Wines of March, 2019

Another Month has flown by!

Is it just me, or did March seem as short as February? Here's a few wines to pass the time

2017 Les Combes de St Sauveur, Plan de dieu, Cotes-du-Rhone, France

Red intense ruby. Complex with spicy notes, dominant aromas of cocoa, kirsch cherries and ripe black fruits. Sharp and concentrated, the mouth is round and smooth with delicate flavours of black fruits and a spicy finish that brings freshness.

Grape Variety    Grenache, Mourvèdre , Shiraz

A really nice little CDR – good fruit flavors and a decent finish. Very good food wine, priced around $10-12, a very good buy.

2015 Cuvee Constance, Cote du Roussillon villages, France

"The entry-level red from this estate is the 2015 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Cuvee Constance, and it’s a beauty to buy by the case. Black raspberry, cassis, pepper and wood smoke all emerge from this total charmer that has ample fruit and texture, and a great finish. The blend is 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Carignan aged all in concrete tanks." —JebDunnuck.com

Another well -made, inexpensive red from France. Very nice fruit with a moderate finish; sufficient acidity to be a good food wine.  Priced under $12, worth buying several bottles.

2014 Fatum Bobal-Tempranillo LaMancha, Spain

Grapes: 50% Tempranillo 50% Bobal

“Bright violet color. Lively redcurrant and cherry on the nose and palate, with a mineral nuance emerging as the wine opens in the glass. Conveys good depth and focus without any excess fat; a spicy note contributes back-end cut. Notes of fresh red berries and spices carry through a zesty, gently tannic finish that’s sharpened by juicy acidity.” 89 points Vinous

Back to Spain – a $10 bottle I’ve enjoyed several times. The blending of the Tempranillo and Bobal makes this a very satisfying wine; good flavors and balance and made to be a good food wine. Probably need to be drunk over the next few years, but very good right now.

2014 Vega Moragona La Duna Tempranillo, Ribera del Jucar, Spain

This is a fruit driven and complex Tempranillo from the Ribera del Jucar appellation. The best quality grapes from a single vineyard go into this wine. After fermentation the wine rests for three months in new oak barrels. It is ruby red in the glass with aromas of red fruit, toast and spice. The palate is broad with flavours of ripe fruit and sweet baking spice. Enjoy this with grilled meat and cool weather dishes.

A single vineyard bottle for around $12 – this is drinking very well, with good fruit and hints of spice. Goes well with red meats, heavy sauces. Really nice for the price.

NV Cavicchioli 1928 Prosecco, Campegine, Italy

Cavicchioli 1928 Prosecco DOC Spumante Extra Dry is made from 100% Glera grapes. In the province of Treviso, the vines are grown mostly on a flat fertile terrain of medium texture.

In the winery, under-ripe” grapes (in order to preserve well the acidity), hand picked, are vinified in white with the skins at a temperature of 8-10°C (cryomaceration) for about 12 hours; the alcoholic fermentation at controlled temperature of 16-18°C is followed by the second fermentation using the Charmat method at a temperature of 12-14 °C for about 15-24 days.

Cavicchioli 1928 Prosecco DOC Spumante Extra Dry features, when poured and tasted, white foam; lively, fine and persistent perlage; pale straw yellow color; an intense aroma of candied fruits and sweet flowers; and a fresh and delicate taste with an aromatic finish; its alcohol is 11%.

"Bright and balanced, this is a textbook Prosecco, with a lively bead carrying the flavors of white peach, sliced almond and candied lemon zest. Floral. Drink now." Wine Spectator

Not a big hit at my house, seemed a little thin on the flavors with hints of wet paper in the mouth. Even at $13, I’ll try something else…

Hope you enjoyed these wines – until next time, keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grape vines.