Charine Tan

8.6

A wonderful medium-bodied varietal wine made of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes harvested from the almost-desert Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico. Initial nose is a cool-climate Cab's aroma--dominated by black and blue berries, black pepper, and tar, with hints of incense, leather, and a citrusy perfume. Aroma smells a tad acidic and has a bit of heat but on the palate, it's nothing of that sort. In the mouth, it's a medium plus-bodied wine with young but expressive texture, more red fruit than the aroma, sweet tobacco, dirt and a very refined balance. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.3

Mouvedre (aka Bandol from France, Monastrell and Jumilla from Spain) is one of my all-time faves.

P125 is the label name and also stands for Peso 125 (less than USD 7), which was the original price of all the wines made under this label. The wines are now retailing at 150 Peso, but the objective remains: to make wine accessible to the majority and to expose more people to wine.

This Mouvedre starts off with smoke, meat, gravel, and raspberry characteristics, and slowly moves into more dark fruit, black pepper and a hint of rose. It's savoury yet it still holds on to the fruit flavours. The structure and balance are fine. A delicious dinner wine at a great price! — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

7.3

Another powerhouse of intensity that's not for everyone. It's a big wine that has the maderised characteristics. Nose has a lot of chocolate, red chili pepper, dried prune, red fruit, and cumin. On the palate, it's huge, it's juicy, it's savory, it tastes like salted game. It works for me tonight but I probably won't want it again. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

9.2

If the world is my oyster, then Matalj Kremen Kamen is the pearl that I'm set out to extract. This wine is THE cult wine of Serbia. It's so hard to score a bottle; the entire process of extraction is documented on Facebook.com/ExoWineTravel, if you're interested to read the backstory.

Tasting Notes -
Medium bodied wine with brick red tone. Nose: Black fruit, plum, violet, tobacco, leather, and a hint of vanilla-flower perfumy smell. Sensational aroma that opens up gradually and elegantly, engulfing every part of my nose. Palate: To me, it has a faultless structure--the entire taste is driven by fruit flavours, from front to mid and end palate; sweet, chewy tannins kick in on mid palate and stay till the very end. Ripe plum, black fruit and black pepper mostly in the mouth, propelled by prominent minerality. End palate is extremely long--I stopped counting after 15 seconds--with round, spicy, sweet and powerful tannins.

Definitely one of the very best wines from Serbia. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.8

Blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 months in oak barrels.

Backstory: The winemaker at Torres Alegre is one of the few (two or three) in the valley that were trained in Bordeaux and deck the "Dr." title before his name. On the ground, it seems like the winery is most known for their Cabernet Franc (blended with Merlot). I tried the Cabernet Franc (a 2005 vintage that has aged wonderfully and expresses all the flavours that one would appreciate in a Chinon) and about 10 other wines. All were well-made and impressive. Interestingly, I couldn't figure out a distinct personality from the wines. From the blends to Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Nebbiolo, all the wines expressed an excellent interpretation of each variety yet seem to lack a sense of belonging or a consistent theme across the portfolio. Does that make sense to anyone? I appreciated everything I tasted yet was a tad baffled because I couldn't pinpoint the style and preference of the winemaker. Regardless, Torres Alegre certainly produces memorable wines and I'd highly recommend this winery. I choose to share about the Rosé instead of the rest of the wines tasted for two reasons. First, I don't like Rosé but every once in a while a Rosé shows up and challenges me with a new realm of possibilities, this Rosé did that. Second, I had this Rosé after tasting about 10 different wines, it was meant to be a palate cleanser. Who'd have thought that the cheapest wine in the portfolio impressed me so much that I felt compelled to tell more people about this effort!

Tasting notes: Nose - white peach, lychee, strawberry, fresh mint, cotton candy and a slight hint of watermelon. EXCEPTIONAL AROMA! Palate: More straightforward than the aroma - strawberry- and mint- dominant with, again, a hint of watermelon. Notable body, like a light red wine, and a very dry finish. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.6

A blend of 81% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Chenin Blanc, 7% Chardonnay, 1% Viognier, this white wine has a subtle yet aromatic aroma. A bit of funk notes, which might have came from the open- top plastic fermentation method used on all wines made by Vena Cava. On the palate, it is full-bodied yet incredibly refreshing, with citrus notes. I love the lime & grapefruit finish of this wine. It freshens up tastebuds in the right way for the next mouthful of flavors from the ocean. Extra points for challenging the typicity of a young Sauvignon Blanc. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.7

Nose - A shy aroma that needs a few minutes and hard swirls to open up. Once fully present, it is dominated by melon, white flowers, and powdery vanilla scent. Taste - Rich and creamy mouthfeel, tropical fruits, peach, flint and high acidity. Expect an explosive sensation on the mid palate driven by the acidity and tropical fruit taste, and an enduring finish. A nice cross between a Cali oaked Chardonnay and a restrained, earthy Burgundy white. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

6.8

Wasn't expecting to enjoy this but bought it anyway because I had never seen a dry red varietal wine made from Cinsault. Appreciate if anyone can weigh in on the typicality of this wine!

Tasting notes -
Colour: Garnet with some clarity. Aroma: Rose, bruised black cherry, dirt, plastic. Taste: Mixed berry jam and savoury brown spice. Spicy, woodsmoke finish. Structure: Medium-plus acidity. Medium-bodied with lush texture. Wine shows up bigger on the palate. Evidence of over-extraction.
Conclusion: Wine lacks structure and finesse. Flavors taste overripe and flat. I don't know if the plastic-paint aroma is intrinsic but in any case I am absolutely not fond of that characteristic.

Technical notes - Made by esteemed Mexican winemaker Hugo d'Acosta from Casa de Piedra. No information on fermentation, maceration, and oaking process. Hot-climate wine from Mexico, unspecified vineyard. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.8

Chardonnay is one of the most commendable wines coming out of Serbia.

Notes: High viscosity with an inviting bright yellow tone. Bold aromas of cedar, vanilla, pear and spice. A smell that bears resemblance to a young ruby Port. Buttery, rich texture driven by the taste of pear, star fruit, almond, apricot kernel, and elderflower. A wine best savored on its own or for a me-time of deep thoughts. — 8 years ago

Charine Tan

8.6

Light-medium bodied wine with medium-plus acidity. Sour cherry, raspberry, leather, vanilla bean, and perfume on the nose. Red fruit on the palate with a bright fruit spike in the mid palate. Long stone finish, powered by prominent acidity and young but not overbearing tannins. Tight structure and elegant aroma that remind me of a Burgundy. One of the most well-made "exotic wine" I've tasted. — 8 years ago