Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2009

Port has become a Christmas tradition at my house. For those not familiar with it, Port is a fortified wine from Portugal.  It is usually a sweet red fortified wine served after dinner.

This year I am having the Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2009.

 Taylor Fladgate Late Bottled Vintage Port, 2009

Wine: 

Location:  Portugal

Sugar Content:  97g/L

Alcohol:  20%

Price:  $18.55 (Current sale $16.55)

Vintages number: 46946

This Port is a very deep red colour with a scent of sweet prunes.

This sweet fortified wine has a  flavour of raisins and a slight spice.  It is extremely smooth and silky on the tongue and a pleasure to drink. Sipping this in front of a roaring fire after a traditional turkey Christmas dinner is an ideal way to begin the evening.  This is one of the best ports I have tried particularly at this price.  I will be buying this again during the holiday season.  I highly recommend this port for people who like sweet, fortified wines.

Recommendation:   Uncork

Rating:                   9.0  out of 10 

Trapiche Vina Jorge Miralles Terroir Series Single Vineyard Malbec 2009

Another wine, another country.  This one is a Malbec from Argentina.  Malbec is increasingly being associated with Argentina however it is thought to have originated in the Burgundy region of France.

This wine breaks my rule of not spending more than $20 but it`s the holiday season and I`m treating myself.  I`m also cheating by trying this wine after reading another review. I like to try wine without having read about it from a wine professional.

It was described as a $40 wine that tastes like a $120 bottle of wine receiving a score of 95 in Wine Enthusiast Magazine. 

I never drink $40 wine let alone $120 wine so I thought I should give it a try...so here it goes.

Wine:  Trapiche Vina Jorge Miralles Terroir Series Single Vineyard Malbec 2009

Location:  Argentina

Grape:  Malbec

Sugar Content:  6g/L

Alcohol:  15%

Price:  $39.95

Vintages number: 261040

The wine is an extremely deep purple colour.  The smell is of dark cherry.  On first drinking it is extremely silky.  Spice and dark chocolate are the closest I can get to describing it. The finish is smooth and pleasant.

It is a good wine, better than many I have tried.  That being said, there are less expensive wines that I would prefer to drink.  

What I may be discovering is that wine enthusiasts might describe my palate as unrefined.  I find that I like wines with stronger fruit flavours over spice and dark chocolate. 

The bottom line:  If you like medium to full-bodied wines with spice and dark chocolate notes then you will like this wine more than I did. It is a good wine but not my favourite, particularly at this price.  I would drink it again but only if someone else is buying.

Recommendation:  Uncork

Rating:                   8 out of 10

Boutari Agiorgitiko Nemea Red 2012

The Uncorked world tour continues to Greece with the Boutari Agiorgitiko Nemea Red.  The Agiorgitiko or St. George grape is native to Greece and is now the most widely planted red variety in the country.

Wines produced from this grape are known to by fruity with low acidity and strong colour.  With my love of beaujolais, I am looking forward to trying this one. 

Wine:  Boutari Agiorgitiko Nemea Red

Location:  Greece

Grape:  Agiorgitiko

Sugar Content:  5g/L

Alcohol:  13%

Price:  $11.95

Vintages number: 172148

The 2011 vintage is pictured above but I am trying the 2012.  It is a very deep red with a very sweet, fruity aroma that actually reminds me of grape crush pop and the inexpensive powder-made u-brew wine I drank while in university. 

It doesn’t taste like grape crush though. In fact it does not have much flavour at all.  It is a very light, inoffensive wine with a slightly bitter finish.

Like a pinot noir, you could probably pair this with duck or seafood and it would not over-power the flavour of your food. But why would you want to?

It is not a bad wine but it’s not a good wine either.  It is a wine seeking a personality. Like oatmeal, maybe you could add fruit and make sangria.

I don’t dislike this wine but it bores me.  I look forward to trying more wines from this variety but I won’t be uncorking this one again.

Recommendation:  Cork

Rating:                   6 out of 10

Domaines Vincon Feteasca Neagra 2009

Another new grape variety from a country many people may not be familiar with.  Romania is one of the world's largest producers of wine (11th most in 2009) and has a history with viticulture dating back 6,000 years.

The grape is the feteasca neagra, an old variety grown in Romania and Moldova.

Wine:  Domaines Vincon Feteasca Neagra 2009
Location:  Focsani County, Romania (About 180 km north of Bucharest)
Grape:  Feteasca Neagra
Sugar Content:  8g/L
Alcohol:  13%
Price:  $13.35
Vintages number: 669192

This wine has the typical dark red-ruby colour of the feteasca neagra grape. The smell of blackberry and slight spice is also found in the flavour.

For a wine with such deep colour I expected a strong flavour also but that was not the case. I would describe it as a medium-bodied wine with a smooth finish and similarities to the Georgian mukuzani I reviewed earlier but without the chalky feel.

While it may not make it into my regular rotation, it was a pleasant tasting wine and I look forward to trying other wines made with the feteasca neagra grape.

Recommendation:  Uncork
Rating:                   7.5 out of 10