• About Vinotables
  • Tasting Meetings Summaries
  • Tasting Programs
    • Tasting Program 2020
    • Tasting Program 2019
  • Member’s Forum
    • Member’s Recommendations
  • Members and Operation
    • Members
    • Operation Guidelines
    • Tasting Tools
    • VD- Distinguished Wines Tasting Club

Vinotables – Wine Tasting Club

~ Notable wines that leave a lasting memory

Vinotables   –  Wine Tasting Club

Tag Archives: Chardonnay

Tasting No. 61- April 9, 2018 – Wines from Argentina and Chile

07 Saturday Apr 2018

Posted by Alfonso Sanchez in Tasting Meetings

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Argentina, Carignan, Chardonnay, Chile, malbec, Red Blends

 

 Capri Ristorante – McLean, VA

PRESENTERS: Mario Aguilar, Juan Luis Colaiacovo
TYPE :  Blind

 PARTICIPANTS

Members: Mario Aguilar, Juan Luis Colaiacovo, Italo Mirkow, Orlando Reos,  Alfonso Sanchez, Ricardo Santiago

Guests: Germán Zinke

TASTING OVERVIEW :

This tasting includes four wines, two from Argentina and two from Chile produced in boutique wineries not widely known.

  1. 2014 Antigua Costa, Wild ferment  Chardonnay, Errázuriz- Aconcagua Valley
  2. 2015 Yacochuya , San Pedro de Yacochuya, Malbec Blend, Salta
  3. 2013 Garage Co. Lot 47 – Carignan blend 2013, Viña Truquilemu, Maule River Valley
  4. 2013 Julio Julián,  Bodega Posse, Malbec Blend, Tucuman
  5. 2015 Imaginador, Pedro Parra y Familia, Red Blend, Itata River Valley

THE MENU

  1. Seafood Salad
  2. Trays of cheese, cold cuts and olives
  3. Gnocchi tomato mozzarella sauce
  4. Grilled beef steak (herbs and olive oil) and potaoes
  5. Dessert and/or coffee

INFORMATION ON THE WINES

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

2014 Antigua Costa, Wild ferment  Chardonnay, Errázuriz- Aconcagua Valley

The Wine: Winemaker Notes: With a light-greenish yellow color, the Chardonnay has a fresh, expressive nose with tropical fruit aromas fused with mineral notes and a subtle note of toast and brioche from the barrel aging, which greatly enhances complexity. On the palate, a zingy acidity balances out its lush creamy texture.

Robert Parker’s Wine AdvocateThe 2014 Chardonnay Aconcagua Costa was fermented in barrel with indigenous yeasts, and approximately half of the volume underwent malolactic fermentation. The wine rested in used French oak barrels in contact with the lees for ten months. It has a faint lactic nose with some smoky and spicy aromas, a core of yellow plums and waxy apples, as well as some hints of nuts with a commercial, discrete but incipient complexity; it has with an approachable profile without excess (quite subtle within the barrel fermented Chardonnays). The palate is medium-bodied, dry with pungent flavors, good length and lifted by lively acidity. This is a delicious Chardonnay at a very good price. Some 32,000 bottles were filled March 2015

The Winery: Don Maximiano Errazuriz founded Viña Errazuriz in 1870 in the Aconcagua Valley, north of Santiago. This valley has cool, rainy winters, hot, dry summers and moist Pacific Ocean breezes–ideal for growing grapes. Don Maximiano sent for the finest clones from France and with tenacity and perseverance transformed this barren land into a world-class vineyard. Today, the tradition of quality lives on with Don Maximiano’s descendant, Eduardo Chadwick–the fifth generation of his family to be involved in the wine business. Eduardo has overseen the modernization of the winemaking technology at this historic estate while maintaining a distinct identity for its wines, dedicated to producing estate grown wines of superior quality.

Read More about the winery here: http://www.errazuriz.com/en/vineyards/vineyards-in-the-aconcagua-valley/

Read more about chilean wines and regions here: http://winefolly.com/review/the-best-wines-to-try-from-chile/

2015 Yacochuya , San Pedro de Yacochuya, Malbec Blend, Salta 

The Wine: Winemaker notes: An inviting nose of smoke, tar, licorice, soy, black cherry, and black currant. This leads to a full-bodied wine with layers of succulent fruit, excellent depth and concentration, and a lengthy, pure finish.Blend: 85% Malbec and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Robert Parker: A blend of 80% Malbec with Cabernet Sauvignon grown at 2,080 meters altitude, the 2012 San Pedro de Yacochuya showed some restraint despite its 15,7% alcohol. The élevage lasted one year and it was in 50/50 new and used French oak barriques. But the fruit must have been so powerful that the oak is not perceptible on the nose, and it just contributed to the slow oxygenation of the wine. It has character and good complexity with a mixture of perfumed and soil-driven aromas that are quite serious and elegant. The medium to full-bodied palate is where the fruit also rules with dense, mouthfilling flavors and sweet tannins energized by good acidity. It has concentration and power both in good balance. Utterly impressive! 56,000 bottles produced.

The Winery: (From Wine Searcher) Cafayate is a wine-producing region in the north-west of Argentina. Located within the Calchaqui Valley, Cafayate is arguably the best-known wine region in Argentina outside of Mendoza, and enjoys an excellent reputation due to the quality of the Torrontes and Malbec that is grown here. Cafayate is one of the highest places in the world that is suitable for viticulture.

Cafayate sits at 5600ft (1700m) above sea level, at a latitude of 26°S (which it shares with the Kalahari desert in Africa). This high altitude is what defines the terroir of the region, making it suitable for viticulture despite its close proximity to the equator. The altitude means the sunlight Cafayate receives is more intense than in lower-lying regions, causing the grapes to develop thicker skins as protection against the solar radiation.

The altitude also explains the cold nights, fueled by westerly evening winds from the snow-capped Andes. Temperatures can be around 60F/15C colder than during the day, and it is this diurnal temperature variation that extends the growing season and leads to balance in the finished wines.

Read more about  here: http://yacochuya.com.ar/spy/

Read more about Calchaquí and Cafayate region here: https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-cafayate+-+calchaqui+valley

2013 Garage Co. Lot 47 – Carignan blend 2013, Viña Truquilemu, Maule River Valley

The Wine: Wine & Spirits: David Mossman started this company in his garage in the Providencia neighborhood in Santiago. Today he and his partners make about 45,000 bottles of wine each year, including 6,000 of this delightful old-vine, dry-farmed carignan from coastal Maule. It feels expansive and opulent, with tons of ripe red fruits flavor plus notes of violets and spice, all energized by mineral acidity. Although it will age with grace, you may want to pour it now with lamb kebabs.

Robert Parker: There were 19 barrels of the 2013 Truquilemu Vineyard Lot #47, which is from the Empedrado zone in the Maule Valley. This is closer to the coast full of granitic soils with some layered parts, kind of schists, which allow the roots to go deep. The nose is floral, elegant and subtle, a little closed at first, becoming deeper and more nuanced with time in the glass. The palate shows great, citric freshness with a thread of fine acidity going through its backbone. This is mostly Cariñena mixed in the field with other varieties picked and fermented together, but the Cariñena represents more than 85% of the blend in the wine. It has character, notes of the earth and also those violets only the best Cariñena can provide. Plain great, with a long life ahead. I had the chance to visit the vineyard later on and it’s one of those places that when you see them, you understand IT HAS to produce great wine. And in a fresh vintage like 2013, it certainly does.

The Winery: (From Wine.com): Garage Wine Co. began in 2008 with the idea of making wine on a small scale, a personal scale, by hand with the family. It was (and still is!) physical work, and a therapeutic complement to the hustle and bustle of the new millenium. Few in Chile, back then, knew what a “garagiste” was, nor were they familiar with the gringo tradition of celebrated companies having began “in the garage.” Viñas in Chile were large affairs, named after saints and owned by clubby families with long names full of double rr’s who presided over a rather closed circle. The founders of Garage Wine Co. patented the name anyway and went to work, quietly but surely, content to make wine barrel by barrel and selling it amongst friends and family.

(From the winery’s  web page)

“What’s in a Lot?
We began bottling wine in 2001 and we have numbered each bottling since then with a Lot number: Lot #1, Lot #2, Lot #3 and so on. Seventeen years passed and one of our latest releases, from the Las Higueras Vineyard for instance is Lot #72, that is to say, that it is the 72nd bottling we have done since we began in 2001. And that would be pretty much all there is say about how the Lot numbers work, save for answering the question: why so many?

Why so many bottlings? And so few bottles!
Small vineyards belonging to viñadores make for small bottlings, but the story of how we began working with so many is more of a journey. A long time ago we were invited to see a prized property about some old-vine Cariñena. We were shown a farm in tip-top shape, everything in order and with a fresh coat of paint. After seeing dozens of acres of well-groomed fruit we were shown a small section of specific rows that were available if we were interested. The broker spoke at length about the other well-healed buyers who purchased fruit from the property— we just wondered about what control we might have over the growing. What would it be like to be like to be the smallest customer of a large grower?And what would it be like to work with someone or a few smaller growers? Soon we began to look for smaller growers never imaging how small small would be. And this desire for greater autonomy over the growing— a seemingly small factor in the grand scheme of things would take us on a different path altogether.

We have grown a company around making wine from small parcels of old-vines that belong to separate small growers or viñadores whose families have been working these old vines by hand and horse for quite literally centuries. Conclusion: the reason that we have made so many short bottlings of 25oo to 75oo bottles is that we bottle the small parcels separately. “

Read more here: https://garagewineco.cl/

 

2013 Julio Julián,  Bodega Posse, Malbec Blend, Tucuman

The Wine: This wine has a great structure of soft and elegant tannins due to its maturation in French oak barrels for 2 years. The different varieties of grapes make this a complex and mature wine. The wine is a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Aged twenty four months in French oak barrels and 6 months in bottle aging.

The Winery: We have 20 hectares of planted vine on trellises with irrigation drip that uses high quality water from underground aquifers and is distributed with high precision in order to use it moderately. the projection to 4 years is to reach the 120 hectares of grapevine planted.

The pruning is a fundamental work for which we give special care to remove those sprouts that will not give fruits, remove the fruits in excess and strip the leaves off to achieve an ideal sunstroke and to assure the quality and quantity of bunch of grapes that we want to obtain.

The crop is manual assuring the care of the plant and the grape to obtain the best results both in field and in the quality of the product, the ideal moment the enologist determines it for degustation of the grape and the determinations of degrees brix.

Read more here: http://bodegafortaleza.com/home-2/

 

2015 Imaginador, Pedro Parra y Familia, Red Blend, Itata River Valley

The Wine:  A dark color and heavy aromas of savory berry fruits, leather and animal are less than elegant. This is more soupy, sticky and ripe than most Itata Cinsaults. Candied red-fruit flavors finish on the hot side due to 14% abv.

In the mouth the wine shows an incredible mineral attack from the granite soil, very fresh and long. This wine holds natural acidity and no oak

Robert Parker: There is a new red that is produced with old vine Cinsault field blends, from three dry-farmed vineyards in Guarilihue and Florida, planted together with a little Moscatel, Semillon and País, as all the old vineyards have a field blend with multiple varieties. It also has some 20% Cariñena from a separate vineyard. All the grapes from each vineyard were harvested and vinified together, and the blend goes by the name of 2015 Imaginador. It was kept in concrete and stainless steel tanks until bottling in March 2016. It has a really fresh, floral nose with aromas of acid strawberries, a touch of raspberry leaves and plenty of red juicy fruit such as watermelon and pomegranate… It’s very drinkable and fresh, with unnoticeable tannins. A red of thirst, and a very good one at that! 13,500 bottles produced.

The Winery: There is no published  information about this winery. Valle de Itata is south of the Maule Valley.  Traditional varieties still predominate in Itata, believed to be Chile’s first wine region, as the original vines entered through the port of Concepcion. This historical, cool-climate region is dominated by plantings of Carignan, Muscat of Alexandria and Pais (aka Mission, aimed more at domestic cosumption but adventurous growers are planting noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay with good results.

Read more about Itata Valley here: https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-itata+valley

VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

View full evaluation here: Summary of Tasting Scores 61

 

Best Rated: 2013 Garage Co. Lot 47 – Carignan blend 2013, Viña Truquilemu, Maule River Valley – 90 Pts

Best Buy: 2015 Imaginador, Pedro Parra y Familia, Red Blend, Itata River Valley – 89 Pts.

Tasting No. 52 – August 18, 2016 – Wines from Argentina

13 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by Alfonso Sanchez in Tasting Meetings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Argentina, Blends, Chardonnay, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Pinot Noir

cropped-notables.jpg

 Capri Ristorante – McLean, VA

Vineyards in Mendoza

Vineyards in Mendoza

CONTENT

  1. Presenters
  2. Participants
  3. The wines
  4. Information on the wines
  5. Member’s wines ratings
  6. Technical Note

PRESENTERS

Carlos Paldao and Orlando Reos

TYPE :  Open

 PARTICIPANTS

Mario Aguilar, Juan Luis Colaiacovo, Italo Mirkow,  Orlado Reos, Peter Scherer, Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Miguel Segovia, Lee Samuelson

THE WINES 

This presentation focuses

  1. Catena Alta – Chardonnay, 2013
  2. Pinot Noir –  Luca 2012 – Valle de Uco (Gualtallary)
  3. Bressia Profundo, 2011- Lujan de Cuyo
  4. Poesía, 2005 – Luján de Cuyo

THE MENU

  1. Mozzarella de bufala salad
  2. Gilled corvina fish and asparagus
  3. Lamb with rosemary sauce and
  4. Tenderloin medallions with shitake mushrooms and vegetables
  5. Desert and/or coffee

INFORMATION ON THE WINES

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

Catena Alta – Chardonnay, 2013  

Catena Alta Chard

The Wine: Winemaker’s Notes The Catena Alta Chardonnay shows an intense green-yellow color with golden highlights. The nose offers ripe white fruit aromas such as pears and peaches that are interwoven with delicate citrus and floral notes, such as Jasmine. The palate shows rich and concentrated ripe pear, apple and apricot flavors with a light note of minerality. The wine finishes long and complex with crisp, mineral acidity.

The Winery: Bodega Catena Zapata is one of Argentina’s high altitude Malbec pioneers. The Catena family began making wine in Mendoza in 1902. Nicolas Catena, third generation family vintner, was one of the first to see the potential of Mendoza’s mountain vineyards for producing high quality Malbec. In 1994, he became the first Argentine to exprot a world-class bottling of Malbec under the Catena label. Nicolas is joined by his daughter, Dr. Laura Catena, in their relentless pursuit of world-class quality from the family’s high altitude vineyards. Laura has done extensive work in introducing Malbec and other varietal plant selections, soil and climate analysis, and sustainable practices throughout Mendoza. Head winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, has been at Catena Zapata since 2002 and works with Laura and Nicolas to make wines that express the family’s vineyards and palate (taken from Wine.com).

As great artists tap their creative spirit to mix and match colors in the production of magnificent works of art, this wide array of distinct lot selections allows the winemaking team at Bodega Catena Zapata to engage in a creative, intricate process of blending in order to craft the final wine.

Starting with the 2001 vintage, our Catena and Catena Alta wines will reflect this new winemaking philosophy. They will be a blend of different microclimates and will carry the Mendoza appellation instead of a specific vineyard designation. The only exception will be the Catena Alta Chardonnay. We believe that at 4757 feet, the Adrianna Vineyard is today the best site for growing Chardonnay in Mendoza.

To some, this change may sound counter-intuitive. Vineyard designated wines are often thought of as being of a higher rank. But in Mendoza, as in Bordeaux, we are convinced that this art of assemblage will bring you a much more delicious wine. Read More Abot Catena Zapata here: http://www.catenawines.com/eng/winery.html

  • Experts Ratings: RP 90 Pts; WS 90 Pts
  • Member Ratings: 87 Pts.
  • Price:  $30

Luca Pinot Noir, 2012 – Valle de Uco (Gualtallary)

lucaThe Wine: Winemaker’s Notes: Beautiful garnet color with aromas of wild strawberries, saddle leather and cola root. A complex Pinot with notes of leather, spice, and cherry/raspberry confiture on the palate. Amazing aroma and finishes with an enjoyable Burgundian bent. Pairs well with foods such as lamb chops, grilled salmon, roasted duck or chicken, and game birds. Pinot lovers may just go ahead and drink it all by itself!

The Wine Advocate – “The 2012 G Lot Pinot Noir is produced with fruit from Gualtallary, a high altitude, chalky-rich soil vineyard in the Uco Valley. It has a ripe nose of red fruit, more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits, with aromas of Morello cherries, sour notes, and some subtle spice aromas. The palate is medium-bodied, with very good acidity, definitively Burgundian. This is a very good Pinot Noir.”

The Winery: Laura Catena is a fourth generation winemaker who grew up in a traditional Argentine-Italian winemaking family in Mendoza. Laura splits her time between Mendoza and San Francisco, California, where she is an emergency physician, university professor and occasional tango dancer. Laura had the vision of creating a new breed of Argentine wines: small quantities, artisan quality, and true to their individual terroirs. A pioneer of small-grower relations in Mendoza, Laura’s incredible, limited production wines come from some of Argentina’s best fruit from low-yield, high-elevation, family-owned vineyards.

Lujan de Cuyo (2,950 to 3,300 feet elevation): Mendoza’s most traditional vineyard region; best for old vine Cabernet Sauvignon and a jammy style of Malbec. Comprises the districts of Las Compuertas, Vistalba, Perdriel, Agrelo (Luca Beso de Dante) and Ugarteche among others. Moderate high desert climate. Deeper alluvial soils: clay, sand and limestone predominate.

Uco Valley (3,200 to 5,000 feet elevation): Named after an Indian chief who ruled the region hundreds of years ago. Comprises the districts of Tunuyan (Luca Malbec), Tupungato, Villa Bastia, Gualtallary (Luca Pinot Noir and Luca Chardonnay), Vista Flores, Los Arboles, Altamira (Luca Malbec), La Consulta (Nico by Luca Malbec, Luca Malbec and Luca Syrah Laborde Double Select), San Carlos, Eugenio Bustos and El Cepillo among others.  Cool nights, sunny days, low humidity, great night-day thermal amplitude. Alluvial soils which are very low in organic material. Shallow alluvial soils: sand, limestone and rocks of all sizes predominate.

Read more about Luca Winery here: http://www.lucawines.com/
  • Experts Ratings:  NA
  • Member Ratings: 88 Pts.
  • Price: $33

Bressia Profundo,  2011 – Luján de Cuyo 

BressiaThe Wine: This wine is a blend of  50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 10% Syrah.  The term “profundo”, deep or profound in English, is the best way to describe this complex wine.  Aged 12 months in French and American oak, Walter Bressia’s Profundo will unfold with each sip and convince you why Bressia is one of Argentina’s most celebrated winemakers. 

Intense red color with purple tones. Delicate strawberry, blackberry aromas intertwined with chocolate, tobacco, dulce de leche and vanilla nuances. Harmonious and elegant in the mouth, and a long finish

The Winery: Bressia Winery is a small project with wine of the highest quality. Bodega Bressia is a 49-acre family winery owned by Walter Bressia, a veteran winemaker of over 30-years and one of the most renowned winemakers in Argentina.  Unique among Argentine  winemakers is his belief that the true art of winemaking is found in achieving harmony through the combination of various varietals; all of his wines are blends of two or more grapes from different parcels or varietals.  Bressia believes “assemblages”, or wines made from different varieties of grapes combined in different proportions, is the key to making a “Grand Vin.” Each of Bressia’s acclaimed blends demonstrates his talent for transforming winemaking into an alchemist’s art where each bottle is the perfect amalgam of its various parts.

In 2003, after decades of working in collaboration with larger wineries, Bressia decided to pursue a dream he had always had in mind: creating his own tiny production, high quality winery.  His winery is completely in family hands where the product enjoys extra attention, which is a great advantage of small production wineries. The wines Bressia is putting his name on are widely considered to be among the best produced in all of Argentina. Bodega Bressia has a total production level of only about 50,000 bottles among 10 different wines.

View the winery profile: http://www.bressiabodega.com/vinos_profundo_i.html

  • Expert Ratings: WS 92Pts.
  • Member Ratings:  90 Pts.
  • Price: $50

Poesía , Luján de Cuyo  2005

PoesiaThe Wine: This wine is a blend of 60% merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2005 Poesia was barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a high-class aromatic array of pain grille, violets, spice box, black cherry, and blueberry. Smooth-textured, ripe, and sweetly-fruited, this elegant wine is beautifully balanced, nicely concealing enough structure to permit 5-7 years of evolution. It should drink well through 2030.” (Robert Parker).

The Winery: This is a small winery (13 hectares) located in Luján de Cuyo at about 3100 feet of altitude. Owned by the Gracin family who settled from Bordeaux and bottled their first crop in 2002.  They are dedicated to produce Bordeaux-type wines.

Read about Poesia Winery here: http://www.bodegapoesia.com/english/index.htm

  • Expert Ratings: WS 91 Pts.; ST 92Pts.
  • Member Ratings: 91 Pts.
  • Price: $75

VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

Rating Scale:

  • 96-100 Pts. – Exceptional
  • 90-95 Pts.  –  Outstanding
  • 86-89 Pts.  –  Very good
  • 81-85 Pts.  –  Good
  • 76-80 Pts.  –  Acceptable
  • 75 or fewer – Mediocre

Participants ranking, average scores and wine prices :

  1. Poesía, 2005 – Luján de Cuyo  91 Pts. – $ 75
  2. Bressia Profundo, 2011- Lujan de Cuyo 90 Pts. – $50
  3. Pinot Noir –  Luca 2012 – Valle de Uco (Gualtallary)   88 Pts. – $33
  4. Catena Alta – Chardonnay, 2013  87 Pts. – $30

(Commentary TBA)

See full detailed evaluation here: Tasting _52-Wines from Argentina – Evaluation

 

TECHNICAL NOTE

Argentinian Wine

(Compiled by Jairo Sanchez)

From Wine Searcher, The Oxford Companion of Wine and Wine Folly

08/13/2016

          Argentina is one of the most important wine-producing countries in the New World, and the largest producer of wine in South America. The high-altitude deserts of the eastern Andes have given rise to a high-quality wine industry and the terroir here is well suited to Argentina’s adopted grape variety, the ubiquitous Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, this is now responsible for some of Argentina’s most famous wines. Most viticulture in Argentina takes place in the foothills of the Andes, and most famously in Mendoza, where desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to make a terroir that gives rise to aromatic, intensely flavored red wines. Vineyards in Mendoza reach as high as 1500 meters above sea level, increasing levels of solar radiation and a high diurnal temperature variation, making for a long, slow ripening period.

          Nearly three-quarters of Argentinian wine production takes place in Mendoza, and in addition to Malbec, there are significant plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Bonarda. Mendoza’s position in the rain shadow of the Andes means that there is little rainfall, and irrigation is supplied by Andean melt water.

          Argentina has a long viticultural tradition, and wines have been made here since the 1500s, initially by Spanish missionaries and later Italian settlers. Until very recently, Argentinian wines were exclusively domestic, based mostly on the high-yielding Criolla Grande and Cereza grape varieties. Over the past 20 years, however, the country’s wine producers have raised quality levels and successfully consolidated an international export market. Argentina has risen to become the fifth-most-prominent wine-producing country in the world, following France, Italy, Spain and the USA.

Labeling

          In terms of labeling, a varietal wine must contain at least 85% of the varietal cited, while a varietal mentioned must constitute at least 20% of the blend. Reserva wines have to be aged from six months (whites) to 12 months (reds) and Gran Reserva wines have to be kept twice as long.

          As agreed with European markets, wines are classified as IP (Indicación de Procedencia) for table or regional wines; IG (ndicación Geográfica) for V. Vinifera wines from a specific region with certain minimum quality standards and; DOC (Denominación de Origen Controlado) for high-quality wines in which restrictions related to alcohol, wine making techniques, yields, ageing, and other criteria apply. Argentina has so far two DOCs, Lujan del Cuyo and San Rafael– and roughly 90 IGs. So far, the DOCs are used by only a handful of producers. Two locations in the Uco Vallley are close to the creation of IGs- Pajare Altamira and San Carlos- in Tupungato.  

Wine Producing Regions in Argentina

Mendoza

          Mendoza is by far the largest wine region in Argentina. Located on a high-altitude plateau at the edge of the Andes Mountains, the province is responsible for roughly 70 percent of the country’s annual wine production. The French grape variety Malbec has its New World home in the vineyards of Mendoza, producing red wines of great concentration, which are characteristically bright and intense, with floral notes and flavors of dark fruit.

          While the province of Mendoza is large, its viticultural land is clustered mainly in the northern part, just south of Mendoza City. Here, the regions of Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu and the Uco Valley are home to some of the biggest names in Argentinian wine.

          Mendoza’s winemaking history is nearly as old as the colonial history of Argentina itself. The first vines were planted by priests of the Catholic Church’s Jesuit order in the mid-16th Century, borrowing agricultural techniques from the Incas and Huarpes, who had occupied the land before them. Malbec was introduced around this time by a French agronomist, Miguel Aimé Pouget.

In the 1800s, Spanish and Italian immigrants flooded into Mendoza to escape the ravages of the phylloxera louse that was devastating vineyards in Europe at the time. A boom in wine production came in 1885, when a railway line was completed between Mendoza and the country’s capital city, Buenos Aires, providing a cheaper, easier way of sending wines out of the region. For most of the 20th Century, the Argentinean wine industry focused almost entirely on the domestic market, and it is only in the past 25 years that a push toward quality has led to the wines of Mendoza gracing restaurant lists the world over.

               Altitude is one of the most important characteristics of the Mendoza terroir. The strip of vineyard land that runs along the base of the Andes lies between 800 and 1200 Mts. above sea level, and it is this altitude that moderates the hot, dry climate of the region. Warm, sunny days are followed by nights made much colder by westerly winds from the Andes. This cooling-off period slows ripening, extending the growing season and contributing rich, ripe flavors to the grapes, which that do not come at the expense of acidity.

The rivers that cross the region runs down from the mountains that facilitate irrigation. Warm, dry harvest periods mean that winemakers are able to pick their grapes according to ripeness, rather than being ruled by the vagaries of the weather. This leads to a reduction in vintage variation, and consistent quality from year to year. Harvests also afford Mendoza’s winemakers the increased control over the styles of wine they produce – a factor, which has contributed to the region’s international reputation.

          The soils in Mendoza are Andean in origin and have been deposited over thousands of years by the region’s rivers. These rocky, sandy soils have little organic matter and are free draining, making them dry and low in fertility. This kind of soil is perfect for viticulture – vines are forced to work hard for hydration and nutrients, and will produce small, concentrated berries. The wines produced from grapes grown on these soils are often highly structured, with firm tannins, and have a distinct minerality that is often attributed to the soil.

While Malbec is undoubtedly the star of the region, there are also extensive plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Torrontes and Sauvignon Blanc.

          To the north of Mendoza are the regions of San Juan, La Rioja, Jujui, Tucuman, Salta, and Catamarca, the last two being even higher in elevation. A world-topping vineyard owned by Bodega Colomé in Molinos sits at 3000m. Low S. latitudes in this corner of Argentina are tempered by the high altitude and cold mountain air. Here, Argentina’s signature white grape, Torrontes, is grown, making an aromatic, floral white wine.

          There are also some wine-producing regions in Argentina closer to the Atlantic coast than to the lofty peaks of the Andes. Patagonia in the south is now home to two regions, Rio Negro and Neuquén, the cooler conditions of which are suited to creating wines made from Pinot Noir.

Neuquén

          Neuquén is a very young wine-producing region on the Patagonian plains of southern Argentina. Wine has been made here on a commercial scale only since the early 2000s, but the region has already shown both significant growth and promise. Wines ranging from good value to ultra premium are produced here, mostly from Malbec, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

The province of Neuquén covers a large area of northern Patagonia, just to the south of Argentina’s most prolific wine region of Mendoza. In practice, however, winemaking is contained to a scant 1400ha surrounding the small town of San Patricio del Chana on the Neuquén River.

          The first commercial vineyards in the region were planted after wine producers were encouraged by the international success of the wines of Mendoza. The winery that developed the land has since sold off pockets to other premium producers, encouraging the growth of Neuquén as a wine region.

The Neuquén viticultural region is markedly different from most of the rest of Argentina. Elevations here reach only about 1000 300m above sea level and   the climate is significantly cooler than in Mendoza.

          Strong desert winds and hot sun combine to provide a climate in Neuquén that is sufficiently temperate for viticulture. Warm, sunny desert days are followed by brisk desert nights, and the diurnal temperature variation that results extends the growing season, allowing the grapes time to develop fruit complexity without sacrificing acidity, and the wines are well balanced as a result. This windy part of the desert is fed by the Neuquén River, which brings melt water from the Andes to hydrate the vineyards. The stony alluvial soils are well drained, and allow root systems to grow deeply into the ground for minerals. The healthy vines that result produce high-quality grapes with an excellent concentration of sugars and acids.

The relatively cool climate in Neuquén means that although much of the region produces red wines, the quality of the whites made here is high has been recognized by Experts and consumers.  

 

 

 

 

.

Tasting No. 49 – March 16, 2016 – Wines from Australia – Victoria and Western Australia

14 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by Alfonso Sanchez in Tasting Meetings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chardonnay, Margaret River, Shiraz, Southwest Australia, Victoria

cropped-notables.jpg

Restaurante Capri

 

Australia Wine Regions.

CONTENIDO

  1. Presentadores
  2. Participantes
  3. Los Vinos y el Menú
  4. Información sobre los vinos
  5. Notas regionales
  6. Vinotables rating de los vinos

PRESENTADORES

Mario Aguilar y Carlos Paldao

TIPO :  Abierta

 PARTICIPANTES

Mario Aguilar, Jaime Estupiñán, Italo Mirkow, Orlando Reos, Peter Scherer, Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Miguel Segovia.

LOS VINOS Y EL MENÚ

Esta degustación es la quinta de la serie de vinos de  Australia programada para el 2015 pero pospuesta hasta ahora por razones fuera de control.  En esta oportunidad incluye vinos de Central Victoria, Western Victoria y NE Victoria, SW Australia and Greater Perth.

 Los Vinos

  1. THE CHOOK, SPARKLING SHIRAZ 
  2. 2013 VASSE FELIX FILIUS, CHARDONNAY, Margaret River
  3. 2012 TOURNON SHAYS FLAT PYRENNNEES SHIRAZ, Heathcote, Victoria.
  4. 2007 TWO HANDS MAX’S SHIRAZ, Heathcote, Victoria
  5. 2013 TERLATO & CHAPOULTIER, SHIRAZ-VIOGNIER, Victoria

El Menú:

  1. Anillos de calamares marinados a la plancha
  2. Corvina grillada con espinacas saltadas en aceite de oliva virgen
  3. Agnolotti a la crema
  4. Costillas cortas de res asadas, salsa de hongos con vino y tomillo, con papas           encebolladas
  5. Postre y/o café

INFORMACIÓN SOBRE LOS VINOS

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

THE CHOOK, SPARKLING SHIRAZ 

the-chook-sparkling-shiraz-south-australia-10576934The Winery. “As the bigger sibling of Woop Woop, the Black Chook once again represents a collaboration between Ben Riggs the wine maker at Penny’s Hill, and Tony Parkinson, proprietor of Penny’s Hill. The Black Chook is sourced from McLaren Vale, known for it’s consistent, Mediterranean-type climate and Langhorne Creek which characteristically produces Shiraz that is spicy, flavorful and elegant. Co-fermenting small amounts of Viognier skins with Shiraz adds wonderful apricot perfumes, at the same time as intensifying the deep rich color and velvety mouth-feel of the win. And what is Chook? It’s Australian for Chicken!”

The Wine: Winemaker’s Notes. The fruit is sourced from premium Shiraz growing regions including McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek with the result being a rich, luscious Sparkling Shiraz that is well balanced and food friendly. Showing wonderful smooth integrated fruit and a rich weighty texture across the palate. This is blended with a touch of younger vintage Shiraz bringing ripe juicy fruit characters to the finished product.

Experts Ratings:

ST: 88 Pts.

  • International Wine Cellar – “Dark purple. Powerful raspberry and blackberry on the nose, with a subtle floral accent. Sweet red and dark berry flavors are braced by zesty minerality and flesh out with air. Juicy, nicely focused cassis and blueberry on the finish, which is unusually energetic for this genre.”
  • JH: 88 Pts
  • ~Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar, 89 PTs: “(made from a blend of fruit from McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek) Vivid ruby, with a frothy mousse. Has bright raspberry and cherry on the nose and palate, with subtle white pepper and spice notes adding vibrancy. It is nervy and less sweet than most versions of this genre, with good back-end lift and tangy bite. Finishes with good clarity and a strong echo of fresh red berries. (Jul/Aug 2010)
  • Australian Wine Companion – “Light colour; a well put together light-bodied shiraz, with some flavour complexity, and the usual slightly sweet finish to balance the phenolics.”
  • Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  Deep garnet in color, the NV Sparkling Shiraz offers aromas of warm raspberry preserves, red plums and mulberries with hints of licorice and chocolate. Medium bodied and medium-sweet with balancing acid and a medium level of chewy tannins, it has a good persistence of bubbles and a long finish. Drink it now. (LPB)” (2/2012). 

Price: $23

 

 2013 VASSE FELIX FILIUS, CHARDONNAY, Margaret River  

Vase Felix

The Winery. Vasse Felix is located in the Wilyabrup ‘sub-region’ of Margaret River. Vasse Felix vineyards are also located to the north of the region in Carbunup, and to the south, in Karridale. The vineyard sites have been selected for their unique topography, micro-climates and natural irrigation. The best-suited grape varieties have been matched to each vineyard, and specific rows and blocks have been planted to correspond with topography and soil type.

The Wine: Winemaker notes. Pale straw in color with a green tinge. Elegant, fine and complex perfume with vibrant fruit fragrances of pineapple, white peach and delicate fruit ginger and wild mushroom nuances beneath. Yeast and fine oak contribute exciting layers of smoked charcuterie, spicy clove and stone flint. The palate is bright, fresh and luscious with white peach and mushroom notes and a fine-tuned structure integrating the wine’s mouth-watering acidity, fruit and oak. Its seamless, suspended palate finishes with a delicate citrus flower note.

Experts Ratings: 

Wine Spectator – 90 points. “Lithe and open-textured, with green apple accents to the pineapple and floral flavors, finishing with a hint of passion fruit. Lingers gently. Drink now through 2020.”

The Wine Advocate – RP 90 points. “The 2013 Chardonnay has a nose of honeydew, ripe nectarines and poached pears with a toasty undercurrent. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with asse Felix is on the cutting edge of modern style Chardonnay with their focus on lean, zippy and aromatic characters. A proven medal and trophy winning wine, the Vasse Felix Filius Chardonnay has delicious stone fruit and purity of acid and minerality. Has wonderful line and length that will accompany light seafood dishes wonderfully.

Price: $ 27

2012 TOURNON SHAYS FLAT PYRENNNEES SHIRAZ, Heathcote, Victoria

Tournon
The Winery: Seeking excellence in the land Down Under, in 2009 Michel Chapoutier bought two new vineyards (Shays Flat Estate and Landsborough Valley Estate) in the Victorian Pyrenees to set up the fully owned label, Tournon. Michel recognized two unique terroirs that would allow him to make distinctive wines utilizing the Syrah/Shiraz grape that originates in his homeland. A southern extension of the Great Dividing Range, The Pyrenees foothills and ranges create a remarkable diversity of microclimates and soils that provide wealth of variety for winemakers. The cool weather patterns and unique soil in this region are an ideal place for the development of Chapoutier’s biodynamic winegrowing philosophy, and of extending Rhône traditions. Like in Hermitage, Michel’s challenge is to show the diversity of this area by producing racy Shiraz from different type of soils.

Read more here: http://www.mchapoutieraustralia.com/content/tournon

The Wine: This spectacular Australian red wine features pepper, dark spice and black fruit on the nose. Gorgeous concentration here! Black and dark red fruit mingle with the pepper, dark spices and brooding mystery. What an incredible wine. It’s produced by a classic and respected Rhone Valley winery Chapoutier. This wine combines the concentration and lusciousness of Australian fruit with the finesse, balance and elegance of Rhone Valley reds. Decant for 1-2 hours for maximum pleasure. Pair with roast lamb.

Shiraz food pairings: filet mignon, peppery or spicy hearty meat dish, radicchio, and lamb cutlets. (Review by Natalie MacLean, named the World’s Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.)

Expert Ratings: RP Wine Advovate: 94 Pts

Price: $41

2007 TWO HANDS MAX’S SHIRAZ, Heathcote, Victoria.

Two_Hands_Bellas_Garden_Barossa_shiraz_2006_remc
The Winery: The Two Hands range is extensive, as we crush grapes from distinct regions across Australia, making wines from many different varietals across the four series in our portfolio, all produced on the estate.Since then our very first vintage, we have endeavoured to produce wines that truly reflect regionality, meaning that they show the characteristics that we associate with the regions from where the fruit was sourced. With the motto ‘quality without compromise’ central to  the Two Hands philosophy, our wines are selected through a process of barrel classification – selecting the very best barrels for the Flagship range followed by the Single Vineyard Series, Garden Series and then our Picture Series.

Read more at: https://www.twohandswines.com/

The Wine: This medium to full bodied Shiraz with hints of blackberry, fresh earth, herbs, game, iron and coal dust, builds presence and weight on the palate. Starting early, the tannins in this wine are savory and gravelly in nature. Remaining strong to the end, the tannins are accentuated by notes of black cherry and spice, and then pulled through to a long and complex finish.

Three days cold macerating prior to fermentation in five and ten tonne open top fermenters, with regular pump overs (three daily over peak fermentation) to extract color, flavor and tannins. Following 15 days of maceration the dry free run was drained to tank and the skins pressed to the same tank. After 24 hours, the wine was racked to barrel, where malolactic fermentation took place. Minimal fining and filtration is used.

Expert Ratings:

James Halliday: 95 Pts.  “Rich, dense and dark, with a cool overlay to the fruit; there is an element of cranberry complementing the tar, earth, spice and well-handled oak that delivers not only on the bouquet, but also on the palate; bright and clean on the finish.”

Price: $60

2013 TERLATO & CHAPOULTIER, SHIRAZ-VIOGNIER, Victoria

Terlato
The Winery:  For as long as Australia has been known for Shiraz, the Barossa and McLaren Vale have been the country’s areas of viticulture concentrations. In recent years, however, ambitious vintners have moved beyond these two South Australia regions, eager to explore the possibilities elsewhere and unafraid to test the world’s perception of what Australian Shiraz can be. Malakoff Vineyard – 46 acres of vines on an eastern-facing slope on the southern edge of the Pyrenees Hills in Western Central Victoria – is an example of just that kind of adventure and is proving to be an outstanding success.

A number of elements caught Michel Chapoutier’s attention when he was introduced to the undeveloped site nearly a decade ago. He first recognized that it is a region that receives ample sunshine; Malakoff has remarkable exposure, which allows for maximum fruit development and ripeness. Also, the upland territory benefits from cool breezes that stream through the vineyard. The result is an ideal temperate climate that lends the lieu dit Malakoff Shiraz its distinctive and intriguing flavor profiles, particularly its peppery taste.

Doug Fletcher, Vice President of Winemaking for Terlato Wine Group explains, “Soils in the region are mostly red podzolic earth over parent schists, shales, midstones and some quartz from sedimentary marine deposits more than 500 million years old. In these ancient soils, low yields of small, concentrated fruit are produced. Maturing slowly, the tiny berries are intensely flavorful. The Malakoff soil is also permeable and well structured, providing good aeration and drainage. These vineyards are harvested late so that the grape tannins are fully ripened.”

Malakoff is farmed based on the broad philosophy for which Michel Chapoutier is famous – emphasizing soil health. The focus is on maintaining good balance in the vineyard’s natural environment while working where appropriate and necessary to improve soil and vineyard conditions.  Identified as a phylloxera-free zone, the Malakoff vineyard is not threatened by any of the feared phylloxera pests. Thus, the vines can be planted on their own roots, a desirable rarity among the world’s great vineyards. Perhaps due to the absence of rootstock planting, the Malakoff vines have proved to be more vigorous in their ability to better tolerate drought conditions.

Read more at: http://www.terlato-chapoutier.com/

The Wine:  The wine is a partnership of Napa Valley vintner Tony Terlato and renowned French winemaker Michel Chapoutier. It’s a pairing that combines New World savvy and Rhône expertise for a crowd-pleasing and food-friendly wine.  You may be asking, what is Viognier, a white wine grape, doing in a red wine? It’s a tradition that comes from France’s Côte-Rôtie region. A small percentage of Viognier helps to soften the taste and texture of the wine, and adds fruity and floral characteristics.

This wine is 95% Shiraz and 5% Viognier. The grapes were de-stemmed and fermented in cement or stainless steel tanks, and aged entirely in tanks. This helps to give the wine bright and bursting berry flavors. Cherry and blackberry pie mix with spicy black pepper, nutmeg and a hint of violet. Soft tannins and good acidity make it a great wine for a range of pasta, vegetable and meat dishes.

Experts Ratings:

Price: $20

VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

Click below to see full evalaution

 GN tasting 49 – evaluation

Best Wine:  2007 TWO HANDS MAX’S SHIRAZ, Heathcote, Victoria

REGIONAL NOTES

(This information has been obtained from various internet sources, mainly Wikipedia and web pages dedicated to Australian wines as well as from the book the Wine Bible)

SOUTHWESTERN AUSTRALIA

 See more about this región here:

http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-western+Australia

VICTORIA

Read more about wines from Victoria here:

http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-victoria

 

 

 

.

Tasting No. 47 – November16, 2015 – Australia – Port Phillip and NW Victoria.

17 Tuesday Nov 2015

Posted by Alfonso Sanchez in Tasting Meetings

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Blanc de Balncs, Chardonnay, Marsanne, NW Victoria, Pinot Meunier, Port Haines, Shiraz, Sparkling Shiraz

Continue reading →

Tasting No. 43 – April 13, 2015 – Wines from South Australia – Limestone Coast, Lower Murray and Far North

07 Tuesday Apr 2015

Posted by Alfonso Sanchez in Tasting Meetings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Red Blends, Riesling, South Australia

cropped-notables.jpg

Mario

Restaurante Capri

 

Australia Wine Regions.

CONTENIDO

  1. Presentadores
  2. Participantes
  3. Los Vinos y el Menú
  4. Información sobre los vinos
  5. Notas regionales
  6. Vinotables rating de los vinos

PRESENTADORES

Miguel Segovia y Orlando Reos

TIPO :  Ciega

 PARTICIPANTES

Mario Aguilar, Carlos Algandona, Orlando Mason, Italo Mirkow, Carlos Paldao, Orlando Reos, Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Peter Scherer, Miguel Segovia.

LOS VINOS Y EL MENÚ

Esta degustación es la segunda de la serie de vinos de  Australia programada para el 2015, que en esta oportunidad incluye vinos de Australia del Sur,  subegiones Limestone Coast, Lowe Murray, y Far North.

 Los Vinos

  1. The lodge Hill Riesling 2013
  2. Aradia Chardonnay 2011 _ Penley State
  3. Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009 – Penley Estate
  4. Gryphon Merlot 2010 – Penley Estate
  5. Chertsey Reserve 2008 –  Penley Estate
  6. Cabernet Sauvignon – Penforlds –Bin 407- 2010

El Menú

  1. Esnalada de maricos fría con tocineta y radichio
  2. Ensalada Ceasar
  3. Ravioli de ternera en sala aurora
  4. Codero con slasa de romero y champigñones y vegetales asados

INFORMACIÓN SOBRE LOS VINOS

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

Aradia Chardonnay 2011 – Penley Estate

AradiaThe Vineyard and the Winery.  Penley Estate’s 166 Ha estate is situated in Australia’s famous Cabernet Sauvignon district, Coonawarra. When Kym purchased the land it was a green site and now there is currently there is 111 hectares under vine including cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, shiraz, merlot, pinot noir, pinot munier and chardonnay. The vineyard is established on limestone covered by the famous ‘terra rossa’ soil of the Coonawarra. This, combined with ideal cool climatic conditions and an abundance of sunshine make a perfect location for vine growing.

In 1989 Penley made its first vintage, 10 years later in 1999, Penley made its first vintage in its new state of the art winery, where Kym Tolley uses a blend of modern and traditional winemaking techniques to produce Penley’s range of wines. The Cellar Door – Penley’s shop window was opened in 2001 allowing wine lovers to taste and visit the home of Penley Estate.

The key to Penley Estate’s wine is balance. Kym Tolley has the ability to integrate wood, fruit and flavour to ensure that all of our wines have great elegance, integration and finesse. Part of this style comes from the intensely rich and sweet characteristics of the Coonawarra district, but it is also reinforced by Penley Estates edict only to produce the best.  Read more at: http://www.penley.com.au/

The Wine.   This chardonnay has been made to be crisp with fresh fruit characters and a hint of soft oak that will allow some maturation if required. The colour is medium yellow with touches of grapey green. The aroma is emphasised by melon and fresh citrus fruits with a hint of biscuity and nutty complexes achieved by aging on yeast lees and the very light use of soft French oak. A finely layered palate with harmonious and sensuous flavours of melons and grapefruit. The subtle oak enhances the varietal flavours without overpowering them and leads to a silky soft finish. Read more about this wine here: http://www.penley.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/11-AR-TST1.pdf

 

Alcohol: 13%; Price: $16

Experts Ratings: 

 Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Riesling – 2013

Jim Barry

 

The Wine: Winemaker’s Notes.  The wine in the glass has crystal-like clarity, with a straw colour and green hues. The nose has lifted aromas of brown lime, papaya, white peach, tangelo and cumquats. On the palate enticing flavours fill the mouth with intense pink grapefruit, feijoa, green mango at the forefront and hints of ginger and lemongrass playing a supporting role. A tight natural acid backbone keeps the palate focussed and refreshing.

Alcohol: 13%; Price:$ 18

Experts Ratings: WE: 90 pts., WS: 90 Pts.: WA: 90 Pts.

Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2009 – Penley Estate

Cab ResThe Wine: Complex,fresh with black currant leaf notes, touch of mulberry and blackberry fruits interwoven with hints of wild berries and violets.The oak is quite prominent displaying some dusty and vanillin characters on the nose which over time will integrate into the wine thereby adding further complexity to the nose. A very full bodied and luscious wine, whilst still young is showing strong juicy-like tannins which will become more silky and velvety with time and evolve as the wine ages.  Read more about this wine here:  http://www.penley.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2009-Reserve-Cabernet-Sauvignon-Tasting-Notes.pdf

Price: $42

Expert Ratings: ST: 92; W&S: 90

Gryphon Merlot 2010 – Penley Estate

GryphonThe Wine: This wine has a deep colour with strong red purple hues.  The bouquet is quite complex with distinct floral notes and ripe fruits complimented by nuances of sweet French vanilla and oak but with soft elegant length on the finish. The flavours are complex with a blend of florals, berries and oak, not over ripe and porty but shows typical Coonawarra spicy berry flavor.

Read more about this wine here: http://www.penley.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2009-Gryphon-Merlot-Tasting-Notes.pdf

 

Alcohol: 14.5%; Price: $17

Experts Ratings::

Chertsey Reserve 2008 –  Penley Estate

chertseyjpgThe Wine: Chertsey is a wine made using varieties of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. The objective was to utilise the three varieties that grow exceptionally well in Coonawarra. It is full of fresh cherries, violets and plums with hints of spice and chocolate which flows seamlessly into the rich silky pallet. A wine of the balance, elegance and understated power.  Read more about this wine here: http://www.penley.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2008-Chertsey-Tasting-Notes.pdf

Alcohol: 14.5%; Price:$42

Experts Ratings: WE 87, ST: 90 

Penfolds Bin 407 – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2010

Penfolds 407

Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker and only the 4th custodian of Grange, relishes the opportunity to bring Penfolds to the world stage and is an enthusiastic ambassador and natural educator. Penfolds came to the attention of the US market when 1990 Grange was Wine Spectator’s ‘Wine of the Year’. Since then, Penfolds Grange has become one of the most collectable wines of the world and was honored to grace the front cover, once again, of Wine Spectator, with declarations of Grange as Australia’s Icon. (taken from www. wine.com)

Winemaker’s Notes: Deep magenta in color. The nose is energetic exuberant. Varietally pure – cassis/blackcurrant, at the physiologically riper end of the spectrum – no herbal or green cues. Other aromatics include derived scents extolling memories of homemade cannoli – its pastry and custard/chocolate. Upon sitting, a suggestion of Chinese sausage. French oak is evident, with clove, cedar, pencil shavings. The palate is full-bodied, fresh, bright and lively. It is defined and focussed. Solid, granular tannins, balanced acidity and friendly yet reserved oak, beckon an impressive structural conveyance. Palate length and persistence? Only one way to confirm… please pour.

Alcohol: 14.5%; Price: $50

Experts Rating: WS: 90 pts.; WA: 90 Pts., JS: 91Pts.

VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

La evaluación de los vinos por los socios, que aparecerá publicada en el blog, presenta puntajes entre aproximadamente 88 a 90 para los blancos y 91 a 93 para los tintos, lo cual refleja la alta calidad de los vinos degustados. Los socios, por unanimidad, votaron que el 2010 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon fue el mejor vinos de esta sesión.  Los vinos individuales fueron calificados así:

Vino                                                                            Rango          Puntaje

  • Jim Barry – Lodge Hill Riesling- 2013                          79-94            88.1
  • Penley Estate – Aradia Chardonnay – 2011                 87-96            89.5
  • Penley Estate – Gryphon Merlot – 2010                       84-89            86.7
  •  Penley Estate – Chertsey Reserve)- 2008                   89-93            90.9
  • Penley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve -2009        90-93            91.3
  • Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010                 91-95            92.6

 

REGIONAL NOTES

(This information has been obtained from various internet sources, mainly Wikipedia and web pages dedicated to Australian wines as well as from the book the Wine Bible)

South Australian Wine

(See map HERE)

The South Australian wine industry is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the state to be able to produce a range of grape varieties-from the cool climate Riesling variety in the Clare Valley wine region to the big, full bodied Shiraz wines of the Barossa Valley.

Some of Australia‘s best-known wines like Penfolds Grange, Jacob’s Creek, Yalumba and Henschke Hill of Grace are produced here, as well as many of Australia’s mass-produced box wines.

As with most agriculture in Australia, irrigation is vital to the success of the South Australian wine industry

Climate and Geography

Located in south central Australia, South Australia is bordered by the four other mainland states, (Western Australia to the west, Queensland to the north east, New South Wales to the east, Victoria to the south east), the Northern Territory to the north, and the Great Australian Bight forms the state’s southern coastline.

The climate of the state varies greatly, with the more interior regions like the Riverland being intensely hot, and growing cooler closer to the coastal regions like Adelaide Hills. Across the region there is low annual rainfall, which necessitates irrigation to counter droughts.

Vines are grown at altitudes from the low valley regions of the Barossa and the Riverland up to1,970 feet high in the vineyards at Pewsey Vale in the Eden Valley. The soil types are also varied, and include the terra rosa of the Coonawarra region, the limestone–marl based soils of the Adelaide and Riverland areas, and the sandy, clay loam based soils of the Barossa. 

Australian wine labeling

Since the 1960s, Australia’s labeling laws have used an appellation system known as the Australian Geographical Indication (AGI), which distinguishes the geographic origins of the grape. Under these laws, at least 85% of the grapes must be from the region that is designated on the label. In the late 1990s more definitive boundaries were established that divided Australia up into Geographic Indications known as zones, regions and sub regions. 

South Australia wine zones and Regions

Adelaide super zone

In South Australia, a fourth geographical indication known as a super zone is used which consists of a group of adjoining zones. As of 2014, only one ‘super zone’ exists: this is the Adelaide region, which consists of the Barossa, Fleurieu and Mount Lofty Ranges zones. The Adelaide super zone was registered as an AGI on 27 December 1996. 

Barossa Zone

The Barossa zone is located just outside the northeast of Adelaide and contains two Wine Regions: Barossa Valley and Eden Valley, both of which have received appellation as AGI in 1996.

  • The Barossa Valley wine region is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious premium wine producing regions, known for its Shiraz production. The area’s climate is very hot and dry (for a wine producing area). Most of the area’s white wine plantings (Chardonnay, Riesling and Semillon) are located on the higher altitude hill sides around the valley where they can be cooled by the ocean breeze. In recent times the area has found some success with plantings of Rhône varietals including Grenache and Mourvèdre. Due to the hot climate, the grapes can become overripe, which requires the winemakers to limit the maceration time to prevent the wines from being overly tannic. 

Viticulture and winemaking

Grapes in the Barossa Valley can get very ripe with high sugar and low acid levels.

Most of the Barossa Valley makes extensive used of irrigation to supplement the region’s low rainfall supply during the growing season. The increased water stress of the practice, coupled with the naturally reduced yields of old vines, tends to produce the most deeply concentrated grapes in the valley which often go into the Barossa Valley ‘s most expensive and sought after wines. Harvest usually begins in February and may be conducted in the cooler temperatures of night to help maintain acid levels.

The generally hot climate of the Barossa Valley usually means that the grapes become ripe very easily with high levels of sugars and low levels of acids. Winemaking in the Barossa Valley often utilizes the process of acidification in order to add balance to the wine. The high alcohol levels from the fermented sugars may be offset by various winemaking practices including reverse osmosis and adding water to the must. Historically, winemakers in the Barossa Valley have utilized very short maceration periods that limit the amount of time that the wine spends in contact with the skin. Often the wine is racked off the skins into oak wine barrels before fermentation is even completed. While this does mean that supplemental tannins might need to be added, this short maceration often leaves the wines with a smooth mouthfeel. The extensive use of oak is also a characteristic of Barossa Valley winemaking with American oak, with its more aggressive dill and coconut aroma notes, often used more than French oak. 

Grapes varieties

While the Barossa Valley is most commonly associated with its signature grape variety of Shiraz,[5] the region does grow a number of grape varieties. Among these other varieties are Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon.[13] The popularity of Syrah has sparked interest in the development of other Rhone varieties, with increase production of Grenache and Mourvedre (also known as Mataro in Australia) for both blending and varietal bottlings. Many of these vines are remnants of the Barossa’s fortified wine history and such have substantial age themselves.[5]

Despite its reputation as a red wine region, the Barossa Valley does produce a large amount of white wine.[14] Riesling has been historically important in the region but has gradually shifted eastward to higher elevations and cooler climates of the Barossa Ranges. Many Rieslings labelled with simply “Barossa” will often include more grapes from the cooler Eden Valley wine region than the Barossa Valley. This is permitted as the geographical indication of the Barossa Zone also includes the Eden Valley wine region that borders the Barossa Valley wine region to the east and which has developed an international reputation for the quality of its Riesling.

The plantings of Semillon in the Barossa Valley have evolved to develop its own unique pink-skinned clone that is distinctive from the Semillon found in its French homeland of Bordeaux or the internationally known Semillon from the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. Barossa Semillon is characterized by its full body, golden color and low acidity. Traditionally the wine was fermented in oak but in recent years has been produced more with stainless steel. Barossa Chardonnay is often oaked and subjected to malolactic fermentation, which produces a big, full body creamy wine.

  • The Eden Valley wine region includes the High Eden sub-region, and is known for its rockier, more acidic soil than the neighbouring Barossa Valley. The area has a higher elevation (in the 400–610 metres (1,300–2,000 ft) range), and thus has a colder, wetter climate. The Eden Valley is home to the Hill of Grace vineyard with its 140+ year old Shiraz vines that are behind the Henschke Hill of Grace wine. The Eden Valley has also gained international attention for its limestone noted Rieslings. 

Fleurieu zone

The Fleurieu zone is located south of the Adelaide metropolitan area, between the mouth of the River Murray and the Gulf St. Vincent and includes Kangaroo Island. Five Wine regions are contained in this zone.

  • The Currency Creek wine region is located on the west side of Lake Alexandrina  Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc and Semillon grow here, though the area also produces some notable red wines.
  • The Kangaroo Island wine region is located just off the coast of South Australia and is known for its Bordeaux style wines.  
  • The Langhorne Creek wine region is located southeast of Adelaide. Orlando Wines sources many of the grapes for its Jacob’s Creek brand from this area, which has a reputation of its dessert wines.
  • The Southern Fleurieu region is located on the southern end of the Fleurieu Peninsula. The area’s sandy loam and gravel based ironstone soil supports Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Riesling and Viognier plantings. Shiraz, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot and Primitivo are also planted at Nangkita in the centre of the Peninsula
  • The McLaren Vale wine region is located south of Adelaide and extends to the south of Morphett Vale. With the area’s 22 inches of rain, and diversity of soil types including sand, clay and limestone, this area produces a wide range of wines with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon blanc being the most widely planted. 

McLaren Vale Region

McLaren is located approximately 35 km south of Adelaide in South Australia. Grapes were first planted in the region in 1838 and some vines more than 100 years old are still producing. Today there are more than 88 cellar doors in McLaren Vale. The majority are small family-run operations and boutique wineries Barossa and McLaren Vale food and wine are key icons of South Australia and in 2012 legislation to protect the character of McLaren Vale was passed, preventing the region to become a suburb of Adelaide.

Climate and geography

McLaren Vale has a Mediterranean climate with four clear seasons. With a dry warm Summer, the area has dry weather from December through to March or April, giving an easy change between summer and winter. It is gentle with long warm days and short cool nights. The region rarely experiences frost or drought due to its close proximity to the sea. 

Wines

The McLaren Vale region is well known for its dry red wines, especially those made from Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot are also grown. White wine varieties in the region include Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon blanc and Riesling.

In recent years innovative wineries have begun using less common varieties such as Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Barbera, Cinsaut, Vermentino and Viognier.

Notable for producing Shiraz, the grape is by far the most important variety for the region, accounting for about 50% of the total crush. The area’s thin soils, limited water, and warm summers harness Shiraz’s natural vigor and produce intense flavored fruit, and wine with a deep purple color that can last decades in the bottle. McLaren Vale wines are distinguished by their ripeness, elegance, structure, power and complexity.  

  • Shiraz is harvested from late February to early April. McLaren Vale Shiraz displays pronounced berry and spice characters with some dark chocolate and liquorice, while Shiraz from cooler sub-regions exhibits defined ripe raspberry characters. McLaren Vale Shiraz is renowned for its great softness and rolling palate. Many winemakers in McLaren Vale choose to blend their final Shiraz from a variety of sub-regions to add complexity. McLaren Vale naturally produces Shiraz that has very small berries. Smaller berries have a higher skin to pulp ratio.   Within McLaren Vale and its subregions there is a diversity of soil types, clones and winemaking philosophies, which has led to a huge range of Shiraz wine styles being produced. Most winemakers produce at least one Shiraz wine
  • Cabernet Sauvignon is Less famous than McLaren Vale Shiraz, but equally enchanting, Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale continues to display the rich ripe characters that typify wines from this region. Violet and blackcurrant flavours, vibrant plum, mint and edges of liquorice and a touch of McLaren Vale’s trademark dark chocolate character are common. 

Soil characteristics

The McLaren district has many different soil types and this contributes to the wines from the area having different terroir. The vineyards are planted on soils including fertile red-brown earths, terra rossa, rendzina, soft sands and dark cracking clays.

Each of these soil types contributes to the rich diversity of wine produced by the winemakers of the region. Overall the soils have one common trait; they are free draining which means they hold very little water. This is, in fact, an advantage, as it allows the accurate control of moisture to the vines through the use of state-of-the-art drip irrigation. Because of reliable winter rain, irrigation can be kept to low levels and manipulated to achieve the production of superior fruit.

Some soil types allow grapes to be dry-grown. Approximately 20% of the total crop is dry-grown. These dry-grown vines are renowned for small fruit size, which is sought after for the intensity of its flavour.

Most vineyards are found on gently undulating land at about 100 m above sea level. In the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges to the east, where there is a scattering of vineyards, elevation rises to 320 m. In the north around Blewitt Springs elevation is around 200 m. These variations in elevation have a significant impact on the terroir and fruit produced in the vineyards. 

Subregions

McLaren Vale Region includes the subregions of Blewitt Springs, Township of McLaren, Seaview, McLaren Flats, Willunga South and Sellicks Foot Hills, each one with different soils, elevation, closeness to the sea, temperature and drainage making them able to produce a big array of terroirs and wines.   

Mount Lofty Ranges zone

The Mount Lofty Ranges zone are located immediately to the east of Adelaide, north of the Fleurieu zone and south and north of the Barossa zone. It contains three regions and two subregions.

  • The Adelaide Hills is located 9 miles from the Gulf St Vincent coast, winds from which have a tempering effect on the mediterranean climate of this region, making it one of the coolest in South Australia. The region contains two sub-regions, Lenswood and Piccadilly Valley.
  • The Adelaide Plains is one of the hottest and flattest wine regions in South Australia. The area’s Magill vineyards located on the edge of the foothills: “The Grange”, pioneered by Christopher Rawson Penfold, and “Auldana”, pioneered by W. P. Auld, once provided the grapes for the production of Penfolds‘ Grange.
  • The Clare Valley is South Australia’s most northerly major wine district.
  • The region contains two areas considered to be sub-regions – Polish Hill River and Watervale. Despite its hot and dry climate, many of the vineyards in this area are not irrigated. This helps to reduce crop yields and to concentrate the flavours in the grape. The region is known for its ability to produce Chardonnays, Semillons, and Rieslings that range from full body and luscious to light and delicate. 

Far North zone

The Far North zone is located north of the Clare Valley wine region.

  • The Southern Flinders Ranges. Located along the Goyder’s Line, the area receives an ample amount of rainfall and tends to harvest earlier than the more southerly Clare and Barossa valleys. The area is best suited for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. 

Limestone Coast zone

The Limestone Coast zone is located in the south-east of the state, bounded by the continental coastline to the south, the border with the neighbouring state of Victoria to the east and the Lower Murray wine zone to the north. Six wine regions are contained in this Zone.

  • The Coonawarra covers an area centred on the strip of land adjoining both sides of the Riddoch Highway mainly north of the town of Penola and is bordered by the Wrattonbilly region in the north, by the Mount Gambier region in the south and by the Victorian border in the east. It is known for the Cabernet Sauvignon grown in its terra rossa soil. For years there were disputes within the Coonawarra region about which vineyards could rightfully be considered “Coonawarra”, and which were outside the boundaries. The soil itself became the deciding factor, with the lands with red terra rossa soil being visually distinguishable from the black soil found interspersed throughout the region. In addition to Cabernet, the region has also found some success with its Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Semillon and Shiraz.
  • The Mount Benson wine region is located in the southeastern part of the state near the Robe wine region, west of Coonawarra. In the late 20th century, the area saw an influx of foreign investment, including the Rhône wine estate M. Chapoutier and the Belgium Kreglinger winery. The wines made here tend to be fruitier and less tannic than Coonawarra.
  • The Mount Gambier wine region is located around the regional city of Mount Gambier. The first planting of vines occurred in 1982. The region received appellation as an Australian Geographical Indication in 2010 and as of 2014, is represented by 20 vineyards and eight wineries.
  • The Padthaway wine region is a little north of, and slightly warmer than, Coonawarra, but it is better known for its white wine production, particularly Chardonnay. The wines here are known for the balance of their natural acidity and fruit.
  • The Robe wine region is located near Mount Benson in the southeast part of the state, west of Coonawarra.
  • The Wrattonbully wine region is located between Coonawarra and Padthaway and had its first commercial vineyards established in the area in 1968. The climate of the region is similar to Coonawarra, but vineyards in the Wrattonbully region tend to be higher elevated and on better drained soils. The soil of the area includes clay, sand and loam on top of limestone, with some patches of terra rossa. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the most popular plantings. 

Lower Murray zone

The Lower Murray zone which is located to the east of the Adelaide superzone, is bounded by the Limestone Coast zone to the south, the Far North zone to the north and by the border with Victoria to the east.

  • The Riverland wine region is the highly irrigated land where a large percentage of Australia’s bulk and box wines are produced, similar to the Riverina region in New South Wales. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec and Riesling are some of the largest plantings in the area. The Riverland region also has one of the larger single plantings of Petit Verdot in the world, with Kingston Estate planting 100 hectares (250 acres) of this variety. 

The Peninsulas zone

The Peninsulas zone covers the entire Yorke Peninsula, an adjoining portion of the Mid North of South Australia, the portion of Eyre Peninsula south of a line of latitude approximately in line with Crystal Brook and the islands located off the adjoining coastline. It is bounded by the Far North zone to its north by the Mount Lofty Ranges zone to its east.

  • South Eastern Australia wine region

The South Eastern Australia wine region covers the area south of a line running from Ceduna in western South Australia to the junction of the borders of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia (known as Cameron Corner) and then to the intersection of the Tropic of Capricorn with the eastern continental coastline. This region was registered as an AGI on 1 May 1996.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Tasting No. 69 – January 12, 2020 – Piedmont Grapes, Gavi and Nebiolo February 7, 2020
  • Tasting No. 68 – January 15, 2020 – Zinfandel January 12, 2020
  • Tasting No. 67 – September 18, 2019 – Rhone Blends from Central Coast USA September 8, 2019
  • Wine Tastings and more in Tuscany August 4, 2019
  • Tasting No. 66- June 10, 2019 – Hidden Regions/Varieties June 11, 2019

Archives

Categories

March 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Feb    

Recent Comments

Cecilio Augusto Bern… on Tasting No. 62- July 16, 2018-…
segoviam on Tasting No. 61- April 9, 2018…
Cecilio Augusto Bern… on Tasting No. 53 -October 20, 20…
Alvaro E. Lopez on Tasting No. 48 – Keuka L…
Orlando Reos on Tasting No. 47 – Novembe…

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×