Winter warmers: Exploring Espana!

While I may talk a lot about my love of rustic, French wines, Spain is also near and dear to my heart. In particular, I frolic in the Priorat whenever I have the excuse to take home one of their higher ticket sensations. What is it I love about these wines? Let's see... how about: Layered with flavor.

Concentrated with ripe dark and red fruit flavors.

Medium-plus bodied so as not to overwhelm and distract, and instead packing just enough of a mouthfilling punch.

Food friendly with  solid acidity, but dry enough to warrant a bite or two of cured meat, manchego cheese or lamb. And to my taste, perhaps their best attribute:

Rustic, though in a distinct, clean, minerally sort of way (rather than having the damp-trodden forest floor or barn-tastic qualities of many Cote du Rhone wines).

The combination of seriously old vines (less fruit produced), super challenging growing conditions and the fact that the Priorat is the new 'hotness', means these wines fetch worthy, but not necessarily recession-sensitive prices.

Enter the Montsant region. Montsant is the lesser known horseshoe region that encompasses the Priorat. Here the climate is similarly arid, but the soil has its own unique mixture of slate, granite, sand, limestone and clay; each vineyard has a unique terroir. Like its better-known counterpart, Montsant also boasts a tremendous number of 100+ year old vines. (Yes, you can let out a cheer!) In fact, 55% of the vines in Montsant are >20 years old; Priorat can "only" boast 40%. And there you have it - tremendous concentration and distinct, let-your-heart-sing flavors! All that hard work by the vines to produce just a few clusters means happiness in your glass.

When its cold outside and dinner "in" with friends is on the menu Montsant wines are a brilliant option. I proved this little theory of mine last weekend when I  hosted a bit of a dinner party. I was serving a spinach and beet salad with cashews and feta; garlic, lemon and thyme roast chicken; and roast potatoes. I wanted a wine with solid acidity, a bit of rusticity and great concentration. It also had to be light enough on its toes (that is, have enough bright fruit) to be universally appealing to my guests. I was tempted to go for a basic Cote du Rhone, but wanted riper, redder fruit flavors and something with a touch more minerality and less barnyard "funk". The steep-sloped Priorat region came to mind, but I knew I'd open several bottles and didn't want to spend $20 on each. A Montsant was a natural solution.

The Etim Seleccion 2006 is a new Montsant wine brought to us by the folks at Ole Imports. It has entered the market at a great time, too, just when we're looking for fabulous wines at accessible prices. The Etim is 60% Grenache, 30% Carigane, and 10% Syrah. This varietal combo means sweet, juicy, ripe, red fruits are delivered in a mouthfilling package; and the terroir in Montsant means you'll find a touch of clean, wet-slate minerality to boot.

Too much wine speak mid week? Let me put it this way: if you were going on a first date with the Etim, you'd be waiting for the moment when you could escort her out of the restaurant into the mind-clearing chill, gently push her up against the brick and discover for yourself  just how succulent, sweet and edgy she is.

Can you beat that? What wine did you enjoy last weekend?

wines for fall: the fiesty and fabulous!

Today the rain and leaves are swirling and the sun isn't due to show itself.  On burly fall days like these, there's nothing better than an awesome bottle of wine to hunker down with and lift your spirits! The last few weeks I've broken down the nerdier nuances of cool red varietals perfect for fall. While fabulous on their own, sometimes the best of the best are actually blends of a few - or several - different grapes. Given the circumstances outside my office window, it's only appropriate that we start exploring these finds with the 2005 SNAFU red blend.

SNAFU? Yep! That would be translated as Situation Normal All F***d Up. This wine is the brainchild of both Paul Moser (Winemaker) and the Local Wine Company, a group dedicated to bringing us some of the coolest blends from the Pacific Northwest and California. I get the sense that the Chicago-based wine geeks at LWC get an idea for a wine and then send their general, and no doubt entertaining, musings to one of the folks in their winemaking contingency....

I can't help but think for the 2005 SNAFU red wine the LWC Powers That Be gave Mr. Moser notes that said something like, "we want a wine with tremendous chutzpah that sources as many grapes from as many subregions in California as possible - and still maintains a sense of place.... You know, the wine you want to come home to at the end of a long day that reminds you of something familiar, but gives you a little something more, too."  Moser did their 'request' justice, though from the sounds of it, what's tucked inside that bottle wasn't necessarily what was originally planned; they did call it SNAFU, after all!

SNAFU is a blend of 42% Petite Sirah (the monster grape) & 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 8% Merlot and Syrah, 6% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Verdot (the late-bloomer on the playground this fall). What's noteworthy about this wine is how well each of the grapes in this blend harmonize. It's tremendous, in fact! It's greatest component, Petite Sirah, is cold soaked for four days and then pressed to concentrate the fruit. This technique offers the wine fabulous depth (that "oomph" and backbone we spoke about earlier), but manages how much tannin (dryness) remains in the final product. The Cabernet, also cold pressed, offers classic flavors of currant, black fruits, and spice. I argue the Merlot contributes a softer, more elegant edge, and brings home the (similar) fruit flavors you get from the Cab. The Syrah adds a touch of earthiness and herbaceousness; the Zin provides berry sweetness, and the Petit Verdot offers its color and floral aromatics.

I know I don't offer my own wine notes that often on this site, but I do have quite a bit of fun writing them for myself and my clients and their guests. Here's what I came up with the last time I gave this wine a whirl!

This wine's name says it all: Situation Normal... and it is wonderful as a result! This is a killer blend of Petite Sirah (42%), Cabernet Sauvignon (33%), and other red varietals sourced from various vineyards throughout California. SNAFU opens with all the panache you can imagine, fresh blueberry and raspberry fruits explode onto the stage. Then you taste its earthier side, as if it had to take a quick walk through a wet forest to collect itself before the curtain went up. And yet it all comes together easily, delivering a well-executed, perfectly delightful performance. Buy your tickets to this show early!

What red blends are you a fan of this fall season?

que syrah, shiraz!

You've heard me talk about Syrah here and there over the months. This is because I'm a huge fan of Rhone Valley (French) wines, both Northern and Southern alike (though for different reasons). Syrah is a grape you'll often find blended along side it's happy varietal partners Grenache and Mouvedre in the Southern Rhone in particular. I love these wines. They have boisterous fruit, a hint of spice and a rustic edge. Syrah got it's known kick off in slightly cooler parts of the Northern Rhone. What do I mean by "known"? Well, the grape's precise geographic origins aren't fully known with speculation the Greeks or the Romans had something to do with it. Nevertheless, in the village of L'Hermitage, named after the chapel that sits at the top of the town's primary hill, Syrah has its claim to fame. (The nearby Cotie Rotie is also well-known for it's Syrah.) The Northern Rhone boasts a cooler climate than its Southern counterpart because the Mistral winds bring cooler temps down from the Massif Central. Getting too technical on you? No worries... suffice to say it's consistently cooler up North with few microclimates to permit variation vineyard to vineyard. That means there's less opportunity for many different red grape varietals to thrive. In the North, Syrah can work its mojo. In the South, Syrah is one of 20 other major grape varietals that flourish - hence all the blending down in those parts (it's so fun!). Meanwhile, the French have done the only thing that could be done: mandate Syrah is the only red grape varietal permitted in the Northern Rhone's AOC wines.

Syrah is a "big" red grape. It is very dark in color, full bodied, fleshy and full of tannin. I always associate black pepper spice with these wines and look forward to picking out the myriad of potential aromas on the nose of each different Syrah wine. Sometimes it's all violets, sometimes a bit of cocoa, and other times its all big, blackberry fruit. At the end of the day, they promise to be supple, sexy, smooth wines.

I often get the question "So, what about Shiraz?". Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, genetically. The minor name variation is just an Old World v. New World phenomenon. The flavor profile of Syrah vs. Shiraz wines certainly vary though. This is based on the winemaking style and climate of the wine's origin. For example, Syrah from the Northern Rhone (and generally, other Old World areas) tend to offer a little less fruit, a little more smoke and a bit more subtlety in the many flavors that coalesce in the glass. Typical of New World winemaking practices, Shiraz wines from Australia or California tend to put their fruit foot first, their pepper foot second and otherwise tend to be higher in alcohol (due to the warmer climates from which they hail).

Neither Shiraz nor Syrah is better than the other; it just is what it is. The trick is to taste a few offerings of each. This way you'll find your personal preference between the two styles. And before you taste, it's a good idea to decant. Younger wines will lap up the oxygen on offer and provide a more integrated, 'evolved' flavor profile, if you will. Older wines relish the chance to throw their sediment (into the decanter, rather than into your glass).

Which syrah/shiraz style do you prefer?

Embracing your own palate: Rethore vs. Vaynerchuk

I alluded earlier this week that my take on the 4 wines Gary Vaynerchuk tasted out at the Boston Book Signing/Wine Tasting event (to air tomorrow, June 26) was a bit different than Gary's. This doesn't mean either Gary or I is "right" or "wrong". Wine Tasting is an individual sensory experience so much so that there are no strike outs in Wine Tasting. Rather... this is where the fun truly begins! I've decided to post my own tasting notes for the wines at the event for the sake of helping any skeptical readers embrace this idea. If you weren't able to attend, I hope you've had enough time to go out and purchase/taste the wines for yourself! If not, I encourage you to do so and then return for a little look-see at what I have to say about them.

For those of you who just can't help yourself and want a preview of my own insights, I've composed my notes with a touch of flourish - much like you might see on a "shelf talker" or on the back of the bottle. And I think it is worth restating that for me, the context of the wine really matters. Knowing more about the "behind the scenes" of where/why/how (etc.) the wines were produced influences my appreciation of them.

So without further ado...

2007 Vina Aljibes White

Albacete, Spain (Castilla la Mancha)

This delightfully surprising wine is a luscious blend of Sauvignon Blanc (84%) and Chardonnay (14%). In the glass it is a light golden color and offers an intriguing bouquet of creamsicles. On the palate the Chardonnay blend contributes creamy, almond flavors while its greater partner, Sauvignon Blanc, offers refreshingly crisp, citrus fruit. Easily enjoyed on its own, the Aljibes white’s fruitiness, medium-full body and mouthwatering acidity also makes it a food-friendly selection. Pair with poultry, fish or grilled veggies seasoned with olive oil, garlic and lemon.

2007 Vina Aljibes Rosé

Albacete, Spain (Castilla la Mancha)

The Aljibes rosé is made from 100% Syrah grapes, not Granacha like many of its counterparts throughout Spain. It is made from free run juice that only sees three hours of skin contact. Immediately you notice the watermelon jolly rancher color of the wine and are intrigued by its earthy, rosy nose. Ripe strawberry fruit and subtle dry tannins grace the mid-palate. A lively, juicy finish completes this wine’s symphony. The Aljibes rosé pairs with just about any dish you can imagine and could very well be the perfect answer on a hot day.

2006 Sur de los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon

Mendoza, Argentina

Sur de los Andes takes a risk in producing this 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza, Argentina, an area better known for Malbec. As it opens, aromas reminiscent of a recently trodden damp, forest floor lift from the glass, followed by hints of leather and cooking spices. Ripe blackberries emerge on the mid-palate and are followed by a juicy, peppery finish. Seeing only four months in oak, this is a medium-bodied Cabernet that delivers a more refined result than one might expect. Pair with red meats or even grilled eggplant and portabella mushrooms.

2005 Palacio Quemado “PQ”

Ribera del Guadiana, Spain

The 2005 PQ is another 100% Syrah selection on this flight, but this is no rosé! This wine is a striking, deep violet color. The nose immediately delivers distinct, sweaty saddle and herbal aromas. Blackberries and other red fruits fill your mouth and dance on your tongue as the benefits of six months in French oak impart just a touch of mocha and an alluring, full body. The finish has just a kick of spice. Pair with hard cheeses, lamb or BBQ fare.

Survey says...? What's your take on the wines? Any favorites on the wine flight?

Viva the Unusual Vinos! Gary V came, saw & tasted...

Last Thursday night 150 some odd Gary Vaynerchuk friends, fans and wine lovers attended his Boston Book Signing and Thunder Show tasting event at the Hotel Commonwealth downtown. The event certainly brought "the Thunder" featuring: a live filming of Thunder Show episode #494; a chance to meet Gary V while picking up a signed copy of his book; and - most impressively - a sample taste of the wines reviewed during the show. Attendees then headed downstairs to the Foundation Lounge for a special welcome cocktail, appetizers and their choice of libation (with wines from the show once again available at the bar). I must admit, though everyone gasped or groaned when Gary rated the wines between 86 points and 90 points, I was pretty impressed with the wines selected for the show given the regions that produced them. Four solid wines each having at least one unusual characteristic (hence the theme "Unusual Suspects") were on the wine flight. Vinha Alijibes winery in Albacete, Spain (Castella la Mancha region) took care of two of the wines, one a Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay blend and one a 100% Syrah rose.

What makes these selections so unique? First of all, Castilla La Mancha isn't one of the foremost wine making regions in Spain. You're probably more familiar with Rioja, Ribadera del Duero or Penendez (where Cava comes from). Second, when it comes to varietals used in each of these wines, these winemakers are definitely putting themselves out there. While Chard is a grape that can grow pretty much everywhere (albeit infrequently in Spain), Sauvignon Blanc is more often produced in the Loire Valley, California and New Zealand. As for the rose, Tempranillo and Grenacha are the dominant red grape varietals in Spain, with Grenacha often used for their rosado (rose) wines. Syrah is a relative new kid on the block in Spain and when used, is more often blended.

As for the reds, the 2006 Sur de los Andes Cab is, well... a Cab! From Argentina? Um, right. That's the thing. Gary may have been a bit misleading on the show, but Argentina is better known for its Malbecs; Cab's made there tend to really leave you wanting - a big glass of something else to wash away the green bell pepper flavors! At best, it is considered an 'up and coming' wine varietal there. But this Cab was a fan favorite among those that attended. And for $10, your near-impossible, under-$10-Cab search could end altogether.

Last but not least, the 2005 Palacio Quemado "PQ", another 100% Syrah attempt by Spaniards, but this time the full figured red kind. This selection is from the Ribera del Guadiana region, another lesser known wine producing region in Northish-Western Spain that essentially overlooks Portugal.

After the show ended Gary asked the crowd the following question: Do you like 1) mangos, 2) escargo and 3) sliders from White Castle? If you answered "yes" to ALL THREE of those, then you have the same palate as Gary. I answered yes to only one, mangoes. But Gary and I certainly share a similar philosophy about wine: get out there and taste!

Here's your "homework" then for this week: head out to The Wine Gallery or your local shop to pick up these wines. Taste them and then check out Gary V's episode featuring them. I'll post my own tasting notes later this week, too, for additional comparison. I'll look forward to your comments!