Water into Wino

Revolution Bandol 2003

Tour du Bon Revolution Bandol 2003
Bandol, France ($13)

As much as I dig the wine blogosphere I still get tremendous value from reading a few regular wine columns written by people that actually make a living with the pen. Eric Asimov’s work for the New York Times always puts me in the mood to go out and pick up something different and he recently wrote a piece entitled “A Sturdy Red for Winter” that got me excited about the Mourvedre grape.

I’ve drank many wines that use this grape as a building block and I’ve certainly had my share of jammy Spanish Monastrell in my day but I’ve never had anything from Bandol. When a wine writer like Asimov uses terms like haunting, savage and wild I’m on board to spend a few bucks and see what this region is all about.

I didn’t easily find what I was looking for until I cam across this Domaine de la Tour du Bon Revolution Bandol 2003 made up of 60% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache and 10% Cinsault.

Aromas of sour cherry, red plum, loam, red apple skin, licorice and cocoa were complimented by a touch of barnyard. The mouth-feel was all about the rustic granular tannins and balanced acidity. Full and fleshy on the mid-palate, it didn’t lose any momentum with its lingering bitter dark chocolate finish.

Simply put this wine was fun. Dark and rustic, dirty and ripe I just dug the style. I think the age helped this one out as I can imagine it being a little less charming if it was showing these tannins in their youth. Bandol is now officially on my radar.

Revisiting An Old Flame: Copertino Riserva 2001

Cantina Sociale Copertino Riserva 2001
Puglia, Italy ($18)

One of my philosophies in wine drinking is quite simply “Life is too short to drink the same wine twice.” Now there are a few exceptions. One is when you are bringing a bottle to a tasting or dinner where the purpose is to pour wine for other geeks. Another is when you buy several bottles and cellar them for future enjoyment.

Vintage variation is a third reason to drink a familiar wine and was ultimately my intention for buying this Copertino. I’d originally had the 1999 vintage in 2005 and was sold on the rustic reds of the Salento region. Copertino is known for rich smooth reds made from Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera grapes.

Since this bottle was going on 10 years of bottle age I was slightly hesitant to give it a try but my appreciation of the 1999 vintage solidified my investment. The store employee also said he looked it up and it was still drinking well before offering me a part time job at the store.

Brick red color with primary aromas of barnyard, tar, stewed red fruit and spice. In the mouth it was still showing good fruit with structure and tannins. The age was pretty obvious as it was extremely smooth and graceful leaving any rusticity only to be found in its aroma and flavor. The finish was long and dirty in a good way.

This bottle totally reawakened my desire for southern Italian reds. It seems like too many I’ve had recently are more new world than old with only ripe to overripe black fruit and vanilla to show. These older bottles from smaller producers still have the charm and distinctive Italian earthiness I expect from Salento. I’d buy this one again…to show friends of course.

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.

Duo of SA Sauvignon Blanc: Uva Mira & Edgebaston

It’s time to make that Sauvignon Blanc decision. You have about $15 to spend. You are met with bottles from California, France, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa at your local store.

Do you appreciate some grassiness or what some so delicately describe as cat pee? If you do maybe you ought to go for the Kiwi bottle.

Are you familiar with French as a first language or are you beyond the beginner level wine drinker you can go for some Sancere. That is if you recognize the producer as being first rate, the vintage as being decent and the price as being reasonable.

Are you California dreaming then go for the weighty Cali Sauvignon Blanc, but if you’re looking for value first and foremost and prefer clean tropical fruit with some richness and fresh acidity? Then maybe Chilean SB is the answer for you.

Most days I’m looking to get a Sauvignon Blanc with ripe fruit flavors, without cat pee, with a hint of green and most importantly some stoniness or minerality that comes with a winning combination of richness and acidity. For my $15 I’m finding South Africa to bring everything I’m looking for. That being said here are two bottles that I can vouch for.

The Uva Mira 2008 Sauvignon Blanc was found at Global Wine & Spirits where they currently seem to have some decent specials on their South African stuff. Aromas of lime, gooseberry and tropical fruit jumped out of my glass during a recent picnic at Niagara Falls State Park. Simply perfect for a warm summer day and made even more perfect with the wedge of Humboldt Fog goat cheese we brought with us.

With no hint of grass or cat pee it showed ripe aromas with a rich palate. Clean from start to finish this particular wine showed almost more like the Chilean stuff I’ve had. It went over well with my friends and I’d highly recommend it.

The Edgebaston Sauvignon Blanc 2008 was bought at Prime Wines for an absurd price of $12. My first perception of this wine was that it had much more in common with Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc as the flavors didn’t get very tropical at all. On the nose subtle notes of white peach, lime, flint and wet stone made it almost difficult to place as new world Sauvignon Blanc. Only the slightest hint of green in the form of cut grass showed against the rest of the ripe fruit aromas.

Where this wine really spoke was its palate. Lean and focused with clean acidity and just enough richness to bring it all together into one cohesive tasting experience. For the money it’s one of the best value whites I’ve had from South Africa. Its charm is that I’m not sure there’s a more complex SB for the money in the region or even world at this point. And yes, that includes Chile.

A Duo of Non-Chilean Carmenere

Wines made from the Carmenere grape have always been fun for me. It’s one of the first grapes that I became obsessed with that no one else in my circle of drinking buddies knew anything about. It seems like I never got sick of throwing down ten bucks for a rich, fruity, spicy wine that outshined other bottles at twice the price.

With time and a more developed palate come downsides and my appreciation of most cheap Carmenere has diminished as I generally prefer wines with more acidity. I’m noticing overripe flavors more these days and generally bulk made wines are as exciting as drinking Coors Light or Bud. I know there is outstanding Chilean Carmenere in the $20-$40 price range but hey, there’s a ton of great wine around the world in that price range, so I don’t often taste at that price point.

Luckily a few bottles made their way into my possession that renewed my curiosity in Bordeaux’s forgotten grape. First off I found a bottle of Inama Carmenere Piu 2006 from the Veneto Region of Italy at Vino Aroma in Williamsville NY. Only a few days later my friends from Long Island surprised me with a bottle of Osprey’s Dominion Carmenere 2007, which is, the only New York State grown Carmenere I know of.

I recently opened up both of these bottles back to back and was blown away by the differences among them and overall when compared to Chilean Carmenere.

The Osprey’s Carmenere had a familiar tone that I got with Long Island reds and this winery specifically; that is a tight core of fruit with fresh acidity and a gentle rusticity. The blackberry aromas were pure and spicy with hints of black cherry and tobacco. There was a polished feel to this wine that gave it a universal appeal while making the case that Carmenere can work as well as Cabernet Franc on Long Island, especially in warm years like 2007.

The Inama Carmenere Piu 2006 was a different wine entirely. On the nose it showed much more funk and chocolate notes with its fruit presence of plum and black currant taking a back seat to the barnyard, smoke and tar aromas. The mouth feel was simply stunning with rustic tannins and smooth acidity that filled out the palate while sticking around long enough to leave a delicate chocolate tootsie roll meets black fruit finish.

Fruit loving drinkers will appreciate the Osprey’s for its pure fruit and luxurious structure while those that seek rustic more eccentric flavors may find the Inama to be just what they are looking for. Personally, I loved both for their original take on the grape. Both went beyond the jammy overripe traits I often find in lower priced versions. I’d love to get these wines together again and pour them with Chilean versions in the same price range and see how they go over as it looks like I’m not anywhere near done being excited about this grape.

Atwater Dry Riesling 2007

Atwater Dry Riesling 2007
Finger Lakes, New York ($17)

There are just too many stunning Rieslings being made in the Finger Lakes to keep track of these days. Even though producers like Wiemer, Dr. Frank and Anthony Road tend to get the loudest press there are dozens of wineries making world-class versions in every style imaginable.

My past perception of Atwater is that they are a consistent producer that does everything well while not having one headlining wine or line of wines. If it weren’t for this bottle being sent as a part of several Taste NY samples, I probably would have over looked it on the shelf.

Pale gold in the glass, this Riesling jumps out of the glass with mandarin orange, peach and lime with some light petrol notes. For lack of a better description, the nose to me was very German. Fresh and lively on the palate with refreshing acidity in the package of a supple mouth feel. It finishes clean and delicious.

I was very impressed with this Atwater wine. Combining intense aromas, fresh acidity and a delicate palate this wine showed some serious structure. At this point the petrol notes are well incorporated but they may become off putting in time though. We’ll have to wait and see. In a playing field of many great Rieslings this one still shows that it can compete with the rest in the region, adding Atwater to the list of producers I mentioned at the top of this post.

Falesco Vitiano 2007: Italian Value Meets American Palates

Falesco Vitiano 2007
Umbria, Italy ($12)

There are countless times when you are looking for an interesting wine under $15 and get stuck with the same old mass produced California, Spanish or South American selections to choose from. Italian options in this range and style are limited to cheap Chianti, large format Montepulciano D’Abruzzo or if your lucky some decent Puglian bottles.

Unfortunately Chinati tends to be simple, Montepulciano tends to be thin and Puglian stuff can get overripe and dumb with vanilla and oak. This bottle of Falesco Vitiano is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the style of a super Tuscan that makes a case for your twelve bucks.

When I got past the initial aromas of alcohol I picked up some ripe plum, black currant, raisin and a hefty dose of vanilla. Rich and creamy on the palate with only a hint of astringency that ultimately keeps it food friendly. Overall dense and ripe without coming off as sweet, it has just enough subtle earth notes that I could peg it as Italian.

Since it’s easy on the wallet and easy to find, this wine is interesting enough for the geeks and friendly enough for newbies as it finds a happy median between old world and new. The Falesco Vitiano 2007 is where bulk wine and interesting value Italian wine come together to flirt with being overripe.

Statti Gaglioppo 2007: A Reason to Revisit the Italian Aisle

Statti Gaglioppo Rosso 2007
Calabria, Italy ($19)

Walking down the Italian red aisle at my local wine store with $20 in hand isn’t as exciting as it used to be. Let’s face it countries like Italy, France and Germany aren’t known for value. In the past my go to choices would have been Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Salice Salentino or a decent Dolcetto but these days I’m looking to try something new and these choices just won’t cut it.

Turns out a recent stop at Premium Wine & Spirits in Williamsville, NY turned up something inspiring from Calabria as Statti’s Gaglioppo 2007 was a label I hadn’t seen before. This 12.5% alcohol by volume wine from what I consider to be one of the warmer regions of Italy was accompanied by solid reviews from Tanzer and Spectator. Looking forward to my first taste of a Gaglioppo wine, I picked it up for $19.

First off the nose hit me over the head with black raspberry, which I found extremely reminiscent of Perry’s black raspberry ice cream. As it opened up it revealed some grapey notes along with more rustic aromas of tree bark and sour cherry. Its lively acidity and rustic tannins combined in the form of some slight astringency but nothing that a proper food pairing wouldn’t appreciate. The finish was strong with a lingering bittersweet chocolate flavor.

Overall a well made wine that certainly had its own style and flavor. The astringency dissipated on day two smoothing it out and making a case for this being a wine that can stand alone. Bottles like this remind me that Italian wine can never get boring even if you’re on a modest budget.

Rustenberg John X Merriman 2005

Rustenberg John X Merriman 2005
SImonsberg-Stellenbosch, South Africa ($30)

My curiosity with South African red blends lead me to this blend of 54% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 1% Shiraz from Rustenberg. Good reviews from the NYwinewench and WE prompted yet another purchase of a Stellenbosch wine, and this one is even more specific as it’s labeled as wine of origin Simonsberg-Stellenbosch.

The name of this wine is a tribute to John X Merriman, a Cape Parliamentarian, Minister of Agriculture and Prime Minister who bought the farm in 1892. He believed in the future of South Africa’s wine industry even after phylloxera devastated it. How did I know this? It says it on the bottle of course.

In the glass it shows crimson red with mouth-watering aromas of dark chocolate, spice cake, dark cherry, plum and some meatiness. Absolutely luxurious on the palate with ultra fine grained tannins and a mouth filling body. Despite such intense fruit and chocolaty sweetness it stays refreshingly balanced with its firm acidity. The finish is perpetual and as satisfying as I’ve had in recent memory.

As far as Bordeaux inspired blends go this one is a steal at the $25 to $30 price range. It drinks like a plus $50 red and in a few ways will probably outclass several in that range due to its complexity and overall mature nature. Great stuff and I’m dying to get my hands on more from this producer.

Sattler St. Laurent 2006

Sattler St. Laurent 2006
Burgenland, Austria ($18)

The St. Laurent grape is probably best know for being a proud parent of Zweigelt, if known at all. The other parent, Blaufrankisch has made quite a go by its alternate name, Lemberger, in the new world. St. Laurent hasn’t quite done the same and I suspect that even the most diehard wine geeks still haven’t tasted a wine made from this grape native to Austria.

I was one of the unconfirmed until I found a report on the promising nature of the grape in cooler climates including Prince Edward County, Ontario. A compilation of endorsements from wine importers and growers, this paper makes the case for planting the grape based on its potential for overall quality and its relatively short growing season (at least ten days earlier than pinot noir). Therry Theise called it “Pinot Noir with a savage touch” and author John Schriner has said “It comes across as Pinot Noir wearing hiking boots.”

With that my quest began. After scoping out the major wine stores of Buffalo I found one tiny suburban store that carries a Stattler 2006 St. Laurent from Burgenland. With a sleek steely label and an $18 price tag I couldn’t resist taking this one with me.

In the glass it appears deep purple with aromas of blueberry jam and blackberries with a slight gaminess. It’s lush on the palate with soft tannins and round feel but it’s noticeably lacking the acidity I associate with cool climate reds. The fruit is slightly lifted and I suspect that the grapes for this wine were slightly overripe.

This particular St. Laurent was fun and easy drinking yet I am not sold on it being such a hot grape to plant in areas where you can actually ripen pinot noir. With less ripeness and more acid it would have been something I’d pick up again. It’s a grape that every self declared wine geek should try and I’m satisfied that I added it to my palate portfolio.