We’ve had a lovely bender of 80 degree temps here in Beantown. Love it. My soul is being nourished with Vitamin D, my grill is getting some much needed TLC, and I have an “excuse” to drink red wines even when it is warm out.

This week I brought home a bottle of one of my all time favorite wines: 2006 Mas du Bouquet Vacqueras by Vignerons de Caractere.  Yes, I love a good Cote du Rhone. But the Vacqueras is my true happy place in that region. Almost 20 years ago Vacqueras got a little extra “credit” for the wines it produces, largely red wines made of the famous “GSM” trifecta: Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre; Vacqueras became one of (now) five AOCs in the Cote du Rhone. (By way of reference, there are over 100 villages within the CDR that do not have a special designation, or AOC status.)

Law mandates Vacqueras reds have at least 50% Grenache and at least 20% of either Syrah or Mouvedre. From there winemakers can blend in any one of the other 10 varietals permitted in the CDR, though you’ll often discover Cinsault if a fourth grape is included in a particular red. Vacqueras is special because of its glacial soils as well as the hot, dry climate that is perfect for producing dense, structured, concentrated wines. And yet I find Vacqueras offerings tend to be a bit more approachable than its Gigondas or Chateneuf du Pape counterparts. (Ok, fine, you’re working your way up the Wow Factor charts in “magical” qualities with those other two AOCs, but you also pay a few extra dollars accordingly.)

Vacqueras wines can certainly indulge your wild side or transport you to the great outdoors – they can offer tremendous earthy, herbaceous, rustic qualities, with trademark spice hitting a nice note on the finish. But more often I find those elements are more subtle, evolving behind the bigger fruit fiddles playing the main tune. These reds are big and bold – but soft and lush, too. The paradox enthralls my taste buds – AND more to the point, indulges my need to grill, grill, grill!

The Mas du Bouquet is a favorite of mine because of its tremendous consistency despite being the product of a co-op of winemakers. I think its consistency is actually an expression of place: the Manganelli Family has owned their vineyards for 100 years and many of the vines are quite old. That kind of history coupled with a dedication to sustainable, environmentally-friendly practices must set a certain tone and yield (no pun intended) particularly good fruit. That gives any winemaker a decent head start.

My tasting notes, you now demand? Fine, fine… When it is first opened, spices will literally tickle your nose distracting you from garnering more. But within as little as 20 minutes, its violet and lavender florals emerge, followed by aromas of black raspberries and plums. These fruits are juicy on the palate, with a touch of blackberry coming to fruition as well. A hint of leather, a hint of spice – and all is naughty and nice! The mouthfeel is what sends me to the moon, though – lush and supple with only gentle tannins becoming even softer as the wine continues to open. Lip-smacking goodness. Perfect with game, burgers, lamb – or even an earthy risotto dish, I imagine!

Which Vacqueras do you most enjoy? Or will you beginning your travels with the Mas du Bouquet?

It’s only natural what with Earth Day last week eco-friendly wines are on the brain. Eco-friendly, what? You heard me! Ecofriendly WINES. It’s a new-ish buzz word encompassing the many (confusing) categories of wine including biodynamic, organic and sustainable wines, among others. We’ll be tackling these various terms and attempting to break them down into bite size pieces on Wicked Local. Today we’re starting with “sustainable” wines.

Check out what Tim Thornhill and his crew are doing at Mendocino Wine Co. to reduce their carbon footprint, churn out fabulous wines and grow their business all the while. Cool stuff.

What’s your knowledge of “sustainable” wines? Is it something that’s important to you?

Let’s start today’s post by clarifying that, despite significant fire damage to their new tasting facility at Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars, no one was hurt and no wine was compromised. I’m eager to hear more reports on how the fire was started, but in the meantime, the infamous Finger Lakes producer is still moving and grooving, with relatively little interruption to day-to-day activities; life goes on.

Moving right along, I was happy to stumble on a pretty great article about the regional typicity of California Pinot Noir – and a move by some to take into consideration how well a wine shows it’s true “roots” when it comes to wine scoring. The folks at Appellation America are introducing a Best of Appellation program. Click on the link to read more about the nuances you might hope to find in domestic Pinot, and how Appellation America is encouraging more focus on “terroir” (if I may be so bold as to use that term…) here in the US.

Then, consider this Wine Spectator article about Oregon’s new statewide certification for sustainable wines a teaser for my article in Wicked Local, due out Monday!

And last, but certainly not least, if you are looking for a great way to celebrate the warmer temps we’ll be enjoying this Sunday, sign up for the House of Blues Gospel Brunch. Divas Uncorked are at it again!

Any other special wine events you plan to attend in the coming week? Share the love so we can all raise a glass!

If you think of Spain’s geography as the shape of a bull’s head, you realize it doesn’t have much of a western coast. Portugal actually comprises much of that area – with only the tippy-top of Spain’s left “bull horn” having ocean boundaries. It is in this northwestern area, Galicia – and perhaps more notably, the D.O. Rias Biaxas (said Ree-as Byay-shas) – where arguably the most versatile white wine is created: Albarino.

With its northern location and proximity to the sea, it won’t surprise you to learn Albarino has its work cut out for itself to avoid rot and ripen fully. (Or, well, maybe the high, spread out trellising by the vineyard managers has something to do with it, since the wind can more easily pass through the vines and help dry things out….) Whether natural selection is at play or not, Albarino fortunately has developed very thick skins – which impart the strong, beautifully floral aromas you should associate with this particular vino.

Actually, Albarino is often likened to two other grapes we’ve discussed now and again: Riesling and Viognier. It is associated with Riesling for its mineral characteristics and Viognier for the stone fruit and floral aromas that often float from the glass. It also has very low alcohol and high acidity. These factors make Albarino so versatile. (Low alcohol allows it to pair well with spicy dishes too, for example; the heat of the alcohol does not fuel the flames of spicy cuisine while the residual touch of glycerin adds a robustness that complements richer foods’ texture. ) And it’s not just that Albarino’s innate characteristics make it a good match for these “trickier,” spicy foods! The wine is also enhanced by the flavors found in these dishes: it tastes even more distinct than when it flies solo!

Albarino is a go-to wine for me particularly around holiday meals. It is so refreshing, has that extra bit of roundness to it texturally, complements so many dishes and is one even red wine drinkers can appreciate. With Easter a few weeks back, I brough home a bottle thinking I would save it for our feast. It never made it that far…. The Vinum Terrae’s Agnus Dei Albarino offered such a lovely bouquet of peaches and apricots, it was love reignited. It delivered the same apricot-peachy goodness on the palate and was further enhanced by a serious squeeze of lemon citrus “juice” and a bit of wet-slate minerality. With its low alcohol, it quenched my thirst as I prepared the meal.

There are several Albarino’s on the market, probably the most widely distributed being the Martin Codax. Have you enjoyed this varietal before? Which was the offering you tasted?

Got $1? Get an oyster. Got $12? Get twelve oysters. There are a few places in and around town with a $1 oyster special at least one day a week. But only one place has oysters, a fabulous wine and cocktail list, synergy and ridiculously intelligent, innovative staff: Dante Restaurant in Cambridge, MA.

Head on over to Wicked Local today to get the inside scoop on the finer nuances of what makes Dante so special. Then report back here:

Have you had the pleasure of sitting barside with Stephen or Chas at Dante?