Cabernet Sauvignon - April 2014

Chile's Signature Grape!

Spring breezes are blowing.  The daffodils & crocus are blooming.  The trees are exploding with buds and fresh green leaves.  Allergies are at an all time high.  Sure feels like spring.

What better way to fight allergies than with a little Chilean fortification?

This month, we are tasting Cabernet Sauvignon exclusively from Chile.

Background

Cabernet Sauvignon is NOT a pure grape.

Technically, it violates French laws which prohibit hybrids.

WHAT??!!!!

Back in the 1700s, 2 grapes met, fell in love, and produced little grapes.

Okay, maybe not like that, but it did happen in the 1700s.  AND it happened in France.

Cabernet Franc (a red varietal) and Sauvignon Blanc (a white varietal) were crossed and the result is what is known as Cabernet Sauvignon (name makes sense now, doesn't it?).

Cab Sauv (Cab Sav), as it is commonly called, is typically a blending wine for France.

This completely helps me in understanding why I have never enjoyed Cab Sauv.  I always thought it was "too big" for me.  After learning that it is a hybrid with one grape I love and the ONLY grape I have tasted that I can't stand in any form, I guess too much of the Sauv Blanc is coming through in the hybrid for me.  Maybe Chile will change that...
(It did not, just sayin')

So how did we end up in Chile?

Chile and Wine

Wine in Chile goes back to the 1500s.  The Spanish brought white varietals to Mexico with them.  These vines made their way down south and ended up in Chile.  Chile's wine was BORING!  BLEH.  It remained that way until the mid 19th century.  Why?  Because of money, why else.  Rich land owners and cattle ranchers in Chile wanted to showcase their money.  They decided to imitate the Bordeaux style chateaus.  Part of having a chateau is having a vineyard.  These rich Chileans planted the grapes of Bordeaux, namely Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The timing was most fortuitous.  Rot was destroying the vineyards in France.  Chile offered an option to get some vines out.  French vineyard owners took the chance to save their vines.

Oh, what a smart move that was!

Why Chile for Wine?

Chile, it turns out, is Eden for grapes!  It has warm, bright, sunny days similar to the Mediterranean.  The Andes Mountains and the snow melt creates plenty of flowing rivers which perfectly aids in irrigation.  Because of the proximity to the Pacific, the breezes keep most pests away and typical diseases of vines, for some reason, just can't gain any footing in Chile.  That means that there is almost zero need for chemicals & sprays to manage the vines.

But Chile wasn't even on the global wine radar, what happened?

What, indeed!

Chilean wine was BORING until the late 1980s.

There was political instability, government red tape, and super high taxes that created an environment that just didn't support good wine production or sales.

All that changed in the late 80s.

Change the tax structure and politics in a good way and watch the money roll in.

 Oh, and did it roll in!

Spain, France, United States

Some of the top producers in these countries poured massive money into the vineyards.  Add the money that the Chilean wineries themselves put in to modernizing & buying new, state of the art equipment and new French & American oak barrels, and you get the makings of an amazing change in the wine of Chile.

In less that 10 years, Chile went from a 3rd World wine producer to the so called "Bordeaux of South America."

So, who, exactly fronted this great change?

Torres from Spain

Rothschilds (as in Lafite-Rothschils Bordeaux) - France

Franciscan Estates - USA (actually helped establish the Casablanca region in Chile which is the top white wine producing region)

Maipo is the primary Cab Sauv region.  It is located right along Santiago.  This is one of the oldest wine regions in the country.  Because it is so close to the capital, many wineries have their headquarters here.  It also happens to be directly across the Andes from Argentina's Mendoza region.

Wine Laws

What laws?

Joking aside, Chile took a page from the US rather than France when it comes to wine laws (thankfully).

These laws have only been in effect since 1995.

If a bottle is labeled with a viticultural region, at least 75% of the grapes in the bottle must come from that region.

If a bottle is labeled with a varietal, at least 75% of the grapes in the bottle must be from that varietal.

If a bottle is labeled with a vintage, at least 75% of the grapes in the bottle must be from that vintage.

Wineries of Note

Some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon come from the following wineries:

Cousiño-Macul

Concho y Toro

Santa Rita

Canepa

Undurraga

Santa Carolina

Viña Errazuriz

What Did We Drink?

We drank the wines in price order rather than year.  Every bottle was different, different nose, different body, different taste.  It was very educational.  Some bottles were okay, some were really good, and some were "meh, probably not."  All wines were Cabernet Sauvignon.

We had yummy brisket, ziti, cheddar, aged parm, chocolate chip cookies and Lindt Lindor truffles!

First up,  Santa Rita Reserva.  Thanks to the laws in Chile, the Reserva has no standardized meaning.  This particular bottle was a 2009 and cost $10.99 at Wegmans.  This was a split.  Some liked it and some did not.  I got a nose full of acetone from it, but that could have been paint fumes coming from the freshly painted porch!  For $10.99, it won't hurt you to try it for yourself!

Next up, Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas 2011 (see what I mean about the labeling freedom?).  This one flipped from the first one.  Those that liked the first one, didn't care for this one.  Those that disliked the first one, enjoyed this one.  The body was all over the place on these wines with some being big and some being medium.  Personally, this one was the second least objectionable for me.  So, if your tastes run like mine, that might mean something to you.  This bottle cost $11.59 at Wegmans.



Third bottle of the night and the first one emptied was Montes Alpha 2010.  This has a 91 rating from Robert Parker.  This was the "best" wine of the night, in my opinion and, apparently, in the opinion of most of us.  This bottle was $15.59 and I suspect that it will be stocked in friends' homes soon with the great reception and good price point!  Picked this one up at Wegmans also.



Final bottle of the night was Haras Elegance 2003.  Cost was $32.99 at Wegmans and the comment was, "I would pick up 2 of the other one instead."  HOWEVER, once aerated, the opinion of this particular bottle went way up!  This was the second bottle emptied.  There was sediment in this bottle!  I really should have anticipated it since it was so old, but I didn't.  Fortunately, the aerator has a screen so the bottle was consumed without chewing required.  A big THANK YOU to Steph for informing us about the aerator a few years ago.  Super handy to have around!





In May, we will be tasting Oregon Wines!
Until then,

Cheers,

Kitti

Malbec - March 2014

Argentina - Malbec

I learned a lot this month.  Way more than I expected and that isn't necessarily all bad.

Malbec came from France to Argentina in the mid 19th century.  Today, there are only about 13,000 acres of Malbec in France and there are over 75,000 acres of it in Argentina!

The Basics

Malbec is one of the six legally allowed grapes in Bordeaux.

It is called "black wine" in France because the skin is so dark.

It is super sensitive to climate and growing conditions!

It is grown in 3 different, distinct growing regions in Argentina.

April 17 is World Malbec Day

The Growing Regions of Argentina

Lower region - below 1000 feet - these grapes have a thinner skin and the fruit is more soft and supple.  These grapes are ideal for roses and mass produced reds.  We did not taste any of these!

Further up on the lower slopes of the Andes - 1000 to 1200 feet - thicker skin & deeper flavor concentrations.  More aromatic wine with an intense and vibrant color.  The most respected of all South American wines come from this region and Mendoza is smack in the middle of this.

Highest - up to 10,000 feet - the Salta Province is among the highest growing regions in the entire world.  ONLY Malbec is grown up here.  These are not common, yet.

Tasting Notes

Malbec should always be aerated.  It is best served at about 59 degrees.  One way to get it there is to open the bottle and put it in the fridge (not re-corked) for 15 minutes prior to serving.

This wine is as food friendly as Merlot.

We tried our wines with bleu, manchego, & cheddar cheeses and chili and carne adovada.

First up, Finca Roja from Patagonia.  This is a mid-level growing region but not the same conditions as the well-known Mendoza area.  This was a pretty good bottle especially at $9.99 at Corridor Wine (Total Wine) in Laurel, MD.  There was nothing left of it by the end of the evening, so the group liked it too!

Next, we tried Catena.  This is one of the best bodegas in Argentina and people rave about their Malbec year after year.  This particular one is rated 91 points.  It cost $14.97 at Corridor Wine.  It is from the Mendoza region.  It was vastly different from the first wine and was yummy, but not the favorite of the night by any stretch!  Everyone thought this was amazing with the bleu cheese (except me because I don't eat bleu cheese :-).  This is the only bottle that had anything left in it that night and I sent it home with one of the members.

Our third bottle was Chakana, also from Mendoza.  This bottle has a 92 point rating and seems to be a constant winner on Robert Parker's list.  This bottle set us back $24.99 at Corridor Wine and was quite delicious!  Oh yes, it was the first bottle to be emptied, in fact.  It has a lovely, artsy jaguar on the label.  It went well with everything.

Our final bottle of the evening was a blend.  Flichman Tupungato was $13.99 at Corridor Wine and I will buy it again!  This was the second bottle emptied.  It was lovely and rounded and jammy and just really delicious.  This is definitely a recommended buy!  I just need to see if Wegmans carries it.

Next month, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon!  Until then,

Cheers,

Kitti

Pinotage - February 2014

South Africa Pinotage

Pinotage is truly native to South Africa.  It was developed in 1925 by a professor of viniculture at the University of Stellenbosch.  It is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault (aka Hermitage).

Why these two grapes?  Pinot Noir is renowned for its aroma & flavor, but is difficult to grow.  Cinsault is easy to grow abundantly and is very disease resistant.  The hope was that the hybrid would take on the best of both grapes.  The reality is that Cinsault won.  Pinotage grapes grow like crazy!  While this is good if you are just trying to get grapes to market, it is bad for wine because the more grapes on a vine, the more diluted the flavor becomes.  Vintners in South Africa work very hard to keep yields down on Pinotage.

Pinotage rarely shows its Pinot Noir roots.  Instead, it leans toward a darker fruit, tobacco, chocolate note and flavor wine with high tannins and low acid.

Pinotage wasn't really planted until the 1960s.  Unfortunately, it was successful or popular and, with sanctions in place on the country, plantings decreased.  After apartheid, everything South African became vogue and the wine started shipping out.  Initially, the wine was poorly received in the US due to the contrast in American wine tastes and the high tannin of the Pinotage.

Add money and research and time and you get to present day.  Pinotage is still unpredictable but it is widely planted and vintners are playing with blends and new technology for wine making.

One of the top wineries in South Africa, Kanonkop, does their own thing with the wine.  They use old fashioned methods to produce their wines, including using open top fermenters.  These wines are MASSIVE and can age forever!  These are weighty, dark fruit wines with heavy tannins.

Blending is a common practice to fill in the "holes" in the Pinotage.  Cape Blend is the latest trend and the hope is that it will become synonymous with good, South Africa wine across the wineries.

We are tasting the following wines tonight:

Fairview Pinotage 2011 - $11.99 - this is the product of Charles Back who brought us "Goats Do Roam" - expect a full bodied, smooth & earthy wine. - Update - WOW!  Pinotage is amazing!  Who knew?  We liked this one and we did end up opening a bottle of "Goats in Villages" that Charles Back made and we enjoyed that as well.  This was a nice bottle.  Yummy and very drinkable at a great price point!

Groot Constantia Pinotage 2012 - $21.99 - This winery was founded in 1685.  Expect this wine to be fruity, full bodied, and well balanced.  Update - nice wine.  This was not my personal favorite of the evening, but the bottle was dry by the time the night was over.  Enjoyed by all.

Kanonkop Pinotage 2011 - $35.99 - Kanonkop wines are good upon release but cellar very well and become even more impressive with age.  Expect a big, very full wine with gobs of dark fruit and serious tannins. - Update - the hands down favorite of the night!  Oh my, this was yummy.  I can only imagine what a few years in bottle would do to this.  Since this tasting, I have tried Kanonkop Kadette which is a Pinotage blend.  OMG - it is AMAZING!  Jammy and drinkable and screams "I will get you in trouble!" which means it is a must buy.  If you are ever at Nando Peri Peri - check their wine menu for it (they give 8 oz which is like super huge!).  I will be looking for both of these at Wegmans near me very soon!

All wines had to be shipped in from Cali.  Seriously, Cali!  Pinotage selection in Virginia sucks.

We will be tasting these wines with charcuterie, hard cheeses, chili con carne (how is it chili without the carne????), lasagna, & a heavy meat stromboli.

Pictures and notes to be updated soon.

Cheers, 

Kitti

Fortified - January 2014

Madeira, Armagnac, & Cognac

Oh my, what a month this was!  Talk about learning. 

Let's start with Madeira.  This comes from Portugal.  This was the Founding Fathers' drink of choice.  There was no wine more prestigious at the founding of our nation than Madeira.  My how far we have come!

Madeira only comes from the island of Madeira.  The name means "island of the woods" and the island is geographically part of Africa but it is an archipelago of Portugal.  They take their wine VERY seriously here!

Madeira is 17-20% alcohol by volume.  This is a fortified wine.  Clear brandy is added to the fermented grapes.  It must be aged in HEAT!  It is the heat that causes the toffee-caramel character of the wine.  When I say heat, I mean 105 degrees F for 3-6 months for most Madeira.  This aging is done in a cask or a vat.  The very best Madeira and the smallest amount yearly (3%) is still aged naturally in the attics of the warehouses for 20 years or more.  After that, it is carefully cooled and allowed to rest for a year to recover from the shock and then it is aged again, usually in American Oak.  This is the BIG money Madeira.  If you have a bottle, call me, I will help you drink it.

There are 4 styles of Madeira.  Their names are the names of the grapes used, this is also called the "Noble."

Sercial - driest of all.  Grown in the coolest vineyards at the highest altitudes on the island.
Verdelho - medium dry.  A more full bodied wine than Sercial.  Grown a little further down on the mountain side.
Bual - medium rich.  Warm growing area which concentrates the sweet richness (NOT SWEET WINE).  This is the favorite of England because it is lighter than Malmsey & Port.
Malmsey - richest, sweetest style.  Grown in the warmest locations on the island and usually the south side.  This makes the grapes super ripe and gives them an astonishing richness.

Levels of Madeira:

Bulk - BLEH - don't buy and don't try it!
3 year - 3 years of aging AFTER heat.  The Rainwater style is here.  This style was created accidentally in the Mid 18th century when rainwater seeped into the casks on the beach while they were waiting overnight to be loaded onto the boats.
5 year - Reserve - blend of years, the YOUNGEST year is on the label.  If labeled "Noble," 85% of the wine must be from that grape.
10 year - Special Reserve - see above
15 years - Extra Special Reserve - see above, above
Solera - no longer made, but bottles still exist - you will pay $$$$$ for it, but it is supposedly extremely worth every cent.  If you are interested, here is one nearby.
Vintage - the ultimate in Madeira - single year vintage - aged 20 years AFTER heat!!!  (call me, I will help you with it).

We tasted a Cossart Gordon 10 year Bual Madeira.  It cost $39.99.  It was LOVELY!  No spitting or dumping of this one.  Yum, yum, yum!  We tried it with an amazing flourless chocolate cake.

ARMAGNAC

Armagnac comes from the Southwest of France.  It is right next to Cognac.  Think of it as the red-headed step child of the Cognac family.  It shouldn't be though as it has the longest history of all French brandy.  It was first made in the 15th century and used for medicinal purposes.  Let's define that.

"It was used to create a sense of well being, relieve toothaches, diminish mental anguish, and promote courage."

Because Armagnac had no navigable river, the brandy did not spread.  In the mid 19th century, a canal was finally built to connect Armagnac and Bordeaux and the brandy began to gain in popularity.

86,500 acres of grapes devoted to Armagnac.  These are divided into 3 districts.  
Bas Armagnac produces most of the wine for distillation (60%), but most of the best Armagnac comes from here. 
Tenareze - produces floral and lively wine for distillation (40%)
Haut Armagnac - mostly just wine now

The best Armagnac is more rustic, robust, fragrant, & full bodied than the top cognacs.
Cognac is mostly Ugni blanc grapes (I call it "ugly" blanc).  Armagnac only uses 55%, at the most, of this grape.  The rest is from folle blanc, colombard, and baco blanc.

Folle Blanc - gives elegant fruit & floral notes
Colombard - gives herbal notes
Baco Blanc, aka Baco 22A, - gives fullness & character

The french are VERY picky about their grapes and their wines and french law forbids hybrids!  Because of this, Baco Blanc was to be banished from the country!  Fortunately, after heavy petitioning of the government, this hybrid (old hybrid) is now legal in France.

Armagnac is made through a single distillation whereas cognac is made through a double distillation process.  Bottles are labeled by the youngest year in the bottle.
VS - very superior
VSOP - very superior old pale
XO - extra old

NOTA BENE:  Do NOT jam your nose in the tulip glass to smell this stuff!  You will get a nose full of alcohol burn.  Dip your finger into your glass and rub the liquid on the back of your hand.  Allow the alcohol to evaporate for about a minute and then smell your hand.  This stuff smells amazing on your hand!  I definitely picked up notes of pipe tobacco or a freshly opened, good cigar.

We tried Chateau de Laubade (one of the oldest houses for Armagnac) VSOP (5 year old).  It cost $39.99 at Total Wine in Laurel, MD.

We compared the armagnac to cognac.  The Courvoisier VSOP was better than the armagnac, but neither was really popular.  The Madeira was the drink of choice for the night!

Cheers,
Kitti

Nebbiolo - November 2013

Nebbiolo - Northern Italy's favorite grape!

Oh, how I adore the Piedmont region of Italy.  Wonder if it has anything to do with my adoring the Piedmont region of Virginia?  Both areas make some pretty yummy wine!

Every time I see the word "Nebbiolo,"  I hear it to the tune of "Mona Lisa" in my head.  Weird, I know, but now you will have the same problem. :-)  I like sharing stuff like that almost as much as I like sharing wine!  You don't have to thank me (I will clear it out of your head in a minute).

Nebbiolo is THE grape in the Piedmont region.  It is responsible for the most famous wines of the area and those would be the DOCGs Barbaresco (the queen) and Barolo (the king).  Barolo is so much a king that it is historically called "the wine of kings and the king of wine."  These wines are BIG and powerful.  This tasting made some of the wine club very, very happy.  These wines can age and do so very nicely.

Barbaresco is named for the region.  It is a smoother and less tannic version of the grape than the Borolo.  Tar and roses are a very common comment about the aromas of this wine when it is young.  It can be tough and short on fruit when young and really does well with a few years in the bottle.  That aging will bring out the chocolate, cherry, and tobacco that the grape and the wine are known for.  We had a 2008.  It cost $17.99 at Total Wine

Now, for the king.  Barolo is named for one of the towns where the wine is made.  This is a BIG red, rich and powerful and dry.  This can be laid down in your wine cellar (aka coat closet) and left for many, many years.  This is important because over 90% of the wine on the market today is meant to be consumed when bottled!  Most wine does NOT age well in the bottle any more.  The high acidity and tannins in the Barolo allow it to age well in the bottle.  The more age on it, the smoother it will become and the more you will notice the tobacco, truffle & chocolate scents.

This bottle is a 2009.  WS rated it 92 points.  It cost $34.99 at Total Wine.

This is a 2007.  Rated 91 points by WS.  Again, $34.99.

We could not leave the Langhe foothills of Piedmont without tasting the more price conscious relative of Barolo & Barbaresco: Nebbiolo d'Alba (Nebbiolo grape from d'Alba).  This is from the same growing region, but not from the premier acreage.  This is not an "age in bottle" wine because it is not as big and bold as its royal parents.  This is a 2011 and it cost $15.99 at Total Wine.

We paired all of this yumminess with fontina cheese, Osso Buco, & dark chocolate.

If you like your wine big and want a change from the Cab Sauv, Shiraz that you feel you are always drinking, take a stroll over to Italy and check out some of these wines.

As for that song I got stuck in your head, THIS should fix that nicely.  Again, no need to thank me!!

Cheers, 

Kitti

Blast From the Past - December 2013

December is always interesting at wine club.

Instead of the traditional gift exchange, this year we brought a wine or wine product from our past (read "pre-kids").  Everything was in a plain, brown bag.  No one was supposed to talk about what they were doing before the exchange.

Gifts were chosen in order of birthday.

Once a gift was open, the person who brought it had to explain the "past" association.

We learned a lot about each other this night.

We tasted EVERYTHING!

We also learned why this stuff is in our past.

More importantly, we learned that Paul Mason still sells wine in the carafe and you can pick it up at Safeway (top shelf, cheap wine aisle) for about $4!  That is worth it just for the carafe!  Pour the crappy chablis down the drain and enjoy your new carafe (they aren't that cheap anywhere else!)

What did we drink?

While I have no photographic evidence, the following was gifted:

Bartles & James Original Wine Cooler

Bartles & James Wild Berry Wine Cooler

Sutter Home White Zinfandel

Paul Mason Chablis

Andre Pink Sparkling Wine

Manischewitz

Christian Brothers Brandy & Diet Coke

It all sucks in 2013.

It probably sucked in 1990 or 1985.  We just didn't know it.

Growing up has its privileges!

One of them is being comfortable paying a little more decent stuff to pour in your glass.

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah!

Next year has already been planned and it will be a totally blind tasting followed by a blind gift exchange of the wines that were tasted :-)  Reds, Whites, Sparklings are all fair game and we are going to let someone else pick them and bag them!  It will be so much fun to see if we can figure out what they are!