Pictures, winery info, my comments, and additional information on these wines available in the blog at Sept 24, 2012 to Sept 27, 2012 | Cliff's Wine Picks
A new Cliff’s Wine Picks was posted featuring the following wines:
2003 Carlisle Two Acres
The wine is a deep, saturated maroon color with a touch of bricking at the edge. The very pleasing and inviting nose features blackberries, licorice, tree bark, leather, meat juices, dried herbs, violets, and a touch of Asian spices. The wine is fairly full bodied with nice, ripe tannins and good acidity. On the palate there are nice, spicy berries with just a touch of earthiness and a hit of dark chocolate. Even though the nose and palate are top notch, the finish is probably the best part of the wine. The finish is very long and loaded with berries, chocolate, dried herbs, and earthiness with just a bit of a meaty element. The length is incredible! There are absolutely no rough edges or any overly dominant tastes or aromas in this wine. This wine is in a perfect drinking window, if I had more, I’d recommend drinking over the next year or two.
2006 Buehler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
The wine is a fairly deep maroon color. This has cassis, licorice, dried herbs, tobacco, and a touch of cedar and violets on the elegant nose. The wine is medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and has very nice acidity. On the palate the wine shows nice fruit and spice with just a touch of toasty oak and some nice dried herbs adding depth. The finish is fairly long with the berries and dried herbs slowly dissipating. One of the better values out there for a Napa Cabernet and in a very nice drinking window.
2001 Aminea Taurasi Baiardo
The wine is a medium ruby color with some bricking. This has a fantastic wine with blackberries, loads of minerals, dried herbs, tobacco, plums, and a very nice dusty element. The wine is medium body with fairly solid tannins and very nice acidity. On the palate the wine seems very young, not 11 years old. Nice plums and berries are in the forefront of the palate with dried herbs and minerals providing nice depth and “seasoning”. The finish is fairly long with the dried herbs and dusty element in front and the fruit in the background. A very nice wine that may show additional improvement with some more time in the cellar. I will hold off at least a couple of years before opening another.
2008 Treasure Hunter Wines Helen’s Helm
This is a deep maroon color. The wine has blackberries, grilled meat, vanilla, blueberries, baking spices, minerals, dark chocolate, licorice, cherries, and a bit of earthiness on the very open and exuberant nose. This is full bodied with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity. Big, ripe, juicy berries and spice hit the palate with meat, earthiness, and dark chocolate in the background. The wine has a long, lingering finish featuring the berries, dark chocolate, and a touch of spicy oak. Very impressive wine that drinks well above the price point.
