September 2, 2010 at 10:54 pm (Age, Argentina, Australia, Bell Pepper, Black Cherry, Black Fruit, Blackberry, Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Carmenere, Cellaring, Collecting, Comparisions, Cote du Rhone, Dornfelder, Earthiness, Food, France, Fruit, Germany, Grahma Beck, Grenache, GSM, Italy, Laguna Niguel, Languedoc, Mclaren Vale, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nero D'Avola, Organic, Organic Grapes, Pfalz, Pic St. Loup, Pinot Noir, Red Fruit, Ripeness, Sicily, Soil, Souith Africa, Sour Cherry, South Africa, Spain, Spatburgunder, Storage, Syrah, tar, Tasting, Tobacco, Uncategorized, Winemakers, wineries, Yangarra)
Tags: Acid, Argentina, Australia, Black Fruit, Blends, California Taste Fine Wine, Carmenre, Cherry, chocolate, Dornfelder, Earthiness, France, Granache, GSm, Italy, McLaren Vale, Monastrell, Mourvedre, PAtel Cabernet Sauvignon, PAtel Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Retail Wine Stores, South Africa, Spatburgunder, Syrah, Tasting
First, I have to start with the thought that there is a huge world of wine out there. There are so many variatals, it is impossible to name them all. Many wine enthusiats in California think only in terms of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. It is funny when I ask people if they might like a Zinfandel. The typical response is,”I do not like sweet pink wines.”
But, as we all know, Zinfandel is a fantastic, deep rich red wine. Great with BBQ and strong cheeses.
When it came to the International Reds Tasting at California Taste Fine Wine in Laguna Niguel, there were a few surprises in the group. The first were the large number of countries that are producing GSM blends. A GSM blend is Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. These grapes all go so well together and have a spicy finish. The combination of plum, cherry, blackberry, tar, tobacco and earthiness and spice make this genre of wine a natural with so many food types.
Sometimes this blendd is found in Cotes du Rhone or other Rhone blends. The traditional home for these grapes are the Rhone Valley in Southern France. Mourvedre or Monastrall as it is known in Spainit’s original home before it migrated east to France. At the tasting was a a Falcata Casa Gran from Valencia, Spain, Yangarra Cadenzia from Mclaren Vale in Australia and a Pic St. Loup from the Languedoc in the south of France. The blends where similar, but each wine was as different from the next as an orange is as different than an apple. I would drink any one of these wines at anytime.
Another wine in the tasting was a German wine from the Pfalz region of Germany. Made by Alfred Bonnet, the Cuvee Bonus was a Trocken, or dry red comprised of a blend of Dornfelder and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir). The first bottle opened was shot and the second was okay. The wine had a very aged look to it, almost brown. But there was still fruit predominate and a lot of acid. Not a favorite at the tasting. And the little bit that was left in the bottle was totally done the next morning.
I have never been a fan of Carmenere or Chilean wines in general. They all seem to have a green taste, like a ripe bell pepper. This is from the grapes perhaps not reaching full ripeness or too much stem, leaves and other things making it into the fermentation vat. But the La Playa Carmenere changed my mind. No green. Just a rich, thick, dried prune, chocolate and cherry taste and nose backed with a hint of toasty oak. What a great wine. A steal at under $10.
Italy was represented with a wine from Sicily. Gulfi Nero D’avola. This is a grape that is getting more popular in United States. It is a high acid wine that plays so well with so many foods. My personal preference for Italian wines showed through with this wine. All I could think about was having this with a nice veal Cannaloni.
Then there was a Pinot Noir from Argentina that was made with Organic Grapes. The Santa Julia wine brand is very solid. The Bonarda is a real winner. The Pinot Noir is very packed with cherry, strawberry and cranberry. Maybe a dark horse for that tofurkey. Graham Beck is another brand to be aware of. This South African winery makes a number of wines including a nice sparkling wine. But this tasting featured the newest vinatge of the Cabernet Sauvignon. With red, sour and black cherry coupled with minerality, blackberry in the finish, this is a fun drinking wine. Glad it is back.
But what was really interesting again is how all of these wines tasted better after being open for a couple of days. I know I have said it before, but on any given night, open two bottles and then come back to each of them the next day or the day after. The reward will be tremendos and the wines smooth and very drinkable. I guess that is how you Uncork Happiness times two!
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January 7, 2010 at 4:17 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Pinot Noir, Tasting, wine critics, wineries, Zinfandel)
Tags: California Taste Fine Wine, Opus One, Pinot Noir, Retail Wine Stores, Tasting, wine critics, Zinfandel
It is a cold, blustery night. What better time than to go to a local wine retailer for a sampling of wine. These types of events are the best way to hone your taste. I tell people everyday that the best way to learn about wine is to go as many wine tastings as possible. The best thing about going to a wine store wine tasting is that the store owner or wine buyer has had an opportunity to try hundreds of wines.
This means the store has brought in what they feel are the best wines for their customers based on taste, value and what the local market enjoys.I personally try hundreds of wines,some weeks the number gets to be a bit much, but I look for those very things. I think about a taste to value ratio. And when I plan a wine tasting in my store, I keep those things in mind.
A retail store can offer the both the experience ad new wine drinker opportunities to try things they might never get to do. Such as pairing Zinfandels from around the world or a survey of Pinot Noir. The goal is that these tastings are highlighting wines that are in the store and available for purchase. It is like buying a car. You are taking the wines for a test drive.
But more importantly, you are developing your own personal taste. You do not have to like every wine in the line-up, but here is the opportunity to find a wine or style that you do enjoy. That knowledge, gained over a number of tastings means that you will no longer bring home a bottle of wine that you deem to be marginal. The knowledge gained at tastings give you a baseline for wines and styles you like. This information can then be used by a smart and knowledgeable retailer to help guide you to a wine that will surprise and amaze you. And no, the more expensive the bottle does not necessarily indicate greater quality. I won’t name names, Opus One.
So go to your local retailer and try as much wine as possible. Do ask questions and help define your own personal taste. Retail wine stores want to help. And look for the small wine retailer. Large stores box stores tend to purchase from a corporate list. They miss those wines that say, only 50 cases were produced. And ask questions. There are no stupid questions.
In my store, California Taste Fine Wine, we offer at least two themed tastings a week. Fridays at 6pm and Saturdays at 4pm. It is fun to compare and contrast wines. There is always a surprise or two. The most shocking thing is that a wine that is grand on it’s own sometimes does not match well or taste as good when pitted against others in the same category. Once in a while it is placement in the line up.
The lineup is important as it is designed to have the wines that will put the “smack down” on you taste buds are usually at the end. A good in store tasting builds to a climax with the last two or three wines.
The other thing about retail store wine tastings is that the retailer will usually know all about the wine. So you can gain a a deeper understanding of the bottle as each bottle has it’s own story to tell. And if you like it and take it home to share with family and friends, you can tell the story as you Uncork Happiness.
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