Water into Wino

Warwick First Lady 2008

Warwick The First Lady 2008
Western Cape, South Africa ($15)

There are a few producers in South Africa I have come to appreciate enough that I will pretty much buy anything they put their name on. Rustenberg is one. Rust En Vrede, and Warwick are two more. Among these producers Warwick is pretty much the easiest one I can find in the Buffalo area and I assume that goes for other small markets in the US.

This bottle of Warwick First Lady 2008 is available at Premium Wines & Spirits for about $15. Having had the delicious Three Cape Ladies Blend from Warwick, I was more than eager to give this 97% Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Petit Verdot wine a go. I have to admit that I generally stay away from Cabernet Sauvignon unless it’s from cooler climates but I figured this one would have enough character to keep my attention.

This nicely extracted Cab showed juicy aromas of black currant, blackberry and other sweet black fruits with layers of smoke and charcoal. I also picked up some savory cured meat notes, which I am always a fan of. The palate was generously smooth with delicate tannins allowing just enough grip to be noticeable.

Overall it was a very easy going Cabernet Sauvignon. The smoke and meat aromas gave it its distinctive South African personality, which was definitely what I was hoping for with this purchase. Next time you’re looking a mid priced Cabernet I’d skip California, ignore South America and head straight to the SA section of your store and look for this one.

Rust En Vrede Estate 2001

Rust En Vrede Estate 2001
Stellenbosch, South Africa ($40)

There aren’t many large wine regions left that I haven’t stuck my nose into in the last several years. If you haven’t noticed I tend to get a bee in my bonnet to try everything I can get my hands on from a certain grape, country or region until I feel like I can actually have an intelligent conversation about it. With this approach intelligence doesn’t come cheap and I usually make sure that if I do through down more than $20 for a wine, it better be a good representation of the region.

Inspired by a fellow Niagara Region writer and her blog Stellenbauchery, I have been on a South Africa kick. Ideally I’m looking for wines labeled as Wine of Origin Stellenbosch as I am curious to know what unique flavors and styles are coming out of the country’s premier wine region. The minimum buy in for these wines is typically from $13 for whites and $20 for reds. Much cheaper South African wines can be found labeled as Coastal Region or Western Cape but those don’t interest me as much.

According to the bottle of Rust En Vrede Estate 2001, this winery has been acclaimed as one of the best in the world. Now I would ever buy it just based on that claim but I’d been tipped off that they are consistently one of the best producers of reds in the region. It also helped that this bottle was marked down from $40 to $30, most likely motivated by its age and the average buyer’s lack of interest in this bottle. I left the store thinking I’d found a deal though as it was one of those wines that you can’t just leave on the shelf.

This 2001 Estate is a blend of 53% cabernet sauvignon, 35% shiraz and 12% merlot. Aromas of strawberry jam, blackberry, dark chocolate, pepper and smoke. On the palate, it showed a lush fruit forward feel with fine-grained dusty tannins and a seamless balance from start to finish. Put quite simply this was a luxuriously ripe red with hints of old world complexity and style.

As a 9 year-old wine, this one still had it going on, fresh fruit, firm tannins and a delicate balance of acidity. It was probably the most serious red I’ve had from South Africa and I’d quite happily buy another to show off to other geeks. I’m even tempted to buy the 2000 Estate I found at another store.

Uva Mira Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Uva Mira Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Stellenbosch, South Africa

It’s obvious that South Africa makes some good wines under $12. I’m sure there are some decent cabernets, some appealing shiraz and a whole lot of pinotage. I also know without a doubt that their chenin blanc in that price range is some of the best.

The problem is I’ve been trying to find South African wines with the wine of origin label as Stellenbosch. These seem to demand higher prices and aren’t as easy to find as wines labeled Western Cape, Coastal Region or simply South Africa. With several of the Bordeaux inspired blends from Stellenbosch fetching over $40 a bottle in the US, I’m not having an easy time getting the gist of the higher end wines from the region.

Since my mind was set on getting a decent red in the mid twenty dollar range, I found myself stalking the shelves of the wonderland that is Premier Wines. After passing up a $60 red from Anwilka and a $40 red blend from Meinert, I found a $20 Merlot Cabernet blend from Uva Mira. With the stars aligned for a wallet-to-bottle connection - and by stars I mean a wine labeled as Stellenbosch, a decent score by Steve Tanzer and the importer being Michael Skurnik – I brought this bottle home.

Now normally a 52% Merlot – 48% Cabernet Sauvignon blend would bore the crap out of me but that wasn’t the fate of this one. Inky red color with huge ripe plum and black currant aromas, this wine screamed hot climate. Again that would normally be a turnoff but its secondary aromas of tobacco, chocolate and smoke held my attention.

This wine felt supple and full until its fine tannins got a hold of my mid palate. There was just enough grip to remind me that this isn’t a new world fruit bomb. It had an old world rusticity that I can’t get enough of. With a long finish that was possibly sprinkled with a bretty medicinal note, this wine showed a whole lot of character.

With an intriguing balance of new world ripeness and old world winemaking technique, this wine heads in a direction more regions should strive for. I’d like to think that generally South Africa as a region combines old and new world styles but I just haven’t drank enough yet to declare it so. However this Uva Mira blend was just what I was looking for…a $20 Stellenbosch wine that shows what makes the region unique ultimately revealing a sense of place.

Pellegrini Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

Pellegrini Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
Long Island, New York ($15)

The most surprising lesson I learned from Tastecamp 2009 is that Long Island reds have the ability to mature gracefully. My previous visits to wineries like Pellegrini or Raphael offered only a snapshot into their wines. Perhaps just one or two vintages of different varietals may have been available. Friday night’s Library tasting at Raphael was definitely an eye opening experience, one that bolstered my respect for the area’s well-made age-worthy reds.

This bottle of 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon from Pellegrini appeared on my local radar after a pioneer former wine blogger from thewinechicks let me know that a local liquor store had this wine on closeout for only $10. Her notes were simply, “It is exactly where it ought to be for the vintage,” motivating me to buy a bottle for a friend that gave me a few bucks to get him some interesting wine. Well let’s just say after last week’s L.I. trip I couldn’t help but recommend us opening it for a dinner we shared a few days ago.

It quickly opened up with an elegant nose of dark cherries and toast. There was a hint of bell pepper that was well within what I can still appreciate in a red. The mouth-feel was what made this wine memorable. The silky soft tannins accompanied by bright acidity struck all the right chords on my palate. The weight of the mid palate and finish were in harmony, making this glass of wine hard to put down. I would have never assumed this wine was still kicking, especially since the store had it on clearance. My grade: 3.5/5

Movia Vila Marija Merlot 2005

Movia Vila Marija 2005
Brda, Slovenia ($15)

Shortly after Long Island turned me on to merlot, a friend mentioned a bottle he had had while dining at Felidia restaurant in NYC. The sommelier recommended a merlot from the Friuli region of northern Italy. Having been blown away by the wine, he managed to salvage the label and pass along the good word to me. I have since-found a couple other producers from that area which make merlot in the same minerally, lightly tannic, and vibrant style.

These wines aren't easy to locate as even wine boutiques that only carry Italian wines may only have one such bottle to choose from if any, with retail prices in the mid twenty dollar range. Movia, the Slovenian producer of this bottle is situated on the border of Friuli and Slovenia. They practice organic and biodynamic winemaking while producing only about 13,000 cases a year. This bottle was on sale for $11 (from $15) at my favorite local wine store. This 2005 bottling is a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and pinot noir, surprising since it is labeled as merlot.

Ruby red color and bursting with cherry and raspberry aromas. This wine jumps out of the glass and greets you with a big hello. It has a silky mouth-feel that dances on the tongue while gaining the attention of every taste bud on my palate. What makes this wine so memorable is a streak of minerality that quickens the pulse and sharpens the senses. The finish is clean and satisfying albeit not all that long. It leaves me thirsting for another sip and wondering what a case discount would come to. My Grade: A-

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004
Valencia, Spain ($20)

Even though I haven't been updating this site recently, I haven't been a stranger to the other wine blogs I've come to appreciate. A recent Wine Chicks posting mentioned a Spanish Cabernet Sauv/Franc blend from Valencia called "Dos" by Rafael Cambra. It would only be a short matter of time after reading that before I found a bottle to try myself. I'm learning that I much prefer wine blog reviews to those of a magazine.

First of all, it has a kick arse bright orange label with a simple yet elegant scribble of grapes. Dark violet color, practically opaque wine. Aromas of plum and blackberry. Well balanced and supple, very pleasing on the palate. Very full flavored but ultimately not a very long finish. It could probably benefit from some more time in the bottle as the tannins weren't integrated enough. I'm gonna buy a couple more bottles and see how it ages. My grade: B+

Wines for Winos

When you're walking the streets of New York with $5 burning a hole in your pocket, there are only a few places you can go to get a buzz. The frappuccino at Starbucks is a refreshing buzz. You can buy a couple Pabst Blue Ribbons for a five spot. I suppose if you're really desperate you can buy two cans of Ready Whip and inhale the nitrous, but that's not for everyone.

Last week Trader Joe's opened up its wine shop on 14th Street in Manhattan. There are dozens and dozens of bottles under $5. With all the buzz surrounding Two-Buck Chuck, I had to indulge in a bottle or two of the Cab Sav. I've tried the Shiraz before but it really had a barnyard scent to it and tasted totally flat. For two bucks though, you can't complain. I also found a Malbec for $4 there that seemed worth a try. So after I schlepped them back to Queens, I decided to open one bottle right away.

Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
California, Napa ($3)

I opted for the infamous Three-Buck Chuck (it is New York after all). This Cab Sav is not all that bad. Very juicy with a tannic quality of a rose. There seemed to be nothing inherently bad about the taste. It just tasted like really good box wine. I had a bottle with a pizza and had no complaints. My girlfriend kept mentioning that she didn't feel any of the alcohol after polishing off a bottle in record time. It's as if I just downed a bottle of grape juice. Since it's actually cheaper than the Welch's stuff, I can't complain. My grade: C+

La Boca Malbec 2004
Argentina, Mendoza ($4)

The second bottle was a totally girly bottle of Malbec. The label has too many bright colors for me. This watered down Malbec had thin tannins and lacked any complexity. It tasted very flat and the finish brought some heat. On the bright side the alcohol was buzz inducing, but Malbec in general is usually a bargain buy, so I should have spent the extra $3 on the Septima Malbec they offered. The Charles Shaw was my favorite of the two, hands down. My grade: C-

Snoqualmie Cabernet Merlot 2000

Snoqualmie Cabernet Merlot 2000
Washington, Columbia Valley ($12)

Let me first mention how proud I am to be listed as #69 on the wineblog ratings chart that was posted at alawine.com. To even be listed is flattering, but to be #69, wow...I must be doing something right, lol. Yesterday during my marathon blog entry I opened a bottle hijacked from the many gifts my mother receives every Christmas. It's not something I'd buy or even stop to look at, but if it's free, I'll try it happily.

This Columbia Valley blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot is from Snoqualmie Vinyards in Washington State. Dark red color and full bodied. Mouth drying tannins smoothed out some with time after opening. Nothing fancy or memorable. Dark blackberry and currant fuit with some chocolate notes. Some spice on the finish yet not as complex as I would have liked. My grade: B-

Altos de Luzon 2002

Altos de Luzon 2002 Spain, Jumilla ($20)

It only took one glass of this to get me hooked on Spanish wines. While munching on some manchego cheese and serrano ham at Bar Jamon here in New York, and after a bottle of some impressive a spanish rose wine, the waiter suggested a wine of 50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo. A few sips later I had the first feeling of guilt while drinking wine. It was sinfully good. I noted the name and vintage and went on a treasure hunt to buy my own bottle. I found one at Union Square Wine and Spirits and promised myself I would open it on a special occasion.

It wasn't long after that I was drinking at my place with friends and looking into my stash for a third bottle to open that night. Since this is a big wine, I figured it would be the perfect closer to a night of indulgence. We finished it quickly without any patience or any critical analysis. The next day I woke up guilty again. I barely remembered what I liked so much about that wine. The alcohol from a night of drinking had diluted any memories of the bottle. So the next day, knowing that I picked up one of the last bottles at the store, I ordered a bottle from wine.com, and once again saved it for another day.

That other day turned out to be last friday night. While decorating the Christmas tree, my girlfriend and I opened it up and let it breath for an hour. Dark ruby red color. Very toasty on the nose with ripe cherry and dark berry notes. Extremely full in tannins and alcohol. As time went by it balanced out well as it's flavor rounded out to a smooth combination of fruit and toasted oak leading to a long lasting finish. I compared the experience of this wine to "drinking the blood of a virgin." Felt like I was extending my life as a vampire would with a taste of blood. Sumptuous, velvety, and invigorating. My grade: A-

Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet NV

Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet NV
New York, Finger Lakes, Keuka Lake ($17)

If you live outside of New York state, you may not have ever heard of Dr. Konstantin Frank. That's alright because he probably hasn't heard of you either. Apparently he was truly a pioneer in making Vitis Vinifera (European grapes) possible in the Finger Lakes region. Long story short, he believed that a lack of proper rootstocks, not the cold climate, was the reason for failure of Vitis Vinifera in this area. He and winemaker Charles Fournier found a "hardy" rootstock onto which they grafted Vinifera grapes and started a revolution. He quickly earned a reputation for his quality Rieslings, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewurstraminer, and even Cabernet Sauvignon. A few hundred medals later, Dr. Frank was inducted into the Wine Spectator "Hall of Fame".

My love of reds and interest in trying the wines of my home state led me to pick up this non vintage bottle of Cabernet consisting of 54% Merlot, 26% Cab Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is light-medium bodied, well balanced, and a great food wine. Subtle flavors of blackberry and chocolate are evident, with a touch of pepper. Clean finish that is not as long as I would want for the price, but perfect for the dinner table. This bottle is of limited release, and isn't the best example of the quality wine winning critics over from this winery. My grade: B-