Wine Tastings Week of 3.25

Name:Domaine Pinnacle

Variety: Apples

Region:Quebec

Year: 2010

Country: Canada

Price: $5 for 50ml

Wine critic review: Award-winning and critically-acclaimed, Pinnacle Ice Cider is produced from a select blend of hand-picked apples, harvested after frost and extracted naturally over the winter months. The unique combination of ideal summer growing conditions and cold Canadian winters create a product like nothing else you have ever tasted!Rich, golden and full-bodied in the glass, our Ice Cider has an appealing mellow flavor and clean, distinct taste of apples that builds from its smooth, velvety start to its well-balanced, long-lasting finish. (Domaine Pinnacle website)

Personal Review: This is extremely sweet. Pretty much tasted like liquid candy. Smells of citrus, pummelo, apple, and sweet pear.It tastes like a candied apple. An apple petrified in sugar. I probably would have liked it more if I cut it with some Perrier or seltzer. Far to sweet for my taste buds. Like an apple Moscato. Would probably serve best as a dessert more than an aperitif for beginner drinkers.

Name: Monasterio de las Vinas

Variety: Rioja

Region:Crianza

Year: 2005

Country:Spain

Price: ~$19

Wine critic review: This dry, medium-bodied and woody red displays a simple and medium nose. On the palate, its refreshing acidity, fleshy tannins, and broad texture precede a long finish. (Saq.com)

Personal Review: Dark cherry wood color with a refreshing scent of cassis and dark plum. Other woody and fruity aromas. Refreshing acidity and no traceable residual sugar. Medium tannins in a medium bodied wine. I picked this up after learning that 2005 was a good year for all regions. Not all too acidic but I would have liked to see a little higher tannins.

Name: Sieur d'Arques Blanquette de Limoux

Variety: Languedoc-Roussillon

Region: Languedoc

Year: 2010

Country: France

Price: ~$20

Wine critic review: clean crisp and appley with yeasty undertones, quite delicate and tart, nice palate cleanser with crisp length. Good. Average price is 10 Euros. (French Mediterranean Wine by Richard Mark James)

Personal Review: Great light colorful aromas of citrus, warm apple, pear, and apricot. Light grassy hay color.Love the yeast flavors- that's probably one of my favorite flavors when it comes to alcohol (guess that's why I really enjoy German Heifferveisen) Tart light berry flavors- cape gooseberry and golden raspberry.

Name: Silverthorne by Les Vins La Salle Inc.

Variety: Red Blend- Shiraz

Region: Australia

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

Price: ~$15

Wine critic review: Generally these wines are always horrible, especially for the price. For what I was expecting, I was impressed. Although the wine is totally one-dimensional, the palate has lots of fruit, good weight and smooth tannins with some smoky, spicy aromas as well. Not the most well balanced Shiraz in the world. (Cellar Tracker)

Personal Review: Too light of a color- not as robust and too much clarity. Alcohol presence is not detected on the palate all too much. Would have liked to see this wine have more body- the viscosity is a step up from water.Would have liked to see this wine with a greater tannin component. The acidity and lack of tannins makes this wine a little off-balance and not akin to my palate. I even detected all of this before reading the review so I know I'm not crazy. Didn't really detect too much smoky-ness but I got a little hit of peppery spices- just a hint though.  Also, I detected a little bit of residual sugar and I'm not a fan. Plus, virtually no information on this winery nor the blend was provided on the internet. Hohum.

Name: Potluck Sweet Malbec
Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza
Country: Argentina
Year: 2010
Price: $7.95
Wine Critic Review: Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, with predominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very well balanced with sweet tannins.
My Review: Transluscent reddish ruby hues. Much more clarity than your average Malbec. No real strong aromas which is disappointing considering the fact that Malbec is Argentina's most popular grape. This does not do the Malbec variety justice. Some aromas of berries and dark cherry. The wine itself did not have great tannin nor acidic components which made it very disappointing. It was definitely missing the tannic-skin component of this Malbec grape. Weak finish and mild acidity. This was definitely needed considering the sugar and sweet components of this Malbec. Did not open up with time and the more the wine swirled in the glass, I felt as though I was losing aroma, not gaining it. I did not drink this wine with food. Perhaps if they prolonged the fermentation process this wine would have done better. 

Wine Spectator describes the 2010 harvest in Argentina, a year marked by a slow sugar start, some potentially-damaging weather fluctuations and, ultimately, a lower level of wine production compared to 2009. But fear not, the finished product is still outstanding. I guess perhaps thats not the case for this wine. 

Wine Tasting Week of 3.18

Name: Serres

Variety: Rioja Tempranillo

Region: Rioja (Northern Spain)

Country: Spain

Year: 2010

Price: $10

Wine Critic/Review: Clean, fresh and full of bright cherry and strawberry aromas. Offers the right size and balance, with red plum and red berry flavors touched up by light oak. Mildly toasty and textured on the finish (Wine Enthusiast).

Personal Review: I've been having dreams about this wine's strawberry scents after the tasting. I could take a big wiff of this wine all day- very impressionable. Violet tones and velvety finish. A fairly smooth wine but not outrageously easy. I think I got the most enjoyment out of smelling the strawberries in this wine!

Name:Vina Borgia

Variety: Garnacha

Region: Bodegas

 Country: Spain

 Year: 2011

Price:$6.95

Wine Critic/Review: Spain's garnacha, known in France as grenache, is a red wine varietal that combines full body with soft, lush, easy-to-drink fruit flavors. This one is typical of a good version in that its charm and "fun factor" outweigh its complexity — which is great for the type of occasions in which a box is appropriate. This wine offers lush blackberry and wild berry fruit with hints of herbs, earth and chocolate. Its price is the equivalent of less than $7 each of four bottles. (The Baltimore Sun)

Personal Review: Dark, red with maroon hues. Pleasant spice and cherry aromas. Dark, almost charred fruit skin and light berries. Medium bodied wine. Great wine paired with food. Paired with crackers and other yummy snacks.

Name: Huarpe Tayamente

Variety: Malbec

Region:Mendoza

Country:Argentina

Year: 2010

Price: $14

Wine Critic/Review:  This is no flash-in-the-pan Malbec. the Tayamente is a slow burn- lingering and contemplative- priced to grab on your way home from work but crafted with such care to make it worthy of your most elaborate evening at home. Smoky, with concentrated black cherry, licorice, and notes of grilled herbs, it is unbelieveably tasty with beef and turkey burgers, BLTs, BBQ, and cow's milk cheeses. Let the Tayamente remind you of why you fell in love with Malbec in the first place! (Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA)

Personal Review: Toasted (or roasted) cherry notes with a pleasant smell of licorice. Rosepetal and other floral notes. Very nicely structured wine with long tannins and a long finish. Would be nicely paired with steak or a hearty meal with a big, dark protein. A bit of a thicker wine- but a fairly good Malbec for the price point. Deep violet red in color is also very pleasing!

Name:Sean Minor Napa Red

Variety: 30% Merlot, 23% Petit Verdot, 17% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 10% Syrah, 4% Malbec

Region:California

Country:USA!

Year: 2009

Price: $20

Wine Critic/Review:  Our 2009 Napa Valley Red Wine is deep ruby in color and displays aromas of ripe blueberry, dark cherry, cassis, and vanilla. On the palate, flavors of blueberries and dark cherry combined with hints of oak spices that coat the palate. The soft tannins and sweet oak balance lead to a long and lingering finish.(Vintage Cellar in Blacksburg, VA)

Personal Review:A little bit too complicated for my palate but a wine I might revisit in the future. I'm not sure if I was just mentally overwelmed by vast blending of this wine... because its pretty big. The finish on this wine was a grassy lemon or even the taste of flower buds. Medium tannins (anything stronger would have ruined it for me). Medium dryness and medium body. I didn't experience anything special with this wine. No food.

Name: Saint-Emilion

Variety:Bordeaux

Region:Bordeaux

 Country:France

 Year: 2011

Price:Unkown

Wine Critic/Review:  The wines of St Emilion in 2011 displayed all the usual diversity of style and quality, although in this more robust vintage a number of estates seem to have majored on fudgy and over-ripe fruit, sometimes with an overt desiccated or raisined character, often with a brawny backbone of tannins. (Wine Doctor)
Personal Review: Bright ruby red color. Smell of cassis and grapefruit. Maybe some hints of cherry. Medium tannins and fairly high acidity. Spicy aftertaste. This wine is supposed to wait 20 years or so until aged to perfection. Ate this food with curried lentils and a side salad. This wine IS SO SMOOTH and probably gets smoother with age. Enjoyed a cassis wine as an aperitif.

Wine Tasting Week of 3.11

Name:San Elias

Variety: Sauvingnon Blanc

Region: Central Valley

 Country:Chile

 Year: 2012

Price: $12.95

Wine Critic/Review: Pale in color with a gooseberry bouquet and fresh zesty flavor. Excellent aperitif or with salads, fish and poultry. Serve chilled. 13% alcohol content.
Personal Review: Soft pale straw translucent color. Aromas of honey, melon, and cucumber- hints of lighter fruits and maybe some creamy, sweet lemon. Maybe just a little cat pee- but in a good way (probably the only time anyone would ever say that!). Very light acidity, mellow and a little dry but I still detect some residual sugar! Some tart flavors on the finish but a much softer finish than expected. Not all too complex but its a nice shapely wine. I drank this wine right out of the fridge so I didn't detect too much alcohol. I ate some spicy food before enjoying this wine. I prefer drier whites (except moscato! Love that stuff) so this sat well with me.

Name: El Petit Bonhomme

Variety: Blend-55% Monastrell, 30% Garnacha and 15% Syrah

Region: Jumilla 

Year: 2011

Country: Spain

Price:~$9/glass (@ a bar in downtown Montreal)

Wine critic review: "Sweet generous aromas, plummy red fruits, full body and soft tannins from a blend of Monastrell, Garnacha and Syrah. The winemaker is Montreal-born Nathalie Bonhomme. Delicious wine, superb value." - Mary Bailey, The Tomato, December 2012
Personal Review: Smell is woody and mild fruit- I could smell some orange peel and berry flavors, including raspberry and blackberry jam. Clean and freshly balanced on the palate. Is medium body, has medium tannin, some flowery and spicy notes. Has a  light acidity on the taste and medium finish.

Name: Biagio Toscana

Variety:Sangiovese 85%, Cabernet Sauvignon 15%

Region:Toscana

Year: 2007 Vintage

Country: Italy

Price:$15

Wine critic review:Nice complexity in a fresh "Supertuscan" style from selected Sangiovese grapes, with gentle tanins rounding out a soft vanilla-oak finish. Biagio Red is smooth and ready to enjoy with no further lengthy bottle aging required.(Oops!)

Personal Review:Dark brown red with some hints of vanilla and pear skin flavors. Some deep plum and raspberry flavors. Maybe blackberry and dried blueberries. Smell is woody. Medium acidity and bold tannins. Nice long finish. Little chalk but I like it! Probably would have been better when it was originally purchased. I bought this under the impression that all red wine ages. Nope!
Update: I drank this 12 hours later and it was the SHIT! Opening up the wine really does make a difference!!

So what DOES cassis taste like? Le Madérisé by Cassis Monna & Filles

The black currant, also known by Quebecers as gadelle noire, is a remarkably fragrant, purplish-black berry. The first European settlers brought this delectable treasure with them when they came to the Americas. At the time, the fruit was already widely appreciated for its medicinal qualities. We now also know that the black currant is brimming with vitamin C, is an anti-oxydant, anti-inflammatory and contains polyphenol which has numerous virtues, including immune-system boosting capacities.

Cassis Monna & filles grows many varieties of black currants, including the Titania and the Ben Lomond, which have a strong aroma, are abundant in juice and are highly resistant to plant diseases. The black currant is also perfectly adapted to harsh Québec winters. The fruit is harvested over a two-week period in early August when the fruit is perfectly ripe and bursting with flavour.

Name:Bonera, by Cantine Settesoli

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon blend

Region: Sicily

Year: 2011

Country: Italy

Price: ~$16

Wine critic review: Blend of Nero d'Avola/Cabernet Sauvigno; This dry ruby coloured wine features medium empyreumatic, spicy, floral and fruity scents and offers a broad texture as well as smooth tannins.(Saq.com)

Personal Review: Not a very shapely wine on the pallet. Low tannins and some residual sugar. Weaker color and too much clarity. Not a very dark, bold wine. Some hints of spice and smell of cassis. Didn't do much for me.

Name: Le Madérisé by Cassis Monna & Filles

Variety: Black currant

Region: Quebec

Year: 2011

Country: Canada

Price: $12.95 Canadian dollars (~1:1 exchange rate)

Wine critic review: This wine is a magnificent blend of roasted coffee, date and woody aromas. It is best served chilled as an aperitif wine or as a digestif enjoyed with bittersweet chocolate. Use it in your sauces and marinades for a sweet and unique twist that your guests will simply love. Once it is opened, it can be stored in the refrigerator for over six months.

Personal Review: Dark red purple color. Very sweet smell of berries... but it was cassis after all. Sweet smell of cassis jam or another kind of preserve. Bam with jam. Couldn't trace any alcohol content- probably because it was chilled. I'd say stick this in the fridge at least 2 hours before and take out 20 min later to get optimal temp. Had a little bit of an acidic or lemon finish. Served with dinner as an aperitif.

Wine Film Review: Blood into Wine

Wine Film Review

Film: Blood into Wine

Setting: Arizona, USA

Tags: wine, Arizona, Tool, Maynard Keenan, Perfect Circle, Puscifer, Eric Glomski, desert, music, Caduceus Cellars, winery, winemakers, commerce, grapevines, New Napa Valley

In the United States, the four major wine growing states include New York, Oregon, Washington State, and California. The film, Blood into Wine, takes place in the Verde Valley of Arizona, an unexpected setting to an amateur wine enthusiast. South-central Arizona is best known for its unique climate, hot summers and quiet, mild winters. Blood into Wine is a documentary that sheds light on the wine making practices of Caduceus Cellars, a winery located in this region.  Owners Maynard James Keenan and Eric Glomski humorously explain the origin of Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards, the phases of the wine making process, winemaker tests and trials, and other challenges in the wine-making industry.

 Verde Valley, Arizona

The Verde Valley has some climate and soil characteristics that are similar to some of the great wine producing regions of the world. Fruit is able to fully ripen in the sunshine and Arizona heat. What is distinct to Arizona is the soil. Keenan explains that the soils are much rockier and volcanic than other soil types in places like California, Washington, and New York. In the film, he describes the point in time where he first considered growing grapes in Arizona. Keenan had no prior intensive experience in wine-making, nor did he know what challenges awaited in producing wine on Arizona soil. Keenan’s Grandfather, “Spirito” Marzo, had vineyards and made wine in Venaus, Italy, North of Turino in Piemonte. Keenan saw that there were a few other winemakers in Arizona’s Verde Valley region and visualized himself cultivating his own vineyard on the same land. Calling on his friend, Eric Glomski, the two were able to succeed in planting grapevines at Merkin Vineyards.

Merkin Vinyards sloped terrain

 Unlike California where yields are fruitful almost every year, the soils and stressful growing conditions force grapevines to struggle to survive in the Arizona climate. Moreover, Maynard’s yield is planted on the face of a mountain, where vines are planted meticulously to optimize sun exposure and reduce erosion in damaging weather. In the movie, Glomski and Keenan drive home the principal that winemaking is 90 percent labor. Wine growers are required to prune the vines, water the vines, monitor soil acidity, fertilize, harvest, processing, and protect the vineyard from other forces of the wilderness (ie. pest control management). Despite the challenges of climate, terrain, and wild animals partaking in Maynard’s grape stock, he and Glomski successfully produced at Merkin Vinyards. This first batch of Cabernet Sauvignon was called “Nagual del Judith,” which was a wine produced to honor the passing of his mother, Judith Marie. Blood into Wine also provides insight on Keenan’s music career and responses from critics on Arizona wines.

 

Keenan with a bottle of Nagual del Judith

For years, Keenan toured with Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer across the globe. However, in the film he explained that he would not tour as he once did after investing in Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars.  Perhaps the information on his music career does not lend insight on the wine making world, but it demonstrates the commitment he needed to make to ensure success in the wine making industry. Keenan explained that his new found passion and career was to be a wine maker, pursue different grape varieties, flavors, and methods of production. Moreover, he was passionate about the region and its opportunity to be a significant player in the domestic and global wine world. However, both he and Glomski argued that sales and perceptions of wine were influenced by industry entities with “power,” namely critics from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator.  Keenan drives home the idea that a person’s individual palate preference(s) should be the main reason why they choose a particular wine, not because of a critic review or opinion. The film features Keenan and Glomski touring new regions to promote Caduceus Cellars wines and grape varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Barbera, as well as other varieties and blends.

 Caduceus Wines

The movie also features the story and background of Eric Glomski, Keenan’s business partner. Glomski first took an interest in grape growing after college while doing research and traveling along riversides. He talks about how he remembers traveling and picking berries, apples, and other fruit along waterways and the quality of the fruit. This is one reason that he was so drawn to the Verde Valley. The Verde River is a major tributary of the Salt River in Arizona. As a critical natural resource, Glomski explains that he and Keenan fought to have access to water resources and rights. Unlike other agriculture yields, grape vines require considerably less water, making it a viable crop given Arizona’s water resource limitations.

 Verde River in Arizona

What makes this film relevant to wine drinkers, especially beginner drinkers/enthusiasts, is that it breaks up the wine production process from start to finish. In the pruning season, the film depicts Keenan cutting roots and replanting the vines out on the vineyard in the Arizona heat. Proper training of grapevines is essential to maintain plant size, shape, productivity, and ensure an optimal harvest (all other conditions may change harvest outcomes but vine training is one key part). The film also features another farmer training grape vines in the autumn season, ensuring that the vines are on the arbor system for the coming year of fruit production. The movie also features processes and challenges that happen during wine grape growing season. Keenan stands next to hundreds of grape vines canopies and discusses the problems in managing sun, heat retention and reflection, and the need for net canopies for pest management. The film reviews the harvesting process, where grapes are picked by hand and moved off for the next step-must making. The grapes are separated from the stems and crushed into must. During the fermentation process, the film features Glomski pushing down the cap, showing how all of the tannins, juices and sugars are bubbling together with yeast to make Caduceus wine.  The film continues by highlighting the series of taste testing that occurs during the fermentation, pressing, and settling periods. In the movie, Keenan and Glomski explain that this is the part that they look forward to most- understanding the complexities of the yield, mixing certain varieties together, and measuring each ounce to concoct the right mix of flavors.  

 

Grapes at Merkin Vinyards

Overall, I think that I would definitely recommend this movie to a wine audience, especially individuals who are just starting to learn more about the craft of wine making. The movie provides a realistic perspective of how wine making is not an easy business- it requires a lot of capital, patience, hard labor, and creativity. Keenan and Glomski are both very down to earth and passionate about wine making. Each one offers token pieces of information to the viewer and parts wisdom of what they have learned thus far while working together and in the industry. What I find most important is that they both drive home the same idea that it is important to do what you love. Rather than meet the interests of wine critics and other influential players in the industry, Glomski and Keenan vow to continue to produce wine that they enjoy and that they can share with their consumer audience. I think this movie also provides more transparency on the wine making industry in Arizona and its potential as an upcoming wine producing region in the USA.    

Keenan and Glomski

Wine Tasting Week of 3.4

Coltsfoot Winery is popular for their Country wines, which is essentially wines that are not made from grape. Berries, peaches and plums are some of the fruits that are involved in making these country wines.

Read and watch more here.

Name: Coltsfoot Winery- Elderberry Wine

Variety: N/A

Region: Abington, VA

 Country: USA

 Year:Not Listed on Bottle (2011-2012 perhaps?)

Price: $13.95

Wine Critic/Review: To sip the Elderberry Wine is to taste the simple pleasures of a bygone era. The Elderberry Wine has a full-bodied and bold, berry taste with a long finish. Robust, complex and with a unique flavor that has been an old-fashioned favorite for generations. (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Interesting blue/brown hue; deepest colored wine compared to all others in the tasting. Pretty rich and smooth- but I can't get over the deep color of this wine. Very unique berry flavor.

Name: Coltsfoot Winery- Strawberry Wine

Variety: N/A

Region: Abington, VA

 Country: USA

 Year: Not Listed on Bottle (2011-2012 perhaps?)

Price: $13.95

Wine Critic/Review: The most popular berry in the world is one of the bestselling wines. The Strawberry Wine is fruity-sweet, zesty and long on aromatic delight. Along with its clean finish, this wine makes it seem like summer anytime of the year. Made with only the most luscious strawberries, you will savor the sweet juciness and deep red color in every glass. (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Pleasant and appealing rose to raspberry translucent color. Best served without food and chilled. Strawberry aroma but weak mid-taste. Finish is sweet and not all too long.

Name: Coltsfoot Winery- Peach Wine

Variety: N/A

Region: Abington, VA

 Country: USA

 Year: Not Listed on Bottle (2011-2012 perhaps?)

Price: $13.95

Wine Critic/Review: Brand New! Tell is what you think! (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Orange, faint peach fuzz translucent hues.Very sweet flavor and pleasant peach and apricot aroma. Short finish but sweet as well.

Name: Coltsfoot Winery- Blueberry Wine

Variety: N/A

Region: Abington, VA

 Country: USA

 Year: Not Listed on Bottle (2011-2012 perhaps?)

Price: $13.95

Wine Critic/Review:  Plump, juicy blueberries picked at their peak; you'll taste your favorite summertime memories with every sip. The Blueberry Wine is fruity and peppery with a 'hint' of clove that is long on blueberry flavor. Low acidity makes for a wonderful warm, sweet experience. (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Unique deep lavender/blue color.Smells of blackberries, raspberries, and of course, blueberries. Mild mild mild tannin flavors and richer sweetness than the other wines. Mild finish of black currant.

Name: Coltsfoot Winery- Plum Wine

Variety: N/A

Region: Abington, VA

 Country: USA

 Year: Not Listed on Bottle (2011-2012 perhaps?)

Price: $13.95

Wine Critic/Review:  There are few fruits that are as delightful to eat as the colorful, sweet tasting plum. Our Plum Wine is light, sweet semi-dry with a refreshingly, crisp, mellow finish. You will enjoy this soft, juicy, delicate fruit in each glass of the Plum Wine. (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Barney purple transluscent color! Love it.Mild sweetness and a hint (subtle) tannic flavor- seriously! Great without food but if you insist, I wouldn't dare to match this with more than a piece of fish or a salad. No distinct finish but pleasantly sweet.