Wow-me Wines!

Tasting wine is possibly my favorite thing in the whole wide world, I prefer this better than eating or anything else. Though these days, I do most of my tastings at home, slowly and surely, in person wine tastings are coming back, which is something I’m so looking forward to, just the smell of opened wine bottles has the magic of putting a smile on my face, thinking about what I’m going to taste/ discover next!

 

And of course, when tasting a new wine for the first time, I usually ask myself, will it wow me or not? and once this happens, I make sure to write all the information down, to take a picture of the bottle  with my phone, to put stars next to it and to find out its price, so that I can recommend it to all of you, my faithful readers.

 

So, what characteristics must a Wow-me wine have?

 

First, elegance or finesse, this usually comes hand in hand with noticeable acidity, but I’m not talking here about aggressive crispiness, but more about refreshing acidity, and vibrant tension, that adds life to any wine. I also like complexity in a wine, mostly when a wine has layers and layers of flavors, especially, after being decanted, and after they had a chance to open up, shooting even more aromas and flavors to you. For example, I like wines that offer herbal, spicy or mineral notes. I think these make any wine more interesting, and of course, let’s not forget the bouquet wines develop from reductive aging; those delicious notes of mushrooms/ truffles, forest floor, leather, ink, smokiness or musk have the wow effect on me, giving any wine the extra kick.  

 

Balance of the elements is another wow-me factor. I like it when there are subtleties in my wine, like the perfect marriage, where every part plays a role in the whole and everything sings in harmony. For example, if a wine has been aged in oak, I like, when it has a touch of oak and it is not so oaky that all you can taste is wood, like the kiss of oak in a good Burgundy Chardonnay. All wow-me wines must have their elements intertwined so that their fruit, acidity, tannins, alcohol and body complement each other and don’t overpower the others. 

 

Texture is another component of any wow-me wine, wow-me wines have a density you can feel all across your palate. Oftentimes, this is described as meatiness or savoriness, it’s a very similar experience to what I feel when eating authentic Argentinian beef (those that have been to my country know how tender and juicy our filet mignon is). In wines, we can feel the same sensation, a sensation of roundness, smoothness, and suave, velvety quality.

 

A long finish, most of my wow-me wines have long endings, it’s like they need to leave a trace in your palate of their impressive presence, even after you have swallowed them. A long finish is indeed special and usually connected to a wine’s essence.   

 

Ability to age, is true that I enjoy many wines that are recommended to be consumed when young, when all their fruit is fresh inside the bottle, but most often, wow-me wines have the capacity to age, to get better in the cellar,  to evolve in time.

 

Yet, above all, wow-me wines should give us pleasure, make us feel special and entice us to keep on drinking. I find that certain wine regions in the world have that magic of producing such wines, better than others, and at times it’s hard for me to find wines that I don’t like. Among these are Brunello and Barolo in Italy. I attended two pre-pandemic tastings and I remember how much I liked all of the wines there; though, I must have tasted more than 75 different brands in one seating, everything was sooo good, it was so hard to choose! And even harder to find something I didn’t like. This is related to craftsmanship and know-how of most producers who seriously invest in improving quality.

In the US, Napa Valley is such an appellation, the quality and standards of Napa wines is so unbelievable, that I can drink and drink and drink these wines and never get tired. Learn more about Napa and its terroir here.

 

My recommendations are an assorted selection of Cabernet Sauvignons sent to me from Napa Vintners. I invite you to give them a try, and to let me know what you think. I’m sure some of these selections will WOW you too!

 

*Silverado Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, $50

Polished red showing layers of ripe raspberry and strawberry notes. Smooth and flavorful tannins fine tune the elegant finish.

 

*Buena Vista Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, $65

Solid Cab offers a core of plum and crème de cassis fruit with espresso and mineral notes, finishing smooth and opulent.

 

*Pine Ridge Vineyards Stag Leaps Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, $140

Muscular red, a true Powerbomb, full of fruit, body and oak! featuring ripe red currant, cherry and anise notes. Combines power and finesse!

 

*Long Meadow Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016,$55

Delicious red showing black cherry, licorice and cedar notes. Supple tannings provide structure and great length.

 

*Marston Family Vineyards Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, $150

Full-bodied and beefy red featuring plum, blackberry marmalade and tobacco notes. Its majestic/ chewy tannins will soften with time. Outstanding bottle to cellar! WOW

 

Cheers! Silvina

#thoughtsoflawina #WOWmeWines #WineWednesday

 

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Prosecco Rosé for Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day and bubbly wines always go hand in hand. Yet, I must admit I enjoy sparkling wines all year around and agree with what Coco Chanel used to say: “I drink Champagne on two occasions when I’m in love and when I’m not”. So, whether you are lucky enough to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your soulmate or with your friends, there’s no time like the present to open a bottle of elegant Prosecco Rosé.

 
Officially approved as such, only about two years ago, Prosecco Rosé offers the deliciousness of a crafted sparkling wine at a very affordable price. It is made mostly from Italian native Glera grapes with up to 15% Pinot Noir, which provides its beautiful pinkish color. 

Stylistically, Prosecco Rosé is made dry, either Brut Nature or Extra Dry. It features a medium body with balanced alcohol (11% is the minimum by law, but most samples will be around 12.5%), showcasing juicy peach, golden apple and pear notes with red fruits such as raspberry, wild strawberry and cherry; all of that framed by a refreshing, crispy finish. In general and compared to other sparkling wines, Proseccos both white and rosé are fruitier than say Cava, Crémant or Champagne. 

 

The Prosecco area of production is located to the north east of Italy, west and east of the city of Venice, covering nine different provinces (Belluno, Gorizia, Padua, Pordenone, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Venice and Vicenza), which are spread in two very well known wine regions: Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Veneto. See map below, courtesy of the Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco.

 

Most vineyards are planted on flat valleys but there are plenty of hill sites in the DOCGs, where the best Glera is grown.  The soils are mostly alluvial, rich in clay, silt and minerals. The climate is tempered by the Alps located to the north that act as a barrier but also influenced by the Adriatic sea and the Sirocco winds. Hilly vineyards benefit from altitude too. Most Prosecco Rosé available in the US market, falls under the generic Prosecco DOC category. Yet, the best Prosecco wines come from the DOCGs within Treviso: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive and Asolo Prosecco Superiore. (You will see these appellations, more often on Prosecco white bottles).

Like with every sparkling wine, vinification plays a huge role here, specifically the method used to produce the bubbles that we enjoy so much. In the case of Prosecco Rosé, the second fermentation happens using the Charmat or Martinotti method, i.e inside a pressurized tank for a minimum by law of 60 days, but winemakers can keep them for longer. Like other sparklers, Prosecco Rosé will start its life as a still wine, to which more yeast and sugar are added to create the bubbles, once the second fermentation is over and the yeasts consumed all the sugar and died, the wines are briefly aged on their lees to add complexity, filtered and fined before being bottled.

According to Prosecco regulations, Prosecco Rosé is mostly a vintage wines (Millesimato in Italian) with 85% of the blend sourced from grapes harvested during the year indicated on the label. The leftover 15 % allows producers to include wines from other vintages too, emulating the practice of non-vintage Champagne.

A whooping 500 million bottles of Prosecco was produced in 2020 alone  (this number includes also Prosecco white), of these close to 17 million were bottles of Prosecco Rosé. That number was expected to reach up to 50 million in 2021. 78.5% of the total Prosecco production is exported, and the US is after Europe, their second most important market, a popularity that is expected to keep growing in the coming years.

  

Enjoy your Prosecco Rosé when young, within a year from the vintage, when its fruitiness is still intact. Most Prosecco Rosé is in the market sooner than other sparkling wines (Cava or Champagne, that are usually aged for longer). In the case of Prosecco Rosé, they can be released for consumption after January 1st of the year following the harvest.  

  

My recommendations, that I hope you will enjoy soon are:

* Val D'Oca Prosecco Rosé NV, $14.99

* La Rughe Prosecco Rosé 2020, $13.99

* La Marca Prosecco Rosé NV, $15.99 (widely available in the US)

* Perlino Prosecco Rosé 2020, $14.99

* Zardetto Prosecco Rosé 2020, $14.99 (widely available in the US)

* Beato Bartolomeo de Braganze Prosecco Rosé 2020, $13.99

Salute and Happy Valentine's Day! Silvina
#thoughtsoflawina #WineWednesday #proseccorose #proseccodoc #italiangenio #drinkprosecco #tasteprosecco.

Vintages and Why They Are Important

One of the things I like about wine is that you are never done, not only because there is so much wine out there to taste, and way too many options! but mostly because wine changes according to vintages, and with each new harvest, we get a new opportunity to taste and discover a new version of our favorites.

Let’s face it, the flavor of our wine depends very much on what happens in the vineyards that particular year. Did the vines get plenty of rain?, enough sun? Did grapes have a chance to ripen to perfection? Was it too dry or too humid? Was it so hot that wines lack the balance of previous years? All of these questions are vital to determine a vintage and wine critics and wineries take this very seriously. They even put a number on the vintage, like they do with wines, some will get an 88 (a so and so vintage) and others 99 (a great vintage).

When talking about vintages, we must distinguish between climate and weather. Climate is the weather patterns that repeat themselves year after year and that will allow us to classify a region into a specific climate zone. That knowledge will help us decide which varieties to plant and in which places. For example, we hear the climate of Burgundy is cool continental, ideal to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, while in Provence, it is Mediterranean with warmer temperatures and very dry weather, ideal for Grenache. In California for example, they use the Winkler degrees system created by the University of Davis, which is based on average temperatures during the growing season. The different wine regions are divided in 5 zones or from I to V.  I is the coolest and V the hottest. To give you some context, Champagne, which is a cool region, is region IA, Burgundy IB, Piedmont  II, Rioja III, Languedoc V, etc.

Weather, or I should say vintage weather, is all of the specific conditions of one particular year. Which normally vary every year and they affect the final crop of that year. A cool growing season may produce more acidity and less alcohol, or too much heat during the growing season, the exact opposite. In other words vintages are defined by the weather phenomena in a specific growing season. 

Below, you will find some of the most remarkable vintages of the most important wine regions in the world. In general, expect to find better wine quality overall in these years and in some cases expect to pay a bit more for these wines too! (especially at premium level).

Bordeaux Left Bank:2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2000, 1990, 1989, 1982.
Bordeaux Right Bank:2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, 1998
Burgundy:2016, 2015,2012, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2002,1990
Northern Rhone:2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2006, 2005, 2001
Southern Rhone:2016, 2015, 2012, 2010, 2007, 2005, 2001
California:2014, 2013, 2012,2007,2005, 2004, 2002
Piedmont:2016, 2015, 2013, 2011,2010, 2009,2008, 2007
Champagne:2012, 2008, 2002
Port:2017, 2016, 2011

Now, if you want to learn more about vintages in other regions, Wine Spectator® creates and publishes every year this wallet vintage chart.
Feel free to download it, print it and carry it with you. Many thanks to the magazine for allowing me to add their link in my post.

An excellent vintage is not only important to get information about the style of the wine, but it will play an important role when buying wine as an investment, since excellent vintage wines fetch higher prices. They will also have a better chance to yield higher earnings on your investment too!  On the other hand, a so and so vintage sometimes will drop the price of an expensive wine so much, allowing you to acquire it.
Yet, nothing is set in stone… since even in bad vintages, there are very talented winemakers that know what they are doing in the vineyards and still make wonderful wine in spite of all the adverse weather. 

In any case, knowing about vintages can only help you, allowing you to make better wine choices in your future. Cheers! Silvina

#Thoughtsoflawina #WineWednesday #Vintages #Wineandvintages

 

Reds to Beat the Winter Blues!

Happy New Year 2022!

Oh dreary winter, we all know very well what it means, colder, grayer and shorter days, thick sweaters, coats, scarves and gloves, but also rich stews and soups, hearty foods, a cozy fire, and one or two seasons of Netflix to binge over the weekend! What wine could we drink to warm our bodies and souls?  Here are 4 selections that ended up at my door. But before we dive into them, let me thank Palm Bay Imports, Ole Obrigado, Global Vineyards and Mascota Vineyards for these fine samples.

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico 2019, Italy
A blend of 95% Sangiovese with 5% Merlot, aged for 6-10 months in Slavonian/ French oak. Concentrated black cherry, blueberry and herbal notes explode on this light bodied red that has grip and chalky tannins. Very savory indeed! the ideal wine to have every night with pasta, pizza or hamburgers! $16.99

Raig de Raim Tinto 2018 Terra Alta, Spain
A blend of Garnacha and Samsó (Carignan), aged for 4 months in a combination of French and American oak. This medium bodied and chewy tinto features blackberry, plum and pencil shaving notes.  Its mouth filling texture adds complexity to the polished finish. Delicious with sausage with lentils or chickpea soup. $15.99

Marichal Tannat 2019, Canelones, Uruguay
100% Tannat, unoaked.
Full bodied red showing outstanding espresso notes, complemented by ripe blackberry and prune aromas. Super round and velvety structure.  I was pleasantly surprised that this was not austere and super tannic like other tannats that require time to soften up. Very succulent! Have it with lamb chops or t-bone steaks.  $15.99

Unánime Gran Tinto Malbec 2018, Mendoza, Argentina
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec and 15% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 20 months in French oak. A full bodied red that yields raspberry, cassis and chocolate notes. Muscular and filling, it coats your palate and invites you to reach for your glass over and over again! Have it by the fire with a loved one and some dark chocolate with hazelnuts, it will definitely help you set the mood!  $24.99

 

So, what do you plan to drink to cheer you up this winter? Share your thoughts with me via instagram. Cheers! Silvina.

#Thoughtsoflawina #winterwines #winestobeatthewinterblues

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Value Wines for New Year's Eve

Where did 2021 go? If you are anything like me it probably went too quickly! I think time moves at a different rhythm in post pandemic times.
But, here we are getting ready to celebrate another holiday season, another new year’s eve with masks,  and this time after requesting PCR negative tests from all your guests, it’s time to think about the food and most important the wines.  So, what wines to choose for your holiday party? Believe it or not, I ask myself this question too, something good but not too pricey, so I can buy plenty of bottles for all my guests.  The idea here was to choose some sparkling, whites and reds that will appeal to a large group of people and match with a variety of cold and hot appetizers, without breaking the bank!

So, I decided to allow the many importers, producers and PR companies that have supplied La Wina with samples all through this year to choose for me. I told them “send me wines of your choice below $20 and above all surprise me”. See my selections below, a truly different set of wines, these will be great for all your holiday gatherings and also as gifts too!

Yellow Tail Pure Bright Pinot Grigio 2020, South Australia
For many years, Yellow Tail has been one of the best selling brands in the world, mostly because  besides being very affordable, they provide something Americans truly love, plenty of Australian fruit and flavor. The Pure Bright line provides something else,  it is a low calorie/ low alcohol wine. A category I never dived into, (normally I tend to eat less so I can drink more calories from my favorite wines). Surprisingly vibrant, this light bodied white shows juicy green apple and passion fruit notes and is only $7.99!

Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2020, Swartland, South Africa
I have a confession to make, I’m a huge fan of Chenin Blanc, and feel it never gets the attention it truly deserves, always living under the shadow of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. The Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin is flinty, showing nectarine, pineapple and honey aromas. It is made from estate-grown 60 year old unirrigated vines that grow on granitic soils.  A brief aging on its lees adds complexity to this flavorful white. $17.99

Funckenhausen Chardonnay 2020, Mendoza, Argentina
This wine, it’s a blend of 93% Chardonnay with 7% Sauvignon Blanc, from Mendoza, Argentina.  Cold macerated to secure fruitiness and completely fermented in stainless steel tanks. No malolactic fermentation accentuates the nice acidity already present in the fruit. It’s truly a good value, the bottle comes in 1 liter size, and not your usual 750 cl. This medium + body white yields lively pink grapefruit and yellow pear notes. A touch of lemon peel frames the creamy finish. $14.99

Domaine de Bousquet Brut NV, Mendoza, Argentina
It’s New Year’s after all! And I have to include a sparkling wine to toast 2022. This one is made from organic grapes, estate-grown in the Tupungato valley, Mendoza, Argentina.
It’s a blend of 75% Chardonnay with 25 % Pinot Noir, completely fermented in tanks, using the Charmat method, which is the same method used to make Prosecco. Domaine de Bousquet Brut is a certified vegan bubbly that offers enticing green apple, brioche and citrus (lime) aromas. Its fine, pearly mousse adds energy to the finish. $12.99

Aplanta Red Wine Blend 2019, Vinho Regional Alentejano, Portugal
Portugal is the source of many good value/ good quality wines and Aplanta is a very good example of this. This juicy and inviting red is a blend of 70% Aragonez, otherwise known as Tempranillo and 30 % Alicante Bouchet. It features a medium body, saturated with blueberry marmalade and black cherry notes. Velvety textured tannins give away to a supple finish. $10.99

Pont de Nyons Cotes du Rhone 2019, France
I love spicy reds like those from the Cotes du Rhone, they have plenty of pizzazz and personality and match with plenty of food!  This plush red is made from 70% Grenache (from vines averaging 60 + years old) combined with 30% elegant Syrah, grown in soils rich in limestone and clay.  It showcases sweet blackberry notes, with black olives and garrigue aromas that build up to a silky finish. $12.99

Salentein Malbec 2020, Mendoza, Argentina
Ooops! I just realized that I ended up recommending too many wines from Argentina, I guess I can’t deny my roots. The truth is I couldn’t finish without including a fine Malbec, after all, this is what my closest friends get for Christmas every year. 

This red is made from 100 % Malbec grown in the Uco Valley, in the eastern slopes of the Andes. It offers ripe plum, black cherry, sweet tobacco and spicy notes from oak, ending in a polished finish. $19.99

Happy New Year, my dear Winos! May you manifest each and every dream in 2022! Cheers, Silvina.

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