May 9, 2012

Chardonnay. So often velocitized by toasted oak that a rise against it became known as the ABC movement. Trust me, Chardonnay is back and like City TV (thank you JB), it’s everywhere. The C-magnet. The new Sauvignon Blanc. My top two recommendations to drink with mom this Sunday adhere to the new credo. The new C.

The Vintages May 12th release springs west to champion the obvious, a collection of celebrity aces in the hole. California. ”I don’t know this sea of neon.” Look close and there suns some legends of the fall. The Sunshine State had been, until recent times, on a serious, red-hot roll. Today’s refrain “California rest in peace, simultaneous release” may word petty tom foolery but balance be thy name where are you? Sweet Cabs and Zins, you’re jammin’ me, can’t you see? “Take back your ups and downs of your life in raisin-land.” That said, I did taste some exceptional reds at April’s California Wine Fair (Signorello Padrone, Duckhorn Merlot, Flowers Pinot Noir, Heitz Trailside Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin Isoceles, Lauren Glen Cabernet Sauvignon). My favourite Californian here is white, graces the catalogue’s cover and fittingly bears a legendary name from a vineyard paying homage to one of the earliest examples of American fiction.

Talbott Logan Estate Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 (716290, $26.95) alights on the lighter side of Chardonnay’s street. A morning’s faint buttered toast and a banana cream shake. An understatement of CVR** importance. Near decapitation by an abrupt craning of the fruit remains the only deterrant. Still, Washington Irving would dudely abide.  90

Talbott Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay 2009

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010 (738393, $17.95) will be your best IVR* bet for Chardonnay day on May 26. Wild yeasts make cause for a weird resemblance, reminiscent of February’s Furmint. Delicate, expressive and unusual, the mint flint, brioche and smoked pineapple effect leads to thoughts of Blancs de Blancs. A little malo just might turn this into good bubbly!  89

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010

Other wines tasted:

Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat (963488, 375 mL, $24.95) the fortified Aussie sticky is liquid toffee in a glass. Apricots dominate the caramelized and poached stone fruit ideology.  ”It’s a floor polish. It’s a dessert topping.” A shimmering, Saturday night should end well at this lively museum.  89

Domaine Chenevières Chablis 2010 (277913, $19.95) winds Fourme d‘Ambert and the odd combo tang of apple pizza. Ripe mastica in need of root vegetables, or salsify pasta.  86

Domaine Jean-Pierre Sève Terrior Pouilly-Fuissé 2009 (681056, $23.95) the freshmaker emphasizes land-driven Chardonnay fruit over oak and local Solutré minerality, all wrapped up in Pouilly’s fatness. Lemon yellow, mint julep with a touch of relegated green vegetal calme.  87

Geil Bechtheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett 2011 (994764, $14.95) offers a sneak peak at the hyped ’11 German vintage. Sweeter rank than expected with red apple skin rubbed by citrus acidity. For garden sipping amidst the roses.  86

Hidden Bench Terrior Caché Meritage 2008 (505610, $35.20) displays that distinct Silurian charcoal and calciferous bedded limestone of the Beamsville terrior.  Right bank Merlot driven brawn and unusual yet effective Szechuan black bean and hoisin. Give this Niagara red a JJ from Good Times, kid do-lo-mite!  88

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Red Label Zinfandel 2009 (708289, $19.95) gobs sticky, blanched blackberry and petrol-scented Italianate metal. Foot stuck squarely on the pedal.  84

Gallo Family Frei Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (555607, $38.95) sports Coonawarra-like menthol and eucalyptus, along with vanilla bean and a sweet mulberry chalkiness. Pointed, poised, surprisingly resourceful and long.  89

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (45476, $84.95) should borrow a page from the book of Nash, move on from the point and take on a GM position. Lush fruit on the wane, grip on the ball loosening. Can still pass with the best but no longer a scorer.  88-90

Majella The Musician Cabernet/Shiraz 2010 (142018, $19.95) the good egg is fine tuned and a classic example of the Coonawarra locale. “I can’t pretend there’s any meaning here or in the things I’m saying” but I can say this CS will cris-cross the tongue like a Nicky Hopkins finger roll.  88

Les Ormes De Pez 2008 (133819, $43.00) is tough as nails. Attacks the mouth and vacuums out all moisture. St-Estephe in a seersucker suit. Formidable tannins but perhaps not as ripe as will be needed when integration happens.  87-88

Bellaria Assunto Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (206854, $36.95) the cheep and cheerful Sangiovese Grosso is light and lithe for the appellation. Opaque purple but don’t be fooled by body or colour. Underlying firm and unforgiving backbone lurks in its shadows. Big potential.  88-90

Chapillon Cuvée Rémy 2007 (271114, $18.95) gets the nod for red IVR* wine of the release. A rare feat at this price out of Spain’s Priorat. Hue of bunsen burner blue. Sanguine Kirsch aroma mitigated by citrus. Teeth teeter on a tethered, tannic rope. Mullioned window to a fabled, Iberian land of vinous greatness.  89

Château La Tour De L’évêque Rosé 2010 (319392, $18.95) initiates a Strawberry response, of course. Subtle, faint pink tinge yet viscous, I could drink this by the bucketful. At once cloudy and then see through. “You thought that I would need a crystal ball to see right through the haze.” Could spot this one from a mile away.  88

Mas Des Bressades Cuvée Tradition Rosé 2011 (950576, $13.95) remains the best deal in southern French pink juice. Lacks the feminine complexity of the La Tour but succeeds as a rosé cocktail all on its own. Melons and berries on the sweet finish.  86

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

Good to go!

May 9, 2012

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/05/09/vintages-may-12-2012-wines-for-mothers-day/

Chardonnay. So often velocitized by toasted oak that a rise against it became known as the ABC movement. Trust me, Chardonnay is back and like City TV (thank you JB), it’s everywhere. The C-magnet. The new Sauvignon Blanc. My top two recommendations to drink with mom this Sunday adhere to the new credo. The new C.

The Vintages May 12th release springs west to champion the obvious, a collection of celebrity aces in the hole. California. ”I don’t know this sea of neon.” Look close and there suns some legends of the fall. The Sunshine State had been, until recent times, on a serious, red-hot roll. Today’s refrain “California rest in peace, simultaneous release” may word petty tom foolery but balance be thy name where are you? Sweet Cabs and Zins, you’re jammin’ me, can’t you see? “Take back your ups and downs of your life in raisin-land.” That said, I did taste some exceptional reds at April’s California Wine Fair (Signorello Padrone, Duckhorn Merlot, Flowers Pinot Noir, Heitz Trailside Cabernet Sauvignon, Justin Isoceles, Lauren Glen Cabernet Sauvignon). My favourite Californian here is white, graces the catalogue’s cover and fittingly bears a legendary name from a vineyard paying homage to one of the earliest examples of American fiction.

Talbott Logan Estate Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 (716290, $26.95) alights on the lighter side of Chardonnay’s street. A morning’s faint buttered toast and a banana cream shake. An understatement of CVR** importance. Near decapitation by an abrupt craning of the fruit remains the only deterrant. Still, Washington Irving would dudely abide.  90

Talbott Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay 2009

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010 (738393, $17.95) will be your best IVR* bet for Chardonnay day on May 26. Wild yeasts make cause for a weird resemblance, reminiscent of February’s Furmint. Delicate, expressive and unusual, the mint flint, brioche and smoked pineapple effect leads to thoughts of Blancs de Blancs. A little malo just might turn this into good bubbly!  89

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2010

Other wines tasted:

Yalumba Museum Reserve Muscat (963488, 375 mL, $24.95) the fortified Aussie sticky is liquid toffee in a glass. Apricots dominate the caramelized and poached stone fruit ideology.  ”It’s a floor polish. It’s a dessert topping.” A shimmering, Saturday night should end well at this lively museum.  89

Domaine Chenevières Chablis 2010 (277913, $19.95) winds Fourme d‘Ambert and the odd combo tang of apple pizza. Ripe mastica in need of root vegetables, or salsify pasta.  86

Domaine Jean-Pierre Sève Terrior Pouilly-Fuissé 2009 (681056, $23.95) the freshmaker emphasizes land-driven Chardonnay fruit over oak and local Solutré minerality, all wrapped up in Pouilly’s fatness. Lemon yellow, mint julep with a touch of relegated green vegetal calme.  87

Geil Bechtheimer Rosengarten Riesling Kabinett 2011 (994764, $14.95) offers a sneak peak at the hyped ’11 German vintage. Sweeter rank than expected with red apple skin rubbed by citrus acidity. For garden sipping amidst the roses.  86

Hidden Bench Terrior Caché Meritage 2008 (505610, $35.20) displays that distinct Silurian charcoal and calciferous bedded limestone of the Beamsville terrior.  Right bank Merlot driven brawn and unusual yet effective Szechuan black bean and hoisin. Give this Niagara red a JJ from Good Times, kid do-lo-mite!  88

Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Red Label Zinfandel 2009 (708289, $19.95) gobs sticky, blanched blackberry and petrol-scented Italianate metal. Foot stuck squarely on the pedal.  84

Gallo Family Frei Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (555607, $38.95) sports Coonawarra-like menthol and eucalyptus, along with vanilla bean and a sweet mulberry chalkiness. Pointed, poised, surprisingly resourceful and long.  89

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (45476, $84.95) should borrow a page from the book of Nash, move on from the point and take on a GM position. Lush fruit on the wane, grip on the ball loosening. Can still pass with the best but no longer a scorer.  88-90

Majella The Musician Cabernet/Shiraz 2010 (142018, $19.95) the good egg is fine tuned and a classic example of the Coonawarra locale. “I can’t pretend there’s any meaning here or in the things I’m saying” but I can say this CS will cris-cross the tongue like a Nicky Hopkins finger roll.  88

Les Ormes De Pez 2008 (133819, $43.00) is tough as nails. Attacks the mouth and vacuums out all moisture. St-Estephe in a seersucker suit. Formidable tannins but perhaps not as ripe as will be needed when integration happens.  87-88

Bellaria Assunto Brunello di Montalcino 2006 (206854, $36.95) the cheep and cheerful Sangiovese Grosso is light and lithe for the appellation. Opaque purple but don’t be fooled by body or colour. Underlying firm and unforgiving backbone lurks in its shadows. Big potential.  88-90

Chapillon Cuvée Rémy 2007 (271114, $18.95) gets the nod for red IVR* wine of the release. A rare feat at this price out of Spain’s Priorat. Hue of bunsen burner blue. Sanguine Kirsch aroma mitigated by citrus. Teeth teeter on a tethered, tannic rope. Mullioned window to a fabled, Iberian land of vinous greatness.  89

Château La Tour De L’évêque Rosé 2010 (319392, $18.95) initiates a Strawberry response, of course. Subtle, faint pink tinge yet viscous, I could drink this by the bucketful. At once cloudy and then see through. “You thought that I would need a crystal ball to see right through the haze.” Could spot this one from a mile away.  88

Mas Des Bressades Cuvée Tradition Rosé 2011 (950576, $13.95) remains the best deal in southern French pink juice. Lacks the feminine complexity of the La Tour but succeeds as a rosé cocktail all on its own. Melons and berries on the sweet finish.  86

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Intrigue-To-Value Ratio

Good to go!

Pour ceux qui ont la chance d’y transiter ou de passer quelques jours dans cette merveilleuse ville d’eau qu’est Amsterdam, cette adresse est immanquable!

 5 ans après l’ouverture, le lieux reste pétri de modernité.

La carte des vins est irréprochable. La sélection, très internationale est merveilleuse. On y retrouve des maisons très connues du grand public à l’international mais aussi des maisons plus confidentielles comme la maison de Champagne Jaquesson, que j’adore et le Château Charmail dont je vous ai parlé il y a peu!

Nous avons dégusté :

• Un Grüner Veltliner autrichien à l’acidité n’enlevant rien au merveilleuses notes fruitées se mariant parfaitement avec le fromage français qui nous était servi.
• Un sylvaner allemand sur des notes de poires de chez Hans Wirsching, tellement gourmand…
• Un Cirò de chez Librandi, parfait avec la charcuterie italienne proposée!
• Pour finir, un merveilleux priorat a offert à nos palais une plénitude exquise.

A ne pas rater!

Vyne
Prinsengracht 411,
Amsterdam

Tél : +31 20 3446408

www.vyne.nl/

//

If you happen to spend a few days in Amsterdam, don’t miss this place ! 

5 years after its opening, you could still believe it is its first day!

The wine list is amazing. You can find internationally known references but also more confidential wine and appellations such as Champagne Jaquesson, that I really love or Château Charmail that I talked to you about a few weeks ago.

We tasted a few good wines there:

• An Austrian Grüner Veltliner with a high level of acidity and  great fruit flavours pairing wonderfully wirth the French cheeses served.
• A German Sylvaner by Hans Wirsching with beautiful pear notes…
• A Cirò by Librandi, perfect pairing with Italian charcuterie!
• To finish with, a great Priorat so full bodied that our palates still remember the feeling we had!

Vyne
Prinsengracht 411,
Amsterdam

Tél : +31 20 3446408

www.vyne.nl/

Chapillon, Rêves 2006 – Priorat DOQ – 40% crack Carignan 35% Garnacha and 25% Syrah.
Black berry, cedar box, black olive and spice on the nose. A dense palate of rich dark berry fruit and smokey oak and tobacco. Finish isn’t super long, and it’s not got much more time left but hey it’s nine bucks.

Went great with my carnitas, rice and salsa verde.
The Trader Joe’s wine buyers have done themselves well here!

Pangaea Upstairs Dining Room

 April 24, 2012

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/04/27/triassic-tasting-at-pangaea/

Pangaea Restaurant, 1221 Bay Street, (416) 920-2323

Chef du Cuisine: Derek Bendig, Sommelier and Manager: Benjamin Hardy

The group of seven. Sorry. Not THE Group of Seven. This group of seven. Our new format is really taking shape. We no longer each bring wine from cellar to share. Now one leader, one cellar, nine wines. Plenty to share with Mr.’s Hardy, Bendig and crew. Seamless sally forth through five courses. Godspeed to Pangaea for an all out effort in syncopated rhythm. This tasting the high water mark (of the new era) to date, with no disrespect to what came before, but the senescence has reached the early stages of maturity. Laud and applaud to AZ for coordinating food and wine synergy. A coup de foudre from the get go.  

Nine Wine Night

Amuse Bouche, radish ‘ravioli’ stuffed with chèvre, tomato, basil

Chef’s Creek (Fanny’s Bay, Vancouver Island) Oysters, on the half shell, horseradish, lemon, shallot mignonette

1. Peninsula Ridge Fumé Blanc 2008 wants to be 1er Cru Chablis in my universe but sweats heat and spice, “green cardamom pod and roasted salsify,” adds AM. Nutty lemon custard and did someone say Boxwood? Not quite Sauvignon Blanc but PR brings out enough mineral to do this style proud up on the Bench.  88
2. Domaine De Congy Cuvée Les Galfins Pouilly Fumé 2009 tasted blind is undoubtedly old world but the lack of grass and oak leads me to Muscadet. Wrong! Oh the marl and fossilized oysters of it all! More Sauvignon Blanc to confront my tasting demons. Solid, if not as cursive as the PR.  87

Ahi Tuna Tataki, seared tuna, blood orange and fennel salad, avocado pureé

1. See Ya Later Ranch Brut NV strikes a match from the outset and never wavers. The other MG senses After Eights but for me that possibility is smothered by a leesy, cheesy lard maigre et fromage. Gismondi calls this BC bubbly “a Champagne ringer.” Not so much. Flat finish so s’ya later, “s’alright ma’, i’m only sighing.” Just tasting.  85

Intermezzo, grapefruit and tarragon flavoured ice

Quebec Duck Breast, pan-roasted, seasonal vegetables, potato rösti, game jus

1. Fontanabianca Barbaresco Sori Burdin 2004 the blessed and confounded queen Nebbiolo is the totipotent master of the moment. Italianate yet without animale, rosy cheeked and impossibly elegant, it still manages to anesthetize the mouth. So pretty it hurts. Along with the Sori Paitin, easily the best value in Barbaresco. On this night my allegiance is to the queen.  92
2. Renatto Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2004 of the famiglie Pola e Ferro is polar as compared to the non of the Burdin. AM and D nose “car exhaust.” I am tricked by its charm and think New World Syrah, but am reminded that the colour lacks gloom. Hugely muscular, girded by plastron and decades ahead of itself. “Leave it open all night and it’ll be amazing” says Dr. C.  91
3. D’arenberg Ironstone Pressings 2001 holds the title of GSM pop star of the Mclaren Vale. Eponymous iron filings and pressed fruit roll up. A mixed bag of Grenache, Syrah and Mataro, the IP’s warm, berry and balsamwood address is veiled by a touch of oxidation. “Stinky feet” corrects AM. Good integration of fruit, acidity and tannin present proper balance.  90
4. Mas Doix Salanques 2006 is a revelation. A Pegau-esque perfume aux gasseuse leans Rhône but an amazing (65%) Garnacha sweetness veers Priorat. Iodine (Syrah and Carignan) of black slate soil, tar, smoked meat and bacon. A Parker and Galloni thesaurus of descriptors must be bequeathed on this candied (Merlot) wine loaded with acidity in magnums.  CVR** WOTN.  93

House Made Cheeses, goat camembert, blue haze, cloth bound cheddar, truffle tomme

1. Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 1998 would be my wine of choice walking a boulder strewn vineyard on a misty morning in the Southern Rhône. Expressions are hurled around the table, “candified Pinot nose” and “tutti frutti.” For Beaucastel? I can’t believe the tripartite fruit freshness, ambient funk immersion and pencil lead sharpness. This ’98 is ”light as a feather, heavy as lead.” The Beaucastel will brighten up your tomorrow. WOTN  96
2. Tablas Creek Espit de Beaucastel 2008 the worthy adversary is just a dude from California. A honey pot of stewed prunes and “Seville oranges” notes the quote machine. A sinkhole of 38% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 26% Syrah and 6% Cunoise, the Esprit does admirable expatriate yeoman’s work and I wouldn’t even think of marking it zero.  88

Tasting Table

IVR* – Vintage Direct Intrigue-to-Value Ratio

CVR** – Vintage Direct Curiosity-to-Value Ratio

Good to go!

Torres is a brand that everyone will be reasonably familiar with because the wines appear on almost every supermarket, convenience store and wine shop shelf in Europe. Despite their market presence, I could’ve counted on one hand the amount of different Torres wines I’d tasted before this event and deep down I suppose I wondered whether there could be anything really exciting or interesting to be found in such a broad and well-known portfolio. I’m happy to report my pre-conceptions were, in the main, unfounded. Almost all of the wines tasted were enjoyable expressions of  their grape and region and, to my mind at least, seemed very competitively priced. Two wines in particular really grabbed my attention though.

Salmos 2009 (Garnacha Tinta, Syrah and Carinena, RSP €24.89) – I really liked this wine with its nose of sweet, ripe bramble fruits and spices. Although I thought it was ever so slightly hot on the finish alcohol-wise, this didn’t detract from the enjoyable and persistent, brooding blackberry fruit characteristic that emerged on the palate.

Mas La Plana 2007 (Cabernet Sauvignon, RSP €37.95) – Despite the famous reputation of this wine, it was one of the offerings from the portfolio that I hadn’t tasted previously. The 2007 vintage showed smoky blackcurrant, plum and damson fruits all enveloped by warming oak spices and gentle, but chewy tannins. Excellent. Amazingly, Tesco were recently selling this for €15 a bottle in Ireland if you bought six*, which seems absolutely astonishing value for a wine of this quality.

The real highlight of the tasting for me was chatting to Miguel about the direction of the Torres brand. I’ve written before about the passion winemakers have for the environment, but with Miguel Torres this was on another level entirely. Already buying land at higher altitudes in anticipation of  temperature shifts in the years ahead, Miguel was heading off after the tasting to speak at The Observer’s Festival of Ideas to address the delegates on the future of wine in the context of global warming.

I also picked Miguel’s brain on the reduced alcohol Natureo white wine (0.5% alc). I had heard a little about this wine previously and naively assumed that this might be some sort of pious crusade to minimize alcohol intake among wine drinkers. I was refreshed to hear that Torres aren’t actually trying to change my drinking habits at all but instead are offering an alternative for people who can’t/don’t wish to consume alcohol. As I’m not a member of that cohort myself, I had never even considered the huge market share which could be captured by a winery producing high quality, low alcohol wine. Undoubtedly, many have tried such an approach before but after talking to Miguel for a while, and getting a sense of his enthusiasm for the project, I’m willing to lay a bet on who will be the first to succeed!

Image courtesy of Findlaters Wine and Spirit Group who organised this event. The Torres wines are widely available in Ireland.

Edit: *Multibuy discount, reduced price for individual bottles – €20

Alvaro Palacios

Sponsored by Woodman Wine and Spirits, the latest WineAlign event featured the wines of Spanish winemaker, Alvaro Palacios. The evening was held at the Spoke Club, located in the trendy downtown Toronto King West district.

The flight – get ready!

This was a more formal structured tasting of ten wines from three regions of Spain, followed by a tapas reception. We were in for a treat because Alvaro himself conducted the tasting. He kept all of us eager vinophiles engaged as he explained, in great detail, the wine history of Spain and his journey towards becoming a winemaker. Afterward, the reception provided an opportunity to meet the charming winemaker and other WineAlign members. While chatting with Alvaro, I discovered that he and I share an affinity for wine books (mine is really an obsession). Being the wine-book nerd that I am, I lugged my most recent purchase to the tasting and had him sign it. He gladly did with a sparkly silver marker. By the end of the night I found him sitting at a table flipping through the book admiring the pictures. Ah wine books…I just love them! If only I had time to read them all. In the meantime, they look very scholarly sitting on my bookshelf…

The Yummy Grape meets Alvaro Palacios, one of Spain’s most respected winemakers

If you want to read more about the event,
David Lawrason and John Szabo have a great article: blog.winealign.com/tag/alvaro-palacios

David Lawrason of WineAlign introducing the wines of Alvaro Palacios

After studying oenology in Bordeaux, and training under Jean-Pierre Moueix at the renowned Chateau Petrus, Alvaro returned to Spain and helped revolutionize Spanish wine.  He credits his experience in Bordeaux for much of his winemaking philosophy.  It showed him the “importance of great wines” and provided him with a key reference point for his own endeavours.  His wines have won him cult status and are highly respected by the wine press.  The Wine Spectator has called Alvaro “Spain’s Most Exciting Winemaker”, in 2003 Wine & Spirits Magazine named him their “Winemaker-of-the-Year” Decanter has called him “Spain’s most talked about winemaker”. – http://www.woodmanwineandspirits.com

Alvaro Palacios http://www.winesfromspain.com

About Alvaro Palacios on the Decanter website:

www.decanter.com/people-and-places/wine-articles/483732/alvaro-palacios-spanish-wanderer

Rioja us.riojawine.com

Rioja
From the influence of the Romans thousands of years ago to the innovations brought by Bordeaux, present day Rioja is the region most synonymous with Spain. Here, the Tempranillo grape is king of the reds and Virua exists as queen of the whites.

Priorat http://www.online.wsj.com

Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat

Priorat
This region become famous only recently. Old vines and steep terraces not only give way to picturesque views but the wines, modernized and re-invigorated by a group of young winemakers a couple of decades ago, are now highly sought after. Red wines are Grenache-based and often blended with Carignan. The use of international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon is often used as well in blending.

Alvaro Palacios, son of the Rioja family of the same name, was the most successful one of a group of pioneers who planted vines on the inhospitable slopes around Gratallops in the late 1980s. In doing so, he helped to change the perception of Priorat’s wines forever. - Eyewitness Companions “Wines of the World”

Bierzo http://www.winesfromspain.com

Bierzo
Situated in the northwestern part of Spain, this is one of the hot upcoming regions. The rugged landscape and high elevation suit the red Mencia grape which is often found on very old vines.

This wine comes through Vintages so keep an eye out

Wine Spectator Top 100 Most Exciting Wines of 2011 #26 
Petalos 2009

Alvaro Palacios built his legend on the stunning wines he has crafted from the farthest reaches of Spain, from Priorat to Bierzo. Palacios’ latest project features another rising star — the obscure Mencía grape. In the Bierzo appellation, perched in the Northwest corner of Spain, ancient Mencía vineyards emerge from the steepest of hillsides, their roots deeply set into unique, mineral-laden soils. Under the skilled hands of Palacios and his nephew, Ricardo Perez Palacios, the forgotten black grape (believed by some to be a cousin of Cabernet Franc), has achieved new heights. The 60- to 100 year-old vines yield less than one ton per acre, resulting in a most concentrated, unique expression of this variety and of the Bierzo terroir. – www.woodmanwinesandspirits.com

http://www.winealign.com

I urge you to join WineAlign. With excellent reviews by both critics and consumers, it’s a one-stop resource for all present and past wines at the LCBO. Plus the articles and videos are cool too! www.winealign.com

Me encanta el vino!

Check out the great portfolio of Woodman Wines and Spirits, including the wines of Alvaro Palacios: www.woodmanwinesandspirits.com

The Priorat area is best known for its wines,better even than wines from the Rioja. Vines were first grown in this area in the 12th century by monks from the Carthusian Monastery of Scala Dei but the vineyards were wiped out by a pest in the late 19th century. The vines were only replanted on the steep terraces in the 1950′s. Old-style Priorat wines were rough and massively alcoholic,but since the 90′s things have changed and now the best Priorat wines  are some of Spain’s most sought-after and expensive……and alcoholic……hic!

Alvaro currently makes wine in 3 very different Spanish wine regions – Priorat, Rioja, and Bierzo. There are certain ingredients Alvaro believes are necessary to make great wines and he looks for these when deciding on a new region to grow and craft his wines.  He believes that a monastic or religious background is very important. “Monks brought viticulture to a spiritual level,” he says, and he adds that the old monasteries “add a sense of mystery to the place.”

A traditional culture in the region is also important.  Alvaro told the crowd of wine professionals in Toronto earlier this week that “a traditional culture along with a special site makes magical wines.”  He has returned to traditional methods of cultivation by using an organic approach and by reverting to bush-trained vines, which he feels do better in the hot Spanish sun.

He admires French winemakers who understand the importance of vineyard sites, or crus, and who have developed some of these sites for centuries, which is why Alvaro is attracted to sites with very old vines.

Priorat

After Alvaro studied winemaking in France, most notably at Bordeaux’s Ch. Petrus, he began making wine in Priorat, an hour and a half drive south of Barcelona, Spain and an hour west of the Mediterranean Sea.  He was attracted to the area because of the rugged beauty of the place, the ancient monastery, the old vines, the steep slopes, and the slate soil.  Rene Barbier, an important Priorat winemaker who had asked him to join a new vineyard project in Priorat, made the region even more attractive.  He couldn’t refuse such an offer.  It was 1989 and Alvaro describes Priorat as being a “diamond in the rough.”  In 1993, he bought L’Ermita, the vineyard that produces the grapes that go into his flagship wine of the same name.  Unfortunately, we did not taste L’Ermita at this event.

Camins del Priorat 2010: This wine is made with grapes from relatively young vines and are sourced from 7 different villages.  A small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is added to the Garnacha and it was aged for 8 months in wooden vats and barrels.  This wine is full of red berry fruit with spice and fennel.  Soft and silky on the palate with rich red fruit and a strawberry finish.  Good length. $26

Les Terrasses 2010 Priorat:  The vines are older (about 75 years old) and as Alvaro says, “Old vines have wisdom.”   The grapes are grown in the same 7 villages as the Camins wine but there is also more Carignan added to the blend.  Rich aromas of ripe red fruit, black licorice, fennel, and spice.  More concentrated than the Camins and with a firmer structure.  Long finish.  $45

Gratallops 2010 Priorat:  This is a Village Appellation wine and the grapes are sourced from 6 vineyards in the village.  The 2010 vintage we tasted is still in barrel (it will be bottled sometime in the next couple of months after spending approximately 16 months in barrel.)  The blend is about 60% Garnacha with Carignan making up the rest.  This wine is very fragrant with aromas of blueberry, red plum, spice, pink flowers, vanilla, and a hint of dill and fennel.  This is still a very young wine and the somewhat aggressive tannins will mellow with time.  Very concentrated and balanced with creamy vanilla on the long finish.  An excellent wine.  $66

Finca Dofi 2009 Priorat:  A single vineyard wine made up of 80% Garnacha with the remainder being Cabernet and Syrah.  The nose is very complex with a perfume of strawberry, cherry, turkish delight, cinnamon, cardamon, and a hint of mint.  Concentrated and velvetty on the palate with rich fruit flavours and spice.  Beautifully balanced with a finish that lingers seemingly forever. $99

The wines of Alvaro Palacios are available in Ontario through Woodman Wines and Spirits.

The soil of Priorat - called llicorella, this is composed of weathered fragments of red and black slate

This isolated wildly rugged and mountainous area was highly regarded in over a hundred years ago for its dark powerful wines – more recently however the region had slipped into obscurity, growers faced with declining sales were grubbing up their vines and planting more profitable hazelnut groves instead. The vineyard are had shrunk to less than a thousand hectares and only the highest and most inaccesible vineyards survived – In some ways this was the saving  of the area, these stunted ancient bush vines produced a tiny crop of exceptional fruit. The concerted efforts of a few enterprising families in the early 1990s turned its fortunes around, people started to notice the extra ordinary quality of the wines being produced, now there are many more producers and each year we see more and more exciting and individual wines are being produced here. 

The accolades they are gaining has raised this tiny region’s profile enormously over the following decades to the extent that now Priorat stands at the pinnacle of Spanish wine hierarchy as one of only two DOCa areas (Denominación de Origen Calificada – Denominació d’Origen Qualificada [DOQ] in Catalan) . This classification is reserved for regions that have the potential to produce wines of the very highest quality. Priorat when compared to Rioja (the only other DOCa), has a miniscule vineyard area but one with a surprising variety of climates due to the topography – very small plots of loose weathered shale and mica (called llicorella locally) at different altitudes cling to vertiginous slopes by means of narrow terraces a few feet wide. This unique terroir produces deep coloured, full bodied wines of complexity from Grenache (Garnatxa in Catalan) and Carignan (Carinyena), with some international varieties also grown.

Cims de Porrera
The Pérez family, one of the five families responsible for transforming the fortunes of the region. They make the wines at the renovated co-operative winery under an agreement with many local growers who own and tend small plots of vines around the village of Porrera. Unusually for Priorat the local vineyards are planted with more Carignan than Grenache, in such poor soils these vines grow deep in their search for nutrients, the wines are darker, more complex and ageworthy than most.

The entry level wine is Solanes is a full bodied but supple blend of Carignan and Grenache from vines between 40-100 years old with a splash or two of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.  The premium wine Cims de Porrera Clàssic is also well worth checking out, made in only exceptional years from pure Carignan from 100 year old vines, it’s arguably Priorat’s most elegant wine and offers exceptional drinking and value even if the price is just over £45 per bottle.

Prices at 23rd March 2012 (subject to change with out notice)

 Limited availability, please contact us for latest prices and vintages

http://blogs.canada.com/2012/02/28/vin-terra-incognita-the-wines-of-celler-pinol/

February 23, 2012

If Bordeaux, Napa and even Malbec have your nose wedged in the close-minded glass of life then Terra Alta is certainly not on your radar. Just a stone’s throw away, as the crow flies, a singular and estimable cradle of wine civilization promulgates in the commingling regions of Montsant and Priorat. Stretching its legs from out of the shadow of proximate antediluvian cellars, Celler Piñol aims to broaden horizons, roll over stones, reset the compass. Organically motivated, Piñol is a vintner for the New World. Here nine wines tasted at Barque Smokehouse with partner in wine Jascha Baraness, the indubitable Juanjo Galcerá Piñol and markedly too legit to quit, Spirit Tasting Challenge Winner Mark Coster of Profile Wine Group.

L’AVI ARRUFI 2009 ($32) the Garnacha Blanco immortalizes Piñol’s patriarch abuelo. A bold (14.5% alcohol) statement and in tune with the old vine style (Beaucastel) of the Southern Rhône. Composed in peachy, tree-fruit floral tones, the Arrufi tastes like almonds soaked in cider and mel de romani. Essence of white Mediterranean wine. Ancient. Sephardic. Biblical.  91

LUDOVICUS TERRA ALTA 2010 ($14.95) molds Cariñena, Merlot and Syrah around a 50% frame of Garnacha. Grizzled vines for this entry level beauty claw, scratch and rope-a-dope their way through arid and unforgiving limestone soils. A fighter this Ludovicus. Dusty, rocky, bearded and sharp-dressed for the neoteric world. Climbs to the top of the hill and rips off a riff.  87

RAIG DE RAÏM 2010 ($14.95) with increased Cariñena in the mix is a deeper, darker, hemic descendant and displays more bullish animal. Cabernet Sauvignon here too joins Merlot for a cigar note. Begs to be paired with fatty meat, drippings and seared on spice.  88

PORTAL 2009 ($20.95) while not defined, is essentially a Reserva, composed of 50% Garnacha, 20% Cariñena and the remainder Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah. Jascha says “feral” so I think of the King of Limbs, “…abstract, loopy, throbbing.” Foggy, hat wearing portal to the brain of a braised landscape, demanding short rib, rich broth, slow wine. “Take it easy.”  91

SA NATURA 2009 ($21.95) is a blend of 50% Cariñena with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Tempranillo. The qualities imparted by geomorphic wacke, anticline crag and orogenic Keuper translate to a natural wine, down to earth. Another Piñol made in the vineyard despite the varietal bag.  90

L’AVI ARRUFI VI DE GUARDA 2007 ($39.95) spends 16 months in French oak so the power of 60% Cariñena is unleashed. Combined with 30% Garnacha and 10% Syrah, the Guarda is an architecturally driven, linear and precise specimen. Menthol, eucalyptus and chewy, resinous berries swim out from the arid, desert soils where little rain falls, the days are hot and the nights cold.  92

MATHER TERESINA 2006/2007 ($49.95) is indeed a blended vintage bottling, now a lost art and set to disappear. 40% Cariñena and 30% Garnacha are joined by indigenous Morenillo and the combined effect is an early Cubist smoke, ash and tar affair. Cocoa and cream too.  90

FINCA MORENILLO 2009 ($64.95) is the diamond in the rough. No other wine in the line up buzzes as much with the warmth from humidity that is maintained in Terra Alta’s Mesozoic soils. Made from 100% Morenillo, this Pinot Noir like, thick-skinned, late-maturing grape here shows as a wine of distinct clarity. Very cherry, reminiscent of Bierzo but precisely concentrated and elegant. Here the Canaletas flowing gracefully to the Fontcalda Spa.  93

February 23, 2012

If Bordeaux, Napa and even Malbec have your nose wedged in the close-minded glass of life then Terra Alta is certainly not on your radar. Just a stone’s throw away, as the crow flies, a singular and estimable cradle of wine civilization promulgates in the commingling regions of Montsant and Priorat. Stretching its legs from out of the shadow of proximate antediluvian cellars, Celler Piñol aims to broaden horizons, roll over stones, reset the compass. Organically motivated, Piñol is a vintner for the New World. Here nine wines tasted at Barque Smokehouse with partner in wine Jascha Baraness, the indubitable Juanjo Galcerá Piñol and markedly too legit to quit, Spirit Tasting Challenge Winner Mark Coster of Profile Wine Group.

L’AVI ARRUFI 2009 ($32) the Garnacha Blanco immortalizes Piñol’s patriarch abuelo. A bold (14.5% alcohol) statement and in tune with the old vine style (Beaucastel) of the Southern Rhône. Composed in peachy, tree-fruit floral tones, the Arrufi tastes like almonds soaked in cider and mel de romani. Essence of white Mediterranean wine. Ancient. Sephardic. Biblical.  91

LUDOVICUS TERRA ALTA 2010 ($14.95) molds Cariñena, Merlot and Syrah around a 50% frame of Garnacha. Grizzled vines for this entry level beauty claw, scratch and rope-a-dope their way through arid and unforgiving limestone soils. A fighter this Ludovicus. Dusty, rocky, bearded and sharp-dressed for the neoteric world. Climbs to the top of the hill and rips off a riff.  87

RAIG DE RAÏM 2010 ($14.95) with increased Cariñena in the mix is a deeper, darker, hemic descendant and displays more bullish animal. Cabernet Sauvignon here too joins Merlot for a cigar note. Begs to be paired with fatty meat, drippings and seared on spice.  88

PORTAL 2009 ($20.95) while not defined, is essentially a Reserva, composed of 50% Garnacha, 20% Cariñena and the remainder Tempranillo, Merlot and Syrah. Jascha says “feral” so I think of the King of Limbs, “…abstract, loopy, throbbing.” Foggy, hat wearing portal to the brain of a braised landscape, demanding short rib, rich broth, slow wine. “Take it easy.”  91

SA NATURA 2009 ($21.95) is a blend of 50% Cariñena with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Tempranillo. The qualities imparted by geomorphic wacke, anticline crag and orogenic Keuper translate to a natural wine, down to earth. Another Piñol made in the vineyard despite the varietal bag.  90

L’AVI ARRUFI VI DE GUARDA 2007 ($39.95) spends 16 months in French oak so the power of 60% Cariñena is unleashed. Combined with 30% Garnacha and 10% Syrah, the Guarda is an architecturally driven, linear and precise specimen. Menthol, eucalyptus and chewy, resinous berries swim out from the arid, desert soils where little rain falls, the days are hot and the nights cold.  92

MATHER TERESINA 2006/2007 ($49.95) is indeed a blended vintage bottling, now a lost art and set to disappear. 40% Cariñena and 30% Garnacha are joined by indigenous Morenillo and the combined effect is an early Cubist smoke, ash and tar affair. Cocoa and cream too.  90

FINCA MORENILLO 2009 ($64.95) is the diamond in the rough. No other wine in the line up buzzes as much with the warmth from humidity that is maintained in Terra Alta’s Mesozoic soils. Made from 100% Morenillo, this Pinot Noir like, thick-skinned, late-maturing grape here shows as a wine of distinct clarity. Very cherry, reminiscent of Bierzo but precisely concentrated and elegant. Here the Canaletas flowing gracefully to the Fontcalda Spa.  93

So here’s the bad bit. The food is amazing! The wine…not so much. Kysela sells a lot of his wine to the Southern States and he’s pretty tight with Robert Parker. I’m just being honest here but I found most of the wines were too extracted, too manipulated, too made by a formula that would garner a 90+ point from Parker. There were a lot of sweet wines, a lot of wines that you had to ask the question…is this really 100% whatever, because many of the wines just tasted fake. There were 326 wines on show. I tasted probably 2/3 of the wines over the 6 hours. I don’t eat oysters but I did gorge myself on cheese and mushrooms! Some of the highlights were the wines from France. In particular Domaine Coussergues’s flight of wines – a chardonnay/viognier blend that was unusual but very good, a sauvignon blanc that tasted high on mineral and less on sweet fruit, Domaine de Regusse Aligote that was terrific but very hard to sell so chances are I’ll pass on it, but his Regusse Rose produced from 80% grenache and 20% syrah was fabulous. And the Loire wines from Jean Reverdy were intoxicating – Jean makes brilliant sancerres, both red and white and it would be nice to see them in NY and on our shelves. They are some of the best value sancerre’s I have come across. At this point I was standing next to a rather loud southern woman who was extolling the virtues of something when I overheard her say “I never realized that chardonnay was white”!! I almost went over to the oyster table! Further into the Loire wines I found a Tinel-Blondelet Pouilly Fume “Genetin”. Its unoaked sauvignon produced from 25 year old vines planted in limestone soil. It was smoky and citrusy and probably the highlight of the tasting.

• Producer: Trio Infernal
• Vintage: 2003
• Varietal: Carignan
• Country: Spain
• Region: Priorat
• Production: Tiny
• Availability: 10 bottles left – $69.00 per bottle (2004 is about $85 average in NY)

Order: Ordering is simple. Click on the e-mail link below and tell me how many bottles you think you may want. We’ll figure out the rest from there and reply to your e-mail within 1 day.

wineatfive@verizon.net

I’m not going to get into the whole manufacturing process of sherry – suffice to say it’s ridiculously complicated and when done to perfection is painstakingly slow and expensive. This Oloroso is already 15 years – that’s a drip feed solera system that began with the first barrel back sometime around 1997! Olorosos are a little too sweet for me so finding this ‘dry’ version was quite exciting. It pours heavy, with a lovely red tinged amber color – looks like a well oaked cognac. The nose gives off that lovely orange blossom scented toffee. The flavors wrap around burnt orange peel, more dark toffee, some mandarin juice, touch of pomegranate even but on the whole it’s an incredibly mouth-filling experience. I’ve just dropped a little ice cube in it because I’m nearing the end of the bottle and I want it to go further! Chilled there’s a touch of acidity on the front that livens up the burnt orange skin – damn this is good – I wish you were trying it right now too – you’d understand why I want to start collecting Sherries!

ps. this is not the stuff grandma hid under her pillow – that was Bristol Cream crap – this is real.

• Producer: Bodega Valdivia
• Vintage: 15 Years
• Varietal: Palomino
• Country: Spain
• Region: Jerez
• Production: Decent
• Availability: Yes. Not sure of the price since I’m writing this at home.

Order: Ordering is simple. Click on the e-mail link below and tell me how many bottles you think you may want. We’ll figure out the rest from there and reply to your e-mail within 1 day.

wineatfive@verizon.net

Silky tannins and featuring the weight and alcohol (14.5%) so typical of Priorat, +7 has a bit of smokiness, but is not so dense that it requires a lot more aging or lacks in subtlety. Berries, briar, and a bit of green pepper.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel, then blended and oak aged for 1 year.

Pinord has pledged to make quality wines here whilst maintaining a close relationship with more traditional grape growing techniques. From the beginning, the vineyards have been organic, using only permitted natural products on the land. All chemical products such as herbicides and pesticides are avoided.

Pinord has firmly adopted Biodynamic Farming techniques in their Mas Blanc vineyard. They believe that by following their own winemaking practices and by attempting to maintain a balance with the land, they will be leaving it a better place for future generations.

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia will have the 2007 +7 on its 2012 season wine list, which specializes in organic and Spanish selections.

Silky tannins and featuring the weight and alcohol (14.5%) so typical of Priorat, +7 has a bit of smokiness, but is not so dense that it requires a lot more aging or lacks in subtlety. Berries, briar, and a bit of green pepper.

The wine is fermented in stainless steel, then blended and oak aged for 1 year.

Pinord has pledged to make quality wines here whilst maintaining a close relationship with more traditional grape growing techniques. From the beginning, the vineyards have been organic, using only permitted natural products on the land. All chemical products such as herbicides and pesticides are avoided.

Pinord has firmly adopted Biodynamic Farming techniques in their Mas Blanc vineyard. They believe that by following their own winemaking practices and by attempting to maintain a balance with the land, they will be leaving it a better place for future generations.

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia will have the 2007 +7 on its 2012 season wine list, which specializes in organic and Spanish selections.

I have no doubt that food and wine have a natural affinity to escorted touring, but I wanted to find some exciting new experiences that guests could enjoy rather than just the basic tour of a vineyard.  So, on a chilly February morning in Perugia, Italy, over 50 of the industry’s most interesting figures sat down and put their heads together. After only a short time it was clear that there are many exciting opportunities available. Here are some of the ideas they came up with…

• Teach people the basics of wine tasting at the start of the vacation: to help participants feel welcome, confident and not daunted by wine

• Planting / Pruning workshop: an interactive demonstration of the work that actually goes on in the vineyard before harvest
• Experience grape picking during harvest time
• Compare different grape varieties in the vineyard: for example, giving an explanation of how the various varieties of grapes around the vineyard differ and what characteristics they add to a blend; when possible include tasting the different types of grapes

• Try traditional grape crushing with your feet
• Blend you own wine with the help of a master winemaker
• Meet the winemaker and understand the ageing process by sampling wine maturing in barrels
• Design a personalised bottle label to take home with the help of an artist

• Sabrage demonstration: how to open a Champagne bottle with a sword!
• Workshops exploring the senses: from understanding the basics of taste (such as the sense of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami) to helping guests learn how to recognise the various aromas and tastes in wine and food. There was also an interesting idea to look at the effect music has on taste.
• Blind tasting of wines
• Blind tasting of food: to exemplify that it’s actually quite difficult to recall taste and/or aromas without sight
• Faults workshop: identifying the various faults that a wine could have
• Tasting wines in the vineyard/amongst the vines

• Involve the local community so that guests experience authentic regional cuisine and culture
• Food & wine matching: matching wine with food … or matching food with the wine (“reverse pairing”)
• A picnic of local specialities in the heart of the vineyard

• Arts & crafts: from making baskets with vineyard prunings or even using pruning to cook with (apparently there’s a great recipe for smoking lamb this way!)
• Wine therapy: using grapes to make beauty products
• Balloon / plane flight over vineyard (someone had enjoyed a flight around in a vineyard’s crop sprayer)
• Horse-riding through vineyard/around local countryside
• Festivals: from harvest festivals to regional wine tasting festivals – such as the Bordeaux Fete le Vin (France) or Cantine Aperte (Italy)

As well as these suggestions, there were also a lot of comments on how food and wine tourism should be approached.

The personnel involved seemed to be the major consideration, suggesting that staff not only needed to be fun and outgoing, but also have sufficient knowledge and training: “ideally, staff need to be involved in the winemaking process”. It was also thought important for the winemaker and/or owner to spend time with guests.

But, whilst knowledge is vital, it was stressed that guests want to hear a “story” not a long list of technical facts. And this shouldn’t be the same old narrative of how long the vineyard/winery has been in the family; everyone has their own story and anecdotes to tell, that’s what people want to hear.

Domaine de l’Edre is a garage in Vingrau. Jacques Castany was born and lives in the house above the garage. His wife was born a few houses down. He’s a dispatcher for a bus company in the unreal world.

Pascal Dieunidou was born in a village 100 miles away. He’s married to a Vingrau girl, lives across the street. Pascal is head of IT in Languedoc for a huge bank. He’s relinquished some tasks so that Microsoft doesn’t keep sending him to Seattle to sell him software while he’s trying to prune his vineyard. Pascal has priorities.

There’s a white wine. We don’t import it. The entry level red (2000 6-packs a year) is ‘Carrement’ rouge. The Mourvedre they planted a few years ago now figures into this. l’Edre is the flagship, 1000 barrel-fermented 6-packs of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan a year. Both wines closely mimic the black fruit and intense minerality of great Priorat. They are not cheap at ~$35 retail (Carrement) and ~$60 (l’Edre), but comparable Priorats sell for double or more. ’09, and ’10 are excellent vintages. ’11 may be better, but IMO ’08 and ’05 were the best ever.

Jeff Carrel is not in Paris any more
HPS deals with Estate growers, Cooperatives, negociants and one flying (peripatetic, intinerant) winemaker.

Jeff Carrel was born in Paris where his father and grandfather were Real Estate lawyers. After his Bachelor’s degree, Jeff dutifully applied to the Sorbonne law school. He also mischievously applied to the Montpellier wine school (without telling the family). Accepted at both, he went to Montpellier.

At Montpellier, he decided that cool climate Languedoc wines would be his career. To prepare, he worked two years each in Alsace and the Loire. Jeff came back convinced that Cabernet Franc would do better in Languedoc than Merlot or Cab Sauv. He convinced some growers to plant it. The result is one of our best and best-selling wines: Puydeval. It’s a blend of 60% Cab Franc, 30% Syrah and 10% Merlot, lightly but lavishly oak-aged for a year in mostly American, mostly 2 – 5 year old barrels.

Jeff has a wide variety of other wines, some of which sell amazingly well, some of which are too bizarre even for us, much less our customers. Villa des Anges Cabernet Sauvignon is simply the biggest bang for the buck in Cab Sauv… from anywhere. The old vine Cinsault Rose from this property is another huge success, with the Merlot coming up quickly. The moderately priced textbook Languedoc ‘Les Darons’ and the bold and beautiful Valauclair wines are new and already well-received. We refuse to import Jeff’s intentionally oxidized barrel-aged Chardonnay.

As in most of Mediterranean France, 2009 is a good (not great), very warm vintage. The 2010s are marvels of massive balance. The 2011s are simply pleasure bombs of moderately rich body, heartbreakingly pure fruit and amazing harmony and balance.

Bodegas La Cartuja, Image by Friederike Paetzold from Ole

These two wines are located within Catalonia in the northeastern portion of Spain.  Priorat is located in the south-west of Catalonia and is a Denominacion de Oreigen Calificada DOCa wine region, the highest level obtainable and only shared with Rioja.  Emporda is located in the extreme northeast of Catalonia and is a Denominacion de Origen (DO).  Emporda is split two zones the northern Alt Emporda and the southern Baix Emporda, both of which are located next to the French border where the wines are from Roussillon.

Merlot and Cab. Sauv. Vines at Pont De Molines, Image from Castillo Perelada

I highly recommend the Bodegas La Cartuja for it is both an enjoyable wine to drink over the short term and it is strongly priced.  As a project between the Osborne (as in Sherry) family and Alberto Orte and Patrick Mata (the founders of Ole Imports) the goal is to deliver the mineral character of Priorat at an attractive price.  They certainly succeeded!  The Castillo Perelada 5 Fincas is an attempt to make a complex wine bearing the traits of their five different vineyards in Emporda.  This is a solid wine but it shows cracks in the middle.  For that reason, instead of buying a bottle of each wine, you should buy two of the less expensive La Cartuja!

2010 Bodegas La Cartuja, Priorat – $15
Imported by Ole.  This is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah sourced from the 24 hectare vineyard La Solana.  This vineyard lies at 250 meters on slopes with soils of volcanic slate and sand.  The wine was aged for 8 months in French oak barrels.  There is a modestly ripe, fruity nose of tart raspberry.  In the mouth there are good flavors of red and blue fruit, brambly in nature,tannins, nice juiciness, and some herbs.  This medium bodied wine continues with stone flavors and juicy acidity.  After a few hours it opens up providing sweet, weightiness and medium tannins in the aftertaste.  This modern wine is a strong value.  Now-2017.

2006 Castillo Perelada, 5 Fincas, Reserva, Emporda – $20
Imported by Perelada Commercial.  This is a blend of 40% Merlot, 20% Garnatxa, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, and 5% Samso sourced from five different vineyard parcels.  The wine was aged for 17 months in 50% American and 50% French Bordelaise barrels.  Drunk over two nights this garnet color wine has a sappier, roasted fruit nose with Jenn picking up “balsam.”  In the mouth the dusty red fruit shows structure before turning a little coarse and vegetal in the middle.  There are fine+, sweet tannins in the finish along with stones and some licorice.  The empty glass leaves aromas of wood toast and whiskey.  Now-2015.

2010 Zestos, Vinos de Madrid – $10
Imported by Ole.  This wine is a blend of 50% Tempranillo and 50% Granacha.  This shows redder fruit with a hint of mushrooms and some tartness midpalate.  There is decent acidity.  On the second night, hints of dark, racy flavors develop along with notes of cherry.  There are fine+ coating tannins.

2010 Altovinum, Evodia, Calatayud – $9
Imported by Eric Solomon/European Cellars.  This wine is 100% Garnacha sourced from vines up to 100 years old.  It is aged for five months in stainless steel.  There is a lifted nose of smoke and pine, which is actually a bit odd.  In the mouth there are gobs of ripe fruit, blue flavored, with the strong notes of smokey pine continuing in the mouth.  There are strange candied flavors midpalate.  This medium-bodied wine has good texture.  The balsam nose continued on the second night.  Lorelei commented “Pepperoni pizza” when she smelled the wine.  Not recommended.

2009 Joan D’Anguera, Planella, Montsant – $20
Imported by De Maison Seletions.  This wine is a blenc of 45% Carignan, 35% Garnacha, and 20% Syrah sourced from 15-50 year old vines grown on chalky clay soils.  The wine was aged for 11 months in French and American oak.  There is a riper, violet nose.  In the mouth the slightly soft fruit has flavors of ripe black fruit, and some spice.  in the middle the flavors become berry-like and a somewhat chewy in nature.  It finishes with stone notes and dusty tannins.  On the second night the finish is sweeter with fine tannins mixing with a minerally aftertaste.  This is well done and the aftertaste is enjoyable.  Will develop over the short-term.

2009 Alvaro Palacios, Camins del Priorat, Priorat – $23
Imported by The Rare Wine Co.  This wine is a blend of 60% Carignan.  30% Garnacha, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.  The wine was aged for 3-4 months in barrique followed by aging in tank and cask. This remained a bit tight with its red, structured fruit, and some minerals.  There are fine, coating tannins.  The acidity is well-integrated.  It is a good, contemporary wine that needs age.

Wine cellar at Bodega Torres

Founded in 1870 by Jaime Torres, the family now controls the largest winery in Spain along with the most extensive vineyards in  Penedès and can lay claim to an annual production of nearly fifty million bottles.  Unlike Clan Mondavi, however, whose exponential growth led to a certain ‘dumbing down’ of product, the Torres family has used its mass-market triumph to fund upscale projects, revive nearly-extinct Spanish varietals and produce swank, single-vineyard revelation bottlings, like Conca de Barbera Grans Muralles and Mas La Plana Cabernet Sauvignon.

Falling between these deluxe gems and more accessibly-priced Sangre de Toro and Penedès Coronas is a pair of new releases—Celeste 2008 and  Salmos 2009.  Both bring to the table the usual wealth of Torres tradition, background noise and quality.

Celeste, Ribera del Duero, 2008, about $24:  Poindexters call Celeste a monovarietal, moderately bright wine people refer to it as a single-cultivar, and to everyone else, it’s an ‘only one kind of grape goes into the bottle’ wine—in this case, tempranillo.  Locally known as tinto fino, tempranillo is virtually the only grape grown in Ribera del Duero, a Denominación de Origen (DO) located in Spain’s northern plateau along the River Duero.  Winemaking in the region goes back two thousand years—before the Spanish, before the Moors, even before the Visigoths—so it stands to reason that they’ve nailed the process down.

Celeste—so named because its vineyards are half a mile above sea-level—a height at which, according to legend, you can almost touch the stars.  In fact, high-elevation wines tend to show certain superlative, down-to-earth qualities like thicker skins, more resveratrol (the heart-healthy French Paradox chemical), more ‘sweet’ tannins and less of the bitter monomerics and in general, better retention of all-important malic acid.

Opaquely purple with a tint of ruby, Celeste shows a scrumptious bouquet of tobacco, blackberry jam and coffee; in the mouth, there’s delightful depth with a bank of berries, black cherry, soft oak finishing with smooth and fluid tannins.

Priorat

Salmos, Qualificada Priorat, 2009, about $38:  Located southwest of Catalonia and covering eleven municipalities, Priorat only came into the mainstream wine lexicon during the nineties, when its intense, perfumed, mineral-heavy, garnacha-based reds were discovered by the world outside Spain.  The area—still referred to as ‘up-and-coming’ despite a viticultural history going back to the 12^th century—has become a bit of a cult favorite, which (unfortunately) has resulted in price tags which do not always match wine worth.

Salmos is an exception.  Created to honor the Carthusian monks who first cultivated vines in Priorat, the wine does them proud.  Heady aromas of lavender and violet lead into flavors of candied cherries, with a full, meaty mid-palate; saturated and rich, the wine displays earth behind concentrated pepper, plum, raspberry and smoke.  Finish lasts nearly a minute, but the wine is still a little young for conclusive analysis.  I’d like to try it again in 2013.