Water into Wino

Santa Rita 120 Carmenere 2008

Santa Rita 120 Carmenere 2008
Central Valley, Chile ($8)

I’ve put down plenty of carmenere. When I need to find a big ripe and juicy red for under ten bucks I know I can count on Chile’s national grape. I’m all about the spice and bell pepper I often get and I dig the ripe dark fruit.

When I bought this bottle of Santa Rita 120 Carmenere 2008 I was not expecting to be blown away but was anticipating a solid red to warm me up. I’ve had earlier vintages and been satisfied in this ultra low price point. I can usually count on Concha Y Toro, Calina Reserva and this 120 to deliver.

It turns out I either grew out of this wine or this was an off vintage because I wasn’t very satisfied with this wine. Simply put…it was soupy. The pepper and plum aromas were pleasant enough but the mouth feel lacked acidity. Made me think of Rachel Ray’s “thicker than a soup but thinner than a stew” bit from 30 Minute Meals.

Now I may have just grown accustomed to my cool climate wines, and as a more experienced wine drinker these days, I need that balance that acidity offers. Even for $7 I won’t be buying this particular wine again any time soon, but I will be drinking more Carmenere looking for those good buys under $10. That being said I’m sure a bottle like this would go over extremely with party guests and crowds who tend to like juicy mouth filling reds.

Fantinel Merlot 2007

Fantinel Merlot 2007
Friuli, Italy ($10)

Chances are if you see me drinking merlot it’s from one of two places…Long Island or Friuli. Sounds snobby doesn’t it? It just might but be only because I think the merlot should be grown where it’ll just have enough heat to ripen.

I’ve had some memorable Friulian merlots in the past that bring bright red fruit and that rusticity that I find so appetizing in Italian reds. If you’re looking for reds from the region you’re not going an easy time finding them. When I was in NYC, I struggled finding them, let alone where I live now…in God’s country.

So whenever I find a merlot, cabernet franc or even a red blend from Friuli, I am tempted to bring it home. When I saw this bottle of Fantinel Merlot on sale for $10, I had to give it a go. The wine is actually called “Celebrate Life” because a dollar of every sale goes towards charity. I won’t bore you with the details but it has something to do with micro-algae.

With nothing but some red cherry, thyme and vanilla aromas this wasn’t the wine I was expecting. No tar, no forest, no shrooms, no leather…it just didn’t show any complexity. A medium-thin body and light tannins made me think this wine belongs in a carafe rather than a bottle.

In my limited experience making wine, I’d say that this one suffered from over-cropping of grapes. Not a bad wine though as it wasn’t flawed but I just wouldn’t want this one to be someone’s first merlot from Friuli.

Abad Don Bueno Roble 2003

I've been seduced by the Mencia grape in the past. It was probably the comparisons to Cabernet Franc that motivated earlier purchases. My Spanish wine kick also fueled my interest in an unpopular grape that hails from Bierzo, Spain. It generally grows on high altitude hillsides and has been known to bring spicy notes as well as gentle red fruit flavors.

This Mencia wine was just begging to leave the shelf last week at Premier Wines in Buffalo. With a price under $10 and a 90 point review by one of those magazines, it seemed to be a good pick. In appearance this wine wasn't what I was expecting, the purple hue was inky and dark. The aroma was mainly of plum, blackberry and clove, with little else to mention. I got some nice dark fruit flavors that quickly faded and gave way to just a mouth full of palate killing tannins. Just to dry and clumsy for my taste. Damn I miss the selection of NYC wine stores. My grade: C-

Corey Creek Cabernet Franc 2002

Corey Creek Cabernet Franc 2002
Northfork, New York USA ($20)

The 2002 growing season must have been a good one for North Fork red grape growers. It was the 02' Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc that motivated a spending spree on Cab Franc that me to having a the franc filled wine fridge I have today. I've enjoyed a few others from the same vintage but nothing that excited me as much as the Osprey's. A few days ago I was reminded of my first innocent experiences with great Cab Franc.

Black raspberry and cherry aromas. I thought the color is slightly lighter than the Osprey's 02' and overall the tannins seem a bit smoother. The supple mouth-feel was simply delightful. It reminded me of the 04' Jamesport Cab Franc that critics went gaga over last year. The lengthy finish had a bit of vanilla and cedar and it just left a great impression. My grade: A

Marques de Gelida 2002

Marques de Gelida 2002 Reserva
Penedes, Spain ($13)

In the past few months, I've gotten engaged, bought a house, and have managed to find a great value sparkling wine to toast the afore mentioned achievements. When you can't afford champagne for every celebratory uncorking, I find cava to be just what the doctor ordered. Generally less expensive than California sparklers and drier than most proseccos I've tasted, I'm rarely disappointed with the Spanish bubbly.

This particular bottle has an eye catching label, the stamp of quality from Jorge Ordonez, and it breaks the boring non vintage stereotype of cava. This 2002 is a reserva blend of 35% Maccabeo, 30% Xarel-lo, 20% Parellada, and 15% Chardonnay. There was 3000 cases produced and I assume there's not much left floating around by now.

Aromas of green apple and bread. Tight little bubbles with a pale yellow color. this wine wakes up my whole palate and refreshes with a complex spectrum of earth tones. The finish is lengthy and stimulating. By far my favorite sparkler under $15.
My grade: A-

Fairview Goat Roti 2003

Fairview Charles Back Goat Roti 2003
Western Cape, South Africa ($16)

Funny critters and puns make for a a powerful marketing ploy. Fairview, the South African creator of Goats do Roam, makes a more expensive wine that salutes the Cote Rotie Syrah based wines of France. Since I've been getting in touch with my inner Syrah I could not resist this attempt at an affordable new world version.

I got some red berry aromas and a generous whiff of bacon fat....yum! It took a while for this one to open up though. Fully rustic in texture and sultry in taste this one had me confused. It came hard with a mouthful of fruit, but I also was stunned by an unflattering acidity. Turns out it came hard with fruit, acid, and tannins that i compare to being slapped in the face. It cleared up to a long spicy finish but the middle palate just wasn't pleasant. I don't know if it will calm down over some time in the bottle or what. Not worth the $16 I shelled out. My grade: C

Avila Pinot Noir 2003

Avila Pinot Noir 2003
Arroyo Grande AVA, San Luis Obisbo, California ($13)

Most serious pinot drinkers would be horrified to drink a $13 bottle of that little thin skinned grape. I, on the other hand, am thrilled to experiment with these hit but most commonly miss bottles. I don't often find interesting bottles under $15 from California but it took my local store being sold out of my favorite cheap Chilean pinot for myself to buy this one I knew nothing about.

Avila is the second label of the Arroyo Grande producer Laetitia. The appellation of Arroyo Grande Valley includes a 16 mile long valley in San Luis Obisbo County. The climate is moderated by coastal fog and Pacific breezes and Avila lies at the colder northern region of the AVA. This winery focuses on value wines and offerings include Chardonnay, Merlot, a Rhone Blend, Syrah, and a Cabernet. There were 10,000 cases of this Pinot produced.

Solid purple color that caught me by surprise. Floral aromas, but strawberry and cherry aromas dominate. The silky texture was another surprise and made me think the wine was under priced. There were some funky earth flavors that complimented as well. This wine had enough structure to stand up to my mustard crusted pork tenderloin and I wish I hadn't used a cup of it for my red wine reduction because it was that good for the dough. My grade: B

Castano Monastrell 2005

Castano Monastrell 2005
Yecla, Spain ($9)

Talk about a easy drinking wine. This is a quintessential new world fruit driven bargain wine that should please a most of the people all of the time. My first experience with Yecla and Eric Soloman brand imports is this 100% Monastrell. Bodegas Castano has been bottling wines since 1980 and its vineyards benefit from around 3000 hours of sunlight a season. This is one of the most inexpensive wines from this family which seems to really concentrate on this varietal. I picked it up after I read Mr. Parker had praised its value and snatched up the last one at my store.

Every now and then I come away with the aroma of birthday cake. Maybe it's the frosting or fruit filling but something reminds me of it in certain wines. This one reminds me of a red cherry frosting you might get on a white cake. Along with that unconventional smell I did get some cranberry notes as well. Very aromatic overall. Medium bodied and well balanced, this wine isn't complex but certainly tasty. The finish is short but sweet. I'd bring this wine to a party or dinner.
My grade: B

Concannon Petite Sirah 2004

Concannon Petite Sirah 2004
Central Coast, California ($12)

This wine looks and tastes purple. Come to think of it, smells like a purple magic marker. On the palate it tastes like a smokey, spicy concord wine. It's big and slightly hot. To be honest, it does have some olive notes that evolved after some time, but it never really hit the mark or showed any complexity. It's similar to a Spanish Monestrell in body and punch, and I think its worth it to save a couple bucks and drink Monestrell. Better than the Bogel Petite Syrah at the same price point though. All in all not my style at this point, maybe I would have dug it a few years ago or some 120 bottles ago.

Rooster vs Quail > Syrah under $10

From time to time I am called upon to bring a couple bottles to a social event with friends. In our circle we average about 3/4 bottle per person, down from the careless one bottle average of 2005. My unmatched enthusiasm encourages purchases of similar wines at the same price point. Let's face it... side by side tastings are the best way to really pinpoint what we like about a particular wine.

Since the wines are drank with dinner, we don't really spend a lot of time analyzing, but I do try to get a general consensus on which one was preferred. These wines most likely aren't decanted, and the order I drink them may not be ideal. Some may have been paired dreadfully or followed a whiskey or two.

My first head to head review is influenced by my recent interest in new world Syrah. I've had a couple $20 bottles that I'd drink again, but I can't afford that regularly. So I'm on the look out for a cheap Syrah in which I can rely. I want to stay away from obvious high alcohol stuff and the Aussie stuff for now. Both of the following wines are $10 or under.

Covey Run Syrah 2003
Columbia Valley, Washington State USA ($9)

I keep getting pleasant surprises from Washington wine. This Syrah was balanced and juicy. The nose didn't impress but it was overall a satisfying table wine that I can drink without frowning. The combination of a quick finish and moderate acidity makes for a good food wine. This winery is a mega producer and their $6 and $7 Merlots and Cab Suavignons are quaffable and easily found.

Hahn Estates Syrah 2003
Monterey County, California USA ($10)

Concentrated plum and toasty oak on the nose. This deep dark purple wine has lip smacking tannins and and some plum fruit. The oak steals the show as the fruit struggles to compete for tongue time. The finish is much longer than the Covey Run with a spice that ads complexity to an otherwise dull wine. It also seemed to dish up a little more heat. I remain on the look out for those "cool climate" Syrahs in California under $15.

My preference was for the Covey Run Syrah. Its juiciness and overall balance leaves nothing to regret for $9. A good friend of mine was moved by the finish of the Hahn Syrah though. She has been preferring bigger wines lately and her favorite was the the Monterey wine.