Icons of the Andes

There are many ways to shop for wine.

One, is to read reviews as posted in the store.

Two, ask your local wine buyer for advice. (I highly recommend this)

Three, by the label. (Insert Charlie Brown Ugh)

Four, by the importer. What, you never heard of that one? Trust me, it is a good technique. If you see a name like Kermit Lynch, Terry Thiese, Robert Kacher, Grapes of Spain or TGIC Importers on the back label, odds are in your favor you’ve got a fine bottle of wine in your hand. Each have their own specialty and I could go on, but this post is focused on one, the only one with a link, TGIC Importers.

Tuesday night, Hinton’s Wine Store played host to two seated tastings of South American wines. Tickets were $10 per person if you are a member of their connoisseur club, $25 if not. There were 25 wines offered, with a heavy emphasis on the bigger reds. It was a bit disappointing to not see some of the other varietals represented, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, both of which are doing well in Chile. The tasting was put on by TGIC and was called, Icon of the Andes. A fitting name since the mountain range forms a natural border between the two countries.

I didn’t try to sample every wine, as the tasting was scheduled for 1 1/2 hours, which means about 4 minutes per wine. Several of them I’d already had, some were not of interest (e.g. Chardonnays) and others I just didn’t get to. After all, we were there with friends and wine is more about the social than the drunk, though I did run into one example where the reverse was true.

Here were the highlights for me:

2008 Pascual Toso Malbec $12.99

Two vintages back, this wine was picked as the #1 value wine by Wine Enthusiast. Then the prices went up and well, it became less interesting and less of a deal. Now that the price has come down a couple bucks, this is once again a good deal. This is made in a very crowd pleasing, easy to drink style that typifies why Malbec is the wunderkid for Argentine wine. Packed with smooth black fruits and hints of smoke, this could be your burger’s best bud. I thought this was the best Malbec for the money.

2008 Achaval Ferrer Mendoza Malbec $21.99

This was my favorite Malbec of the evening and I think with a bit more air time, it would have show even better. A harmonious blend of red raspberry, boysenberry and mineral, this wine has very concentrated without being heavy. The acidity gave it long lasting buoyancy, driving the finish well into the 30+ second mark. If I wanted to brand purple with a flavor, I’d consider this wine.

2007 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon $17.98

I’m not sure why the wine was so heavily discounted, but for $18, I’d put this up against any other Cabernet Sauvignon in the $30 and under range. A great mix of old and new world, with an aromatic profile that leaned old, with more of that new world lush fruit on the palate. The flavors finished more old world, with a great combination of whiskey barrel, tobacco and a single grind of black pepper to complement the black currant fruit. I immediately craved steak au poivre.

2007 Montes Alpha Syrah Apalta Vineyard $17.98

Imagine this: a dimly lit coffee bar, a steady rain and bolts of lightning crashing outside. Picture a gentleman sitting by himself in the corner, a bolero and black trench coat cloaking him from sight, cigar in one hand, black coffee in the other. That is this wine. Dark, brooding, with a heavy emphasis on roasted flavors derived from the oak. If you don’t like oak, skip it.

2006 Montes Purple Angel $49.99

I’m so glad I have a sample of this. This was poured from a decanter, though I did neglect to find out how long it had been opened. A blend of 92% Carménère and 8% Petite Verdot, this was a stellar wine, but at a commanding price. Perhaps one of the top two or three examples of Chile’s claim to wine fame grape, this wine definitely will benefit from big food or more nap time, say another two years. There was a big nose of blueberry preserves, peppercorns (yes, I got this in all the Montes wines…sue me) and tobacco leaf, with a mouth gripping flavor of more dark berries, coffee and minerality, all wrapped up in silky tannins. An outstanding wine, but for $50, it better be.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One $21.99 – WINE OF THE NIGHT

This marks the third vintage of this wine that I’ve had and it always delivers a great wine for the money. Once again, Carménère is the star, making up 75% of the blend. The balance is 20% Syrah and 5% Carignan, a grape you don’t see very often. I love the mix of dark red fruits, smoked meat, black pepper and tobacco. I have found every vintage of this wine to be consistently agreeable to my palate, so be aware of that bias. Later on, as the evening was winding down, my friend asked if what he was smelling in the wine was maple syrup. I said not quite, but I could definitely detect a note of caramelization. I didn’t get that, so I’m not sure if it was bottle variation or just the fact the wine had opened up a bit more. Either way, it was a pleasing aroma.

There were some other really good wines and varying opinions on what was good and what wasn’t, but I think everyone found at least a few wines they enjoyed. I know a few people even tried Carménère for the first time and enjoyed it.

Overall, I think Chile is a “better” wine region, primarily because you find more variety. Argentina is still fairly reliant on Malbec and while they have put a lot of effort into Torrontes, I personally think it will always be a niche grape. With Chile, you just have more variety from which to choose. While I was shot down on Twitter over this remark, I still think Malbec could end up “shirazing” itself.

I highly recommend you explore your local store’s offerings from these two great wine producing regions. If you like California, you’ll find more pleasure in Argentina. European wine aficionados should explore Chilean wines, which is really probably the most old world of the new world producing nations. Next time this event comes around, I really hope they bring out some Sauv Blancs and Pinot Noirs, as I think people would really be surprised.

Thanks again to all those who put on the event.

Cheers!

To kick things off...

Saturday night was a cause for celebration.

Okay, more like a post-event celebration, since the actual event we were celebrating had happened earlier in the week. A close friend of ours was celebrating her birthday and our present was to provide dinner, along with the wine. Nothing fancy, just a simple feast of grilled rib-eyes, bacon wrapped scallops, roasted potatoes and mushrooms with cheese (I forget what kind…but it was good…and that is all that ever matters). Oh yeah, there was also a Whole Foods bakery Tiramisù cake.

The kick off wine was, but of course, a Champagne. The funny thing was, it was actually one I purchased myself. You see, grower Champagnes are pretty much impossible for a guy like me to get samples on. At least, that has been my experience so far.

It was a 2003 René Geoffroy Empreinte, a wine that I purchased at Tower on Piedmont for $49.99. 2003 was generally a bad year in Champagne, with a crop demolishing frost in spring and scorching temperatures in summer that sent the wines into sugar shock, leeching life preserving acidity from the picture. Okay, that is an oversimplification, but overall, it wasn’t a good year for most Champagne producers. All of us found this wine in tip top shape, with a soft and round palate being the one clue to the year. It wasn’t overly soft, just enough to make it a very nice apéritif to go with cheese and crackers. Flavors were lightly honey misted apples with a slight toastiness. Overall, an above average Champagne.

Next up came the first red and for me, the WOTN (wine of the night). It was a bottle of 2004 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carménère that I’ve had for a few years. I don’t remember how long I’ve had it, but it has probably been around 2 years. I think the retail was around $35, though it sells for closer to $40 in the current release.

This is a premier example of the Carménère grape variety, with a fantastic interplay of green pepper, herbs, tobacco and rich black fruits. A strong presence of green bell pepper is something I find off-putting in this variety, but I also find its absence displeasurable as well. The wine had soft, almost imperceptable tannins and enough acid to keep it from feeling flat. I’d say the wine is prime to drink right now, though I’m sure it will stay quite tasty for at least a few more years. My only regret with this wine is not having more of it to drink. Check out the video and see how much sediment this puppy throws when you get to the “dregs”. Outstanding wine and one that never disappoints in any vintage I’ve ever sampled.

For dinner, we went the 2003 Seavey Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon. Another bottle I’ve had for a few years and I wanted to drink. I tend to go for Napa wines in their youth, preferring their luscious fruit, but not wanting to wrestle with overbearing tannins. From what I remembered, this was one of my sensei’s great value gems from Napa. A second label wine that was as good as the “big” wine, but at a more budget friendly price. I don’t remember what the wine went for, but I’m pretty sure it was in the $30s when I did buy it. I’m not sure what it retails for (I haven’t seen it at all anywhere lately) now, but the winery sells it for $55.

Plush, with black currant, grilled herbs, a touch of gravel and a dusting of cocoa powder in the long finish. This wine runs between worlds, with obvious oak and fruit laying claim to the New World, but with the finesse of a Bordeaux. California fans will still favor this, as I think most Bordeaux fans just don’t like this much fruit, which while present, isn’t overwhelming or jammy in nature. Time has and will continue to be kind to this wine. Another mark in the outstanding column, though I still found it just a smidge behind the Concha y Toro.

To conclude the meal, our guests opened up a bottle of 2004 Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles de añada, an intensely flavored dessert style sherry. Again, not my usual sort of wine to have with the finish of a meal, as the alcohol is something that just pervades the nose and keeps things a bit out of balance for me. This wine belongs on pancakes. For me, it was like drinking raisin and fig reduction, cooked down to the consistency of motor oil. The alcohol was overwhelming and throws the wine out of balance. One might try it with ice cream to cut the burn. Overall, it was good, but not a wine I’d personally seek out. I’ll stick to my late harvest styles thank you.

So, there concludes our intercontinental wine adventure. Four wines, four countries, three continents and overall, quite a worthy excursion. Cheers!

Toast of the Town 2010 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia Aquarium

Last night was our third year of pouring wine at Toast of the Town, an annual event put on by Wine Enthusiast and held in the private ballroom of the Georgia Aquarium. For my wife and I, it is a great event. We spend the first couple of hours trying wine and sampling the food, then spend the rest of the evening pouring some great Italian wines at the Prestige Wine Imports table.

As with big events like this, there were loads of things to try, but we generally stuck to the bubbles and a few other select items. I don’t take formal notes, just some general impressions of things that really stood out for one reason or another.

2008 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve: I don’t remember the retail, but I think everything at this Riesling table was under $20. It was really nice to see a table devoted to one of (if not THE) greatest white wine grapes in the world. Pity it still plays the understudy to Chardonnay. The first offering was this bone dry bowl of lime juice squeezed over white rocks from Alsace, France. For anyone who ever says Rieslings are too sweet, this is the wine to show them the exact opposite. Well done.

2008 The Crusher Wilson Vineyard Pinot Noir: You should be able to find this wine for around $12 or so and I recommend you do so. It has a Homer Simpson drool inducing nose of applewood smoked bacon that has been wrapped around black cherries and toasted over an open fire. The medium bodied wine has a light grade of sandpapery grip and more of that smoked black cherry taste profile which begs for smoked salmon or grilled portabella mushroom dishes. Above average wine with more character than most Pinot Noirs in this price point. Distinctive and worthy of your hard earned dollars.

Barefoot Bubbly Brut: I’ve seen these around town for $7.99 and honestly, I wasn’t expecting a whole heck of a lot from these wines. The Brut wasn’t my cup of tea, as it was a little rough and coarse with minimal fruit flavor. Not recommended.

Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio: This was quite nice and I could see this as being a great party wine or for mixing with fruit juices for Sunday morning brunch. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Extra Dry: The extra sugar really improves this wine and makes the tropical fruit really pop. I’d have this with cheese and fresh fruit on those warm summer evenings where the road tar is hotter than La Brea. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Rosé: Umm, no.

Barefoot Bubbly Moscato: If you like Moscato d’Asti, this will be a nice change of pace for you as I think the sugar is slightly lower and won’t quite put you in diabetic shock like the Italian versions. Wines like this really belong in half-bottles. It isn’t my cup of tea, but for what it was and the people it is targeting, it delivers the goods. Good.

Leo Hillinger Rosé Secco: You can find this Prosecco (hence the name) patterned sparkling Pinot Noir from Austria at Whole Foods for about $19.99. Pleasantly filled with fresh strawberry and ripe red cherry flavors, this is very easy to drink. The new packaging includes a pink ribbon and they are donating $1 to breast cancer research for each bottle sold. I didn’t catch for how long they are doing this, but it is always a great thing to see any company giving back and in a specific way. Good.

2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs: From the original sparkling wine house in California comes this delicious apéritif made from 100% Chardonnay. Quick lesson: Blanc de Blancs means white from whites, so in Champagne and most other producers, it means 100% Chardonnay, which would make an excellent and different selection for the upcoming Twitter community Chardonnay wine tasting. Check it out! Oh yeah, the wine was quite good and one of the more refined Blanc de Blancs you can get. Above average.

2001 Schramsberg J Schram: This tête de cuvée is elegant, refined and one of the most Champagne like wines you’ll ever drink, though I don’t think you’ll mistake it for the “real deal”. It still has a certain California foundation and that is a good thing. A well balanced mix of toast, apple and citrus, this is still very youthful and will sleep well without any diminishment over the next 5 to 7 years. For $100 or so that you’ll pay, you get a premier domestic bottling. It would be awesome to have a full bottle of this to put up against the other heavyweights of the domestic sparkling market and see who comes out on top in a blind tasting.

So, that gives me another 8 wines in the quest, putting me at a total of 87 sparkling wines tasted this year. Not bad.

2006 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: This will set you back $130 or so and while Mondavi is no longer a family affair, the quality is still in the bottle. An outstanding wine that doesn’t rely on power, but does deliver a great deal of concentration. I know, that doesn’t seem to jive, but it does. When I think of power, I think Australian Shiraz or yes, California Cabernet. The Mondaiv Reserve is full of flavor and still quite young, with loads of currant, grilled herb and cocoa powder. I will say that this should be drunk over the next 5 years, as it doesn’t have the stuffing to go much longer before it will fall off the mark.

2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon: I’ve grown to love Chilean Cabernet over the past couple of years and there is no finer example than this bottling. While it is no longer the value it once was, it still delivers a powerful mouthful of whiskey soaked blackberries that have been stewing over a fire of graphite and coal. A long finish, this is still a baby and needs another 3 to 4 years before I’d actually open it up for consumption. I think you can do better for $80, but you can also do a lot worse.

2006 Cardinale – or the Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast 100 point rated wine: While I missed out on the same opportunity that Ed got (great write up on the wine you should go read), I was able to squeeze in at the last minute and get a shot at tasting my first 100 point rated wine. You can read Steve’s review here. This wine carried the 15% alcohol really well, with only the slightest sign of heat on the back palate. It was rich, concentrated and you could smell the intensity of the ripe mountain fruit long before you got your nose near the rim of the enormous Riedel glasses they were pouring it into. Black currant, smoked vanilla, toasted herbs and black cherry reduction in a glass. I’m not one to spend $200 on a bottle of wine, but I will say that it was a damn fine drink and was begging for a blue rib-eye fresh off the grill. I’m envious Ed got to actually sit and taste, because this is the sort of wine you want to kick back, relax and have a conversation with. If you have the funds, I’d go for it. Classic, though I’m not really sure about the whole 100 point thing.

iPad: No, Apple hasn’t created a wine called iPad, but there was one guest who stopped at our table who had one with him. I asked, what was the killer app? He didn’t really have an answer and we talked about the unit as he displayed it like a proud father does his All-American football playing son. I said that when they put a camera in it and you could video-conference call with it, along with document sharing / review, then you’d have something. Throw in some real time voice translation and the international business market will fall all over themselves to buy them faster than the fans have accepted Tiger back into their hearts. Amazing.

The perfect bite: I’m really disappointed in myself for not remember which restaurant was serving these delectable delights, but I have to say that bacon wrapped and grilled shrimp really may be the most foodgasmic single bite I’ve had in quite a while.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Cheers and happy weekend to you! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say. It is very humbling. I will have to toot my own horn for once and say I was named Tweep of the Week by the fantastic folks over at Atlanta Dish, which is run by the super fabulous Melissa Libby and Associates.

Haiku
One hundred point wine
Great food, better company
Oh my what a night

2007 Montes Alpha Carménère

Remember the Wine of Chile online tasting post I did months ago? No, well, just click here if you missed out on that one. It wasn’t too long after that that I received some free samples (and an offer that I responded to, but somehow lost touch with that person…who was my old WSET teacher…if you are reading this Ophelia, please email me…back on track) of Montes wines, courtesy of their PR firm, Cornerstone Communications. I’ve already reviewed one of the wines, the ὑπέρ-expensive and equally delicious Folly, their premier Syrah. This is the second of three samples (i.e. I didn’t pay for this wine) and not to spoil it, but one of the most surprisingly delicious wines I’ve had in quite a while.

We were having dinner that night with a friend, someone who we have over every once in a while because he doesn’t have a grill. I’d actually wanted buffalo, so I was having that instead of the cow. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some charred dead moo moo, but the tatonka just seemed to be more appealing that day at the grocery store.

This wine was decanted for a few hours and served in Riedel Pinot glasses because that is the only thing (besides flutes of course) that we have more than two of. The nose was gorgeous, with copious amounts of rich, ripened black fruits that were obviously from somewhere besides California. Imagine crushed blackberries and plums sitting inside an old whiskey barrel, with some black and green peppercorns thrown in for spice. In the mouth, it was dense, but no indication of being blowsy or out of balance. There were moderate tannins and nice acid, providing a strong core that should allow this wine (if you can wait) to age quite nicely. A heavenly mix of blackberry, espresso and peppery spice were superb and the only bad thing was having just the one bottle. Someone once told me that wine was the final sauce for food and this wine is a perfect example of that sentiment. Easily worth the money (around $27 – 30 I think) and a good, not great, value. For those of you who stick to Cabernet sauvignon or clarets for steak, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle of this. Outstanding.

Haiku
Carménère grape
Whiskey barrel spicy fruit
Bring on tatonka

Cheers and have a happy Saturday!

2003 Four Vines Heretic Petite Sirah (bad cork) | NV Mumm Napa Rosé | 2006 Montes Folly Syrah | NV Bollinger Brut Champange Special Cuvée

2009 has finally gone. To finish off the year, we had a quite evening at home with a couple of friends, some delicious wines and awesome food. We started with appetizers of shrimp cocktail; smoked salmon salad; and the most decadent brie I’ve ever had (sorry, I forget the name, but the texture was like fresh butter).

The dinner menu consisted of salt and herb crusted rib roast; roasted petite yukon gold potatoes and fresh carrots; au jus made from the pan drippings, onions and crimini mushrooms; potato casserole; brussel sprouts cooked in Benton’s bacon fat (rock on!); finished with a homemade tiramisu. Man oh man was it awesome, especially the rib roast, which was melt in your mouth perfect. I also ate two big helpings of the brussel sprouts, which were simply awesome and delish.

The wines were as follows:

2003 Four Vines Heretic Petite Sirah (I’ve had too long to remember what I paid…maybe $30?) This was the originally planned wine to have with the rib roast. It comes sealed in wax, so I used the handy blade on the wine key to begin peeling off the wax. The first peel revealed the bottom of the cork, with no apparent seepage. Yay! After removing the remainder of the wax, I found the top of the cork to be soaking wet with wine and that horrid smell of vinegar wafted to my nose. Oh bad day. Popping the cork and drying it off revealed a hole, right through the core, a first time experience for me. I poured myself a small glass, in some desperate measure of insane hope that only the wine which had seeped through was vinegar. Alas, the bottle was gone, a victim of both friend and enemy to wine, oxygen. Quickly a replacement was decided upon and the loss of what may have been was put behind us. Here is a picture of the foul beast known forever more as Heretic Slayer.

Heretic Slayer

NV Mumm Napa Brut Rose ($14.99 – but I received as a gift): Second time this year I’ve had this and it was just as good as last time. Perhaps even a tad better now that I think about it. It was subtle in the fruit, with light touches of raspberry and toast, nothing overwhelming the other. It was a great pairing the appetizers we had. Great value and a new regular for us.

2006 Montes Folly Syrah (FULL DISCLOSURE: This was received as a press sample): It was decided this would be the stand-in for the now deceased Heretic. Knowing the pedigree of this wine, I went for an immediate decant. A small pour confirmed my belief that this wine would require some time to open up, as it was a bit tight and slightly tannic in the first sip.

Four hours later, when the wine was consumed, it was velvety and quite lush. Against the richness of the rib roast, it stood on its own. Blackberry and plum jam with sprinkles of espresso, vanilla and pepper, all roasted over an oak fire. Another monster alcohol level at 15%, but no signs of heat on the palate. A solid backbone of acid and moderate tannin call for cellaring, but since this was a sample and we needed a backup to our failed Petite Sirah, we committed infanticide. Being bad does have its rewards. This wine runs around $95, which is a hefty cost of admission. At that price, you better bring the heat and this one does. For those who like an intense and highly concentrated Syrah, but don’t care for the syrupy Aussie style, this may be something to seek out. Rated 5 stars by Decanter, along with a 94 from Spectator and Advocate, 93 from Enthusiast and a 90 from International Wine Cellar. I wonder how often that happens. Wish I had some more to sit on for a good 5 years.

NV Bollinger Special Cuvée I’ve had this for two years and when I bought it, it was $43.99. Nowadays, you can expect to pay around $59.99, which is getting up there. I believe everyone should age their Champagne, so go out there and get a couple of bottles, sock them away in some cool, dark and vibration free spot in preparation for next year. You will be rewarded.

Normally the Bolly is a very rich, yeasty style. They conduct the first fermentation in both steel and used (3 to 6 years of age) small barrels, providing for a richer style of wine. The reserve wines have a distinctive feature in they are stored in magnum, providing a more stable and less oxidative aging process. I also believe they use one of the lower dosages in Champagne, closer to the bottom end of Brut versus others who aim for the top where Brut and Extra Dry cross paths, giving the producer the option of labeling as either one.

This particular bottle was fascinating, in that with more age than the two previously sampled bottles (all from the same release), it actually didn’t exhibit as much of the honeyed brioche character as remembered. It was actually a bit racier in the beginning, with wonderful pear and white grapefruit character laid over the toast. As it warmed, the bready notes began to emerge, as if walking into a bakery on Sunday morning at 6AM when the first batch of bread hits the display case. This was the best bottle so far and once again, I’m saddened to not have more. A wonderful wine and a perennial favorite.

2003 Carmes de Rieussec (I think this was around $12.99 at Green’s when I bought it years ago) I know, this one didn’t make the photo. Sue me. This is the second label of Chateau Rieussec (next door neighbors to famed and out of this world expensive Chateau d’Yquem) and quite a bargain when it comes to Sauternes. Basically, the wine which gets rejected from the house bottling goes into this little gem, named after the former owners of the property, the Carmes de Langon monks. It was still very young, but quite delicious and a fine finish to the evening. It was full of pineapple, apricot and honey flavors, with plenty of baby fat and balancing acid to keep it from being overly cloying. This still has plenty of time left to continue developing, not bad since it is already six years old and cost so little. Oh yeah, it comes in a 375ml, which is fairly common for Sauternes. A top notch bargain while you wait for your primary labels to reach full maturity, something that can take quite a while with these wines. I wish there were more Sauternes of this QPR available.

So, there concludes the evening and the year known as 2009. Sure, 2010 brings a certain psychological break and hopefulness, but it will take loads of work, patience and being in the right place at the right time to get things really turned around. It also brings the beginning of my quest to sample 365+ sparkling wines known as Bubbles or Bust. December was a slow (as anticipated) month for getting samples, but I’m back at it for the beginning of the New Year. Now let the bubbles flow and the fun begin!

Haiku
Heretic lay slain
Folly comes to the rescue
Bolly still the best

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read and hopefully, leave a comment. Please forward this or just my site to all your friends, especially if they have any interest in bubbly! I’ll still be doing other wines and restaurants, just expect a ton of coverage on sparkling wines from all over the world, including many places you will never expect.

Cheers,
Kevin