambling riding trails, stables, and the area’s only indoor arena that welcomed up to 3,000 visitors". Going there today, I will you that you will still find the remains of the Stables as well as a beautiful tasting room to experience their wines.

   So you already know that I purchased this wine at the actual winery and you also can rightfully assume that I obviously liked it, I guess none of this is a secret. The questions that remain however is just how much did I like it and what is my final rating of the wine?  Let's go ahead learn some basics about this wine now. First thing that I want you to know is that all of the grapes for this wine were grown in the Napa Valley AVA. The wine is available at the winery only and selles for $40 a bottle and comes in at 14.5% on the Alcohol scale. The wine label states that it is "unfiltered" and I thought that was kind of interesting although I will tell you that in my tasting I did not visually pick up any sediment nor did I note any grittiness of any kind on the Palate. I want you to know as well that this wine is 100% Chardonnay and from what I have read on the wines tech sheet, it sat in 95% new French Oak for 14 Months and experienced 100% Malolactic Fermentation.

   Let's move now onto the label of this wine. Oh, one last thing, I am moving this review to the top of my review list as I believe that you guys need to read it right away, after all this wine is a limited release and I do so want you to be able to enjoy it before it is sold out.
   Ya know I think that a white wine can pull off a label that a red wine simply cannot. The people who design the labels hopefully know this and hopefully as is here, they design those labels accordingly. Look for a minute at the Fonts on this wines label as well as the color of those Fonts which are a beautiful semi-vibrant Gold. My goodness guys, this label is indeed super impressive and as a consumer it certainly would be doing it's job which would be attempting to get my immediate attention on a store shelve, part of a labels job. The label wants desperately to tell me about what the bottle is holding inside.

Wine lovers, I love the way a Grayish Black is used as a background in contrast to that semi-vibrant Gold lettering I mentioned, nicely done. I love as well what the label actually tells you as it is so informative. I for one do want to know that the wine is a "limited release". I do want to know that the wine is "unfiltered". Looking now at the back label I do want to know about where the winery is located and about the historic Silverado Horseman’s Center. These are things that I believe the educated wine consumer does wish to be informed of. A little history behind a wine that someone is about to (hopefully) enjoy is nice.
   Let's get to this wines presentation of itself as it sits in my glass. In my glass this wine presented a wonderful golden color overall and appeared as if it was actually older then it was. The wine also presented itself as if it believed that it was truly destined to be being poured for the rich and famous. You absolutely need to look at the picture that I took of it, amazing. As I said earlier, I did not see any signs of the wine being "unfiltered" and so I am not really sure what the Winemaker meant by that term.

  
      Now, onto the nose of this wine we go. Apple Blossom and Asian Pear are presented right away and they both are so super smooth and yet certainly display with power on the nose as well. These notes are presenting themselves with more then just a touch of class as well. Beautiful perfumed fruit notes are flowing up and out of my glass. On the Nose as well is just a hint of Butter but there should be now worries as I do mean only a hint. There are wonderful notes of both Peach Blossoms as well as White Apricot which are pronounced here as well and offers up a perception at least of some depth, complexity and viscosity. Together these notes create the mere perception of sugar on the Palate which does not fully come to pass thankfully. You can almost just sense that this Chardonnay is sitting, waiting and holding back to explode on your Palate when the time is right. There is also a deep Honey type note as well which almost must be searched for but when found is so worth while. Not being done just yet there is a Toast type note that I am also picking up that helps to assist in delivering an overall seriousness to the wines Bouquet. This is a power packed Bouquet and I can't wait to tell you about the palate presentation, so let's get to it.

   The first thing that I noticed and that I want to tell you about concerning this wines Palate presentation is that this wine presents a bit of really nice bit of zippy and fruit engulfed Acidity. In my humble opinion this bit of Acidity could not have been presented at a more preferred level, at least in my opinion. While in one way this wine expresses a tremendous amount of fruit it is also able to restrain itself rather nicely by limiting that fruit expression which it does have rather appropriately. I want now to talk about the Stone Fruit notes which appear on the Palate. Yes, there are undeniable Stone Fruit notes that transfer right on over from the Bouquet onto the Palate of the wine and only gets more intense as the tasting goes on and the wine develops. Let's start with an amazing note of White Apricot which appears on the Palate and meshes so cleanly with that fruit engulfed Acidity and together are just simply awesome, and yeah I do mean awesome. Chardonnay lovers I am drinking......I mean tasting this wine :) and it is super cold which is actually unusual for me as I generally do not like my whites super cold. I say this to you as a heads up of sorts because I highly recommend that you do so as well. This is the type of white that is at presenting its best when it is really cold although it is still quite good as it warms slightly.

Speaking of Stone Fruit how about some wonderful and juicy White Peach as well? Oh my goodness how juicy these fruits are. These two fruits present themselves rather nice together and join in combination with a super minerality note that I want to talk about in a minute. When put together with the acidity and minerality they both go so well with the wines temperature just attacking the Palate in such a welcome way. So, minerality. A pretty evident note of stone really jumps out from the opening and extends itself just beautifully till the Finish. This is just another note to mix with the Stone Fruits, the bit of Acidity and that coldness which the wine is chilled to......just incredible. Aside from the bit of Acidity and minerality there is this incredible, super clean, crispness to the wine.There is just a hair of sugar to the wine that seems like the fruit reminding you that it was grown just right and wants to present everything that a fruit is supposed to present. Moving on now, there is a note of Brown Butter that is presented as well here but have no fears, do not worry as this is NOT an overly buttery, rich  Chardonnay nor is it even a wine that can brag (?) that there really is a buttery note to it all although in reality as I said, there is an ever so slight one.

There is some slight Oak on the Palate yet it is subdued for the most part and not the main focus or even the secondary focus of this wine as with that buttery note thankfully.While I am here, I want....no need to discuss any buttery or oily notes which might destroy a Chardonnay in my book. Remember that my Palate embraced the entire presentation of this wine at the Winery and now and I still believe that this wine is a wonderful example of what the Varietal should be all about and not that "Oak Bomb" mess which seems to be the latest and greatest trend in the expression of the varietal. Let me now tell you what else this wine does NOT have, it does not have an oily type note to it that comes from being overly oaked and I am SOOOO glad as I absolutely hate that in a Chardonnay. The Winery says that the wine was presented with 100% Malollactic Fermentation which usually causes that buttery / oily type of Palate presentation or note yet for some reason this wine is immune from that, it wants nothing to do with it. One more mention of Oak if I may. This wine is presenting an oaked Vanilla type note that comes in around Mid-Palate. The wine is not done Ladies & Gentlemen as there is more for it to offer such as a rather unusual note of Butterscotch comes into play here although it is kept rather low key it is a note that in general effects the overall taste of the wine positively. To me this would seem like a weird note for a wine to be expressing in general yet it it is pulled off amazingly well in this particular wine and does not add any off taste or Sugar effect.

Allow me to go ahead and tell you that there is also an ever so slight tartness exhibited by the wine that is mostly picked up by the sides of the Tongue yet enjoyed overall throughout the Palate as the Palate of course, combines it all together and presents it to you as a whole.I believe this note is brought on by the taste of Lemon Rind on the Finish and yes, once again is indeed amazing. Asian Pear guys. This is a transfer note as well. I first picked this note up on the Bouquet but it rears it's head again on the Palate and throws all it has fruit wise into the wine. What a juicy addition to the overall wine. Wine lovers I have something else that I need to share with you. Simply put, this is the BEST Chardonnay that I have straight out, ever tasted, period, point blank!!!

   Well Chardonnay lovers I am sitting here in my Loft, sipping on this wine and performing this review and I really do not want it to end. I don't believe that I have ever enjoyed or been more impressed with a white wine in general as I am with this one. It is indeed time however to conclude this review so let's get to that Paragraph now.
   Desert Wine Guy followers, this is without a doubt an amazingly well thought out and crafted wine. What this wine presents to you is something well beyond what most wines are even capable of presenting at any price let alone one that retails for $35, for the price the wine is a steal. I will simply tell you right now that on The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am giving my first ever 96 points to a white wine. This is a non buttery, non oily, non overly oaked Chardonnay. This is a non sugary, fruit packed, minerality / acidity driven winner of a wine. Chardonnay lovers, this is the Pinnacle of the varietals expression in my opinion. The last thing that I want to say is that I suggest that you simply must buy three bottles of this wine as one you will drink right now just to see if I am crazy or not :) and so you will need two to put away in the Cellar without any doubt once you find out that I am not. Well, I must be going now as my New York Pizza is at the door. You deserve the opportunity to taste this incredible Chardonnay.I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

   Before I go I must make mention of Jorge Chavez who was the person assisting me with my Tasting. What a pleasure it was to have met him. Professional, friendly and informative, Jorge was the Man. 


                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert Wine Guy - My Trip To The Napa Valley

V. Sattui Winery - Napa California

Black Stallion Winery

   Before we get into this article / review I absolutely, positively MUST thank my loving Wife, Mrs. Desert Wine Girl as this article would not be complete nor would the trip even be possible without her blessing. Mrs. Desert Wine Girl allowed me to stretch our budget (very far) as I purchased much more wine then I should have and all with her lovely blessing. Thank you honey, I truly appreciate it.

Pine Ridge Vineyard & Winery

   Where else in America would The Desert Wine Guy be at home then in the Napa Valley? The answer is of course, nowhere. The other day my Family and I came back from a week long trip to just that place and boy was it awesome. Not only did we get to see one of our Daughters who had some big news to share but I got to experience wine as I never have before. Today I want to write about that trip and some of the wine highlights as well as the wine .....well, low lights (there was a big one). The first thing that I want to talk about is the drive itself. From Las Vegas the trip took around 11 hours. Between us needing to stop for Bathroom breaks and food as well as The Desert Wine Guy needing to stop at the farms along the way that were open for fruits and things of that nature, it was a long trip. I didn't mind the trip though as I found it relaxing. There were plenty of beautiful green Pastures, Cows, Sheep, fruit trees and Vineyards to keep me occupied as I drove. The scenery was just incredible and it was really nice to see the different animals rather then the usual Lizard or spider. Traffic was good as well and overall I thought the trip out there was nice. Gas prices were crazy in California at $4 a Gallon by the way.

Black Stallion Tasting Menu

   Now as for our room.....yeah. Mrs. Desert Wine Girl booked us a room for the week at Americas Best Motel in Vacaville, California and it was a straight out DUMP! I know that this is NOT "Americas best" and that this great country has much better to offer. Tweakers, Addicts, Criminals and other social deviants were our neighbors and they were mixed in with a few decent working folks who must have been fooled as well by the website into thinking that the Motel was at least halfway decent. There was free "Breakfast" if that is what you could call it which consisted of Waffles, cold cereal and Oatmeal packets along with Orange Juice which tasted mostly like water as well as Apple Juice which was better. While the stay was uneventful for us, the room was old and not kept up very well at all. It appeared as if the dirt was covered with thick paint and the patches in the walls probably from drunken or drugged fools appeared to have been done by the local residents in exchange for a free nights stay. The sink had a large crack running from one side to the other and was patched again by someone who probably received a free night as payment for the...... repair. Whatever they did, the sink had almost fallen in and was hanging on barely by the extra thick Caulking. The bed was okay in my opinion but Mrs. Desert Wine Girl had a different opinion. There was a Refrigerator and Coffee Maker which was plugged into a power adapter which looked like it was from the early 90's and probably a fire hazard. By the way, speaking of the paint an entire wall was .......... dark Green, pure Green while the others were an off White. I will leave you with this. The Curtains never opened and my Second Amendment rights were no more loved then while at this Motel.

Herta Peju & The Desert Wine Guy

Dave Becker & The Desert Wine Guy

   So here we go, let's talk about the Napa Valley now. I want to tell you guys that I learned a lot as far as proper spacing of the vines goes as well as the Pruning of them goes. I observed that the average spacing on the vines was about three (3) feet. The Cordons themselves were around two (2) feet on either end as well. This was indeed an eye opener to me as my vines are spaced around 6 feet apart. If I had this knowledge prior to planting I would have been able to double the amount of vines that I currently have, I guess that will have to wait until I move (say what). From a wine perspective the Napa Valley is indeed the homeland. Vineyards everywhere and Wineries that I have never heard of before were super abundant. The Peju http://www.peju.com/) Winery was amazing as I just had to experience their different wines as only the 2014 Cab and 2018 Sauvignon Blancs are available locally. I was looking at the Grapevines which made my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon.

Peju Winery

Beautiful Vineyard

Wow, was that Stags Leap? Was that Robert Mondavi Vineyards? Yeah, you bet it was. Seeing all of those famous Vineyards and wineries as we drove by was really cool. The weather was amazing and allowed for a few Picnics at the V. Sattui Winery (https://www.vsattui.com/) where they sell hundreds of cheeses, meats, oils, spices and of course outstanding wines of all types. If you get to the area I HIGHLY recommend you take the family or if it is just you and a significant other grab some food. By the way, one other thing that I should mention is that Children were more then welcomed provided you as a Parent controled them. There were a lot of highlights but I will leave them for another time. One which I do wish to make mention of is finally meeting Dave Becker who at one time owned Acre Vineyards (https://www.acrewines.com/our-story) but has recently sold that endeavor yet is still very involved in wine grape growing in the Stags Leap AVA.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-H20LSRis0&pbjreload=10)

Pine Ridge Vineyards Tasting Menu

Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Dave appeared very humble in our conversation and I will tell you what I told him. Dave missed his calling as he is just an incredable teacher and I wouldn't be surprised if he got into that vocation at the same time while maintaining his Vineyards. All of the Wineries were beautifully manicured and a lot of the vines appeared to be of substantial age as well. The Tasting rooms employees themselves were completely knowledgeable about the products they were selling as well as the actual Vineyards, wineries and the actual grapes for the wines they were selling. While I am certainly not an Environmentalist of any kind, I thought it was nice as well to see that all of the Vineyards / wineries were into the recycling of the water and using safer and more Organic growing practices. I was a little surprised that the entire area was not busier but perhaps my next Paragraph might explain why there were not more people at the wineries. Driving onto the properties themselves was awesome as you were seeing the actual Grapevines which were used to create some of the actual wines you were about to taste.

Stags Leap Cellars Tasting Menu

This man was instrumental in me becoming The Desert Wine Guy and I told him so. If you are planning on starting a Vineyard of any size, I highly recommend that you check out his YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-H20LSRis0&pbjreload=10)
   Okay, so you guys know that my Family and I had a great time but unfortunetly there is an issue that I want to discuss here with you. I wasn't going to talk about it at first but this article / review would truly not be complete without that discussion as it could indeed make or break your trip to wine country. What I need to talk with you about will perhaps surprise you and dishearten you, I know it did both for me as well as Mrs. Desert Wine Girl. The first Winery that we stopped at was Pine Ridge Vineyards (https://www.pineridgevineyards.com/) and the tasting fee was $45 and no, that is not a misprint, I said $45 and yes, you can share that tasting.

The Desert Wine Guy At Peju Winery

Luch Time At V. Sattui

The fee at this particular winery is waved if you purchase two or more bottles but of course that assumes that you first like the wines in the first place doesn't it? The least expensive wine at Pine Ridge was $65 a bottle which was for their 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (I got two). If you don't like that particular wine then you are moving up to the line to the next least expensive wine which is the 2016 "Cave 7" Cabernet Sauvignon which costs $85 a bottle. Now I ask you, how many people are able to do that or would want to do that? Keep in mind that is the first Winery that you have stopped at and you are already out of pocket a minimum of $45 and that is without even purchasing any wine. You should also know that Mrs. Desert Wine Girl does not drink but if she did the Tasting Fees could come up to $130 just to TASTE wine!

Stags Leap Winery Tasting Room

  At the very minimum should you buy one (1) bottle of wine you are going to spend that $45 (Tasting Fee) and $65 for the 2016 Cab and your total is going to be $110, that's basically for one (1) bottle of wine folks. Let's go to the Peju Winery now (one of my favorites) and see what is going on there. At Peju your tasting is costing a minimum of $45 in order to taste their basic wines but if you choose the Reserve Tasting you are spending $75 and at this winery, neither levels of tasting that you choose refunds your tasting fee if you should purchase any wine. How about the Black Stallion Winery, what are they charging? Well for starters their tasting fee starts at $25 and tops out at $45 depending again on the tasting you choose.

Black Stallion Winery

As a reminder, all of the Wineries by the way have different levels of tastings depending on the wines you choose. If you want older wines or more prestigious wines you pay more. Let me now go ahead and include one more Winery which is the V. Sattui Winery that I recommend. The tasting fee here was $20 and you can upgrade for $5 more. While the Black Stallion Winery and the V. Sattui wineries are a heck of a lot more reasonable, the tastings all together add up to a lot of money. Remember that walking into the Wineries(s) and doing a Tasting you are spending this without any guarantee that you even like the wine(s).

V. Sattui Picnic Grounds

Middle Class wine lovers, I feel hard pressed to recommend that you guys go to Napa although in the end I have come to the conclusion that I do overall recommend the trip at least for the experience. Remember foks that I myself am Middle Class, I am not rich. I also pride myself in writing my reviews geared towards the Middle Class wine lover. It is super difficult for me to suggest that you go to the Napa Valley when the mere tasting fee is so cost prohibitive for many. In my last Paragraph which is next, I will attempt to justify my answer the question of do I recommend you going. Luckily for you we are at that last paragraph.

Peju Winery - Wines Aging

   Here is my justification to the question of should you go to the Napa Valley. Remember that this is a difficult one for me. My answer is based upon the belief that you, the wine lover are truly into great wines so much that you know that you are going for a truly unique experience, which you are. With that in mind remember that the area itself is absolutely beautiful and the Vineyards that we have all heard or read about are available for us to experience as well as the wines they produce and are known for. Wines from the Vineyards are layed out right in front of you at the tasting counter and the experience, starting at the initial appearance of the property and continuing to even the Bathroom where you will be afraid to touch the beautiful Faucets as well as use the softest Paper Towels you have ever felt, all the way to the Tasting Room experience itself which includes the staff and their knowledge of the history of the particular grape used in the wine you are tasting, it is all truly top notch and will never be forgotten.

Black Stallion WInery Gift Set

Stainless Steel Fermenting Tank - Peju

Folks, Napa really does raise the bar and maintain the standard for wine and it's presentation. I have to say that I tasted a lot of wines with a lot being cost prohibitive to purchase and I did not taste one wine that I disliked. Here is the bottom line. If you plan to go to the Napa Valley plan to spend at least $800 - $1000 on wine alone. Desert Wine Guy would you do it all over again? Well it really killed me to spend $45 in order to simply taste (sample) a product that someone is trying to sell me in the first place (Costco gives free samples by the way:) but yes, I would. If you are budget conscious do not go expecting to buy many wines to bring home however. If on the other hand this is a vacation or a destination for which you have saved up for and have been longing for then yes, I do highly recommend it.

Peju Tasting Menu

   The last thing that I want to say is that this trip truly has re-inforced my belief that there is good to great wine that is reasonably priced at your local store and also that I review on a regular basis. As of now I will be sticking to my usual price point and review format. Yes, there might be occasions such as when I review the wines that I bought on this trip that I review a wine that is higher priced but for the most part I am sticking to reviewing wines for the Middle Class, just as I have been doing all along.

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert Wine Guy - 2016 Porta - Estate Bottled, Gran Reserva, Single vineyard - Cabernet Sauvignon

 
    Ohhhhh yeah, Cabernet Sauvignon & Chocolate. Delicious? You betcha it is. Guys, I am not sure when this review will be posted but I can tell you that today is March 19, 2019 and the weather here in Las Vegas is absolutely wonderful. I did some finishing work in the Vineyard today and was able to perform a test flight of my Mavic Pro Platinum, Drone (WOW) which will certainly come in handy as I am currently also preparing for a trip to the Napa Valley in a few weeks where I plan to meet with the owner of One Acre Vineyards (https://www.acrewines.com/). The Drone will also come in handy as my long awaited retirement from my career has finally come and I do love to hike as well as check out the local Vineyards.
   Today I am going to be reviewing the 2016 Porta - Estate Bottled, Gran Reserva, Single Vineyard - Cabernet Sauvignon (http://www.vinaporta.cl/en). Say that in one breath. I spent $16.99 at my local Liquor warehouse last weekend but haven't had a chance to try it until now so here I go. The wine is from the Maipo Valley in Chile and comes in at 14% on the Alcohol scale and is Cork sealed. There is also a sticker on the bottle claiming that the wine was awarded 92 points by James Suckling but.....well.....we will see. As I have always said, wine is very subjective and my Palate might not be the same as his. The label, the label.....yeah. Since you went ahead and brought up the label, let's talk about it shall we :)

   Phenomenal, awesome marketing, perfectly thought out, professional, striking fear in the hearts of lesser Cabs. Wine lovers, I have to tell you that the label on this bottle initially is what caused me to pick up the bottle and ultimately sold the wine to me. I'm not going to lie to you guys, the fact that the bottle also had that sticker didn't hurt either. Look for yourself at the label folks, I am in love, are you in love? I will be devastated if the wine falls flat or doesn't live up to the implied promises of its label. The Fonts, the color of the Fonts, the layout of the words as well as what they said or implied, all top notch. Whoever designed the label of this wine deserves to be given tons of credit for a job well done.
   So now I get the opportunity to actually pour this wine and let you know exactly what I am observing in my glass and what I think about it. A medium Burgundy is how the wine chooses to initially present itself. Folks as the wine sits in my glass I see a wine that is probably as wonderful in color as it was when it was first bottled. I can't image that there has been any fading whatsoever in the three years and I don't foresee any in the near future, yes for real. True Cabernet Sauvignon lovers I need to tell you that this wine is staring back at me hard and screaming "you are going to love me, drink up and enjoy", creepy huh :) Now the description that I am giving you is the wines appearance in fairly direct Sunlight and yet the color is representing the varietal to the max. Looking at the wine as it sits on the table, it appears dark and foreboding, the visual power of a true Cab for sure. If the color of a wine were a movie genre this wine would be of the Thriller genre. I certainly hope that the rest of this wine is as impressive as it has been so far.

   Let me discuss the Nose of this wine for a minute. Where do I start is the question as this is a busy wine indeed? Let's begin with the notes of Toast, Smoke and Black Licorice as  those are the notes which are simply rushing straight from the bottle to my nose right now. These notes continue the impression at least that this wine is a very serious wine indeed. I myself love a Cab that presents deep dark notes as I am not a fan of Jamminess in my reds. The Bouquet is really important to the overall taste of the wine because you can't taste without smelling. Following these notes up is a note of light yet nonetheless very flavorful dark cherry. A decent hint of Bell Pepper is coming through as well for me to appreciate and I most certainly do. Now, of course folk I'm not done just yet as there is a Coca note as well which is expressed rather nicely. This note presents the vision in my head of a wine which expresses a semi richness on the Palate but yet is not on the strong side either. In all actuality the Cocoa is just enough for you to anticipate what the Palate will be experiencing soon. This Cocoa seems to be able to blend with the other notes and not quarrel over who is dominating or who will take a backseat when it comes to this aspect of the wines Bouquet. Overall the Bouquet of the wine is exposing more than enough to entice, no drag you into seeing what else this wine is just dying to offer you. By the way, I already know and........well, I'll leave it at that for now.
   So let's review what we have so far. Initial presentation on the shelf is a ten (10). Wines presentation in the glass, a 7.5 - 8. Bouquet of the wine, an 8.5. Things are looking excellent here folks and it is so hard for me to keep my feelings about this wine a secret and not give you my final rating on the wine right now so I MUST continue to move towards that right now.

   I want.....no need to tell you something before I go on. I do NOT like the new Fruit Forward red wines that are being put out today. I believe that this is where the "Generation Y" era of young adults is being marketed to. This is what is being presented in the case of Cabernet Sauvignon as a good or great example of the varietal and in my humble opinion, it is surely not! An overly fruit forward / sugary red is NOT what the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal is meant to be all about. I think that this has also become the new divide between a low to mid priced Cabernet Sauvignon. Pretty soon you won't be able to buy a Cab that is NOT fruit forward or overly sugary for less then $25. Anyway, this is just what I see coming on the Horizon.
   Now after my little rant, I want to talk about what this wine is presenting on my Palate and just how I feel about it. Guys, if a wine has a good or great (in this case) Bouquet, I think it is to be expected when that Bouquet transfers over to the Palate. This is the case with this wine as the Toast note that I spoke of on the Nose does indeed translate right over to the Palate. Combining with this note is one of mouth watering and in your face, Cassis. Together, these two notes really wake up and energize the Palate immediately. These notes of Cassis and Toast are not too light nor are they what I would consider to be overly dominant as they both display a drive or a determination to be noticed and they are indeed successful at performing that purpose extremely well. So let's talk about that transfer of Cocoa from the nose onto the Palate. This notes presentation seems to love to join in for the fun and when all three are combined together my mouth was melting in anticipation of what was next.

These three notes lay the foundation of this wine as they continue that seriousness to in the wine and that causes it to raise above so many of the other Cabs which are made for the weak of heart. One other point which I would like to bring to your attention is that combined these awesome notes are presented absolutely perfectly as to not overwhelm the Palate yet they are indeed most certainly tasted, thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. Following up these notes very closely is a note of Green Pepper which appears to be almost lying in wait just after the opening of the wine and appears almost yet not quite around Mid-Palate. When I first took a sip of this wine and tasted these notes my initial hopes for an outstanding wine were just overwhelmingly happily reinforced. Now go ahead and sit back because I want to go ahead and add another Note which this wine displays so proudly and that Note is one of Black Pepper. This Black Pepper reminds me almost of the type found in another red varietal and that is the varietal of Tempranillo. If you have ever had the chance to sample a good Tempranillo then you will be able to identify this Black Pepper note right away. While this Black Pepper note is also certainly not dominating the Palate (nor should it) it is also another note that is presented with just enough power to influence the Palate nicely and not any more, expertly done Winemaker. Aside from these notes is a darkish cherry note which is exposed when the wine comes in contact with the sides of your Tongue. This note brings with it just a hair of Acidity and goes very well with that Black Pepper. How about Tannins there Desert Wine Guy? You say that you want Tannins huh? Let's talk about that particular note as the wine is not exactly shy in this department. Silky smooth Tannins are presented here but don't think that "silky smooth" means that you can't taste them or that these Tanning don't do anything for the wine or for that matter the Palate in general because they most certainly do. You will notice these Tannins and know that this wine has many more years of aging potential to it as well. A wonderful mouth feel with a bit of roughness type quality on the palate is what these Tannins are bringing to this wine.

Now don't misunderstand what I am saying as these Tannins will not take you attention away from the rest of the wine. With this note present the wine just continues it's upward climb to it's ultimate rating. So, you think that I have to be done with this review and that I am surely ready for the conclusion paragraph, right? If that is what you thought, you are wrong because I must talk about a note of dark smoke which the wine also presents.This is yet again another note that is also presented on the nose yet transfers over to the palate so perfectly. This note simply adds to the overall fruit darkness of this wine yet not to its detriment as the wine does have some really wonderful fruit just not that overly sugary or bright fruit which I feel ruins a great Cabernet Sauvignon. This note comes into play just after you place the wine into your Mouth and maintains itself throughout the wines presentation. Alright real Cab lovers, what would the wine be without some nice dark Plum which comes into play here?  I believe that in reality I have been tasting this Plum all along yet it was at first difficult to identify for some reason. Once you sit back and really give it an in depth evaluation you realize that you indeed have been exposed this dark Plum from the wines opening. That would of course mean the Note is sort of subdued but in a good way because it blends in so very well with the other notes. One last note guys and that is of leather. You wouldn't expect such a wonderfully smooth note at this price in a wine yet it is here, my goodness it's here. Okay wine lovers, I have come to the end of this review and it is indeed time to wrap things up. Let's get to the closing paragraph now.
   I am just in awe at this wine from Chile, Who would have thought that a wine like this, at this price point and NOT from the Napa Valley would bring such a raving review.

This is a truly awesome expression of a power Cabernet Sauvignon and not anywhere near a lame and poorly made fruit forward, Generation Y expression of the varietal. I don't want you to think that there is no fruit in this wine however guys because there certainly is, dark fruit. This dark fruit is part of what this wine is truly all about. This wine is also not a blend as it doesn't need to be. The wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and that says something I believe in and of itself. On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I am actually elevating this wine three points past Mr. Sucklings rated 92 points and giving it 95 well deserved points. If you want more on this wine check this out (http://www.vinaporta.cl/resources/upload/b9ebabaeb87599bdc1815e261a8724f9.pdf)

                                                                                                                   The Desert Wine Guy

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The Desert WIne Guy - 2014 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon

  The other day I was at my favorite Restaurant here in Las Vegas and ordered a wine from my favorite Napa Valley Winery, Peju. The Peju Winery (http://www.peju.com/) is located in the Eastern part of the Napa Valley and produces my absolute favorite Cabernet Sauvignon. As a matter of fact the Peju Cabernet Sauvignon is the only wine that I have ever tasted where I am actually capable of saying "that's Peju". From my very first trip to the Napa Valley years ago to this very day, Peju Cabs simply rock. While at the Restaurant I ordered the meat Lasagna and two glasses of our review wine which is the 2014 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon. I for certain knew that I was going to sleep very well that night. After the Dinner I ended up buying a bottle of this fantastic wine and so here we are now, at review time. Since purchasing the wine I have actually had to wait a few days to open it up due to be busy re-doing Mirror Image Vineyard but now that the time has come I will certainly be putting this wine review front & center above all my other pending reviews because I want you guys to not only know about this wine but to track it down and buy at least two bottles. So now that you have a little background into my purchase of this wine let's get to the actual review.

   Let's begin at the Nose. I remember when the wine glass was brought over to my table and the wines Bouquet drifted up to my nose. The Bouquet was just wonderful and even Mrs. Desert Wine Girl who doesn't drink (I know huh) commented on just how nice it smelled as she sat across from me. Oak, wonderful and powerful, Oak. There was an immediate sense just from the Oak that this could very well be a serious Old School type Cabernet Sauvignon. This Oak was nowhere near overdone yet certainly up front none the less. Following the Oak up is a luxurious Blackberry, jammy type note which slowly escaped from the glass and if you have ever smelled something that is so enticing that you simply must eat or drink it now, that is what this Bouquet did for me. I don't know about you but I happen to believe strongly that the Bouquet of a wine is one of the key components that make it stand out on the Palate and the mind in general. The Bouquet also has the ability to assist a wine in standing out above the mediocre expressions of the very same varietal and also contribute big time to what that particular wine is all about. Along this Blackberry, jammy type note with this note I want go add that the serious Oakey note which escaped from the glass brought with it an overall sense of depth and also created a serious longing for me to get his wine to the Palate quickly. Folks, that is something however which must wait as there is much more to discuss here prior to that. How about a note of dark Black Cherry? Real Napa Cab lovers, the powerful expression of this dark Black Cherry on the nose not only stood above any expression of the fruit that I have ever experienced in a wine but was the deepest, darkest and yet smoothest at the same time that I have ever experienced. At this point I am in Heaven and my mouth is almost salivating to taste this wine as I already know what I am going to experience.

These notes I am talking about were before even swirling the glass by the way. After swirling the glass, wonderful dark Cocoa / Chocolate notes came pushing their way through. A note of deep, rich Blackberry came up from the glass as well, I am truly impressed by what I am picking up on the Nose of this wine. Talk about black fruit folks, this wine is the epitome of that expression. On the back end of the Bouquet is a dark Raisin note which certainly is present but know that it blended itself in so expertly with the other notes that you weren't picking up a simple Raisin from a Cardboard box, you were picking up a fruit that was actually in the process of converting to a Raisin. But wait, there more (yeah I said that) as there is also a Prune type note that seems to go hand in hand with this Raisin and together just assists that much more in creating a power packed Bouquet. This wines Bouquet is also exhibiting a deep note of Leather on the nose. Overall the depth and complexity of the Bouquet of this wine is simply tremendous and in my opinion Peju is showing once again why I love their Cabernet Sauvignon so much. Have you ever put your nose in a wine glass and picked up notes that are in reality only detectable on the Palate? Well as I put my nose into the wine glass I am getting what can only be described as Black Currant on the nose, is that crazy? This note also just rushes out of the glass but as with the other notes, not too fast as it seems as if their overall combined priority in general is to serve you and be there for your enjoyment just as it should be. I have experienced many wines where the different notes seem at odds with one another but not here.  Alright, so we now know what the Nose is happily doing and is expressing but what about the Palate there Desert Wine Guy, after all you want me to spend $50 for a bottle of wine. Well for those of you who still have any doubts concerning this wine, read on as I get to the Palate part of this review.

   Let's begin with the first note that I originally actually picked up on the nose and that is the French & American Oak with 40% being new. I believe  tha the use of these two Oaks and the 40% being new Oak shows a commitment from the Winemaker to a serious wine. Yes indeed there is a moderate presence of Oak on the Palette but please don't think that I am reviewing an "Oak Bomb" of a wine because I certainly am not as this wine is definitely so much more. The Oak on the Palate brings a Palate darkness of sorts to the wine which thrusts it forward on the Palate. The Oak also begins the wines immediate separation from other less expertly crafted wines from the get go. I will share with you for a second my opinion concerning Oak in a Red wine. I truly feel that Oak does certainly have its place in any red wine in general as it brings the Palate away from what is usually the fruity (at times overly fruity) notes of a wine. In a good or great red wine however I feel that it is an absolute must. That feeling couldn't be any more reinforced in my mind and perhaps yours as well then in this wine. Lets talk for a minute now about some dark, Black Cherry that I first pointed out on the nose. Here again is another note that translates super well onto the Palette and without a hitch. Readers......this is not just a dark Black Cherry that I am tasting. Once again the word "depth" comes into play. No, this is not some run of the mill sugary dark, Black Cherry, no way. This is a dark fruit note which presents itself with power behind it and actually shuns the common sugar note for the most part. This is the real taste of the fruit when it has almost come to the end of its enjoyment yet still maintains that ripeness that is at perfection. Now wait a minute wine lovers because usually when a fruit nears it's end of enjoyment or life that might initially sound like a bad thing and at times it may be, it is surely not bad in this case. When you taste this note you will see what I mean. Red wine lovers, trust me that when blended with everything else this wine has to offer on the nose and the Palate, this note of dark Black Cherry rocks! If you take all that into account you would only just have only an inkling of what I am experiencing right now. Let me talk also about the dark Chocolate and Cocoa note on the Palate for a minute.

There are times when notes of Chocolate or Cocoa actually come from the Oak Barrel which the wine sits in and it is possible that this wine is no exception.This isn't like the Candy Bar type Chocolate you buy while waiting in line at the store dear readers, no way. This is a quality Chocolate / Cocoa that you would buy at an expensive store that caters to Professional Chefs or purhaps those in the Restaurant industry. Smooth and luscious yet not overly sugary, this note(s) is also like the Oak, used as a break from the fruit note temporarily and works rather efficiently. For those of you who have experienced a red wine with these two notes in them you know what I mean, for those who have not, think of the time you tasted that great Hot Chocolate and that smooth semi rich flavor that you tasted, that is what is in this wine only in moderation of course. Now, don't get me wrong as the wine this wine is full of flavor yet these particular notes help to create a seriousness in the wine. The depth of the Chocolate and Cocoa is to the point of almost presenting a delicateness of sorts in the wine. There is also a light note of Brown Sugar or Molasses that is expressed here on the Palate and once again I find myself taking about the depth of this wine here folks. Now imagine for a minute that dark Black Cherry and the Chocolate and Cocoa notes presented onto the Palate, yum. I don't know if I mentioned that the Brown Sugar /Molasses note is just ......superb? Well guys it is superb and of course does bring some sugar to the wine but it is not just sugar that it brings, it is Brown Sugar / Molasses and somehow the sweetness level is well under control and couldn't possibly be found to found offensive.

This wine is not a Sugar Bomb folks so please do not even think that as this wine is far from that type of a red as you can get. While these sugary notes are in here and they are tasted on the Palette they are such a tiny part of this wine. There is no simple table sugar note or cheap fruit sugar that is thrown in here just to bring some extra sweetness to the wine as is done in most of the Cabernet Sauvignons that I have been tasting as of late. The Winemaker really has perfected and excelled at his/her craft. Let's discuss Tannins for a second. Actually let's talk about structured Tannins for a second first. Yes, the Tannins in this wine are tasted on the Palate but they are not harsh nor are they "chewy". These Tannins are just right and will allow for some aging in a Cellar. By the way I use the term "structured" to mean that the they are part of the building blocks of this wine in the Mouth. The wine is not what I would say is soft on the Palette and does display a bit of Acidity to it, the Tannins come along with another note which is of Black Currant and together help the wine to present itself as that of a well aged red which will never lose it's rough edges or small amounts of tough guy type image. Alright then lets get to that Prune that I picked upon the nose as well. I'm not done folks as there is a note of dark smoke here as well. Folks a warning, if you don't like the Old School type Cabernet Sauvignon then stay away from this wine because you will be disappointed. Let's talk for a minute about a dark Plum note that is evident on the Palate. This Plum that I'm talking about is of a Plum which it is at it's peak, there is no messing around here. The wine brings with it that dark end of the Plum only and leaves out the Sugary part that we don't want or need. Far too many times I have seen this particular fruit bring with it tons of sugar but not here. With this note added to this wine it is just one more of the notes that bring an ultra seriousness to the wine.

Wine lovers, as I previously said, this is not a sweet or "fruit forward" wine, this is an extremely serious and powerful wine that carries itself with dignity. Allow me to go ahead and tell you about yet another fascinatingly expressed note, a note of Leather. For many of you it is still very cold outside. What is the most awesome thing you can wear to go out in the cold AND that goes with notes of a Red wine? If you guessed Leather, you are right. If you guessed wrong then I feel sorry for you as there is nothing as comfortable and welcoming as a Leather Jacket in the cold weather. I'm talking about a Leather Jacket that has gone through the years along with you. Yeah folks, there is a really nice yet smooth Leather note here in this wine. The closest way to describe this note is what is known as Rutherford Dust if you have ever had a wine from that AVA you know what I am talking about, it is more of a Palate feeling rather then dust (of course) and while there is some debate as to whether this "dust" actually exists or not just drink this wine and you will be a believer. A smooth yet rough edge is evident to this wine that once again sort of injects a change up in the wines presentation. What would a Cabernet Sauvignon be without some nice Blackberry? Don't worry folks as that note is here as well. As with all of the other notes, I am tasting a richness yet not a sugary richness that this fruit brings. The Blackberry note in this wine starts from the opening on the Palate and carries onto the Finish. Smoothness and perfect growing conditions are highlighted in the Blackberry as that is what is presented in this wine. Topping all of this off is a baking spice note that throws this wine over the top and into the "incredible" range. Folks, this wine is superb! On The Desert Wine Guy rating scale I give this wine 96 glorious points.

   Alright I appreciate you guys reading this admittedly long review. I really felt that you guys deserved to know everything about this wine as I am asking you to spend $100 (2 bottles) for the wine. Over the top greatness is how I would describe this wine. Serious depth, Old School, worth every penny. I am headed to the Napa Valley in a couple of weeks and I will be trying Peju's other offerings. If you still want more on this wine, check out this link (https://www.peju.com/images/appbuilder/1504115747Peju_WIS_14_CabSauv_color_CasePrice.pdf).

P.S - As of the finishing of this review I have purchased a total of 4 bottles of this wine to place in my WIne Cellar.

                                                                                                                  The Desert Wine Guy

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