2008 Tapena Tempranillo

When I think of Spain and red wine, I think of Tempranillo (temp-rah-NEE-yo) and Garnacha (gar-NA-chah). The first is the primary grape in Spain’s most famous region, Rioja. The latter is largely made into some of the best all purpose red wines on the planet. If Sideways had been set in Spain, Garnacha would have been the grape they lavished over and rightly so. When I was in retail and people would say, show me a good Pinot Noir under $20, I would often point them to assorted Garnachas from Spain, with the top price point I carried being only $15.99.

The Tapena Tempranillo hails from one of Spain’s lesser known regions, Tierra de Castilla. It is 100% Tempranillo and weighs in with an ABV of 13%. FULL DISCLOSURE: I received this wine as a sample. It pours a nice purple with hints of red, making the color pretty much useless when it comes to identifying new vs. old world. For those who don’t know, red typically indicates higher acidity and old world, purple / blue indicates lower acid levels and more likely the new world. Just one of those little tips from WSET blind tasting lessons.

For me, this is a pretty straight forward wine. It smells of black cherries and grilled herbs, with a lot of black cherry juice on the palate. Beyond the simplicity, the wine tasted a bit artificial in nature. I can’t really place what made it taste that way for me, but as it sat in the glass and “opened up”, it just seemed to take on this sort of fake taste.

For under $10, I think you can do better, but this isn’t the worst wine I’ve ever had. Paired with honey mustard glazed pork tenderloin and Parmesan / Romano risotto, it worked okay. The wine was juicy enough and had a touch of acidity, it was just that sort of fake flavor note that I really didn’t care for. I would drink a glass if there weren’t any other options, but I’d have to pass on ever buying this again. I hear the Verdejo and Garnacha are much better, so I’ll have to try them soon to see if my initial impression of Tapena can be turned around.

Haiku
Rioja this ain’t
A touch of Kool Aid creeps in
You can do better

Until next time, live well, love much and drink great wine…with friends.

2002 Tinto Pesquera

Last September, I wrote about the 2001 vintage of this same wine. If you want to read more background on it, please click the link and read that post first, as this is a fairly straight forward review post.

After a long day, pizza was the dinner call of choice. Log on, pick the toppings, hit submit and then pick it up. No muss, no fuss. I decided it was time to drink this wine because, well, it was just sitting there in the cooler with nothing else better to do. Yes, we tend to save the “good” stuff for nicer occasions, be it an event / anniversary / reason for celebration / sharing with friends. This isn’t one of those wines I really consider in that range, having had it for quite a while and just sort of wanting to drink it.

I was expecting a lot less from this wine, as I remembered that 2002 was not a good vintage for Spain. In retrospect, it was a good vintage, just squeezed in amongst a lot of stellar vintages for the region. I had originally intended to open both vintages side by side, but that obviously didn’t happen.

This is a wine that goes against what I’d say is my typical taste preference for red wines, as the fruit is really quite secondary. On the nose, you get a lot of smokey leather that has been heavily spiced. Underneath all that, I did pick up the slightest hint of sour cherry, but that showed more on the palate. My biggest note of difference was the length and intensity, as I felt this was a bit short in both departments compared to the 2001 offering. Don’t get me wrong, my wife and I both really enjoyed the wine and I think it showed very well for a wine that most folks would probably have said would never make it this long. Granted, wines of this flavor profile are not for everyone and like I already said, even I was surprised at my enjoyment.

If you are having anything smoked, I definitely think you should look into pairing it with a well aged Ribera del Duero. I also think you’ll find more tradition in these wines, versus Rioja where you can find modern fruit forward oak monsters alongside the traditional expressions of terroir and grape typicity. Neither style is wrong, just different. I will definitely have to look for more wines from the Ribera del Duero.

This wine went especially well with the bacon topped pizza. I can see it going really well with some chorizo as well.

Haiku
Long past the prime fruit
Smoky leather cherry spice
Crave smoky piggy

Cheers and happy Wednesday to you!

2008 Croteaux Rosé

Though not our first gathering as a group, it was the first official meeting of our newly formed wine and supper club. It started with an event where we were all gathered to help friends pick a sparkling wine for an event. After that, we got together at the same house and ripped through California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas, of which I’ve now become a fan. Everyone was asked to bring a wine (or two since our group isn’t very restrained) to go with pizza and we did.

This time, it was an “official” gathering. The theme was set, BBQ. Due to the fact we live rather far from everyone, we co-hosted the first event with good friends of ours that we’ve shared many a great meal and even more great wines with. They tended to the proteins, which included slow-cooker pulled pork, grilled chicken and kick-butt ribs.

In addition, we had some scrumptious side dishes created by my wife, including a four cheese alfredo sauce mac-n-cheese / pasta bake, the best damn cole slaw I’ve ever had and two kinds of cornbread, traditional and the other (my favorite which I just had for lunch as I write this) with green chiles and cheddar cheese. A meal unto itself.

Of course, I brought sparklers. Rose sparklers. I still believe they go really well with pork, though I didn’t get to re-certify the authenticity of my theory at this festivity. We had them before the food was ready, but both were really tasty and for me personally, the highlights of the evening. Granted, I’m bias that way. I didn’t taste all the wines (too many and a few I was already familiar with) and actually missed a photo of everyone’s apparent favorite (I only got to sip it when I put the wines in order…I always get drafted for that duty), but since it was gone by the time I went to taste it, no matter.

[FULL DISCLOSURE: I received both the Croteaux and Graham Beck Rosés as samples]

2008 Croteaux Sparkling Rosé: Croteaux specializes in rosé and after drinking this, I can say they seem to know what they are doing. At least, from a wine making point of view. This wine isn’t available here in GA and retails for $24 on the winery website. Honestly, I’d pay $15 for it, so it is a bit pricey for what it is. Made in the tank method, this soft and juicy wine reminded me of a cocktail made with fresh red berries, a dab of ripe watermelon, with a spritz and twist of sweet orange (I forget the specific variety we’ve gotten from Whole Foods that are so sweet).

The packaging was whimsical and absolutely screamed W-E-D-D-I-N-G. I didn’t hear anyone complain, except that I only had the one bottle and between 16 people, that doesn’t provide for a very generous pour. C’est la vie. If you live in NY, I’d recommend visiting them and trying all their wines. Summer begs for rosé.

Graham Beck Brut Rosé

NV Graham Beck Brut Rosé: So, this isn’t that well known, nor well regarded by the big reviewers. Good. More for us who know and enjoy it, especially at the mid teens price point I was told it should make here in Georgia. I know the wine is available, as I sampled the lineup back in January at the local distributor’s tasting. I’m pretty sure the rep told me it would make a $15.99 retail. I had two different guests ask me about this, as they wanted to buy some for themselves. [UPDATE: After I wrote this, I saw local wine guru Gil Kulers gave this two thumbs way up.]

A firmer, fuller bodied wine than the Croteaux, this presented a profile of tarter red fruits with fine minerality giving it a more solid finish. I found this to the better wine with food, whereas the Croteaux was a great way to begin with its more pillow-like nature. I’m telling you, based on other professional retail buyer opinions and those of friends I’ve shared this with, I really think Graham Beck is one of the top values in sparkling wine.

I have to say, the rest of the wines that were brought was a more interesting mix than I was expecting. We only had 3 Zinfandels, where as I’d told my wife I thought everyone would bring at least one Zin. I went against my usual preferred tastes and gravitated towards the two old world offerings. First up, Spain.

2008 La Cartuja Priorat: I don’t know what the retail was, but based on my searches, this is usually around $15! Okay, read that again. $15 for Priorat. I wonder if this is somebody’s declassified juice sold on the auction market for a fraction of “normal” price. No matter, it was a good wine. A bit tight at first, it did open up in the glass. I highly recommend decanting this and remember folks, serve your reds at around 65 degrees. That is room temperature in Europe…or at least, it was when that rule was first circulated. Ripe red and black fruits, with plenty of warm spice and the signature “hot rocks” note I always seem to find in wines from this region. I would definitely recommend this as a great introduction to the region and the style of wine. Usually you have to look at the surrounding horse shoe shaped region of Monstant for wines of this taste profile, quality and price point.

Two favorite still red wines of the evening...yes, I'm shocked too...

2005 Les Bois du Menestrel Vacqueyras: Another nice value, but again, I don’t know the retail. I think it is probably in the same range as the La Cartuja, mid-teens. A good choice, but this would have gone much better with beef. The smoked tobacco leaf and roasted red cherry character, wrapped around a core of iron, beg for big food. I’d even say wild game or mushroom laden dishes would work well with this. It was another solid choice and give it bonus points for probably being the most esoteric. Nice job Mark.

2005 Wilson Diane’s Reserve Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: This sucker weighed in at a whopping 16.2% alcohol. Safety tip: no open flames near this one. It should have been decanted and served much cooler, something the generous bringer of this wine lamented not doing. A limited production wine of 200 cases, with an approximate price of $48, this screamed Zinfandel. Black as tar dark fruits, but of the ripest variety, with a healthy dose of fresh cracked black peppercorns. You could definitely taste the alcohol, but it was more in the sweetness than in the heat. A big wine for big food. Throw down with some ribs, plenty of water and a cooler service temperature.

So, those were my three favorites. One other wine, which was the most interesting because it was the most non-typical example of a grape variety wine I’ve ever had, was the 2006 Montoya Petite Sirah from Paso Robles. It was light, almost to the point of if you wondered if the grapes were all under enormous shade trees. This wasn’t PS. It was PS masquerading as I don’t even know what. Maybe a Grenache or warm vintage Oregon Pinot Noir, with a pinch of Syrah thrown in. It was actually not bad, it was just not what a Petite Sirah drinker would want in their glass.

To finish the evening, there was an assortment of Pepperidge Farm chocolate cookies (Genevas are my favorite) and some two bite (really…why do I always eat them in one then?!) brownies. To accompany them, Mark brought a bottle of Casa Sant’Orsola Brachetto d’Acqui. Liquified raspberry juice is how I always find these sweet Italian red sparkling wines. Perfect with the chocolate and a nice way to wrap things up after a very rich, savory and superb meal. My compliments to the chefs! (All I did was some prep work, pour our two bubblies and put the wines in order…that was an easy gig.)

So, there you have it, the birth of Wineaux 75, our social supper and wine club.

View the video below or on YouTube.

The first wine book I bought was the seminal work The Wine Bible. One of the things I did with the book was to try and find some of the recommended wines in it for personal sampling, all in the name of furthering my wine education.

In the Spanish section, I saw this wine and found it to be in my price range. I bought both the 2001 and 2002 vintages of Tinto Pesquera and put them away to try later. Upon a recent visit to deposit some wines into the storage facility, I pulled this, figuring it was a good time to consume the fruits of my patience. My wife had enjoyed a 2004 wine from a different producer, but from the same region, the Ribera del Duero. What is the relevance of that? One, she has an excellent palate. Two, this was one of those wines that I’d been waiting to try and knowing she enjoyed something similar made me eager to open this up.

Ribera del Duero is a rugged region that I’ve always found to be a bit more rustic and appealing to the better known wines of Rioja. Tempranillo is the grape they both share in common, though it is known as tinto fino or tinta del pais in Ribera. This clone of tempranillo is thicker skinned and yields more tannins, an evolutionary measure to cope with the 100 degree plus summer days and sub-zero nights of winter. As with Rioja, the wines see extensive aging in oak barrels, with most producers favoring used American barrels. This allows slower and more subtle flavoring versus the use of new oak, not to mention it saves money.

The most famous of all Ribera del Duero’s bodegas is Vega-Sicilia, which makes one of the most sought after Spanish wines in the world, Unico. I sampled this unique wine at a trade tasting in 2007. It was the 1994 vintage and I remember thinking it was extremely young tasting for a wine that was 13 years old. The aromatics were more intoxicating than the palate and I think it hadn’t been opened long enough. Of course, I don’t know if I’d ever pay that much money for a bottle of wine, but it was fun to sample it. I think it goes for around $350 – 400.

Okay, back to the wine I did try. I don’t remember for sure, but I think I paid somewhere in the $25 or so range when I bought this at Pearson’s or Minks, I’m not sure which. I guess it doesn’t really matter since you won’t find this vintage in stores.

Aromas: It smelled like fresh tobacco leaf that had been soaked in vanilla and then smoked over some cherry wood. It was definitely old world in style and you could smell this earthy quality that I always tend to find in wines from this region, almost as if you can detect a sense of struggle and the resulting muscle the vines develop to survive their fierce environment. You just have to try one for yourself, just make sure it is from a good vintage (e.g. 2004, 2005) and has time to develop.

Taste: Take the tobacco leaf, sprinkle it with some dirt that you’ve charred with a blow torch, then wrap it around some cherries, black berries and black licorice. Coat the entire thing with a thin layer of red licorice and there you go.

Pairing suggestion: Lamb chops or grilled meats, especially beef.

Final word: This was an above average bottle and while it wasn’t inexpensive, I’m glad I’d sat on it for a while. 2001 was a really good year for Spanish wine, so while I’m hopeful the 2002 will be as good, it wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out to be a bit leaner. This wine had a long finish of caressing tannins and acid, indicating to me it still had time to continue drinking well, though I doubt it will improve much more. I wish I had more, but oh well, that is the good thing about wine. There is always another good bottle in your future, so drink up!

Haiku
Rugged earth struggles
Vine gives earthy core flavor
Licorice surrounds

Dutton Goldfield – California fruit married to European wine making sensibility is the best way I can describe this winery’s style. You know they aren’t European, but you also don’t get slammed with opulent alcohol levels or feel like you’ve just visited the lumber yard either, common occurrences with California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A label worth checking out when you want to see another side of California wine making.

2007 Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Firm tannins finished out this beautiful wine, which was filled with black cherry, strawberry pie and spice. Will set you back around $38.
2006 Freestone Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir: Excellent concentration, without being overripe, a signature of the house style. Again, more cherry mixed in with blackberry and plum, with some nice earthy tones that added more depth. Expect to lay down $58 or so.
2006 Sanchietti Vineyard Pinot Noir: More beguiling than the others, I think this was my favorite of the lot. It was seductive in how it whispered, not being as forward or revealing. This was the sort of wine I’d love to sit in a cool cellar with and see how it opens, without having it become too warm for my tastes. I really prefer Pinot rather cool, somewhere in the lower 60 degree temperature ranges. I kept getting this elusive whiff of caramel or brown sugar, but it would fade in and out that I couldn’t quite pin it down. I think the other two will be ready earlier and this one needs time to really open up and reveal her secrets. Again, expect to pay the same as the Freestone Hill for this one.
2006 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay : I was convinced to try this last, having told their Director of Sales that I was not a big fan of California Chardonnay. He said to give it a go and being one to never be closed minded (when it comes to wine), I sampled it. Good thing to because it was really quite delicious. Well balanced, with plenty of structure to last for at least 5 or 6 more years, maybe longer. The vines are 40 years old, head pruned and resembled old gnarly Zinfandel vines. The climate is cool enough to allow the grapes to be harvested on October 25th. Yes, that late in the year. 17 months in 55% new French oak add structure and spice, but not enough to overwhelm the fruit flavors of pear, apple and a touch of soft citrus. Look to drop around $45 or so on this one and make sure to buy two of them, one for tonight’s seafood dish and another for drinking in a few years. Yes, WS panned this, but who cares. This will run about $45 retail.

Lemelson: I’ve never had the opportunity to try anything except the Thea’s Selection, but it has always been a solid example of what Oregon Pinot is all about. This wine is assembled from blocks in their various vineyards, so while it may not exhibit a great deal of specific terroir, I think it does give you a good idea of vintage characteristics. They are also one of the small number of producers who use native yeasts, along with growing their grapes organically.

2006 Thea’s Selection Pinot Noir: Blackberry, forest aromas and mushrooms all make an appearance. This is a great introduction to the Oregon style of Pinot, with good fruit, moderate tannins and great herbal & earthy tones. Make sure to reflect this in any dish you pair it with and yes, salmon always rocks with Oregon Pinot. This should be around $35.

Bodega Numanthia Located in the Spanish region of Toro, this producer makes exceptional wine from the Tempranillo grape, known locally as Tinto de Toro. They were recently acquired by Moët Hennessy USA, so look for a small change in the new labels.

2007 Termes: As is usual with this wine, it is black as night, which hints at the flavors awaiting you in the glass. Concentrated and dense, but not overly syrupy. Loads of black fruit with great notes of espresso, spice and scorched black soil. No, I’ve never taken a blowtorch to innocent dirt, let alone black dirt. But if I did, I know what it would smell like. Maybe I should use the term hot rocks instead? It had a chewy finish, but the tannins were not abrasive and would go great with a big juicy steak. Mmm…steak…excuse me while I pull out the leftovers. This should set you back about $30.
2006 Numanthia: Big, spicy, with loads of oak and gobs of stain your teeth blue and black fruit flavors. While this was really quite good, I’m not sure it was double the price better than the Termes. Both wines are top notch and are quite drinkable right now, but will easily last another 10 years.

That wraps up the highlights of the tasting for me. I also have to give big time props to Muss & Turner’s who provided the catering services for the event. I’m originally from Texas, where brisket is almost a religion. The brisket at the tasting was amazing, beyond fork tender and practically melted in your mouth. Worthy of last meal request for sure.

Until next week, cheers!