Wines of January 2023

Running a little behind - had a stomach bug that knocked me for a loop. I'll spare you the details

2011 Amalia Barolo Montforte ‘d’Alba, Italy

Red berry, rose and anise aromas mingle in the glass. The firm palate is still closed, but offers raw red berry, menthol, sage and anisette. It's still rather primary but has the structure to evolve and develop complexity. Drink after 2019.  RATING91

Founded in 2003, Amalia have produced a lovely Barolo made from two small vineyard sites; one hectare in Le Coste and two hectares in Bussia. Initial flavours of plum and raspberry develop on the palate, gaining slightly meaty and herbal notes. This is an elegant style that can be drunk from an early stage in its lifespan.

This was an excellent wine – aged to perfection. Light red fruits with a nice acidity level to match with hearty foods. Held this in my cellar for a couple years, got it on sale for around $30. Wonderful wine for any occasion – Happy New Years to me!

2017 Provenance Merlot, Napa Valley, CA

This structured, fruit forward wine showcases the distinctiveness of Napa Valley with ripe blueberry and plum flavors accompanied by layers of herbal spice.

JS94James Suckling

Attractive combination of green olives, dark fruit and tea follow through to a full body with round, savory tannins. Refined, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

"Soft elongated tannins wrap around a thick body of hugely concentrated black fruit and a wealth of oak in this brawny wine. Dried herb, cedar and pencil shavings adhere to the variety's characteristic earthiness." Wine Enthusiast

A Cabernet drinkers Merlot – full bodied with great red and dark fruits. Great body for having with food, the aftertaste lingers. Some tannins still left – got it closed out at $20 – a real steal.

2017 Peachy Canyon Cirque du Vin, Paso Robles, CA

Deep garnet & brick in color. Clear margin. Warm and smooth. Caramel, raspberry, black currant, eucalyptus nose. Tart black cherry, raspberry preserves, and black currant.

Blend: 54% Zinfandel, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Petite Sirah

Not an overly impressive wine – got better on the second day. Decent red fruits and some spice, but not overwhelming in any way.  It was close-out at $15, just alright for the price. Pretty label.

2018 Tabali Pedregoso Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva, Maipo, Chile

Tasting Notes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense ruby in color, this Cabernet Sauvignon is notable for its good body and structure. It has upfront aromas of cherries, violets, cassis, and smoke, complemented by hints of toast. Well-rounded on the palate, with balanced, silky tannins and great structure, it achieves a good balance between fresh acidity and abundant fruit.

Reviews

The 2019 Pedregoso Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is the entry-level Cabernet Sauvignon from their coastal DOM vineyard with colluvial soils, which has more similarities with Alto Maipo, slightly cooler. It was planted with a massal selection they got from the old Santa Rita vineyards. This has a little more clay, and the wine is rounder and more approachable. It's harmonious and balanced and was matured in neutral, well-seasoned oak barrels, so they respect the fruit. They have produced 216,000 bottles of this wine, their largest volume. It was bottled in December 2019. ~90 Points Robert Parker

This was very enjoyable – as usual a touch of Chilean funk upon opening, but nothing too bad. Mostly red fruits with some herb notes. Nicely put together, great mouth feel and body for food. Got it at $12, really good wine for school night wine or anytime.

2020 Ventisquero Chardonnay ‘Tara”, Atacama, Chile

Blend: 100% Chardonnay

Profile: The nose reveals fruit, such as sweet cucumbers and apricots, as well as floral notes. As you sip the wine, it evolves in the glass.

Pairings: Oysters, sea urchins, oily fish and white meat. It’s a fresh, nervous, mineral wine. The mouth is tense and well-structured. The chalkiness and salinity of the soil come through in the palate. The nose reveals fruit, such as sweet cucumbers and apricots, as well as floral notes. As you sip the wine, it evolves in the glass. This is not a classic style of Chardonnay and we attribute this to its very particular and unique terroir. The Pacific Ocean has a major influence on the vineyard, producing morning fog, known locally as the “Camanchaca,” and strong winds, which cool the vines, making this a desert with cool climate conditions. The area is very arid and the soils are chalky and saline.

A unique Chardonnay – not the buttery chard or even the usual unoaked type.  Lots of minerality and salinity – made me think of eating raw fish. The fruit never overcomes these features in this wine. Can’t say it was great – needs a plate of seafood to make it best. Priced over $30, I’ll probably say skip this

2015 Vintisquero Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Grey’, Maipo, Chile

 

A lovely Chilean red wine made from Cabernet grapes planted on vines that grow in granite soils of the winery's Trinidad Vineyard. This is located in the cool climate and coastal region of the Maipo Valley. Aromas of fleshy ripe black plums, spice, smoke, graphite and cigar box. Pair with a pepper steak.

Cabernet Sauvignon food pairings: potato and chick pea stew, grilled sirloin steak

A modest Cabernet from Chile – at its best now (no further aging). Decent dark fruit flavors and a touch of spice and earth.  Not a long finish, decent enough with food. Available around $20, not bad -not great.

2018 Grey Single Block Carmenere, Maipo, Chile

RP91Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

I tasted two vintages of the Carmenere, and the 2018 Grey Carmenere shows a lot more restraint and austerity than the more generous 2019 I tasted next to it. So, both wines show varietal typicity and marked character from the vintage, plus the stony soils from Maipo where the grapes grow. This is a little more herbal and sharp despite showing very similar parameters.

Spicy cherry, plum and cola aromas on the nose of this wine set up a tight palate with rubbery tannins. Cherry and plum flavors come with a fair amount of oak spice that settles on burnt toast. Modest heat rises up on a short but aggressive finish.

A nicely made Carmenere, very full bodied with modest tannins. Mostly red fruits with hints of oakiness, in a good drinking zone right now. Good body for matching heavier foods. Priced around $20, well worth the money

2019 Vintisquero Vertice Red Blend, Apalta, Chile

Deep red with violet hues. The nose reveals black fruit, such as blackberries, intermingled with gentle spices, such as black pepper, damp earth, notes of native forest and a hint of graphite and soft spices. This wine has a firm structure and silky tannins. Its black fruit and spicy flavors, together with medium to high acidity lend it balance in the mouth and persistence in the finish.

Critical Acclaim

D96Decanter      Offers glossy dark fruits, smoky hints, and classic Apalta eucalyptus notes. The palate is crunchy and fresh with lively acidity and fine tannins. Young, but so poised and age-worthy. A seriously impressive style that will improve. Blend : 51% Carmenère, 49% Syrah

I call this a heavy duty wine – hardy black and dark red fruits with some spices in the palate.  Tannins are present but not overwhelming – would be best with another year or three of aging. Holds up well to heavy foods – very nice wine. Priced in the $30 range, worth seeking out.

 

Another month, another year. Hoping you and yours are doing well. Keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevines.