4 Stars

14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

/ Sean Lee / Leave a comment

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH AWARD (JUL 2017)  learn more

 

PICK OF THE WEEK  learn more

14 Hands wines are inspired by the unbridled spirit of the wild horses that once freely roamed eastern Washington.

Though Labelled as a Cab, this one is technically a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% other varieties including Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Syrah

From the Winemaker: “Rich, juicy red that features aromas of dark cherry, black currant, coffee and subtle hints of spice. These flavors are complemented by a touch of spicy oak and emphasized by refined tannins”

LABEL

Bright, fresh, cool and engaging.  Really draws you in.

COLOR

Rich Dark red

AROMA

On the nose I got some nice dark fruits (mainly cherries) and a bit of orange peel

TASTE

On the palate, more dark fruits, cherries, plums and small hint of spice.

PAIRING

Pair with grilled red meats, ribs, meat sauced pastas.

PRICE (VALUE)

At around $9 this is an excellent wine for the money

THE BOTTOM LINE

I really enjoyed this Cab. At around $9 you’ll be hard pressed to find anything as good on the market at this price point.

We are naming it our “Diamond in the Rough” Winner for July.  It will also be our Pick of the Week selection this week and will grace our monthly Best Under $10 List.  Pick one up today.  I heard they only made 850,000 cases!

OVERALL RATING

4stars

EXCELLENT

OPI Score = 90  What’s This?

Vintage: 2014
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Columbia Valley, WA
Country: USA
Winemaker: 14 Hands Winery
Average Price: $9

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El Dorado Special Reserve 15 Year Old Rum

/ Sean Lee / Leave a comment

Where I’m from on the planet, this Special Reserve Rum is legendary and arguablly better than some bottles 10 years older.

A 4-time consecutive winner of the Wray & Nephew Trophy for Best Rum in the World, this beauty is not easy to find locally, so whenever you do find one, I strongly recommend you pick it up before I get there!

COLOR

Golden brown

AROMA

Full nose, packed with coffee, dark chocolate, pepper and rich vanilla.

TASTE

Incredibly smooth and silky, reminiscent of cognac

THE BOTTOM LINE

Crafted from 15 to 25 year old rums that are then blended and married together in bourbon oak casks, this now legendary rum is the king of  smoothness.  Drink it neat like fine cognac

OVERALL RATING

4stars

 

EXCELLENT

County: Demerara
Country: Guyana, SA
Rum Maker: Demerara Distillers Ltd.
Age: 15 Years
Vintage: Special Reserve
Average Price: $45

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Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2011

/ Sean Lee / Leave a comment

 

PICK OF THE WEEK

So what exactly are ancient vines anyways? According to the winemaker Cline Cellars they are vines on their estate that are between 80-100 years old.

92% of this blend is sourced from grapes from these vines. The general belief is that older vines, when properly handled will produce a better wine.

LABEL

Clean, minimalistic. Doesn’t exactly scream “buy me!” There’s also a cool little recipe flip on the back for a PF Chang Ginger Plum Zin sauce.

COLOR

Ruby red.

AROMA

Cherry, vanilla and strawberry on the nose.

TASTE

Full bodied, elegant and smooth with a nice long finish.

PRICE (VALUE)

I’ve seen this wine retail for up to $16. At around $13 here in Miami, you can’t go wrong.

PAIRING

Roasted Meats, light tomato sauced based dishes.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Tremendous value and quality. Pick one up today, you will enjoy it!

OVERALL RATING

3stars

VERY GOOD

OPI Score = 69  What’s This?

Vintage: 2011
Varietal: Zinfandel
Region: Contra Costa County
State: California
Winemaker: Cline Cellars
Average Price: $13

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