Sat 1/31/09: Sur De Los Andes Torrontes 2008

Producer: Bodega SUR de los Andes

Designation: N/A

Variety: Torrontes

Vintage: 2008

Country: Argentina

Region: Salta

Sub-Region: N/A

Appellation: Cafayate

Cost: $10 - $15 range

Background: This 100% Torrontes which honestly, I wasn't all too familiar with. This was on the tasting bar yesterday at AW and it blew me away. At $11.99, I wasn't expecting a whole lot. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. This is a white wine that screams late Spring, green grass, and blue skies.

Tasting Notes:

Initial Impressions: The one thing that becomes readily apparent with this wine is the absolute beautiful, golden clarity that looks back at you with a smart ass smile from your glass. Legs are random around the circumference but sexy nonetheless. Wine is quite viscous like a watery olive oil (which helps justify for me at least, drinking a white wine as this in the dead of  winter). 

The nose is the treat. Tangerine, lime, grapefruit peel, and one of the most intense floral bouquet I have ever experienced will make you want to transfer the natural fragrance of your home into this odiferous epiphany. 

Palette:

This vino goes over your palette like a citrus-laden shawl full of orange, tangerine, pineapple, and lemon/lime. The viscosity that was visibly present in the glass now coats your mouth with an elegant, caressing texture that ensures a long finish of honeysuckle and a hint of apricot. Enjoyed this night with a superb She-Crab soup (if I might say so myself), this was a perfect compliment and would go as well with any time of seafood (among many other things). However, this is a wine that you can have without a thing to eat (what I will personally refer to from now on as "Tuesday afternoon" wine)  It is beautiful in so many ways. I give this sweetheart a firm 89 and for the price, you can pick up a case without breaking your piggy bank.

Fri 1/30/09: M/P #9 & Domaine de la Charbonierre - Cuvée Vieilles Vignes

Wine 1:

Producer: Marquis/Phillips

Designation: Number 9

Variety: Shiraz

Vintage: 2006

Country: Australia

Region: McLaren Vale

Cost: $40 - $50 range:

Background:

This Shiraz is undoubtedly one of my all time favorites. So much so that I thought it quite apropos to kick off my blog with it. This vino is a product of the collaboration between Australian winemakers Sarah/Sparky Marquis of Mollydooker (whom I have had the privilege to meet and shake his LEFT HAND) and US importer Dan Phillips. A few blends were also created under this partnership which has since been dissolved. Get a hold of this soon because it is a honey.

Tasting Notes:

Initial Impressions:

Completely indicative of a jammy Shiraz but without the teeth-staining properties that we have come to love and respect for Aussie vinos :).

The nose displays very strong notes of cherry, blueberry, subtle smoke, and coffee bean with small hints of vanilla and chocolate.

The wine presence on the glass shows some really sexy legs, delicately revealing the 16% alcohol hiding beautifully inside, much like a tasty candy, concealing itself within a beautiful pinata. There is minor glass coating which is somewhat uncommon for an Aussie as strong as this.

Palette:

Redefining the term "silkiness", this strong blueberry/cherry/vanilla ass-slapper has luxurious texture throughout the entire transition from start to finish. Chocolate undertones predominate a beautiful experience while feeling a little heat from the 16%. The end of the bottle leaves you with a sense of accomplishment and pride that only a certain Sparky Marquis can offer. Within the $40-$50 price range, I rate this vino a 94. This is a long time favorite and after this being probably my 30th bottle or so, it still never fails to impress. Get this one as soon as possible folks.... it's leaving us forever soon.

Wine 2:

Producer: Domaine de la Charbonierre

Designation: Cuvée Vieilles Vignes

Variety: Red Rhone blend (see below)

Vintage: 2005

Country: France

Region: Rhone

Sub-Region: So. Rhone

Appellation: Chateauneuf du Pape

Cost: $30 - $40 range

Background: This cuvee is a blend of 80 to 100 years-old vines from Grenache and 45 years-old vines from Mourvedre. In 2005, 70% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre were used. Aged in oak barrels 12-18 months (depending on vintage; personally unsure of 2005).

Tasting Notes:

Initial Impressions:

After opening the bottle and letting it breathe for at least 45 mins, the initial pour treats you to a clear, cherry-red juice with visible tannins rimming the glass as a slight tinge of honey color. As with all Rhones, the wine is light and non-viscous. Legs are long and thin with uniformity throughout the entire circumference of the glass.

The nose presents one very dominating feature that seems to be indicative with this sub-region and vintage.... strawberry preserves!! Even my 10 year old son easily determined this to be the case. Deeper into the nose you will find a wonderful floral undertone with a hint of cracked pepper, soil and even melted butter. The nose from this ChdP is a treat in itself.

Palette:

Wow (and I do not say this often). Medium-bodied with a lush yet elegant complexity that I had a feeling would be revealed in this wine. A certain softness assuages your palette as liquid silk or velvet. The strong presence of strawberry preserves dominates (note that I am not saying strawberries) with an aftertaste of blueberry, cherry and honey. The finish is very long and satisfying. This wine fit perfectly with a medium rare Rib-Eye steak. For this price range I give it a 92.

The wine would have received a 93 if I hadn't of had a Chateau du Trignon (06 - So.Rhone - $15-$20 range) the very night before and I couldn't help making comparisons. The loss of a point is not a testament to anything other than cost for me since I firmly believe that makers who are worth their salt in this region, are producing incredible wines for half the cost of this one. With that said, I honestly expected to pay more for this bottle. I was pleasantly surprised to come out under $40.

Now while this particular wine was far more complex than the Trignon (which I will be reviewing very soon), the similarities were still quite amazing.

Mission Statement

Every Friday night, it has been a long standing tradition in this house to taste some really good wines. Seeing how I thoroughly enjoy reading tasting notes on the various vinos that I am interested in, I thought that maybe I could contribute in my own little way by posting my tasting notes here for anyone who may be bored enough to read. Therefore starting on this night, I will be tasting 2 wines and recording my notes here. Now, even though the title of this blog seems to focus on Fridays (because we usually go through a few bottles), I do plan on posting when I taste on other nights as well. I will not post notes on duplicate wines unless they are separate vintages.

I will also be tasting wines that I will probably already like so many will have a decent, if not high score. So the point of this blog is not to just taste everything out there; rather, to offer notes on wines that I have enjoyed in the past or ones I buy that was either a recommendation from my local wine merchant (Anytime Wines in Cary, NC) or one that I may have just bought on a whim. 

The majority of the wines offered here will be reds. I do like whites but drink them far more seldom than the reds.
Now this is important... I need to preface a few things. I am no Robert Parker nor do I pretend to be. However, I do feel that I have a relatively sharp nose/palette so maybe those of you needing a good recommendation on a little-known wine can maybe benefit from this. I am also doing this simply for me since keeping hard copies of notes is relatively impossible with 1) the lack of discipline that keeping a journal requires; 2) the inevitable illegibility that wine-stained pages produce; and 3) a very large Bernese Mountain Dog pup names Moses and his insatiable appetite for any paper object (or other) that I seem to cherish and love. Digital is the way to go for my photography so why not for my wine notes.
So lone reader (if I am lucky), I will begin a little later tonight and be tasting two very special wines for me... I mean you.... I mean US!!!! Comments encouraged.