Argentine wines are not experienced as often as they should be by many in the United States.  Recuerdo Torrontes is a pure delight and should be experienced as often as possible.

This beautiful Torrontes is clear, bright and crisp in the glass. Pale, straw yellow, like that of a light Sauvignon Blanc. The nose is of pineapple, kiwi and pear with a hint of honeysuckle.  The Recuerdo Torrontes is crisp and light with apple and kiwi notes and a fresh citrus quality. Mid palate is lavender and the finish is long and crisp with honey lingering on the tongue. Amazingly refreshing. This is a absolute gem to enjoy in the summer months.

The Recuerdo Torrontes receives a FOUR BOTTLE Rating and can be purchased directly online at http://store.recuerdowines.com/index.cfm?method=storeproducts.showList.

Get yourself out into new territory and explore Argentinian wines…order a case of the lovely, fantastic Torrontes White.  When your out on the patio this summer with friends, you will not be sorry!

Cheers!

This rosé from Mexico’s Guadalupe Valley is anything but trifling. A blend of seven varieties including Mourvedre, Barbera, Tempranillo, Cinsault, Moscatel, Sauvignon Blanc, and Syrah. This very dry, flavorful wine has pretensions.

There is enough activity on the nose to please dedicated aroma detectives. The salted plum notes, characteristic of Guadalupe Valley wines, dominate, supported by ripe strawberry and tea and set off by subtle green, leafy aromas. The strawberry jam on the nervy palate is infused with angular, bitter herbal flavors that carry through the medium length finish.

Light to medium body like most rosés, it nevertheless has the intensity of flavor you expect from more celebrated styles. This is no salad wine; the prickly mouthfeel and bitterness on the finish needs a little fat as an accompaniment, some mild cheese, even chicken or pork with a savory sauce would pair well.

This wine wins on originality; you will find no rosé like it. Only 6600 bottles are produced. You may have to visit the winery to get it. But that is not a bad thing. The winery is a gorgeous bed and breakfast.

Alcohol: 11.1%

Wine Score: 87/100

Price: $20

Sorry for this post going up a little late I have been down south for a wedding and a then spent a few days in Albany to recuperate from my first term of studies. Ended up getting sick as the body slowed down after the last 14 weeks of studies.

To celebrate the end of our first term as well as a major assignment some of my fellow classmates and I returned to our local pub for lunch and a few drinks, The Inglewood Hotel. I began with Bulmer’s apple cider (pictured below) before being convinced to give Cooper’s Pale Ale a try as a new keg of it had just been opened. The cider was as always a good drink to start the weekend and the pale ale was surprisingly not that bad of a drink.

Bulmer’s apple cider.

For lunch I opted for their classic beef burger with chips (classic 100% beef burger in a sour dough bun with lettuce, tomato, beetroot relish, swiss cheese, and aioli). The burger was  filling but a quite a messy eat, while the chips were alright but nothing to rave about. I would happily reorder this dish as I quite enjoyed the flavours of the burger, in particular the beetroot relish.

Classic beef burger ($20)

The wedding and reception was held at Ferguson Farmstay, and this location was just breath taking! There was a small selection of wines from the winery across the road from the venue as well as a sparkling from a winery down the road and a selection of bottled beers and ciders available for consumption at the reception, which was held at the restaurant on site.

Table setting at the reception.

The highlight wine for me at the wedding was the 2011 Panis sparkling wine that they were serving from Angelicus Winery which is located nearby to the farmstay. This sparkling had a gorgeous salmon colouring in the glass and was a delightful drink, one that I got the rest of the table onto with very little encouragement. This sparkling is made in the Traditional Method with an emphasis on the Pinot Noir grape. I noted plenty of berries on the nose and palate, strawberry in particular. The sparkling also had a crisp pleasing finish.

The still wines we not bad, especially considering they were from the winery across the road however they were also not the kind to ‘blow my socks’ off. Over the course of the reception I had the chance to try their 2011 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc as well as their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cab Sav had an enticing aroma however my first sip was watery and smooth and overly disappointing. After letting the wine breathe in the glass for a little while I tried the Cab Sav again and was much more impressed by the body that had developed. The SSB was again a nice wine but not something that really caught my attention.

I ended the night discovering their selection of teas and opted for the Twining Darjeeling and it was a nice way to end the evening. The milk that was provided at the restaurant was also delicious, and well presented. Dad commented on how the milk brought him back to his years of the milk arriving fresh and with a layer of cream on top.

I didn’t get the chance to take pictures of the food that was brought around on platters over the course of the reception but it was well timed, well presented and surprisingly filled us up quite quickly. The view from the restaurants down through the valley to Bunbury is also one which I do hope to see again over lunch or dinner at the restaurant in the near future! The staff were fantastic and there was nothing to fault over the entire night.

Until next time!

Posted from CellarTracker

There were 8 selections from Kermit Lynch, varying in style, price, and age. I will be reviewing each over the next 8 days. I would do it all at once, but to be honest, it’s a lot to take in, and one might lose interest a quarter of the way into reading. The selections: Sommariva Prosecco, Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc, Domaine Poujols Jazz, La Coutale Cahors, Brunier Vieux Telegramme, Chateau Aney Haut Medoc, Chateau Belles Graves Pomerol, and finally, J. Lassalle Brut Preference.

I look forward to telling you about the experience of these wines. Quite a few made quite an impression! Big thanks to Mr. Winegardner and Rikki for inviting me to such a fun event!

Anyway back to Pikes. Pikes’ rieslings are well collected in many private collections. They also make other wines and their reds can also be highly appreciated - there’s Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet, Shiraz, Sangiovese, Merlot, Mourvedre, and even Savignan, Carmenere and Tempranillo (yum!). Pikes pride themselves on making high quality for every wine they produce, making pretty good value table wines.

Peter Bentley from Pikes was in Sydney and took us through the Pikes masterclass held at Wine Ark‘s tasting room. These wines from Pikes really are all fine quality, clearly representing terroir (where each crop of grapes come from i.e. the soil, the climate, the region, the vintage). The entire vineyard is fitted out with a drip irrigation system (keeping the vines functioning at their full strength to produce high quality grapes). Over 12 of their wines have scored 90+ points from recent Halliday ratings, also being a 5 star winery…

PIKES TRADITIONALE RIESLING 2012 - Amazing, Great Value, Always a hit! Pristine Lemon and Lime fruit, with clean mineral characters. Smooth finish. Fresh (almost effervescent), young and drinking now but can also age gracefully over 10 years. As Pikes say it’s “The world’s best oyster wine”. Rrp $24/btl.

PIKES MERLE RIESLING 2012 - One of my favourite Australian Rieslings. Very elegant. Typical Clare Valley. Mouth watering, pristine fruit (think lemon, lime and grapefruit). Wonderful texture overall along with intensity of pure flavour. Very clean finish. This wine is only made in the best years and will age more than 15 years – but too irresistible to wait that long! It’s so fresh and pure right now. A true riesling collector’s wine. Cellar door price $45/btl.

PIKES JT RIESLING 2012 - Named after Pikes’ winemaker John Trotter, who passed away during the 2012 vintage. The wine was going into the Merle as usual but after his death a parcel was made separate in his honour. Cellar door price $42/btl.

PIKES & JOYCE CHARDONNAY 2011 – Made with French oak, very noticeable on nose. Ripe stone fruits and grapefruit intertwine with good texture, acidity and body. Good value Chardonnay at around $25/btl.

PIKES & JOYCE PINOT NOIR 2009 - Typical fragrance and flavours of cherry and red berries, with good oak and smooth tannins. Easy to drink, good flavour, well balanced and plush. Around $25/btl.

PIKES EASTSIDE SHIRAZ 2010 - Plush fruits with spice and French oak, with a savoury, young edge. Cellar door $25/btl

PIKES EWP SHIRAZ 2009 – Top pick of the reds… Classic Clare Shiraz… Attractive fragrance/opulence on the nose, with savoury black fruits, cherries and warm anise spice with silky tannins. Warm and well rounded yet elegant, long finish. Will age for 20+ years if want. Single vineyard. This 95 pointer from James Halliday. Cellar door $70/btl.

Why is Pikes Riesling so good? The Polish Hill River where the grapes are grown is a premium region within the Clare Valley, ripening several weeks after most of the district, giving the wines that extra depth of flavour along with the cooler climate edge… The soils are also unique. So the Rieslings made at Pikes turn out well balanced and seamless, with clean slatey characters, lemon/lime and fine minerality, finishing fresh and crisp… Their dedicated handcrafting helps of course!

Riesling is a variety much loved by winemakers and wine lovers for their intense flavours and defined structure. They are delightful young and fresh, but also have amazing ability to age into a deep amber colour with more honey and toasty characters. The Clare and Eden Valley in South Australia are excellent areas for quality riesling, as well as Southern Highlands where I personally love Tertini Rieslings (as reviewed a while ago).

Cheers!

Posted from CellarTracker

The Outcast is big and juicy, welcoming you into a sea of plum juice, warm raspberries, velvet tannins, and black cherry juice. The spices in this wine are warm baking spices, but perfectly balanced to not overpower the fruit. The balance of acid and tannins lead to a mouth watering elegance that sweeps you off your feet.

This was my favorite, hands down, from the Wine Crush.

Cornerstone Cellars produces two Cabernets; the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. They also produce a Cabernet Sauvignon from their Stepping Stone series which I talked about earlier this year. This blog will focus on the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

The Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from several vineyards; Ink Grade Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Oakville Station, Oakville, Kairos Vineyard, Oak Knoll District and 5% Merlot from Stewart Ranch Vineyard in Carneros. In the glass, the wine pours a deep purple color, almost ink-like. Immediately, I got intense blueberry and blackberry aromatics, along with some plum. As the wine opens up, you get some baker’s chocolate, spice, vanilla, and a hint of toasted oak. On the palate, the wine is lush and supple with layers of blueberry pie, blackberry, dark cherry, and plum. There is another layer of dark chocolate with hints of vanilla and spice. The wine finishes very long with some espresso notes. This is definitely a supple, full-bodied wine with silky tannins. It’s drinking well now but is built to age. This is one of my favorite Cabernets. This was paired with a New York steak smothered with sautéed mushrooms. The wine will stand up to hearty dishes like meat stews and even cheeseburgers as well as assorted cheeses and chocolate for dessert.

This is a fantastic example of a bold, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley. Cornerstone Cellars continues to craft Cabernet that is powerful, yet elegant that can be enjoyed now but can age beautifully for many years. The wine retails for $65 per bottle on the Cornerstone Cellars website and 842 cases were produced. This is a highly, highly recommended wine. This is one to buy at least a couple bottles of; one to enjoy now and one to lay down for several years to enjoy it with some age on it. There is definitely a lot of Cabernet production in Napa but very few Cabernets with the complexity and finesse that the Cabernet from Cornerstone Cellars has. This is one for all Cabernet lovers to try.

Again special thanks to Mr. Craig Camp for sharing his wines with me and giving me the opportunity to share them with my readers. If you haven’t already done so, connect with Cornerstone Cellars on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on current releases and winery news and events.

Be sure to check out my post on Cornerstone Cellars 2009 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, coming soon! Until the next time friends.

Salud!

~Monica

* This wine was provided as a media sample for review purposes.

I recently picked up a bottle of the Brooks Amycas White Table Wine from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  An organic wine, the winery has been certified for biodynamic farming, and specializes in Riesling and Pinot Noir.  The winery, located in the heart of the Eola-Amity Hill of the Willamette Valley, was founded in 1998 by Jimi Brooks, known for his strong commitment to sustainable and biodynamic wine making. Sadly, Jimi passed away unexpectedly in 2004, and the winery is now owned by his 17-year old son, Pascal , who runs the winery with Jimi’s sister Janie Brooks Heuck.  They carry on Jimi’s philosophy of respecting the individuality of each vineyard and the sense of place (terroir), giving their wines depth, unique flavor and balance.  Both their Riesling and Pinot Noir were given stellar reviews by noted wine authority Jancis Robinson, described as lovely, expressive and clean.

The white table wine is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, Muscat and Riesling, all cool climate, aromatic grape varieties. Pinot Blanc is a mutation of Pinot Gris, and its flavors are reminiscent of a mild Chardonnay, with a touch of spice along with creamy fruit such as pear and apples. Pinot Gris is a specialty in Oregon, and known for making deliciously honeyed wine, with exotic fruit and rich, nutty flavors.  Mango and spring flowers are prevalent in Pinot Gris from Oregon. Gewurtztraminer has a strong floral, perfumed aroma, with flavors of lychees and tea rose petals, combined with luscious, tropical fruit.  The wine needs to have sufficient acidity, otherwise it ends up being fat and sloppy, almost marmalade like (too sweet) and pretty lifeless. Muscat is traditionally made into sweet wines but there are many lovely dry examples out there as well as wonderful medium, sparkling and fortified wines.  Many people refer to it as the original wine grape – spreading from the east through Greece and Italy, then on to France and Spain.  Muscat can taste of rose petals, orange blossom and elderflower, and is typically low in acidity. There are three main Muscat grapes used for wine making; Muscat Blanc a Petit Grains is the star, Muscat Alexandria is somewhat less refined and not as complex, while Muscat Ottonel is paler in color with less powerful aromas. In the U.S., Muscat of Alexandria is the one variety most planted, but quickly diminishing.  Finally, Riesling is by many wine experts looked at as the finest white grape variety in the world. For many, it can be an acquired taste, but is not, unlike a large number of people think, just a sweet wine. In fact, some of the best examples out there are bone dry.  A flexible grape, it thrives in cool climates such as the Mosel and northern Rhine of Germany, and produce everything from austere, dry wines to super sweet dessert wines. A terroir driven variety, it can taste very different depending on where it is grown. It can be smoky, minerally, steely, earthy, spicy or flowery. Green apples and peaches are often common descriptors, as well as quince and citrus peel. In the Brooks wine I’ve described below, I found more apricots and pineapple, suggesting a warmer climate or riper fruit.  Rieslings are also very age worthy and as they develop, the characteristic smell of petrol or kerosene is predominant.  Finally, you may be able to detect marzipan and honey.  As you can imagine, combining all of these grapes into a wine can be tricky with all the strong, varied flavor profiles, but Brooks winery is known for paying meticulous attention to the blending process, as this is one of their specialties.

Brooks Amycas 2009 White Table Wine

A white table blend which consist of 33% Pinot Blanc, 24% Pinot Gris, 18% Gewurtztraminer, 14% Muscat and 11% Riesling.

Tasting notes:

A golden core, this wine is very aromatic – floral (rose petals), with grapefruit peach, melon and some tropical fruit like mango and pineapple, it is very inviting as it smells of ripe fruit.

Full bodied, fleshy and off-dry on the palate, with mouthwatering flavors of ripe pears, peach and apricots, and the pineapple, mango and rose petals repeats.  The ripe fruit is balanced nicely with crisp acidity and a nice minerality.  Good length with persistent crispness, fruit flavors and a bit of spice.

 Conclusion: Fleshy and full bodied white which offers plenty of ripe fruit with refreshing acidity. An affordable, delicious every day drinking wine that will have a place in my “great finds under $20″ category.

Food Pairing: Would be a wonderful companion to slightly spicy dishes and heartier fish dishes such as salmon or swordfish. I also found this wine to be perfect to sip on while snacking on salty olives, and imagine it would be a perfect companion to charcuterie as well. Worth trying!

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

Retail: Around $14

Posted from CellarTracker

Keenan’s 2009 Merlot is a slow ballroom dance, under chrystal chandeliers, to music that sings each flavor’s song. I always see these simple labels, but I never imagined how beautiful the art beneath them could be.

The wine has a dress of light straw colour with hints of green.
The Vintage is a 2012 which was a very sunny year in the Wairau valley, Marlborough region of New Zealand. The sun allowed the grapes to reach their flavour zenith which really comes out in your glass. The grapes grow in rough conditions with shallow rock and gravel exposed soil.

Your mouth explodes with citrus fruit with hints of fresh mown grass and fresh herbs. It packs a bit of a punch at 13% alcohol.

I loved this wine. It was fruity, not overly sweet, nicely tart. It had a very clean finish, it left no awkward after taste.
The SAQ label indicates is is fruity vibrant wine.
At 17.75$ is is a great value for your buck.
Wait ’til you see what I paired it with.
It will make you wish you were in the cooksploratrice household…even on Vegetarian Thursdays.
Stay tuned.

This gem is full of pie cherries, warm strawberries, savory spices, breezes of eucalyptus (oddly enough), raspberries and currants. Tobiano does show slight signs of aging, having a more amber than bright red color in the glass. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine, it would pair well with mousse, a light cheese souffle, or perhaps deviled eggs.

A “Pink Rose” is said to have the meaning of “Grace, gentleness and perfect happiness.” I believe there is truth in this statement…truth I’ve come to know from Beauregard Vineyards Rosé of Pinot Noir. It is the color of the perfect pink rose and brings grace and gentleness to your senses with each sip.

Spring is upon us and roses are just starting to bloom. It is also the start of warmer days, leading into summertime patio dinners and no other wine can take the place of a beautiful, pink rose colored dry rosé. Rosé wines are made from many different red grape varietals, sometimes single varietals, sometimes blends. Always refreshing, crisp and dry. Chilled and paired with any type of food and you have a delicious summer fare.

Beauregard Vineyards are a small, family owned winery located in the Santa Cruz mountains. The Beauregard family has much history in this area and it goes as deep as the roots of the vineyards. The Beauregard 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir is exceptional. The first thing I noticed when pouring the wine was the nose bringing forward all of the terroir. It was as if I was standing in the Byington Vineyard itself. A true wine-lovers experience. After letting the rosé open up a bit and swirling in the glass, the nose also gives off the scent of strawberries fresh from the dirt, white tea and a little hint of grassiness. Upon sipping on the wine you will no doubt identify the Pinot Noir grape on this rosé. It was the second thing I wine-geeked on! So many rosés are fruity and delicious, but not always is the varietal, identifiable. There are wonderful characteristics of the Pinot Noir grape and not one of them has been left out of this rosé. Light in color, texture and bright in acidity. The earthiness, acidity and subtle fruitiness of a good Pinot are all here in this wine. It has great viscosity with tart cherries and a little toast. Feeling the Pinot Noir love on this pink beauty, I knew grilled salmon would be a winner for my patio dining pleasure. I would also recommend sushi with this rosé.

The Beauregard Rosé of Pinot Noir earns a respectable FIVE BOTTLE Rating. It is all that and only $30.00 per bottle. Being that this is a smaller production winery, distribution is limited, but Beauregard Rosé of Pinot Noir is to be had via winery direct at: http://www.beauregardvineyards.com/Wines/Buy-direct. If you love summer rosés you must give this one a try. Not everything in life can bring perfect happiness….but a rose colored glass of Beauregard Rosé can bring you pretty close. Step into the garden.

Cheers!

** Sample Courtesy of Beauregard Vineyards **

Comparatively speaking, the Riglos is less welcoming than the Fina Las Nubes, but it might age better.

In the glass, the Kramer 2010 Estate Pinot Noir shows a dark rose color that is semi-translucent. The nose is a bold blend of black cherry, strawberry and spice. On the palate is where this wine shines. It opens with bright cherry, tea and spice. The mid-palate delivers a really pleasant amount of acid and a balanced touch of tannins with notes of ripe raspberry and pepper. The finish is lingering with a touch of dryness.

At $20 a bottle online at http://www.kramervineyards.com, this Pinot Noir is a tremendous value for the quality. (A-)

Life’s too short, even for a cat with nine lives. So rather than push my luck, the other night I dug into my cellar of “older” vintages and pounced on my 2006 Sangiovese from Solis Winery. I wanted something that would stand up to a hearty red pasta sauce I was preparing made from fresh tomatoes grown in my father’s garden and sautéed with sundried tomatoes packed in oil; seasoned with fresh Oregon (also from my father’s garden), thyme, sage and basil; and finished off with some dollops of marinara sauce.

I purchased the 2006 Sangiovese, which was produced from Estates grapes grown in California’s Santa Clara Valley, without trying it. At the time, the wine was a wine-club-only pick, but the winery was kind enough to sell me a bottle. (Having had earlier vintages, my friend Shelli—who has an exceptional palate—recommended I buy it.)

Garnet in color, this wine’s bouquet is intense with blackberry, supported by earthy, dusty undertones. The palate is all Dr. Pepper without the fizz: lots of black cherry and cola surrounded by spice so intense the finish lasts for seconds on end.

Only 14.5 percent alcohol, this vintage has nicely balanced acid and medium—yet noticeable—tannins. Deliciously chewy upon uncorking, the 2006 Sangiovese goes the distance. The structure held up on day 2. By day 3, the wine softened on most fronts—except for the spice, which kept on giving. I can’t wait to get my paws on the current vintage.

The Filippi Winery

 The Filippi Winery has its origin in the beginning of the 20^th century.  The main grapes planted are:

• GARGÀNEGA, TREBBIANO for the white wines.

• CORVINA , RONDINELLA, MOLINARA for the production of the red Valpolicella.

• Since 2007 is Organic Certified.

• The vines are between 50-60 years old

WINE HIGHLIGHTS:

• 100% Gargànega

• abv: 12,5%

• The wines stay on the fine lees for six months, no clarification and no malolactic.

• Fermented in stainless stell before bottling.

• Hand harvested

REGION and SOIL

• Soave DOC wine region. It is located on the Verona hills in the Veneto Region, north east of Italy. The wine is produced in a subzone called Colli Scaligeri. It can be consider a sort of Grand Cru. Usually the Garganega is considered an easy grape, not intense, light Chardonnay like, instead can be very complex and multi-layered wine.
  

  TERROIR INFO:

• The soils in this part of the Soave hills are extremely varied and complex with basalts of volcanic origin and layers of ancient, prehistoric limestone (the Filippi office is full of stones with fossile imprints found in their vineyards). The soils of the Castelcerino vineyard, with-50 year-old vines, are volcanic with black basalt stones.Although Castelcerino is one of the oldest vineyards in the region, only part of it falls within the superior (at least on paper) Soave Classico designation, while the highest and smallest part is confined to the nondescript Soave Colli Scaligeri designation. The Filippis can literally see the border of Soave Classico run past their front door, making a bow around their vineyards, thus raising doubts over the seriousness of a legal designation which doesn’t recognise some of its finest terroirs.As Soave Colli Scaligeri doesn’t mean anything to anyone, and Soave Classico is not a guarantee for quality, the brothers are considering taking all their wines out of the Soave denomination. The Filippi vines are almost all 50 to 60 years old, all descendants of an ancient biotype, and not of selected clones from the beginning of the 1960s that were developed for quantity only.VINIFICATION
• The wines, vinified and bottled strictly by vineyard, are fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel. The wines stay on the fine lees for six months, and often much longer, only to be disturbed by the occasional bâtonnage. In addition to adding complexity, this results in a natural clarification without the need for fining agents. Malolactic doesn’t occur, nor is it desired.
• All wines get an additional year in bottle before they are released, as the high mineral content seems to inhibit the normally swift development of Garganega, and even the entry-level Soave Colli Scaligeri Castelcerino needs decanting, something the brothers advise for the entire range.

 TASTING NOTES

• sight: brillant light straw colour

• nose: Spicy as saffron and camomile, fruity as yellow peach and with white flowers aromas

• Palate: Fruity, mineral, elegant. Muscadet sur lees like flavours. Nutty and almondy character with a fresh lemon zest, ripe apple finish

Winery website: http://www.cantinafilippi.it/
sources: http://www.walterspeller.com/, http://www.jancisrobinson.com

Today I would like to talk about a particular wine, made from indigenous grapes…but before talking about the wine itself, I want to give some infos aout the winery.

For five generations the Pato’s family produced wine in the Beiras region in the north of the Portugal. Filipa Pata continued his father activity (iconic producer Luis Pato) founding her own company in 2001, her vineyards are located in a sub-regions of Bairrada and Dao, 300km north from Lisboa. A total of about 12ha of vineyards. The production consists mainly in indigenous grapes, the red traditional grape is the BAGA and the whites areARINTO, BICAL, CERCIAL, MARIA GOMEZ.

TASTING NOTES:  ‘FP Branco’ 2012

• 50%Bical and 50% Arinto

• abv: 12,5%

• After soft pressing, half of the juice ferments in old French oak barrels and half in stainless steel.

CLIMATE

• The climate in Beiras is Continental, hot and dry in the summer with long, cold winters.

Tasting Notes

The Oak influence gives a creamy texture, the yeast lees are stirred and the Arinto skins remain in contact with the juice for a short time before the fermentation, giving extra complexity and more flavours.

Sight: Nice bright yellow color

Nose: On the nose has lemon and lime scents, pineapple, white flowers and slighly flinty

Taste: In the mouth is pure, precise with a nice crispy freshness, which remind ripe citrus fruits like mandarin and lemon confit. Nice minerality. Fresh light wine with character.

Producer website: http://www.filipapato.net/

Image: maps.pickatrail.com

Despite this grape being the most famous variety in Piedmont, it is hardly the most planted. There are twice as many acres planted with Dolcetto, and ten times as much Barbera.   Not unlike Pinot Noir in its neighboring country of France, Nebbiolo is a very temperamental grape (some might even say neurotic) that demands a certain climate, geography, soil type and aspect in order to reach maturity.  Wines from Nebbiolo can vary greatly, from being light bodied, overly bitter and acidic, to full bodied, brimming with fruit flavors, earthy and velvety.  There are two schools in Piedmont; traditionalists and modernists; the latter perhaps resorting to over- extraction, over ripeness and over oaking of the wines, I tend to prefer the traditional winemakers who try to unlock the beauty of Nebbiolo without resorting to these methods.

Nebbiolo is capable of achieving excellence in the clay and limestone based soils of Albese, near Alba, Piedmont, encircled by fog, floods and hailstorms. Go figure.  Modern winemakers have tried to achieve the same flavor profile outside of this area, but have not been very successful. It will take time to learn which are the best sites and what clones to use for each area, just as is the case with Pinot Noir.

I am always on the look out for a good Nebbiolo, because obviously, I cannot afford to drink Barolo every day, but I want to have a wine that offers some of that complexity and is similar in flavor profile.  I picked up a bottle of Marziano Abbona’s Bricco Barone 2010 Nebbiolo d’Alba recently, and as the name implies this comes from the Alba region of Piedmont Wines from this area are fresh, clean with bright fruits, and not particularly oaky, although this particular wine has been aged in French oak casks for 12 months. It comes from the famous commune of Monforte, where the vineyard sits at 1200 feet above sea level, and the wines average 25-40 years of age.

Image: piemonte-it.com

The Marziano estate is located in Dogliani and own a total of 103 acres of vineyards spread throughout the communes of Dogliani (61 acres), Novello (15 acres), and Monforte (27 acres). The Abbona family has been cultivating vines since the 1920s, but it was not until 1970 that Marziano began bottling wines under the name Abbona.

Marziano Abbona Bricco Barone 2010 Nebbiolo d’Alba

A deep ruby core in color, on the nose I get the classic violet aroma and a lot of red fruits such as ripe cherries and raspberries, as well as some developing notes of leather and earthiness.  Full bodied on the palate, with ripe red cherries, licorice and leather, and there is also some black pepper on the finish. Crisp acidity with noticeable alcohol but well integrated with firm, ripe tannins.

Conclusion: Well made, with a velvety texture combined with rich fruit flavors, acidity and tannins and a long finish.  A fine example of what the Nebbiolo grape should taste like. Lovely to drink now, but will also probably be good 2-5 years from now.

This Nebbiolo was one of the most delicious Nebbiolos I have tasted in a while.

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

Retail: $26-30 depending on outlet

Very broadly speaking, I have to say I rather review and promote wines made out of Italian indigenous grape varieties, essentially because they differentiate themselves from the ubiquitous international varieties, because there are many excellent ones and because, by so doing, I think I am giving my small contribution to preserve biodiversity also in the vineyard (a wine world populated only by Chardonnays, Sauvignons, Pinots and Merlots would be a pretty boring one, if you ask me!) and to make certain Italian wines better known outside of Italy.

However, it is undeniable that certain international varieties have been successfully grown in Italy and that excellent, elegant wines are made out of such grapes which oftentimes are not very well known to the general public.

So today’s review is of a Sicilian Chardonnay that I very much like and that illustrates the point that Chardonnay is an extremely versatile variety that can give excellent results even in warmer climates like Sicily’s.

The wine I am talking about is the 2009 vintage of Donnafugata‘s Contessa Entellina Bianco “Chiarandà” DOC.

Founded in 1983, Donnafugata is one of the top Sicilian wineries that contributed to the “Sicilian wine revolution” by contributing passion, investments and professionalism to raise the profile of Sicilian winemaking and produce top quality wines.

Their Chiarandà is a 100% Chardonnay wine made from the grapes grown in Donnafugata’s vineyards in a hilly region of the Contessa Entellina DOC appellation near the homonymous town (about halfway between Marsala and Palermo), in the western part of Sicily, at an altitude between 200 and 600 mt (650 to 1,950 ft) above sea level. The vineyards from which Chiarandà is made achieve an excellent density of 4,500 to 6,000 vines/HA and the vine training system used is spurred cordon.

The wine has 13% ABV and is fermented in stainless steel vats and then undergoes 6 months of aging on its lees in a mix of concrete and oak vessels of various sizes plus 24 additional months of in-bottle fining. Given its lively acidity (see, tasting notes below) it is a wine with great aging potential, in the 10 year range. In the US, the Chiarandà retails for about $35.

Let’s now get down to the actual review of the 2009 Chiarandà that I had. As usual, I will use a simplified version of the ISA wine tasting protocol that we described in a previous post: should you have doubts as to any of the terms used below please refer to that post for a refresher.

In the glass, it is a beautiful golden yellow in color, and thick when swirled.

On the nose, its bouquet is intense, fine and definitely complex, with an array of enticing aromas of peach, tangerine, butter, vanilla, herbs (sage), mineral and iodine notes.

In the mouth, the wine is dry, warm, smooth; with lively acidity and pronounced minerality. It is medium to full-bodied with good structure and very balanced, with intense and fine mouth flavors reminiscent of its aromatic palette and a long finish, with those flavors pleasantly lingering in the mouth long after gulping down a sip. Its evolutionary state was ready (meaning, fine to drink now, but can take two or three more years of aging without compromising its qualities).

Overall, I very much enjoyed the Chiarandà, which I found to be a very elegant and “clean” Chardonnay, in which its oaky notes are not dominant but rather very well integrated such that they add to (instead of overwhelm) its pleasantly fruity and mineral flavor palette.

Rating: Very Good and definitely recommended.

As usual, if you have tasted Chiarandà before, let me know how you liked it.