July 2019 Wines

Wines of July 2019

2017 La Croisade Reserve Cabernet/Syrah, Vin de Pays, France

This is an Old World wine with a new world taste from France. Full bodied, with plums and wild raspberries on the nose. Toffee, strawberries, a touch of oak, black tea and tart cherries make this so drinkable! Serve this with baked chicken cutlets in a marinara sauce, pork schnitzel or back on wrapped figs

This wine is always very tasty. Nothing to cellar, but a tasty school night wine that ever one can enjoy.  Good fruit, decent acidity for food, a nice buy under $10.

2011 Chilcas Syrah Reserve, Maule, Chile

Cherry notes are less juicy and succulent than Carignan, but still make for a simple and pleasant afternoon sipper.

This was a decent syrah – a little long in the tooth, but not quite over the hill. Pleasant red fruits, tannin gone but a little acidity to make it pleasurable as a school night wine. Buy a newer vintage (under $10).

2015 Natale Verga Governo Rosso Toscano, Tuscany, Italy

Super Tuscan wines always have a degree of complexity to them. This wine manages to balance the rustic and robust nature of Italian wines with the friendly welcoming flavours of the new world. Initially we taste tart cherries, raspberries and some red currants. There is a tea influence here, reflective of the herbal and leafy flavours. The tannins are present but gentle. This wine is young, so decanting always helps to coax out the flavours.

"A blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. "Governo all'uso Toscano" dates back to the most ancient traditions of Tuscan farmers. Part of the grapes planted before harvest are added to wine during fermentation, so as to give it more softness and to enhance its bouquet. Intense red color, fruity notes and round aromas are the distinctive characteristics of this wine. It is fresh, harmonic and savory on the palate." Winemaker's Notes

A less expensive “Super-Tuscan” this wine started with a little green olive in the middle palate, but smoothed out with being open for a while. Not bad for the price (around$11), can’t say it would age more than a year or two. Another School night wine.

2015-17 Ruggeri Guistino B. Prosecco, Valdobbiane, Italy

The Prosecco Giustino B is a Prosecco just perfect, from all points of view. If you do not like Giustino B, you do not like the Prosecco. A thought shared by us and that is reflected in the maximum guide national and international wines. They are, in fact, the greatest guide of Italy and has not decant the praises of this Prosecco perfect and refined: the Gambero Rosso guide defines it as the "Prosecco reference"; in the Slow Wine guide you recognize able to "express the characteristics of the type at the highest levels of quality and intensity"; the leadership of the Touring Club Good Wines of Italy, where Justin B. won the Crown, the highest recognition of the guide, calls it "a masterpiece, which represents the pure pleasure of drinking in keeping with the typical"; Finally, the magazine Wine Enthusiast defines it as the "Prosecco qualitative reference in the panorama of Italian sparkling wine." In short, only judgments more than positive for this Prosecco, which owes its name to Giustino Bisol, founder of the winery in 1950.

Colour   Bright golden yellow

Scent     Notes of white flowers and lavender, with fruity hints of peach, apple and pear

Taste     Fresh and lively, clean and very pleasant

Although this is a blend of years and made in the Charmat method – this is one of the best Proseccos I have had. Wonderful flavors – peach and exotic fruits. Soft in the mouth but finishing with a nice acidic balance. Really good prosecco – priced around $30.

NV Chapillon Secret Reserva Brut Nature, Cava, Spain

Dusty, briny citrus and apple aromas lead to a palate that's calm and only mildly bubbly and active. Lightly pickled lime and tangerine flavors finish dry, slightly bitter and briny, with a coarse but crisp feel of seltzer. 88 Points Wine Enthusiast

A blend of 75 percent chardonnay and 25 percent macabeo aged 16 months in the bottle, this is classic Cava, from the nutty scent to the almond flavor. It feels broad and rich yet clean, defined by its crisp acidity.

A very nice cava that is as dry as a bone. No added sugar (Brut Nature) assures you this is a tingling, dry bubbly that has broad flavor but very crisp acidity. Would be great with seafood – only around $20. Worth a try…

2016 El Jamon Garnacha Carinena, Spain

Medium-bodied. Fine, soft tannins. Well-balanced acidity. Violets in the opening aromas with concentration of ripe cherries. Fruit flavors of blackberries and candied cherries are abundant. Lovely spice nuance leads to the velvety and lingering finish.

Always a nice, pleasant fruity wine with little tannins but dark fruit flavors and a decent acidity to match various foods. A wine around $9, worth the price…

Another month and so little time for wine. Keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevines.

The wines of June 2019

Another month of "wine-ing"

Let's so what I poured this last month:

2015 Natale Verga Love Rosso Veneto, Italy

Natale Verga Love Rosso hails from the Veneto Region of Italy. On the nose you’ll get aromas of cherry, currants, and notes of sage. On the palate, the cherry and currants continue as flavors of anise and licorice develop into a dry, full-bodied finish. Pair Natale Verga Love Rosso with your favorite classic Italian dish. Corvina Blend

Moderate color, fruity nose with a touch of earthiness on the backend. I found it OK, not something I would recommend. Under $10, an average week-night wine.

2018 Ocaso Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Black violet color. Aromas of huckleberry tart, sweet tomato, elderflower, blueberry, sandalwood, and suede with a satiny, vibrant, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a polished, amusing, medium-length toasted pine nuts, cocoa nib, and pomegranate relish finish with well-integrated tannins and moderate oak flavor. A delicious, nuanced Malbec that will be a hit.

While Malbec is historically known as a red Bordeaux variety, it is Argentina that has given this grape its new found popularity. Bright purple in color with ripe plum and black cherry fruit with moderate acidity, Malbec from Argentina has become the people’s choice among moderately priced red wines ($12-$16 a bottle in domestic markets).

Decent color, mild nose – some fruit although the finish is short. A young Malbec that is just OK, not an aging wine. For under $10, pretty average.

2012 Torres Coronas Tempranillo, Catalunya, Spain

Natalie's Score: 87/100 (Natalie McClean)

Incredible texture and mouth-feel on this luscious Spanish red wine. That's what the Tempranillo grape delivers consistently. Aromas of dark red fruit and some dark spice. Perfect for grilled or blackened chicken.

Tempranillo food pairings: red meats, creamy cheeses, traditional paellas.

Since I  drink a lot of Spanish wines, this one was pretty nice for the price. Under $10, it had good fruit, hints of leather on the palate and a modest finish. At about the end of its life, wouldn’t hold much longer. Worth a try, find a newer vintage.

2017 Viejo Feo Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Maule, Chile

The Cabernet Sauvignon vines are 25 years old that yield only five tons per hectare.

After crushing, the juice undertakes a cold maceration at 5 C for one week. After fermentation, the wine is further macerated for 15 days before pressing. 50% of the wine is then aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. The rest is kept in stainless steel tanks before the final blending. Alcohol by Volume 15.0%

TASTING NOTES: This is Tinajas del Maule’s flagship wine. The crimson wine is concentrated and built to last. Its complex aromas of blackcurrant and black cherries are complemented by generous aromas of vanilla and black pepper. The wine has a firm structure and gritty tannins. A bright acidic backbone pulls it together while it opens beautifully in the glass. Decant this wine and enjoy at 18°C.

PAIRING: This wine will pair well with rich cuts of beef. Braised meat and charcoal grilled asados. The flavorful wine will taste its best with fatty duck magret and beef wellington.

I don’t know that this is “Reserve” but the label said it was. Usually, you have to let the Chilean funk blow off the nose of the wine. This was an exception – the nose was pretty nice from the get-go. Nice red and black fruit with some tannin to provide a little backbone. Pretty nice for a $10 bottle – I’d drink it again.

2011 Chilcas Carmenere Reserva, Valla Del Maule, Chile

TASTING NOTES:

The 2011 Reserva Merlot displays a bright, intense cherry-red color. Aromas of blackberry,

and cherry are accompanied by spicy notes of black pepper and bay leaf. Barrel aging lends

notes of vanilla and subtle toasty oak. The big-bodied palate shows good concentration of

fruit with velvety, well-rounded tannins and a persistent finish

Carmenere, a very underestimated varietal. Originally planted in Medoc region of Bordeaux, France where it was mostly used for blending and considered one of the original 6 grapes of Bordeaux. Now rarely found in France, the largest production and producing region is Chile!

CHILCAS Carmenere Reserva is a full bodied, complex yet pretty wine that is rich, silky, smooth, very approachable and easy to drink... It shows ripe dark fruit (blackberry and plum) with vanilla, cinammon and notes of black pepper, intertwined with roasted coffee and tobacco.

Tannins, supple and silky and the palate presents good volume, with silky elegant tannins. Yummie!

I love the easy-ness of this wine. It makes me smile :) (Natalie McClean)

This wine is getting a little old, but it still holds up very well. Fruit on the nose, a broad palate of black and dark red fruit. Still has a backbone, not much tannin. Drink soon, but worth the $10 price.

2015 Pali Wine Co Summit Pinot Noir, Sta Rita Hills, Ca

92 POINTS           Editors’ Choice  Wine Enthusiast

One of the better wines on the market in the $30 range, this bottling from winemaker Aaron Walker shows beet, rhubarb, raspberry and dried mint aromas. The flavorful red fruit on the palate is lively and boisterous, its acidity and peppery spice combining for a very memorable sipping experience.

A very nice bottling of Pinot from the southern end of California.  Using 35% new oak, the flavors are not overwhelmed, showing bright red fruits and a nice acidity to match foods. A good sipper and dinner wine – available for around $25 right now, well worth the splurge.

2016 Cuvee Paul and Remy Tempranillo, Calatayud, Spain

1OO% Tempranillo          OAK. 6 Month   Region: Aragon (Calatayud)

TASTING NOTE

Fun, fresh and fruity . Christophe Chapillon produces this wine 100 % Tempranillo to take and enjoy at any time without complicate your life.

Intense / fruity aromas / black fruit / spicy / toasty notes

FOOD PAIRING

Perfect with red meats, white meat cheeses, pasta, ham, salads

In 2006, Christophe Chapillon decides to follow the family adventure (his uncle was oenologue in the Loire) of wine making but not in the Loire Valley but in Spain and specifically in Aragon where he lives since 1986 with the help of Cesar Langa. Through this collaboration with the oldest Calatayud (More than 150 years of history) familiar Bodega, launches its brand CHAPILLON that becomes the backbone of their new business project.

Christophe creates a line of wine with their familial name: CHAPILLON. A line of modern and wines, very different wines from the area.

A special buy of a newer producer/importer to our area brought this little gem of a Spanish Tempranillo. My notes indicate good, fruit and structure, and a nice moderate aftertaste. Very enjoyable, priced from $16 to $20, well worth trying.

2016 Qupe Syrah, Central Coast, Ca

FLAVOR PROFILE

In the glass, the wine pours a deep purple with aromas of black currant, blackberry, coffee and a bit of vanilla dust. The palate is fresh and effortless. It's an incredibly easy-drinking wine that will go well with or without food. Perfect with grilled meats. Great value.

WINEMAKING

This wine is 90% Syrah, with the remaining a composite of Grenache, Mourvedre and Tempranillo from a number of vineyards in both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. All of the lots were fermented separately in a combination of small open top fermentesrs using manual punch-down, and larger closed top tanks using pump over. Againg was in a small French oak barrels (mostly neutral) for about 16 months. This is a pretty rich and forward version of this wine, but still balance and under 14% alcohol. It is bottled under Stelvin screw caps, so I recommend drinking it and not putting it in the cellar. If you do decide to age it, keep the bottle standing up, give it 10 years and let me know how it's doing!

This wine packs a punch for a syrah – not an over the head fruit bomb, but a wonderfully nuanced berry with a trace of dust. Nice body with a moderate aftertaste, this wine is great. Available for about $20, this is a heck of a bottle – go try some. This is their basic bottling, the others cost more but would probably be good, too.

Time for goodbyes – remember to keep popping those corks and I’ll meet you out behind the grapevines.