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Don’t Buy a Cellar, Buy a Rioja Reserva

December 7, 2012 by winelifemagazine

La Rioja AltaEarlier this year, Eric Asimov wrote a terrific article in The New York Times about how wine consumers have little patience, or little money to spend on treasured wines that need 10-15 years in a cellar before they are ready to drink. Instead, some wineries are holding the bottles long enough that upon release, they are ready to drink. What a terrific concept!

The flaw in this fairytale, is that it’s a terrible business decision to hold wine at a winery for up to 15 years before sending them to market. Frankly, we’re surprised that their accountants haven’t killed them and drank the wine themselves. Another quirk is that the wineries that are indeed practicing this “aged wine for the consumer” business model, mostly come from the frequently overlooked Spanish region of Rioja.

Why are we so afraid of Spanish wines?

They are unique, interesting, complex, full of character and are generally quite a bargain. It’s as if the wine gods finally gave us what we wanted, and we scoff and ask to see something from Napa.

Three wines in particular impressed us for the price:

La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva “904″ 1998 ($40) – A book can be written about La Rioja Alta, one of the oldest wine collectives in Spain. Five Basque and Rioja-based vine growers created “Sociedad Vinicola De La Rioja Alta” in July of 1890, a year later the company changed names to La Rioja Alta, and they’ve been producing classic Spanish wines for over 120 years. More than any other producer, La Rioja Alta waits until the wines are ready to drink before release. It’s a wine full of class and grace, while being slightly oxidized for it’s age. Honey, raisin and lavender are present with a lighter, fresh palate and long finish. Only 12.5% alcohol. 3.5 Stars

Lopez de Heredia Rioja Reserva Tondonia 2001 ($35) – If you know Spanish wines, you know Lopez de Heredia. Their Tondonia Reserva 2001 solidifies their status as one of the top, traditionally producing wineries in the entire world. Nothing gimmicky here, notes of cranberry tart, red cherry and leather meet a fairly acidic palate with firm structure and balance. It’s not for everyone, but if you can appreciate the style, it’s fantastic. 3.0 Stars

La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial 2001 ($25) – This is a brilliant wine, and if you can’t get your hands on the “904,” buy the Ardanza Especial 2001 by the truckload. A bit more masculine and powerful than the first two, the Ardanza has a deep, sexy intensity that you seldom see in a Rioja. Notes of raspberry, cherry and lavender are complemented by a velvety-textured palate and a sweet, hanging finish. Could be one of our top wines of the entire year. 3.5 Stars

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Celebrating The Holidays with Nicolas Catena

December 5, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Catena Zapata 2007For the past seven years, I’ve celebrated the holidays in Miami. Sun, surf and stone crabs await me during December, however it does damper my spirits that for all that Miami is…it’s not a wine town. Mojitos, Pisco Sours, and Dewers on the rocks line the sun filled landscape with nay a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Cannubi Barolo or Chassagne-Montrachet in sight.

Truth be told when I’m in Miami, I don’t feel like drinking wine either! Blasphemy you say? Perhaps. But there is something about temperatures pushing 90 degrees that call for something ice cold and immediate. Ok, great Champagne is more than acceptable.

This year, I got a wonderful treat. A chance to experience the latest vintage of a wine masterpiece, Nicolas Catena Zapata 2007. A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Malbec with the rest Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this legendary wine is consistently blind tasted amongst the first growth heavyweights Chateau Latour and Chateau Haut Brion. Only made in exceptional years, the 2007 has been on my radar since I heard it was to be released.

Nicolas Catena Zapata 2007 ($100) Incredible concentration of flavors makes the wines finesse and balance at a young age quite remarkable. Coffee notes followed by lavender and cherries lead to an expansive palate. As expected the wine shows tremendous depth and feels ultra-refined. Very young at this point and needs extensive aeration if you are to approach it within the next few years.  Will be best after 2015. 3.5 Stars.

Catena Malbec 2010 ($20) One of the best priced Malbec’s found in the US market, the Catena Malbec is perfect for those nights when you just can’t afford Zapata! Should be plenty, but the wine is a lovely balance of bright red fruit, supple tannins and a well structured finish. A wonderful companion to a variety of meat dishes, the Catena Malbec is outstanding for the price. 3.0 Stars.

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The Best Spanish Wine Under $20

November 25, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Descendientes De J. Palacios Petalos 2009Fans of Wine Life Magazine know our affinity to Spanish winemaker Alvaro Palacios. It wasn’t too long ago that we featured two of his spectacular wines in an article about values reds from Priorat. One of nine children born to the owners of Rioja’s respected Palacios Remondo, Alvaro studied in Bordeaux and worked under Jean-Pierre Moueix at Chateau Petrus.

In the 1980′s Alvaro toured Spain selling French barrique, but secretly began looking for a place to create Spain’s next great wine. He found incredible success in Priorat with his magical “L’Ermita,” earning worldwide fame and almost overnight success. While the lure of Priorat was the greatest, the eclectic region of Bierzo came a close second. Steep hillsides, unique terroir and ancient Mencia vines held tremendous potential.

Descendientes de J. Palacios Petalos 2009 ($18) – Named in honor of his father, Petalos is crafted from 100% Mencia, sourced from steep hillside vineyards whose age ranges from 40-90 years. An outstanding introduction to the wines of Bierzo, the Petalos carries surprising weight, however the restrained power and alcohol allow the flavors to meld into the wines density. Pure notes of berry, herbs and spice line the palate with supple tannins and elegant structure. Highly Recommended – 3.5 Stars.

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Pali Bluffs Russian River Pinot Noir 2009

November 24, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Very seldom do we take an entire post to write about a singular wine. When quality matches price and value for our readers, it’s hard not to gush. Such is the case for the Pali Bluffs Russian River Pinot Noir.

From the highly lauded 2009 vintage in Northern California, where the perfect growing conditions and outstanding winemaking led to a slew of incredible wines. It’s a vintage where the great wines were truly amazing and the middle tier rose above “value status,” to world class examples of modern Pinot Noir.

In 2005, entrepreneurs Tim Perr and Scott Knight pooled their resources and their passions and founded a winery dedicated to producing small lots of artisan Pinot Noir. Establishing a state-of-the-art winery and tasting room in the town of Lompoc, they’ve focused on sourcing top quality fruit from specific California AVA’s that emphasized particular growing conditions. The Russian River Valley is at the heart of Sonoma’s best Pinot vineyards, and their 2009 Bluffs showcases this amazing vintage perfectly.

Pali Bluffs Russian River Pinot Noir 2009 ($15) - Spice notes, cranberry and earth are upfront and alluring within this medium bodied Pinot, with the palate showing softer notes of black cherry and raspberries. The subtle flavors are nicely layered and balanced with excellent acidity, supple tannins and a long finish. Top Value Selection. 3.0 Stars.

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The Great Wines of Emidio Pepe

November 6, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Emidio Pepe 2003These are the wines I love to write about: quirky, eclectic and certainly found off the beaten path. Fans of traditionally styled Italian wines will instantly fall in love with Emidio Pepe, who has developed a cult like following over the past fifty years. Without a doubt, Pepe is the reference point for outstanding wines crafted in the Abruzzo region of Italy, and the editors of Wine Life Magazine went in search of three amazing vintages.

Deeply soulful and indicative of a true artist, these wines are both hard to find and at the top of the price range for the region. Readers who know the Montepulciano grape as a simple house wine, will be shocked at both the $50+ price tag and the level of sophistication and depth that Emidio Pepe creates. Bio-dynamic, never seeing oak, and held for years at the winery before release, these classic Italian wines will take your senses back to the Old Country.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2003 ($60) Incredibly young at this primary stage, it’s hard to believe that the 2003 vintage is the recent release. While Pepe’s wines are known for being a bit rough and tumbled in their youth, the 2003 is almost ready to drink with gobs of ripe fruit complemented by some not so subtle notes of earth, tar and leather. The tannins are massive and time in the cellar with smooth out the flavors to reveal an amazing wine. 3.0 Stars.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2001 ($100) Just getting to the start of its drinking window, the 2001 has settled in a bit more then the 2003. Some say that the hotter the vintage in Abruzzo the less nuanced Pepe’s wines will be. 2003 was hotter than 2001 but the latter wine feels riper and denser, massive even in this youthful stage. Ripe aromas of red cherry and plums are followed by the same mineral, saline quality all his wines posses. Pepe’s daughter Sophia explains that the vineyards proximity to the sea is what imparts that “salty-air” quality into the wines. 3.5 Stars.

Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1985 ($150) The proverbial pièce de résistance, the 1985 is the culmination of outstanding vineyards, winemaking and aging. Pepe holds a tremendous amount of older vintages in his cellar, sporadically releasing them when he deems the time to be right. Remember that all aging is done in bottle, so the winemaker must uncork and transfer the older vintages to a new bottle prior to release. As other commentators have said, the fruit has been pushed to the back letting the leather, tar and minerality shine through. Much like a great aged Bordeaux is unlike anything else in the world, an older vintage of Pepe’s Montepulciano is a singular masterpiece. 3.5 Stars.

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Outstanding Value in the Languedoc Roussillon

October 10, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvee 2007 It wasn’t too long ago that the wines from the Languedoc Roussillon were scoffed at. An afterthought on most restaurant wine lists and bottle shops. As a former wine director, even I fell trap to the preconceived notion that the wines could never rival the best of France. After all, the “winemakers” in the Languedoc were simple farmers with mediocre skills.

A few years ago, overall quality shot up with significant investments in wine technology combined with the overall US wine boom. Now, the Languedoc Roussillon crafts some of the most interesting wines in all of France. For their sheer value, it’s quite possible that no other region can compete. At a recent editors tasting, three selections took home the gold:

Cuvee de Pena 2009 ($8) A medium bodied blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Carignan, this smoky, spicy wine is perhaps the greatest value of the vintage. We’ve been told that the wine comes in a 3L bag in box which would make it one of the best boxed wine in the world! Dark fruits of black cherry and plum meet the juicy, ripe palate with some serious tannins. 3.0 Stars.

Domaine de Bila Haut Rouge 2009 ($10) The Bila Haut is the Roussillon domaine of famed Rhone winemaker Michel Chapoutier. His Cotes du Roussillon exudes class, and was the most refined red in the $10 and under category of our tasting. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan this red is deep, rich and a little rustic, with black cherry, dark plum, mocha and licorice notes. 3.0 Stars.

Domaine de l’Hortus Grande Cuvee 2007 ($30) A hidden gem. When the Grand Cuvee from l’Hortus was tasted blind against a gathering of top Rhone wines, it was the clear star. From winemaker Jean Orliac, one of the great innovators in the tiny sub-appellation of Pic St Loup, twenty miles from the Mediterranean coast. A blend of 50% Mouvedre, 40% Syrah, and 10% Grenache the cuvee is opulent and creamy on the palate with supporting notes of violets, eucalyptus and leather. Rich, polished and refined. 3.5 Stars.

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Finding Value in Priorat

September 19, 2012 by winelifemagazine

Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2008Just outside of Barcelona resides a unique wine region that is so seductive, so exclusive and so in vogue right now, that the cult wines produced in Priorat are commanding some of the highest prices in the World. Ok, they’re not 2010 Bordeaux Futures, but these full-bodied and densely concentrated wines are lighting the world on fire. With less than $30 in our pocket, the editors went in search of three affordable wines that would turn dreamers into believers, with the hopes of finding value in Priorat.

Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2009 ($16) – We were first introduced to the amazing skill of winemaker Alvaro Palacios with his uber high end L’Ermita.  For about 1% of the price, you can get a bottle of his entry level Camins del Priorat, a worthy offering of 60% Carinena and 30% Garnacha. While the label looks like your grandmother’s needlepoint, the wine is sensation with alluring aromas of plum, black cherry and spice. It’s a wine meant for immediate consumption and we have little problem in complying with that request. 3.0 Stars.

Cesca Vicent Cesca Vicent 2008 ($18) – A blend of 40% Garnacha, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, the Cesca Vicent first caught our eye as the “bio-dynamic Priorat.” While that selling point elevated our interest the deep, layered flavors of blackberry and spice kept this powerhouse at 15% alcohol going through the finish. Superb value. 3.0 Stars.

Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2008 ($28) – If you can fork out the extra dough for the mid-level Palacio Les Terrasses, then you’ve made a good wine decision. While the blend of Les Terrasses and Camins are the same, it’s a sexier and more supple offering. Seductive, intense and plush the wine oozes flavors of black cherries and spice. Watch it evolve over the course of an evening and Les Terrasses will reveal her many layers. Top Recommendation. 3.5 Stars.

Posted in Priorat, Wine Life Magazine Article | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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