Argentina/Chile Tasting at Wine Watch

"Well I love my baby like the finest wine
Stick with her until the end of time"

Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan

You know I love my wine... and we did a lot of research in the month of August with wines from Argentina and Chile.  We hosted four tastings at the Edge and Cafe Maxx combined on the subject of Argentina and Chile, so we will finish off our studies on the subject of these two South American wine producing nations by having a tasting here at the store with wines represented by both countries.

It is not a secret that both of these South American wine producing countries are making excellent wines. You have top names from Bordeaux and California there for the last few decades and the potential for top level quality wines is just now starting to be scratched.  We are finding more value for under $15 in big reds and that is what people are looking for today, wines that cost $15 and taste like they are $30. 

If you like big reds it is hard to beat the wines of Chile and Argentina and we have a great selection of wines at all price levels on the table for this event.  This is a walk around tasting and we are limited to 35 tasters in the store. Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be making a few tasty treats to accompany the tasting wines. The fee for this tasting is $35 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Argentina and Chile Face off tasting at the Wine Watch
Friday, September 7th
7pm

Huneeus Vintners

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc La Gloria 2011
Price: $10.50       Sale $9.24                            Case $107

 winemaker's notes:  Good clarity with light straw color. Medium-bodied with tropical and citrus fruit flavors of white grapefruit and lime with a long crisp finish and some minerality.

Veramonte Chardonnay Reserva 2010
Price: $11.00       Sale $9.68                            Case $112

 winemaker's notes: Intense golden yellow. Fresh tropical fruit aromas with a hint of toasty oak. Peach and nectarine flavors with a hint of banana and a fresh vibrant finish. Chile's Casablanca Valley is surrounded by coastal mountain ranges creating a diversity of unique microclimates and terroir. Its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provides an exceptionally long growing season for intense fruit flavors.

Veramonte Pinot Noir Reserva 2010
Price: $13.75       Sale $12.10          Case $140

 winemaker's notes:  Casablanca Valley's cool growing conditions are perfect for Pinot Noir. Using artisan winemaking techniques, Veramonte Pinot Noir becomes a soft, round, medium-bodied wine with complex flavors of red berries and spice balanced with soft, silky tannins.

Veramonte Merlot Reserva Casablanca 2008
Price: $11.00       Sale $9.68                            Case $112

(86 Points)  Shows nice, supple-textured red berry and damson plum fruit with a lacing of tobacco that runs through the medium-weight finish. Drink now. 10,000 cases made. –JM  Wine Spectator  Issue: Jul 31, 2010

Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon El Caballero 2009
Price: $11.00       Sale $9.68                            Case $112

(88 Points)  Wild berry, spice and game flavors mix in this fresh red, with dark notes of tar, sage and licorice filling the finish. Drink now. 13,000 cases made. –NW  Wine Spectator, Issue: Dec 31, 2011

Terlato

Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc Grand Selection Rapel Valley 2011
Price: $20.25       Sale $17.82          Case $207

asa Grand Selection Sauvignon Blanc is hand-harvested at night in our Las Kuras Vineyard (in the Rapel Valley), which is unique for its stony soil. Hand-harvesting at night enhances the fruitiness and crispness of the grapes, and also helps reduce the use of energy at the winery, since there is no need for additional cooling in the cellar. Strict quality control continues at the winery through a state of the art optical berry selector, Vistalys, which chooses only the freshest and purest grapes for our wines. Before bottling, we added 11% of Semillon (from old vines in the Apalta Vineyard) in order to intensify the nose and round out the mid-palate.

Cuatro Dominio Pinot Grigio Lote 44 Argentina 2011
Price: $11.75       Sale $10.34          Case $120

Javier Catena's family has grown vines in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Mendoza for over four generations. Cuarto Dominio's "Lote 44" wines come from a special lot selection in the high altitude vineyards of the Uco Valley in Mendoza, which sit 1,100 meters above sea level. The soil is sandy and rocky. The climate typically presents hot days and colder nights, with a considerable temperature variation.

Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexander Carmeniere 2009
Price: $22.50       Sale $19.80          Case $230

A Blend of 85% Carmenère and15% Merlot. 

Winemaker's notes:  Deep dark purple red, very intense color. On the nose, expressive nose, with fresh black fruit aromas, spices, red pepper and bitter chocolate. Has smooth and well balanced tannins, with a good structure and a long finish. Needs aging - recommended for cellaring for several years or decant and serve at 60 to 65°F. An ideal companion for meats and elaborate dishes.

Tolentino Malbec Mendoza 2011
Price: $15                             Sale $13.20          Case $153

From the historic foothills of the Andes Mountains in Medonza, emerges Cuarto Dominino's Tolentino Winemaker's Selection Malbec. Tolentino is the name of a little town in Italy where President Javier Catena's great grandfather was born at the end of the 1800's. Tolentino wines are sourced from high altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley and represent the beginning of a family journey full of dreams, passion and hard work.

Bodega Cuarto Dominio Malbec Mendoza 2009
Price: $48.00       Sale $42.24          Case $490

Cuarto Dominio Malbec is the expression of two very smally and unique lots in the San Carlos vineyard, at 900 meters above sea level. The difference between the two parcels comes from the soil composition.

Extra Sips

2003 El Porvenir Laborum Syrah Cafayette Valley
Price: $40.00       Sale $35.20          Case $408

Wine Watch Review:  Coco and wild game notes to the plum and black cherry fruit on the nose, very plumy and jamy.  Soft and round tannins on the tongue with lovely ripe plumy fruit balanced acidity with light spice notes on the finish. Finish 40+ EXCELLENT

2003 Antucura Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Mendoza
Price: $62.00       Sale $54.56          Case $633

Sweet tobacco toasty oak burnt campfire wood, cassis black currants with espresso notes and fresh plowed earth aromas. Heavy toasty smoky notes to the black currant and black cherry kirsh like fruit smooth ripe tannins with good structure and depth of flavors, finishes with a note of chalk with good freshness. Finish 40+ Excellent +

2005 Cheval Des Andes Mendoza
Price: $91.25       Sale $80.30

Very complex and layered on the nose with deep dark currant and cassis berry fruit a good hand of fresh earth minerality and toasty oak spice, sweet tobacco. Big and chewy with lots of everything layered with firm tannins and a lot of fresh plowed earth very Bordeaux like with a long seamless finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent +

Menu

Traditional Asado:  Marinated Skirt Steak, Argentina Sausage, Chicken Breast and Pork Loin served with Chimichurri and Hispaniola Mole Sauce

Wild Mushroom and Ricotta Flatbread

What I Drank Yesterday - Super Syrah Tasting Review:

This event was another one of our efforts to see just who's Shiraz/Syrah reigns supreme.  Northern Rhone, California or Australia.

On this evening the winner was John Alban on most tasters notepads that got top billing.  This new world Syrah producer is one of the pioneers of this varietal in the Central coast of California and is pushing the envelope in terms of quality for this varietal.  This wine is proof enough that they are making some of the best Rhone varietals here anywhere on the planet.

The Colgin from Napa Valley was another top pick this evening but the Aussie wines were strong contenders leaving the wines from the northern Rhone in the dust so to speak.  The fruit from these new world wines really took center stage at this tasting.  The older French wines were very fresh and somewhat austere next to these new world wines and although it may not be fair to compare these wines like this- it was a lot of fun.

The real stunner this evening was the 2002 Roussanne from Alban that was used to wet the palate as a starter.  I know this was not on the list but you always get a little extra at the Wine Watch “once in a lifetime” tasting event. 

2002 Alban Roussanne

A white to start that was a serious contender, of course from John Alban.  Beeswax, flinty, lots of mineral and light smoke, apricot and hibiscus flower.  Nice richness and layered finish with peaches and apricot like fruit with a good hand of acidity and layers of minerality through the finish.  Nice concentration and depth of fruit.  Finish 45+     Excellent +

Flight One - New World Versus Old World

2004 The Sequel Syrah Walla Walla       

This wine is part of the Longshadows project and is made by the great John Duvall, formerly at Penfolds and responsible for RWT.  Alan Shoup is the man responsible for bringing these winemakers from around the world to Washington state to show their talents and the potential of Washington State wines.  Sweet ripe plum and dark cherry berry fruit with a good amount of spice, licorice, soy and dark coco.  Very smooth and polished on the tongue with  lots of juicy fruit and a good amount of spice on the finish, big but still balanced.  Finish 45+  Excellent +         

2004 Colgin Syrah Napa                

Mark Aubert, Allison Tauziet and French Consultant Dr. Alain Raynaud,  A deep and rich wine with lots of Dark plum and brown spice, burnt campfire wood, soy and dark chocolate notes, hints of mint and dark earth.  Dark plum and dark cherry fruit, dark coco and fresh black earth very intense on the finish with some of that dark earth and peppery spice, still has wonderful freshness and balanced and has tannins that are still a bit dry on the finish not ripe and round but the fruit is here all the way to the end.  Finish 50+  Most Excellent +

2003 Alban Syrah Reva Edna Valley

John Alban is one of the pioneers of The Rhone movement, Starting in 1985, John Alban planted grapes for other people until he bought an estate in 1989.  Dark plum very sweet with notes of sundried fruit brown sugar, licorice, sweet tobacco spice.  Wow big and chewy but has ripe round tannins layered with dark coco spice through the finish with lots of spice and nuance to the end.  This wine is a blockbuster and was many of the tasters wine of the night and I would give it my nod as well still wonderful fruit and intensity with layers of spice and wonderful freshness through the finish.   Finish 50+                KILLER

2003 Chave St Joseph Offerus   

One of cult producers of the Rhone, the Estate vineyard ST. Joseph is the best value in the line-up but this is always the best value in the line-up.  Wet animal and fine herbs to the plum and dark cherry fruit, dried tobacco spice, notes of gravelly mineral.  Fine tannins with a good amount of that earthy nuance from the nose in the finis, dark plum and cherry fruit has good intensity and length through the finish, this wine showed nice fruit and still has lively acidity event despite this hot vintage.  Finish 45+         Excellent

Flight 2 - The Aussie Invasion

1995 Elderton Command Shiraz Barossa

The Elderton Command Shiraz has established an enviable reputation since the first vintage in 1984. It is truly one of Australia’s best and most highly regarded Icon wines. Accolades have come from the world over for vintages such as the 1992, which was chosen by the influential wine critic Robert Parker in his U.S. magazine the Wine Advocate as one of the world’s Top 80 wines. The 1995 Command was awarded 95 points by Wine Spectator and placed in their Top 100 wines.  Planted circa 1894, classed as a centenarian block by the Barossa Old Vine Charter. Deep alluvial silt over red and brown earths and limestone Eucalyptus, dark cherry fruit and black pepper spice and black licorice spice, but a strong Herbal note.  Smooth and silky on the tongue tannins fully resolved with a good amount of light cherry and plum fruit hints of mint and fresh earth nice freshness, very smooth and balanced, this wine is still quite lively wine with that coco spice and menthol through the finish.  Finish 40+    Most Excellent

1994 Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock Shiraz Heathcoat     

Dark plum fruit with soy and exotic spice, brown sugar and a hint of eucalyptus.  Smooth and silky on the tongue with hints of brown spice and hints of dark chocolate and a touch of mint.  Drinking at its peak but has nice structure and could last another few years.  This wine continued to evolve in the glass with a very rich and nuanced finish with dark coco and mocha notes through the finish.   Finish 40+       Most Excellent +

1993 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon   

A good amount of dirt on the nose here with black truffle and earth notes, a bit of funk here, barnyard and black spice on the nose.  Still has a bit of tannins on the palate with nice minerality here graphite notes and a hint of animal band aid like medicinal notes, brett?  This wine has nice freshness but also showing a bit of austerity through the finish.  Finish 45+                Excellent

Flight 3 - The old Dogs

1990 Ferraton Hermitage            

A good amount of fresh earth, truffle and black spice to the black cherry black raspberry like fruit but the focus on the nose is on the damp earth like nuance.  Still has some firm tannins on the palate with nice balance and a good hand of earth and dark, a bit of pickling spice, dill and herbs on the finish.  Finish 45               Excellent +

1983 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde              

A bit of dried meat and dried tobacco spice some red plum fruit.  Nice sweet berry fruit on the tongue with smooth silky tannins and nice freshness very spiced with good balance but a bit dry on the finish the fruit starting to fade here but still good freshness and dried floral and herb notes on the finish.  Finish 35+               Excellent

1989 Qupe Los Olivos Cuvee Santa Barbera        

A blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Mourvedre with notes of dried meats and dark spice and fresh earth very complex bouquet.  Smooth and easy drinking with a good amount of fruit still here soft tannins and tangy acidity, this wine has held together very nicely made by the Rhone master Bob Lindquist, this wine was on par with these great French wines- another win for the Americans tonight!! Finish 35+           Excellent