Per Luigi Bosca “Clear yellow-greenish color. Floral aromas related to rose globeflower and some lavender. The first impression in mouth is sweet with balanced acidity, white peaches are perceived and hints of sugar coated orange skin. Excellent balance between floral and fruity characteristics.”
What I Think:
Many already know there is more to Argentina than Malbec. You can drink some fine Cabernet among other things but they also have two more local grapes that are worth exploring; Bonarda (the local favorite) or Torrontes. For those that may be new to Torrontes I most often compare it to Viognier given that both are very aromatic wines. When drinking either my nose spends a significant amount of time in the glass (and I again remind myself I need to expand my vocabulary beyond “floral”). That being said I am no expert on this varietal so when this sample arrived I was happy to give it a try. So how was it?
Pale straw in color. Fresh, floral (see above reminder) and inviting on the nose. The palate starts pure and clean but quickly becomes a bit heavy with a hint of sweetness. A rich, full-bodied wine this shows flavors of orange peels and white tropical fruits. The finish is slightly crisp with a dried flowers (lavender) and spices (white pepper). This one lacks the acidity I like for drinking on its own. I’d recommend pairing this one with food. Perhaps a pasta with a white cream sauce would be fitting.
Given the overall flavor profile of this one it is not well suited for my palate as I prefer my white with racy acidity. Despite that this is a nice wine and a perfect bottle to learn more about a varietal (slightly) off the beaten path. So how about you? Have you had a Torrontes before? If so let me know what you think or if you have any to recommend. If not, give this or another one a try and share your thoughts.
Rating: Pricey
*as indicated above this wine was indeed received as a press sample
Per Wine Spectator “Appealing for its bright and juicy red and black fruit flavors, with a smooth texture and vivid spice, cola and toast details. Gains some tannic traction on the finish. Drink now through 2016. 8,000 cases made.” (87 points, $14) — M.W.
What I Think:
A few months back Andy gave me the heads up that they had this one in stock. I had previously tried the ’06 which I picked up via a recommendation for $13 18 months or so ago. My impression then was that while this wine was good it did not deliver on a double digit price point. Granted, I expect a lot there! Seeing this at Trader Joe’s for more than 50% off I figured it was worth giving this one another shot. Since then I’ve had a couple bottles of this but had yet to review as I kept expecting it to disappear much like the Chenin Blanc (which I enjoyed!) did. But to my surprise this one was still smiling from the shelves on my most recent shopping trip so I figured it was due time to share my thoughts.
Big nose loaded with aromas of black olives. This wine is thick & inky in the glass. On that palate you are greeted with juicy, slightly under ripe, blueberry flavors on a tight, acidic structure. Big, toasty tannins emerge very early on the mid palate before giving way to loads of black pepper on an overly dry (and slightly sour) finish. This wine is tightly wound throughout and I don’t think that is meant to change (even with aging). Still not my favorite but guessing many will see it as a lot of wine for the money. For my palate I would pair this one with a rich foods or strong cheeses to help smooth out the tannins. If I grab another bottle I’ll let you know how that goes. In the mean time I would love to hear your thoughts…
Price: $9.99 @ K&L Wines imported by Premier Wine Company
What They Said:
Per K&L Wines “Picpoul de Pinet is considered the “Muscadet” of the south. Grown just meters from the oyster beds of the Bassin de Thau, the wine marries perfectly with fish and shellfish. Picpoul (also known as Folle Blanche or Gros Plant) means “lip stinger,” which refers to the high acidity of its must. Great with oysters and seafood. This wine is crisp, but quite long and full with nice floral and mineral notes in the nose. Bracing acidity backs up a wine with surprising breed for this price point.”
What I Think:
First a bit on the varietal. Picpoul de Pinet is considered the “Muscadet” of the south and Picpoul means “lip stinger” in reference to the high acidity of these wines. This one shows papaya and lemon notes on the nose while hinting of effervescence (that never does come through) and a saline quality. The palate as expected shows a tight, racy acidity with a firm rocky, mineral backbone that displays notes of lemon and green apple flavors. The finish is the definition of refreshing; crisp, tart and lasting. For a wine with this much acidity I found it to be fuller of body and bright fruit flavors than expected. No doubt that the traditional pairing of oysters and seafood is right on for this one. For those looking for a new varietal to try this one will serve as an excellent (and affordable) introduction to Picpoul de Pinet.
Per K&L Wines “Classic, dry, fizzy Vinho Verde does not get much better than this! This is one of our favorites: crisp, citric, relatively low in alcohol and in a classically dry style. Don’t let the deliciousness fool you, though; this white offers up a whole lot more complexity than the humble price might suggest. More than likely, one could attribute this amazing quality to two factors: First, the rock solid reputation and focus on quality of the Adega Cooperativo Regional de Monçao; and second, their reliance on Trajadura and Alvarinho grapes, which deliver wine of greater complexity and texture than the Paderña grape so commonly grown in the rest of the Vinho Verde region.”
What I Think:
Vinho Verde and I have come a long way in the last two years. When I had my first bottle I was still pretty sure that Vinho Verde was a grape varietal. For those that may not know it is in fact a wine region nestled along the Douro river (map) near the Spanish border. Over the years I’ve appreciated and enjoyed a handful of these wines but attending the Port4lio Tasting back in May reopened my eyes to them. This is one of those I tried then and here were my notes; “An unoaked blend of 65% Alvarinho and 35% Trajadura this one clean and crisp with nice lemon flavors and a bit of spritziness on a very refreshing finish. At $9 everyone should have a bottle of this in their fridge”. So what happened when I spent a little more time with it?
More magic! Spritzy even on the pour. This one is potent & lively on the palate with creamy bubbles and a minerally finish with lingering lemon citrus notes. Crisp, tangy and refreshing. A steal of wine that is perfect for summer sipping. But that is not all folks. There is much more to this wine if you open your mind to it with an intriguing stony, mineral component. This wine is suited to pair with food and would be a perfect compliment for ceviche or a chilled seafood platter. I’ll second my recommendation from above that at $9 everyone should have a bottle (or 2) of this in their fridge.
I’ll have much more to come on Vinho Verde (attended a dinner this week where I tasted a bubbly, a ’98 and a red version) and the wines of Portugal (I grabbed 2 of each mentioned in the Portfolio Tasting post) over the summer. In the meantime give this one a try next time you’re spending a sunny afternoon on the patio. You can thank me later…
Price: $8.99 @ K&L Wines imported by Vineyard Brands
What They Said:
Per Wine Enthusiast (via K&L) 89 points and a Best Buy: “A nose of red fruit, spice and violet is followed by fresh but lush aromas of cherries, blackberries and a touch of smoke and dark chocolate. Smooth and integrated, with a pretty, aromatic character.” (11/09)
What I Think:
And my South African wine adventure continues. I had a chance to taste the ’09 version of this one, a blend of 68% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier, at the tasting event I recently attended and had this to say; “Nice bright red fruits and spices. It struck me as a perfect grilling wine.” How did the ’08 pan out?
Smoky and spicy upfront on the nose this one is lively on the palate showing sour cherry and red berry flavors with a tannic acidity taking over before an earthy, black pepper finish leaves your mouth lingering with dry, herbal, chocolate notes. The above makes it sound as if I liked the wine more than I did. I actually found it slightly disjointed which runs counter to the Wine Enthusiast review which called this one “well integrated”. Looks like many of the folks over at CellarTracker agree with me as it has a community rating of 85.4 (vs. WE 89). For me, I didn’t do it side by side but, I remember liking the ’09 more. That said I prefer this to the Porcupine Ridge Syrah but neither compare to the Kanonkop Kadette which is easily still my favorite new discovery.
That’s it for the reds I grabbed the first time around. Perhaps I’ll pickup some more soon. If you have any recommendations let me know. Anyone had the Goats du Roam lately? Remember that one being nice vintages ago…
Oh the glorious memories of high school. If it wasn’t wine in a box it was Bartles & Jaymes (couldn’t resist the commercial) or a 2L of Sun Country or Boone’s or… Well you get the point. Boxed wine has been afforded the same stigma that Rose has suffered at the hands of White Zinfandel. Memories, some good, some bad but all including a wine (or a derivative of it) that you’d prefer not to taste again.
So when I opened the package and found 3L samples of both the Big House Red and Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc you know what initially went through my head. But it appears boxed wine is going retro and as history shows, though rarely, sometimes, the 2nd time is better than the 1st. Reports say that boxed wine sales are increasing at almost 10x the pace of overall wine sales. Couple that with the fact that I am a value seeker at heart and I decided to taste these wines with my eyes wide open. What did I find?
First off before I even get started I should mention that if you have a serious interest in learning more head straight over to Joshua Sweeney’s site and give his Search for the Best Boxed Wine Wrap-Up a read. Okay, you back?
I served these at my niece’s graduation (thus my lack of formal tasting notes) and the Silver Birch was impressive and is a crowd favorite (see best of above or Drink Nectar’s take). This one is potentially on par with the King Shag which would make it quite the steal. The Big House Red while not impressive was certainly drinkable. The Silver Birch I would be happy to serve to guests again and while I wouldn’t be embarrassed to serve the Big House I wouldn’t go out of my way to talk about either. Perhaps the Black Box Malbec, that Joe Roberts (aka 1 Wine Dude) refers to as “Quite a feat to pack that much blueberry & tobacco spice in that lil’ box. A bargain at less than $7 a bottle.”, would be a better selection. What does this all mean to you?
As I see it there are two potential reasons to buy these wines. The first use case being a social gathering where a large amount of wine is necessary. These wines perfectly serve the purpose of being drinkable while not being wasteful from a quality perspective for the vast majority that may not be paying attention. The second use case being that you don’t drink all that much (and/or don’t crave variety in your wines the way I do). These wines are proclaimed to stay fresh for up to six weeks after opening. If either of these cases matches your needs I recommend giving these a try.
What’s your take? Have you had boxed wine lately? If not, are you willing to give it a chance? If so, which one? What did you think?
*as indicated above both the Big House Red and Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc were received as press samples
Price: $10.99 @ K&L Wines imported by Cape Classics
What They Said:
Per K&L Wines “91 points and a Best Buy from the Wine Enthusiast: “This blend of Pinotage, Cabernet, Merlot and Cabernet Franc is full-bodied and complex, with layered aromas of cherry, banana and warming spices, and smooth, elegant flavors of cedar, cherry, tobacco smoke and red berries. Velvety, soft tannins and a clean finish give it a classy touch. The wine can age, but drink now and you won’t be disappointed.” (12/09)”
What I Think:
Those that have been following along are aware that after attending a recent tasting of South African wines my interest was piqued to learn more. The first wine I tried was the Porcupine Ridge Syrah which is made by Boekenhoutskloof (see “B” in my 2009 Year in Review post). It was a nice wine in its own right but will now be most remembered for the comment left by reader MenloSteve recommending this one…
The Kadette, a second bottling for Kanonkop, is a blend of 45% Pinotage, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc. Unsurprisingly this one starts Pinotage-ish on the nose greeting you with loads of smokiness while allowing some plums aromas to sneak through. A nice, juicy cherry palate lasts well into the finish before an earthy component loaded with warm barrel spices takes over and drives this one home. Great mouthfeel, balanced fruit with enough acidity to keep it honest.
This wine may not be overly complex but it is extremely enjoyable to drink nonetheless. To put this in context I will present two facts. The first is that I always taste a wine over two days (minimum) to see if there are any changes for the better or the worse. This usually isn’t a problem but I so enjoyed this wine it was hard to resist pouring it all in one sitting (I did). Second and perhaps even more impressive was the feedback from my wife (average rating a sip and push the glass in my direction) who gave this a triple pour! I’d recommend this to anyone open to exploring the wines of South Africa. It is certainly now my favorite value wine from the region. I already placed an order for 3 more bottles. If you decide to give it a try be sure to let me know what you think!
Per K&L Wines “This blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Mazuelo is an intense ruby red wine with aromas of black fruit and vanilla. Velvety and elegant, it’s an old world wine with a new world attitude, and it is downright addictive with roasts and firm cheeses.”
What I Think:
Given I’ve been having a rough patch with Tempranillo of late when I was offered the opportunity to sample this Campo Viejo which is the gold standard for a value offering in this category I didn’t hesitate to accept. Random aside, do you know what Crianza indicates? I didn’t but Wikipedia did. Spanish wines are often labeled based on their ageing. The three most common designations are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. Crianza is aged two year with a minimum of six months in oak, Reserva three years with a full year in oak and Gran Reserva five years with eighteen months in oak. That requirement for two years of ageing makes this 2006 the current release from Campo Viejo. There some wine trivia for you. Now let’s get back to the wine.
Dark fruit and spices on the nose with barrel notes omnipresent throughout. This wine is warm and comforting on the palate with soft cherry and floral notes. It almost reminds me of wrapping up in a familiar blanket on a cold winter (or San Francisco summer) night. The mid palate shows a firm acidity to keep this one nicely balanced before giving way to a creamy vanilla finish laden with barrel notes and sour cherries. A simple, enjoyable wine that it is widely available and better yet affordable. Given that you can always consider this a safe choice when you have paella (or a simple BBQ dish) on the menu. Also a great place to start if you’ve yet to try Tempranillo. How about you? Anyone out there have a favorite Tempranillo of their own to share? Let us know in the comments section below.
Rating: 12th Bottle
*as indicated above this wine was indeed received as a sample
Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s imported by Underdog Wine
What They Said:
Per the bottle “Every Now & Zen you’ll find your tastebuds capsizing from the spicy surge of Asian cuisine. Now & Zen’s bright tropical fruit of pineapple, mango and lemon twist awaken the delicious flavors of spicy food and bring peace to the palate.
Now & Zen is a blend of Alsatian varietals that will help you relax, chill and enjoy plates like spicy Szechuan shrimp, chicken or pork stir fry. Bring peace to your dinner.”
What I Think:
This wine, one of my favorites, has been a bit of a chameleon. The 2007 started off as the “Wasabi White” before becoming the “Alsace White” that we know it by today. For the 2008 vintage they decided to add the “Helfrich” name prominently to the label. Guess the ’07 was a bigger success then hoped and they decided they would like some recognition. In fairness it seems it should be shared with the importer, Underdog Wine Merchants, who collaborated with them on this project. Either way label changes make me nervous and I was really hoping this effort would be a worthy successor to the ’07 I so much enjoyed.
In a word it was. This vintage was a blend of 29% Pinot Blanc, 25% Sylvaner, 16% Riesling, 15% Muscat, 15% Gewurztraminer and is classically referred to as Edelzwicker. The Muscat was an addition but the remainder of the blend percentage was fairly consistent from the previous year. This wine starts with citrus and floral notes on the nose which translate nicely to the palate where a bit of mango adds a pleasant sweetness to the texture. The tart, crisp finish delivers lemon and mineral flavors that leave you refreshed and ready for your next sip. An easy drinker that is nicely balanced throughout. As you’ll see above they are strong proponents of pairing this one with spicy Asian cuisine and I wholeheartedly agree this is ideal. Factor in my Alsace bias (see the ’07 post) as you see fit but this is a wine I will be buying again.
Per Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer “Winnefred is 100% Chardonnay aged in 82% French oak and 18% sur-lie (on lees), giving it added complexity and creaminess. It’s a citrus-forward wine with pear, lemon and a hint of fennel. Winnefred, like Winnefred, makes an excellent dinner companion. Try it with chicken or whatever suits your fancy.”
What I Think:
As mentioned recently I can identify the new offerings of the Central Coast Wine Services team before picking them up. This one was a no doubter with a fanciful label and story (Winnefred is a competitive pizza eating champion) to boot. Given their track record I had to give it a try despite my disposition to Chardonnay as a varietal. Would I live to regret it?
In a word no, there was nothing to regret. Literally nothing. This was one of the most flavorless wines I’ve had. The nose was muted with a bit of pear and peach coming through. The palate was oily with thin lemon flavors leading to a short toasty finish with cinnamon spice. It isn’t that this wine was undrinkable it was just soulless. If you have to have a Chardonnay in this price range I’d stick to the Santa Barbara Landing. How about you? What is your favorite value Chardonnay?
root for jason!advertise hereThat's right! Jason's Wine Blog has been nominated for the "Best Reviews" category in the 2010 Vintage Wine Blog Awards. Winners will be announced late June. Keep your fingers crossed!
great #tdf ride up the Tourmalet. Two champions w/ one unable to break the other. Finished w/ perfect sportsmanship (payback for Stage 15?) 2010-07-23
Bloggers beware of emails from mikey@teachstreet.com re: being a featured blogger. He's fishing for free links & already using your content! 2010-07-22
#1 — 2007 Trentatre Rosso
#2 — 2007 Rabbit Ridge Allure de Robles
#3 — 2008 Sauvignon Republic Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc
#4 — 2008 VINTJS Syrah
#5 — 2007 Now & Zen Wasabi White
#6 — 2007 Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve
#7 — 2008 Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Carmenere
#8 — 2006 Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano d Abruzzo
#9 — 2008 La Granja Tempranillo
#10 — 2007 Dr. Beckermann Piesporter Michelsberg Riesling Spatlese
Price: $10.99 @ Sample
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Price: $9.99 imported by Pernod Richard
Per the bottle “Every Now & Zen you’ll find your tastebuds capsizing from the spicy surge of Asian cuisine. Now & Zen’s bright tropical fruit of pineapple, mango and lemon twist awaken the delicious flavors of spicy food and bring peace to the palate.
Price: $4.99 @ Trader Joe’s
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