Spicy Reds: Carménère!

Spicy reds are full of personality, flavor and pizzazz. Textbook samples of spicy wines are those made from grapes such as Malbec, Barbera, Pinotage, Shiraz and of course Carménère! These happen to be some of my favorite grapes to enjoy in the fall, no wonder I keep coming back to these delicious wines every year, as we transition to cool weather.

Originally from Bordeaux, Carménère, whose name derives from the French carmin (crimson), can be considered the Cinderella of grapes, mostly because at the beginning, Carmenère’s identity was ignored, misunderstood and mistaken to be something else.  In Bordeaux, it is one of the six allowed varieties,  joining the ranks of the classics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. But there, it always played a minor role in blends. Then, in 1869, phylloxera arrived and devastated most of the French vineyards, causing Carménère to become almost extinct. When the time came to replant Carménère, the Bordelais chose not to do so, sticking to Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which were better investments and easier to grow.

However, the Cinderella of grapes was destined to survive and thrive somewhere else. Starting in the 1850s,  just a few years  before the appearance of phylloxera in France, Chilean producers imported cuts of all Bordeaux grapes. They did so, like many others, to replicate the wonderful wines of Bordeaux. Cuts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carménère were planted all over Chile. But here, Carménère didn’t shine on its own either.  See, the Chileans planted all these varieties, together, in a field blend and not separately as they do today, this resulted in Carménère being mistakenly labeled as Merlot.  The truth is, both grapes are siblings and share some common characteristics. But Carménère matures 3 to 4 weeks later and its leaves turn red during the fall. Because of these facts, Chilean growers started talking about 2 types of Merlot, calling Carménère “Merlot Chileno” or Chilean Merlot.  It was not until 1994, that French ampelographer Jean Michel Boursiquot discovered, during a visit to Chile, that most of this variety known as Chilean Merlot was in fact Carménère.  A year later, Chilean authorities recognized publicly their mistake and added Carménère to their list of grape varieties allowed by law.

Genetically, Carménère is a cross of Cabernet Franc and Gros Cabernet, having Cabernet Franc as a parent, made Carménère a close sibling of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Carménère shares with them its typical, green herbaceous notes from pyrazines, especially the spicy jalapeño, mint and green pepper found in most Carménères. Carménère also shares with Merlot its plushness, and ripe black fruit flavors that include: plum, blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry notes.  However, Carménère requires more warmth and plenty of sunshine and this is why it does better in Chile than in its native Bordeaux. It’s early budding and likes extra hanging time, deciding its ideal picking time is key to reflect the different styles, with two styles coexisting, the traditional or overripe Carménère, made so to mute the green notes from pyrazines and focusing in its black fruitiness character and the modern style which is refreshing spicy and elegant, showing hints of the pyrazines/green notes.

It took Chilean producers plenty of time and much trial and error to finally figure it out! Today, their aim is to obtain beautiful black fruit, keeping fresh acidity, balanced alcohol, matured tannins and just a touch of Carménère’s herbaceous, vegetal and spicy notes. As you may imagine, sites in Chile are very important, Carménère does not like fertile soils, and it’s mostly planted in decomposed granite, stony gravel and clay (iron rich) soils. It doesn’t like too much water either, as this will exacerbate its green character. Optimal trellising of the vines is used to aid grapes to reach perfect maturity (both in fruit and tannin), and green leafing to control its natural vigor. 

There are over 10,000 hectares of Carménère planted all over Chile, yet it does better in these top wine regions: Colchagua and Cachapoal in the O’Higgins region, Maule and Maipo. Top Carménères come from the appellation of Apalta, in Colchagua, which has a unique microclimate for this grape; other important enclaves include: Palmilla, Marchigüe, Santa Cruz, Peralillo and Nancagua. Famous are the wines from Peumo, located in Cachapoal, known for their structure and ability to age for 15 + years. Pichidegua, San Vicente and Las Cabras are also very good spots, all located in the “Entre Cordilleras” or between two mountain ranges in Chile. In Maule, further south, we find spots such as San Javier, Pencahue and Talca by the Maule River; Molina and Sagrada Familia by the Teno River and Cauquenes.

Stylistically, Carménère yields delicious medium to full body reds, with ripe black fruit, featuring notes of blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry, all of these blended with a touch of leafy freshness from green pepper, kale,  jalapeño or tomato leaf notes. With barrel aging, Carménère will also show vanilla, chocolate, espresso, grilled meats and soy sauce flavors. One of the things I truly love about Carménère is its texture, while Merlot is smooth and plummy, Carménère has a delicious fleshness/meatiness on the palate that makes it an excellent food match, not only to all types of beef and pork dishes (especially BBQ) but also to many vegetarian dishes, such as corn empanadas, vegetable quiche, grilled portobello mushrooms, artichoke pizza, etc. Carménère, like its siblings, also has tannin that provides backbone to its wines, without being as angular as Cabernet Sauvignon. In Chile, it is equally vinified as a varietal (on its own)  but also in blends, providing them with texture, freshness and spice. Besides Chile, where it has become a flagship, there are plantings of Carménère in North East Italy and in Jiaodong, China, where it is known as Cabernet Gernischt.

And now, here are my wine recommendations: 

I was lucky enough to receive plenty of samples, so selecting the final six was not easy. I made sure to select wines in different price points and from different regions, including both the classic and modern styles. While researching for this article I encountered the perfect definition of Carménère as “a jalapeño chocolate bomb”, indeed, if you try them, you will find these notes in most wines made from this variety.

Primus Carménère 2020, Apalta, Colchagua, $20.99
Made from organic grapes, this chewy red was aged for 12 months in 18% new French barrels, it shows ripe plum and blackberry notes, with balsamic hints, a dash of green jalapeño and dark chocolate bits from oak.  Medium plus bodied with grippy tannins that provide tension and structure to what it could be described as a classic or traditional style of Carménère.

Viña San Esteban In Situ Carmenere Reserva 2021, Valle del Aconcagua $13
Hearty yet so smooth, this red included 5% of Cabernet Sauvignon in its blend and is aged in both French and American oak for 12 months. This expansive red shows black cherries, cumin, black pepper and tomato leaf notes. Very balanced tannins lift up the gorgeous finish.

Morandé Carménère Vitis Unica 2021, Maipo $20
A powerbomb red from Cabernet Sauvignon’s own territory: the Maipo Valley. This luscious red  was aged in 2,000 and 4,000 liters foudres (80%) and the rest in French barrels. So fruity, rich and silky, showing plum compote and pomegranate notes,  with spicy cinnamon and roasted coffee bean hints. This is a modern style of Carménère. 

Los Vascos Cromas  Carménère Gran Reserva 2020, Colchagua $23.99
Made from 100 %  Carménère, this appetizing red is saturated with ripe plum and boysenberry fruit, combined with notes of nutmeg, graphite and roasted green pepper. So delicious and smooth, it reminds me of Malbec.

Terranoble Carménère CA2 Costa 2020, Colchagua (Costa) $36
Fleshy red made from grapes grown in granite and clay soils, this single vineyard wine was aged for 16 months, in a mix of foudres and new 300 liters barrels. It shows appetizing blackberry and ash notes, with spicy mint notes from pyrazines and a vibrant finish. Dazzling!

Montes Wings Carménère 2020, Apalta, Colchagua $55
Outstanding red made with grapes from the Apalta vineyard which includes 15% of Cabernet Franc, planted in granite soils. This wine was aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels. One of the finest Carménères I tasted lately, showing  blueberry and blackberry notes with black pepper and garrigue hints. So elegant and linear, with refined tannins, this one will definitely improve with cellar aging. 

Don’t you think it’s time to give all of these a try? I hope you do. Until the next one. Cheers! Silvina.
 

#thoughtsoflawina #Carménère #Chile #DrinkupAmerica #drinkchile #chileanreds

Powerbomb Wine: Amarone della Valpolicella!

From the Valpolicella region, located to the north and west of the city of Verona, comes Amarone, a very powerful and expressive red wine, made from a blend of three native Italian varieties: Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, with the occasional addition of Oseleta and Molinara grapes.

It’s surprising that such a concentrated red can be created but this happens thanks to the Appassimento process, in which grapes are laid out on bamboo mats or plastic bins and left to air dry for a few months, becoming raisins. When this happens the grapes lose about 40% of their weight (mostly water) while sugar levels increase considerably, rendering flavor, high alcohol and glycerol. The raisined grapes are then crushed and pressed, obtaining this concentrated and unbelievable juice. The only risk is the development of mold or botrytis, which could give the wine faulty aromas and flavors, for this reason only, producers opt to raisinate grapes gradually and in special rooms under tight controlled temperature and humidity conditions.

Geographically, the Amarone area is influenced by the Adige river and its many fertile valleys where all types of produce is grown. The Alps in the north and west also have some influence in the vineyards, but not as strong as in the appellations in north Italy. The best vineyards for Amarone are located on undulating hills in the original Amarone Classica zone, and in the Valpantena zone on the east, both featuring well drained, volcanic, sand, clay and gravel soils.  

Pic of grapes air drying and map courtesy of the Consorzio della Valpolicella
 
Because the process of the Appassimento is so labor intensive and lengthy, Amarone wines are not cheap. If you want to spend less, consider trying the Valpolicella Ripasso wines. Known as “baby amarones”, Ripasso wines are made from the same grape varieties but without any appassimento. Instead, producers simply add some Amarone pomace or deposits, which allows them to have some of the concentration and intensity of true Amarones.

Stylistically, Amarones are powerbombs, with full bodies, high alcohol levels (15 to 16º ABV), noticeable tannins and medium to medium + acidity. Their intense and perfumed nose will show notes of  ripe black fruits: blackberry, tart black cherry, prunes, raisins and figs, blended with spicy notes of brown sugar, espresso, chocolate and molasses.
Amarones are usually dry but there’s also a sweet version called Recioto della Valpolicella that may contain from 4 to 50 grams of residual sugar. This residual sugar comes naturally from grapes, as the fermentation is halted before yeasts have the chance to consume it.

According to their minimum aging: Amarones are classified by law, in Normale (normal), which are aged for two years in French or Slovakian oak and Riserva, which is aged for four years. The general practice of most quality producers is to age all wines much longer and up to 10 years, before release.  Because of their massive structure, Amarones will only improve with cellar aging, allowing you to keep them for 20 years or more, concentrating their fig, chocolate and espresso character even further.

Top Amarone producers are Allegrini, Zenato, Masi, Speri,Tommasi, Begali, Musella, Brigaldara, Tedeschi, Guerrieri Rizzardi, Venturini, Begali, etc.
My recommendations include four wines presented during the Famiglie Storiche Amarone Seminar that took place on May, 2023 in New York:

*Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2017, $79.99
*Guerrieri Rizzardi Calcarole Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 $95.99
*Masi Campolongo di Torbe Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2013 $181.99
*Musella Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG Riserva 2010 $59.99

Flavorful, powerful, artisanal and delicious, Amarone wines have conquered the hearts of wine fans from all over the world, a treat all of us should enjoy for sure. Cheers! Silvina.

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#thoughtsoflawina #amarone #italianwines

Vermouth/Vermut

I first tasted and learned about Vermouth/ Vermut, through my paternal family. When I was growing up, my grandmother Rosa, known to her grandchildren as grandma Tota, drank Vermouth everyday right before lunch, she used to mix some Gancia, with a bit of seltzer water and ice and served it with cheese, olives and salami as an aperitif. Of course, my father picked up this habit soon enough, and drank Vermouth every noon himself, since enjoying vermouth hour was indeed very common in the 70’s and 80’s, a tradition copied from Spain, Italy and France, countries where this ritual continues today.

Vermouth or Vermut (in Spanish) comes from the German “wermut” which means wormwood, these are the bark/ bitters used to flavor Vermouth and Absinthe. Historically, it was the monasteries that in the middle ages, used to infuse spirits and wines with botanicals to treat different types of human ailments and illnesses. Now, the actual birth of Vermouth happened much later, in 1786, when an Italian bar owner named Antonio Carpano, created his first Vermouth made from a blend of Muscat wine with local botanicals and started serving it to his customers. As you may imagine, what started in a small bar in Turin became a huge success and pretty soon, many of the important brands emerged, names like Gancia, Cinzano, Martini and Campari. This inspired the French to create their own version, which included more bitters in the recipe and therefore creating a drier style. The French took a step further and founded the first Vermouth Appellation Controlée in Chambéry in 1932. 

But, what is Vermouth? Vermouth is a fortified wine, similar to sherry and port. It starts its life as a dry table wine, to which distilled alcohol is added to about 19% ABV. This alcohol usually comes from grape or beet based spirits.  The difference here is that Vermouth is aromatized/infused, similarly to Gin, by macerating the base wine with barks, herbs, fruits, spices and botanicals. 

Most common Vermouth come in two colors, white and rosso (red), though rosé and golden versions also exist. Red vermouth or Rosso, follows the Italian recipe and is always sweet while white can be either sweet (also known as Bianco) or dry (usually labeled as extra dry). The different flavors/ aromas of Vermouth come from each producer’s own proprietary recipe, and may include spices, such as cinnamon, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, saffron, anise, cloves; fruits especially citrus peel from lemon, lime, orange and bergamot; green herbs like marjoram, chamomile, juniper, hyssop, ginger, sage, oregano and most importantly barks including wormwood (the key element of Vermouth), but also juniper, angelica root, licorice root and quinine. The taste varies according to the ingredients and according to the different levels of sweetness, which is added at the end, in the form of sugar syrup and/or grape juice concentrate, also known as mistelle.  

The base wine for Vermouth can be made from any grape variety and most producers use what is widely available to them, some of the most common grapes are Clairette Blanche and Piquepoul for French Vermouth and Catarratto, Trebbiano and Muscat grapes for the Italian versions. 

Stylistically Vermouth is full-bodied and mostly spicy, featuring herbal or leafy aromas, depending on the ingredients, vermouth can also be floral, or fruity, with citrus notes, but always with a hint of bitterness and tartness, that gives the wine an extra kick! 

The best of all is Vermouth’s longer shelf life, once opened, it can last up to 3 months in your refrigerator. 

Here are my recommendations: 

Boissiere Vermouth Extra Dry was originally developed in France in 1857, but the producer moved to Turin, Italy in the 70’s. This delicious, floral vermouth features rose petals and orange blossom aromas and is infused with a blend of botanicals that includes elderflower, chamomile and coriander.   This is a true value, costing only $10.99 a bottle.

Vermouth Mata Blanco and Vermouth Mata Tinto are produced in Bierzo, Spain. The Blanco is made from 100% Godello grapes and is aged for 40 days with a blend of roots and botanicals that includes anise, saffron, mint and thyme. Their red version on the other hand, is a blend of 90% Mencia with 10% Godello grapes and is macerated for 18 month with a blend of roots, flowers and botanicals that include anise, cloves, saffron, turmeric, bitter orange and sage.The importer of these vermouths (Patrick Mata) uses his own family’s recipe that dates back from the 1880’s. $21 each.

Vermut Flores Red and Rosé are originally from Uruguay, and are made with the most important red grape variety there,Tannat. These artisanal vermuts are infused with a blend of over 27 flavorings featuring wormwood, gentian, quina bark, rosemary and coriander and 4 flowers (rose, hop, elderflower and chamomile). $19 each.

Caperitif Lot 11 is an  extra dry vermouth/aperitif from the Cape, South Africa, featuring a base wine made from Chenin Blanc, Muscat and Bukettraube grapes. To this base, they add 35 to 45 flavorings that include flowers, grapefruit, herbs, bitters and spices, grown locally in the Cape Floral region. A portion of this vermouth is aged in old oak casks, adding even more punch to the recipe. This fancy vermouth is very dry, almost reminiscent of fine gin. $43

Chazalettes Vermouth di Torino Rosso is made using a recipe that dates from 1876 featuring: wormwood, artemisia, marjoram, angelica, coriander, lemon balm, ginger, bitters, cinchona bark among other enticing flavorings. It was named after Queen Margherita of Savoy, who in 1907 granted the Chazalettes the rights to bear the Real House emblem on their bottle labels. $29.99

And finally, Lustau Vermuts, which are different from the rest of the samples I tasted, as they have a sherry base. The Lustau Rojo is made from a blend of Amontillado and PX sherries with botanicals that include wormwood, sage, orange peel and coriander. The Lustau Vermut Rosé features a blend of Fino and Moscatel Sherries with Tintilla de Rota wine, the recipe includes chamomile, vanilla, nutmeg, cardamom and wormwood. $19 each.

As you may see, Vermouth/ Vermut offers a huge variety of flavors for you to experience, whether you choose to drink it, with ice and seltzer water like I do, or in a cocktail such as the Manhattan, Negroni or Martini.  Cheers! Silvina.

Thank you to Ole Imports, Broadbent Wine Selections, Palm Bay Imports, Europvin and Global Vineyard for sending samples to me.

 

#thoughtsoflawina #vermut #vermouth #aperitif #drinkupamerica #fortifiedwines.

New End of the Summer Favorite: Lambrusco!

Emilia Romagna, located in north-central Italy is the home of many food delicacies, including Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma ham, Mortadella (known in the US as Bologna) and my favorite salad staple: Modena Balsamic Vinegar. It is also the home of a very special wine I’m drinking this summer: Lambrusco.

Made from clones of the variety of the same name, Lambrusco wines were a huge success during the late 1970s and 1980s. Back then, Riunite Lambrusco was one the most imported and consumed wines in the US. As the years went by, Americans chose to move to other styles, yet,  Lambrusco still has a fandom of consumers who love its fruitiness, its frothy style, crisp acidity and off-dry sweetness.  Above all, Lambrusco is a fun and refreshing frizzante wine to have in warm weather, I normally put it in the same category as Brachetto d’Acqui or Beaujolais Nouveau, in the sense that all of them are fruity reds that are served chilled.

Lambrusco is mostly produced by cooperatives located to the west of the city of Bologna, specifically in the provinces of Modena, Reggio nell’ Emilia and Parma. Most of its vine plantings are spread on the fertile plains of the Po river valley, but serious Lambrusco come from vines planted at the many hills (colli in Italian) of the Apennines, located to the south of Emilia-Romagna. Mass produced Lambrusco is usually sold as IGT Emilia, yet there are a few DOCs in the area too. As always, if what you want is quality, choose the DOC wines, coming from these appellations: DOC Modena, DOC Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, DOC Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro and DOC Reggiano. 

What to expect when tasting a Lambrusco?

First of all bubbles, these come from their second fermentation in pressurized tanks, using the Martinotti (Charmat) method. On the nose and the palate expect red fruits such as watermelon, strawberry, cherry and raspberry but also floral notes such as roses or violets.  Dryer versions will show mushroom, mineral, herbal and even vegetal notes. Above everything Lambrusco is a lot of fun, and quite affordable too! Expect also high acidity that will counterbalance both fruitiness as well as sweetness. It’s this acidity that cleanses your palate and makes Lambrusco wines a perfect match to all kinds of foods. 

Lambruscos are usually a blend of some of the more than 12 native clones, the most important are Lambrusco di Sorbara,  Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco Salamino, Lambrusco Maestri, Lambrusco Marani and Lambrusco Montericco grapes. Each of these will yield a different wine style: 

*Lambrusco di Sorbara is the lightest and most elegant of all Lambruscos, not only in body, but also in color. It features aromas of watermelon, orange blossom and cherries. It’s also very floral, featuring violet notes. Match these with spicy cuisine, such as Asian or Indian.

*Lambrusco Grasparossa is the biggest style of all the wines, in body, tannins, alcohol and color. It features deep purple tones and often shows black fruits, such as blueberries, plums and black currants. Match these with grilled sausages, barbecue and creamy pasta.

*Lambrusco Salamino is made from cylindrical grapes that look like salami (hence its name), this variety is also the most planted variety of Emilia-Romagna. It has the aromatics of Lambrusco di Sorbara with the structure and color of the Grasparossa. Ruby red in color, these wines show fruitful notes of raspberry, cherry and strawberry.  Match these with hamburgers, charcuterie, and cheeses.

Lambrusco also comes in different levels of sweetness, from dry to slightly sweet, so check your label for these terms: secco (dry) semi secco (semi dry) and dolce (sweet); as always, when in doubt, ask your wine sales person to point you to the right style. Ideally consume Lambrusco chilled, and within 2-3 years from vintage, while their fruit is still vibrant and super fresh.

My recommendations:

I have tasted and loved the wines of Cleto Chiarli for years, these are just three of their classic line up, that received awards in the 2023 Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri Wine Guide:

*Cleto Chiarli Vecchia Modena Premium Lambrusco di Sorbara Brut Frizzante 2022, $20

*Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco del Fondatore Lambrusco di Sorbara 2021, $22

*Cleto Chiarli Vigneto Cialdini Lambrusco Grasparossa Di Castelvetro 2021,$20

Hoping you will give these a try soon, cheers! Silvina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

picture courtesy of Cleto Chiarli. 

 

 #thoughtsoflawina #lambrusco #italianwines #italy #CletoChiarli

Bodegas Otronia, Wines from the Very End of the World

Most of us are very familiar with the great Malbec wines that Argentina successfully produces and exports, but today I would like to direct your focus further south, to the province of Chubut, where very interesting wines are coming into shape.

This province of Chubut, in the Argentinean Patagonia, is located 2,000 km from Mendoza (the Napa of Argentina), its location at 45º latitude south puts this province at the very limit where viticulture is still possible. The province as we can see in the map below, is surrounded by the Andes in the west and the Atlantic in the east.

Here, near the town of Sarmiento and facing Lake Munster, is the location where Bodegas Otronia, a certified organic wine producer, planted 50 hectares of vines divided in two distinctive plots.

Of course, every great wine is the result of the perfect combination of a unique soil and climate. The climate in Chubut is very cold but also very dry and sunny, with an average yearly temperature of only 56º Fahrenheit and less than 200 mm of rain per year. Frost is often an issue, sometimes arriving in the middle of the growing season, and then, there are the raging winds, some as strong as 100 km/h coming from the Pacific Ocean that are truly felt in the vineyards. This happens, because the Andes that act as a barrier in Mendoza, where they reach well above 6,000 meters, reach only 700 meters in Chubut, allowing the winds to come through. In an effort to protect the vines from these fierce winds, Bodegas Otronia planted poplar trees all around their vineyards to shield them.  And then, there is the soil, a magic combination of 4 different ones, as the plots are located on what used to be the riverbed of a lake, featuring Lacustrine (lake clay) eolian sands, alluvial loams and fluvial and gravelly deposits from the Senguer river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Location of the vineyards, photo courtesy of Bodegas Otronia.

 

During his visit to New York a week ago, Enologist Juan Pablo Murgia presented three of his wines, and explained in detail the uniqueness of the terroir behind them and how this translates into very focused wines with purity of fruit and elegant acidity.  A believer in minimum winemaking intervention, he ferments certified organic grapes with native yeasts in concrete egg- shaped containers, and ages his wines in untoasted French oak foudres that can contain 2,500 and 5,000 liters for 12 to 20 months. 

My 3 recommendations are the wines shown by Bodegas Otronia during their presentation. By the way, the winery’s name Otronia, means “land of Otron” which is the name that the natives used to give to Lake Munster.

*Otronia 45 Rugientes Corte de Blancas 2020, $39.95

Refined white made from a blend of 48% Chardonnay, 27% Gewurztraminer and 26 % Pinot Grigio. Murgia explained what each variety contributed to this blend, Chardonnay provides the texture and weight, Gewurztraminer the delicious floral notes and Pinot Grigio its vivid acidity. Very elegant indeed! A fragrant and crisp wine that boasts attractive jasmine floral notes, with citrusy lime and grapefruit nuances. Glossy on the palate with a mineral finish.

*Otronia Block I Pinot Noir 2020, $89.95

Ethereal red, featuring plush raspberry and bright red cherry notes with forest floor tones and super silky and spicy tannins. Memorable and delicious, made from fruit planted in Block I, where clay soils predominate.

*Otronia Block III and IV Chardonnay 2020, $89.95

Classy! This wine shows zesty acidity, a characteristic of fine cool climate whites, featuring juicy white peach and green apple peel with thyme and chamomile nuances. Simply delicious and mouthwatering with a persistent smoky finish. Very much reminiscent of fine Chablis and my fave of this trio. Cheers! Silvina

 

#thoughtsoflawina #drinkupamerica #Chubut  #winesofargentina #bodegasotronia