Random Thoughts

I don't know what got into me over the past few days. I've been opening various bottles for tasting in an uncontrolled fashion--taste a few glasses and then back in the fridge it goes. Part of the craze has been fueled by a newly found product designed to stop open bottles of wine from oxidizing--VineyardFresh. Just a quick puff of the Argon/Nitrogen gas into the bottle and its safe for a few weeks from going sour. What a great concept! I can open 5-6 bottles at once and taste a glass or two and then save it for a later date.

So here is a run down of what's currently open in the fridge. Anyone care to taste?

Dutch Henry Winery Zinfandel 1999, Napa Valley, California--I opened this to go with a beef roast last week. Was a little concerned it may have been past its peak because of its age, but was showing nicely, although a little on the softer side. Notes of spice, black cherry, raspberry. Soft tannins. Medium body. Lingering black cherry finish. Drink it NOW.

Widmer Brickstone Cellars Pinot Noir 'Soft Press Vintage' 2003, Finger Lakes, New York--Not so much is all I can say for this one. Had a wonderful nose of strawberry and raspberry. Green, harsh and unripe tannins. Astringent. Unpleasant aftertaste. Save your money.

Cousino Macul Sauvignon Gris 2004, Maipo Valley, Chile--Yes I do like this wine a lot as I've posted on it before. I believe the 2004 vintage is no longer available and the 2006 should be coming into retail shops shortly. Amazing aromas of orange blossom and nectarine. Citrus fruit notes. Zesty. Moderate acidity. Medium body. Lingering finish.

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2004, Casablanca Valley, Chile--Another tasty treat from Chile. Heavenly tropical fruit aromas, herbaceous notes. Lemon citrus. Crisp and clean. Racy acidity. Lingering finish.


VineyardFresh image courtesy of VineyardFresh.com
Widmer image courtesy of widmerwine.com

Chilean Wine is Hot

Did you see the Food section of the Post this week? Michael Franz writes about Chilean wine and he couldn't be more dead on with the quality and selections coming from one of South America's most intriguing wine producing nations. Here is the link to the article:Chile is Hot

Earlier in the week, I had a chance to taste one of the selections from Franz's article: the 2004 Sauvignon Gris from Cousiño-Macul. I had been searching for this wine since Food and Wine Magazine did a short blurb on it back in June. I was finally able to secure a case of the stuff from Total Wine and split the bottles with Jennifer from my office.

The Sauvignon Gris grape is apparently quite rare and I have not been able to find a whole lot of information on it...not even in Jancis Robinson's book Vines, Grapes and Wines. Hailing orginally from the Graves district of Bordeaux, the Sauvignon Gris grapes have a darker skin than its cousin, Sauvignon Blanc.

While the wines made from both grapes exhibit racing acidity and crisp fruit, Sauvignon Gris has marked citrus-fruit notes, especially oranges, and a somewhat oily texture. Medium bodied, this wine can stand up to richer foods or stand alone as a perfect summer sipper.

A Taste of Chile

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a wine tasting sponsored by Wines of Chile, which is the promotional arm for the Chilean wine industry. The event was held during the afternoon at Zaytinya and featured various producers respresenting various wine growing regions in Chile, from the hot, dry north, to the cooler southern regions. Many of the wines on display were red, with a smattering of whites.




A highlight of the afternoon--a seminar on Carmenere, moderated by Joshua Greene, editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits Magazine. During the seminar, Mr. Greene discussed the Carmenere grape, how it made it way to Chile from Bordeaux, and how it was mistaken and bottled as Merlot by wine producers. This was coupled with a tasting of six very distinct examples of Carmenere from some of Chile's most esteemed producers.


Phil Prifold and myself sample some Pinot Noir



To me, Carmenere is a very food-friendly wine and quite easy to gulp down in large quanities. Not overly tannic, the typical example exhibits notes of white and green pepper and loads of juicy dark fruit (plum, cherry). My fvaorite examples finish off with a silky, velvety finish of soft tannins and juicy fruit. While I am quite satisfied drinking Carmenere on its own, it also pairs well with lamb, beef, and ostrich, a meat I was able to sample on a recent trip to Santiago de Chile, which paired well with a glass of Carmenere.


"Looks like it has nice color Phil!"



A few of my favorite Carmenere-based wines include:

Ojdfell Vineyards Orzada Carmenere
Altair
Anakena Carmenere
Santa Rita Triple C
Santa Ema Reserve Carmenere
Antiyal