The air out there shocks the syst
em into a voracious rejuvenation and all we wanted to do was eat our way through the time and space it took to board, embark, disembark and park… until we located the first homemade chowder bar we could access. Some things have changed since we’ve last stepped foot on the San Juans. Mostly the chowder bars now have straight and level flooring, there are no signs of leakage from worn roofs, the combined smells of stale beer, cigarette, and sea mold has been disinfected out, replaced with wide screen machines, brass rail, and not much of a smell of anything. And for all that upward mobile boardwalk luxury, we have now the bowl of chowder that looks like a cup and for a nominal fee of $6 plus tip. The chowder didn’t quite taste as good as I remembered it.
In the midst of auction tense...
Once past all things realty promotional and boutique devotional and into the realm of alfalfa and hops and alpaca we finally found our primary destination and more boat people than one could shake a down-rigger at. Camaraderie in it’s purest form, seasonally migratory, and even nomadic in a saltwater Winnebago way, these colder sea folk are about as fun loving and as tight a tribe you’ll find. There was little doubt in their resolve toward a robust life full of good food, drink, friends and frivolity. This is what we can call a ’sweet spot’ on the human horizon. Several consumed cases later with the leftover auctioned off, and the departure of the yours two truly lesser of stamina wine merchants, it was rumored that the sounds of their revelry could be heard throughout the evening throughout the Harbor.
This ‘morrow’s miss of things awakening along the river, like vendors and musicians, and Barb’s coffee steaming, and a stroll down side streets where Paul and Karen roam before opening up the Trumpeter and Nancy sweeping the stoop, adjusting and organizing, sign placing and maybe Kyp looking over mid-nose glasses still hammering on the keyboard, smoke trailing upward from cracks between the keys and we’re all wondering if she ever left the night before. And vehicular intensities increasing in accumulation through and paused in the intersection of lost souls but not enough to have to wait on the light.
We'll probably be somewhere around here....
But tomorrow we are Island bound to do what we do, a roadshow where subjective exclamations and exaggerations will form and meld amongst tasters and toasters, matching a Macon Uchizy with a clam, a Torrontes with cheese, Dolcetto/Barbera’s with sausage, a Petite Syrah with things beefy and then there is the 14-Hands which supposedly, one hand is 4 inches so 14 hands is 56 inches tall at the withers (the highest point of the back at the base of the neck). I’m probably around 18-Hands but not on all fours. And there may or may not be sales, but that is not the point as we will dance and spin between table and chair, accentuate the nuance and diminish the brash, all in a frolic and with a little flair.
We return open for business on Tuesday Morning.
r
beware the hand pale and emaciated...
This new to the shop Portuguese configuration consists of such world renown grapes such as Touriga National and Tina Roriz and umm… some Syrah. I’m not sure of the percentages or why it appears to be a second label of Casa Santos Lima but for just under $10/btl, who cares? What is fascinating about this wine, like most Portuguese attempts at the drier side of the table is its judicious yet ample amplification of oak. The Spanish and Portuguese are notorious for letting the juice soak and yet there is only a slight hint of toast–cedar maybe, but not burnt espresso. This is ‘good’ oak, somewhat like ‘good’ cholesterol.
How do they control that toast? After a recent perusing over of a review claiming it tasted like one’s lost stick of licorice found later (much later) in a cedar box, a subjectively triggered typical and less profound, “oh yeah” occurred. However, this was not at all unpleasant. Add tart cherries and raspberries with just the right amount of immediately released tannin (meaning don’t bother with the decanter), this is easily a prime qualifier as a daily slammer. I wouldn’t consider this anywhere near a food wine extraordinaire, but my guess is anything with a little twang of citrus (tomato?) and this dry red table wine will set across the table just right.
Just in... Super Tuscan under $13
For those who need a vino Italia to stand with powerful west world sauces, who like to discard the delicate and trod heavily over nuance, who need massive flavor explosions buried deep within every girth and viscous gelatinous filled bite of whatever, and especially for those who think Layer Cake Primitivo is really Italian, may we suggest Renzo Masi Erte e China. I believe that means facing China. Renzo Masi is famous for Chianti but with this introduction they are adding 50% Cabernet to the Sangiovese just for shits and giggles? Maybe more of a serious process than that but make no mistake, assume no doubt about it, this wine is made in the preferred market-to-Americans style, can by declaration be considered a Super Tuscan, sits firmly upon the shelf for under $13/bottle, and I happen to like it. I want a steak and I want it now.
A lone walk down 2nd over a less than maniacal I-5, late, elevenish, and the old downtown has this yellow glow around then and voices heard emanating from some shadows, some from cars both parked and passing through, some low woofer thumps to unrecognizable rhythms and where there should be eerie suspicions, there are only the ghosts of future pasts to pass through on the way back to a somewhat uncomfortable couch…
Sometimes th
e problem with this wine is more of me and my difficulty of processing it, that I try to wrap myself around it waiting for its aggressive structure to crumble to the wayside as the evening progresses after there is enough time for it to acclimate to its environment, relax, calm, and submit. Most of the experience is me stealthy waiting for the wine to sway and bend to the foods it allows access to. I’ve learned over time that Pinotage has a presence that does not lend to compromise. It cannot be sneaked up on. It will calm down as it’s edges soften, as the initial funk of straw and bovine blows off the nose. There are foods that it will shun, dishes lacking in equal strength and audacity, maybe even unmitigated gall. It requires rendered fats dripping with melted blue veined cheeses marbling and flowing to the ends of elbows. The dreaded double bacon bleu cheese burger comes to mind. But then even a carrot and raisin salad with a contemptuous slap of ginger in a what about me way is enough to get a Pinotage’s attention… or vise versa. This hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, an abomination in the eyes of an elite many, can jar or even repulse any an unsuspecting palate upon first impression. But like all bullies, underneath the chip on the shoulder and thug-like demeanor, there is often just an insecure and misunderstood lost waif far from its shores, and the westernmost shores just North of Capetown are quite far.
Skagit’s Eat Local Week is Sept. 14-20, with celebrations in Mount Vernon, Conway, La Conner, Anacortes and Edison. Sponsored by Slow Food Skagit and the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, Eat Local Week happens mostly at the end of your fork. Local businesses will be ramping up the specials on their products and services to take advantage of the bountiful harvest.
As part of the celebration of Eat Local, Libation Station will be offering free tastings of Washington Wines that we feel are serious food accompaniments for whatever you may have bagged in your totes…ALL WEEK LONG... So grab some locally produced food and a great bottle of wine, call the friends and family, toss, grill, toast, roast and enjoy the bounty and abundance offered from just out our own back door.
First a Touraine Sauvignon Blanc from The Loire to wash off any of the day’s prior transgressions… like maybe a rogue bacon bleu cheese burger or the such for lunch.
A Coto De Hayas Spanish Crianza loaded with the primal fruit of sun drenched Grenache and Tempranillo to set the tone for the coming tannin and fruit onslaught.
The Presidial, a Cabernet, Merlot, and Cab Franc blend from Jean-Luc Thunevin, that crazy guy who made Mauvais Garcon (Bad Boy) and Bordeaux still has not been the same.
And last, the return of the Tikal Patriota from Mendoza. Still massive in its approach, this Bonarda/Malbec will overwhelm the senses… and sensibilities, as one may want to go back out looking for another bacon bleu Cheese burger.
r
It’s been awhile since we have revisited this style of varietals. With all the heavy extractions and ample applications of new oak that are readily available and most times preferred, they easily can be pushed into the background or back shelf depending. They also require an additional amount of patience for them to release their fruit, something that is difficult to schedule for… and they require a complement or supplement or two. These are not overpowering wines that’s purpose is to dominate a moment or be a single mean to an solitary end. They exist as only a piece of a greater good, and in this instance, I’m talking about all that is centered around food.
Last night I had the opportunity to play with the Pinot Nero. I opened it around 4pm and took a sip. It had a little funk on the nose as most Italian wines do, probably that pesky Bret yeast and/or terroir thing, but the texture was paper thin, very dry yet even with medium tannin; balance lacking, it seemed too like too much tannin, and barely any recognizable fruit. Georgiann took the bottle home and sampled some while starting dinner. It left her wanting more than it was apparently capable of giving. Where was the Pinot fruit? By the time we sat down for dinner, leftover spaghetti, it was 7pm. I started to notice traces of black olive and then a balancing act between acidity and tannin, and then notes of raspberry and cherry though still all presented in a delicate grace. After the meal, the wine really showed itself, probably because the tomato sauce was still a little over bearing and the wine could not compete with every mouthful. But afterward, with what residuals of the marinara were left lurking on the palate, the wine was very enjoyable. So that entire experience took over 3 hours to reach maximum satisfaction and all for a blistering $12 bottle. There cannot be any fire alarms with these wines and though they can be very easily judged by the first impression, it most likely will be unjust and far too early a conclusion.
Cara Mia Pinot Noir – Italy – Grown in the rolling Lombardy hills, Cara Mia Pinot Noir brings a Northern Italian sensibility for elegance and charm to your table. The wine delivers bright berry aromas, a rich and silky texture, and a medium-length, ripe finish. While this delicious wine is utterly quaffable by itself, Cara Mia Pinot Noir also pairs beautifully with salmon, pasta with mushrooms or rich poultry dishes like roasted chicken or duck.
Cara Mai Pinot Grigio – Italy- Disarmingly bright and refreshing, Cara Mia reminds us of why we fell in love with Pinot Grigio in the first place. From the bright citrus nose through the pure and mouthwatering finish, what I would consider a more full bodied pinot Grigio, and a delightful and sophisticated bottle of wine for the price. It is an incredible aperitif to enjoy on the patio as the sun sets, or to pair with lightly elegant prepared fish or poultry.
Vestini Montepulciano D’Abruzzo – Italy – From the Abruzzo appellation comes this deeply colored, medium bodied red wine from Italy, made with 100% Montepulciano and aged in Slavonian oak. Fresh aromas of cassis, plums and red currant lie beneath a layer of subtle fruit with earthy overtones of spices, specifically cinnamon, with a suggestion of herbs. Its pleasant but basic simplicity makes this a good everyday wine that will go well with pizza, pasta or even some chicken dishes. We carried this wine a few years ago and lost track of the importer. We are very happy it has returned.
Renzo Castella Dolcetto di Diano D’ Alba – Italy – We really had to squeeze the price to get this wine to fit but I felt it was worth it. This wine is fermented in stainless steel vats, aged in stainless steel casks and then 4 months in the bottle. It has an intense and brilliant ruby color, as well as a fruity and floral scent composed of violets and red fruits. It has a full taste to the palate, but at the same time it is soft and “sweetly tannic”. There is deep plummy fruit and soft tannins which makes this wine so delightful to drink with a platter of cold meats, antipasti and Piemontese cheeses like Taleggio, Toma and Robiola. Yet I’m thinking with drunken chicken covered with Italian seasonings.
Cabanon 2004 Cuoredivino La Botte 18 – Italy – This is one of our best Italian Rossos for the buck. Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Bonarda (15%), this wine shows an intense ruby red color. The nose reveals intense, clean, pleasing and refined aromas that start with hints of plum, black cherry and blackberry followed by aromas of blueberry, licorice, cyclamen and vanilla. It slightly shows increased tannin however well balanced by alcohol, body, and acidity (it is Italian). Serve with broiled or roasted meat and barbecue or stew with mushrooms.
Stomani Cellars Sangiovese – Washington – The Sangiovese grape produces the signature wines at Stomani Cellars, a new winery located in South Seattle. The wine is medium bodied, with acid levels focused to bring out the finest characteristics of the fruit. You will notice the strawberry with the first sip, with a lingering bit of darker fruit to the finish. This wine was aged 14 months in a combination of new and used American oak barrels. Serve with salads, roasted meats, some fine pasta dishes, or we really enjoy a special dish such as Cioppino. This is a very close expression of an Italian style of wine making from a NW vintner. Rated OUTSTANDING by Wine Press Northwest.
Layer Cake Primitivo - Italy via Australia – This is Italy’s version of Zinfandel, literally the same grape but usually presented in completely different styles. I feel this wine was intended to be an entry level bridge into the Italian side by those who are more accustomed to the California version. The wine is purple in color with black fruit, cherries and whipped cream on the nose. Extremely creamy and ripe fruit with spice and a bit of tartness on the finish, I would still pair this with barbecue and chocolate. It is a very heavy and viscous wine.
Begali Lorenzo Amarone – Italy – 60% Corvina, 30% Rondinella 10% Molinara – These grapes are hand picked, then dried on mats [sometimes for up to three months] before pressing into musts that can make either sweet [Recioto] or, when the sugar is all converted during fermentation to alcohol, the dry Recioto Amarone, which can be one of Italy’s most distinguished wines. The Begali is definitely one of the very best! Deeply colored purple, almost black in intensity, with a strong velvety sweet nose. Raisins and honey come through on the bouquet in addition to the fabulous earthy undertones. This richness and smoothness follows on the palate to linger for a long, long time. Delicious! Full of character this Amarone goes with any rich meal, strong cheese or even the occasional dessert. It also benefits from being allowed to breathe sometimes, if you can resist, a day will show this wine to its best. Rich, porty aromas, oozing with spice, cherry, damson and licorice. Decant! Decant! Decant!
Enjoy… and be patient.
R
… all the great pictures of an incredible feast with good friends, a 180 degree Sound view, old world wines, and it all ended up in the wrong format due to operator error (me)… the camera was set wrong, so the files are not viewable. Luckily I got this one right. The wine is an 2001 Amarone of extraordinary character and available (as far as I know) only within reach via British Columbia. The water in the background belongs to Utsalady Bay. The land mass beyond is Whidbey Island, specifically as the crow flies: Coupeville and Penn Cove. It was decided that the Lopez 20 year white went better with the roasted potatoes than the lamb chops until it finally aired out longer (even after the initial decanting) and then we all changed our minds. A white wine with tannins and responsiveness to air… hmmm.
From Saumur and the Loire… a Chenin, of course.
From Chile… a prickly Rose’
From Argentina… yup, Malbec
From Washington… A young and fruity Cab Franc.
It is officially called the Saturday Farmer’s Market as many are, a place to collate and collaborate and sell one’s harvest. They always start out that way but inevitably grow and transform into so much more and the one in town that occupies the revetment above The Skagit (when The Skagit doesn’t attempt to rise above the revetment) is no different. And it is expanding. The atmosphere is radiant with contagious and addictive energies emanating from canopy to canopy to consumer 
to wanderer. Passersby are pulled in as live music plays and Swedish Pancakes are flipped and devoured; children and pets allowed and there appears to be the possibility and even probability of knowing the person standing next to you.
It’s interesting how other factions in the community are attaching themselves to this momentum: art, music, vendors. Can’t wait for when the local historical theater finally gets the feed from the NY Met Opera piped in. Our historic downtown was never this alive during the stock market and real estate booms (bubbles?). And yes some of the strip malls are not looking all that healthy. Is it possible recessions are good for a community at this particular grassroots level, actually bringing people together that normally embraced a more convenient isolated car to mall existence?
I’m actually scouring the classifieds for a used vendor cart. It would be great to offer samples of wine for people to taste with other samples… like chocolate and cheese, but our regulators are not on board with that concept and probably won’t be for quite some time. Though I have had gourmet corn dogs on the mind as of late.
Anyway, the energy is gravitational and full of insurgent social contagions… beware.
http://www.mountvernonfarmersmarket.org/
r
I”m restructuring our web presence, it is something I do and for various reasons, and somewhat like moving the furniture around just to keep the dust from settling in the same place. I’m also trying to reduce redundancy. I was just going to build it off line and then republish but I find the tinkering while it is up and running much more amusing… So if you are confused as to where you are or think you might be, more than likely so am I… until I’m not.
R
A Couple of Notes:
The Club wines are ready for pick-up. This Friday will be our usual tasting starting in the early afternoon plus a visit from Tracy Whitener, who will be displaying and offering for sale her line of Lia Sopia jewelry at 6pm. There should be ample time and room to sip and browse and munchies will be offered.
We would also like to thank all of our patrons who shop all the local independent shops in the historical downtown. We are part of and promoting the National 3/50 Project which emphasizes the saving of our brick and mortars that our nation is built on. Along with integrating the Main Street program with this concept, we all are defining what a vibrant downtown community should be. For more information visit:
Club Wines:
Since we have now approached and tickled the maximum threshold for consecutive days ever of sweltering heat and may do so again in the near future, many have been probably wondering what refreshing light and crisp quaff would go with a beach blanket and umbrella sprawled out on the sand bar across the river we now lovingly call The Skagit Riviera. Seriously, if there were less than 200 people there the Wednesday afternoon it hit 100 degrees, I’d be very surprised. And even more seriously, this is the kind of climatic oven bake that warrants the light and clean, the fresh and cool, a frolicking without really having to move.
That is exactly why in this month’s two bottle wine club I am offering up head to head two huge fruit-forward tannic structured Cabernet Sauvignon brutes most likely suited to cooler weather. I do love the smell of contrarianism in the morning. I’m visualizing a good hosing down and mud wrestling metaphor coming on, but that’s because I’m still suffering from heat stroke.
Actually, it was a brief conversation with Matt Rawn, winemaker at Two Mountain Winery who enlightened me to the realization that even if there is but the slightest of cool breezes after a long hot day, many folk like to finish off a meal with something big, lush, silky, and fulfilling. I got it. Save the Sauvignon, Chenin, and Pinot Blancs for the hors d’oeuvres and light salad courses. But for the steak or that chunk of chocolate that follows, one needs fruit and spice.
Owen Roe Sharecropper Cabernet 2007 -The label hearkens to the spirit of the old sharecropping ideal of a partnership between landowners and the laborers who toil producing the crops. With an oversupply of grapes, Owen Roe decided to put some of their excess first-rate fruit into neutral barrels and essentially split the profits with the vineyards. Most of the fruit for the Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Dr. Steve Elerding’s Six Prong Vineyard in Alderdale, Washington. Plush and forward with fresh berry notes, this wine promises excellent cellaring potential. Drink now (but air well) with steaks and burgers and pastas.
Two Mountain Cabernet 2005 - Two Mountain Winery is a family-owned operation nestled in the Rattlesnake Hills within the Yakima Valley wine region of Washington state. Brothers Matthew and Patrick Rawn own and operate the winery and estate vineyard, drawing on the experience of three generations who have farmed the rich soil of the Yakima Valley. This beautifully balanced Cabernet opens with stunning aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, allspice and toasty French oak. With flavors of blackberry, plum, dark bing cherry, and tobacco framed by the French oak and soft velvety tannins this Cabernet is a pleasure now or cellared.
Domaine Astruc Picpoul – Languedoc, France – Picpoul has always been one of our favorite “off” white varietals. Rich, enticing aromas of citrus blossom and lime peel. Unctuous in texture, with ripe limeade and grapefruit and a crisp, clean finish. Serve with seafood, salads, appetizers, and creamy cheeses. Serious twang on the finish.
Astruc Grenach Noir – Languedoc, France- Made from 100% low yield Grenache Noir from 35 year old vine, this is a surprisingly powerful rich wine with a nose of Blackberries and cherries, and hints of spice and a licorice finish. Serve with heavy sauce dishes and grilled meats.
Waving Tree Zimplify 2007 – Washington – Waving Tree is a small winery not far from the much larger Maryhill Winery. They produce an incredible variety of wines for their size, mostly Italian varietals. This is their newest introduction, a rich full bodied Zinfandel from one area of Washington that produces consistent Zin (Think Maryhill Proprietor Zinfandel) but for under $12 a bottle. Great for Barbeques.
Waving Tree Sangiovese 2007 – Washington – This wine shows that light garnet hue, medium body, soft texture, tart cherry flavor and bright acidity that are the calling card of Sangiovese and at a very reasonable price. Bright raspberries with supple tannins and that great acidity to go with meatball and spaghetti sauce and pizza.
Goulart Torrontes - A great refreshing summer white! This Argentinean white from the Mendoza region is made from the Torrontes grape. Torrontes is the most widely planted white grape in Argentina. Although this wine is dry it has a floral, perfumed nose reminiscent of a tamed Gewurztraminer with crisp notes of citrus on the palate with subtle tropical and mineral notes. Great with crab cakes, fish grilled with lemongrass, or an aglio olio-style pasta dish
Coto Hayas Chadonnay – Spain – A Spanish all steel barrel fermented Chard (no oak)! Straw yellow color. Peanut brittle, apple, lemon curd, and tapioca aromas. A round, even entry leads to a dryish medium-to-full body of tangy lemon and lime custard, green and yellow apple, and nut oil flavors. Finishes with a smooth round sweet lemon fade. A very pleasant sipper or pair with filet of sole.
Mauvais Garcon Bad Boy 2006 –Bordeaux, France - This cuvee from leading garagiste Jean-Luc Thunevin is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, from vines at least 40 years old in a great terroir of clay and limestone. At such a great value, this wine should please wine lovers as much, if not more, than an expensive wine. The nose is full of blackberry, black cherry, black pepper, and black olives. These “black” notes follow through on the palate, where notes of cassis, smoke and minerals also emerge. Full bodied with a silky texture and loaded with ripe chewy tannins, this wine is a pure, delicious offering.
Beauchene Chateaneuf Du –Pape 2004 – Southern Rhone, France – A Classic wine, rose petals, tar and spice with dense damson and prune fruit and firm structure and solid fruit showing the evolution of 18 months in oak barrel. The vineyards are dotted around and throughout the appellation in true Rhone style. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre, with other varieties playing a minor role. Around 30% new oak is used for the barrel ageing.
In this month’s 2-bottle basic club we are exploring the Northwest expression of the Cabernet Franc varietal. Cab Franc is originally a Loire Valley grape that was transplanted to Bordeaux in the late 18th century. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, sometimes known as Meritage or Claret but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire’s Chinon, Anjou, Saumur, and Bourgueil (all my personal favorites but not everyone’s cup of tea). Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon making a bright pale red wine and contributing finesse and a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes. Depending on growing region and style of wine, additional aromas can include tobacco, leather, raspberry, sometimes blueberry, bell pepper, and cassis, sometimes even violets. A very complex wine if made to express so and a deep freeze resistant vine that grows very well in the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla regions of Washington and Oregon. Enjoy Cab Franc with rich meaty dishes on the gamier side.
Northwest Wine Project Cab Franc is made from fruit from Elerding’s Six Prong Vineyard. In 2006, the small Cab Franc crop was harvested in late October, yielding wonderfully rich fruit flavors with nice acidity. New oak was limited in order to maintain the expressiveness of this fragrant and complex variety. made by David O’reilly (Owen Roe) for NWVP. This wine is part of the NW Vine Project, a group of inexpensive wines made for an Oregon wine distributor. Made by David O’Reilly (Owen Roe, O’Reilly’s) and Andrew Rich (Andrew Rich Wines).
Chatter Creek Cabernet Franc Alder Ridge Horse Heaven Hills has a bright, deep garnet color, nose of violets, blueberry, and black cherry. Some lead pencil in the beginning then warming to blueberry fruit, plum, cherry and fresh acidity on the mid-palette. The finish continues the interplay of the fruit and terroir, framed in by notes of toasted almonds and vanilla bean. A wine of tremendous balance and attentive winemaking savoir-faire, this Cab Franc deserves not only to be bottled by itself, it could serve as your whole meal. And received 90 points from Parker’s Wine Advocate, September 2007.
And the rest…
Dante Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is very direct and to the point: typical black current and plum—a ready to drink quaff, this full bodied and silky delicious ‘06 Cabernet shows fine balance on the palate; delivers pleasant, soft red fruit flavors; needs very little air and goes well with beef of any cut.
Annabella Carneros Pinot Noir has great extraction and depth with tasty plum, raspberry and black cherry flavors without being too over the top on the fruit side. It has a dusty, ripe nose with an intricate, earthy finish which is not overwhelmed by too much oak or extraction… well balance for being so young. Soft, supple with wonderful concentration and medium tannins. Nice toasty French oak in the nose and palate. Serve with light meats and especially salmon on the grill.
This Talmard Macon Uchizi White Burgundy Chardonnay will appeal to fans of Pouilly Fuisse at a much-reduced price. Lovely, fresh clean chardonnay from Macon with medium body gives delicious lemon, lime, peachy melon characteristics without as much minerality of a chablis, yet with good acidity and little oak. Thick clay sub soil with limestone is noted in the terroir. Light dishes, poultry, fish, clams, fettuccini, etc…
Pasos de la Capula Tempranillo is very accessible, young and unoaked, created for easy enjoyment. Ths wines come from the oldest winemaking region in Spain, the high central plateau southwest of Madrid. With low rain fall, hot days and cool nights, the 30 year old vines are naturally low-yielding and produce wines ofgood concentration. Deep violet color with intense red berry fruits on the nose, clean and lively, with juicy sweetness and length on the palate. Very good with heavier meaty dishes and anything on the grill.
Bohigas Blanc de Blancs is a clean clear refreshing white wine from Catalogne , Spain. The varietals are Parellada and Xarel-lo which I still can’t pronounce. A nice nose of green apples, fresh and crisp, slight prickle on the tongue due to acidity, this is not an overly complex wine but very food ready. I even saw it paired with certain tomato sauce over shellfish recipes… heaven forbid! Great for hot days on the patio.
Plozza Sfursat is a 100% Nebbiolo. It has a grainy red color with a delicate brownish old world reflection. The seducing scents of raisin compote and panpepato (Italian pepper bread) are accompanied by mellow toasted notes of creme brulee, cloves, white pepper and ripe plums to the palate. Robust tannins with a beautiful flavorsome structure make it an ideal accompaniment for game, mature cheeses, red meat, minestrone soup and roast meat. It can age for 15 years.
Cabanon Bonarda. I had to borrow the review from The Wine Offensive blog because it was sooo right on the most eloquently put money…
Sweet-smelling, soft, herbal aromatics, so subtle, layered and fine. Maturity of taste–like the difference between a fresh vintage of new world Syrah, and a cellared French version. This wine isn’t flashy; it’s slinky. This wine isn’t wearing the short, crotch-bearing skirt of overripe fruit. This is a finely grown gown of dried raspberries, plummy/cherry fruit leather and all those red fruits that border on purple. Mouthfeel–this wine has a rich flavor that lacks the density of new fruit, or the sandiness of young tannins. It’s what we mean by the word “silky.” On a good day, most wine pros would narrow this down to Chianti, Gigondas, or an old Dolcetto, maybe. If I had to come up with a one sentence pitch: The Cabanon Bonarda tastes like the love child of a mellow, elegant, old world Grenache and a high-end Valpolicella.
He may have been given this as a sample which means the story he pulls from delving into its depths may be convoluted. There may be a favorable kickback in mind for a handshake crony, a pat on the back for his favoritism, and then a little extra something special slipped into the goody-bag for later. Objectivity lost. Purity compromised. There cannot be anything to wine but that which resides in the strictest technical sense. There are metrics to be honored. There must be standards.
He had asked for the bottle to come without a label, knowing visualization outside of the glass can influence taste. In the old times this was never a problem, being able to crawl down into the deepest and darkest cellars, dusting off the bottle, understanding that the winemaker new what it was without demarcation. But now his distaste for bar codes has cast so many a negative spell on wine that deserved a fairer look. And now this degrading solicitation with expectation lurks before his nose and as he stares into the glass, closing his eyes, he can only hope the journey leads down an un-manicured path.
Many of the old vineyards are mostly trampled or uprooted. The hills upon hills of sweet flowers and vines along Rasteau are now sparse and in-between, mostly flattened where tanks tread and armaments are fortified as if one world war fought on mother soil wasn’t enough. All the good vintages, if found, are shipped via rail back to Germany. We thought they’d stay in Bordeaux and Champagne but their thievry and gluttony knows no bounds. And now the only scent in the air is that of the oils of broken machinery and fear. But tonight this negociante’ need not give up these spoils so easily. Even with the risk of severe punishment, the occupiers will not take this one. Its fruit will give its all in time and we will allow it to take us back home and we will bury the bottle deep when finished. Tonight there will be but one execution.
I’m trying to rid myself of this stale chewing gum, not much left but a rubbery hint of some kind of fruit that once was berry, maybe synthetic like NutraSweet, that kind of aftertaste only it’s in the nose. Maybe that has to do with all the spring wildflowers blooming and the waves of their perfume as they ride the breeze and my brain only thinks it’s fake as I can’t bring myself to just spit it out. Walking long distances with only one piece of gum is not a good idea. The next bend or hill is never the last and if your feet are blistered or you’re tired, or maybe there is a panic in the background that you don’t belong where you are currently at, there can be mishaps concerning poor judgment and foot placement. Sometimes things are different and rub against the grain. And now I’m hungry because buttons were pushed and fresh air drafting out of a wide river gorge ignites certain remembrances, maybe of slower times and a wilder meat slow roasting from the smoke off of damp wood; wood that picked up of the scent of sage and rosemary or something else a little savory on its centuries long way to decay and the fire pit.
This is my third day out here and I’m just now starting to feel the true rustic nature of this beast. It wants to be a predator but is too much attached to the soil and the roots that are buried there. It wants to gorge itself full but can’t seem to find the empty room required. It appears to be satisfied for now and for those reasons I am reasonably safe from being devoured. It might be in my best interest to share some of the most current spoils…
06/17/09 – vincru2@8:48pm…
06/18/09 – vincru2@8.42am…
06/18/09 – vincru2…anonymouse@5.14pm…
06/18.09 – vincru2…anonymouse@6:02pm…
…. the point is… we already have over a years worth of what we need… see you soon…
rdustin
in2wine