Rioja

The Cork Dorks Say ‘Ole!’ with Spanish Wines

Thursday, March 18th, 2010 | Food Pairings, Priorat, Rioja, Spain, Wine Tasting Notes, wine events | 1 Comment

A new month; a new destination: SPAIN

I don’t know if this is a theme, but for the second time we got together, it was yet another cold, rainy night at the good ol’ Bin 100 in Milford, CT.

All the more reason to drink some delicious reds from a bold and robust region that is Espana.

No bad surprises hit us this night - no corked bottles. And if anything, we had nothing but a wonderful turnout of fantastic cheeses and LAMB CHOPS! (Thank you chef for making the evening that more special!).




Wine #1: 2004 Loxelo, Gran Reserva, Cava - Penedes

We like to enliven our palates, so why not do that with some zesty CAVA from the Penedes region. This one did just that! The acidity was zingy and woke me up for sure. The texture was light, but the finish was dry and long. Being that this was a vintage Cava made it pretty special, as they tend to be few and far between. I was delighted by the nice green almond finish that reminded me of some Fino sherries I’ve tried in the past. There was a certainly a raw doughy nose, lots of yeast coming through with some lemon zest, but still rich and paired the best with some Robusto cheese we passed around the table. The cheese rounded out the finish with some smoky notes and showed more of a fruity finish than when I drank it sans food. I also drank this with some smoked oysters (of which Alek gagged…) that paired nicely.

Varietal: Chardonnay / Xarello / Macabeo

Imported by: Classic Wines, INC

Discovered at: New England Beverage Co., Orange, CT

~$25

Wine #2: 2001 CUNE Imperial Reserva, Rioja Alta

After 9 years, this wine was sheer beauty and showed the classic lines of Tempranillo and what is ‘old-world’ Spain in style.  The color was very clear and uniform showing a bright ruby / garnet hue. Not overbearing, just silky smooth, bright chocolate-covered maraschino cherry fruit, round tannins and tasty vanilla oak tones. Acidity was still very fresh and the Lamb Loin chops were deliciously paired with this wine. Additionally, some Midnight Moon Goat Gouda showed fantastically with this wine. The finish was coating, like a sugary candy and you could see that in the glass as well. In a nutshell: We all swooned.

Varietal: Tempranillo (maybe a little Mazuelo / Graciano blended in)

12 Months in French / American Oak (minimal)

Imported by: Pasternak

Discovered at: Amity Wine & Spirits, New Haven, CT

~$50

AND NOW WE GO BIG…

Wine #3: 2004 “CULMEN” by Bodegas Lan, Reserva, Rioja

This is serious wine, kids. And by serious, I mean complex, captivating, BIG, deep, intricate and the bottle was really really heavy. (I had to use 2 hands.)

We let this bottle breathe for about an hour, but didn’t decant, although that might have been ideal in our situation. Talk about opening slowly…. but when it did, things got interesting. I was mildly warned by the kind gentleman about this wine and the crazy flavors / aromas I might experience. He was even so bold as to tout the idea that I might smell PICKLES! (WHAT??) And he was right, except that I think what he was smelling was more of a soy sauce aroma and couldn’t put a finger on it.

Initial aromas showed dark fruit, like blackberries, some black peppercorn and balsamic.

About an hour after I poured my glass, I noticed bouquets indicative of dark forest flowers - lavender, violets, some Eucalyptus arising and lots of delicious, fresh-packed mint! Very pretty and beautifully layered. The color was super dark with a rich purplish color and very juicy.

Tannins are pretty strong on this wine, but structure made up for the snap in the cheeks. The acidity is definitely strong enough for a long lay-down period, but drinking well now with the appropriate cuisine. I’m imagining the amazing Balsamic glazed Hanger steak from Cafe Manolo with some dried fig / blackberry fruit to pair. :)

Varietal: 85% Tempranillo / 15% Graciano

Imported by: Monsieur Touton Selection LTD

Discovered at: Harry’s Wine & Liquor, Fairfield, CT

~$60

Wine #4: 2004 “A’ALTO” by Bodegas Aalto Sa Quintanilla, Ribera del Duero

So in an effort to drift away from Rioja for a moment, we delved into this bottle of wine from Ribera. The color was super dark and red, like deep crimson. First swirls indicated it was a little ‘hot’ on the nose….and then I looked at the bottle: 15% alcohol! whoa.

The first sips created a very lush and velvety sensation with loads of DARK chocolate with currant notes. An overwhelmingly rich mouthfeel ended with a sweet bing cherry aftertaste. Loads of oak and cedar notes came out on this wine as well.

As much as I want to say I liked this wine, we had it paired up against the other reds and it was just too strong on the nose with the alcohol and cedar tones. This wine needs to settle itself down for a couple years. I think if we come back to it in 2-3 more years, or even 5, it will be spectacular.

Varietal: 100% Tempranillo

Imported by: European Cellars, LLC

Discovered at: Amity Wine & Spirits, New Haven, CT

~$60

Wine #5: 2004 ‘Les Eres’, Vi de Guarda, Priorat

Want to know a personal weakness of the Kronick Wino? Priorat wines.

Here are 2 reasons: Carinena / Garnacha (Carignan / Grenache french varietals)

These grapes always over-deliver for the price, age beautifully and have some of the BEST quality available on the market. If you’re not into Priorat wines from Spain, then you haven’t lived.

When chef busted out the dessert pairings of the night, I immediately took to the dark, flourless chocolate torte because this wine IS the dark, flourless chocolate torte in a bottle! This wine was superb! Rich, big, dark, a beautiful rose petal perfume on the nose, some lavendar, deep raisin and cinnamon spice was all around. I could have smelled this wine for hours before sipping it. Around 45 minutes later, some minerality started to show graphite and slate nuances on the palate. Never-ending finish and smooth mouth-feel made this wine remarkably rich and velvety and delightful. The wine was also aged for about 18 months in New French oak barrels. Only 7200 bottles were produced (~700 cases), so get your hands on a bottle and drink now or keep in the cellar for some time. This has some wonderful aging potential over the next decade and beyond.

Varietal: 55% Carinena from 99 year-old vines! / 30% Garnacha from 89 year old vines / 15% Cabernet Sauv from 26 year old vines.

Imported by: Slocum & Sons

Discovered at: One of the wine bins at Bin 100. Luckily, Elena decided not to throw this one out. ;)

~$80

THE WINNER: A TIE!! CULMEN vs. Les Eres

None of us could decide the winner between the two, but we could decide that we all needed to be rolled out the door after in-satiating ourselves with the rich tannins and juice of Spain.

Until next time….

Cheers!

Kronick Wino

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Sipping The Warmth Of Winter Wines

Sunday, January 11th, 2009 | Rioja, Wine Stories, Wine Tasting Notes | 5 Comments

If you’re like me, you’re experiencing a classic New England winter. It’s the middle of January, and, well, there’s LOTS of snow outside. It looks cold, feels cold, and all I want to do is stay in to be warm and cozy. It’s this time of the year that I like to snuggle up to some of my favorite winter-time wines.

What is a ‘winter-time wine’, you ask? To me, those are the wines that instill a sense of warmth, relaxation, sheer joy to lounge with a good book while sipping a luscious red or mingling with good friends, and sometimes even the fantasy of snuggling in front of the fire. To me those are my silky smooth pinot noirs, or the reds from Chile that sip of cocoa and toasted oak, or my beloved spanish wines from Rioja and Riebera Del Duero. On the rare occasion that I’m endulging in some of my Boeuf Borgingnon, I even like to have a good French Bordeaux, like a ‘98 St. Emilion.

So here’s my top list of Warm Winter Reds, and why I think you’ll like them too.

2005 Concannon Limited Release Petit Syrah, Central Coast, California - Lots of dark bing cherry, toasty vanilla oak, and sweet spice of cinnamon and clove to make one think of classic winters from the past.

2001 Cortes de Cima, Alentejano, Portugal - Long lasting finish, a red blend that is smooth and silky with great body. Aromas of French oak and vanilla, lots of Cinnamon and almost a pumpkin pie spice, dark current and jammy fruits on the tongue. Sip slowly.

2006 Casillero Del Diablo, Carmenere, Chile - A GREAT pizza pairing wine for those nights where  cooking just isn’t an option and the power is out. LOL! A Nice medium-body dry wine with great coffee flavors, American oak and savory spice to match all the sausage and onion and tomato toppings. If you like the dry Chiantis or Sangiovese wines, you’ll love this one as well!

2006 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, Paso Robles, California - If you’re a Pinot lover like me, this was wine I always seemed to overlook. I tend to love the pinots out of Oregon, but this one has been added to my top pinot list by far! Great earthiness on the nose that only makes me think of good goat cheese, light and silky flavors of raspberries and strawberries. Some oak on the finish will make you feel all warm and good on the inside. Great finish and lovely to sip on it’s own.

2005 Stag’s Leap Petit Syrah, Napa, California - For those of you looking for the punch, the jam, the thick sticking wine, this is for you! I promise that in just one glass, you’ll have the purple lips. ;) This wine has sooo much jammy blackberry fruit and toasty oak and vanilla, your taste buds will thank you. A full-bodied wine with balanced tannins along with some mocha and espresso flavors that will dance in your mouth. An all-time winner in my book for years to come!

Kind of a splurge, but if you r, pick youn across it, pick yourself up a bottle of a 1995 or 1998 Chateau Simard, St. Emilion, France. A wonderful classic French Bordeaux blend that is wonderful with some aged Gruyere cheese or aged Gouda. Lovely herbal notes on the nose and light current fruit on the palate. Fantastically balanced and a perfect pairing to traditional beef stews or hearty pastas.

What are your favorite wines this time of year?

Cheers,

Your favorite Wino

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A Lost Love - 1994 Finca Valpiedra, Rioja, Spain

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 | Rioja | 1 Comment

Dear Friends,

It’s kind of a sad love story and it all started at Barcelona. We had such an awesome wine list there back in my hostessing days. The vintages were all drinking amazingly. Spain really hit one of its’ peaks in the mid to late 90’s for the wines coming out of the Rioja region, and one of them was a beloved favorite of mine - a 1994 Finca Valpiedra out of Rioja Alta. One sip was pure delight. Quite possibly the most SILKY wine my lips have ever touched, so pure and lingering I can taste it NOW. I had the pleasure of sipping this wine to chocolate covered strawberries on a cold Valentine’s evening years ago.

But, alas, I have scoured EVERY inch of the web trying to find this wine with no success. And I consider myself to be a pretty good finder of the unique and ‘hard to find’, but this one baffles me. That was until I saw it on Winebid.com. So, obviously I immediately attempted to bid on the bottle and make a successful purchase. That is until I found out they can’t ship to me!! NO!!! WHY??? Am I too late? Will I never be able to sip from the nectar of this wine ever again? My heart is truly saddened.

That is why I am asking ANYONE who can find this bottle for me to let me know. Give me a breadcrumb or something! I might even be willing to do a trade for your troubles; I don’t know. Just SOMETHING! Does anyone have it in their cellar or wine collection? I’d love any info you have. Just please find it, please, for me.

P.S. I’ll even take a slightly later vintage if needbe.

This is all the info I have for you to start your journey:

http://www.civusa.com/wineries/finca/finca.html

Love,

A lonely sipper.

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