Tag Archives: Red Wine

Trivento Malbec Reserve 2015

1 November 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Trivento Malbec 2015Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina

100% malbec

13.5% alcohol

Opened 29 Oct 2017

els 8.9/10

Decanter 95

Guia Descorchados 90

Bodega Trivento, the Three Winds Winery, sources its Malbec grapes from the Andean alluvial and colluvium soils of Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley, south of Mendoza, Argentina. The vineyards are at an altitude of approximately 3400 feet, soaking up 250 days per year of intense sun, in the dry, thin air; temperatures ranging in the summer growing season from highs of 95 degrees Fahrenheit during the days to 55 degrees at night. The semi-arid climate sparingly doles out less than 1.5 inches of rain per month during the growing season, forcing the growers to add drip irrigation to  assuage the vines thirst.

This inexpensive wine has a wonderful, clear, ruby-red color begging you to further investigate its aromas of cherry and strawberries, its soft tannins, and velvety, favorable finish. Chocolates and pasta will pair well with this Malbec.  Remember to decant and aerate the wine for an hour or two, it will help immensely.

$8.99 wine.com.

Vina Real Crianza 2012

1 October 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

W Vina RealOther Red Blends from Rioja, Spain

90% tempranillo

10% garnacha, graciano and mazuela

13.2% alcohol by volume

els 9.0/10

Guia Penin 93

Wine Advocate 92

Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España, CVNE, a family winery and vineyard, was founded in 1879 in the small town of Haro within the wine growing region of Rioja, Spain. The town is renowned for the annual Haro Wine Festival, celebrated on the 29th of June, in honor of the town’s patron saint, San Pedro.  The event is inaugurated each year, with a possibly, somber and sober mass at the Hermitage of San Felices de Bilibio, followed by wine drinking competitions, and drenching thine neighbor with buckets of red wine, producing a population of lovely, glowing, lavender hued, inebriated participants. Songkran take note.

Today the company includes 4 wineries including Vina Real in Laguardia, established in 1920s, near the provincial seat of the Rioja wine district, Logrono; producing some of first oak barrel aged wine in the region.

The vineyards are grown on calcareous soils in the Rioja Alavesa wine sub-region at a few hundred feet above sea level, south of the Cantabrian Mountains, enjoying a calm, continental climate of moderate days in the low 70s, and nights dipping into the low 60s with 2 to 4 inches of rain during the growing season, although 2012 was very dry.

The wine has a clear to brilliant, garnet to ruby-red coloring; a bouquet of blackberries, cherries, plums, and earth. A wonderfully balanced, medium bodied wine with a very nice finish.

An outstanding wine.

$13.99 wine.com

Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

16 September 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

W Tahbilk 2013Cabernet Sauvignon from Central Victoria, Australia
100% cabernet sauvignon
14.0% alcohol by volume

els 8.9/10

Australian Wine Companion 94

Wine Spectator 90

Tahbilk established itself in 1860, as the first winery in the Goulburn Valley of Central Victoria, Australia and is one of the oldest wineries in Australia. Reginald Purbrick purchased the winery in 1925 and 5 generations of family have been making wines there ever since.

The vineyards are situated less than 500 feet above sea level but the temperatures are cool nights of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit with the days hovering in the low 80s during the growing season. Rain is sufficient at about 1.5 to 2.5 inches per month. The soils are sandy.

Tahbilk cabernet sauvignon is produced from about 70 acres of old vines planted in 1949.

The wine is a brilliant ruby-red with a great fragrance of black cherry and plum.  Mild herbal and spice hints add to its sensual aroma. The tannins are smooth and easy, producing a balanced but a long and intense finish. A good wine.

$19.99 wine.com

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2013

13 September 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , Leave a comment

W Kaiken Malbec 2013Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina
100% malbec
14.5% alcohol by volume

els 8.7/10

James Suckling 93

Wine Spectator 90

The Kaiken Winery, named after the gregarious caiquen goose, is located a few miles southwest of Mendoza, Argentina on a medial position of an alluvial fan born from sediment disgorged from the towering Andes to the west, and a few stones throw north of the spirited, flowing braids of the Rio Mendoza.

The malbec grapes are harvested from 3 vineyards north and south of Mendoza, ranging from 950-1250 meters above sea level, rendering thirsty, hot days and dry, cool nights, partnering with the sandy, loamy soils in providing temperament and complexion to the impending wines.

With a clear ruby-red color the wine exudes a black cherry and plum bouquet with a mild vanilla sweetness coming later. This malbec is smooth all around; pleasant and mellow tannins with a simple and balanced finish. On a better day I might rate this wine 9.0/10 but it just doesn’t manifest the pizzazz, personally, to push it to that level.

The 2013 vintage is very difficult to find but there is a similarly rated 2015 Kaiken Ultra Malbec available for $18.99 wine.com.

Tercos Bonarda 2015

10 September 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Tercos Bonarda 2015Bonarda from Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Cuyo Region, Argentina

100% bonarda

13.9% alcohol by volume

Purchased: 12 July 2017 – $19.99

Opened: 8 September 2017

els:  9.0/10

James Suckling:  93

Insider: 92

Natalie Maclean:  90

Wine Align: 86

Wine Enthusiast: 82

Argentina is the world’s 6th largest producer of wine by volume, just behind the US and ahead of Australia. It produces about 6% of the world’s total wine. The country has in excess of 500,000 acres planted in grapes. Red grapes account for about 55% of the total grown in the country with rose and whites accounting for the rest.  The country grows more than 100 varietals of grapes but the 6 main ones make up almost half of the total acreage planted. Four varietals account for 79% of all red grapes planted and 42% of the total for all red, white, and rose grapes: Malbec 36% total/20% red, Bonarda 17%/9%, Cabernet Sauvignon 14%/7%, and Syrah 11%/6%.  Two varietals account for 35% of all white grapes planted or 7% of the total of all grapes: Torrontes Riojano 20% white/4% total and Chardonnay 15%/3%. Argentina has 4 main wine-producing regions: Atlantic, Cuyo, North, and Patagonia. Cuyo is the largest and most important wine-producing, macroeconomic region in central Argentina and includes the wine sub-regions of La Rioja, Mendoza, and San Juan; with Mendoza being the largest of the 3 by area, population, GDP, and wine production.

Argentina was the first South American country attempting to grow vines, beginning in Mendoza in the early 1800s.   The initial plantings came from the Bordeaux region of France, including the ubiquitous Malbec.  Eventually, Mendoza was producing world-class Malbec wines, on par or superior to those produced in France, mainly due to its high elevations in the foothills of the Andes, well-drained soils, and lots and lots of hot sunshine. Today the country produces 75% of the world’s Malbec.  The country’s 2nd most planted grape, on 47,000 acres, is Bonarda, aka Douce Noir, Corbeau, and Charbono accounting for almost all of the world’s total acreage.

Cuyo Region, in the western Andes foothills of central Argentina is the country’s main wine-producing area that includes the provinces of San Juan, San Luis, Mendoza, and La Rioja. The region covers a 450 miles, north to south, from the village of San Blas de los Sauces in the north to the small city of General Alvear in the south. The region accounts for almost 80% of country’s wine production. The area is one of the driest wine-producing areas of the world requiring some form of irrigation for the all the vineyards.

The Mendoza region, lapping up onto the eastern foothills of the youthful Andes, is the largest wine-producing area in all of Argentina, accounting for 65-75% of the country’s total. A third of the country’s vineyards are dedicated to Malbec with Mendoza also producing the lion’s share of that variety. The region’s vineyards range from 1600-5600′ above sea level. The Mendoza wine region is partitioned into another 5 sub-areas: Central Oasis, East Mendoza, North Mendoza, South Mendoza, and Uco Valley.

The Uco Valley, striking in a north-south direction, just east and parallel to the Andes Mountains, is 45 miles long and about 15 miles wide on average. The northern edge of valley is situated at the small town of San Jose and the southern limit is anchored by the tiny village of El Cepillo. The valley is crossed by the braided Tunuyan and Tupungato Rivers, sourced from the snow packs high in the Andes Mountains. There are over 60,000 acres of vineyards ranging from 2800-5600′ above sea level in the sub-region. The main varietals grown are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Malbec accounts for almost 45% of all acreage planted. Soils throughout the Uco Valley are alluvial and consist of a rocky, clayey sub-soil overlain by a stony, sandy surface. The soils are immature, infertile, and well-drained; perfect for growing grapes. The dry valley sits in the rain shadow of the mountains requiring irrigation for the vineyards. Growing season temperatures range from 50-85°F with rainfall averages of 1-3.75″ per month.

Tupungato is located in the northern third of the Uco Valley, in the shadow of the Tupungato volcano and about 40 miles south of Mendoza. About a third of the acreage is devoted to vineyards with Malbec and Chardonnay the undisputed kings of the area. The soils are immature, stony and well-drained. Growing season temperatures range from 50-85°F with rainfall ranging from 0.5-1.33″ per month.

Bonarda, also known as Douce Noir, Corbeau, and Charbono, is the country’s 2nd most planted grape.  It is planted on more than 47,000 acres which is more than 99% of the world-wide total. The grape is thought to have originated in northern Italy along the Po River valley 3000 years ago, first planted by the Etruscans and brought to Argentina by Italian immigrants. It is a thick-skinned, medium-sized blueish-black grape producing a deep red wine high in tannins.  It has aromas of black fruit, plums, and anise. A full-bodied wine with great structure and long aging potential.

Ricardo Santos, owner of the Norton Winery, was the first producer in Argentina to export Malbec wines to the US in 1972. Santos sold this winery in 1989 and purchased vineyards around Mendoza, Maipu and Russell. The Ricardo Santos Bodega and Vineyards, today run by Ricardo’s sons, Patricio and Pedro Santos, has its winery located just south of Mendoza in Russell, Maipu. The winery was built in 2005 and has a capacity 700,000 liters or 185,000 gallons per year.  Its air-conditioned cellars accommodate 300 oak barrels. The winery produces 5 reds and 1 white under two labels:  Ricardo Santos and Tercos.

Tercos was developed by Pedro and Patricio Santos. The wine’s iconic, humorous and possibly triple entendre wine label of 4-donkeys in 3-piece suits is suggestive of a play on the word stubborn, the literal Spanish to English translation of Tercos, insinuating the difficulty of producing a superb wine from the local dry and poor volcanic-alluvial soils, and finally, they may be donkeys, but they dress up rather nicely.

The Bonarda grape is grown at their Finca La Pitonisa vineyard, or in English, the Witch Estate, which is in the evening shadows of the inactive Andean stratovolcano Tupungato towering another 17,799′ over the 3600′ above sea level vineyards. The volcano contributes to the silica rich, sandy loams of vineyard soils, containing various amounts of aluminum, calcium, sodium, magnesium, zinc and iron which augment the flavors and body of this wine. The vines were planted between 1977 and 1990 placing them mostly into the old vine category of lower yield but concentrated grapes. The grapes for the 2015 vintage were harvested in the 3rd week of April.

The grapes were picked, crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 23 days at 77°F.  In December the wine was transferred to 15,000 3/4 liter bottles.

This is a satisfying wine with a pleasing, dark ruby-red to violet color. The aroma is easy with berries, plums and raisins in the forefront with a hint of cloves and spice. The taste is very smooth all around and the balanced finish lasts well into your next sip.

Bonarda compliments so many dishes and entrees, but I usually take a simple path and prepare a plate of thinly sliced sausages such as hard salami and summer sausage with some mild cheddar. Toss in a handful of salted cashews and seedless grapes and you’re all set. Bon appetit.

An outstanding wine at a great price. Drink this year but it’s likely good until 2025. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking.

$12.99 wine.com

Arnoux et Fils Vacqueyras Seigneur de Lauris 2012

31 August 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Vacqueyras 2012Rhone Red Blends from Vacqueyras AOC, Rhone Valley, France

70% grenache

30% syrah

14.0% alcohol

Purchased:  12 July 2017 – $19.99

Opened:  29 August 2017

els:  9.0/10

Vinous:  93

Stephan Tanzer: 93-91

The Wine Advocate:  90

 

Cellar Tracker:  88

Gilbert and Gaillard:  87

France is the 2nd largest producer of wine in the world, just behind Italy and  ahead of Spain, representing about 21% of the global wine market.  The country is responsible for creating some of the most recognizable old world wines on the planet, from the bubbly Champagnes in the cool north to world-class Bordeaux along the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers to the GSMs in the warm Mediterranean south. There are 17 major wine-producing regions in the country along with another 28 smaller areas, all growing 96 varieties of predominate grapes with Merlot and Grenache the most common. Reds account for almost 70% of the 2 million plus acres planted in vines, with whites accounting for the remainder. As with the other major European wine producers, France’s vineyard acreage has been shrinking over the last couple of decades due to less demand from their home population and increased market pressures from new world producers.

The Rhone Valley wine region of southern France, extending 155 miles along  both sides of the north-south river, situated between the Massif Central to the west and the Alps to the east, produces some of the truly great red blends in the world. The wineries in this valley have practiced and perfected their craft since the Greeks came to Massilia (modern Marseille) and planted their vines in the 4th century BC. The Romans, knowing a good thing when they see it, defended Massilia from the Gaul’s in the second century BC, protecting and expanding the Rhone wine trade throughout the Mediterranean. The wines, especially from the right bank of the Rhone, have been the favorites of kings and popes since the Latin and Greek Churches parted company in 1054. In the 14th century the Latin Popes set up residency on the right bank of the Rhone at Avignon and controlled the area until the 18th century, all the while extending and perfecting the local vineyards.  In the 20th century, Rhone wineries were instrumental in codifying French laws, AOCs, to regulate the type and quality of wines produced.

Today the Rhone Valley is France’s second largest wine-producing region of over 5300 growers and producers spread over 250 communes, containing 28 appellations, and growing 27 varieties of grapes. Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre red grapes are the most common by acreage planted. In 2016 the region produced 80 million gallons and sold 372 million bottles of wine, produced from 175,000 acres of vines. More than 80% of the wine produced is red. A little less than a third of that wine is exported, mainly to the UK, Belgium, and the US.

Vacqueyras AOC, located at the foot of  Dentelles de Montmirail, is 14 miles east of the Rhone, 8-9 miles east of Orange, and 60 miles north-northwest of Marseille. The AOC sits along the left-bank of the Ouveze River, a tributary of the Rhone. Vacqueyras’ history goes back to the Romans in the 2nd century BC with first written proof of wine making recorded in the 15th century AD tax rolls. In 1937, Vacqueyras was added to the Cotes du Rhone area. In 1955, it became a Cotes du Rhone Village. In 1967, it became a named Cotes du Rhone village. Finally, in 1990, it obtained its AOC status. The area has 3500 acres of planted vines with red grapes comprising 97% of all grapes grown. Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre account for 90% of all vines planted. The area produced 12,000 gallons of wine in 2016. The soils are generally alluvial and glacial, sandy-clay with pebbles. The area enjoys a Mediterranean climate with growing season temperatures ranging from 50-80°F and rainfall ranging from 2.0-2.75″ per month.

Grenache grapes likely originated in Aragon in north central Spain. It is the 7th most commonly grown grape in the world, planted on about 455,000 acres and producing about 4% of all harvested grapes. France is the largest grower of this grape followed by Spain and is the most common grape grown in the Rhone valley. The grape is used to produce single varietals and blends. A dark-blueish, large, thick-skinned grape that produces medium to full-bodied wines high in alcohol but with medium acidity and tannins.  It is high in dark fruit and spice flavors that mellow with age.

Syrah grapes were originally thought to have originated in Persia or Syria but recent DNA analyses has shown its roots to be in Savoy, a region at the junction of France, Switzerland, and Italy, and the Ardeche region on the eastern edge of the Rhone Valley.  The grape is the 6th most grown grape in the world, planted on about 460,000 acres and producing a little more than 4% of all harvested grapes. France is the largest producer of this grape and is used to produce single varietals and blends. A small to medium-sized grape, deep purple in color, producing full-bodied wines high in alcohol and acidity with medium tannins. The wines have flavors of red and black fruits, and spice.  The wine ages well, developing aromas of leather and licorice over time.

In 1717, the Count Francois de Castellanne, de Lauris, de Vassadel, de Gerard, Chevalier marquis of Ampuis, de Lagneroux, Vacqueyras, gave Pierre Bovis, an ancestor of the Arnoux family a vineyard. Fortunately he didn’t make Pierre name the vineyard after him. Today the estate is run by Marc and Jean-Francois. Arnoux et Fils’ winery, on the right bank of the Rhone River produces it blends from low yield vineyards as prescribed by AOC rules.

The family has 100 acres of vineyards at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, loosely translated as lacy, adorable mountains. These mountains formed from late Mesozoic to present day tectonic uplift, causing the nearly vertical placement of the originally horizontal, Late Jurassic-Oxfordian fine-grained basinal carbonates. The carbonates are the source of the poor argillaceous, limestone soil mixed with round stones  of the winery’s vineyards. The vines are more than 50 years-old. As stated above the vineyards enjoy a Mediterranean climate with growing season temperatures ranging from 50-80°F and rainfall ranging from 2.0-2.75″ per month, with the vines and soil being kept cool and dry by the strong mistral winds coming out of the northwest.

The grapes were hand-picked, partially de-stemmed, and spent 15 days fermenting in vats. The wine is then aged 18 to 24 months in oak barrels, 2/3 new and 1/3 used.  The wine is partially aged in the winery’s underground cellar for 12 to 18 months.

This wine has beautiful clear garnet hues which just beg you to enjoy outside on a Willie Nelson “Uncloudy Day“. Powerful aromas meet your nose with hints of raspberry, currant, black cherry, and prunes.  Whispers of mushrooms and cloves add to this delightful fragrance of liquid comfort. The tannins are smooth and easy, providing a nice balanced finish now and for years to come.

Enjoy while nibbling on some small chunks of pungent goat cheese or make a meal of it and grill up a rib-eye. Smother your steak with a red wine, peppercorn sauce.  Start with a tablespoon of butter, the real stuff, 2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped onions, a tablespoon of crushed peppercorns, a sloppy tablespoon of cognac (optional), a half cup of red wine, a cup of beef stock, and a quarter cup of heavy cream. Cook the butter, onions, and peppercorns over medium heat until the onions are soft, less than 10 minutes. Add in the cognac and reduce to nothing. Add the wine and the beef stock, bringing to a boil, reducing everything by 2/3. Add in the cream and allow to thicken.  Salt to taste and serve over a hot, juicy steak.

An outstanding wine at an ok price. Drink this year but likely good until 2022-2027. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking.

$19.99 Wine.com

Martin Ray Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2015

16 July 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Martin Ray 2015Pinot Noir from Los Carneros and Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, North Coast, California, US

100% pinot noir

13.8% alcohol

Purchased:  2 July 2017 – $18.99

Open: 15 July 2017

els:  9.1/10

James Suckling:  95

Cellar Tracker: 87

The US, when first discovered by the Vikings, was covered in vines and they named the area Vineland. Unfortunately the early settlers discovered that those vines produced a terrible wine. The effort to find a suitable vine for the US began in earnest in the 1600s with the introduction of the Mission grape to Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico and Vitis vinifera to Virginia.  America’s first commercial winery was not established until 1798, finding its home in Kentucky.  Today the US is the 4th largest producer of wine in the world, behind Spain and ahead of Argentina, accounting for 8% of the world’s wine production. There are 89 regions in the country planting 129 prime varieties of grape. The country has almost 8000 wineries that produced 800 million gallons of wine in 2016.

The California wine industry was initially established by Spanish in the 18th century, planting the Mexican sourced “black grape” around their Catholic missions to be used for religious ceremonies and enjoying Californian sunsets.  The “black grape” or the Mission grape, was originally brought to the new world buy Hernan Cortes in the 16th century. It did nothing of note for the Aztecs but it dominated the state’s industry for almost 200 years.

California is far and away the largest grower and producer of wine in the country accounting for about 85% of US production.  The state still ranks as the 4th largest producer in the world just behind France, Italy, and Spain; without including the rest of country. There are over 600,000 acres of vines, 5900 growers and just shy of 4700 wineries in the state producing 285 million cases of wine in 2016. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most common wine varieties, accounting for about 90,000 and 85,000 acres planted, respectively. In 2016 the state had about 44,600 acres planted in Pinot Noir grapes.

The state has 5 main growing regions: Central Coast, Inland Valleys, North Coast, Sierra Foothills, and South Coast.  Within these 5 regions are upwards to 200 AVAs.  The AVAs  are defined by geography only; counties are automatically classified as an AVA without further registration with the federal government.  85% of the grapes used on an AVA that’s smaller than a county, must be grown there but there are no restrictions on what grapes or amounts that can be used. If it is a county labeled AVA only 75% of the grapes need to come from that area.

The North Coast region, just north of San Francisco, includes the counties of Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma, and Solano. The area stretches 100 miles, north to south, and about 50 miles east to west. From Clear Lake on the eastern boundary to the Pacific Ocean on the western edge, the area includes the valleys just north of the San Francisco Bay to the North Coast Mountains in the northern part of the region. The North Coast contains almost half of all the state’s wineries spread over 3 million acres with more than 130,000 acres dedicated to vineyards within 50 smaller AVAs. The predominate grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Sonoma County wine history dates back to the early 1800s when a Catholic priest established a vineyard around the San Francisco Solano Mission which is now in the city of Sonoma. By the early 1920s the county boasted 20,000 acres of vines and 250 plus wineries. Prohibition knocked Sonoma’s wine industry down to a shadow of its former glory and it took almost 60 years for the county to recover from that social experiment.

Sonoma County has a rich, heterogeneous geography of mountains and valleys that present a profusion of soils and climates that make the French landscape look like vanilla pudding.  The area’s soils are heavily influenced by volcanism along the county’s eastern boundary in the Mayacamas Mountains.  The volcanoes include the Plio-Pleistocene aged Mount St. Helena and Hood Mountain which, among others, spiked the surrounding soils with ash and other wine-loving volcanic ejecta. The climate of the area is a product of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean which has endowed the area with foggy mornings, warm days, not too hot, and cool nights.

Sonoma County is the North Coast’s largest AVA, about 50 miles on a side, containing more than third of North Coast region’s grape acreage, along with 1800 growers, and 400 wineries. The county grows 66 varieties of grapes on 60,000 acres but just 7 of these account for about 90% of all the wine produced.  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon are the top 3 grapes grown. The area produces about 6% of California’s total wine production versus 4% for Napa.

The county is further subdivided into 3 large AVAs loosely based on geography: Northern Sonoma, Sonoma Coast, and Sonoma Valley with each of these containing an additional 15 distinct AVAs within their borders. These include:  Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley, Carneros Sonoma, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek Valley, Fort Ross-Seaview, Fountaingrove District, Green Valley, Knights Valley, Moon Mountain District, Petuluma Gap, Pine Mountain – Cloverdale Peak, Rockpile, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Mountain. Petuluma Gap was granted AVA status in 2018.

The Los Carneros AVA straddles Sonoma and Napa Counties along the north coast of San Pablo Bay, 25-30 miles north of San Francisco.  Vineyards date back to the 1830s and the first winery opened in the 1870s. There are approximately 9000 acres planted in vine and 45 wineries in the AVA.  Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the most common varieties planted. The soils are primarily clay with poor drainage and low to moderate fertility.  The growing season temperatures range from the low 50s to the low 80s with rainfall ranging from 0.0-2.0″ per month. The area is the windiest and coolest of all Napa and Sonoma Country AVAs.

The Russian River Valley AVA is located in Sonoma County along the southern bank of the Russian River as it turns west towards the Pacific Ocean. The city of Santa Rosa defines AVAs southern boundary and the city is about 50 miles northwest of San Francisco. There are 10,000 acres of vines planted in the valley with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir comprising 42% and 29% of all grapes harvested, respectively.  The climate is cool, known for its early morning fogs coming up the river.  Temperatures can change significantly in 24 hours with a 35-40°F drop at night being common. Rainfall averages 2-4″ per month except July and August when rains are very rare.  The soils are typically sand-rich or clay-rich loams.

Pinot Noir, native to the Burgundy region of France, is a cool climate, thin-skinned, fussy grape. It is a popular drinking wine, ranking as number 10 in the world by acreage. France and the US are the largest growers of the vine, each with about 75,000 acres under cultivation out of 215,000 acres worldwide. The grape produces a garnet to ruby colored wine with low tannins and medium-body.  The low tannins generally mean it does not age well but that property can be quite unpredictable. Young wines have aromas of cherries and raspberry but older wines tend to acquire more earthy smells.

Martin Ray produced iconic wines in the Santa Cruz Mountain area from 1943 to 1972.  Courtney Benham, recognizing the dedication and art that Ray brought to his wines and their intrinsic value, purchased the Martini and Prati winery and the Martin Ray brand in 1990 and has been producing artisanal wines ever since. In 2003 he moved the winery to the cool marine climate of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, California, 50 miles northwest of the Golden Gate Bridge. Notable, for no earthly reason, the winery is about 6 miles west of the Charles M. Schulz Museum. The winery has roughly 12 acres of rather newly planted, 2011 Pinot Noir vines.

The grapes for this Martin Ray Pinot Noir are predominately sourced from Martin Ray’s neighbor’s vineyards; with their permission of course, the Ricioli and Foppian Vineyards being the main suppliers. These vineyards are along the Russian River and experience a growing season temperature range of 47-85°F with rains bringing 2-4″ per month. July and August are very dry though.  The soils are sand-rich loams. 2015 was a warm, dry (drought) year with almost no rain.  The grapes ripened early with low yields but excellent quality.

The different vineyard’s grapes were fermented separately in open top vessels. They were aged in new and used French oak barrels for 11 months.

The wine has a brilliant ruby-red color with aromas of raspberry, plum and earthy mushroom. A smooth medium to full-bodied, delicious tongue treatment leading to a satisfying balanced finish.  An outstanding wine which I would grade just a few notches below James Suckling’s rating but I may quibble.

Snoopy may have wanted a root beer but Linus would have preferred sipping this Pinot along with some dried salmon, Jarlsberg cheese and salty crackers.

An outstanding wine at a reasonable price. Drink this year but likely good until 2020-2022. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking.

24.99 Total Wine

Vina Tarapaca Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

14 July 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Tarapaca 2013Cabernet Sauvignon from Isla de Maipo, Maipo Valley, Central Valley, Chile

100% cabernet sauvignon

14.3% alcohol

Purchased: 12 July 2016  –  $16.99

Opened: 12 July 2017

els:  9.1/10

James Suckling:  92

Decanter:  91

Natalie MacLean:  91

Globe and Mail:  91

Cellar Tracker:  86

The Central Valley wine region, aka, the Inland Valleys, of Chile is a 250-mile north-south region nestled within the 600-mile north-south depression between the western Coastal Ranges and the eastern Andes, all within the central part of country. The wine region extends from northern most, heavily vined, Maipo Valley, near the capital city of Santiago, down to the table wine capital of Maule Valley in the south, which shares its southern border with the Bio-Bio region. Geographically analogous to the California Inland Valleys with the Central Valley bracketed by the Coastal Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevadas to the east. Unlike the Inland Valleys of California, the Inland Valleys of Chile have a greater diversity of terroir requiring a narrowing of focus before climate, soils and rainfall can be adequately discussed.

Chile is the 8th largest producer of wine, by volume, in the world while the Central Valley wine region produces around 85%, by volume, of all wine in Chile. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Carmenere and Carignan grapes dominate the plantings in the Inland Valleys. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for more than a third of all vines planted in Chile and almost 50% of the vines in Maipo Valley.

Maipo Valley, an area of 276,000 acres has a little more than 11% of those acres dedicated to growing grapes, and Cabernet Sauvignon is the reigning monarch on these regal lands. Most Chilean wines of prestige come from here, often referred to as the Bordeaux of South America. Like the Rioja wine region in Spain, Maipo Valley is divided into 3 sub-regions based on altitude: Alto, Medio or Central, and Bajo or Pacific; Maipo. Alto Maipo vineyards on the western foothills of the Andes are the area’s crown jewels, producing extraordinary Bordeaux blends from vineyards more than 1300′ above sea level, and as high as 2600′. Down slope and to the west from Alto are the Medio Maipo vineyards producing slightly less discriminating wines. Lower down and further west are the wineries, not necessarily the vineyards, of Bajo Maipo; producers of good wines if sourced from the higher elevations to the east.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely grown grape in the world; coming from zero in the mid-1600s, when it was established as a new species by the natural cross-breeding of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, then rapidly ascending to the prominence of being planted in one out of every 16 vine cultivated acres. A black, thick-skinned grape that has multitude of aromas and flavors from pepper to mint to jam.  With its high tannins and medium acidity it possess the potential for a long shelf life of ageing and consumers just can’t get enough of it.

Vina Tarapaca, founded in 1874 in the western foothills of the Andes Mountains, by Don Francisco de Rojas Salamanca which he originally named, Vina de Rojas. In 1892 the winery was sold to Don Antonio Zavala and was renamed Vina Zavala. When the Zavala divorced his wife, Mrs. Mercedes Ulloa, the winery passed to her as part of the settlement and she renamed the winery to Vina Tarapaca Ex Zavala; honoring her divorce lawyer and future president of the country, Don Arturo “The Lion of Tarapaca” Alessandri and spiting her former husband at the same time. Ouch. In 1992 La Compañía Chilena de Fosforos acquired the company and began gearing its production towards the export market. Also in 1992 the company acquired the Maipo Valley property: El Rosario Estate. In 2008 the company entered into a partnership with the VSPT Wine Group to export fine Chilean and Argentinean wines to international markets.

Vina Tarapaca’s winery and vineyards are located in Isla de Maipo, a town along the Maipo River of about 26,000, approximately 25 miles southwest of Santiago.  The estate encompasses about 6400 acres of which 1600 are planted in vines, and are totally surrounded by mountains and the river. The Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards are tucked into a small mountain canyon growing in piedmont or mountain alluvial soils of a gravelly loam that overlays a sandy, gravelly sub-strata. The soil’s drainage is good and the roots can go deep. The growing season diurnal temperature range is about 50-87ºF and the rainfall averages about 0.5″ per month.

The grapes were harvested in the last 2 weeks of April. A pre-fermentation cold maceration period was carried out at 54ºF.  The grapes were then fermented at about 80ºF, followed by another maceration period for 10 days. The wine was then aged for 12 months in new and old, French and American oak barrels.

A deep purple; I always love writing that, wine with an earthy blackberry aroma and a faint herbal scent. Full bodied but the tannins and acidity will not overpower you. It has a well-balanced, nice long finish.

A nice wine to enjoy with my super easy shredded pork soft tacoritoes.  You will need about 1 pound of pork, I usually use boneless pork ribs, 1 medium chopped white onion, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, 2 packages of taco seasoning, 2 diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeno peppers to taste, 16 ounces of a 3 cheese Mexican mix, and 12-24 flour tortillas. Boil the pork in water, along with the onion, garlic, and 1.5 packages of  the taco seasoning for several hours or until the pork is easily shredded with a fork. Drain off all the water except about a cup and shred the pork.  Add in the tomatoes, jalapeno, and the remaining seasoning and mix.  Add additional liquid if too dry.  Mix thoroughly and slowly simmer for about 10 minutes. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the pork mixture on a tortilla and roll up.  Top with cheese and microwave until the cheese is melted.  Serve with sides of sour cream, picante sauce and other condiments you usually use for your tacos.

An outstanding wine at a nice price. Drink this year but it likely will be good until 2021-2023. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking. A great value wine that is now, rather scarce. The link below had the wine at the time of this posting.

$18.40 wine-searcher.com

Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

5 May 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Casa Bosque 2014Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, Central Valley, Chile

100% cabernet sauvignon

14.5% alcohol

Purchased: 6 January 2017  –  $15.99

Opened: 3 May 2017

els:  9.0/10

James Suckling: 94

Wine Advocate: 89

Cellar Tracker: 89

The Central Valley wine region, aka, the Inland Valleys, of Chile is a 250-mile north-south region nestled within the 600-mile north-south depression between the western Coastal Ranges and the eastern Andes, all within the central part of country. The wine region extends from northern most, heavily vined, Maipo Valley, near the capital city of Santiago, down to the table wine capital of Maule Valley in the south, which shares its southern border with the Bio-Bio region. Geographically analogous to the California Inland Valleys with the Central Valley bracketed by the Coastal Ranges to the west and the Sierra Nevadas to the east. Unlike the Inland Valleys of California, the Inland Valleys of Chile have a greater diversity of terroir requiring a narrowing of focus before climate, soils and rainfall can be adequately discussed.

Chile is the 8th largest producer of wine, by volume, in the world while the Central Valley wine region produces around 85%, by volume, of all wine in Chile. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Carmenere and Carignan grapes dominate the plantings in the Inland Valleys. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for more than a third of all vines planted in Chile and almost 50% of the vines in Maipo Valley.

Maipo Valley, an area of 276,000 acres has a little more than 11% of those acres dedicated to growing grapes, and Cabernet Sauvignon is the reigning monarch on these regal lands. Most Chilean wines of prestige come from here, often referred to as the Bordeaux of South America. Like the Rioja wine region in Spain, Maipo Valley is divided into 3 sub-regions based on altitude: Alto, Medio or Central, and Bajo or Pacific; Maipo. Alto Maipo vineyards on the western foothills of the Andes are the area’s crown jewels, producing extraordinary Bordeaux blends from vineyards more than 1300′ above sea level, and as high as 2600′. Down slope and to the west from Alto are the Medio Maipo vineyards producing slightly less discriminating wines. Lower down and further west are the wineries, not necessarily the vineyards, of Bajo Maipo; producers of good wines if sourced from the higher elevations to the east.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely grown grape in the world; coming from zero in the mid-1600s, when it was established as a new species by the natural cross-breeding of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, then rapidly ascending to the prominence of being planted in one out of every 16 vine cultivated acres. A black, thick-skinned grape that has multitude of aromas and flavors from pepper to mint to jam.  With its high tannins and medium acidity it possess the potential for a long shelf life of ageing and consumers just can’t get enough of it.

Juan Cuneo Solari, the son of an Italian immigrants, established, in 1993, the Casas del Bosque winery. He located it west of Maipo Valley in Casablanca Valley, smack dab in the middle of the Coastal Ranges.  He has vineyards in the valley but sources the grapes for his Gran Reserva from Maipo Valley to the east.  The winery only produces a limited 90,000 cases of wine, total for all varietals, per year, concentrating on quality over quantity. Their limited production is largely devoted to serving an international clientele via export.

Casas del Bosque produces grapes from 500 acres scattered around Chile’s better viticultural valleys and terroirs. The cooler climate Casablanca vineyards produce their white grapes; Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling along with the reds; Pinot Noir and Syrah. Premium Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere reds are sourced from the warmer climate Rapel and Maipo Valleys. The Maipo Valley vineyards are located in both the Alto and Medio regions of the valley.

The grapes were harvested at the end of April and the beginning of May.  The grapes were destemmed, crushed, and fermented for 10-15 days at temperatures as high as 90ºF. Following fermentation, an additional 5-day maceration supplied more time for skin color to find its way into the wine. The wine was then aged in new and used French oak barrels for 14-months with 3 intervening racks. The wine was aged for an additional 3-months in bottles before being released to the public.

A very good full-bodied, dark ruby-colored Cabernet Sauvignon with a spicy dried-fruit bouquet. The tannins are smooth and the wine has a long mellow fruity finish. This wine will hold up well for several years to come.

Enjoy with a South American favorite, beef filled empanadas. You can make your own pastry but we usually just use a loaf of frozen bread dough.  I seen others use frozen pizza dough. Let the bread dough thaw and rise.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add 1 pound of ground beef, 1 tablespoon of fresh garlic, and cook till well done. Salt to taste. Drain off excess oil and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining olive oil and heat. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato past, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1-3 teaspoons of tabasco sauce, 5 cloves of garlic, minced, or 1 tablespoon, 1 chopped green and red bell pepper, 1 chopped medium onion and fry it all for about 10 minutes; stirring a lot until everything is soft. Add in the ground beef and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  After the bread dough has risen, cut the 4-6″ diameter tube into 1/4″ slices; less than the thickness of the tip of your little finger. Lay the slices flat and add just enough of the beef mixture to allow you to fold the circle in half creating a bulging half-moon. Crimp the open edge with a fork. Either using a wok or a deep fryer, heat, to 350ºF, sufficient lard or oil to cover several empanadas at one time.  Fry until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes depending on size.  Empanadas actually taste better the next day. Experiment by adding small cubes of boiled potatoes, carrots, or shredded pork. Cover with melted cheese if desired. Dipping in sour cream or guacamole is an added pleasure.

An outstanding wine at a nice price. Drink this year but likely will be good until 2022-2024. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking. A great value wine that is now, rather scarce. The link below had the wine at the time of this posting.

$16.95 Atlas Wine Sales

Concrete Old Vine Zinfandel 2012

26 April 2017 By in Red Wine Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

W Concrete 2012Zinfandel from Lodi AVA, San Joaquin County, Inland Valleys, California

85% zinfandel

10% cabernet franc

5% cabernet sauvignon

15.5% alcohol

Purchased: 6 March 2017  –  $19.99

Opened: 24 April 2017

els:  9.0/10

Tasting Panel: 93

Wine Enthusiast: 89

Cellar Tracker: 84

The US, when first discovered by the Vikings, was covered in vines and they named the area Vineland. Unfortunately the early settlers discovered that those vines produced a terrible wine. The effort to find a suitable vine for the US began in earnest in the 1600s with the introduction of the Mission grape to Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico and Vitis vinifera to Virginia.  America’s first commercial winery was not established until 1798, finding its home in Kentucky.  Today the US is the 4th largest producer of wine in the world, behind Spain and ahead of Argentina, accounting for 8% of the world’s wine production. There are 89 regions in the country planting 129 prime varieties of grape. The country has almost 8000 wineries producing 800 million gallons of wine in 2016.

California is far and away the largest grower and producer of wine in the country.  There are almost 600,000 acres of vines, 5900 growers and 4700 wineries in the state producing 238 million cases of wine. Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most common wine varieties accounting for about 90,000 and 85,000 acres planted, respectively. The state has 5 main growing regions: Central Coast, Inland Valleys, North Coast, Sierra Foothills, and South Coast.  Within these 5 regions are 200 AVAs.  The AVAs  are defined by geography only.  85% of the grapes used on an AVA labelled bottle must be grown there but there are no restrictions on what grapes or amounts that can be used.

The central valley of California, collectively known as the Inland Valleys, is an extended 450 miles of fertile farmland stretching from Redding in the north to Bakersfield to the south, best known for its vegetables and nuts. The central valley wine growing regions though, are compressed into a smaller 200 mile segment in the middle portion of this area beginning a little north of Sacramento near Esparto and finishing just north of Fresno with the San Joaquin River defining the southern edge. There are 5 separate appellations or AVAs in the Inland Valleys, including the northern most AVAs of Capay Valley and Dunnigan Hills; the central area AVAs of Clarksburg and Lodi; and the southern most AVA, Madera. These Inland Valley AVAs account for almost 50% of all vineyard acreage planted in California. Lodi and Madera AVAs produce 75% of the wine from these 5 Inland Valley areas. Predominate grapes grown in this region are Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Brandy grapes, and Muscat of Alexandria. Brandy grapes, generally a white variety, but not exclusively, include Flame Tokay from the Lodi AVA and Thompson Seedless from the Madera AVA. Other Brandy grapes include Burger, Green Hungarian, French Colombard, Malaga and Muscat of Alexandria. Muscat of Alexandria, a white grape, is considered one of the oldest genetically unmodified vines in the world today.  It is used many as a table grape or for raisin production. The grape is also used in making port, sherry, and as already mentioned, brandy.

As the south flowing Sacramento and north flowing San Joaquin Rivers complete their Inland Valley journey to the sea, they merge, turn west, and discharge their combined waters into the San Francisco Bay. The rivers are forced to turn west here as they have to wrap around the deflecting, elevated plateau that eventually throws off its cloak of easy nonchalance and transforms into the youthful, snow-capped Sierra Nevadas to the east. Lodi AVA claims its place in California viniculture as the east bank occupant of this plateau and the pre-Sierra Nevada foothills. Lodi is spread over 550,000 acres with 90,000 of those precious acres dedicated to growing grapes; more than the rest of the north and central coast regions combined. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel are all grown in abundance here. These 5 varietals out pace the rest of California in terms of grapes grown and produced. Zinfandel is the 800 pound gorilla in Lodi, producing more of these grapes than anywhere else in the world. Zinfandel has been around for a long time in Lodi, boasting many old vine plantings, some exceeding 120-years in age. The area was able to escape the 1930 prohibition era by the wink and nod claim that the vineyards were all for home wine making use. The AVA is home to roughly 60 wineries with some very large producers located here, such as Robert Mondavi and Sutter Home. Another 90 or so non-resident wineries source their grapes from Lodi. The soils of Lodi are predominately composed of thick, well drained loams with large stones exposing themselves here and there.  The breezes coming across the San Francisco Bay provide the basis for a Mediterranean climate of cool nights, warm days and very dry summers.

The Lodi AVA takes its name from the city of Lodi, a community of 65,000 sitting at the lofty heights of 45′ above sea level, 80 miles east of the Pacific coast and 50 miles west of the Sierras.  The city traces it origins back to the 1840s but it wasn’t until the turn of the century that they decided to become a legitimate settlement by incorporating in 1909.  The area’s Flame Tokay grape inspired the 1907 Tokay Carnival that drew 30,000 visitors and crowned Miss Bertha de Alamada as the first and last, Queen Zinfandel. In addition to wine the area was once known for prodigious production of wheat and watermelons. Wine, wheat and watermelons, oh my.

Zinfandel grapes are identical to the Italian Primitivo and the Croatian Tribidrag grapes. It is believed that this grape originated in Croatia, just east, across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. The grape, today, is grown predominately in the US and Italy with these 2 countries accounting for about 80% of the worldwide planted acreage. In Italy it is the 12th most common grape planted, mainly in the boot region of Puglia. In California it is the 3rd most common grape grown, behind Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon (possibly it is the 3rd most common grape in the US also). World-wide it is the 29th most common grape planted. The grape was introduced into the US in the early 19th century along the eastern seaboard and didn’t reach the west coast until about 1850. Zinfandel grapes are dark, thin-skinned, high in sugar, producing a bold, full-bodied wine with aromas of strawberries, blackberries and cinnamon. The wine is known to have an alcohol content reaching or exceeding 15% but low tannins and acidity result in a generally short shelf life especially as a white Zinfandel.  Due to its thin skin it easily turns to raisins in hot weather or excessive time on the vine.

The Concrete Wine Company, established in 2014, is named for its mid-1900s concrete fermenting tanks.  Three partners started the company; Tyson Rippey, who is the director of operations at Lodi Vintners, and wine makers Joseph Smith and Barry Gnekow. The company produces their wines through a layered system of fermentation and aging, ostensibly achieving great wines at an economical price. The wines are fermented separately in three different portions; concrete, Flash Détente in stainless steel, and French and American oak barrels, mixed back together, and followed by ageing in the same oak barrels. This process creates what the company calls the Vertical Profile Palate, producing flavors that travel vertically in the mouth instead of horizontally.  Ok.

The company’s Lodi, head trained, old vine Zinfandel vineyards were planted in the early 1900’s and are considered to be some of the oldest in the AVA. The vines are planted in well drained, loamy soils  encouraging deep root penetrations into the cool subsoil.  The vines are chilled and shaken by the nightly western breezes coming off the San Francisco Bay. The Lodi climate has a growing season, diurnal temperature range of  50-90ºF and a rain-fall range of 0-2.0″ per month. July and August rains are rare.

The 2012 the Zinfandel grapes were picked with a Brix range of 25-27. The grapes were crushed, de-stemmed, and separated. The wine then went through the Flash Détente process in addition to fermentation in a combination of 75-year-old concrete tanks and small 60-gallon, new and used French and American oak barrels. The wine is aged in these same oak barrels for at least a year.

This is an outstanding Zinfandel exhibiting a wonderful ruby chocolate color, a cinnamony plum aroma and a full-bodied, but smooth, berry taste. It has a nice medium finish.

Enjoy this wine with a grilled, chopped onion stuffed, high-fat burger, topped with avocado slices or guacamole, bacon, Swiss cheese, and a fried egg, all served on a light wheat flour bun.  Add a side dish of fruit slices of apple and orange mixed with almond slivers and big spinach leaves to complete this California repast.

An outstanding wine at a fair price. Drink now. Decant and aerate for one hour, or more, before drinking.  I tend to shy away from California wines, not due to quality, but rather their price tends to be higher than comparable wines from other regions of the world, but this wine is not only delicious but very economical.

$19.99 at wine.com

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