2012 Kirkland Signature Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

last week, i went to costco  to stock up on rioja reserve, i was suprised to see the new Costco’s Kirkland label wine. They’ve really expanded their reach to include a wider selection of wines from numerous prestigious wine growing areas around the globe. So I would advise to take note on your next trip to Costco. You might be surprised what you find. still waiting for single serve vino cups. recently we are finding incredible value in many of these Kirkland wines, and I have to agree 100%. If you find a Kirkland wine from an area you like, you can be almost certain the wine will offer a decent bang for the buck.  only caviar to that is, the wines are not replenised enough like Northstar Merlot Columbia Valley and Chalk Hill Russian River Pinot Noir  are  discontiued " dont quote me on thia"
I love Oregon and Washington Pinots and hold a special place for them in my wine palette,  having developed much of my love for wine during my time spent living in the Northeast. And I learned it’s hard to find good Pinot under $20. I did find this one to be a good offering though, priced at $14.99. Most others in this price range don’t offer this balance and smoothness.
Aroma and Taste
Floral nose, aromas of red fruit and pepper; nice mouthfeel and good fruit on the palate, more red fruit, strawberry, spicy cherry, touch of leather and hints of oak. Again, well balanced. Very food friendly wine. Finishes rich and clean, no sourness.

Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva 2009

Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva 2009

The Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva is 100% Tempranillo grapes from the Rioja Region of Spain,  The wine has been aged 24 months in American and French oak and an additional 12 months in the bottle prior to release.  The wine has 13.5% alcohol.  You would expect to pay more than the Costco price of $6.99 for a Spanish Reserva wine aged for 36 months.
Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva is an elegant wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes grown in the region of Rioja. Aged 24 months in American and French oak barrels and cellared for a year in the bottle prior to release, this ruby-colored wine has intense, spicy aromas with a hint of licorice. Vanilla flavors on the palate leave a pleasant, lingering, well-balanced finish.

13.5% Alcohol"

AROMA and TASTE
The 2009 Kirkland Signature Rioja Reserva begins with a very pleasant aroma full of blackberry, vanilla and mint along with secondary notes of licorice, balsamic and much more. Tasting the wine reveals that classic Rioja character that can only come from being well aged and spending some significant time in oak barrels. Having said that, the balance here is wonderful with the oak adding to the experience but never overpowering the rich fruit. Smooth and spicy, this wine is a pleasure to drink. It ends dry with more blackberry and vanilla plus some long-lasting cola and cinnamon notes. A fantastic value that is drinking fabulously right now!

Chateau Motte Maucourt Bordeaux 2010

It was fall of 2014, i walked into the wine warehouse to pick up a beautiful wine:
which give me festive warmth and comfort, i laid eyes on  Chateau Motte Maucourt Bordeaux 2010
enquirer the store attended, she was very knowledgeable and help to pick a  beautiful bottle, came home lighted up the fireplace and throw a fleece blanket on the leg,  pop open the Chateau Motte Maucourt Bordeaux 2010 then it was miracle
 

History

Bordeaux, in the south-west of France, needs little introduction to anyone with an interest in wine. One of the world's most prolific wine regions, it also manages to rank among the most famous and prestigious. The secrets of Bordeaux's wine success (other than magical Bordeaux Blend) are its three trump cards: diversity, quality and quantity.
The majority of Bordeaux wines are the dry, medium-bodied reds that made the region famous. The finest (and most expensive) of these come from the great chateaux of the Medoc, particularly those in Pauillac and Margaux, and from the "right bank" appellations Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. The legendary reds are complemented by high quality white wines, both the dry styles of Pessac-Leognan and the sweet, botrytized nectars of Sauternes. 

Bordeaux is made famous by its big names. Places like Chateau Haut Brion, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite, Latour and Margaux. But combined, these historic classified properties represent less than 5% of the overall wine production in the region. That leaves thousands of wines and vineyards that benefit from the same vintage conditions, and are sold at a fraction of the price. 2010 was a historic vintage, and one of the best ever for Bordeaux. That's what makes the Chateau Motte Maucourt Bordeaux such an outstanding bottle for the price!

Few regions can rival Bordeaux in terms of its impact on the wine world. The wines of Bordeaux are sought after, collected, and treasured. Not only for the rich and famous, there is some value to be found in Bordeaux if you know where to look. The wines can be accessible, food friendly, and affordable. Chateau Motte Maucourt is a 6th generation, family owned estate in the heart of Bordeaux. Their wine is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet that is fermented in temperature controlled tanks with a maceration time of two weeks in order to obtain a smooth, fruity wine with soft tannins. Bottling takes place after aging 12 months in tank. The wine is designed for everyday enjoyment. The majority of this wine is made up of Merlot, which gets an undeserved bad rap. The “Sideways Phenomenon” is still affecting the wine world, quite an impact for a film that came out ten years ago! But folks still turn their nose up at Merlot. However, many a wine drinker could be poured a glass of Merlot-based Bordeaux and sing it’s praises! Consider the attributes of Merlot: It’s a “noble grape,” like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. It’s the only grape in a bottle of Château Petrus, the most expensive wine produced in Bordeaux. But the best argument for Merlot is that, when well made, it is a wine that is low in tannins, soft and voluptuous on the palate, and yet rich and filled with complexity and nuance. In this case, with a bit of Cab in the mix you get great balance. The soft Merlot and the firm Cabernet bring out the best in each other. So let’s give Merlot a break and enjoy it openly! This bottle is a good place to start.

Aroma and taste:

This is an easy bottle to like – aromas of earth, Round, silky texture  and a lot of brambly black fruit, plums, and black cherries welcome you in. The wine is dry and clean in the mouth with flavors of dark berry fruit. Black raspberry, cassis, and mint notes keep it fresh and expressive. The wine is having hints of coffee and mocha come through polished and smooth, tannins are fine and well integrated. It’s a Bordeaux bottling you don’t have to wait to enjoy; it’s quite drinkable now and a very food friendly bottle. You can match this wine up with anything from burgers to duck confit. Try our recipe for Stuffed Acorn Squash. The earthy sweetness of the squash is a nice compliment to the wines dryness. It also makes a fantastic side dish for Thanksgiving or a nice Vegetarian main.

Glenfiddich Millennium Vintage 2012 (70cl, 43.0%)

Glenfiddich Millennium Bottling Note

The guys at Glenfiddich laid down a number of casks in the year 2000 and have bottled a selection of these in 2012 for the travel retail market. This whisky is a richer style of the Glenfiddich twelve year old we know and love.smells Stewing granny smith apples, with tangerine peel and golden syrup.

taste like The palate is filled with apples and soft pears covered in chocolate sauce.

Finished off with The finish is clean with notes of coconut and poached pears.

Overall: Not dissimilar to the standard twelve year old but the aroma is richer and it has more weight on the palate. A fun alternative, get it while it lasts

The Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve 1L(100cl, 40.0%) 

Glenlivet Master Bottling Note

A wonderful Glenlivet, launched for Travel Retail. This was launched in honor of Alan Winchester, who has been master distiller at the distillery since 2009. He created this whisky with European oak butts and first-fill American barrels as well as refill hoggies. Lovely stuff.

 

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old (70cl, 40.0%)

The entry level bottling from the illustrious Glenlivet distillery at Speyside's heart, aged for 12 years. The archetypal Speyside dram, honey and orchard fruit driven. heavenly smell of Sweet creamy vanilla, honey,  of  pineapple, vanilla, pressed apples and a little cinnamon. Tongue sense Apple cores, fresh and fruity trifle and creamy citrus. Finished off with Long and delicious, almonds and apple.

Overall: One of the best selling malts in the world, well-worth re-visiting.

Highland Whiskey

As a very vague rule of thumb, the Highlands region is one of big-bodied whiskies, often peated and smoky, often very powerful. The Highlands is such a large, diverse region that is difficult to categorize their whiskies accurately. Technically speaking, the Islands has not been officially recognized as a region of its own and, as such, is included in the Highlands appellation. For the sake of precise classification, we shall choose to note the separation.

It is worth looking at the subcategories within the Highlands, typically broken down into the cardinal compass points. The Northern Highlands is an area of big-bodied, cereal rich, sweet and mouth-filling whiskies. Noteworthy examples are The Dalmore from Alness in Ross-shire, whose single malts are rich and sherries with honeyed sweetness and, of course, Glenmorangie, whose full-bodied whiskies are among the world’s best-selling. The Southern Highlands produces lighter, fruitier and drier whiskies. Edradour and Aberfeldy are good examples. The Eastern Highlands proffers full-bodied, dry, well-fruited single malts. Glen Garioch whiskies are wonderful examples; their twenty-one year-old is a personal favorite with its beautiful fruit and smoke. The Western Highlands locale is one of full-bodied, powerful single malts, peated and smoky. Oban is a wonderful example and Dalwhinnie consistently amazes.

Old Pulteney Noss Head 1L

Named for the Noss Head lighthouse, which you might see if you venture far enough north (it's near Wick), this Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whiskey was released as part of a travel retail series in 2013. It's an American oak ex-bourbon-cask matured expression, packed with spicy pepper, succulent orchard fruit and touches of fragrant oak

Old Pulteney Navigator Bottling Note

What's that we spy off the starboard side? It's a new single malt whiskey from Old Pulteney! The Navigator is a maritime malt aged in a mix of ex-sherry and bourbon casks in celebration of the distillery's history with the ocean and the old sea dogs that sail it. Sweet, succulent apple lashings  with dollops of chocolate and vanilla tastes Drips of honey and syrupy orange.finished off with

A salty finish sneaks up from nowhere, very nice. received 2014 silver distiller award.