Valserrano Reserva ’09 $20

Rioja (Spain)

I had opened a bottle of the ’05 Gran Reserva of this same wine for dinner with my family, which I felt was an outstanding selection.  My father shared his delight with it and proceeded to go out and buy another bottle a few days later.  Little did dad realize he bought the ’09 Reserva and gave it to me.  To keep things “simple”, the difference in these wines is obviously the vintage year and the Gran Reserva is aged longer in oak and in the bottle.

I decided to enjoy the ’09 Reserva with dinner a few weeks later and from the aromas alone, a balance of blackberries, crushed plums, black pepper and hints of toasted wood, gave me the impression there was something special about this wine.  On the first taste a flavor bomb of rich, ripe dark cherries, currants and toasted oak had me craving more.  My NY strip steak was grilling with a smoker box of mesquite chips and was about to be done.  This wine was sure to pair perfectly. Velvet tannins with tight fruit on a lingering finish had me hooked on this amazing new find.  Thanks dad!

The wine is made up of 90% Tempranillo which is a predominate varietal in the Rioja region of Spain.  10% Garnacha makes up the remaining grapes and aged in 50% American and 50% French oak provided for a very nice balance. Full body, robust and just plain awesome!

For the Reserva at this price point and overall taste structure, I’m making a return visit to the wine store to pick up more bottles before it runs out of stock.  For reference, the Gran Reserva is great as well and goes for about $29.

Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon, 2011 $13

Chile, Cachapoal Valley

While shopping for a few new Cabs to try and write about the wine sales clerk voiced a definite “thumbs up” for this one.  For the price point, I figured why now.

It opened up with bold aromas of black cherries, dark chocolate, toasted wood and hints of earthy minerals.  I guess you could say it has some typical qualities on the nose for many cabernets.

With a steady swirl, dark red, heavy legs draped my glass awaiting a first taste.  Black currants, ripe cherries and mocha balanced nicely for a medium bodied flavor.  Soft tannins and a clean finish made for an easy drinking, great value wine.  This would pair well with beef, pork or a grilled portabella mushroom drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Dominican Oaks, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $16

Napa, CA

After strolling the aisles of this large wine store, I was becoming overwhelmed with what to try in a new Cab.  I had my list of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 but I can’t really afford most of those even though I’m sure they’re amazing.  One of the sales guys was re-stocking the racks and I decided to ask what he was drinking these days.  I forgot his name or I’d thank him here for this selection.

Filled with aromas of bright berries, dark cherry and a few subtle notes of black pepper and oak, I thought immediately of a much higher priced Cab. I’d had in the past.  The flavors brought together a smooth mocha and dark cherry combination.  At first taste, a slight tartness was there but after an hour of letting the wine open up, it completely softened and mellowed out.  The finish was pleasant with mild tannins and a minor hint of oak.  I didn’t decant the wine although I can only image that it would have made this even better.

So next time your strolling the aisles of your local wine shop, don’t hesitate to ask!  Many of the people working these stores are into wine and have had an opportunity to taste more than many of us given their jobs.  Hopefully you’re able to find this wine and enjoy as I did.  I’m back to buy a few more bottles to keep on hand for friends.

Elderton Friends, Shiraz ’08 $18

Barossa Valley, Australia

Taking a trip to the wine & liquor mega store becomes overwhelming for many of us given the amount of choices on the shelves.  I usually go in with a pre-determined list of what I want however this time; I was just browsing…for about an hour or so.  Yeah, I know you think I’m crazy but without striking up conversations with the people working there, I would have never found this amazing Shiraz!

First of all, I know there are less expensive Shiraz bottles out there and they’re very good.  For whatever reason, I put my trust in the sales person on this one and it’s higher price point.  Actually it’s an amazing deal once you try it!  The aromas of ripe plums, leather and a distinct pepper spice lead you to believe it could follow like any other Shiraz.  Once the flavors of cocoa, blueberry and a warm vanilla hit you, it’s definitely not your average Shiraz!  Overall the wine is medium bodied with a finish highlighting hints of fruit and silky smooth tannins.

The vintage was aged in American oak barrels for 11 months.  It never felt over oaky but the subtle hint was well received.  This is an unbelievable Shiraz and I’ll be back to buy more for holding on to.

Joseph Phelps, Le Mistral 2006 $35

Monterey county, CA

A few months ago I wrote about the 2005 Le Mistral. Granted it was the vintage I had on hand at the time, the 2006 was released this past March. After tasting the 2006 now, its safe to say this winery is producing once again a wonderful and consistent Rhone style wine for all to enjoy.

With aromas of black cherry, toasted oak and a hint of pepper I thought immediately this was on track to be one of those wines you’ll remember and desire again. The taste was a pleasing, medium body red blend with flavors of dark fruits such as cherries and blackberries. A subtle essence of cocoa really complemented well with the dark berry fruits. The finish had a gentle pepper spice that held nicely on the tongue yet didn’t get in the way or linger. Along with being very well balanced one of the best things I noticed was the silky, smoothness from sip to finish. Let this wine settle in your mouth for 10 or so seconds and you’ll see what I mean.

I couldn’t agree more with the winery that this is definitely in the style of a Chateauneuf du-Pape wine. One of my favorite French style wines yet generally a bit pricey for my wallet. The Le Mistral for the price point is well worth it and a wine I would keep on hand for that special dinner. It went great with an aged, grilled NY strip and sautéed spinach w/ garlic & olive oil. I could also see this going well with a seared, pepper crusted Ahi tuna steak.

Full disclosure: This was a sample bottle sent to me.

Valserrano, Crianza 2005 ($14)

Rioja, Spain

On a day I planned to do some wine buying of my favorites, I ran across a wine tasting in the store. Given my limited knowledge of wines from Spain I proceeded to taste a few the store was “pushing” that day. I’m a big fan of wine store tastings because how else would many of us ever get to try something new prior to a bottle purchase. I only make mention and share that the store in general is doing this not only bring you something new, they’re in it for the sale of more wine. Therefore, don’t feel guilty or obligated to buy a bottle if you don’t like what you taste. Buy it if you like it, which is what I did with this one.

I found this wine from Spain to be a well-balanced, full bodied red. On the nose (aromas), wood shavings, plums and ripe berries were present. With flavors of Blackberries and a hint of mocha, the toasted oak from barrel fermenting continued to enhance each sip. On the finish it was slightly dry with a bit of a tobacco taste. I let the bottle stay open for about 30 minutes (no decanting) and a whole new wine came out! A much smoother and delicate finish showing flavors of vanilla made me feel like I had purchased an even better bottle.

The wine is comprised of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Mazuelo along with being aged in 50% American and 50% French oak barrels. I often wondered the difference in American vs. French oak and a wine makers can give a better explanation than me. In general, my feeling is the French barrels provide a more subtle flavor however the age of the barrel and how many times it’s been used play a big factor. One thing for sure is that the French barrels are much more expensive.

I’ll leave you with one more interesting bit of knowledge I recently studied when buying wines from Spain. If the bottle has “Crianza” on the label it must spend at least 1 year in oak barrels and a 2nd year in the bottle prior to release. If the label has “Reserva”, its 1 year in oak and 2 years in the bottle. Finally and probably the most expensive of the 3 labels is “Gran Reserva” with 2 years in oak and 3 years in the bottle prior to release.

I’ll be on the hunt for more wines from Spain in the near future. Enjoy for now.

Joseph Phelps, Le Mistral 2005 ($35)

Monterey county, CA

I first tried this wine a few years ago at a somewhat high priced steakhouse. It was priced, as most restaurant wine prices are, at higher than retail yet I couldn’t complain as it was moderately priced (around $75), compared to everything else at well over $100. Upon the server’s recommendation and after asking for their choices in red blends, I decided to try it. At the time, I remembered it to be a very nice, well-balanced wine, which accompanied our steaks perfectly.

Created in the style of a Rhone wine from France, the blend consists of the following grape varietals:
59% Syrah
23% Grenache
8% Carignane
5% Petite Sirah
5% Alicante Bouschet

Fast forward a few years now as I found this on the shelf of a local wine shop (Total Wine). I was curious to see how the current vintage (’05) was compared to what I had a few years back. Sorry, I don’t remember that vintage year. Once again, this proved to be quite nice and I probably should have grabbed a few more bottles to hang onto. I’m hoping the store has more ’05 when I return.

With subtle scents of leather, black pepper and ripe strawberries it suddenly brought me back to the wonderful steak dinner I originally had with this wine. The taste encompassed blackberries, cocoa and a hint of peppery-spiciness. On the finish you’ll find a pleasant, silky mouth feel making this a medium to full bodied wine. In my opinion, this wine is definitely ready to drink and may be cellared for 1-3 years more. The 2006 vintage is released now yet I haven’t had a chance to try it.

Enjoy with your next NY strip or rib eye on the grill this summer.