motte's Profile
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I drink wine because I'm a poet, and perhaps an actor. All goes hand in hand. Oh, and because I'm at school, and one has to drink SOMETHING, right? I also love craft brews, but that's another story. I write and I cook and I listen to a lot of music, which are all good reasons to have a glass in one's hand. I don't like wines that taste expensive; I like wines that taste GOOD. If it's possible to be a connoisseur of $10 Spanish reds, that'll be me in a couple of years. I look for slightly-spicy, food-friendly eccentricity (the Dogfish Heads of the wine world). I bake bread; I almost always take wine with naturally-leavened toast, cheese (local-but-rarely-cheddar; this is Vermont and I'm no tourist), and a book. Need vegetarian/vegan recipes? I'll oblige. Book recs? That too. Wine? I'm no expert, but I have opinions. I speak Spanish. I'm writing my thesis (partly in Spanish) on radical critical pedagogy and socially transformative performance. You can always ask me about any of that, too.
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Recent Reviews & Comments
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2007 Monte Oton Garnacha
(2008-12-17 16:59:00 UTC)
2007 Monte Oton Garnacha
85/100
This stuff goes down like juice, which is just fine for the price tag. Quality-to-price, I'm impressed, but not wowed. Super-fruity with more sugar than I'd like. Very smooth. Distinct bright red cherry and currant flavors--like candy. Not at all bad; might pick up another bottle as an inexpensive back-up for parties.
2007 High Note Elevated Malbec
(2008-10-15 12:35:42 UTC)
2007 High Note Elevated Malbec
87/100
Ordered a glass with dinner last night (note: it was a pretty uninspired wine list). I wasn't expecting much, but it was actually rather nice. Big nose wafting out of the glass before I even touched it: more sugar than alcohol, like ripe berries sitting out in the sun. Somewhat jammy, with a bit too much sugar residue for my taste, but not cloying by any means. Very smooth, surprisingly so for such a young wine. Definite anise/fennel notes which gave it a licorice character.
2002 Di Majo Norante Contado Aglianico
(2008-10-09 22:06:28 UTC)
2002 Di Majo Norante Contado Aglianico
92/100
Opened this one as a special treat a couple weeks ago, and a treat it was. What I remember: rich and ripe, not overly fruity, wonderfully mouth-filling. Nice meaty flavor, reminds me of a piece of game roasted with plums and cherries. Maybe even some cocoa and coffee in there. Smooth finish, long enough to keep things interesting.
2005 Pablo Menguante Tempranillo
(2008-10-09 21:55:26 UTC)
2005 Pablo Menguante Tempranillo
82/100
Very smokey nose, almost charred. This is a gamey wine, a little astringent. Not nearly as elegant or fun as the Menguante Garnacha, which I love dearly. I'll see if this mellows out after a little air-time, but at the moment it strikes me as a bit too sharp and unbalanced.
2006 Domaine Paul Autard
(2008-10-03 21:01:15 UTC)
2006 Domaine Paul Autard
85/100
A pleasant, polite little wine. Flavor profile is decidedly French, with herbal and vegetal notes (bell pepper, celery) and some understated spice on the finish. Medium body, goes down smooth for a less-than-$10 bottle--perfect for a weeknight dinner. No fireworks here, but it is decidedly interesting and worth coming back for a second glass.
2005 2005 Big House Red
(2008-09-24 16:11:21 UTC)
2005 2005 Big House Red
79/100
Thin, acidic, mass-produced. Something metallic going on in there, too. An unimpressive blend that fails to deliver a distinct profile. No backbone.
2006 Pillar Box Red
(2008-09-24 16:03:29 UTC)
2006 Pillar Box Red
86/100
Fruit Bomb? You Bet. Hedonistic and easy drinking and not a bit sophisticated. Some are calling the mouthfeel on this one "silky"--I'd call it slick and viscous and syrupy. Up front flavors of candied apple and red licorice. Definitely red licorice. I don't dislike this wine. I might buy it again, because it's fun and packs a punch. But it's difficult to pair with food, thanks to the serious sugar residue. There was certainly some complexity here, but all the jammy-jelly-preserved fruitiness made it hard to pay attention to nuance.
2005 Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache
(2008-09-24 15:53:16 UTC)
2005 Vina Alarba Old Vines Grenache
86/100
Solid grenache from the get-go. Uncorking the bottle, I got a huge sweet fruity bouquet. This thing has a helluva nose! Purple-y color, not opaque, medium body. First pour was heavy on alcohol, better after it settled down a few hours later. Predominant flavors are ripe fruit, particularly cherry and plum. Distinctive zingy pepper on the finish--yum. The second evening (half bottle left over), I started picking up some buttery and gamey notes that I really enjoyed.
2006 Altos de la Hoya Monastrell
(2008-06-26 02:25:23 UTC)
2006 Altos de la Hoya Monastrell
88/100
Recommended to me by a great wine guy who really knows Spain. I was underwhelmed. Just not all that memorable. Fruity, yes. Peppery, yes. I wanted a little more body and a little more finish.
2005 Yard Dog 2005
(2008-06-26 02:11:46 UTC)
2005 Yard Dog 2005
79/100
Enh. This one has a rather viscous melon flavor to it. Didn't find it as crisp and refreshing as I would have liked. Not too sweet, but just too heavy for me in a white wine. I love their Red, which is also a meatier-than-average wine, but full-bodied just isn't what I'm looking for in a white, especially when it comes with that overripe cantaloupe taste.
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