Ok... so again, it's been a while. To a point where I'm almost ashamed but what can I say- my life in wine is a busy one :). To make up for lost time, I have three wines to review. The wines are from Mendoza, Argentine- not usually a go-to region for me, but I really enjoyed these wines.


2011 Martino Semillon

I don't drink a ton of Semillon. This is not because I don't like it, it just tends to be a food wine for me. It can show a range of styles in the glass from light and crisp to dense and oily. Semillon accounts for only 2% of the white wine production in Mendoza, but after this wine, I'll definitely be on the hunt for more!

Nose: this is super fresh with fruit notes of apple and orange making the first appearance on the nose. The fruit is complimented by a waxy, honey aromas as well as lanolin and white flowers.

Palate: soft and round but light on its feet, the palate confirms the nose. Without a corner in site, the weight of this wine is kept in place by acidity that does it's job without you noticing. There's more apple and orange citrus delivered with such balance all you pay attention to is how refreshing this Semillon is! If you picture the soft roll of an oaked Chardonnay but the fresh fruit without the oak masking, you get this wine.



2011 Casa Marguery Malbec

Malbec- the Cab Sauv of the 2000s. I don't always go for Malbec either. This is because I prefer wines with good acid, lower alcohol and structured fruit. Again, not that Malbec can not achieve my picky standards, but it just tends to be a little too in-your-face for me. Give it 10 years and I'll usually be more open to it. THIS Malbec, on the other hand, is different. It's got some self-restraint.


Nose: This Malbec has a dark and dense nose of blackberry jam and mission fig. I also picked up spicy barrel char, damp soil and grilled white and green pepper with a touch of balsamic vinegar.


Palate: Not shy at all, this brooding Malbec is earthy with more black fruit, coffee and black licorice. This wine is all about texture, baby- there's tannin here but it's soft and smooth from beginning to end. This is definitely a reserved Malbec if I've ever had one- it politely shows its character but with balance and a gentle hand. The acid and tannin keep the fruit in check without causing an interruption in flavor. This is full bodied enough for those who like a kick but does not have the screaming alcohol that can accompany some full-bodied, hot climate reds.



2004 Carmelo Patti Gran Assemblage- Cabernet, Malbec, Merlot & Cab Franc blend

My wine mentor has taught me to always get excited when you see a Carmelo Patti label. For those new to his label, look him up! He's one of the OG's of Mendoza. He's been making wines in the area since the 1980s in Lujan de Cuyo and helped to define Mendoza as a place to find quality wines. His wines show a more lean and Bordeaux-like style where earth and minerals lead the palate and fruit is lucky if it's given a supporting role. His wines have a style that show old-world techniques in a new world region. Patti still runs the brunt of his operation himself and if you were to go taste at his winery, he'd be the one to open the door and poor the wine- there's no corporate investment or humongous tasting room that reflects the deep pockets of foreign funding. What I love about him? He hordes his wines and does not release them until he sees fit. 4-5 years down the road is when he releases his wares, forcing thirsty winos to be patient for the big pay-off. For some reason I have this innate dislike of young wines- or I suppose the idea of opening them. I like the idea of waiting for something to mature and show you the whole experience instead of the instant gratification of opening young bottles. In a world where we want it all immediately, it's nice to wait every once in a while. You wouldn't pull a caterpillar out of the cocoon a week early- why do the same to a wine?

Nose: this blend is so not-your-modern day Argentinian red- you know this is old school! the nose shows intense rusty mineral notes, dry anise and funky charcuterie. There's a little hint of brett (barnyard-y funk), black and green pepper that fight to be noticed but blue fruit (which I usually associate with Bondarda) takes the front seat.

Palate: really soft and lean, the dense dark fruit is met with a barrage of minerals. Every shade of the soil is present on this palate with damp forest floor, dry red dust and the mineral-driven acidity being the life-line of the wine. Tannins make an appearance, but are paper thin.

On day two this wine is just as intense with oxidized molasses and sweet black licorice. The nose offers the suggestion of heat (high alcohol) but it's nowhere on the palate.

2009 Patton Valley Pinot Noir

 This Pinot is wigging me out. I needed a treat tonight so I grabbed a .375 of Patton Valley's 2009 Pinot Noir. I'm getting interested in Pinots (wine cliche) and have started working with someone from Oregon who's family grows Pinot (another cliche) and he tasted me on his family wine that was pretty darn good (reality). So- when one usually drinks $20 Pinot it's easy to not really care about it. Getting the chance to taste some higher end stuff lately (the perks of the wine retail industry) I'm understanding why great Pinot is held in such high regard.
 The nose is great. It has this foundation of dark berries that elevate to red berries as you keep sniffing. Leaving this on the counter and coming back five minutes later, it's a new beast. Cola is a common descriptor for Pinot Noir. There is no cola here... I get A&W Rootbeer. Yes, Root Beer. I first went herbal and thought about candied mint leaves. The wine opened up more to reveal some lightly charred bourbon barrel and then BAM- Root Beer. Now I can't get it out of my head. I'm loving it though- memories of being a kid... drinking Root Beer. I'm really enjoying the lightly spiced oak I'm getting from this as well. That bourbon barrel descriptor keeps sneaking it's way in.

 The Palate is light in the beginning, silky even. This Pinot is definitely about elegance and easy enjoyment. The palate picks up some power from the viscosity 14.5% alcohol can bring, but I don't find it to be obtrusive. There is a touch of heat to the back stretch, but the mouth-feel is more comforting and soft than hot so I'm happy with it. More spice here- touch of black licorice and pepper. The website for Patton Valley talks about Laurelwood soils in WA and OR that produce wines with more red fruit, but this palate is so dark to me. There is a neat, soil-y piece that keeps coming out on the palate and a touch on the nose that blends in so well with everything else. Think of sitting on dirt piles in you back yard as a kid- that lightly damp brown soil smell has found it's place here. There seems to be quite a bit of oak on this, but I find it really spices up the palate instead of covering it. It adds some complexity and doesn't rough up the wine at all. The blackberry, blueberry piece is strong enough to shine through the oak. Good digs for a Monday night.

It's been a WHILE! Not to say that I haven't been drinking (let's not get crazy here), I just haven't been writing. I've had this review scribbled on yellow legal pad in my purse for a week- I just needed time to sit down and add it.
 Ok, this week- 2009 Vignoble Terres Falmet 100% Cinsault. This is a Vin de France from the Languedoc region of south east France. This was brought in by a distributor for me and the boys at Crush to taste and I had to write about it here. When I taste wine I am always looking for something different and interesting. Though there is a difference between what I like in a sample and what I can drink multiple glasses of without food, my favorite thing about wines is texture. What the nose leads you to think how the actual liquid will feel on the palate. I prefer wines that are a bit rough around the edges when you first pour them. There is a time and a place for big, soft and round wines... but to catch my attention, I like something that brings the image of scuffed knees when I was a kid, or shag carpet- you get the idea. Something other than silky, velvety curtains (though I enjoy those as well).
  Cinsault is classically a blending grape in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc (who commonly use Rhone varietals). It's a bit more rare to see this grape it on it's own- but it is so great when it is. Tasting these supporting varietals alone allows me to find them in blends and understand what they bring to the combination- how they support other varietals and at the same time how they are supported. But lets start from the beginning...
 The nose is a bit brambly or has hints of garrigue- kind of underbrushy, earthy tones with herbs and spices. There is this light, dry soil aroma which makes me visualize dry brown stones. The fruits I found were along the lines of currant or cranberry on the front but they became dark like black berry or the smell of ripe plum skin. This reminded me of Pinot Noir at times, cherry and other red fruits at the beginning of the sniff and then a touch of that darker fruit to give the nose depth. It makes me think of starting to slide down a hill and you are high at the  peak (light, red fruits) and then it dips down low (enter dark fruits) before you slow at the end of the slope).
 The palate was a trip. This VdF is texture like I've never had in a wine. The fruits were confirmed and the mouth-feel was incredible! Swirling this wine around on my tongue combined with the flavor of light soil, I half expected to bite down on bits of dirt! The tannin was gentle but prickly and brought a very vivid picture of rolling earth around in a glass jar. This Cinsault has a similar weight to a Burgundian Pinot Noir- light with snappy acid and thin but taught tannin towards the front of the mouth. The fresh acidity really allowed the fruit to pop and seem more vibrant than it had on the nose. I did get a small sense of match stick which I chalk up to sulfur which did not dissipate as the wine sat open- by the second day it was still noticeable. On day 2 I also kept thinking purple Popsicle- not in the sense of sugary sweetness, but just fresh and sweet smelling fruit.
 I really got a kick out of this bottle and I hope to see it on our shelves in the Cellar soon. The texture of this bottle will stick with me for a while and I can't wait to bring one home and enjoy it over dinner. I see this being a great food wine- it's acid and tannin will stand up to small game, pork loin with a berry sauce or chicken dishes. I would lean toward an old world style of meat- nothing too clean, but nothing too heavy (not your steak wine). This could be a fun one to try with Coq au Vin.

Three quickies

Here are 3 quickies* I put together for the Cellar Wine Club September allotment:

2009 Flaherty Red (blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo)

With fruit reminiscent of summer berries but spice that screams fall, this wine seems tailor 

made to drink now. This is SO well balanced that it comes across as pleasant,
polite and pretty- the Miss Manners of red wine... not to suggest it's dull... there is
TONS going on in this glass but since one component isn’t sticking out more than the
others it's difficult to differentiate flavors - it just gives you a feeling. Syrah
and Tempranillo are so dominant, the cab is really hidden- lets say it lends its
structure to this red while soft, jammy Syrah and herbal, spicy Tempranillo take the reins
and drive.

2011 Talinay Sauvignon Blanc

This thing is bright, baby! wet, fresh green grass mixed with honeydew, Serrano pepper and
fresh squeezed lime... It's like the A.D.D. kid that missed his meds for the day and he's
giving you everything all at once. This slows a bit on the palate as its surprisingly soft
and round texture allow your senses to slow down and relax. That zippy entry and Sauv
Blanc acid keep this young'n kicking and (dare I say it) makes me think of warm summer
months (in some other state, obviously). Seashell minerals and clean, clean fruit

make this more appetizing than water when you're parched.

2010 Garage Wine Co. Lot #32 Carignan This nose is heady, dense, rich and stewy... not my normal impression of Carignan, but take one sip and the structure reminds you what you're drinking. Tart cranberry makes a quick appearance but falls away to those dark fruits from the nose. This palate takes up space (kind of like throwing elbows in your mouth, but elbows with huge, fluffy pillows tied to them). On the mid-palate, those brighter Carignan notes shine through as well as acid and young fruit tannin. Strawberry popsicle or fruit rollup come to mind but darken a bit to suggest Coppa (cured pork shoulder) with dried fruit notes laced with pepper and a touch of heat. 


*-note, Chad Culley edited my paragraphs so he made a few structural changes

2009 Noceto Sangiovese Amador County, CA-

                                                      

Well, I have the weekend off and the weather calls for 80 mile an hour winds through the weekend. It only makes sense to drink a bottle of wine throughout the day and take a few notes on it. Good plan, I say.
 I was delighted to see this wine show back in the AK market. Cellar Bottle Shoppe carried a previous vintage for a wine club about a year and a half ago and I never saw it after that. Thanks to Stellar Wines for bringing it back.
 As much as I say I'm picky about Chardonnay, I'm even pickier (or more judgmental) about American wines... I can't help it- it's almost embedded in the serious wine drinker mind (or written in our secret credo). SOME American producers (you know who you are) make a product that doesn't speak of its origins, dominates the fruit with tons of oak and kill the palate with 15+ percent alcohol. That's how you know your wine interest goes beyond enjoying a glass- when you find yourself thinking, "Gosh, this would be great if there wasn't so much alcohol in my alcohol". Not to say Old World producers aren't guilty of the aforementioned crimes... I'm just harsh on my own kind.
 Anyway, that being said, I love this Sangiovese. The same grape used for Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino in Italy, this grape found its home in California back in the 19th century from wonderful Italian immigrants who came to our neck of the woods to make some wine and a life. The nose of this wine is recognizably Sangio. Red flowers, dried blood orange skin, dried berries and a hint of fresh tomato. Noceto's expression has this underlying dark base that carries through the nose but allows the lighter aromas listed above to be the first thing you pick up. The dark flavors of mission fig, black pepper and black licorice create the perfect foundation for this velvety red. Despite being a California wine, the nose pays homage to the Old World with the brightness of Chianti Classico and the dark power of Brunello. If Fall had a fragrance it would be this wine. The fruit and spice components are a perfect example of the combination of the smells of changing leaves and Autumn cooking ingredients like spices, pumpkins, red apples and squash. It makes me think of Thanksgiving and it's only September. Going back to this wine a couple hours later, it has become much more perfume-y and herbal- lots of flowers, face powder (the kind your grandmother wore), anise and dried thyme.
 The palate is just as pleasing. You're greeted with that bright Sangio fruit and acid that elevates aromas of flowers, dried cranberry and Bing cherry. The mid-palate transitions into darker flavors of that same mission fig and very apparent black licorice and dark chocolate. The texture is very soft and drinkable due to a kiss of oak that certain California smoothness. Noceto oaks this wine, but I love how they refrain from oaking the grape expression away. The thin, taught tannin of Sangiovese is still offering its structure but is a bit tamed from the barrel. I want to say they use French Oak with a medium char but the spice and herbal character on this wine makes me lean towards some American in there too (their site does not specify). The tannin gives way and allows acid to finish the ride (a Sangiovese trait) but it's gentle in its approach and doesn't leave you with a mouthful of extra saliva. Every component seems to be in place here and I find it to be quite well balanced. I find it exciting to see that in younger wines, as I would pin this around 2008 or so in a blind tasting. It drinks beyond it's years and is in no rush to show you everything it has. If you give this wine the time to open up its really mellow and enjoyable with plenty to smell and taste.

2010 Otero Ramos Chardonnay

On to Argentina! This bottle of unexpected Chardonnay was brought to me by colleague and co-worker Jony Sandbom, owner and Alaskan representative of Alaska Team Imports- one of Alaska's few if not only wine importers. Jony is one of the pickiest palates I know (yes, at this point in the game, people are no longer people but defined as palates... ) yet one I respect very much. If J-Man gives me a wine and says he's into it (especially Chardonnay) then I know, chances are, I'm going to enjoy the ride. Bulls-eye.

 Otero Ramos is a producer from the Lujan de Cuyo region of Argentina. This is one of the first delineated regions for making wine in Argentina (before the news was out and EVERYONE started to buy up wine and plant grapes). <See also producers Weinert and Carmelo Patti> 

 First thing I smelled from this wine was minerals and fresh yeast. I could smell the nose before the glass was even near my face. This was SO Burgundy... but no, it's Argentina- get with it, Kirsten. Nice surprise. Returning to the glass, the yeasty notes meshed with aromas of used, dusty oak barrels and rich butter- again, Burgundy! These smells were so well integrated into the wine I was truly amazed. I have this preconceived notion that no one really knows how to make a great Chardonnay except the French, but this bottle is changing my mind. I also picked up this creamy, egg-like aroma that reminded me of creme brulee which made me wonder if they fined with egg whites. Some producers will introduce egg whites to a wine while in tank to remove solids from the solution (dead yeast cells, etc.). 

 The palate is ripe Granny Smith apple with a tinge of green (or maybe lime?) Dry, chalky stone is also on the palate and despite the aromas of rich butter and cream it is really quite light and crisp with super bright fruit. It shows medium weight where the acid and richness kind of play back and forth, allowing one to show off and then the other to take over. The oak and malo-lactic butter is there but does not cover up the fruit and acid of Chardonnay. It really smooths the edges of the wine but you can still make out the original shape. The acid leaves you salivating for another sip- which I gladly obliged, and leaves this buscuit-y, yeasty note in the back of your throat. This is a Chardonnay I would recommend to California and Burgundy drinkers- I really think it will fit the bill. Thanks Jony, this was an awesome treat!

2009 Cave de Vins de Sancerre L’Etincelle Pouilly Fume

I’m a sucker for the Loire and its minerally white wines so when I saw a Pouilly Fume on the shelf for under $20 I nabbed it.

 Sancerre is located in the far east of the Loire River Valley in France. They specialize in Sauvignon Blanc and the region Pouilly Fume produces a moderately oaked version. I’m picky about oak on any wine- especially whites- and when it comes to Sauv Blanc… it can go the wrong way dangerously quick. As funny as this sounds, my reasoning is in defense of Sauv B’s awesome acid and when a producer oaks the wine it softens the acidity. What I appreciate about France is they can oak their whites without completely eradicating the characteristics of the original grape (check out Burgundian Chardonnays). Pouilly Fume is a great example of this.

 The nose is flinty and smokey- not firewood smoke but almost ashy (think cap gun smoke). The flint characteristic generally shows up in wines when the grapes are grown in limestone soils of which east Loire has plenty. There’s a ton of wet stone and citrus here. I pick up lemon, fresh grapefruit and a touch of butter from what I’ m guessing is partial malo-lactic fermentation. I think if the producer allowed ML to complete its cycle the wine would show quite a bit more butter. The amount I pick up is well integrated, creating a lemon cream  pie filling effect. There is a light yeasty note on the back hand along with honey and white flowers.

 The palate does not disappoint! This is crisp and spicy as hell but it changes throughout the tasting. The mid-palate shows the butter, cream and doughy notes I found on the nose but just as you notice them that killer Sauv B acid punches through, taking no prisoners. The pepper and spice on this wine is pretty surprising- I’ll chalk that up to varietal as well as oak. All throughout this tasting there is wet stone protruding through each flavor.

 I came back to this bottle 2 days later and it had not mellowed at all. As it warms up, the flavors of fresh and ripe grapefruit really show and the body of the wine gains a bit of weight. There is a little touch of old world funk that is more apparent now- I think it is more of the yeast from earlier and it stands out due to the length of time the bottle was open. The fruit is really rich after getting more air and is now on the tropical side. It brings to mind honeyed or candied fruits like papaya and mango. This wine was great and I would definitely buy it again.

I drank this with a creamy smoked salmon chowder with potatoes, corn and truffle oil. The wine cut through the creamy density of the chowder and the citrus of the wine teamed up with the lemon zest I added to the soup.