Madrid, but in Argentina

Specifically Guillermo Garcia LaMadrid. His winery, named LaMadrid has gotten quite a bit of press lately for being a very quality forward winery. I had been recommended to try some of his stuff. Work has not been kind to my desire to write and drink lately. In truth, I have been drinking wine, just not much worthy of writing about. In a blog dedicated to finding good deals on wine writing about bad wine seems counter productive. Maybe not, sometimes it is fun just to write about what I notice.  I participated in a blind tasting last week which featured wines from both Italy and South Africa. I nailed 4 of 5 of the Italians wines blind, but mistook all the South Africans for South American wines. I did pick out the varietal on 2 of the 5 wines, mistaking Chenin Blanc for Albarino and Pinotage for Grenache. This was a pretty good result all things considered for me, I really feel like my blind tasting is coming along. I thought to myself this would be a great time to brush up on some South American wines to re-familiarize myself with their terroir and traits.

LaMadrid single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Agrelo Argentina

With South American Cabernet I look for that bit of green bell pepper along with the tannic structure when tasting blind. I noticed some of that greenness anlong with black pepper and clove. Then I began to pick up on it’s meatiness. It had a chewy smoky texture like smoked pork BBQ, and finished with a hint of cinnamon. It had all the big Cabernet features, the cassis and leather notes with blackberry. At one point I said it reminded me of chocolate milk with its rich smooth texture.  I kept noticing how unctuous and juicy this was. Seriously, as I am going over my notes it reads like a thesaurus. This is really good juice. It is exactly what you want out of new world Cabernet. It is the iron fist in a velvet glove, a great balance of power and smoothness. I really think this may have been slightly blended with Syrah, not that that is a bad thing. It just seems that this type of concentration and body in 100% Cabernet is a rarity. Tell me what you all think; I value the feedback and all your opinions. Definitely pick this wine up, at $15 grab a bunch. This is a great keep it around wine that really over delivers. This is better than many $50 bottles. Trust me on this one, you will not be sorry. 

2007 Michel Pichard Sancerre

Being a huge fan of French wines I had to try a Sancerre for the blog. Sancerre is Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire region of France. It stands out from other Sauvignon Blanc with it's bright acidity and minerality.   It is completely compared to the New Zealand stuff that is popular now. It is also a bit of a luxury wine. This offering was $19.99, which is cheap for Sancerre. The wine offered slate and minerals, some grapefruit and loads of lemon zest. I also detected a hint of honeysuckle. It's color was pale straw and the nose made my mouth water immediately. I found the wine to be bright and tasty, a lovely compliment to cured salmon gravlax (if anyone is interested in the recipe let me know) I had made. The wine possessed a long finish while cleansing the palate with its bright acidity. So, this wine was worth the money for anyone attempting to try a new wine, but not a standout. Don't pay more than $25 for this one. In fact, I have seen better bottles for $25. Nevertheless, I still maintain that the French make the best white wines in the world. Do you disagree? Send the the name of a better Sauvignon Blanc in the same price range or less, and I will review it and wax poetically and it.

Cheers,
E

The wine in Spain falls mainly in my glass (2 of 2)

While strolling around the local wine store I found a wine from Montsant, Spain. Montsant is located directly next to Priorat, a favorite region of mine. Both regions are known for very old vines that produce great wines. The difference is that Priorat has been “discovered”.  This wine was a blend of 85% Garnacha (aka Grenache) and 15% Syrah.  The vines are over 80 years old and the fact that it was unfined and unfiltered was completely intriguing. At only $11.99, this was a no brainer wine for my blog.

2007 Capcanes Mas Doris Barrica from Montsant, Spain

Capcanes is the vintner, Mas Doris Barrica is the wine’s name. Initially I noticed cinnamon, white pepper, and smoke. I picked up a little bit of a green quality and some bacon fat. Bacon fat might sound like a bad thing, but in this sense it was a good thing, a really good thing. The fruit was dark and very concentrated. It had both French and American oak that added structure and tannin. The mixture of oak also added vanilla and baking spice elements that really rounded out the wine. This wine is absolutely mouth coating, with a chewy quality that sticks to the teeth and gums. Right off there are powerful tannins, but they are silky and compliment the extremely extracted fruit. The old vines really produce great complexity and concentration.

Notice the nice packaging of this bottle. It has very heavy, thick glass, and the label seems to be made of a fabric, like expensive wallpaper. After finishing this bottle I noticed I didn’t have a ton of tasting notes. Sip after sip, I was only focused on how great this wine is. The Mas Doris Barrica gets 5 out of 5 arrows from me, and is probably the best wine I have reviewed for this blog at any price range.

Cheers,

E 

The wine in spain falls mainly in my glass (1 of 2)

The other day, I drank a glass of Rioja at a local restaurant for $10 a glass. Later, when perusing my favorite wine store, I was surprised to see the same wine sold for $14.99 a bottle. I am not sure really if it was a pleasant surprise; in fact, I was a little annoyed at my “by the glass” fleecing (even though I remember enjoying the wine tremendously.) However, it tasted like it had been open for at least a day at the restaurant, and I felt it warranted a fair and balanced “by the bottle” review. So, here it is.

 2006 Sierra Cantabria Rioja Crianza

Rioja is made from only one grape, Tempranillo. It is made to be very age worthy, and is available in many different levels. This wine is a Crianza, meaning it has been aged for at least two years in oak. It shows a dusty smoky nose. I noticed a nice acid and good power also. It was a little tight right off, but it showed hints of greatness. I was impressed by the well-integrated oak and dark raspberry notes. This wine was wonderfully complex and showed a long evolving finish. With the benefit of about an hour in a decanter the oak started to smooth out and the wine started giving up more flavors.  I loved the brightness of the acid at the finish, and found it cleansing to the palate. I give this wine 4 out of 5 arrows, and would highly recommend it to anyone. This is definitely well priced at $14.99 and absolutely what I would call a “steal”, but save yourself a couple bucks and always buy it by the bottle.

Cheers,

E

Aussie Aussie Aussie

Oy oy oy. Australian wines are known for a few things: They’re cheap, they’re fruit forward, and they are big. This makes it a perfect place for “The Hood” to research. To be fair, it is hard to call sitting around drinking wine research, it’s more pleasure than anything. I enjoy the whole experience of this blog. I love wandering the wine store with no idea what I want. There is always that “ah ha” moment when you find the right (hopefully) one. I saw this sitting on display at a local wine store with a RP score of 90, and purchased it. I then went and ran a bunch of errands, and basically forgot about it until about 9pm when I was really in the mood for a glass (or 2) of wine. Realizing that I had a Robin Hood wine to try, I leapt into action. I grab the bottle and my wine key, only to discover a twist top (stelvin enclosure). I thought "how convenient", and my girlfriend and I immediately popped it open. 


2007 Luchador Shiraz from R wines

Right away it was a fruit bomb, showing bright notes of raspberry and cherries with eucalyptus and pepper. Some hints of oak, but not a ton, probably was aged in used American oak. The Aussies are huge fans of the American oak as it gives enough flavor to stand up to the bold wines they produce. This wine was bold for sure, with all the power and fruit one would expect from those crazy Aussies. Alcohol was off the charts at 14.5%, but was well integrated. It had a definite viscosity to it, an almost chewy texture that stuck to the teeth and gums. I did notice a brightness that gives it a great drinkability. Not a terribly complex offering, but very good. Complexity is that certain something that separates good from great wines.  So I tell my girlfriend "I like this particular wine, but am not overly impressed." I follow that with the question, “What was this, like $15”. “No babe, it was $10 bucks”, “OH” So, for $10 this is a heck of a deal. For $15, which is what I saw as the average price online, it’s average to above average.  Great fruit and power, not much finesse or complexity. A good example of an inexpensive Aussie Shiraz, this wine is like a Aussie rules footballer. It has the brawn to turn your head, but not enough depth to keep your interest. At what I paid, $10, I would give it 4 out of 5 arrows and definitely recommend picking it up.

Cheers,

E

red or white wine?

please vote in the poll as to what you most typically drink, red or white wine. I realize that most of us really only drink reds, but I feel like we are missing out on some great white wines. My tastes in white are pretty much French only. I think that gives me a fun opportunity to try to expand my tasting to some interesting white wines. Let me know what you think by voting in my poll.

Cheers,
E

wine-ing with a little help from my friends

After the pirate invasion of Tampa Bay this last weekend a friend of the blog came over. He offered to blind taste a few friends on some steals he had come across. I don't have the exact prices or the names right this second. Truth is, we were already pretty snockered from the day's festivities. I am going to post this and then come back and do some editing as I pull all the details of the evening together. So here is what I remember.

1st wine I was way off on. It had a slight brick to the color an indicator of old world, but no rim variation another indicator of age and old r new world. I first thought french based on some color and earth. Then I decided it was South American, it had that kinda bell peppery thing going. I finally decided it was from Washington state and was a Syrah blend, probably a GSM. Then I thought, I am way to drunk to do this and I have no idea. I get a wonderful complexity with solid tannic structure and great finish. Turns out to be a carignan blend from Southern France costing about $10. We all agreed it was fantastic

2nd wine was bright colored dark ruby. Notes of min, eucalyptus and licorice. It had earth and was very mouth coating dry. I thought Italian, and again, I was wrong. This turned out to be the Foppiano Petite Sirah from Russian River Valley. Very solid wine, but I can't remember the price. I am pretty sure it is under $15.

On a day I had drunk way too much I was introduced to a couple of "steals". I will have these posts updated as soon as I can, I am just trying to write all I can remember of the evening. My notes are sparse and barely legible. Nonetheless, much thanks and respect to one of the great wine minds in my circle of friends. We call him "the spook" for his propensity to disappear at any time from any place. Thanks to him and all my readers and supporters. I appreciate the suggestions comments and ideas.

Cheers,
E

2007 Daglia Canyon Cabernet Rutherford

To all my readers, sorry I haven’t posted in a while. It’s been crazy here, between the Gasparilla festivals, the Warrior Dash, and starting a new job I haven’t had much time to write. I have, however, had plenty of time to drink. I wanted to try a wine that was recommended to me by an associate at total wine. Typically I don’t think they have a clue about anything there, but it was a '07 Napa cab, and it came from Rutherford, so why not?

2007 Daglia Canyon Rutherford Cabernet

Rutherford is known for producing very concentrated fruit, and many of the best cabernets in Napa call it home. I picked this up for $19.95, a little more than usual for me to review, but you pay for terroir. I opened and decanted this wine about 30 minutes before drinking to try to get the wine to open a bit. When I got to it, I noticed viscous concentration, dark ripe cherry, and the typical Rutherford dust. That dustiness is one of the qualities that embody the soil of the Rutherford sub-appellation of the Napa valley. The wine had notes of cassis, was very dry, and possessed a long lingering finish. I still found the wine to be very tight and decided to come back to it every half hour or so. The bottle says it is bottled in French oak, but I didn’t notice it within the first hour. I did notice a slightly off-putting metallic taste, almost irony, and thought it would continue to open up. After sitting in a decanter for 2 hours it developed some cedar notes, reminiscent of the inside of a cigar box. What I noticed at this point was that the wine had fruit, but wasn’t very complex, and it was extremely dry still. It was big, bold, robust, but the lack of complexity was disappointing. I returned 3 hours after decanting and started to get some of the vanilla notes that I associate with the use of French oak.

I have come to a conclusion on this bottle, and it’s not pretty. I would not call this a steal; it gets maybe 2 out of the possible 5 in my new rating system. It just never panned out. If you try this wine give it at least 2-4 years to mellow, and I would recommend decanting for 2 hours. This wine did open up quite a bit over 3 hours, and typically young Rutherford wines need that, but this just didn’t have the whole package. I would equate this wine to a one trick pony; it has power but no finesse. Oh, my original conclusion about the staff at Total Wine was correct. Clueless staff, but they do have a large selection of in-expensive wine. Trade-offs I guess. 

Cheers,

E

Stupid Ad Sense

I just realized there were advertisements on my blog. They have been taken down. I did put up a link to the Children's miracle network. Its a great charity, and I am proud to be able to support their cause.

Recipe pairing for the Anakena Pinot Noir

I have a great one in mind, but I am entering the recipe in a Super Bowl cook-off, so I will come back and edit this post with that recipe after the Super Bowl. Perhaps some of my loyal readers have a suggested recipe to post in the comments section? I will post another recipe, for you all to enjoy. This is my beer can chicken recipe, it is cooked in the oven and is very simple.

1 whole chicken
1 CAN of beer

RUB:
brown sugar
kosher salt
black pepper
paprika
red pepper flake
garlic powder
chili powder
onion powder

Directions are super easy. Find a home for 1/2 the beer (don't pour it out, that's alcohol abuse), cut the top off of the beer can, and poke a couple holes in the side of the can above the fluid level. The key to the chicken is to get it as dry as possible before rubbing it. This will make the skin crispy and delicious. Rub the chicken with the rub recipe above, making sure to pull back the skin over the breast to get the rub underneath. Add some of the rub to the inside of the chicken in the cavity. Place the chicken on top of the can so it is "standing up" and place the whole thing in a 350 degree oven. The beer in the can will turn to steam and keep your chicken very moist and tender. Cook till internal temp reaches 170 degrees F throughout. Be very careful removing the chicken from the can as it will be very hot. Wait at least 5 minutes before carving the bird to let it rest and reabsorb the juices. Serve with whatever you want on the side.

To try something fun you can brine the chicken for an hour or two beforehand. Also try different liquids than beer, perhaps a mixture of water and cheap white wine. I haven't tried that before, but imagine it would add another layer of flavor. Hope you enjoy this one.

Cheers,
E

Chilean Pinot Noir, WTF?

After some light Internet research I have found an FCC regulation for bloggers. I am supposed to disclose if I have been in any way compensated in the form of money or wine. I am happy to say I am not popular enough for that to matter. I walked into my local wine shop to purchase, at my own expense, something that interested me. The plan was a Washington state Cabernet Sauvignon or perhaps a Merlot. I love the density of the fruit that grows there. Then I see a wine called Anakena, which reminded me of Anakin Skywalker and I was sold. Not that I am much of a Star Wars fan, but the name made me giggle a little bit so I was sold. So here it is, my review of the 2010 Anakena Pinot Noir from Rapel, Chile.

I have to admit that when I saw a Chilean Pinot Noir I thought WTF  is that (no, that does not stand for “Why The Face”)? Chile isn’t really known as a Pinot Noir growing area, but I was intrigued to try it. Besides, at $12.99 I figure, "why not"?  Chile is, after all, known for having great wine values. This wine is a single vineyard offering from Rapel Valley. Typically single vineyard wines are great expressions of terroir and, as such, can be great learning tools. Terroir, btw, is a French term referring to the earth from which the wine grows. Anyone who wants to improve their blind tasting ability should really focus on single vineyard wines to pick up on the characteristics of the soil in any particular region. This Pinot started off GREEN with some clove-type spice and black pepper.  I noticed acid up front with round earthy, strawberry in the mid-palate and a juicy pomegranate finish.  I definitely noticed a little green bell pepper, which is typically my South American cue. There was also a nose reticent of bacon fat.  It does see a little bit of oak, although not enough to be readily apparent. There was some heat to both the nose and finish, an indicator of alcohol that isn’t particularly well integrated. This was a little surprising as the wine was only 13.5% abv. Chile is known for being extremely mountainous (you know the Andes) and rather rugged. This typically leads to very dense wines, although, that wasn’t really the case here. I wrote something else in my notes, but I can’t read my own writing there. It was at the bottom so the fact that I had about finished the bottle may explain that.

It was an impulse buying kind of day, although, aren’t they all? After buying the wine, I went to the grocery store to find something for dinner. Ribeyes were on sale. I know, I know, not a very good pairing, but I LOVE a good Ribeye. I rubbed them with a salt, sugar, pepper flake, whatever-else-type of rub and grilled them to a lovely Mid-Rare. The spiciness of the rub seemed to compliment the wine pretty well all in all.  The acid in the fore palate cut through the fattiness of the steak enough to cleanse my palate which made my next bite seem brand new.  It was a synergistic pairing for the most part.  The wine was good, but not great. It was only $12.99, so pound-for-pound not a bad deal.  It wasn’t what I would call a “steal” but a decent value. Time to break out my all-new ratings system; I’m calling it the arrow system. So, out of 5 possible arrows I give this wine a 3. I’d call it reasonable Pinot Noir for the price, but it won’t go on my list of steals … which I haven’t created yet.

Please post feedback as I am still adding content. Suggestions for content or wines I should look into are always appreciated. Thank you to all those who have supported my writing so far. This is a labor of love and I certainly do love my wine.

Cheers,

E

Fun food pairing for the 2009 Domaine Mas Du Bouquet

It has occurred to me that food parings and recipes would be a nice addition to my content. This poses a bit of a challenge for me as I consider myself a “foodie” and know my way around a kitchen pretty well, but my diet lately is all lean protein and low carbs. I gotta say it is totally boring to eat chicken breast and eggs every day all day, but I really have been noticing the difference this diet and nutrition have made on my body. I am beginning to realize that perhaps Brad Pitt abs are not in my future, a shame but not tragic. In these recipe/food posts I will try my best to offer healthy options that pair well with the wines I review. So with no further ado, here it is, Chicken with mushrooms and artichokes.

To pair with: Domaine Mas Du Bouquet 2009

Needed: 1 large skillet

2 or 3 chicken breasts

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

1 can artichoke hearts quartered (do not drain)

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup white wine

1 tbs capers

1 lemon

Broccoli Rabe or another bitter green vegetable

Keep in mind these measurements are mostly guesses, I never measure anything in the kitchen.

OK, take the chicken breast and “paillard” it. That means wrap that sucker in plastic and beat the crap out of it until it is flat and has an even thickness all the way around. That is going to make the chicken cook quicker and easier. Once done, season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Melt the butter with the oil in your skillet on med-high heat; once hot, add the chicken.  Slightly brown the bird, then remove it from the pan. Add the broccoli rabe, mushrooms, and artichokes (not the liquid yet) and cook until tender. Return the chicken to the skillet with the wine and some of the artichoke liquid. Reduce heat to low and cook until the chicken is done and the juices run clear. Add the capers, a squeeze of half a lemon, and, (if you want), a grate or two of lemon zest. Serve immediately.

There it is a healthy meal that is delicious. French food is known for being either refined and elegant , or rustic and hearty. I love the rustic style of this dish, and can picture a farmer in Lyon eating this with a fresh baguette. I hope you all enjoy. 

Cheers,

E

A relatively unknown Rhone red, 2009 Domaine Mas Du Bouquet

     A new year brings resolutions, most of which I have already broken, and new opportunities. The idea of writing this blog has been discussed ad nauseum by my merry band of winos. So the concept was hatched to write about what we find for great wine deals around town. They may not all be steals, some may be bad, but they will all be fun.

     

     So I wander the aisles of my local wine store looking for something interesting. I would really like my first review to be a “steal” so I am looking for lesser-known regions that produce great grapes. I have found over the years that there are so many relatively unknown viticultural regions making great wine, and even better, they are very reasonably priced. So I am starting off with a 2009 DOMAINE MAS DU BOUQUET from VACQUEYRAS. Priced at $14.99 it is right in my wheelhouse. I am willing to spend money on great wines that I tend to cellar and drink on special occasions. Today is not one of those occasions. 200 mother f’n 9, an incredible year for most of France, was no different in the southern Rhone valley. I want to take a minute to point out that VACQUEYRAS is a very up-and-coming region, making wines similar in style to the Chateauneuf Du Pape or Cotes du Rhone. They are predominantly Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blends that show wonderful dust, earth and garrigue. This is a go to region for me when looking for the French wine feel without the typical French wine price tag. Is that enough background? I hope so, because it is on to my tasting notes.

     I opened the admittedly young bottle expecting it to need decanting. It didn’t. The wine proved to be drinkable right away and improved greatly over the 2 hours I enjoyed it. It had a dark amber color, hints of the brickish / brownishness that one would expect from an old world wine. Dusty cherry nose with hints of earth and ripeness. Very slow syrupy legs are a dead giveaway of high alcohol (14.5% abv) but I never noticed any heat on the nose or palate. In fact, I was really impressed by how well integrated the alcohol was in such a young wine, never obvious or imposing. First thing I noticed on the palate, Fruit Punch. Try finding that on the aroma wheel. This is not, however, a sweet wine by any means. This red  is quite dry with powerful structure. It showed impressive concentration and a finish that lasted minutes and evolved into interesting complexity. The finish had tons of fruit and a bit of garrigue. Garrigue is the specific earthiness one finds in Rhone. Reticent of herbs du Provence, earthiness and lavender this wine is an excellent example of the term.  2009 produced wonderfully concentrated wines in Rhone. The perfect storm of climate and weather makes this wine seem very new world with it powerful fruit forwardness. I would drink this now and over the next 5 years.

     Conclusions? Yes, this was defiantly a steal at this price. I have spent scads more on bottles I didn’t enjoy nearly as much. This region is going to continue to become more well known.. I have the feeling wines like this, and really all the 09 French wines, will appreciate in value. As such, I would recommend picking up plenty of this crowd pleasing old world red.  

     Please respond with comments and feedback. I would love to know if you also enjoyed this wine and how much you will typically spend on a bottle to be imbibed the very same day. Your feedback will allow me to tailor my tasting and writing to all of you.

Cheers,

E