Vina Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Vina Santa Rita Medalla Real Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (SKU 275594, $21.61)

I found this wine on sale ($2 off) at the liquor store and decided to give it a try, remembering the better vintages in 2004 to 2006. There was no Wine Spectator rating at the time of writing. When opened, the nose was fruity and full. However the palate was just so so, with a lot of tannin, light body and definitely short on the finish. I paired it with some beef and it tasted better. At most it tasted like a 85 point wine. Then on the second evening, it tasted more fruity and the palate was more full. The finish seemed to have extended. Then it tasted like a 88 point wine. This wine is best paired with some hearty red meat. On the third night, it tasted more smooth, losing the sharp edge in taste but gaining in the mid palate. This would suggest that the wine is not quite ready and would benefit from a few more years in the cellar. If you have to open it now, make sure you decant it for at least two hours. The sale price is good until October 31, 2015. There is ample supply in the liquor stores.

Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva 2011

Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva 2011 (SKU 107276, WS90, $25.29 tax included)
I bought this wine as a guide for the 3 litre bottle of the 2010 vintage. It was a typical chianti which was light on the nose and palate at first. The wine was dry, so it should be enjoyed with some Italian food. It firmed up after a couple of hours and was perfectly enjoyable on its own. I have to tell you about the 3 litre bottle of the 2010 vintage. I opened a bottle at a special dinner at Oru, Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. It was decanted for two hours and went perfectly well with the beef tenderloin. The leftover tasted even better the next evening, suggesting that the large format was not ready for current consumption. With the regular bottle, it can be opened now or enjoyed in the next five years. There is ample supply in the liquor stores.