Category Archives: Tasting Notes

Mourvèdre Monday #16: Sierra Salinas ‘Mo’ 2006

It’s been a little while since a Spanish Monastrell has made an appearance on Mourvèdre Monday. This one comes from Sierra Salinas in the Alicante region focused on the Monastrell grape.

Producer: Bodegas Sierra Salinas

Grapes: Primarily Monastrell (the Spanish name for Mourvèdre), with Garnacha Tintorera (which is not Garnacha/Grenache, but the same as Alicante Bouchet), Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Appellation: Alicante (D.O., Spain)

Vineyards: 10-20 year old vines in limestone and clay soil at 600 meters

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: 4 months in French oak (% new unknown)

Alcohol: 14%

Price: About $10

My tasting notes: The nose has a prominent dustiness coating the blueberry and chocolate notes. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and starts off a bit rustic, but smoothes out. It features raspberry and blueberry flavors with a touch of minerality and a dry, dusty finish.

Overall impression: Dominique Roujou De Boubee, who is a consultant for Sierra Salinas and has commented here a few times, called this an “easy wine”. I agree. It is not a complex, “thinking” wine, but a pleasant and enjoyable bottle nonetheless. Worth checking out at this price. B-

Free association:

More info:

Big pub scores: 90 points from Parker and 88 points from Tanzer.

Lots of ratings at CellarTracker (avg: 87)

Imported by Eric Solomon.

A profile of the winery (including a review of this bottle) is at CataVino.

Mourvèdre Monday #15 (for WBW #69) – Anglim

This is a special Wednesday edition of my yearlong Mourvèdre Monday series. I was very excited to see that this month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday #69 theme was the Mourvèdre grape, chosen and hosted by The Passionate Foodie (click through to learn why the sub-title is “Animal Cruelty”). So I decided to delay my regularly scheduled post to coincide. I can’t wait to read all the other posts that come in for WBW #69. It should give me plenty of wines to add to my Mourvèdre Monday to-do list.

The wine I’ve chosen has been on that to-do list for a while. Twitter pal Lisa Dinsmore of @DailyWine, who is a great source of info on Paso Robles and other Central Coast wines, recommended it to me when I first launched the Mourvèdre Monday series. I couldn’t find it locally, so I was very happy when the winery offered to send me a sample.

As I’ve noted here before, Paso Robles is a hot-spot for Rhône varietals and blends. I’ve featured a couple already in this series, including last week’s Calcareous. Our WBW host, The Passionate Foodie, had a nice post about Paso a couple months ago, in which he talks about it’s relationship with the Rhône varieties. I commented there, and repeat here, that rather than try to find a “signature grape”, it’d be much more interesting to me if they became “Paso Rhone-bles” (I still haven’t trademarked that) and developed around all the Rhône varieties. However, it does seem like the big recent wine region success stories involve a single variety, e.g., New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Argentine Malbec, etc. So I understand why they might want to focus. Well, Paso, if you must focus on one grape, how about Mourvèdre?

Back to Anglim – They’re one of those hobbyist-turned-pro stories and while they don’t own any vineyards, they are very vineyard-centric, seeking out quality growers and releasing several vineyard-designate wines. While they produce Cab, Zin and Pinot Noir, their focus is on Rhône varietals and blends, including Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and this Mourvèdre. Let’s check this one out.

Producer: Anglim Winery

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Paso Robles (AVA, California)

Vineyards: Hastings Ranch Vineyard, in the Adelaida region of Paso Robles. At 1800 feet, it is one of the area’s highest elevation vineyards. They have 3.3 acres planted to Mourvèdre.

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: Primary fermentation was done with the juice on top of Viognier lees. The wine spent 17 months in French oak, 20% new. Unfined and unfiltered.

Alcohol: 14.9%

Price: $34

My tasting notes: The wine starts off with a big snootful of spicy, black-pepperiness (the winery says white pepper) and a hint of green olives accenting the somewhat secondary dark fruit aromas. There is also a note of woodsmoke. On the palate, I’m first struck by a very polished mouthfeel delivering the juicy blackberry and plum fruit. But there is a nice savory herbal quality as well. The oak is present, but nicely restrained. The wine has a dry, grippy finish that I enjoy, even if it’s a tad hot at 14.9%.

Overall impression: Regular readers of this series will probably have figured out my palate at this point and know what I like about, and what I look for in, Mourvèdre-based wines: dark, delicious fruit strongly accented by interesting savory characteristics. And this wine delivers in spades. Really good stuff. If you want to check out what this grape can do in Paso, this is a great wine to try. A-/B+

Free association:

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mouser-nerdbot/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

More info:

This bottle was provided as a sample from the winery.

Production: 233 cases

Big publication scores: 90 points from Josh Raynolds of Tanzer’s IWC and 88 points from James Laube in Wine Spectator.

Other blogger reviews at The Passionate Foodie (our WBW #69 host – I didn’t realize he had reviewed this wine on his site.), DailyWine and The Vino File.

Anglim also uses Mourvèdre in a GSM blend they call Cerise and in their 09 Rosé.

8 Sauvignon Blancs from Chile (#SBChile Roundup)

I had the good fortune to participate in last Wednesday night’s Wines of Chile #SBChile online tasting, along with 50 other wine bloggers. The event brought together eight examples of 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from eight Chilean wineries. The host, Fred Dexheimer (@FredDexMS), led the tasting via video conference with the eight winemakers also on video. I liked this format, as it was nice to get to see and hear from the winemakers about their wines and have questions answered, though occasional technical difficulties meant I only heard about half of it.

What about the wine? I was very excited to be able to taste eight different bottles from the same grape variety and same region. And, as you’ll see, I came away pretty impressed with what Chile can do with Sauvignon Blanc.

(Note: all wines were provided as samples by Wines of Chile)

Below are my thoughts on each wine:

Wine #1: Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009 Casablanca Valley ($10.99)

This reasonably priced and widely available bottle is crisp and fresh with a citrusy nose, and palate to match. A touch of minerality, too. C+

Free association:

Wine #2: Ventisquero Queulat Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Casablanca Valley ($17.00)

This wine serves up the greener side of Sauvignon Blanc on the nose, with vegetal and grassy aromas, while the palate is very mineral-driven and steely. Very lean (read: little fruit). C

Free association:

Wine #3: Underraga T.H. Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Leyda Valley ($15.99 – $16.99)

The T.H. stands for Terroir Hunter, so I love it already. There is an enjoyable green pepper and fresh-cut jalapeno note on the nose of this wine. Then the palate delivers a rounder mouthfeel (perhaps from it’s battonage regime) and a fruitier flavor profile than the first two, with melon predominating. B

Free association:

Wine #4: Valdivieso Single Vineyard Wild Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Leyda Valley ($21.99)

There was something amiss with this bottle. Oxidized aromas and flavors. I assumed I got a bad bottle, but most of the other bloggers had similar reactions. After the session, I got a note from the organizers saying there may have been some issues with bottle variation and another bottle would be sent to me. So I will wait until I get a chance to taste that before posting more on this bottle.

Wine #5: Santa Rita Medalla Real Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Leyda Valley ($19.99)

A fellow blogger (whose name I have lost) nailed the nose on this bottle as tomato vine. Once he/she made that comment, that’s all I could smell. In the mouth the wine is aggressive with grapefruit flavors and a tart/bitter finish. There’s something a little “beer-y” about it too. B/B-

Free association:

Wine #6:  Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2009 San Antonio Valley ($13.00)

After a very closed nose, the Cono Sur attacks your mouth with a laserbeam of limeade and a hint of residual sugar. It feels like it explodes in the mouth. In my notes I wrote, “It’s aliiiiiive!” The slightly bitter backend actually helps resolve the explosive palate presence. Definitely a wine I could see serving at a party. B

Free association:

Wine #7: Haras de Pirque ‘Haras Estate’ Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Maipo Valley ($12.00)

My first thought on the nose was herb-roasted chicken skin – and not as a pairing. The subtle, savory nose makes way for a lively palate with tart citrus notes and white peach. A slightly chalky finish. The most Loire-like bottle of the evening and, for me, the best value. Good luck finding an SB with this balance and, dare I say, elegance at $12 from California or France. B/B+

Free association:

Wine #8: Casa Silva Cool Coast Paredones Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Colchagua Valley ($22.99)

This wine offers an inviting tart pineapple nose then smashes you over the head with a tangy, zingy tropical palate. Truly vibrant, the fruit is underscored by a rocky minerality that I love. My favorite of the night. B+

Free Association:

Overall, I’d buy 4 out of 8 of these wines (and 1 was probably a bad bottle, so 4 out of 7). That’s a damn good ratio, in my book. I don’t know that I could peg a specific style that captures all these wines. Some were closer to the New Zealand style while others were more French or Californian. Either way, I will definitely be paying more attention to Chilean Sauvignon Blanc in the future.

Other blogger posts about this event are below. (If I missed yours let me know and I’ll add it.)

DrinkNectar

Under the Grape Tree

WineMcGee

Bottle Report (lots of detail on the wines here)

Image credits:
(1) http://www.flickr.com/photos/rakka/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

(3) http://www.flickr.com/photos/25904307@N08/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

(5) http://www.flickr.com/photos/dixieroadrash/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Mourvèdre Monday #14: Calcareous Estate Reserve 2007

This wine was shared with me by Mike Castleman, whom I met via Twitter. He heard about my Mourvèdre Monday series and recommended this wine to me. When we realized we were both in Austin, we planned to meet up and taste it together. Thanks, Mike!  I’ll have to return the favor soon. (Mike makes wine, too. Check him out at Castleman Cellars.)

For those of you who read my comment-reply in the last post and are expecting a bad wine review here this week, this ain’t it. I’ve lost my notes on the wine I had planned to post this week, so I substituted this one. As for the wolf dog wine, I’ll keep my trap mouth shut on that for now in case I find my notes.

Calcareous Estate Reserve Mourvèdre 2007

Producer: Calcareous Vineyard

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Paso Robles (AVA, California)

Vineyards: The winery has a single block of Mourvèdre amongst its estate vineyards on a limestone outcropping in Paso Robles’ Westside hills.

Vintage: 2007

Winemaking: French oak (time and % new not specified)

Alcohol: 15.9%

Price: $42 from the winery

My tasting notes: Juicy, sweet blackberry/blueberry aromas, with a big dose of oaky-vanilla and cinnamon. On the palate, the blackberry fruit is very intense and extracted, but smoothed out by the creamy mouthfeel. It’s like a blackberry cobbler with whipped cream. But there is also a wet earth and crushed rock sort of minerality at the back end that adds interest. Despite the 15.9% a.b.v., I don’t really notice any heat.

Overall impression:  A very confected style of Mourvèdre, but very seductive and fun to drink. This one will appeal to a lot of people, I think. B/B+

Free association:

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/margolove/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

More info:

185 cases produced

Mourvèdre Monday #13: The Pict

Mourvèdre Monday is back after a few weeks off around the birth of my baby girl, Lucy. I’m easing back into regular blogging. Let’s get things restarted with a bang…

This is one of the priciest varietal Mourvèdres on the planet. So I’m glad to be able to include it in the Mourvèdre Monday series. (Thanks to the winery for providing a sample for review!) Let’s see what the top of the market brings to the table.

Producer: Torbreck

Grapes: 100% Mataro (that name for the grape hangs on at some Aussie and California producers)

Appellation: Barossa Valley

Vineyards: Materne ‘Quarry Block’ Vineyard planted 1927 in the Northern Greenock region of the Barossa. Head-pruned bush vines. Sandy quartz soil.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: Two years in new French oak. Unfiltered, unfined.

Alcohol: 14.81% on website (14.0% on label)

Price: $180 (!) according to the website, but it’s available closer to $130 at various retailers online.

My tasting notes: I don’t use the word “redolent” very often (regular readers may remember the only other use on this blog here – an $8 wine!), but it’s appropriate here. The fruit aromas are cherry and blackcurrant, but wrapped in layer upon layer of spicebox, leather shop, coffee and an Italian salumi shop. Fascinating to sniff. Once I stop trying to identify all that’s going on with the nose and taste the wine, I’m struck by the terrific balance of this wine. It’s not huge on the palate, but there’s tons going on here: currants, wet earth, black olives, oaky spice, chocolate. And it’s so harmonious; nothing overdone or out of place. Ripe tannins, good acidity and a very lengthy finish (and not hot, despite the near 15% abv). A lot of sediment in the last glass.

Overall impression: The most well-balanced and complex Mourvèdre wine I’ve encountered. Loved it. A*

*the first full A I’ve awarded on the blog so far. The Pict FTW!

Free association:

More info:

This wine was well-scored by some of the big critics: 93 pts Steven Tanzer and 92 pts Parker.

Mourvèdre Monday #12: Trio Vintners 2006 Yakima Valley

Trio Vintners, a collaboration between winemakers Tim Boushey, Denise Slattery and Steve Michener, is one of the “incubator wineries” set up at the Walla Walla Regional Airport. They are a small lot producer and one look at their lineup lets you know they’re doing some interesting things: Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Syrah, Carménère and this Mourvèdre. Nary a Cab or Merlot in sight.

Producer: Trio Vintners

Grapes: 96% Mourvèdre, 4% Syrah according to the label. But on the info sheet they sent along with the bottle, there was this story…

Another thing that attracted us to this vineyard was that, as we walked through the vines, we noticed that every so often there was a vine with white wine grapes on it. Grower Art den Hoed told us he was surprised to learn that he ad been sold about 1% Gewürztraminer plants when he bought the Mourvèdre! He offered to pick around them at harvest but we insisted on preserving this accidental ‘field blend’ as part of the wine. So even though we don’t say it on the label, they’re in there, adding a flavor component that is unique.

I love them for that.

Appellation: Yakima Valley (AVA, Washington)

Vineyards: The Mourvèdre (and Gewurztraminer) came from the den Hoed Vineyard at 1300 feet above Yakima Valley. The Syrah came from the Rizutti Vineyard, which is in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: As they put it, they “aged the hell out of this wine.” 20 month in oak, a mix of new Hungarian, 2nd & 3rd year American and neutral French barrels.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $26 from the winery

My tasting notes: A very pretty nose. Soft berry fruit lifted by sweet spice/tobacco shop aromas and some floral accents (from the Gewürztraminer, perhaps?). I pick up a little smoke as well. I kept sniffing this one for a good 5 minutes before I took the first sip. On the palate, it pops with high-toned mixed berry fruit with a savory, peppery edge that I really like. An undercurrent of wet-rock minerality peeks through every now and then. The oak makes it’s presence known as well. Finishes long, but the alcohol shows in a cool-mint kind of way.

Overall assessment: The nose is seductive and the wine delivers a lot of what I enjoy in Mourvèdre: the savory, earthy accents to the Zin-like berry fruit. I really enjoyed this, my first Washington Mourvèdre. B

Free association: They had me at Gewürz…

More info:

This bottle was a press sample provided by the winery.

Only 153 cases produced.

Thea over at Luscious Lushes reviewed this wine and liked it, too. Josh at DrinkNectar reviewed Trio’s 2007 Tempranillo and 2007 Carménère.

On the Mourvèdre front, Trio also uses the grape in a very interesting blend that they call Riot. It’s Sangiovese, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Cool.

You wine bloggers headed to Walla Walla for WBC2010 should definitely check this guys out.

Chasing Venus Sauvignon Blanc 2008

A few days before the big #SauvBlanc twitter tasting a few weeks back, I found myself without any Sauv Blanc in the house (a pretty rare occurrence). I didn’t have time to make a run to one a proper wine shop, so I picked up something on my weekly grocery shopping trip. I don’t recall why I picked this one. Must have been the only NZ option they had at my price point that I hadn’t already tried. So how was it?

Producer: Chasing Venus, from Crew Wine Company

Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Appellation: Marlborough, New Zealand

Vineyards: I like it when producers name the specific vineyards and explain what characteristics in the wine come each. So I’ll reproduce their blurb in full:

Chasing Venus wines are produced from grapes grown on small family farms in the acclaimed Marlborough appellation. Griggs Vineyard is situated in an old riverbed against the eastern hills of the appellation. The gravelly, well-drained soils promote pronounced grapefruit flavors. The Race Track vineyard is, not surprisingly, next to a racetrack west of the town of Blenheim. The heavy clay soils contribute to the herbal aromas found in Chasing Venus. Comely Bank is just south of Blenheim in the alluvial soils of the valley. These grapes produce the layers of kiwi, lime and mineral notes.

Vintage: 2008

Winemaking: 100% stainless steel fermentation

Alcohol: 13%

Price: About $15

My tasting notes: The color is a bit yellower than many Sauvignon Blancs. On the nose, there’s…DAMN!…green peas! I hate peas. Little balls of pure evil, I say. A bit of citrus and some sort of metallic aroma. But my mind is locked on the goddamn peas. I collect myself and take a taste and I get plump orange fruit, grass and…SHIT!…more peas! A bit of soft spice and a lemon pith note. But again, all I can think of are the peas.

Overall impression: I actually think I might like this alright if it weren’t for the godforsaken peas. I think it’s pretty well made and when I could ignore the peas momentarily, some of the other flavors were kinda nice. I’d probably call it a solid B-. If you don’t think peas are the devil’s work, you might like this bottle. But I know for my palate, I would never buy it again, so I’m calling it a C-.

Free association:

More info:

6100 cases produced.

A few reviews at Grape Stories/CellarTracker (avg: 85) and one review at Cork’d (89).

Slurpin’ USA – Texas Edition

I had the pleasure of participating in Swirl Smell Slurp’s United Slurps of America: Texas. Each week they taste some wine from one of the 50 states and invite a blogger or two from that state to taste the same wine and share their thoughts. My blogger-pal Ben from Vinotology was the other Texan to join in the fun.

We all tasted two wines from Mandola Estate Winery: the 2008 Vermentino and the 2008 Montepulciano. That’s right, folks – Italian grape varieties in Texas. (Mandola was started by Damien Mandola, a successful restauranteur and cookbook author. The winery is on the same property as their terrific Trattoria Lisina out in Driftwood, TX.) While I truly applaud the gumption of Texas winemakers and winegrowers who aren’t just planting Cab, Chard and other “shelf-appeal” varieties, I have to admit that I did not have high hopes that the wine would be anything special. My experience with Texas wine (albeit limited) has been pretty spotty to date, with very few wines that I’d seek out again.

Below are my notes on the two wines, but please do click through to the full post at Swirl Smell Slurp to see what everyone else thought.

Mandola Estate Winery Vermentino 2008 Texas

Somewhere in between typical Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay in color. A bright, juicy nose: a lot like Juicy Fruit gum, in fact, (even the little foil wrapper). Plus a bit of pineapple, perhaps. Nice and crisp on the palate, bringing grapefruit and more pineapple, but not full-on pineapple, more like if you had a fruit salad and the last piece in the bowl was a piece of pear that had been soaking up the pineapple juice at the bottom of the bowl. Something like that. It finishes crisp and clean with a hint of green/grassiness, leaving you wanting another sip. I had pretty low expectations, but this is very solid white wine that I’d be happy to drink again. Definitely one for me that would surprise people in a blind tasting. B/B+

Interestingly, the grapes for this one come from Bingham Family Vineyards near Lubbock in the Texas High Plains (where Ben lives), while the Mandola winery is just outside of Austin (where I live).

Mandola Estate Winery Montepulciano 2008 Texas

It smells like a Tuscan wine with its dusty cherry fruit and a sharp earthy, herbal quality. But there is also an aroma that I can’t really describe, but I that associate with not-ready-for-primetime wines I’ve tasted in many a tasting room in Texas and elsewhere. On the palate, I get more Sweet-Tart red fruit, sort of like a two parts cherry, one part cranberry blend. Medium-bodied and smooth-textured. It’s totally drinkable, but not something I’d seek out again. C

I hope that the “not-ready-for-primetime” comment doesn’t come across too harshly, because the Vermentino proves to me that they know what they’re doing at Mandola. All-in-all this tasting showed me that I shouldn’t be so dismissive of Texas wines. And I’m doubly excited that I found a very good one so close to home (Mandola is about 20 minute drive from my house)!

Thanks again to Swirl Smell Slurp for inviting me to participate and waking me up to wines in my own backyard. Cheers, y’all.

Mourvèdre Monday #11: Cline Ancient Vines 2008

If memory serves, Cline’s was the very first varietal Mourvèdre I ever tasted, way back in the mid-90s in the tasting room. If it wasn’t the first, it was certainly the one that made me take notice of the grape. It’s been an old favorite ever since.

Producer: Cline Cellars

Grapes: 100% Mourvèdre

Appellation: Contra Costa County (AVA, California)

Vineyards: Cline has some of the oldest Mourvèdre vineyards in California, head-pruned old vines in sandy soils. I believe the oldest (120-ish year old) vines go into their ‘Small Berry Mourvèdre’ bottling, but this Ancient Vines bottling includes 80+ year old vines.

Vintage: 2008

Winemaking: The wine spent 10 months in dark-toasted American oak, 25% new.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: $18 from the winery, but you can probably find it closer to $15 at retail (as I did).

My tasting notes: This wine starts with dark fruit, cocoa powder (like when you dump a packet of Swiss Miss in a cup and that little mushroom cloud of cocoa dust erupts) and a savory/meaty/smoky quality on the nose. Nice. More juicy dark fruit flavors (dark cherry mainly) on the palate, with a latte-like creaminess and a faintly herbal note. The mouthfeel is slightly sappy and the tannins are unobtrusive, but without leaving the wine feeling flabby and unstructured. This wine put a smile on my face.

Overall impression: It’s always nice when the new vintage of an old favorite lives up to your memory of it. If you haven’t tried a Mourvèdre or haven’t found one you like yet, I think this is a great place to start. B+

Free association:

More info:

In addition to the Small Berry Mourvèdre I mentioned above, Cline uses the grape in it’s Cashmere blend (which I find to be reliably good) and also produces a Mourvèdre rosé and a Late Harvest Mourvèdre (neither of which do I recall ever trying, believe it or not, unless it was at the tasting room many years ago).

A couple of ratings on CellarTracker (avg 90.5). Can’t find any other blogger reviews yet.

Valley of the Moon Cuvée de la Luna 2006

Producer: Valley of the Moon Winery

Grapes: This is their Bordeaux-style blend, which they call Cuvée de la Luna. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot

Appellation: Sonoma County AVA

Vineyards: Various lots were sourced from Sonoma Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Mountain and other area in the county.

Vintage: 2006

Winemaking: Stainless steel fermentation, then 24 months is a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak.

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price: About $30 at winery’s website, but easy to find at $20 elsewhere online. (I got it as a gift from a friend.)

My tasting notes: For the first hour or two this wine seemed to actively resist observation, like a Stealth bomber or something. Eventually it opened up and started making an impression. Dusty/ashy dried cherry and fig on the nose. Nice smooth texture in the mouth with more fig and currant flavors with a bit of mocha and a modest minerality. The tannins are dry and a bit stemmy.

Overall impression: First impression was that this was a dud, but once it opened up I liked the not-so-exuberant flavor profile. I’d definitely drink it again; I’d just decant it first next time. B-

Free association:

More info:

3492 cases produced.