Bodega Breca, Garnacha '11 $16

Spain

Without any knowledge about this wine maker and knowing how much I like Garnacha, I decided to buy a bottle after a recommendation from the store clerk as well for a potential blog review.  In summary, this was a big “WOW!”

The aromas were rich in black cherries, toasted wood and a touch of earthy overtones.  At first taste, it had a peppery bite and I almost was turned off. But after letting it sit in my glass for 10 minutes, I was completely fooled.  It was like 2 different wines and the 2nd one was excellent!  Smooth tannins with flavors of ripe cherries, plums and mild cocoa gave to an outstanding balance.

Wine Advocate gave this a 94 rating for the 2010 vintage and this 2011 is on par to be very similar.  I found it at Whole Foods and you just might be fooled into thinking this is a much more expensive wine.

Erath Pinot Noir '09 Estate Selection

On Thanksgiving, there's nothing better than a good Pinot Noir to go with turkey and all the dressings. This wine was one I found back in 2011 while visiting the Willamette valley in Oregon. Erath makes various Pinots however this one seems to be a premium one after tasting others. With aromas of ripe plums, vanilla and floral scents this mature red, aged in French oak for 14 months, was outstanding after 2 years home in the bottle. Flavors of dark cherries and crushed strawberries with a hint of toasted oak balanced perfectly with our holiday meal. The tannins were subtle with a soft, silky mouth feel.

I'm not sure on distribution of this specific wine but if you find it, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Sonoma Favorites (part 1)

I know I haven’t done any justice for those of you following as I’ve taken a bit of time off.  No worries, I’m back!

I recently spent time in Sonoma, California where I had the pleasure of re-visiting wineries I’ve favored in the past along with some new gems.  We travelled out of San Francisco on a Sunday morning just in time for lunch at the Freemont Diner in Sonoma.  If you haven’t been, it’s definitely worth a stop.  Everything is homemade including some tasty smoked meats.

Our first winery stop was at Tin Barn where Michael Lancaster is the owner and wine maker.  It’s not your typical winery as their tasting room and winemaking facility is in a warehouse.  Very cool setup and don’t worry, there are many other wineries located within this complex.  On my next visit, I plan to stop in at more.  One of my favorites was the ’09 Syrah that had rich aromas of black raspberries and licorice.  The flavors were full of dark fruit, blackberry and cherries.  With a deep ruby color and medium body finish, this was my first choice to purchase.  The ’11 Zinfandel (Sonoma Valley) was also a winner with aromas of crushed strawberries and hints of black peppercorns.  Jammy flavors full of dark cherries with an earthy, dry finish gave hints that this will age nicely to drink even better within the next 2-5 years.

Gundlach Bundschu was our next stop and other than having some great wines, they also have beautiful outdoor areas to enjoy your wine or a picnic.  My first taste was something I would have never found myself liking as this varietal tends to be somewhat sweet for my taste.  It was their ’12 Gewürztraminer and it absolutely changed my pre-conceived thoughts for this grape!  For this vintage year they only made 4,500 cases so contact the winery directly if you’re interested.  The aromas were similar to that of a Sav. Blanc with grassy, herbaceous scents, citrus and lemon.  Flavors on the other hand were not like a Sav. Blanc and had butterscotch and ripe pears with mild citrus traces.  It was an amazing wine with refreshing flavors and not too sweet.

Another wine, which I liked a lot, was called Mountain Cuvee.  Aromas of black pepper and smoke gave hints to flavors of currants, plums and hints of mocha on the finish.  Having 7 varietals made this a tough guess for me but I did try and got 5 of the 7 correct.  It was pure luck…trust me!  37% Cab. Sav. and 31% Merlot are the primary grapes.  Cab Franc and Zin at 10% each followed by small percentages of Syrah, Petite Verdot and Malbec complete this great wine.  This is a serious everyday red blend with full body and long finish.  Enjoy with a hearty meal, grilled steak or your favorite aged cheese.

Stay tuned for part 2 in a few days.

Malbec...It's The New Red!

Malbec has always been a favorite of mine to pair with a grilled steak, pork chop or tenderloin.  In general, it's priced very affordable and a great alternative red wine.  Originally from France and approved as one of 5 grape varietals allowed in Bordeaux, Argentina is now one of the largest producers of Malbec.  In California, it's still used widely as a blending grape with Meritage being one of the most popular blends.  I've posted a few Malbec wines on this blog yet never thought about how great the wine is especially for it's price point.  Here is a new one I just tried.

Elsa Bianchi Malbec  '11   $9 (World Market)
Mendoza, Argentina

With delicate aromas of dark cherries, ripe plums and blackberries, this wine revealed a dark fruit characteristic.  Deep purple in color, the flavors of black cherry and hints of spice made for a nice medium body taste.

It may come across as a young wine on the first taste but after letting it open up in the glass for 15 minutes, the tastes began to soften much like a more mature wine.  Hints of vanilla and subtle earthiness found on the finish really made this a great everyday red.  It's value is amazing and apparently Robert Parker gave it 90 points!

Cameron Hughes Lot 279, Cabernet Sauvignon '09 $20

Napa Valley, CA

While on the hunt for a relatively inexpensive yet good Cab, I was introduced to this at my local Whole Foods store.  I had just picked up a few NY Strips to grill and remembered that my everyday drinking collection was kind of slim on choices.

I hadn't heard of this wine and neither had Tommy who was working the bar that day.  (We're lucky to have one of the few wine & beer bars inside a Whole Foods store.)  So Tommy said we should try the wine as he was thinking about adding it to the bar for tastings and by-the-glass purchases.  He proceeded to open the bottle before I could say a word. The next thing out of my mouth, after the first taste left me a bit speechless...as it did him.  Wow, holly crap, this is amazing...probably a few things I remember uttering quietly as others watched on.

So now on to the bottle I opened for dinner.  The aromas at first had a hint of alcohol but diminished quickly.  Predominant smells of black currants, dark cherries, licorice and vanilla pretty much sum up this robust California Cab.  On the tongue, dark berries and soft tannins had this tasting like it was a $60 wine.  The finish is clean with hints of dark chocolate and toasted wood.

I'd recommend you let this decant or open up in your glass for 15-30 minutes.  It will definitely soften the higher alcohol found at opening.  This 2009 is ready to drink now and should keep for a few years to come.  If you can't find Lot 279, check their website for newer releases.  www.chwine.com