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Chilean Carménère – World-Class and So Hard To Choose
Is 30 years a lot of time or not, what do you think? It depends. If we compare 30 years to the approximate age of Earth at around 4 billion years, it is much smaller than a spec of dust. For a human, that’s quite a bit of time, subject to a personal perception. How about grapes?
Almost 30 years ago, in 1994, it was discovered that the Chilean Merlot grape is not exactly a Merlot. Approximately one-third of the plantings considered to be Merlot happened to be of Merlot’s almost extinct relative – the grape called Carménère. In 1994, there were only 25 acres left in France of the grape which used to be one of the important elements in the Bordeaux blend, now ready to disappear. This discovery also helped to explain the distinct taste of Chilean “Merlot”, loaded with so-called Pyrazines, the compound which leads to the pronounced green bell pepper characteristics in the wine, both in smell and taste.
Chilean winemakers gladly took ownership of the grape which they now could rightfully call “their own”, and the plantings expanded from around 9,000 acres in 1994 to almost 34,000 acres in 2014, eventually steadying at about 25,500 acres in 2021. Along the way, Chilean winemakers worked hard with this grape to literally get rid of the green bell pepper profile, creating a rounder, more fruit-forward wine. Their mission was a total success – for example, looking through the notes of my previous tasting of 7 Carménère wines 3 years ago, not a single wine had any mention of the green bell peppers. Nevertheless, it is interesting that now the pendulum has started swinging the other way, and Chilean winemakers have started thinking about bringing the green bell pepper profile back.
Nothing is instantaneous in the world of wine. Thinking about green bell pepper doesn’t mean it can elegantly show in the wine at will. At least among the 6 Carménère wines I just tasted, only one of them had a distant hint of bell peppers – but the important part was that all 6 were outright delicious. While I managed to choose a favorite, it was like splitting the hair.
Just to give you a perspective on where these 6 wines came from here is the map:
You can see here the proximity to the coast as well as get an idea of the altitude and overall terroir. While there seems to be a good variety of the terroir, all the wines were showing in a similar way – yes, with stylistic differences, but you could tell that the wines are related.
Here are my notes:
2021 Viña San Esteban In Situ Carménère Reserva Valle de Aconcagua DO (13% ABV, $13, 95% Carménère, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in for 12 months in 50% French and 50% American 225-litre oak barrels, 3+ months in the bottle) – In Situ Family Vineyards was established in 1974 by José Vicente. In 1994, the vineyards were replanted, and the modern winery was built. This certified sustainable winery produces a range of high-altitude wines in Aconagua Valley.
Dark garnet
Beautiful restrained nose of dark fruit, blackberries
Blackberries and raspberries on the palate, crisp acidity, tart, crisp, refreshing, well integrated but present tannins
8
2021 Morandé Vitis Única Carménère Valle del Maipo DO (13.5% ABV, $20, aged for 16 months in 80% in French oak foudres and 20% in new 225 liters French oak barrels) – Viña Morandé was founded in 1996, and went on to become one of the leading wine producers in Chile. The winery is truly innovative and “off-the-beaten-pass”, producing wines from Mediterranean grapes such as Cinsault, Carignan, and Garnacha, and using concrete eggs and large oak foudres for the aging of the wines. The winery was the first in Chile to produce late-harvest wine and the first in Chile to be recognized as 100% sustainable.
Dark garnet
Dark fruit, cedar, a hint of bell peppers
Tart cherries, black currant, zippy acidity, acidity on the finish.
8-/8
2020 TerraNoble CA2 Carménère Costa Valle de Colchagua DO (14.5% ABV, $36, aged 16 months, 42% in new 300-liter barrels, the rest in untoasted foudres) – TerraNoble is one of my favorite Chilean producers. I wrote extensively about TerraNoble in the past, covering particularly the full line of their Carmenere wines.
Dark Garnet, almost black
A touch of barnyard, warm spices, inviting, black currant
Bright, firm structure, cassis, distant hint of bell pepper, good balance, good acidity
8/8+
2020 InVina Luma Chequén Carménère Gran Reserva Valle del Maipo DO (13.9% ABV, $17, 12 months in oak barrels) – InVina was founded in 2007 by the Huber family and went on to become one of the premier producers in Maipo Valley
Dark garnet
Beautiful, nutmeg, sweet oak, superb. Best of tasting so far
Sophisticated, great bouquet, cassis, dark fruit, a touch of dark chocolate, excellent balance.
8+, the favorite of the tasting
2020 Primus Carménère Apalta DO (14.5% ABV, $21, organic grapes, 12 months in French oak barrels, 18% new) – Primus wines are a part of the Viñedos Veramonte, another one of my favorite Chilean producers. I also wrote about Primus Carménère wine extensively in the past, so this was one of the familiar wines in the tasting.
Dark garnet, almost black
Cassis, cassis leaf, sage, inviting, delicious
Dark, brooding, concentrated, earthy, well-integrated but present tannins, full body, needs a steak.
8+, superb on the day 3.
2020 Montes Wings Carménère Apalta DO (14.5% ABV, $55, 85% Carménère, 15% Cabernet Franc, aged for 16 months in 80% new and 20% second-use French oak barrels) – Feng Shui, Gregorian monks chants helping wines age – we can talk about Montes Winery forever. Instead, I will offer you to read my interview with the Founder and Chief Winemaker of Montes Winery Aurelio Montes Sr – here are Part 1 and Part 2 of our conversation.
Dark garnet, almost black
Sage, a hint of cassis, earthy
Bright, elegant, dark fruit, fresh acidity, seeet oak, eucalyptus, layered, luscious.
8+, as good as Luma
Here you are, my friends. Six excellent Carménère wines, making it very difficult to select a favorite. I settled on Luna Carménère Gran Reserva, but honestly, every one of these six are world-class wines I would be happy to drink any day. Do you have your favorite Carménère wines?
Virgen Wines – No SO2 Organic and Delicious
No added SO2.
Organic.
Delicious.
Simple, right?
Organic seems to be the word of the town. Four years ago, in 2019, 6.2% of the vineyards in the world were certified organic. In absolute terms, it doesn’t sound impressive. However, we need to take into account a few factors. First, many vineyards practice organic farming but are not inclined to undergo an official certification process due to the high cost. Second, and probably more important, is that from 2005 till 2019 the organic vineyard plantings increased by 13% per year, compared with non-organic vineyard plantings’ growth rate of 0.4% per year, according to the article in Drinks Business. I have a feeling that the organic vineyard growth could even have accelerated over the last four years, but we will need to wait to see the official data.
But grapes from organic vineyards don’t automatically mean that the wine can be called organic too – this gets a bit tricky, as every country has different rules for what wine can be called “organic” – this is why you can see on many labels the statement “made with organic grapes” instead of simple “organic”.
SO2, an abbreviation for Sulfur Dioxide, is an essential element in winemaking. It is used literally at every stage of the winemaking process because of a few important properties. SO2 is an anti-microbial agent, regulating harmful yeast and bacteria growth in wine. It also has anti-oxidative properties, protecting the wine from oxidation. It is important though that the use of SO2 is not excessive for a variety of reasons – one of such is an allergic reaction it can cause.
So here is the culprit – if you want to import your wine to the USA, and you want to be able to simply state on the label “organic”, you are not allowed to add sulfites (it is okay to add sulfites to the organic wine in Europe and Canada). This doesn’t mean that the wine will have no sulfites – sulfites are a natural by-product of fermentation, and they are always present in wine – but they will be present in minuscule quantities in the organic wines. However, not adding sulfites is not for the faint at heart – considering how many things can go wrong in the winemaking process – this is why today you see the majority of wines labeled with “made from organic grapes”.
Domain Bousquet was founded in 1990 in the high-altitude desert in Tupungato Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina, on the pure vision, passion, and conviction of its founder, Jean Bousquet. Jean was told that he is making a mistake of his life when he purchased 1,000 acres of nothing but dry, empty, arid land. Today, Domain Bousquet sustainably and organically farms 667 acres of vineyards, produces 50 million liters of wine, 95% of which is exported to 50 countries around the world, and ranks among the top 20 Argentinian wineries in terms of export. Domaine Bousquet also just extended its leadership in organic winemaking by introducing the wines produced without adding any SO2 – and this is exactly what we are talking about today.
Three new wines were just added to Domaine Bousquet’s collection, under the name of Virgen – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. All three are certified USDA organic, unoaked, and have no added SO2. To ensure the proper handling that these wines require, Domaine Bousquet even decided to ship them wrapped in a blanket.
When I received an invitation to review these new wines, my instant inclination was a simple “nope, not doing that”. No USDA organic wines made me excited so far. But the next thought was … well, these are just the samples, it might be interesting – especially if I can compare them with the same wines made in the traditional way – and this is pretty much what I was able to do.
Winemaker Rodrigo Serrano. Source Domaine Bousquet
In my mind, producing wines without SO2 requires a leap of heart. So even before I got the wines, I decided to ask Domaine Bousquet’s winemaker, Rodrigo Serrano, a few questions about his inspiration and goals – here is our short conversation:
[TaV]: You had been farming organically since the beginning, so your wines have always been made from organic grapes. Getting USDA Organic certified is another test, as you now need to certify the entire winemaking process. Why did you decide to opt for this certification?
[RS/DB]: We did it because we had the opportunity to experience it in 2018. Little by little I moved away from the use of SO2, until I suggested trying a wine without using it. I felt like an innovator, without knowing the real magnitude of this.
[TaV]: Virgen wines do not have SO2 added, so special care must be taken during the transport of wines. How did you come up with the idea for a blanket? How does it help protect wines?
[RS/DB]: The theory says that the temperature is very harmful, so in a wine like this, in which there is no protection, extreme care is taken. Today with experience, we understand that both in Virgin and in the rest, the temperature is harmful, so we put the blanket in all shipments. It helps by generating an air chamber between the wall of the transport container and the wine box, obtaining less impact from the outside temperature on our bottles.
[TaV]: What is the expected shelf life of Virgen wines?
[RS/DB]: Initially I was not optimistic, today with more than 5 years of experience, we still have 2018 stock, and it remains correct.
[TaV]: Somewhat related question: Once virgin wines have arrived at someone’s home, how should they be stored? How long can they be stored before having to consume them?
[RS/DB]: It must be stored like the rest, away from light, with a temperature no higher than 20°C and no less than 5°C.
[TaV]: Can “SO2-free” wines age? Did you experiment with that?
[RS/DB]: It is a challenge that we have ahead of us, to work with sulfite-free wines for aging, we are working on it, but for the moment they are only projects.
[TaV]: I see that Domaine Bosquet is not only organic, it is also certified Organic Regenerative. How is Regenerative Organic different from just Organic? What did you have to do to obtain the Regenerative Organic certification? How long did it take you?
[RS/DB]: ROC is something incredible, and for this I recommend watching KISS the Ground. He will answer better than anyone. It took us a few years to certify it, but I don’t work extra, considering that our philosophy coincides 100%
[TaV]: Last question. Far beyond viticulture, Domaine Bosquet is also a certified B Corp. Why did you decide to become a B Corp? Why is this important for you?
[RS/DB]: As with ROC, the coincidence in our philosophy, measuring the social and environmental impact, led us to this certification in a natural way.
Obviously, the proof is in the pudding glass, so next I tasted the wines, and – spoiler alert – was blown away. Here are my notes in the exact order I tasted the wines:
2021 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (14% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Dark garnet
Chocolate and tobacco on the nose, a hint of berries
Blackberries, a hint of cassis, black plums, minerally driven, rich and luscious, good structure, crisp acidity.
8, outstanding on its own, and a great surprise as the wine is unoaked.
2021 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Malbec Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (14% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Dark Garnet
A hint of barnyard upon opening. On the second day barnyard smell disappeared, leaving behind only dark fruit.
On the palate, the wine is just spectacular. Imagine taking a load of perfectly ripe, perfectly crunchy, perfectly fresh berries – blueberries, raspberries, and wild strawberries, and sending it into your mouth – now you know how this wine tastes. Perfect structure, perfect balance, perfect acidity.
8+/9-, kudos to the winemaker.
2022 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Chardonnay Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (13.5% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Light golden
Asian pear, herbs
The palate is matching the nose, Asian pear, a touch of honey, herbs.
7/7+ first day. The wine somewhat improved on the second day, but overall didn’t go anywhere near the reds
And here is my “Frame of reference”:
2021 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (14.5% ABV, $19.99)
Garnet
Dark berries, cherries
A touch of cassis, eucalyptus, clean, classic, perfectly balanced, good acidity.
8, very good
2021 Domaine Bousquet Malbec Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (14.5% ABV, $19.99)
Garnet
Dark fruit, espressoFresh berries, salivating acidity, medium body, playful, perfectly balanced.
8+, delicious.
Let’s discuss our tasting.
First, both of the no SO2 reds were outstanding. The unadulterated fresh berries are really something to experience when they are delivered in a fully balanced, perfectly structured way. No SO2 Cabernet Sauvignon was perfectly on par with the reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; I liked no SO2 Malbec even more than the reserve version, even though I wouldn’t complain about either. Second, I managed to get the answer to the question about the aging of the no SO2 wines. I left both no SO2 Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec on the countertop, closing back the screw cap, and the wines were perfectly delicious on the second and third days. In my book, that means that the wines have at least another 10 years of life easily. Not that I’m suggesting that you should age these wines, but it is good to know that you really don’t have to consume them the same day you got them from the store.
Here you are, my friends – organic, no SO2, and delicious. These wines are worth seeking out, whether you care about sulfites or not. And if you have friends who complain about headaches and sulfites – they might love you even more after they will taste these wines. If you had a chance to taste these wines already – let me know what you think!
New Releases From Bodegas Beronia
When it comes to Rioja, Bodegas Beronia is a relative newcomer, founded in 1973 by a group of friends who fell in love with La Rioja while visiting on a holiday – compared with many of the Rioja’s finest taking its roots from the 19th century.
I wrote about Beronia wines many times before, so instead of sending you to this link to read about the winery itself, here is simply an excerpt from that post:
The name Beronia is not random – here is the explanation: “name linked to the history of the land where the winery is found. In the 3rd Century BC, the area known as Rioja today was inhabited by a Celtic tribe called the ‘Berones’. They inhabited the towns of Tricio, Varea, and Leiva, marking the limits of the Berones region, today La Rioja.”
Originally, the wines were produced literally by friends for the friends, without much thought of commercial sales. In 1982, Bodegas Beronia became a part of González Byass family, and at that point, wines of Bodegas Beronia started to appear on the international markets.
Beronia style starts in the vineyard, practicing sustainable viticulture. Different vineyards are used for different types of wines – Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva. For example, Gran Reserva wines are typically produced from 80-90 years old vineyards. And talking about the style, wines are manipulated as little as possible.
Bodegas Beronia Rioja wines represent an intersection of tradition and modernity. While “traditional” and “modern” styles of Rioja can be a subject of great debate with a lot of wine consumed to prove the point, I would offer a very simplistic viewpoint. Tempranillo has a great affinity to the oak; the resulting Rioja wine is well influenced by the oak regimen. Traditionally, Rioja is matured in American oak casks. Modern-style Rioja often uses French oak. Here is your style distinction – American oak versus French. Bodegas Beronia goes a step further than many. They create their own barrels, using both American and French oak elements in one barrel. Thus the wine is not defined by blending of the separately aged components, but instead, it is aging in a mixed environment.
Now, here is something I never shared before. In June of 2018, I had an opportunity to attend a lunch with Bodegas Beronia winemaker, Matias Calleja. During that lunch, we were able to actually taste the differences between the same exact wine, 2015 Tempranillo, aged for 18 months in 3 different types of oak – French, American, and Beronia’s own, mixed.
When we tasted these three wines side by side, the wine aged in the American oak had the brightest fruit. The French oak-aged was more earthy and had a bigger presence on the palate. The wine aged in the mixed barrels provided the most complexity, and fell in the middle, with interesting spicy notes. Pepper, which is not a typical Tempranillo descriptor, was very pronounced on the mixed barrels. The mixed-barrel one was my favorite.
Now, we can talk about the latest release from Bodegas Beronia – pay attention to the notes on the oak regimen:
2022 Bodegas Beronia Rosé Rioja DOC (13.5% ABV, $12.99, 55% Garnacha, 45% Tempranillo)
Very light pink, almost a rose gold
Very restrained, a hint of underripe strawberries
Crisp, tart, very limited fruit, a distant hint of strawberries with a tartness of cranberries, medium finish
8-, Provençal style, clean, refreshing
2019 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Crianza DOC (13.5% ABV, $14.99, 95% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha, 1% Mazuelo, 12 months in mixed American oak (staves) and French oak (ends) barrels, 3 months in the bottle)
Dark garnet
Cherries, cigar box, a hint of sweet tobacco
On the first day, the wine had a lot of baby fat, too round
Second day – much better, tart cherries with good acidity and earthy undertones.
8-, needs time. The wine is either genuinely too young, or this is a problem with the screwtop enclosure, not allowing the wine to properly breathe, therefore properly mature.
2018 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Reserva DOC (13.5% ABV, $24.99, 95% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano, 1% Mazuelo, 18 months in mixed American and French oak barrels, 18 months in the bottle)
Dark garnet
Earthy, dense, inviting
A hint of barnyard, tart cherries, vanilla, good acidity, good balance
8-/8, elegant and round. Asking for food
2015 Bodegas Beronia Rioja Gran Reserva (14.5% ABV, $29.99, 94% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano, 1% Mazuelo, 28 months in French oak barrels, 36 months in the bottle)
Dark Garnet
A touch of barnyard, dark and earthy, anis appeared on the 3rd day
Cigar box, sapidity, roasted meat, cherries and plums, clean acidity, firm structure, well-integrated tannins. On the third day, a touch of espresso on the finish.
8+, delicious. Will evolve. I would love to taste this wine in 10 years. And then in 20.
Just to summarize this tasting experience – the Rosé was excellent. I really didn’t love the screw top on Crianza – I believe it doesn’t let the wine properly mature in the bottle. And the Gran Reserva for $30 MSRP is the wine to get by the case and let it gracefully mature…
What were your latest Rioja discoveries?
Spanish Wines: Old and New
If I start calling wines “friends”, does it make me an alcoholic or a sad psychopath?
Whatever. We are who we are.
If you love wines, what are the emotions you experience when looking at a familiar bottle? “Ahh, I know you. Of course, I remember you. Oh, we had a great time together. Remember what happened the last time we met?” Wouldn’t that be very similar to a meeting with an old friend? I’m not equating humans and bottles in any way, but emotions connect us, and good wine always solicits emotion.
What happens when you see a new wine? If something strikes your interest – label, region, producer, grape, anything – your think “yeah, I want to get to know you better”. Making new friends in the human world would work pretty much the same – but I think we better get back to talking about wines before I will dig myself too deep.
I love Spanish wines – and you are well aware of this. I’m always happy to meet old wine friends. I’m equally excited to make new acquaintances. Especially when both old and new friends are Spanish wines.
The first wine I would like to talk about… Well, speaking of friends, it is an old and wonderful friend who makes you feel uneasy at a first sight. You know the feeling when you see an old friend and you are super-happy to embrace him (or her), and then your joy is instantly blemished with the next thought of “ohhh, I promised to send him the book, and I never did”. So this Godello from Arano wines is this exact friend. I had this wine a few years ago, was blown away, promised to myself to write about it – and yet never did. Yep, that feeling.
Speaking about Spanish white wines, most people would probably think of Albarino first, followed by Rueda/Verdejo, and then probably get to white Rioja (usually made from the Viura grape). Meanwhile, Godello might be the most interesting Spanish white grape, in many instances producing white wines easily rivaling the best renditions of Chardonnay. This Godello is definitely in the group:
2020 Virgen Del Galir Pagos del Galir Godello Valdeorras DO (13.5% ABV, $21)
Light golden
Whitestone fruit and lemon
Whitestone fruit, plump, mouthfeel between Chardonnay and Roussanne, round, perfect acidity, delicious.
8+, would perfectly compete with any Chardonnay
Here comes another old friend – Bela, one of the new projects of the Rioja powerhouse CVNE in the Ribera del Duero region. I tasted the 2017 vintage of Bela 3 years ago, which gives me the “old friend” rights. There are some notable differences between 2020 and 2017 vintages – 2017 was well-drinkable almost from the get-go, and 2020 needed 3 days to become the beauty it had become. I don’t know if the oak regimen can actively contribute to such a dire difference (the 2017 vintage spent 6 months in the mix of 1-year-old French and American oak, and 2020 seems to spend 9 months in the new French oak) – but nevertheless, this is definitely the wine for the long haul.
2020 CVNE Bela Ribera del Duero DO (14.5% ABV, $18, 95% Tempranillo, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, 9 months in French Oak barrels, 3 months in the bottle)
Dark Garnet
Earthy spicy herbal nose with dark fruit undertones and a touch of tasted meat
Cherries and cherry pit, tart, focus, firm, concentrated – beautiful on the 3rd day. Day one needed time and day 2 was completely closed.
Drinkability: (day 3): 8+
Now, my most beloved wine category – Rioja.
As you know, everything in life has two sides. Rioja is my favorite wine – but on the flip side, I’m very particular about my Rioja. Despite the absolute world-class of CVNE, I never saw this Bakeder Rioja before, which to me means “proceed with caution”. It appears that this wine is a tribute to the car-free village of La Guardia. As this is a new wine for me, let me quote from the CVNE website: “Bakeder, pronounced back-aid-er, is a wine from Laguardia, a village from Rioja Alavesa. The name, “beautiful as peace” is a loose translation from the Basque language. Let the Whole World know the beauty of the fortified medieval village of Laguardia, protected by its great sierra; its solemn churches and monuments; its historic vineyards, and of course, its magnificent wines.” All my fears dissipated with the first sip:
2019 CVNE Bakeder Rioja Alavesa DOC (13.5% ABV, 100% Tempranillo, 10 months in French oak barrels)
Dark ruby
Cherries, cigar box, eucalyptus
Cherries, plums, well-integrated but present tannins, earthy, firm structure, good acidity, perfect balance. Lots and lots of pleasure.
8+, pop’n’pour the wine you don’t want to stop to drink
The last wine for today comes from the legendary Spanish producer – René Barbier from Clos Mogador in Priorat. Clos Mogador needs no introduction to wine lovers as a producer of some of the most coveted wines in the world. Com Tu, which I never had before, is a relatively new wine, commercially produced only since 2005 from 35-50 years old Garnacha vines. The wine’s name can be summarized as ” I am like you (Com tú), you are like me”, has a lot of meaning and history as a special project, so I would like to simply direct you to the Clos Mogador website to read about it.
2019 Clos Mogador Com Tu Garnatxa Negra de la Figueroa Montsant DO (14.5% ABV, 100% Garnatxa (Grenache), 18 months in a foudre)
Dark ruby
Dark ripe fruit and dark chocolate
Cherries, plums, chocolate, good acidity, sage, good balance.
8, light and pleasant on day 1
Here you are, my friends – some old and some old new “wine faces” – each delivering lots and lots of pleasure.
I wish you many pleasant encounters with friends old and new. Cheers!
Neyen, The Spirit Of Apalta
What do you think of Chilean wines? Have you had Chilean wines which took your breath away?
While you ponder that, let’s talk about Chilean wines.
Nobody can question today’s grandstanding of the Chilean wines in the world. According to Wikipedia, Chile is 7th largest wine producer in the world and 5th largest exporter – the ranking positions change every year, but there is a clear growth trend for Chilean wines, both in terms of volume and value. And Chile is one of the worldwide leaders in sustainable and organic viticulture, setting a clear example for the rest of the wine-producing world.
Not changing the subject, but what do you think of organic wines? I remember that 10-12 years ago, organic wines were few far and between, and those proudly displaying “organic” on the labels were largely undrinkable. The situation changed, mostly unnoticeably, and I can say that today at least 25% of the wines I get to drink during a year are made with organic grapes, and this number is definitely higher if we are talking about the samples I receive for the reviews.
If we are touching memory lane, who remembers Chilean flagships, Fronterra and Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay available for around $10 in 1.5L size? Those were the stars of any party, taste being much less important than the price. And again, slowly but surely this all changed, and Chilean wines now commend the full respect of wine lovers around the world, on the level of prized Bordeaux, Napa Cabs, and Brunellos.
Now, the reason behind this little Chilean wine excerpt is my recent encounter with pure pleasure – you know how much I value that element of wine drinking – the wine should give pleasure, otherwise, what is the point of drinking it. The wine I want to share with you today is the 2017 Neyen Apalta Estate Chile (13.5% ABV, $64.99, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Carmenere, 14 months in 225L French oak barrels, 6 months in 3,000L foudres).
Neyen is a unique estate, a parcel of land situated between the Andes Mountains and the Coastal Range. Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted there in 1889, joined by Carmenere in 1936. Soils at this organically farmed, low-intervention vineyard provide good drainage, and the semi-arid climate allows for the slow ripening of the grapes, maybe with the assistance of the Neyen, the Spirit of Apalta. Grapes are harvested by hand at the first light, sorted, destemmed, and subjected to the magic of winemaking. In most of the years, the blend stays at a consistent 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Carmenere, even though in some of the years different proportions are used.
When I opened the bottle and poured the first glass, I was really unconvinced. The wine was drinkable but didn’t incite any “oh my god” reactions which I expected at least based on the price. I pumped the air out and put the bottle aside for the evening.
The next day, I pulled the stopper out, poured a glass and the very first whiff brought the sacred “oh wow”. The cassis and eucalyptus were enveloping the senses, making it impossible to put the glass down and promising a lot more to come with the sip. Wine requires time to be enjoyed, you can’t hurry it. Finally, after a minute or so of just enjoying the aroma, I went for a sip. To my delight, the aromatic experience continued in full force on the palate. More cassis, more eucalyptus, layers of dark fruit, and silky, soft tannins were making the taste buds dance. The experience was taking me precisely between the worlds – the precision and structure of the old world Bordeaux was perfectly coupled with the youthful exuberance of the new world Napa Cab. Don’t get me wrong – this wine doesn’t need Bordeaux or Napa references, this wine perfectly exists in a class of its own, a perfect combination of ungrafted French Cabernet Sauvignon from 130 years old vines and Chile’s own Carmenere. (Drinkability 9-)
Here you are, my friends. A superb Chilean wine that is sure to bring a smile to your face. With holidays or without, winter or summer – this wine has a lot to give. Magic of the Neyen, the Spirit of Apalta? I will let you find the bottle and decide on your own.
By the way, how about the question I asked you at the beginning? Can you name some Chilean wines that took your breath away?
I Still Don’t Understand…
This is not really a rant. I guess this can classify as rambling. Or “asking for a friend” might be the best way to classify this post.
Nevertheless, let me share my frustration.
The question is as simple as it is proverbial. When you take a sip of wine (you can make it a glass, doesn’t matter), do you judge the wine at that moment?
Hold on, while you ponder this, let me add a few layers.
You read the description of the wine. The wine sounds great. The wine sounds like something you want to buy and you want to drink, so you buy it.
Some time later (let’s say, 10 months later), you open a bottle. You remember it came with the recommendation, so you are full of anticipation – or not, maybe you even forgot the raving review. But this bottle is in your cellar, as you had a reason to buy it. So it is rightfully expected to be a good bottle of wine.
You pour a glass. You take a sip. The wine is perfectly fine, no faults, all is good, but the wine gives you nothing. Forget pleasure – the wine is flat and pedestrian, it doesn’t deliver anything, doesn’t cause any emotion. Just flat and boring. You let it breathe for an hour or even two, and still, there is nothing. Does this story sound familiar? Can you picture yourself in this situation?
So here is the first part of the question. How do they do it? The people who reviewed the wine and called it “Killer Bourgogne Rouge” – how come you can’t see an eye to eye with them? I get it when the wine solicits emotion and it is not your wine – this I understand. I remember Robert Parker raving about Ball Buster Shiraz, and the wine was incredibly overdone to my taste, I couldn’t enjoy it at all, but at least that wine didn’t leave me indifferent. But this is not my point. Let’s continue.
While I was not happy – I rarely get to drink Burgundy, so I really want every Burgundy experience to be special – I still did what I always do. Pumped the air out and left the bottle on the counter.
The next evening, I poured another glass to decide on the fate of the half bottle which was left. I took a sip, and couldn’t believe that I’m drinking the same wine that was flat and boring the day before. The wine opened up, it had depth, the fruit, minerality, forest underfloor, hint of smoke, acidity – all were at a beautiful interplay. The wine instantly went into the “delicious” category, and that half a bottle didn’t last for too long.
This brings us to the second part of the question. How do they do it? The wine critics and professional reviewers – are their palates so much more sophisticated than mine? There is no way they wait for the wine for a day or two to open up. Where I see “flat”, they can really see the full beauty? Or is there something I miss?
Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure is one of the oldest in Burgundy, tracing its roots back to 1552. The property spreads over 3 appellations – Pommard, Volnay, and Beaune, allowing wines to be produced in each one of those applications. The domain practices sustainable viticulture; the grapes are harvested by hand, and the wines are aged in 17th-century cellars in partially new oak for 14-18 months.
The wine I’m talking about here was 2019 Domaine Rebourgeon-Mure Cuvée de Maison Dieu Bourgogne (13.5% ABV, $26.98 at Wine Exchange), and after giving this wine time to open, I have to fully agree with “Killer Bourgogne Rouge” definition. Yet I know that I couldn’t enjoy this wine from the get-go.
So what can you tell me? Is this simply my personal handicap, or is there something fundamental I’m missing?
Whatever you want to say, I’m all ears…
A Refreshing Trip Around The World
Have wine, will travel.
I love saying that.
Have wine, will travel.
While we might be dreaming about all those ways to instantly travel from our living room to Mount Everest, Bora Bora, or Singapore, wine has this magical ability to transpose, to let us be where we want to be in a blink of an eye. It works best with the bottle of wine you are familiar with, especially if you have had a chance to visit the winery and acquired some great memories. But even if you have never visited the winery, a bottle of wine is quite a unique product – every bottle of wine proudly advertises where it was made, right on the front label – when you see “Italy”, it is not difficult to picture Rome or Bologna. France probably would solicit the image of the Eiffel tower. Does Australia bring up an image of a boxing kangaroo? Oops, this can be just me. Anyway, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
So today, let’s take advantage of the instantaneous travel only wine can offer, and let’s go on that trip around the world.
The weather is hot in the Northern hemisphere, so today we will hop onboard of the white wine express.
Our first stop will be in Spain. Thinking about Spanish white wines, what grapes come to mind? To ease up on this question – boy, it is hot outside – what is the first Spanish white wine you can think of? While you are pondering that question, I can give you my answer – Albariño. Of course, you have Viura, Verdejo, Godello, and others, but to me the first association for the Spanish white wine is Albariño.
As you might have suspected already, our first stop is in Rias Baixas, roughly a 3,000 square kilometers region located along the Atlantic ocean’s coast in Galicia, in northwest Spain, where Albariño is the king. Pazos de Lusco winery is farming 12.5 acres of Albariño grapes in the south of the region, 40 km away from the coast. The name of the winery comprises two typical Galician words – “pazo”, which stands for home, usually in the countryside, and “lusco” which defines the beautiful moment between dusk and nightfall.
2021 Pazo de Lusco Albariño Rias Baixas DO (13% ABV, $24.95, Vegan)
Straw pale
Intense aromatics, ripe white fruit, peach, tropical fruit
Nicely restrained palate, crisp, tart, lemon, the wine makes you salivate and want food even if you are not hungry.
8, excellent. Should be great with oysters.
For our next stop, we are staying in Spain but traveling east almost to the French border, to the region called Somontano, where the wine had been produced for more than 2,000 years. In Somontano, there lies the Secastillo Valley (the valley of 7 castles), boasting 100 years old Garnacha vines at 2,100+ feet of elevation and a special Mediterranean microclimate defined by close proximity to Pyrenees mountains. This is where our next wine is coming from, Garnacha Blanca produced at the Pagos de Secastilla:
2020 La Miranda Secastilla Garnacha Blanca Somontano DO (13.5% ABV, $18, 4 months in French oak)
Straw pale
Minerality, a touch of gunflint, underripe white fruit
Beautifully playful, fresh white fruit and berries medley, crisp and clean acidity, excellent balance, delicious.
8
As I was deciding when I will taste these wines, the overarching thought came in – oysters. I want fresh oysters. Luckily, we have a new fish monger opened nearby, so procuring a few dozens of oysters was really simple. I tried Albariño and Garnacha Blanca with the fresh oysters, and while the pairing with Garnacha Blanca was not bad, the Albariño and oysters were simply a match made in heaven. Albariño was a perfect chaser, amplifying the delicious salinity of the oyster juice and if you would close your eyes, it was very easy to imagine yourself standing right next to the ocean waves and smelling the salty, fishy water. If you will have an opportunity – spoil yourself, oysters and Albariño are really tasty together.
Now that we are not hungry, we can continue our journey. We are now traveling northeast to the heart of Europe – we are going to Austria. Let me ask you the same question as before – what grape would you associate with Austria first and foremost? I hope your answer will be the same as mine, as mine is rather obvious – Grüner Veltliner.
Grüner Veltliner is unquestionably the most famous Austrian grape, with more than 37,000 acres planted. It appears to originate in Austria and as it was recently established, it is a natural cross between Traminer and St. Georgen (an almost lost grape, only recently rediscovered). Gruner is capable of a wide variety of expressions, depending on the soil types and the yield. But what sets the grape apart in the world of white grapes is rotundone, which is present in the skin of Grüner Veltliner. I only recently mentioned rotundone in the post about Syrah – rotundone is a chemical compound found in the skin of the grape that is responsible for the peppery flavors in the wine. Such peppery flavors are usually attributed to red wines – but Grüner Veltliner can happily join the “peppery family”.
The first mentions of Domäne Wachau go back to the 12th century. Today, this is one of the leading wine cooperatives in the world – 250 vintners sustainably farm about 1,000 acres of vines, and the wines are exported to 40 countries. Talk about Grüner Veltliner – Domäne Wachau produces more than 3 dozens of different Grüner Veltliner wines. As a fun historical fact, I want also to mention that in the 1930s Domäne Wachau was already producing single-vineyard Grüner Veltliner wines. And if you are a wine nerd like me, Domäne Wachau has assembled a wonderful collection of the Nerd Notes on their website, offering in-depth coverage on the terroir, soils, sustainability, cork stoppers, and lots more.
I had an opportunity to taste two of the Domäne Wachau wines – both delicious:
2020 Domäne Wachau Loess Grüner Veltliner Austria (12.5% ABV, $14 1L bottle)
Straw pale
Whitestone fruit, apple, fresh lemon – inviting and bright
Crisp, grassy notes, cut through acidity, fresh, delicious.
8, delicious and outstanding QPR
2021 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen Wachau Austria (12.5% ABV, $18.99)
Straw pale
Tropical fruit, candied lemon, herbal undertones, generous, inviting
Crisp, fresh, lemon, a hint of grass, cleansing and vibrant, perfectly balanced.
8, I should’ve tried it with oysters too – the acidity is pronounced, it could’ve worked well.
Now we will have to travel to the Southern hemisphere for our last stop – Chile.
Chilean wines need no introduction to wine lovers. All classic grape varieties are doing extremely well in Chile, producing world-class wines. But as we are taking the white wine express, that reduces the number of available options. The spotlight today is on the Sauvignon Blanc, produced by one of my favorite, all-organic Chilean wineries – Ritual. I extensively wrote about Ritual before, so instead of regurgitating the information here, I would like to ask you to read that post. Ritual Sauvignon Blanc was exactly as one could expect – delicious:
2019 Ritual Sauvignon Blanc Casablanca Valley (13.5% ABV, $20.99, organic grapes)
Straw pale
Open, inviting, clean, intense, a hint of freshly cut grass and currant leaf
Clean, round, full of energy, uplifting, lemon, freshly cut grass, delicious.
8, outstanding.
This concludes our wine journey around the world. Well, of course, you can continue it on your own. And if you will find something tasty, please share it with the rest of us.
New Zealand Wines – Beyond Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc
Let’s say we will stop a random wine lover and will ask what is the very first wine which comes to mind if we would talk about California? I guarantee you that Cabernet Sauvignon and maybe Chardonnay would be the first associations. What about Australia? Shiraz, no doubts. Argentina will serve as a reference to Malbec, and most likely the Rioja would be the first association for Spain. Meanwhile, each one of these countries and regions successfully produces wines from literally hundreds of the grapes.
Now, what would be the first wine association for New Zealand? If you said Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir, I would fully agree with you. Meanwhile, the New Zealand wine scene offers so much more than those two grapes which had been farmed successfully for more than 100 years. New Zealand leads the wine world in terms of sustainability and organic winemaking (here is the post from the last year, for example). And, of course, New Zealand Bordeaux blends and Syrah had been on wine lovers’ horizons for many years, but coming fresh from the New Zealand wine tasting in New York, I can’t help it to comment on the diversity of the wines represented in the tasting.
Well beyond the traditional Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, we had an opportunity to taste Chardonnay, Riesling, red Bordeaux blends, Syrah, sparkling wines, skin-fermented wines, natural wines, and more.
I had about 1.5 hours to taste about 60 wines, walking around and self-pouring – I think I managed to complete this task with some degree of success – whatever you can understand while spending 1.5 minutes per wine on average. While the tasting format and setting were comfortable, I still had a few gripes about it. First, an absolute majority of the white wines were too warm. This was the second tasting in the day, so I don’t know for how long the bottles were standing on the table, but they should’ve been put in the wine chillers at least, even without ice. I’m sure tasting white wines too warm was detrimental for many assessments. My second gripe was with the food – while the food was carried out all the time, most of those little bites had spice/flavor profiles not conducive to tasting subtle wines such as Pinot Noir. I took a few bites at first but quickly stopped paying attention to the food as I understood that it was skewing the palate in the wrong direction.
Before I will leave you with all of my tasting notes (for what it is worth), I want to mention a few favorites.
First, the natural, unfiltered Carrick Winery The Death of von Tempsky Riesling Central Otago was a riot. Yes, it was the wine for the wine geeks, but it invoked association with some of the best natural wine producers, such as Jean-Pierre Robinot and Frank Cornelissen, and every sip was absolutely thought-provoking.
Then there was the Bordeaux blend from Te Mata Estate Winery Coleraine Hawke’s Bay, which was superb – perfectly on point, varietally correct, and delicious. These were my only two 5-rated wines (I didn’t use my traditional rating system, so I stayed with the suggested “5-star” approach, but of course, had to expand it by using “+” and “-“).
Two of the Syrah wines were outstanding, with Bilancia la Collina Syrah Hawke’s Bay offering a purity of the black pepper profile, which was simply superb. And Neudorf Vineyards Neudorf Home Block Moutere Chardonnay Nelson completes the list of top favorites with its perfectly balanced profile of everything which a good Chardonnay should have – apples, vanilla, honey, a hint of butter – everything.
There were lots more absolutely delicious wines, so without further ado, here is the list of wines I tasted, sorted by the regions – with my brief notes.
Auckland
2018 Kumeu River Wines Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay Auckland – Crisp, acidic, tart apples on the finish. Interesting wine. Not the wine we taste. 3
2015 Tantalus Estate Écluse Reserve Auckland ((Cabernets/Merlot/Malbec) – Beautiful Bordeaux blend. Elegant, round, powerful. 4+
Central Otago
2014 Aurum Organic Amber Wine Central Otago – Tasty, but should be colder? Not as impressive as expected. 3
2019 Burn Cottage Burn Cottage Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago – Beautiful Pinot nose, plums, lavender, elegant. Tart, cherries, good acidity, good midpalate weight. Elegant. 3+
2020 Carrick Winery The Death of von Tempsky Riesling Central Otago – Wow. Acidity, depth, appearance. Wine for the geeks. Amazing. 5
2016 Domaine Thomson ‘Surveyor Thomson’ Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Central Otago – Super tart. Very lean. 2
2020 Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir Central Otago – Beautiful Pinot nose. Plums, cherries, inviting and elegant. Round, delicious palate, good balance. 4
2018 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago – Beautiful nose, touch is smoke. Elegant at first, but the finish is lean and tart. Food wine. 2
NV Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle Brut Central Otago – Delicious. Bread, yeast, toasted notes. Superb. 4
2020 Rippon Gewurztraminer Central Otago – Okay (not really). 2-
2020 Te Kano Blanc De Noir Central Otago – Bright floral nose, tropical fruit. Tart fruit on the palate, I would like a bit less sweetness. 3
2020 Te Kano Fume Blanc de Noir Central Otago – Restrained, a hint of fruit. Clean acidity at first, but then super acidic on the finish. Probably good with oysters. 2
2015 Ostler Lakeside Riesling Spatlese Waitaki Central Otago – Excellent. Gunflint, petrol. Good balance of sweetness and acidity. 4+
2019 Valli Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago – Beautiful smokey nose. Elegant, clean, good presence. One of the best Pinot in the tasting. 4+
2020 Valli Waitaki Vineyard Riesling Central Otago – Not bad. Food friendly. Classic Riesling. 3+
Gisborne
2020 Millton Vineyards & Winery Te Arai Chenin Blanc Gisborne – Sour apples on the nose, lemon tart. Tart lemon on the palate, nice, elegant. 4-
Hawke’s Bay
2019 Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah Bridge Pa Triangle Hawke’s Bay – Superb. A hint of barnyard on the palate and nose, a touch of pepper. Pronounced tannins on the finish. 4+
2019 Bilancia la Collina Syrah Hawke’s Bay – Beautiful nose, rose petals, a hint of pepper. Superb. Black pepper, crisp, light, elegant. 4+
2018 Decibel Wines Malbec Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay – Elegant at first, but could benefit from a bit more body. Tannins are very explicit. Needs time. 3
2017 Smith & Sheth CRU Heretaunga Chardonnay Hawke’s Bay – Delicious. Perfect balance, a hint of gunflint, elegant, restrained. 4+
2018 Te Mata Estate Winery Coleraine Hawke’s Bay (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet franc) – Perfectly Bordeaux blend all the way, balanced, cassis, round, delicious. Will improve with time. 5-
Marlboro
2019 Astrolabe Wrekin Chardonnay Marlborough Southern Valleys – Delicious. Round, good fruit, good acidity. Excellent chard rendition. 4
2021 Brancott Estate Classic Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – A classic NZ Sauvignon Blanc! Cassis, fresh grass, bigger palate than I expected, a little plump. Nose – 5+, palate – 4
2020 Churton Sauvignon Blanc Organic Marlborough – Ok. Superacidic. 2
2020 Clos Henri Vineyard Petit Clos Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Wairau Valley – Very nice. Sancerre style. Freshly cut grass, flowers, perfect balance. 4
2021 Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Classic nose with restraint, mostly grass. The palate is too sweet. 2
2021 Deep Down Wines Organic Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Sancerre-like elegance. Crisp but a bit too acidic. 3-
2019 Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ‘Section 94’ Marlborough Wairau Valley – Crisp, tart. Tangy. Interesting. 3
2017 Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Chardonnay Marlborough Southern Valleys – Excellent. Crisp, well balanced, delicious. 4-
2020 Glover Family Vineyards Zephyr Agent Field Blend Marlborough Wairau Valley (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer) – Excellent. Wine for geeks, very tasty. Tart, crispy, tangy. Wine for geeks for sure. 4
2017 Greywacke Vineyards Greywacke Chardonnay Marlborough Wairau Valley – Gunflint, butter, vanilla. Not bad, but need to be a bit more balanced. 3+
2017 Hans Herzog Estate Mistral Marlborough (Viognier/Marsanne/Roussanne)- Interesting. Not my wine. 2
2021 Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Elegant nose, a hint of fresh-cut grass. Nice, elegant, but a bit tart. 3
2020 Jules Taylor OTQ Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Southern Valleys – Interesting. Softer than a typical NZ SB, not bad. 3
2021 Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Elegant, restrained nose, good palate, classic. 4
2021 Loveblock TEE Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Awatere Valley – Horrible? A nose and palate of spoiled oranges. 1
2019 Mahi Pinot Noir Marlborough Wairau Valley – Lean. A bit underwhelming, but drinkable. 3
2021 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Wairau Valley – Excellent. Classic. Clean, a touch of grass, cassis, a touch of grapefruit. Delicious. 4
2019 Te Whare Ra Single Vineyard Riesling ‘D’ Marlborough Wairau Valley – Beautiful! Crisp, tart apples on the finish. A very apple-forward version. 3+
2021 Vavasour Wines Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Awatere Valley – Elegant, but the acidity is too much – the wine should be colder. 3
2021 Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough – Superb. Delicious. Classic, fresh, crisp. 4
2019 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir Marlborough Awatere Valley – Nice, elegant, good round fruit. 3
Martinborough
2018 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough – Elegant nose with a hint of smoke. Elegant on the palate, but a bit too lean. 3
2019 Dry River Wines Dry River Riesling Martinborough – A riot. Petrol on the nose, nice, elegant, good acidity, good fruit. Delicious Riesling. 4
Nelson
2020 Neudorf Vineyards Neudorf Home Block Moutere Chardonnay Nelson – Outstanding. Perfectly balanced. Lemon, apples, a remote hint of butter. Excellent. 4+
2021 Seifried Estate Grüner Veltliner Nelson – Elegant, classic Gruner. Herbal nose, round grassy feel on the palate with some Meyer lemons in the mix. Great effort. 4
Northland
2020 The Landing Chardonnay Northland – Delicious. Apples, a hint of vanilla, round, very elegant. 4+
Waipapa
2021 Waipara Springs Pinot Gris Canterbury / Waipara – Nice. A bit too sweet. 3
2021 Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc Canterbury / Waipara – Ok. 3
2020 Black Estate Home Pinot Noir Canterbury / Waipara – Interesting. Unusual. Tannic. 3
2018 Mountford Koyamo Pinot Noir Canterbury / Waipara – Excellent. Clean, classic, perfectly balanced, elegant. 4
2018 Mt. Beautiful Winery Pinot Noir Canterbury / Waipara – Not bad. Too lean and tannic. 2
2018 Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon Canterbury / Waipara – Interesting nose, gunflint. Crisp palate. 3+
2018 Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Chardonnay Canterbury / Waipara – Not bad. Middle of the road Chardonnay. 3
2018 The Boneline Iridium Canterbury / Waipara (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot) – Iodine and rocks on the nose. The palate is a bit underwhelming. 3
Wairarapa
2019 Borthwick Vineyards Paddy Borthwick Right Hand Pinot Noir Wairarapa – Interesting nose – plums with a distant hint of barnyard. Round, powerful, expressive, peppery. More of Oregon style. 4+
There you are, my friends – New Zealand wines beyond Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. New Zealand wines are not easy to find in the USA but are well worth seeking. Cheers!
Celebrate Spring and Creativity with Aridus Wines
Spring is here in Connecticut. There is still some frost on the cars’ windshields in the morning, but the greens are popping out everywhere, daffodils abound, and cherry trees look pretty in pink. It still feels surreal with the horrible events unfolding in Ukraine, but yes, the Spring has arrived.
Okay, so we acknowledged the Spring, now let’s talk about wines and creativity.
Spring is not only about flowers. Spring is also about new wine releases, such as the one from Aridus Wine Company in Arizona.
Aridus is a family winery in southeastern Arizona, the area where the majority of Arizona’s grape growing is concentrated. Aridus, which means in Latin “dry or arid”, is a young family winery, built on the passion and the desire to make world-class wine. The winery started by purchasing 40 acres of farmland in the Turkey Creek area in 2009. In 2012, a state-of-the-art winery was built, first making wines from the grapes brought in from the vineyards in Arizona, New Mexico, and California. The white grapes were first planted on the estate’s land in 2015, followed by the red grapes in 2017, all using sustainable farming methods.
The white grapes are already used in the estate wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Being curious about the estate red grape program, I asked Lisa Strid, the Aridus winemaker, when does Aridus plan to produce estate red wines, and here is the answer I received: “We are in the process of transitioning over to estate reds – our first vintage of reds from the vineyard was in 2019 when the Cabernet Sauvignon was on its third leaf. However, I’m not certain as yet whether we’ll be bottling that as 100% estate. We weren’t sure what yields would look like, so in order to ensure we’d have enough Cab for the vintage, we also purchased a few tons from our favorite grower in New Mexico. So it may wind up being a blend for the Aridus tier, and we’ll almost certainly do an estate bottling for the Barrel Select Tier. We just bottled the 2018 Cab Sauv two weeks ago, so it will be at least another year before we actually bottle and release the 2019.
I tasted Aridus wines last year, and I was impressed with the quality. This year, I had an opportunity to taste Aridus wines again, and now I’m impressed not only with the quality but with the creativity. How so? I thought you would never ask – but thank you for this question. To answer I will do something which I generally work very hard to avoid – directly citing the tasting notes. But in this case, the description of the 2019 Aridus Viognier from the tasting notes is simply perfect and worth quoting:
“This year, we conducted extensive testing both in the vineyard and the winery in order to better understand the optimal conditions for growing and fermenting this fruit from our unique corner of the winegrowing world. In the vineyard, we tested a range of UV–blocking netting. We had noticed that since this variety tends to hang below the canopy, it is particularly susceptible to sunburn. We netted two rows each with: 1) a thick bee and wasp netting; 2) Chromatinet Red 30% UV blocking; and 3) Chromatinet Gray 30–35% UV
blocking. These lots were picked separately once they hit brix targets and fermented in identical stainless steel barrels. In the winery, we experimented both with yeast and with fermentation vessels. It is our standard practice to ferment whites in stainless steel, but this year we decided to ferment a control in stainless steel, an experimental lot in a sandstone jar, and another in an acacia wood barrel. In 2018 we performed extensive yeast trials and had alit upon Ferm Aroma White as our favorite of all the yeasts tested. This year, one of our technical reps asked if we wouldn’t mind testing Christian Hansen Jazz direct inoculation yeast on a white variety, and we decided Viognier was the best option. When the bulk of the
Viognier arrived at the winery, we pressed it all to one large tank before racking it off to each of the vessels for fermentation to ensure homogenous juice to best assess the differences between the lots. All in all, we wound up with eight separate trial lots. We definitely found ourselves gravitating towards certain treatments over others (we unanimously loved the sandstone jar), but when it came time to blend, we found that we loved the way that all the lots tasted blended in proportion to the volumes of each of the trials.”
Protecting grapes from sunburn using different methods? Deciding on the best fermentation vessel and playing with the yeast? Aridus might be a young winery, but I would say that older wineries should definitely take notice, especially considering the climate change which is not going to go anywhere.
Moving on from creativity to the glass, here are my notes for the 4 wines I tasted:
2021 Aridus Sauvignon Blanc Cochise County Arizona (13.3% ABV, $35, 90% stainless steel, 10% 4 months in oak, 100% estate fruit)
Straw pale, almost translucent
Tropical fruit, golden delicious apples, round, intense
Tropical fruit, initial sweetness impression quickly replaced by crisp, vibrant acidity, with acidity on the finish. I would say it is Torrontés in the blind tasting, but still, a nice wine.
Drinkability: 8-, easy to drink. A crowd-pleaser – I opened this bottle during dinner with friends – both of my friends loved this wine, and even my kids, who generally don’t drink wine, said that it was excellent.
2019 Aridus Viognier Cochise County Arizona (14.4% ABV, $35, 19 months in oak, 100% estate fruit)
Straw pale
Nicely floral and perfumy on the nose, round, inviting, medium ++ intensity
Round, restrained, elegant, plump, roll-off-your tongue, good acidity
Drinkability: 8-/8, nice and elegant. Was improving over a few days as the bottle was open.
2018 Aridus Syrah Cochise County Arizona (14.5% ABV, $46, 90% Syrah, 10% Viognier, 32 months in oak, 50% new, 50% neutral)
Dark garnet
The nose of plums, cherries, and meat stew
Medium body, tart, firm structure, some underripe dark fruit. Under-extracted for my palate – I want a bigger body on this wine.
Drinkability: 7+, needs time – these were 1st-day impressions
In 4-5 days, 8/8-, round, good amount of fruit, good balance
2019 Aridus Graciano Cochise County Arizona (16.6% ABV, $46, 99% Graciano, 1% Petit Verdot, 16 months in oak)
Dark garnet
Beautiful intense nose, plums, earth, smoke, sage, complex
Cherries, plums, well-integrated tannins, firm structure, generous, layered, perfectly balanced
Drinkability: 8/8+, outstanding. This was my personal favorite from the tasting, offering a good Rioja impersonation. Very well done.
Here you are, my friends. Spring, wine, and creativity. I will gladly drink to all.
Slow, Sustainable, Delicious
“Slow forward”.
Is slow forward good or bad? In a world where instant gratification is a king, moving forward should be fast, right? We all want progress to accelerate, move faster, aren’t we? So slow is not good, right? Well, actually wrong.
Maybe “slow forward” is something we all need to adapt. Move forward, but take our time to enjoy the process of moving forward, instead of constantly being under stress for “not enough hours in a day” – moving fast, but not necessarily forward.
For sure, Herdade de Esporão embraces this “slow forward” process, as this is their motto. Not only motto – it is a principle of operation and the lifestyle, which they would like more people to embrace. Sit down, slow down, have a glass of wine and read their Slow Forward Manifesto, and see if you agree with what it says. Also, note that the slow movement is much bigger than just the one at Herdade de Esporão – you can learn more about it here.
Herdade de Esporão was founded in 1973, when José Roquette and his partner bought the historical Herdade do Esporão estate, located in Reguengos de Monsaraz DOC in Alentejo and tracing its roots back to 1267. The first red wine was produced at the estate in 1985. Fast forward to today, there are more than 40 different grape varieties growing at the estate, along with 4 different types of olive trees, all farmed organically. Conversion of more than 1,300 acres of vineyards and olive groves to all-organic farming started in 2008 and took 11 years to complete. Now Herdade de Esporão is helping growers they are working with to convert to all-organic viticulture as well.
In addition to the 40 grape varieties cultivated in the vineyards, Herdade de Esporão is home to Ampelographic nursery where 189 grape varieties and clones are planted to study the effects of climate change and find ways to adapt to it.
There is a large variety of soils at the estate – enough to hire a geologist to create a soli map. The grapes from the different plots are fermented separately in small batches after the majority of the grapes are crushed by the foot at the winery (yep, slow forward, remember?).
Herdade de Esporão is a big business (one of the largest wine businesses in Portugal) owning a number of wineries in Portugal and selling both in Portugal and around the world, exporting to more than 50 countries. At the same time, Herdade de Esporão is a family company, inspired by the land and respect for the environment. For Herdade de Esporão it is all about environmental, cultural, social, and personal sustainability, adhering to its own principles of Slow Forward lifestyle.
That slow forward lifestyle and respect to the land and the environment translate very well into the wines. I had an opportunity to taste 4 different wines from Herdade de Esporão (samples), and all the wines were absolutely delightful:
2020 Herdade de Esporão Branco Colheita Alentejo (13.5% ABV, $18, 30% Antão Vaz, 30% Viosinho, 30% Alvarinho, 10% other varieties, 4 months on the lees)
Light golden
Beautiful, inviting, open, a hint of tropical fruit, honeysuckle
Round, creamy, explicit minerality, crisp, fresh, a touch of fruit, but overall very dry, good acidity, excellent balance, medium-long finish
8-, excellent, can be confused with lightly oaked Chardonnay.
2020 Herdade de Esporão Branco Reserva Alentejo (13.5% ABV, $20, 30% Antão Vaz, 30%, Arinto, 30%, Roupeiro, 10% other varieties, six months in stainless steel tanks and in new American and French oak barrels)
Straw pale
Fresh meadows and honeysuckle, beautiful
Clean acidity, light representation than the Colheita, lip-smacking acidity, clean, crisp and fresh, excellent balance
8, pure delight. Can be easily confused with Chardonnay.
2018 Herdade de Esporão Tinto Colheita Alentejo (14.5% ABV, $18, 30% Touriga Nacional, 25% Aragonez, 20% Touriga Franca, 15% Alicante Bouschet, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6 months in concrete tanks)
Dark garnet
Earthy, a touch of chalk, dark fruit, warm spices
Open, clean, raspberries, warm spices, good minerality, good structure, a cut-through acidity, medium body, medium-long finish
8-/8, outstanding
2018 Herdade de Esporão Tinto Reserva Alentejo (14.5% ABV, $25, 25% Aragonez, 20% Alicante Bouschet, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Trincadeira, 10% Touriga Nacional, 10% Touriga Franca, 5% Syrah, 6 months in concrete tanks)
Dark garnet
Blackberries, earth, a hint of raspberries, dark, concentrated
Cherries, pomegranate, clear minerality, layered, firm structure, fresh and food-friendly
8/8+, outstanding, ready to drink now, great with food (Odjakhuri)
Here you are, my friends – organic, sustainable farming, 4 delicious wines. You don’t need to break the bank to be able to drink them at any time you want, and even more importantly, you can pop, pour and enjoy – almost a rare beauty nowadays.
Slow down and enjoy. Cheers!
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