Panama Wine Review

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel: éxito de la noche a la mañana

2012-02-05T21:29:00.000-05:00

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel nace en el año 2000 dentro de la región vinícola de Ribera del Duero, y durante este corto tiempo parece haber alcanzado el éxito de la noche a la mañana. La razón detrás de esto era la calificación dada por la revista Wine Spectator al Bodegas Resalte Crianza 2005, y lo más importante el puesto # 26 que ocupo en sus lista de Top 100 Wines of 2010. Esta alta calificación, y la gran cobertura periodística, junto con una estructura de precios decente, se ha traducido a una demanda frenética para esta etiqueta en el mercado Estado Unidense.

Como he mencionado anteriormente esta bodega es bastante nueva, fundada en el 2000, cuyo objetivo principal es crear vinos de alta calidad que pueda competir o estar al igual que las grandes marcas/etiquetas de la zona. Lo han llamado Resalte ya que tratan de crear un producto que se “resalta” sobre los demás de la zona. La fruta proviene de varios productores dentro de la zona, cuyas vides deben ser mayor de 15 años sin ningún tipo de defecto o enfermedad. La planta de elaboración cuenta con lo último en tecnología con el fin de lograr un vino que exprese lo mas posible las características del Tinto Fino de la Ribera (Tempranillo).

El vino aparenta ser un Ribera hecho al estilo moderno, es decir un vino donde predominan los sabores avainillados impartidos por el roble, frutas sobrextraidas, y con niveles de alcohol alto. En realidad la bodega ha trabajado arduamente para no crear sabores excedidos; el objetivo es crear un balance entre los sabores naturales de la fruta y al mismo tiempo mantener los matices que imparten las barricas de roble. Además de buscar la excelencia dentro de la botella, también le han prestado mucha atención a la apariencia exterior de la botella.

La etiqueta en sí minimalista; se puede observa los detalles mas importantes del vino como su nombre y añada, al igual que un logotipo sencillo que alude a una de las torres del castillo de Peñafiel. Cada vino dentro de la gama tiene una capsula con un color distinto para que sea fácilmente identificable por el consumidor; Vendimia Seleccionada se identifica con una capsula turquesa, el Crianza con una capsula plateada, y el Reserva con una capsula dorada.

Nuestro amigo Juan Carlos Canavaggio de Importadora Canavaggio tuvo la gentileza de compartir algunas botellas de muestras para investigar la posibilidad de importarlos a Panamá. Dentro de la gama de Resalte catamos la Vendimia Seleccionada, Crianza, y Reserva que fueron maridados por las majestuosas obras gastronómicas del Chef Álvaro Perrino del Restaurante el Bodegón.

Jamon Iberico de Bellota

Croquetas de Bacalao

Cojonudos

Cochinillo del Bodegón

¿En fin, son estos vinos realmente tan buenos como dicen ser? Con toda honestidad mi respuesta es bastante ambigua y relativa. Por supuesto, los vinos son deliciosos, bien hechos, y tienen una enorme aplicación gastronómica. Después de haber catado los tres vinos era evidente que son ideales para las tapas, o el “tapeo”, o para platos más complejos. ¿Entonces, cuál es tan la parte relativa? El precio. Este es quizás el elemento más importante, ya que no me imagino a estas botellas como vinos aptos para colección o guarda extensiva. No me malinterpreten, tienen la estructura para envejecer, pero son agradables y consumibles ahora. ¿Porque esperar? A comer y a beber como se debe!

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Vendimia Selecionada 2010
Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
España

El vino básico de Bodegas Resalte revela el color típico del tinto fino, al ojo se observa un núcleo oscuro de color rojo traslúcido con un borde rojo rubí. La nariz revela frambuesas, cerezas, pimienta negra, humo, carne asada, tierra húmeda, y una pizca de vainilla al final. En boca predominan sabores de cerezas amargas, moras, ciruelas, y pimientos rojos asados. En cuanto a sabor se siente algo corto y diluido; estructuralmente la acidez vibrante en el paladar medio y los taninos al final hacen que este vino sea excelente para tapas. 86 cata abierta (26/10/11).

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Crianza 2006
Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
España

Se observa un color mucho más oscuro que el vendimia seleccionada, tiene un núcleo oscuro de color rojo que no es tan transparente como el anterior, y un ribete con matices mas violáceos. Los aromas saltan de la copa, donde los frutos negros se esconden detrás de un enorme muro de aromas exóticos de regaliz, especias, café, carne asada, humo, violetas, pimientos rojos asados, y piedras trituradas.

En el paladar los sabores de ciruelas negras, moras, y cerezas amargas surgen en el ataque y dan paso a un paladar medio dominado por sabores a chocolate amargo, café tostado, y carne asada. El postgusto es intenso con sabores a frutos negros, clavo, pimienta molida y un toque de piedras trituradas que se envuelven dentro de los taninos sedosos. Es un vino de cuerpo medio, muy equilibrado, con una estructura donde la fruta, la acidez, y los taninos pulidos se harmonizan. 92 cata abierta (26/10/11).

Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Reserva 2004
Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
España

El reserva presenta un perfil similar al crianza probado justo antes, sin embargo, con diferencias mínimas. El color del vino es igual, un un núcleo oscuro de color rojo con algo de translucidez, y un ribete con matices violáceos. La nariz es un poco más específico e intenso, con notas de regaliz, incienso, especias asiáticas, clavo, violetas, café, carne asada, humo, tierra quemada, pimientos rojos asados, y piedras trituradas.

Los sabores en el paladar muestran ciruelas negras, moras, y un pequeño toque de anís en el ataque. En el paladar medio hay notas de chocolate amargo, café tostado, carne ahumada, y mineralidad amarga, dando paso para un final intenso lleno de frutas oscuras, especias asiáticas, y pimientos rojos asados, acompañados por los taninos masticables. En términos de sabor el reserva es un poco más apagado comparado al crianza. La textura del vino también es diferente, el reserva cuenta con más profundidad y peso en boca, al igual que un postgusto más largo con taninos mas pronunciados. 93 cata abierta (26/10/11).

I'm Not Drinking any F**king Merlot! Really?

2012-01-22T21:15:00.001-05:00

When thinking about California and wine naturally one thing comes to mind, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Of course, this is what made California famous as well as other Bordeaux blends that challenged the the tired and restrained big boys from the Old World in the 70's. Napa Cabernet’s still offer that alluring alternative to many high priced Bordeaux blends, sometimes for less and in some cases for about the same price.

What about Merlot? Well if you've been living under a rock for the last ten plus years a little movie called “Sideways” has cast a shadow over this varietal. In this movie, the main character, casts out harsh judgment on this varietal (as seen on my title) which has had spillover effect on the sales of Merlot. This misunderstood varietal is perhaps one of the most hedonistic experiences any wine consumer can have. Many of the greatest, and highest priced, wines of Bordeaux are Merlot dominated like Chateau Petrus and Chateau Cheval Blanc (watch the movie).

Napa has two faces when it comes down to wines, one being the flamboyant new world, over oaked, over extracted fruit driven wines. The second side is a wine more in line to traditional Bordelais blends, with balance between fruit, oak, acidity, and tannins. It is this second side that is harder to find, nowadays, and perhaps the most interesting. Although they try to emulate the Bordelais in this approach, the vibrant fruit and freshness that exists in the wine is what differentiates it from its Old World counterpart.

Duckhorn Vineyards

Duckhorn Vineyards is one such example of this approach to create balanced Bordeaux influenced wine, where harmony and balance take precedence over full bodied intensity and over extracted fruit. While other wineries focused on Cabernet Sauvignon, Duckhorn Vineyards focused on Merlot. Drawing influence from the great wines of Pomerol and Saint Emilion they built one of the first stand alone bottlings of this varietal from California.

I was invited recently to a small gathering to taste through a few of the wines made by Duckhorn Vineyards with the local importer Importadora Canavaggio. My general impressions about the portfolio of wines presented, and the producer itself is quite positive. Duckhorn Vineyards offer a high quality, balanced wines that in my opinion are easier to drink than Bordeaux. Most of the time you can't drink Bordeaux young, but with Duckhorn you don't need extended cellaring. My second problem with Bordeaux sometimes is that it can be a bit too heavy, too complex, up to a point that it becomes a bit of a hassle to drink up on an ordinary day. The Duckhorn wines on the other hand offer the same experience but are much more friendly, in other words a more laid back type of wine.

Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Napa, North Coast, California

USA

A blend of 76% Sauvignon Blanc and 24% Semillon. Bright pale yellow color throughout the wine, with a delicate tropical nose of pineapples, apricots, and freshly cut grass. On the palate the wine is rich and intense with citric notes on the attack leading to a semi acidic yet sweet green apple mid-palate and a muted pear and crushed stone finish. Great sweet fruit flavors with vibrant acidity, very balanced, and all around refreshing wine. A very Bordelais styled wine, emulating the whites from the Graves yet showing the inherent new world fruitiness. 88 non blind (21/10/11).

Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot 2007

Napa, North Coast, California

USA

Seductive dark core with a bright ruby red rim with a boisterous mix of aromas bursting from the glass. On the nose theres dark cherries, plums, espresso, black olives, violets, cedar, slight touch of sweet tobacco, and wet earth. Concentrated dark fruit flavors on the attack, leading to lush raspberries meets milk chocolate mid-palate with refreshing acidity that keeps the over cloying sweetness at bay. The finish is a bit herbal, and thin, however the tannins are polished and well integrated. A very concentrated wine where the main objective is elegance, the fruit is kept in check by the great acidity; a mid-bodied effort with great structure. 91 non blind (21/10/11).

Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Napa, North Coast, California

USA

Great dark Cabernet color on this wine with a bright ruby red rim, with a very fruit packed nose. Aromas of dark fruits, plums, cassis, cigar, spices, vanilla cream, and a touch of mint on the end. On the palate the wine gushes with dark fruit flavors on the attack, a dense mid-palate filled with dark chocolate, and coffee flavors. The finish is long, filled with dark fruits, creamy vanilla, and vibrant tannins. A full bodied wine with great depth, texture, and balance. 92 non blind (21/10/11).

Duckhorn Vineyards Paraduxx 2006

Napa, North Coast, California

USA

An interesting blend of 64% Zinfandel, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. On the eye the wine shows a great dark black core with a deep purple rim, the texture can be foreshadowed by the way the wine clings to the glass. The nose is very fruit driven and perfumed, with great amounts of ripe black fruits, blueberries, violets, cloves, spices, and vanilla. A smooth satin textured wine with a big attack of blackberries, and sour cherries. As the wine moves into the mid-palate flavors of plums, blueberries, milk chocolate, and roasted coffee appear all the way into the finish where the firm tannins and creamy vanilla flavors are unveiled. A polished and well structured mid-bodied wine with harmony between fruit, acidity, and tannins. 92+ non blind (21/10/11).

The Mythical Creature & A Near Burgundian Experience

2011-12-21T22:06:00.005-05:00

The holidays are near and well its turkey time, the preferred meat for this time of the season. Well I say THROW AWAY all those boring old recipes for dry turkey! Try getting a mythical creature which is so rare to catch that well, you have to make it yourself. Thanks to the creative hands of Chef Alvaro Perrino who delighted us with a mind boggling gastronomic concoction.

*Enter Gooducken.

A rare breed of three avian species fused into one, making this one big Son of a Bird! The idea is simple but ingenious, get a goose and stuff it with a whole chicken, duck, and other goodies. Result = speechlessness. This was food for royalty, actually no, it tasted more like a dish for the Gods! Bravo Chef Alvaro!

Now the wines of course!

One of Spain's upcoming wine regions, Ribeira Sacra, has the potential to become Spain's Burgundy. The indigenous grape, Mencia, is a conduit for expressing the individuality of each parcel of land, extracting that sense of terroir as Pinot Noir does in Burgundy. There aren't huge corporate conglomerates making wine here, only small producers who are tied to their land by their own blood and sweat.

Aside from revealing the hidden messages from the earth, these wines are quite approachable with opulent fruitiness and tangy minerality, while not being too over the top. They are refreshing, low in alcohol, with great vibrant acidity that make these ideal for a huge array of food pairing or just to drink on their own. The best part however is the quality to price ratio; these wines are really well made with attention to detail from vineyard to bottling while having prices below $100.

If you were to look at the vineyards there are inclines that are too steep to have easy access, its as if nature jealously hides the potential greatness this land has. These vineyards have the same look as the Mosel valley in Germany, and alike those famed vineyards the ground is dominated by slate stone. If we look at it from various points of view Ribeira Sacra has everything going for it; a expressive varietal that captures the essence of the terroir, great terroir that rivals the best plots in Germany which produce great whites, and small producers who work hard to produce a magical elixir.

A Journey through Ribeira Sacra in Three Glasses

I had the opportunity to try three great examples of wines from this area recently, these bottles being brought directly from Spain by my friend Ramon Barreiro who so generously shared them with me. These wines represent two of the three sub regions within Ribeira Sacra, from which we could generalize the quality of those wines today and where they will be headed in the next few years.

These wines can one day rival the biggest names from Burgundy or other parts of the world. Will they be exactly like Grand Cru Burgundy in style or flavor, hopefully not, but rather they will find their own style which they are currently fine tuning. For now we must all enjoy! Oh by the way, the wines paired magnificently with the Gooducken, which leads me to this second point: Try new wines with your holiday dinner as well as changing that dreaded boring turkey for something else!

Guimaro B2M 2009

Sober, Lugo, Amandi, Ribeira Sacra

Spain

A great color, deep translucent red in the center with a dark violet rim. Clear cut aromas on the nose, good precision, where sour cherries, raspberries, blackberries, licorice, violets, lavender, with a touch of Asian spices on the end. Great flavors of sour cherries on the attack, with blackberries and dark chocolate on the mid-palate, and a long sappy, spicy, mineral laden finish. Very smooth in texture, with great balance between lush fruit and acidity, and silky sappy tannins. 91+ non blind (05/10/11).

Viña Reguieral 2009

Sober, Lugo, Amandi, Ribeira Sacra

Spain

On the eye the wine exhibits a youthful ruby red core and violet rim, with an ethereal fruit driven nose. The aromas jumping out of the glass show a mix between tart raspberries with a touch of lush blueberries, licorice, violets, dark earth, and black pepper on the end. On the palate the wine comes across quite refreshing, given its 13% alcohol, but it still packs a depth of flavors; sour cherries with some tart raspberries on the attack, giving way to a earthy mid-palate with hints of ground coffee, and a mineral tang on the finish with small hints of spices. Great purity of fruit on this wine, but lacking more structure and finesse. 90 non blind (05/10/11).

Dominio do Bibei Lalama 2007

Manzaneda, Oruense, Quiroga-Bibei, Ribeira Sacra

Spain

A ruby red wine exuding its youth through its appearance on the eye. On the nose there are notes of sweet raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, violets, dark earth, incense, small pinch of Indian spices, and crushed stones. The wine shows great precision and balance; fresh red fruit flavors on the attack with small amounts of dark chocolate, meat aux jous, and tangy minerality that possess the end. The most surprising thing about this wine, besides its balance, was that although it packed intense flavors it was quite light and refreshing, perhaps due to its low alcohol level approximately 12.5%. Great intense flavors, well built, and outright refreshing with a great aging potential. 93+ non blind (05/10/11).

Vino: Estoy Vivo!

2011-12-18T21:04:00.000-05:00

La gente le gusta decir que el vino es un ente vivo, ya que interactúa con su entorno, mientras que evoluciona en la botella hasta el día en que se consume. Siempre he escuchado esto, y en realidad nunca le preste tanta atención. Claro que es una especie de milagro que este líquido, que se encierra celosamente bajo vidrio y corcho, muestre señas de vida al descorcharlo muchos años después.

Me atrevería incluso ir más lejos y decir que muchos de nosotros hemos tomado esto a la ligera. Sí, sabemos que el vino envejece, y que está vivo en alguna medida, pero en algún momento podemos ver esto? Puedo decir que la mayoría de nosotros sólo entretenemos este pensamiento en el fondo de nuestra mente cuando estamos guardando o bebiendo una botella, me incluyo en este grupo. Sin embargo, todo esto cambió hace unos días cuando ocurrió algo que se asimila a una historia de terror, para los amantes del vino.

En el momento que retiras una botella de un estante o donde usted lo almacena, es usted quien toma la decisión de consumir la botella. Bueno, por supuesto, usted es un ser humano que goza tener esa chispa de vida y tomas la acción frente una botella que no muestra señas de vida. ¿Que tal si fuese al revés? Una botella decide que es el momento de salir de su sueño eterno y revelar sus misterios. Es como si la botella sola decida abrirse, tomando una decisión como ser humano. ¿Cómo podría el vino, que es meramente jugo de uva fermentado en una botella, hacer esto?

Bueno, es aquí donde llega relucir que el vino es un ser vivo. No sólo evolucionan y vive en la botella, al parecer tambien puede tomar decisiones. TIENE VIDA! ¿Ahora Cuál es era esta historia de horror que he mencionado al inicio del articulo? Todo comenzó hace unos días que decidí entrar a la cava de vinos. La oscuridad reinaba cuando entre y mientras tropezaba para encontrar el interruptor de luz, sentí algo fuera de lugar.

Inmediatamente después de entrar encontré un olor particular, una enorme ola de aromas sorprendentes que inundaron mi nariz. ¿Qué podría ser, tal vez una gotera en el techo, no, no es un olor malo en lo absoluto! Es un olor muy agradable, algo muy afrutado, huele a vino... A medida que logro encender la luz, allí, delante de mí estaba la escena del crimen, un charco de color púrpura casi marrón oscuro! Muchas preguntas pasaron de prisa por mi cabeza, sera que una botella se había caído de un estante o que un cambio brusco en la temperatura o humedad haya causado la falla de un corcho? Mientras reflexionaba sobre esto hubo un leve sonido, un "tic, tic, tic". La botella que derramo el vino aun expulsaba liquido lentamente, pero cual de todas seria?

Y así empezó la aventura en la cava con poca luz para encontrar la botella, volviendo estudiar la trayectoria de la caída de las gotas tomó un tiempo antes de llegar a una botella particular. Al ver cual era mi corazón se hundió, era una botella preciada que estaba guardando para abrir en una ocasión especial. Cual era, mejor prepárense... era un Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1934. Sí, una botella de 77 años de edad, y casi la mitad se encontraba muerta en el piso.

Inmediatamente muevo la botella y la coloco de pie sobre unas cajas de madera. El corcho misteriosamente se había caído hasta el fondo de la botella, algo muy raro, y lo que retuvo la salida masiva de líquido era en realidad la cápsula. En este momento todo lo que podía esperar era a ver si el vino estaba vivo, y si aun podía regalar algo de placer. No tuve más remedio que decantar el vino y esperar lo mejor, y de repente al poner mi nariz sobre el decantador ocurrió un milagro, todavía estaba vivo!

Esta botella particular que compre hace años, había sido re-encorchada en el Chateau. Al extraer el corcho en una sola pieza intacta de la botella se puede leer "Rebouchon au Chateau en 1981".

Es curioso ver cómo a veces tomamos muchas cosas a la ligera, y como lo enterramos en el fondo de nuestra mente. Los vinos son la expresión de un lugar, una cultura, y en última instancia, una botella.Ahora puedo decir que he encontrado realmente una botella que me dijo a mi cuando quería ser abierta, en lugar de que yo lo decidiera.

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1934
Pauillac, Burdeos
Francia

Muy aromático para su edad, fresco y vivo, pero con cierta complejidad. El color del vino mostró su edad avanzada, un núcleo de color marrón oscuro con ribetes de color teja. En nariz revela aromas a humedad, sudor de animales, con toques de hongos. Luego el vino tomo fuerza y revelo aromas de hojas secas de tabaco, cuero viejo, grafito, violetas, frutos secos, mentol, y semillas de anís.

Un poco más rustico en el paladar de lo que muestra en la nariz, un vino de cuerpo medio, con un ataque de frutos rojos amargos, vegetales caramelizados en el medio del paladar, toques de acidez volátil, y un final decente con sabores a café, menta, y ciruelas pasas. ¿No es un vino moderno que exhibe mucha frutas y un estilo pulido, al contrario es muy rustico, pero la magia, sin duda, fue la frescura que mostraba después de 77 años! 92 cata abierta (15/12/11).

Jamón Ibérico de Bellota Blind Tasting

2011-12-18T17:54:00.003-05:00

A blind tasting of cured ham? Ok, calling it a cured ham would be an insult, its much more than that. To many, myself included, this isn't just a piece of cured back leg from a rare species of pork, its a memory of place and culture. As the world progresses many food items lose a sense of place, a terroir just like in wine, and thus its identity or culture is lost. Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, not your ordinary cured pork leg, expounds this sense of place, culture, and even memories, and for that it should stand out from other cured cuts. Of course, it is also just out right delicious and pleasurable.

We've all heard about blind wine tastings, letting the quality of the product before you speak out and compete with its peers without any prejudgment based on label or price. Such was the case with Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, a quintessential component of Spanish gastronomy, that not only expounds savory flavors but also delicate textures and aromas much like wine.

There are many similarities between wine and Jamón Ibérico; just like with wines, terroir and label differ enormously. The way its consumed is also important, hand sliced (the cutting portion is part art and science) is in my personal opinion the only way to experience it. As for terroir, the Iberian pigs live in the southwestern part of Spain, each region has their own regulations given by their local Denominacion de Origen, which in turn influences the style/flavors of the product.

Every Jamón Ibérico de Bellota must come from a special breed of black pigs , also referred as Pata Negra due to their black hoofs, and must only be feed acorns. The meat itself has a slight gamey flavor, a dark red color, and the acorn brings in a slight sweetness. The natural fat also adds a layer of complexity, that sweet savory almost umami like note that makes you want to come back for more.

Our friends from Restaurante El Bodegon took the endeavor to heart, and created the first blind tasting of all Jamónes Ibérico de Bellotas available in the Panamanian market, with the help of the importer Hnos. Gago. Apart from being blind, they also offered a wine pairing for each Jamón. The pairing in most cases worked and in others it didn’t. I won't go into detail on which wine paired perfectly with which brand of Jamón Ibérico, why you ask? I was too busy enjoying it! However I will comment on each Jamón Ibérico and wine separately.

Alright, if you MUST know my personal preference was Joselito followed by Fermín. This was conducted blind, therefore I was only influenced by my preference and not label. Joselito is a very recognized brand, each leg going for about 1,000 USD whereas the Fermin is much more affordable, and I guess you get more “bang for the buck”. As for wine, stick to traditional Rioja, you can't go wrong with that pairing!

Jamónes Ibérico de Bellota

5J Jamón Ibérico Puro de Bellota

Habugo, Huelva, Andalucía

Spain

Great dark red color with less amounts of fat than the other Jamónes. Fragrant but not as much as some of the others, feels as if its holding back a bit. Flavors are very profound, sweet olive oil, nuts, and game notes all throughout. Great texture, delicate and soft, with a long finish.

Joselito Gran Reserva

Guijelo, Salamanca, Castilla y León

Spain

Dark ruby red with well integrated layers of fat that are quite delicate. Very fragrant on the nose with nice game notes and a touch of nuts. Profound flavors of game on the attack, a touch of sweet nuttiness with olive oil, and long lasting aftertaste. The texture is amazing, soft yet it has a bite to it, and the fat just melts into liquid when it hits your tongue.

Fermín Jamón Ibérico de Bellota

La Alberca, Salamanca, Castilla y León

Spain

Nice bright red color with perhaps the most amount of fat. Very fragrant on the nose, lively and fresh, great aromas of stewed game and nutty olive oil. The texture is quite soft, with a bit of firmness; a rush of flavors and smooth fat that melts in the mouth with a touch of acorn and spice on the end.

Don Saturnino Jamón Ibérico de Bellota

Guijelo, Salamanca, Castilla y León

Spain

A light red colored meat, with good amounts of fat. Good nose, simple and basic but enjoyable. Very moist and sweet, soft textured, sweet gamey flavors with a touch of nuttiness on the back.

Wines

Canals Nadal Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2007

Penedes, Catalunya

Spain

The cava possess a great bright golden color with small sized bubbles. Refreshing citric notes on the nose, with yeasty undertones, and some tart green apples with touches of crushed pepper on the end. On the palate there’s an initial rush of subdued apricots on the attack, followed by tart apples, with mouth searing acidity on the mid-palate where yeasty bread flavors predominate. Here it becomes bone dry, with a lingering metallic and mineral finish. The texture is quite refreshing, with intense bubbles and a decent balance between fruit, acidity, and minerality. 88 non blind (30/09/11).

Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2007

Uco Valley, Mendoza

Argentina

A densely packed and viscous wine, exhibiting a dark core with slightly blue hues and a dark purple rim. Quite fruit driven nose, almost jam like, with blueberry and blackberry compote, violets, dark chocolate shavings, and espresso aromas.

The flavors are similar to the aromas, with a luscious dark fruit compote attack leading to a slightly less dense mid-palate. Strong coffee, dark chocolate, and burnt toast flavors intermingle with the initial fruit. The finish is a continuation of the overbearing jammy fruit flavors that lingers for some time with slightly mineral zing that slightly cuts into the over cloying fruit aspect. Although the wine has a nice thick viscous texture, the fruit dominates a bit too much, and there’s quite a bit of an alcoholic burn on the end. 90 from magnum non blind (30/09/11).

Vina Ardanza Reserva 2000

Fuenmayor, Rioja Alta, Rioja/ Ausejo y Tudelilla, Rioja Baja, Rioja

Spain

A “coupage” of 80% tempranillo and 20% granacha, the wine is showing age with a orange brick rim, and a dark red semi translucent core. An alluring traditional Rioja nose with plenty of tart red fruits, tobacco, cedar, dirt, animal hide, with a dollop of creamy vanilla on the end. Being this is from a magnum, the aromas are quite fresh and vibrant.

The wine is quite powerful on the palate, with great sour cherries on the attack, a meaty mid-palate, and a finish where cloves, anise, cinnamon, and all spice dominate. A mid-bodied effort that is bursting with fresh fruit flavors, great refreshing acidity, and well integrated tannins that make this a food friendly wine. 91+ from magnum non blind (30/09/11).

Emilio Moro Malleolus 2006

Pesquera del Duero, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

Spain

A very intense wine in every way, aromas are jumping and on the eye there’s an inky black color and a dark purple rim. The wine is very young, the aromas are fresh and vibrant, where fruits dominate, but still it’s a bit closed down even after two hours of decanting.

There are plenty of dark fruits, a mix of black and blueberries, fresh green peppers, various spices, cinnamon, incense, scorched earth, smoke, currants, and a final touch soft vanilla cream on the nose. A very new world approach for this wine, the aromas are bordering on the artificial side.

The flavors on the other hand are a bit more reserved than the nose, a great amount of sweet red berries, dark plums, balsamic notes on the attack that flows into the mid-palate. Here flavors of dark chocolate, freshly ground coffee intermixed with dark fruits appear. The finish isn’t that long, chewy tannins that have a mouth puckering grape skin flavor, mocha, coffee, and meat aux jous. The wine is mid-bodied, the flavors are clean, crisp, but it’s missing some identity. 92 non blind (30/09/11).

3era Cata Magisterial con Robert Parker – “The Magic 20”

2011-11-08T21:20:00.001-05:00

Anoche culminó el gran evento vitivinícola Wine Future Hong Kong con broche de oro, con la anticipada cata magisterial dirigida por crítico Estadounidense Robert Parker. Se le considera el guru de los vinos ya que los puntajes que otorga mueven el mercado de vinos alrededor del mundo. En comparación a las otras dos catas magisteriales en los días anteriores, esta fue más reservada e intelectual. Reinaba el silencio, y un ambiente un poco tenso ya que todos esperaban probar vinos míticos y al mismo tiempo la opinión de Parker sobre ellos y el mercado.

Robert Parker

Naturalmente, debido al gran poder invisible que ejerce Parker sobre el mundo de vinos, hubo una explosión de comentarios y opiniones a través de redes sociales de aquellos que asistieron. Muchos estaban complacidos, otros sospechaban la selección y los comentarios sobre cada vino, y finalmente había otro grupo que analizaba cada palabra para extraer algún tipo de beneficio.

La selección de vinos Bordeleses trataba de demostrar dos cosas, la calidad de la vendimia del 2009, y que aun existen buenos vinos a precios razonables. ¿Porque tienen los Burdeos precios tan excesivos? Según Parker, si ponemos a un lado la especulación en el mercado, uno paga por un producto de calidad que puede envejecer lentamente y otorgar placer.

¿Que determina que un vino sea bueno y otro excelente? Según Parker todo vino para poder considerarse excelente debe cumplir con varios requisitos.

Debe proveer placer y también desafiarte intelectualmente (debe tener capas con facetas distintas que te capturan y te hacen reflexionar).

Debe tener aromas y sabores profundos e intensos sin excederse al extremo y convertirse empalagoso.

Debe capturar tu interés y hacerte regresar para una segunda copa.

Debe tener la capacidad de envejecer y evolucionar en botella. Muchos vinos del nuevo mundo pueden envejecer, pero no evolucionar y ahí esta la diferencia.

Debe tener personalidad, algo memorable que se vuelve fácilmente reconocible.

Los vinos de la cata apenas fueron embotellados hace 6 meses, por lo tanto eran muestras de vinos muy jóvenes que solo apenas mostraban su gran potencial. Todos eran del 2009, una añada perfecta en términos climatológicos y a la par con otras añadas míticas como 2005, 2000, 1990, 1989, y1982. El orden de los vinos fue determinado por Robert Parker, empezando por vinos con estilos más delicados hasta llegar a los vinos de gran cuerpo y personalidad.

1. Ch. Haut Bailly – Pessac Leognan

2.Ch. Rauzan-Ségla - Margaux

3.Ch. Brane-Cantenac - Margaux

4. Ch. Malescot St.Exupéry - Margaux

5. Ch. Palmer - Margaux

6. Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte – Pessac Leognan

7. Ch. Pape Clement – Pessac Leognan

8. Ch. La Fleur-Petrus - Pomerol

9. Ch. La Conseillante - Pomerol

10.Ch. Trotanoy - Pomerol

11. Ch. Le Gay - Pomerol

12. Ch. Leoville Las Cases – St. Julien

13. Ch. Leoville Poyferre – St. Julien

14. Ch. Pichon Lalande - Pauillac

15. Ch. Lynch-Bages - Pauillac

16. Ch. Pichon Baron - Pauillac

17. Ch. Pontet Canet - Pauillac

18. Ch. Cos D’Estournel - St. Estephe

19. Ch. Clos Fourtet - St. Emilion

20. Ch. Angelus – St. Emilion

Al ser vinos tan jóvenes aun no se podían extraer notas de catas tan exactas, sin embargo la similitud que tienen todos es la gran calidad. Hay sabores profundos a frutas maduras, no se siente la madera de barrica, y los taninos son dulces. Los vinos exhiben un balance entre fruta, tostado de madera, y taninos; Parker lo describe como una gran obra de arte. Durante la cata en las redes sociales, los que atendieron en persona, daban su opinión sobre cada vino y lo sorprendente que era cada uno.

El favorito por la mayoría de los presentes fue el Ch. Cos D’ Estournel de St. Estephe. Hasta Robert Parker hizo un énfasis durante la cata para decir que tanto había cambiado este vino en particular, desde que Jean-Guillaume Prats tomo el control en 1994. Es mas en la publicación de Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, en su edición de abril 2010 le otorgo a este vino que aun residía en barrica un puntaje de (98-100); fue el vino con puntaje más alto en la publicación de Parker que se incluyo en esta cata. Este vino lo describe como “el mejor vino joven del mundo que ha tomado en toda su carrera profesional”.

2nda Cata Magisterial con Jancis Robinson - "Más allá de Burdeos"

2011-11-07T18:26:00.000-05:00

La cata magisterial dictada hoy por la Master of Wine de origen ingles, Jancis Robinson, fue muy revelador. Aparte de sufrir varios problemas técnicos en cuanto a la señal en vivo, se pudo apreciar cuanto ha crecido y seguirá creciendo el mundo vitivinícola. En palabras simples, lo único constante en la vida es que todo cambia.

Jancis Robinson MW

Los vinos de Burdeos gozan de una gran fama, que hoy día se puede desafiar con avances en tecnología y distintos terruños alrededor del mundo. Mientras que los franceses gozan de un monopolio en lo que se considera vinos “blue chip” o grado de inversión, cuyos precios ascienden a las nubes, el público en general debe buscar otros vinos para poder consumir que ofrecen una gran experiencia a un precio justo. Esto es precisamente lo que intento hacer Jancis Robinson, no solo mostrar vinos individuales pero mas bien abrir los ojos al público sobre el futuro y lo que algún día pueden llegar ser grandes vinos. Es más, esto se puede ver hoy día con el incremento de consumidores buscando más variedades autóctonas en vez de blends Bordeleses.

La organización de la cata fue un poco complicada sin embargo el esquema general era de cubrir vinos más ligeros hasta llegar a los vinos con gran cuerpo y peso. La primera categoría consistía de vinos blancos, la segunda de vinos cuya cepa no era originaria de Burdeos, y finalmente los blends estilo Bordeleses hechos en otras partes del mundo.

Categoría I. Vinos Blancos

1. Brasil – Geisse Brut 1998 en mágnum

70% Chardonnay y 30% Pinot Noir proveniente de Pinto Bandera, Rió Grande do Sul, Brasil. Lo importante de este vino espumante es su perfil en nariz y en boca, muy similar a las Champañas pero a una fracción del costo. Mientras que Champaña disminuye su producción para subir los precios, estos vinos Brasileños pueden quitarle una gran porción del mercado en un futuro cercano.

Australia

– Shaw and Smith – M3 Chardonnay 2010 Adelaide Hills

Los vinos Australianos han sufrido un cambio drástico, hoy día son más elegantes, en contraste total a los blancos del pasado donde predominaban al excesivo uso de madera. Nuevas áreas con clima mas frío permiten mejor calidad de fruta que conllevan a vinos más delicados; estas áreas nuevas incluyen Tasmania, Victoria, y Nueva Gales del Sur. Una buena opción para reemplazar los grandes vinos blancos de Borgoña, que sufren de pre-oxidación en botella, un problema muy común en estos vinos franceses.

3. Alemania- Dr. Loosen, Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett 2008 Mosel

Jancis Robinson considera el Riesling como una de las mejores cepas que existe, al igual que el Pinot Noir, puede ser delicado y exhibir el carácter de la tierra donde nace. Uno de los pocos vinos blancos que puede añejar debido al contenido del azúcar residual. Los Rieslings de la Mosela son en particular lo mas preciso, delicados, y untosos. Se recomienda las añadas del 2008 y 2009.

4. Austria – Jurtschitsch, Schenkenbichl Grüner Veltliner Reserve Erste Lage 2009 Kamptal

La uva autóctona de Austria, ha crecido en popularidad en los últimos años. Es un vino blanco de gran cuerpo, pero delicado al mismo tiempo. Un vino seco que muchos Austriacos utilizan para maridar con carnes y guisos. El área de Wachau ya es muy conocida y hasta veces un poco costosa, recomienda comprar los vinos de la apelación vecina Kamptal que es igual pero menos costoso. Poco a poco los vinos tintos de Austria van mejorando, la cepa tradicional utilizada es Blaufränkisch.

Categoría II. Vinos Tintos de otras cepas (no bórdeles)

5. Nueva Zelanda – Felton Road, Cornish Point Vineyard 2010 Central Otago

Proviene del productor más famoso de Nueva Zelanda. El clima de la región es continental, parecida a la de Borgoña, sin embargo no tiene el mismo subsuelo. Puede ser un sustituto a los grandes vinos de Borgoña sin embargo, los sabores son más intensos, frutados, y en algunos casos empalagosos.

6. Borgoña – Louis Jadot, Clos St Jacques Premier Cru 1990 Gevrey Chambertin

Un Premier Cru que muchos consideran que debería ser Grand Cru. Como es un vino anejo tiene mucha variación de botella a botella, sin embargo muestra un Pinot Noir complejo donde predomina más el carácter de la tierra que el Pinot Noir anterior de Nueva Zelanda. En la actualidad con tecnología, muchos Premier Cru pueden ser iguales o mejor que los Grand Cru y aun mantener la proporcion de precio por calidad.

7. Turquía – Kavaklidere, Prestige Öküzgözü 2008 Elazig

De la variedad autóctona, Öküzgözü, que significa “ojo de res” en Turco. Una cepa prometedora, con buena fruta y cuerpo medio. Durante esta porción de la cata hubo un problema técnico, y no se pudo apreciar completamente la información.

8. Piamonte – Gaja 2008 Barbaresco

Del indiscutible rey del Piamonte, Angelo Gaja. El Barbaresco es muy expresivo pero también una cepa que es excelente con comida. Durante esta porción de la cata hubo un problema técnico, y no se pudo apreciar completamente la información.

9. Ródano – Tardieu Laurent, Cuvée Spéciale 2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

La mezcla de varias cepas aceptadas en la denominación de Chateauneuf du Pape lleva a que sea una experiencia única de etiqueta a etiqueta. Es un vino con cuerpo, y fruta muy acentuada. Durante los últimos anos ha ocurrido una revolución en el sur del Ródano, se producen vinos de gran calidad y precios muy justos, mas que todos en términos Franceses.

10. Toscana – Antinori, Tignanello 2001 Toscana

Un vino compuesto de un 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, y 5% Cabernet Franc. Uno de los primeros Súper Toscanos, donde se mezcla la cepa tradicional con cepas Bordelesas. Es un vino divertido, de gran cuerpo, textura aterciopelada y excelente para acompañar con comida. Hoy día este estilo de vinos esta perdiendo adherentes en Italia, ya que los productores y consumidores buscan algo mas autóctono, 100% Sangiovese.

Categoría III. Vinos de Cepas Bórdeles

11. Argentina – Catena Zapata Catena Alta Malbec 2000 Mendoza

Malbec cepa originaria de Cahors, y utilizada en Burdeos, que ha ganado fama en Argentina. La cepa ha capturado el mercado Americano debido a su sabores a frutas, texturas aterciopeladas, y lo agradable que pueden ser. Nicolás Catena se puede considerar como el Robert Mondavi del Sur, pero con una personalidad más científica. Los vinos más accesibles hasta los Premium de este productor son excelente y altamente recomendados como reemplazo de los vinos Bordeleses.

12. China – Grace Vineyard, Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Shanxi

Proviene del sudoeste de Beijing, cerca de la frontera con Mongolia. Esta área vitivinícola esta en su infancia, pero ya la calidad se puede ver. Muchos de los grandes productores están comprando tierra aquí, como Miguel Torres y Lafite-Rothschild. Un vino 100% Cabernet Sauvignon con muy buenos aromas, buena estructura, y suficiente taninos para añejar.

13. Chile – Almaviva 2005 Puente Alto

Un vino que trata de imitar el estilo Bórdeles, un proyecto conjunto entren Concha y Toro de Chile y la casa de Barón Phillipe de Rothschild en Francia. El vino muestra un carácter muy afrutado, tiene el cuerpo y estructura de un vino Bórdeles pero al fruta de un vino de nuevo mundo. Contiene 5% Carmenere, una cepa que aun no han podido dominar completamente en Chile. Al agregar el Carmenere le impone unas notas verdes que no armonizan. Es preferible buscar los vinos blancos que se están produciendo en el norte de Chile pegado a la costa, en especifico los valles de Elqui y Limari.

14. Sudáfrica – Vergelegen 2000 Stellenbosch

En Stellenbosch prevalece un estilo de vino “internacionales” sin embargo hay que buscar aquellos que muestran la identidad verdadera del terruño. Es un blend Bórdeles, con sabores complejos, notas minerales, Buena textura y taninos sedosos. Un vino que puede imitar los grandes de Burdeos, pero un poco más refrescante y más que todo a mejor precio.

15. California – Ridge Monte Bello 1995

Un vino de California atípico, ya que no buscan tener sabores excesivamente afrutados y cremosos. Es un vino donde tratan de recrear el balance y elegancia de los Premier Cru de Burdeos. En muchas catas a ciegas, siempre han confundido este vino con uno de Burdeos de primera.

1era Cata Magisterial de WineFuture Hong Kong - “Los Vinos Españoles: Pasión y Diversidad”

2011-11-06T10:01:00.000-05:00

Hoy 6 de noviembre se presento la primera de tres catas magisteriales de Wine Future Hong Kong, dirigido por el Presidente del Wine Academy España Pancho Campo MW. Lo novedoso este año es que cada cata será transmitida en vivo y directo para así incorporar al público en general. La primera transmisión ocurrió hoy a las 5:40am hora local de Panamá. Esta primera cata, titulada “Los Vinos Españoles: Pasión y Diversidad” consistía en crear un recorrido por las zonas vitivinícolas mas relevantes de España, y en cada vino capturar la esencia de la región.

Pancho Campo MW

En esta cata magisterial se presentaron 17 vinos, cada uno con un video donde se presentaba la región de donde provenía el vino, las costumbres y gastronomía, la bodega, y finalmente la razón por la cual fue seleccionado para la cata.

Mundialmente existe una percepción errónea en cuanto a los vinos Españoles, en especial dentro del mercado Asiático. Predomina la mentalidad vieja que asocia España únicamente con tapas, jamón ibérico, cavas de mala calidad, vinos tintos que permanecen en barrica por una eternidad, y los jerez o “sherry”. Sin embargo comento Pancho Campo que España es mucho más que eso.

Para empezar España hoy es mucho mas que ese precepto anticuado, es la tierra de campeones, el equipo de fútbol que gano el mundial, de Rafa Nadal, de Fernando Alonso, y del Barca. España se ha convertido en los últimos años el centro de la innovación gastronomica, con grandes exponentes como Ferran Adria que han tenido un impacto directo en el mundo vitivinícola.

Durante la exposición surgieron dos temas recurrentes. Los productores de vinos ya no pueden dedicarse solamente a crear un producto; ellos tendrán que crear y fomentar el eno-tourismo para subsistir. El segundo tema, y el mas importante ya que revela cual es la “arma secreta” de los vinos Españoles, es la proporción de precio por calidad. Los vinos Españoles ofrecen la calidad y tradición de vinos Europeos a precios muy bajos.

Estos fueron los vinos presentados, con algunas notas interesantes sobre cada uno o la región a la cual pertenece.

1. DO Rías Baixas - Pazo Señorans 2010

Los albariños Gallegos tienen notas cítricas refrescantes con buena acidez, muy adaptable a los sabores complejos de la gastronomía Asiática, y mas que todo con frutos del mar el maridaje perfecto.

2. DO Cava - Celler Batlle 2001
Hecha a partir de variedades autóctonas. La mas importante Xarel·lo permite que la Cava tenga buena estructura, buena acidez, y larga vida. Es la única variedad blanca que tiene antioxidantes, o el reservatrol que es muy común en los vinos tintos.

3. DO Penedés - Mas La Plana 2007
Miguel Torres, uno de los pioneros en estudiar y combatir los efectos del cambio climático en los vinos. Este vino en particular tiene su historia, fue campeón en la Olimpiada de Vinos 1979 en la categoría de Cabernet Sauvignon donde destrono los grandes vinos Franceses.

4. DOQ Priorat - Ferrer-Bobet 2008

El Priorat, una región “misteriosa” donde predomina la topografía inusual y la licorella que tiene un impacto directo al vino. Este productor en particular trata de desafiar la noción que los vinos del Priorat tienen altos niveles de alcohol y sabores muy afrutados. Sus vinos utilizan 100% Cariñena de viñedos de 30 a 40 años de antigüedad y crecen con orientación hacia el norte envés de sur para disminuir el nivel de alcohol, obtener mayor acidez, y balance.

5. DO Amporda - Finca Garbet 2005

Tierra de pinos, pizarra, y vientos mediterraneos. Una de las denominaciones mas jóvenes. Son vinos al estilo nuevo mundo de 100% Syrah.

6. DO Navarra - Pago de Cirsus Selección de Familia 2005

Navarra no tiene variedad autóctona, por lo tanto exponen el “Navarra Blend” – mezcla de Tempranillo con otras variedades internacionales como el Merlot, Cabernet, y Syrah.

7. DOP Dominio de Valdepusa - Emeritus 2005

El primer vino de pagos en España. Los “pagos” son lo equivalente a la clasificación de cru classe en Francia. El propietario Carlos Falco es pionero sembrando Cabernet Sauvignon en esta area en 1974.

8. DOP Terrerazo - Quincha Corral 2007

El varietal más representativo de Valencia, el Bobal. Una uva que imparte olores a frambuesas, membrillo, con buen cuerpo y excelente para paellas.

9. DOCa Rioja - Barón de Chirel 2008

La zona vitivinícola que puso a España en el mapa. Vino de la casa de Marques de Riscal pero una versión moderna. Ha sido un cambio gradual de estilo, cambiando de roble americano a roble francés culminando en el 2008.

10. DOCa Rioja - Trasnocho 2005

La zona vitivinícola que puso a España en el mapa. Un productor que utiliza técnicas innovadoras para crear vinos limpios, precios, con gran sabor. Tiene una bodega muy limpia, donde van hasta el extremo para mantener la calidad.

11. DOCa Rioja - Finca El Bosque 2007

La zona vitivinícola que puso a España en el mapa. Un vino que esta dentro del portafolio de la familia Eugren, los antiguos propietarios de Numanthia en Toro. Se trabaja meticulosamente la viña para tener frutos pequeños pero alta calidad; vino con potencia pero con balance.

12. DO Ribera del Duero - Aalto PS 2005

Vino con gran cuerpo, tanninos fuertes hechos para la gastronomía castellana, en especifico el Lechazo o Cochinillo. Es un vino cuyo dueños son gigantes de la zona; Mariano García fue el enólogo de Vega Sicilia antes de fundar esta Bodega con Javier Zaccagnini ex-Presidente de la DO Ribera del Duero.

13. DO Toro - Termanthia 2006

La región de Toro creada en 1987, se ha conocido por crear vinos salvajes y rusticos. La cara de esta DO ha cambiado, Numanthia crea vinos más refinados y elegantes pero aun con gran cuerpo y potencia.

14. DO Campo de Borja - Aquilon 2007

Aragón, el emperio de la Granacha. Una región donde predomina un clima continental. Vinos golosos de alta calidad a precios razonables.

15. DO Jumilla - El Nido 2008

Prevalece un subsuelo arenoso, que ha detenido la filoxera, por lo tanto son vinos no injertados. Prevalece la monastrell que produce vinos con buena fruta, golosos, y intensos.

16. DO Sherry - Amontillado del Duque VORS

La esencia de España, de Andalucia evocativo al flamenco, cultivado de la variedad Palomino Fino. El subsuelo es especial, conocido como albariza que refleja el calor del sol, absorbe humedad, y tiene buen drenaje.

17. DOP Montilla Moriles - Gran Barquero Pedro Ximénez

De Montilla-Moriles, el Pedro Ximenez aparte de variedad es un estilo de vino. Se utiliza el sistema de solera, un buen vino de postre y el mejor secreto mejor guardado de España.

En este enlace se puede disfrutar los videos individuales de cada vino, se los recomiendo.

http://www.madwine.tv/recommendedwine.php

Catas Magisteriales Wine Future Hong Kong 2011

2011-11-05T21:51:00.006-05:00

Durante la semana se estará llevando acabo uno de los eventos mas importantes en el mundo vitivinicola Wine Future Hong Kong. Durante dicho evento se abarcara los siguientes temas: “sostenibilidad del planeta y el cambio climático, nuevas estrategias de marketing en el sector vitivinícola, del futuro de los vinos espumosos, los vinos dulces y generosos, de las oportunidades y retos en el mercado asiático, la educación en el mundo del vino, y el turismo del vino.”

Durante el evento habrá tres catas magisteriales empezando mañana 6 de noviembre con Pancho Campo MW presidente del Wine Academy. El día 7 de noviembre estará presente Jancis Robinson MW y finalmente el 8 de noviembre Robert Parker. Próximamente el detalle de cada cata magisterial y los vinos incluidos.

Tradition

2011-10-28T22:00:00.001-05:00

What is Tradition? A simple word, a noun, with a single meaning. To many people Tradition is just that, a small word they keep on hand when speaking and nothing more. To others, tradition is much more than a simple word, it is a purpose of existence, a motivation to forge ahead, a path from the past into the future.

Words are merely a tool for communication, a very useful tool of course but at the end a word with no force behind it is just a meaningless sound. What makes, therefore, a word, or in this case “Tradition”, much more than just a simple word? When there is an actual force behind this word, when it becomes much more than a descriptor and turns into passion, duty, and dedication. Why is this important, especially in wine?

Cellars at R. Lopez de Heredia where Time Stood Still

In our modern globalized world, where technology abounds, many viticultural practices have become complex, while others have become much simpler. The pursuit of making wine has turned, in many instances, to make critic acclaimed wines (Robert Parker or “Parkerized”) or wines to generate an easy turnover. It’s no surprise that many of these wines lose their soul, their sense of “somewhereness” disappears, and we’re left with something similar to a franchise styled beverage.

Wine, to me, shouldn’t only be a simple beverage, but rather something much more complex. Wine should express a sense of place, extract the essence of the ground from where it comes from, and express the philosophy of the people who make it rather than that of a critic sitting thousands of miles away.

Without tradition, there is no force holding old philosophies in place. There is no keeping in line with the customs from where the wine comes from. The voice of the terroir, and most importantly the people behind it start to lose their essence, and become part of the globalized community, sharing similar tastes and wants. If everyone were the same, we will start to lose our humanity.

Recently, the biggest annual wine fair conducted in Panama, I was surprised to see the many selections of wines available. Some were noteworthy and yes great wines. One stood out from the rest, in fact it was the ONLY reason I actually attended. The producer is none other than R. López de Heredia, the bastion of classical Rioja. The way this producer makes wine hasn’t changed from the first day.

The winemaking techniques are traditional, many if not all machines in use today come from long ago. Their philosophy of “why fix something if it’s not broken” is much more than practical, rather respectful and purposeful. You will find many producers making classic styled Rioja, however they lack that purity and depth that can only be seen in wines from López de Heredia.

Julio Cesar Lopez de Heredia and Myself

To my delight the person representing the producer at the fair was Julio Cesar López de Heredia, whose great grandfather founded the winery in 1877. As conversation arose between us, and I tasted through the wines one thing became very apparent. Tradition was not just a word to him, but rather a duty to preserve the legacy and vision of his forefathers. The heirs of R. López de Heredia stand on the shoulders of giants from past, passing on to us their customs, traditions, and vision of what Rioja was, is, and should be.

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva 1993
Haro, Rioja Alta, Rioja
Spain

The color of the wine itself attracts you to jump in and enjoy it, bright golden yellow with a slight hint of green on the rim. The aromas are simply amazing; this isn’t your typical white wine.

On the forefront there’s a generous dose of apricots, peaches, poached pears, a touch of pineapple that give way to an interesting volatile acid meets premature oxidation aroma. This is not at all, in my opinion, a fault but rather adds appeal and character to the wine. With time more aromas appear, peppers, spices, smoke, and roasted walnuts. As the wine enters the palate, it gives way to a well developed structure; its weight and presence which is often hard to achieve in white wines.

The initial flavors boast citric notes, mangos, pineapple giving way to some savory nutty flavors on the mid-palate that last up to the finish. The acid level is quite refreshing, cleanses the palate and makes you want to drink more. This is perhaps the most perplexing white wine I’ve had to date, it so different it just makes you think and admire it. 93 non blind (21/10/11).

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva Tinto 2001

Haro, Rioja Alta, Rioja

Spain

Great color on the eye, with a nice dark translucent core and ruby red rim with slight bricking. The nose reveals an aged wine, it has a slight touch of old world wine dustiness meets animal hide that quickly dissipates. The aromas are quite focused, a potpourri of amazing aromas with sour red fruits, tobacco, leather, smoke, spices, and some oak on the end.

On the palate the attack is dominated by intense flavors sour cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and as the wine progresses toward the mid-palate a denser dark fruit flavor arises. The intensity increases and secondary flavors arise, roasted meat, smoke, and spices flow through the finish leaving a long after taste. The wine is a sturdy mid-bodied wine that is seamless, and quite smooth. It possesses great vibrant acidity and soft tannins on the end that make it enjoyable, and a food friendly wine. 92 non blind (21/10/11).

R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva Tinto 1994
Haro, Rioja Alta, Rioja
Spain

This wine was just an ethereal experience to all my senses. The wine still exhibited an undying youth, with a dark black core and dark red rim that’s about to turn into brick orange. The nose is a literal explosion, such depth, precision, and beauty, the epitome of traditional Rioja; great purity of fruit on the attack, with leather, licorice, menthol, incense, and Indian spices.

The flavors, although similar, are deeper and more pronounced than the regular Reserva bottling. Great dark fruit on the attack, with sour cherries and raspberries on the mid-palate, dark chocolate, various spices, and a touch of crushed rock on the end. The flavors persist for a long time, coating every corner of your palate. This Gran Reserva is on a different level, it has an incredible amount of depth, an elegant body and smooth texture. 96 non blind (21/10/11).

Palate Readjustment - Grand Cru Burgundies

2011-10-24T15:30:00.002-05:00

Walk around in Panama, and for that matter many Latin American markets and you'll see an over abundance of new world wines. Nothing wrong with that, but doesn't something seem a bit weird? Let’s see, from the supermarket to fine wine retail stores, the greatest representation usually are Chilean Cabernets, or Argentinean Malbec. Sure, its quality over price, and well very accessible, but one thing for sure is that it's quite repetitive. They're all about the same, big bold fruit flavors inspired by the greats of Bordeaux.

Naturally, the wines I started out with generally were full bodied, fruit driven wines, with high alcohol contents, that in some cases tried to exalt the audacity of a given winemaker/producer with his blending techniques. These became more or less a staple in my wine repertoire, at first because of taste but more recently because of availability.

After some time, especially as of lately, these wines have become too big for me, because of their big bold flavors and high alcohol content. Malbec became too over cloying and sweet, Cabernet too flashy and alcoholic, and Merlot although smooth a bit too heavy on the nose and palate. Bordeaux’s, although they are great wines, well they just seemed too complicated with all the necessary decanting and rituals, apart from the complicated and packed noses and flavors. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy great Bordeaux, and great wines from Chile and Argentina, but I think I've hit a bit of "Palate Exhaustion" or "Palate Readjustment".

I believe that in many cases our tastes change, you can't really drink the same thing over and over again. It was apparent that I was looking for something that was light bodied, with intense flavors that wouldn't be quite as repetitive, and most of all still maintains some type of complexity. Thus I graduated to Burgundy, where the same varietals can have a totally different characteristic from one plot of land to the next. I've always said, and will say that Burgundy is pure magic.

Once again the tasting was hosted by my friends from Restaurante El Bodegon; their selection of menu was quite impeccable as always. The wines chosen were a general view of different Grand Cru vineyards throughout Burgundy, both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These wines from Burgundy can have a great array of pairing choices, perhaps the most food friendly wine. You don't need Burgundy to enjoy these dishes; there are great choices of Pinot Noir coming out from colder climate areas of Chile and Argentina, as well as Chardonnay. The best part is you get wines that express the nobility of both varietals, at a fraction of the price of Grand Cru Burgundies. A great night filled with excellent food, wine, and most of all friends.

Chef Alvaro Perrino's Menu

Carpaccio de Res a la Mostaza Antigua Aromatizadas con Esencia de Trufas
Paired With
Albert Pic Chablis Grand Cru 2000

Pasta al Ragu de Cordero en Aceite de Trufas
Paired With
Bouchard Pere et Fils Le Corton 2002

Magre de Pato en reduccion de Porto y Fresas
Paired With
Mongeard-Mugneret Clos de Vougeot 03 & Echezeaux 04

The Wines

Albert Pic Chablis Grand Cru 2000

Chablis, Burgundy

France

A nice pale golden color with a slightly green rim, still looks rather young to the eye. Initial aromas of melted butter, acacia, river stones, steel, and fresh cut grass. Great flavors of peach, apricots, and pineapples on the attack, with a slight briny note on the transition to the mid-palate, where flavors lose some intensity. The finish is quite long creamy, with nice notes of stones and cold steel. The texture is very smooth, nice refreshing acidity but its missing some depth and weight on the mid-palate. 90 non blind (14/09/11).

Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru 2002

Aloxe-Corton, Cote de Beaune, Cote d’ Or, Burgundy

France

Great color of aged pinot noir, nice dark red in the center with some slight browning on the edges and a clear meniscus. The aromas are mind twisting, intense raspberries intermixed with wild strawberries, toasted oak, smoked game meat, tea, with a slight amount of wet earth on the end.

The flavors are refined, clear cut and mouth piercing. An intensity of raspberries, sour cherries, and strawberries all throughout the palate. The mid-palate reveals savory meaty flavors with hints of cloves, black pepper, and a touch of creamy vanilla on the finish.. Overall it’s quite balanced, great intensity of flavors, vibrant acidity, and long finish. 92+ non blind (14/09/11).

Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Grand Cru 2004

Flagey-Echezeaux, Cote de Nuits, Cote d’Or, Burgundy

France

An interesting sight, the wine is cloudy which is not typical for Pinot Noir, but nonetheless nice dark brown color with an orange rim. The nose is enticing and alluring with huge amounts of earthy aromas followed by oriental hoison sauce, red fruit reduction, smoked duck meat, cloves, cinnamon, a plethora of spices, and a touch of vanilla on the end.

The flavors are as intense as the nose, with tart red fruits on the attack, meat aux jous intermingled with oriental spices on the mid-palate, and a nice continuation into the finish with a touch of citric flavor. Phenomenal aromas, flavors, and texture, this wine simply knocked my socks off, definitely the wine of the night. 94 non blind (14/09/11).

Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2003

Vougeot, Cote de Nuits, Cote d’Or, Burgundy

France

Intense ruby red color on this translucent wine, dark in the center with bright crimson on the rim. The aromas are quite delicate, feminine, where both red and black fruits intermingle seamlessly. There’s an initial aroma of cranberries, sour cherries, and strawberries followed by blueberries, violets, and a slight touch of oriental spices and toasted oak on the end.

The flavors are crisp and all packed together. The attack is dominated by intense red fruit flavors, followed through by blueberries and hints of plums on the mid-palate intermingled with some sweet creamy vanilla flavor. The finish is discrete, long and spicy where the tannins and acidity are so smooth and tightly packed that they exude finesse. Two words to describe this wine: seductive and delicate. 93 non blind (14/09/11).

Chile's First Garage Wine

2011-10-09T21:39:00.000-05:00

Garage wine, or "Vin de Garage" as the French call it, is nothing more than what it sounds like. Some crazy guy making wine in his garage. So what, doing stuff in a garage will make you famous or sought after? Well, we just looked at the term superficially, as a quick descriptor of the origin of the term itself.

Garage wines typically describe a style of wine, more or less like the highly extracted fruit driven wines we call "Parkerized" wines. However, these wines garner a bit more of a mystical touch. Why mystical you ask? Well basically there's always some small detail or hoopla that creates some type of buzz, which drives the wine into the limelight, like the world's next Pop Idol.

Ch. Le Pin in Pomerol considered the first "Vin de Garage"

As many things related to wine, this movement started in Bordeaux in the 70's.Garagisites, or those entrepreneurial winemakers making these wines in their garage, usually repudiate the notion of the traditional Bordelaise method. In stark contrast to the huge production, big castle, almost industrial mechanism of many Bordeaux properties, Garagisites tend to work in small garages producing small production wines, often no more than a few hundred cases.

Also the wine is usually different to the traditional bastions of Bordeaux, those wines you have to cellar for a decade or so in order to enjoy. These Garage Wines usually are much more fruit forward, basically as I mentioned before a "Parkerized" wine, made exclusively to garner high ratings to justify the lofty prices. Oh yes, these aren't your affordable bottles. Economics 101 : Generate buzz with some "mystical" hoopla which increases demand but you only make a few hundred cases = shortage of wine = high prices = $ !

Alright, I'm being harsh, and yes who wouldn't appreciate a $2,000+ USD bottle, which actually tastes really good? My real issue is whether there is actually substance over style, and moreover, if there is actually any affordability factor for the everyday wine drinker. Well with these big buck generating Bordelaise "Vin de Garage" wines, I'd say no. Do we have any other options?

Screaming Eagle one of California's many Cult Cabernets that sell for $2,000+ a bottle!

Why not look into the New World, well of course you have Napa Valley Cult Cabernets, that are about at the same price with the same theory behind them. Is there anywhere else in the world that can produce something that is quite enjoyable, with the attention to detail a small production line can generate?

Alvaro Espinoza Duran

The answer: Chile. Lets meet the winemaker first, Alvaro Espinoza Duran. He was involved in the group that rediscovered Carmenere within Merlot plantings, and was also one of the first to bottle a 100% Carmenere wine. He now consults around the country, and owns his own vineyards and label called Antiyal. With Antiyal he instituted biodynamic agriculture to small parcels close to his own home, much like the Garagisites from France. The wines are then bottled right there next to the vineyards, in something that looks like a trailer. The production of his wine is sometimes only a few hundred cases that get scattered all over the world.

Antiyal therefore fits the description of a Garage Wine, in fact it is considered Chile's first "Vin de Garage". It has limited production, an iconic wine maker, the added hoopla about biodynamic agriculture, but the best part is that it won't break your pocket, the flagship bottling is below $100, and the second label is around the $20 dollar range! I say this is something to look into, and most of all ENJOY!

Antiyal Kuyen 2008

Paine, Maipo Alto, Maipo

Chile

This has a beautiful new world fruit dominated nose; fresh and vibrant black and blueberries, smoke, black peppers, loam, sweet vanilla, enveloped completely by an aroma of a fresh field of flowers in spring and a dab of eucalyptus. The wine has a nice deep purple color with amazing vibrant purple rim.

A great explosion of dark berries, plums, cassis, dark chocolate shavings on the attack, that transition into an opulent spicy mid-palate and finish off with strong youthful tannins. My only problem with the wine is that its finish is quite short and awkward leaving a good amount of fruit with a slight touch of rubber hose. Overall it’s a good wine with refreshing aromas and ok flavors. 88+ non blind (17/02/11).

Antiyal 2008

Paine, Maipo Alto, Maipo

Chile

The flagship wine of the estate. This particular wine is handmade and each label carries a hand written number, this particular one is labeled as bot. # 2405; Thick dark liquid with a nice viscosity to the eye, gorgeous ruby red to purple color on the rim.

An amazing nose of pure tart red fruits, a mixture of different types of berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries) made into a thick syrup, violets, currant, espresso, cloves, dark earth, dark chocolate, slight eucalyptus, and minerals. Each component in itself is pure and clean, but it comes together with such great finesse.

On the palate the wine hits with an initial fruit driven attack, tart raspberries, plums, and berries. When it transitions into the mid-palate there’s a distinct thick dark chocolate, ground coffee, and with a slight green grape seed sap taste above. The finish is quite long; it gets a slight bit of the sappiness, as well as fleshy grape skins, plums, and a dash of freshly grated black peppers. The wines’ texture is slightly underwhelming, a bit watered down, but tannins are still mouth puckering. The wine is very well structured, and it seems to be very pure and contained, perhaps its biodynamic upbringing. The wine has a great presence, and some time in the cellar will perhaps round out some of the rough edges. 92 non blind (09/03/11).

Discovering Galicia - Wine & Food

2011-09-27T20:57:00.001-05:00

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of Spain lies Galicia, virgin territory for many a wine taster or drinker. Why you ask? Well given its geographic location, and little modern political intervention, they have managed to keep a great amount of indigenous varietals. Many of these don’t even have a modern day international varietal look alike, therefore to those who do their homework lies the spoils of discovery.

What normally comes to mind when you mention Galicia and wine? Answer: Rias Baixas and Albariño. These whites exhibit their terroir well, encapsulating the salty sea breezes that batter the Galician coast and become one with the aromas of the surrounding environment. Besides this, the rich minerality of the stony soil is also very present in the wine. Galicia is big, and there is much more to discover than just Rias Baixas and Albariño.

Wine Making DO's in Galicia

Most of these undiscovered new areas have been making wine, for local consumption, for hundreds of years. In many cases, many of these indigenous grapes have been growing wildly until recently. A new movement, by a young generation of winemakers that are not only trying to make wine but impart part of their customs and heritage to the whole world, has started to change the viticultural landscape of Galicia.

In many cases these new areas seem to be similar to other famous vineyards in other parts of the world that produce world class wine. A white Ribeiro, for example may have an intrinsic similarity to many German Riesling Spatlese, with the same intensity of flavors and delicate aromas. A red Ribeiro on the other hand can be slightly reminiscent of some Northern Rhone reds, where big bold red fruit flavors intermingle with spicy mineral notes. In a way, the respect to the terroir and attention to detail make me think that Galicia in the near future could be Spain’s next famous wine region; small producers extracting the personality from small plots of lands with varieties that are both expressive and outright delicious.

Albariño Grapes

In my view Galicia has many viticultural treasures that are buried, and one day will come out to light. For the moment it is a huge quality to price region, I advise to seek out things OTHER than Albariños from Rias Baixas, and if you do don’t get that industrial plonk!

Our hosts: Ramón Barreiro, Ramón Barreiro Sr., Chef Álvaro Perrino

In a recent tasting with my friends from Restaurante El Bodegon, we tried a red and white Ribiero, and one Albariño from Rias Baixas from a small family owned winery. I also had the pleasure to sample Chef Alvaro Perrino’s culinary concoctions, each built specifically for each wine.

Jamon de Pato Casero
Paired with Coto Gomariz VX Cuvee Caco 2006

Judiones de la Granja con Almejas, Yema, y Gulas en Salsa Verde
Paired with Emilio Rojo Ribeiro 2009

Rape con Patatas, Guisantes, y Unto Gallego
Paired with Eladio Piñero Frore de Carme 2007

The Wines

Coto de Gomariz VX Cuvee Caco 2006

Ribeiro, Leiro, Oruense, Galicia

Spain

An interesting blend of native Galician varietals in this cuvee orchestrated by famed winemaker Maria Alvarez Serrano: Sousón, Caiño, Granacha Tintorera, and Carabuñeira (which is said to be the same as Touriga Nacional in Portugal). The wine boasts a glossy dark central core with a bright cherry red rim; you can immediately see on the eye that this will have a great depth and personality. The aromas are quite enticing with dark cherry compote coming forward at first, and then secondary aromas of raspberries dipped in milk chocolate, and a small touch of crushed black peppers, spices, and herbal notes hidden in the back.

The flavors are quite clean and precise, with an initial attack of dark cherries and raspberries. As it moves to the mid-palate there’s a bitter dark chocolate flavor intermingled with earthy notes, that give way to a finish dominated by tart strawberries, smoked wood, and crushed stones that lasts for a minute or so. The wine is quite smooth texturally; the flavors are continuous building upon each other throughout its procession on the palate, ending with a vibrant acidity with chewy tannins and some astringent qualities. 91+ non blind (30/08/11).

Emilio Rojo 2009

Ribeiro, Ponte Arnoia, Oruense, Galicia

Spain

This wine is made by an eccentric winemaker, Emilio Rojo whose one of those characters that is on the thin line between brilliance and insanity. In my particular experience with wines, this means the quality that lies inside the bottle is much more than great, rather it’s out of this world. This wine is blend of Treixadura, Loureiro, Lado, Albariño, and Torrontes. The wine is clear with a slight golden tinge; this will definitely be a very delicate and aromatic wine.

The nose is quite crisp and clean, pungent aromas of lemon, orange peel, green apples, pears, toasted almonds, and fragrant floral aromas, and wet river stones on the end. This nose keeps on changing, and evolving, I am simply amazed by this wine. The flavors also exhibit this great complexity; however the most amazing aspect is the texture and structure of the wine. The wine is very smooth with hints of small bubbles or sprits at the end, it’s as if it’s almost weightless, yet powerful and full of flavors. As the wine moves through the mouth, the flavors intensify creating a symphony of great flavors and textures.

The initial attack gives way to pears, apricots, and honeysuckle. The mid-palate expands with searing acidity and grated white pepper notes that refresh the palate. The finish is big, intense, filled with crushed stones and more of the refreshing spice and acidity that continue from the mid-palate. 94 non blind (30/08/11).

Eladio Piñeiro Frore de Carme 2007

Rias Baixas, Villagarcia de Arosa, Pontevedra, Galicia

Spain

Lets start off with the bottle first, the attention and care put into it deserves a few words. The bottle is made to mimic the old traditional storage vessels for wine, the Greek amphora, and it also boasts a glass stopper, the first one I’ve ever come across. It also has a beautiful label featuring some type of egret, which changes color to indicate when the wine is at perfect serving temperature.

Now that we’ve put that aside, the wine showed a typical color for an Albariño, dark golden yellow throughout the whole glass. It had the typical Albariño sea breeze aromas on the front, followed by banana peel, butter, white flowers, tart apples, honey, and a touch of citric notes on the back.

The flavors were clean, crisp, and intense; pears, apricots, on the attack, nice vibrant acidity on the mid-palate with lime juice flavors that cut through into the mineral laced finish. This wine possesses a nice creamy texture, with big bright flavors which make this quite full bodied, excellent long finish, and refreshing all around. 92+ non blind (30/08/11).

Una Experiencia Religiosa: Domaine Romanee Conti La Tâche 1967 y Borgoña

2011-09-15T20:01:00.002-05:00

Al empezar el recorrido en el mundo de los vinos se descubren las cepas “tradicionales", o aquellas que tratan de imitar los grandes vinos de Burdeos. Es cierto, si observamos la mayoría de los productores del nuevo mundo se guían por modelos Bordeleses, y más que todo sus cepas famosas como el Cabernet Sauvignon y Merlot. Luego se dice que uno se gradúa y se mueve a un gusto "más refinado", los vinos de Borgoña.

El Pinot Noir, una cepa muy enigmática y delicada que solo florece en condiciones específicas, es la única que puede comunicar el mensaje secreto del "terroir" Borgoñés. Salen a relucir mensajes delicados, casi líricos, hermosos, con un propósito específico: el placer.

Ayer asistí una gran cata de varios vinos de Borgoña, y fue una experiencia casi religiosa. Puedo decir que oficialmente me he graduado, y ahora soy un adicto a los vinos de Borgoña. Muy pronto hare la reseña de esta magnífica cata, sin embargo hubo una segunda etapa. Se trata de un fracaso, o más bien una "muerte anunciada" de una gran botella de Domaine Romanee Conti La Tâche 1967, y su gloriosa resurrección (o semi-resurrección) mucho después.

Uno de los grandes productores de esta región, Domaine de la Romanee Conti es considerado uno de los mejores vinos de Francia. Aparte de esto, tiene uno de las parcelas más codiciadas en toda Borgoña donde cada botella producida es mucho más que jugo de uva fermentado. Son mensajes secretos que revelan la mística relación entre hombre, fruto, y tierra.

Domaine de la Romanee Conti La Tâche 1967
Vosne Romanee, Cote d’ Or, Borgoña
Francia

Al abrir este vino mítico el corcho de desintegro, sin embargo dado a su tamaño solo la porción inferior estaba en buenas condiciones. Los aromas al comienzo dieron noticia de una muerte anunciada, olores feos de tierra y vinagre que quemaban la nariz. Sin esperanza alguna decidí vaciar mitad de la botella, para ver si había capas distintas dentro de ella.

Después de aproximadamente 12 horas en botella, dentro de un cuarto con temperatura 55F la botella mostro un gran cambio. Se pudo sentir la huella de este gran productor, solamente en la nariz. Aunque los aromas estaban muy cansados hubo notas a frutas secas, salsa de ostión, canela, clavos de olor, cuero, y hongos. En boca el vino estaba muerto, la fruta ya había desaparecido y solo quedaba un sabor amargo.

Al llegar a probar los sedimentos al final de la botella, ocurrió el milagro, bueno no un gran milagro pero se pudo experimentar lo que fue este vino hace décadas atrás. Un toque leve de frutas rojas, pimienta, y más que todo una textura aterciopelada. Cierto, aun predominaba la acidez que quemaba la lengua, sin embargo esta botella dio lo que pudo, después de 12 horas! Un Pinot Noir que mostró señas de vida después de 44 años más 12 horas de micro-oxigenación, solo es posible en el terruño mágico de la Borgoña. (14 -15/09/11)

The Immortal Legend

2011-09-01T15:18:00.010-05:00

How can I even start this article? I’ll just go ahead and say it. The Spanish legend, the one Iberian wine steeped in tradition, mystified by its pursuit of excellence, considered Spain’s First Growth, and not to mention its price tag: Vega Sicilia. Not only did this tasting encompass one wine, but rather a good representation of the estates holdings. The wines tasted included the top bottling, the “Unico”, Alion, and a Tokaji from their Oremus estate in Hungary.

Surely, we had the best that Spain could offer in terms of wine, now the food. You can’t do justice to wine without proper food. So the tasting was held with our dear friends from Restaurante El Bodegon, who created a great menu that would help us appreciate not only these great wines, but also Spanish cuisine as a whole. The wines were handed over to our host Ramon Barreiro a few days before; we humbly submitted and let him guide use through the most exalted corners of Spanish gastronomy.

The objective of this travel through Spanish gastronomy was not only to view Bodegas Vega Sicilia’s development, but also seek an intricate play between food and wine. The order of the wines was also untypical, but strategic. We would start with the most complex yet delicate wine, and start intensifying the flavors, textures, and experience as the tasting went along. Please excuse the low quality resolution of the pictures!

Steak Tartar
Vega Sicilia Unico 1970

Jamon Pata Negra Reserva
Vega Sicilia Unico 1994

Centro de Solomillo con reducción de vino oporto y Foie Gras pasado por sarten
Alion 2004

Flan Cremoso a la cascara de naranja con helado de jengibre
Oremus Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2000

The wines we had all showed a perfection to them that was quite unreal. They were crisp, fresh, clean, and well built. The wines themselves showed great aging potential, the 1970 Unico still had so much youth to it that it seemed as if it were picked and bottled the day before. However, this tasting also showed a duality of life, although some things last “forever” you cannot halt the inevitable force of change. Both Unico’s, one from 1970 and the other from 1994, showed a different style, however the core essence was still the same. Styles come and go, but personality and “uniqueness” remains.

Vega Sicilia Único 1970

Valbuena del Duero, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

Spain

The epitome of Spanish wine sits in the glass. A 40 year old that does not look a day older than 10 or 15 years. The color of the wine is still dark and young. It possesses a ruby red rim yet it seems to be lighter than it actually is since it is translucent. This is perhaps what makes the Único stand out in a class of its own, its longevity; a common saying is that a Unico “lasts forever”.

The bouquet on the wine is very complex and alluring. It has a typical Bordeaux nose with a Spanish twist. The French side boasts dark fruits, pencil shavings, floral components, slight cigar aromas, sweaty horse saddle, and a slight earthy funk; the Spanish side on the other hand, clearly shows the classic Tempranillo aromas of pepper, spices (mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, basil, and a pinch of brown sugar), sour red fruits, and some cedar.

On the palate this wine shows a more classical approach to winemaking, creating a balanced food friendly wine that does not overpower food. The flavors persist throughout the palate showing crisp red and black fruits, a balanced acidity that activates your taste buds, with a smooth velvety texture with caressing tannins. The flavors persist for a minute plus, this is a very amazing wine that is very balanced with at least 10 more years potential. 95+ non blind in magnum (25/08/10)

Vega Sicilia Único 1994

Valbuena del Duero, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

Spain

The Único would be a great adjective for fiery youth, 16 years and this wine looks like it was bottled yesterday. A dark black center with a pronounced red and blue rim and a viscous texture visible to the eye. There’s definitely a change in style from the 1970 vintage tasted before this wine. Although its much more modern, it still balances old with new placing more emphasis on the old and classical style.

The nose is very tight; this wine is jealously hiding its true complex elements within its youth. However, some of the aromas are still coming through; dark fruits, espresso, dark chocolate, leather, pencil shavings, and a touch of sweet vanilla.

This is definitely a modern approach to wine, a more fruit forward and heavy wine texturally speaking. The wine has a huge presence, boasting ripe dark fruits, chocolate, sour cherries, graphite, vanilla, and charcoal balanced throughout the palate. The acidity is quite present, adding slightly to the traditional old style of wine. Texturally the wine is very smooth, dense, with huge tannins that frame the flavors. This wine is a giant flexing its muscles, but it has a refined elegance and structure that make it quite compelling. Besides that, its plainly delicious. 97 non blind (25/08/10)

Alion 2004

Peñafiel, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

Spain

Dark colors engulf the wine glass, almost a purple blue hue on the rim with long legs indicating a rather viscous texture. The nose is simply ethereal boasting complex aromas of violets, freshly ground coffee, currants, licorice, dark chocolate, vanilla, blueberry jam and dark fruits. Perhaps the most loaded nose of the night, with a very elegant lining to it.

This wine captures a feminine side of Ribera’s, offering caressing tannins and sumptuous red and dark fruit compote that make the wine very delicious and easily drinkable. It’s a seductive offering that has a velvety texture that generates a prolonged after taste in the mouth. It has moderate acidity to balance out the fruit on the attack, and a slight gripping minerality on the finish that make this a well rounded wine. A very modern Ribera that’s amazingly good to drink now or cellar for 5+ years. 96 non blind (25/08/10)

Oremus Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 2000

Tokaji, Hegyalja

Hungary

This nectar projects a beautiful dark golden copper color, something you drink with your eyes before it even drips on to your palate. Very alluring aromas of honey, cloves, cinnamon, spices, apricot compote, orange rind, and a bit of crushed white rocks. This wine is very delicate, complex and vibrant.

On the palate there’s an explosion of flavors and textures that can only be achieved through Tokaji. This is a very dense wine, but not over cloying rather approachable to drink without being too viscous. Amazing flavors of honey, cloves, cinnamon, dried figs, apricots race through on the attack and move on to the finish creating an orange peel with crushed rock tang finish. What I particularly like about this wine, and most other Tokaji’s, is the ability for Furmint to be very sweet and yet maintain a great amount of acidity that refreshes the palate. Simply outstanding and decadent! 94 non blind (25/08/10)

Old Bordeaux Tasting

2011-08-16T02:56:00.000-05:00

I have always felt that wine is far more than a simple drink, but rather a mystical elixir. It goes against many notions we take for granted, and it can inspire all those who sip it. One of the regions that does this on a wide scale is Bordeaux. It creates singular experiences which are hard to obtain from other areas, as well as having the ability to age for many decades.

Wine, thus, becomes one of the few things that defies the notion of time. Every bottle of wine jealously traps time in liquid form with glass and cork. Sure, wine cannot escape the inevitable aging process; however as a capsule of time it hides messages from the past. On this occasion, we liberate messages the ground has sent through its fruit, into the bottle, for the benefit of posterity.

Old Bordeaux can exhibit the incredible longevity wines can have, often ageing for decades since all the components are right. Most commercial wines won't keep for long, but great Bordeaux can last for a long time. With this tasting we try to uncork the "message in a bottle" and hear what lies within each bottle. Perhaps a loud singing voice will emerge, a soft spoken sweet poem, or maybe even a dying last speech. The only way to find out is battle the cork, and let the inside speak.

The oldest wine is 47 years old, a Chateau Lafite 1964 with a rather low fill (ullage). Will this bottle have anything to say? I had to utilize two different corkscrews to battle the 47 year old cork, which upon extraction disintegrated! The other wines' cork didn't exhibit the same problems, so we proceed to the tasting.

Our small group of friends gathers at Restaurante El Bodegon, who graciously hosts our tasting and offer great food to accompany each wine. Ramon Barriero offers the first wine of the night, while we wait for some of the bottles to breathe and wake up from their eternal slumber. Surprisingly the first wine, which I will not post a tasting note, hails from Ribera Sacra in northern Spain. Now the tasting begins! Before we continue, the first wine was French, but from Burgundy; I believe we needed some magic, especially the terroir driven one from Burgundy, to set the mood.

As the night progresses, we find different messages in each bottle, as well as new experiences. The Laroche Chablis spoke like an infant, vibrant with energy but delicate, sometimes bottles may be so pristine that it seems like they have defied time. The Ch. Gazin spoke in a seductive voice, trying to seduce you with every sip and draw you near. Ch. La Mission Haut Brion was quite the opposite, the wine screamed loudly as if it were a Drill Sergeant giving orders, but who also had a hidden soft side. The Haut Brion spoke softly, with precise message in a delicate voice, like someone whose company you enjoy. The Lafite only murmured a farewell to life, quite disappointing but one of life’s greatest lessons: "nothing lasts forever"! Finally the Rieussec was a cheerful voice with a happy message, imparting joy and pleasure to all.

Culinary Delight

Espárragos blancos extra con salmón ahumado

Jamón Ibérico bellota

Carpaccio Tierra y Mar con Parmigiano

Arroz Meloso de Pato

Crema Catalana

The Wines

Domaine Laroche Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots 1997

Les Blanchots, Chablis, Burgundy

France

This bottle commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Domaine, bottle No. 7143. This bottle was very youthful, I expected to find something a bit more tired or with secondary nuances. The color was a nice pale golden color, with nice green rim. On the eyes it was as if this was only a two to three years old.

The bouquet of the wine was very clean and crisp, layers and layers of different smells that were precise. Great aromas of caramelized butter, white flowers, honey, orange rind, and small amounts of yeast, banana skin, and crushed stones on the back.

On the palate the texture was supple and luscious, smooth and dense but not too over cloying. A great amount of pear and apricots on the attack, followed through into the mid-palate with hints of tart pineapple and sweet lemon juice. The finish is quite perplexing, great acidity hidden behind crushed stone flavors with small amounts of crushed pepper and slight smoke.

This particular bottle was sublime, with a very youthful characteristic that made everything burst from nose to mouth. The wine was clean, crisp, loaded with flavors, soft mouth coating texture, with a very long finish. Once again I’ll say, this is the magic of Burgundy. 92+ non blind (09/08/11).

Chateau Gazin 1995

Pomerol, Bordeaux

France

A great bottle of Gazin, boasting a nice dark central core with a beautiful ruby red rim. Great seductive and feminine aromas that burst forth from the glass with dark fruits, milk chocolate, tobacco, espresso, ash, meat aux jous, and a touch of tomato paste on the end.

On the palate the wine exhibited its Merlot dominated blend with a burst of dark and blue fruits, on the mid-palate there is a lush amount of sweet raspberries mixed with some earthy undertones, with a dusty yet sweet finish. Tannins are well integrated into the finish, nice soft texture, but this wine is at its peak. 93 non blind (09/08/11).

La Mission Haut Brion 2001

Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux

France

A superb wine boasting its youth all throughout, great dark red core with a vibrant red rim, even though 10 years have passed this can still survive for more than 30! A great well rounded and vibrant nose with dark berries, plums, cassis, red fruits, milk chocolate, crushed rocks, with a slight touch of sweet tobacco, black pepper, and meat aux jous on the end. This nose was quite shy and hiding its true potential.

On the palate this wine was glorious, nice velvety texture and enticing flavors. An initial attack with blackberries, raspberries, and sweet strawberries due to its high amount of merlot in the blend; the mid-palate explodes with milk chocolate, lavender, and sweet tobacco which makes this a well rounded wine. The finish starts with sun heated rocks, great velvety tannins, and touches of dark earth, smoke, cassis, and dark fruit compote. This wine just kicked your palate into place, this is definitely something special. It makes you want to come back for more! 95 non blind (09/08/11).

Chateau Haut Brion 1979

Graves/Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux

France

Age was inherent in this bottle, a very dark black central core with a red brick rim. The aromas were very particular to Haut Brion, nothing can match these aromas. There was a great amount of ripe dark fruits, currants, leather, smoke, with a touch of menthol, and sun heated stones on the end.

The wine was smooth and velvety in texture with copious amounts plums, blackberries, and prunes on the attack. The mid-palate was quite dense filled with blackberry jam and dark chocolate shavings, and as the wine waved farewell it left a lasting impression on the end. A lingering flavor of mixed Indian spices, mint, and crushed stones all enveloped in soft and juicy tannins.

Although this wine has some age to it, there is still some freshness to it. It’s balanced with regards to having some fruit left with secondary aromas and flavors. It definitely holds a spot of its own in the entire tasting, as well as within its Premier Cru brethren. 97 non blind (09/08/11).

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1964

Pauillac, Bordeaux

France

This wine had a mid-shoulder fill, my expectations were quite low, however I still had faith. This vintage wasn’t particularly great for Lafite, the fruit was picked late and suffered from a late bout of rain. Removing the cork itself was quite the experience, maneuvered around using a manual screw pull and an ah-so. The cork was quite fragile, but it stood its ground. Once removed it showed its age, almost completely black and illegible, and quickly disintegrated.

Initial aromas were quite awful, but after a few hours it improved slightly. The wine was seriously flawed, after all 47 years and a low fill took its toll on the wine. I still believe it had minor voice, a murmur if you will, of its past greatness. The color had a dark brown red core with a slightly yellow rim.

The nose had a lot of volatile acidity, but it was quite herbal, notes of tomato leaf, with a slight bit of tobacco, lead, and a slight raisin like backbone. The flavor was totally acidic, a flawed bottle that has succumbed to age. Sadly this became the most celebrated dead bottle I’ve had to date and a reminder of the rusticity of Bordeaux in the past. How times have changed! Nonetheless, a great experience. FLAW (09/08/11).

Chateau Rieussec 2005

Sauternes, Bordeaux

France

A great color throughout the wine, almost as if it were liquid gold, with a dense texture that hugged the side of the glass. The aromas were quite ethereal, and easily brought a smile to everyone’s face, as well as pleasure. A great dose of tropical fruit aromas jumped from the glass, mainly pineapple, mango, papaya surrounded by orange rind, and honey.

On the palate the wine just exploded with flavor, as the thick texture invaded every corner of the mouth. An initial flavor of caramel, toffee, followed by honey on the attack. As the wine moves into the mid-palate a good amount of acidity appears with pineapple, orange rind flavors that transition into a milky coconut aftertaste with a touch of cloves and cinnamon to end it all. I’m totally seduced by this wine! 96+ non blind (09/08/11).

Syrah Taste Off... Somewhat

2011-08-04T00:05:00.000-05:00

This is one of those huge errors you commit, but then destiny has a way of correcting it. So my dear friend offers to do a Syrah wine tasting, and I counter with something from the depth of my cellar. So I go into Rhone mode, and go for what I believe is one of the Rhone valleys major producers, M. Chapoutier. I pick a random bottle, supposing it's from Northern Rhone dominated Syrah.

When we finally get to tasting and I see the bottle, I picked a Gigondas from 2001. At the moment I thought of nothing, being in great company amongst friends. After the tasting, and looking at my notes something seemed a bit off, and then I realized... Gigondas = Southern Rhone = Grenache!!!

Uh oh! Well thank Bacchus or Dionysius if you will, but for some reason that specific wine and vintage carried a higher proportion (more than half) of Syrah over the Grenache. Therefore, it was still a Syrah taste off... somewhat.

The Capt, Concepcion, Me, and Tiff

My friend, Capt. Carlos Mata contributed a Two Hands Shiraz Lily's Garden 2009, from the heart of McLaren Vale in Australia. This wine was not an over the top fruit bomb as many Aussie wines are, but had great acidity and balance while retaining the fleshy fruit flavors. If we were to compare both wines I would succinctly summarize both wines as follows:

Two Hands = Flamboyant youngster in his mid teens, bursting with energy and personality.

M. Chapoutier Gigondas = A well dressed, old school suit and tie gentleman, with elegance and personality.

I won’t say much about this tasting, since to me this was more of a meeting of like minds, and most of all close friends. However, if you want to know more you can visit our friend’s blog here, and while you’re at it, FOLLOW THEM!

Gracias Carlos and Concepcion, you guys are great, a 100 point pairing!!!

M. Chapoutier Gigondas 2001
Gigondas, Southern Rhone, Rhone

France

From the northernmost village of Southern Rhone, it still has alot of characteristics of its northern counterparts. Being a blend of Syrah and Grenache, with subsequent vintages including Cinsault and Mouvedre, here the Syrah overpowers. In all honesty, this felt like a pure Syrah on the nose and palate.

The nose was a bit tired, reminded me of an elegant old gentleman who has class and style but is very discrete. The color of the wine attested to its age, dark central core with browning edge. The nose has generous amounts of dried cherries, raspberries, with touches of dark fruits. Behind this initial fruity aroma was a thick funky animal smell, horse sweat, accompanied by crushed stones, mint, and crushed black pepper on the end.

On the palate the wine had a similar profile with a good dark fruit attack, with a mid-palate filled with mineral zing and beef au jus. The finish was particularly notable with flavors of green bell peppers and crushed black pepper. This wine was well built, medium bodied with great refreshing acid and elegant tannins and a long finish. 91 non blind (10/7/2011).

Two Hands Shiraz Lily’s Garden 2009

McLaren Vale, South Australia

Australia

A very hedonistic wine, made to create instant pleasure to those who have the luck of crossing in its path. A deep inky black color with a vibrant purple rim, a very young and intense wine! The aromas and flavors are just mind blowing and loveable, definitely a DARK DENSE wine.

Everything about this wine indicated vibrant youth, with potential to age for many years; it’s a very lively individual that just pops with emotion and joy. The aromas are dominated by floral aromas, violets, ripe plums, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, some crushed rocks, and a touch of Asian spices on the end.

The wine invades your palate, with its thick and silky texture and sweet flavors. A huge amount of ripe plums, blueberries, and blackberries on the attack that move up all the way to the finish, but on the mid-palate small amounts raspberries coated with dark chocolate shavings appear. The finish is a continuation of previous flavors with added exotic Indian spices and black pepper.

The quality and purity of fruit is outstanding, the wines' got great deapth and structure. The tannins are quite elegant, not smooth but very refreshing which cuts down on the sweet fruit. In fact, teh tannins actually save the wine because without them it would be over cloying. I would venture to say its full bodied, and full throttled specifically made to be liked and enjoyed. 92+ non blind (10/7/2011).

Traveling through Burgundy

2011-07-25T22:30:00.003-05:00

I've always said that Burgundy and its wine have a magical characteristic. Location is everything in Burgundy; a few meters can either determine whether the wine you consume is worth a few dollars to a few thousand dollars! However, the most important aspect in my opinion is the expression and message each wine carries.

What’s inside a bottle of Burgundy? Wine duh? Well, yes but besides that you'll find man and nature working in harmony to express the distinct characteristic of a particular plot of land. While other wines can give you a sense of this, I can compare those efforts to small whispers, whereas Burgundy the wine screams this message. It thus, becomes undeniably magical, and beautiful to see the synergy between two forces working together to make this wonderful elixir.

So now the basics. The two main varieties for this region are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, almost every village/appellation will solely produce wines from these two varietals with the exception of of the villages of Beaujolais which use Gamay. The name on the label will usually depict the producer, and the village name, but hey if it’s red then it’s a Pinot Noir and if its white its Chardonnay.

Burgundy in itself is composed of various wine making areas, these include Chablis (which makes really good Chardonnays) in the north, followed by Vezelein, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune, Cote Chalonnaise, Couchois, Maconnais, and Beaujolais in the southernmost limit. I've called this entry “Travelling through Burgundy”, but we should also note that Champagne is NOT Burgundy!

The Champenois would have my head if I said this, but they are located farther up north. So is every sparkling wine Champagne? NO! Only the wines that come from this delimited area can carry the prestigious name of the region. Secondly, they must be either or a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier. In a future entry I will delve into specifics about Champagne, I promise!

For this tasting, in general terms, we start up north in Champagne and move south, perhaps not in order. Where did this idea come from? Well I've been craving Burgundy for some time, and the other day I saw a video on the famed French dish, Canard au presse or Canard au sang. My mouth salivated, and I simply said how great it would be to have some duck and Burgundy.

Peking Duck

The idea was born, and was set into action. The wines are listed below, and the dish wasn't Pressed Duck, but rather Peking Duck. Did it work? Yes, the fat in the duck works elegantly with the smooth texture and flavor intense wines of the region. The magical connection between both fills the soul!

Taittinger Brut Rose Prestige NV

Reims, Champagne

France

A great color for this rosé champagne, light pink almost salmon with a light yellow rim, and very small concentrated bubbles. The aromas were quite crisp and clean with tart raspberries & strawberries upfront, a hint of fragrant orange peel, red flowers, crushed stones, and a yeasty undertone.

The small bubbles add greater depth, the flavors rush along tingling every space in the mouth while also creating a feeling of cleanliness and crispness. Great amounts of sour raspberries on the attack, with small hints of cherries, and a great steely mid-palate. The finish is long, with great mouth piercing acidity, and dusty chalk that momentarily numbs the palate. Definitely a great Champagne, and one of the better bottles I’ve had of this, no disgorgement date indicated on the label. 92 non blind (23/07/11).

Louis Jadot Puligny Montrachet

Puligny Montrachet, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy

France

A wonderful aroma bursts from the glass; although it is a bit muted perhaps the wine is too young? An initial aroma of oak with hazelnuts dosed in melted butter, white flowers, fresh orange rind, and crushed rocks. The color itself confirmed the wines age, although a nice golden yellow it still has a slightly green rim.

The flavors are a bit straight forward, a mouth searing acidity and tartness that attacks the palate with lemon flavors. The mid-palate is dominated by a dusty chalkiness that then moves on to the finish where a small bit of peach compote shows up, but is easily overpowered by a creamy butter finish. The finish is almost sweet but immediately turns tart and dry, and leaves a long lasting mineral laced flavor.

A wonderful wine which still needs time to develop, muted nose, great texture, and a great long finish; perhaps it’s still a bit angular and rough around the edges, but the terrior is easily communicated. 90 non blind (23/07/11)

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Villages 2009

Beaujolais, Burgundy

France

This is a very straight forward wine, nothing complex here. The color exhibits a youthful vibrant purple hue, with a great enticing bouquet. On the nose there’s a first wave of ripe blackberries, raspberries, and a touch of black cherries interlaced with a slight amount of wet earth on the end.

The flavors pretty much follow the same as the nose, a plethora of young vibrant dark and red fruits, with pronounced green chlorophyll bitterness on the mid-palate. The finish is rather fruit driven sweet although it’s thin, short, but still enjoyable. 85 non blind (23/07/11).

Rene Leclerc Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines 1996

Combe aux Moines, Gevrey Chambertin, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy

France

The age comes across immediately by viewing the wines color, almost brown in the center maintaining its translucent pinot noir consistency with a slightly brick red rim. The nose is very complex, and will take a few lines to explain. The first initial whiff is an eye opener; it’s basically smacking your face and making you pay attention.

Brett driven aromas of animal sweat, old rotting leather, and wet dirt come across at the beginning. Then all of a sudden as if by magic, a concentrated core of fruit and spices appears; dark cherries intermingled with raspberries, wild flowers, ground pepper, touch of mint, and a bit of cloves.

The most astounding characteristic of this wine is the difference between its weight and flavor. Although a light and elegant wine texturally, it’s flavor intense! On the palate it has an initial attack of pure dark cherries and raspberries, with a subtle transition into the mid-palate where it simply explodes into tart balsamic notes that give the wine body. The finish is simply amazing, a good dose of crushed rocks, with a mix of cloves, cinnamon, and old spice that add a mouth puckering long after taste. Rustically beautiful. 93 non blind (23/07/11).

A Travel in Time Through Rioja : Two vintages of Marques de Riscal Reserva

2011-07-09T17:11:00.004-05:00

Perhaps one of the world’s most underrated wine regions, Rioja, is turning into a huge QPR play. Many wine regions are starting to reap in huge amounts of money based on world demand patterns, and also good marketing. As most old world wine countries are relying on their "historic consistency" and "quality" one region is being slightly overlooked. One of Spain’s oldest wine regions, Rioja, is producing great quality wines at affordable prices in comparison to other old world counter parts!

Some believe Spain is producing new world styled wines, and I would tend to agree. Although I've previously dove into the issue of Rioja losing its true identity, some bastions of tradition still remain. If we could merely travel back in time and compare the wines being made it would be a great educational experiment, this could perhaps be the only real way to experience the change in styles. Can we actually do this?

No, I don't have a time machine, and if I did I would most likely not make my first trip to discover changing styles in winemaking! A wine bottle, however, is a time capsule, so the only way to assess this would be to acquire a very old vintage of a specific label and compare with its modern equivalent. So which do we pick?

Let’s see, which brand is readily available almost everywhere, at an affordable price? Marques de Riscal anyone? Chances are when you go and seek out the selection of Rioja at your local retailer you will find this, maybe sometimes even in the supermarket. In Panama, this wine is readily available EVERYWHERE, from the biggest retailer, to top restaurants, even down to some supermarkets.

Most of the time these "readily available" wines are consistent across the board and are made to please a broad range of palates. So it would be a good example of an obtainable wine, with across the board pleasing flavors that can perhaps show a change made in this specific region over time. So our two wines, both Marques de Riscal Reserva from the 1973 vintage and the current market release vintage 2006.

Marques de Riscal Reserva 1973

Elciego, Álava, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

Spain

The color is surreal, very muddy yet see through, with a light brown to bronze rim that can attest to this wines’ old age. The color looks as if this wine is past its prime, as if it were tired and taking its last breath. Could it be too late?

The nose is very funky, sweaty socks, old leather, dried cherries, plums, cinnamon powder, allspice, burnt red pepper, graphite, and a touch of ash. The nose is quite compelling and nice, it’s not refined and clear but rather, rustic and dirty. Quite surprising that after all this time, the nose is still a bit vibrant and not as tired as it is on the palate.

The wine is very dry, there is almost no fruit left, just small hints of sour cherries and dried plums on the attack. The mid-palate is quite tart, a small touch of volatile acidity that continues to the finish where meaty flavors and black pepper leave a lasting impression.

The flavors, although long, are not as vibrant or clear. Just as in the nose, the flavors are muddled together and rustic. Yes, the wine is decline, but this bottle did have a small spark of life to it. Very old world in style, a memory of past times. 88+ non blind (18/06/11).

Marques de Riscal Reserva 2006

Elciego, Álava, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

Spain

The wine possesses a nice youthful dark central core with dark vibrant purple rim almost turning to ruby red on the edge. The nose is quite straightforward offering a plethora of dark berries, plums, dark cherries, spices, and a creamy vanilla aroma on the end.

The flavor profile assimilates closely to the nose, with a decent dark fruit attack with touches of balsamic notes. The mid-palate the texture becomes creamy, with slight notes of dark chocolate heading up to the finish. The finish has a huge dose of cedar, vanilla, and a generous touch of black pepper.

Not a bad wine, good introduction to Rioja, but part of the new world movement. Doesn’t feature that many identifying old world Rioja characteristics, it’s a good wine but not exciting. Clear and precise flavors, a blend made to be a crowd pleaser. 89 non blind (18/06/11).

Conclusion:

The older vintage does show a more rustic approach, where flavors and aromas were not clear cut but rather muddled together. We can ascertain that since 1973 the quality of wine production in Rioja has dramatically increased; the 2006 vintage showed a much more precise and focused wine in flavors and aromas. How about the style?

1973 Riscal on left and 2006 Riscal on right

Although there is some consistency in the label, I do sense a huge shift in style. The older wine reflected a much more food oriented, high acid; blend whereas the newer vintage stresses a highly polished and creamy wine. Perhaps it is the age that contributes to that, but the older wine shows a natural ruggedness, and screams a sense of place. The 1973 vintage tries to convey what Rioja is all about, with honesty and sincerity, the 2006 on the other hand is heavily hidden behind makeup and comes across as artificial.

I'll take the style of 1973 over 2006 any day. Yes, the new world style wines made in Rioja are amazing and pleasurable and I won’t question that. All I say is don't sell out your soul completely!

Chateau Pontet-Canet 1999 y burdeos en primeur 2010 : el recuerdo de una época desaparecida

2011-06-28T03:06:00.004-05:00

En plena campaña en primeur 2010 de la afamada zona vitivinícola de burdeos, nosotros los consumidores de estos "productos de lujo" nos encontramos en una encrucijada. ¿Debemos gastar nuestro dinero en estas botellas, y si es así en que añadas, y que etiquetas? ¿Por qué llamo a estos vinos productos de lujo? Debido a muchos factores que se revelaran más adelante, estos vinos pasaron de ser accesible a una joya de colección o también instrumentos de inversión. Por ende el dinero de varios mercados alrededor del mundo corre para separar una allocacion de este producto.

Todo se basa en el concepto de oferta y demanda. Solo existe una cantidad predeterminada de suelo donde crece la materia prima, ósea la uva. Luego, para producir el producto final se restringe la cantidad de uva que crece por viña, para así concentrar los sabores y crear un vino de alta calidad. Del lado de la demanda vemos un consumidor que cada día es más educado en el tema, y por ende busca satisfacer su sed adquiriendo el vino.

La demanda por los vinos de burdeos en los últimos años ha crecido dramáticamente, y gran parte es debido al crecimiento del mercado del oriente, China. Debido al crecimiento económico que ha experimentado el mercado Chino muchos de estos vinos de etiquetas muy reconocidas han empezado fluir hacia el oriente. Es tanta la demanda que mucho chateaus, que en los tiempo de antes eran reclusos detrás de los recintos amurallados de sus castillos, han aventurado todo un continente para abrir/o formar alianzas con empresas locales para exportar su producto a estos mercados lejanos.

Cierto, también hay otros factores que determinan el alto precio de muchas etiquetas, por ejemplo la caída en el valor del dólar. Sin embargo, lo que vivimos hoy en día es una burbuja, donde reina la especulación y este producto que antes era una simple bebida es hoy día lo equivalente a una inversión. El ejemplo perfecto es con lo que muchos denominan el "Primero de los Primeros", Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Con este chateau volvemos al oriente, donde esta botella es más que una celebridad. Dentro de la cultura asiática esta la costumbre de obsequiar, pero no solo es dar cualquier cosa. ¿Es por esto que los precios de todo los vinos de Chateau Lafite se han multiplicado alocadamente; es más personalmente me acuerdo de haber comprado la segunda etiqueta de dicho productor el Carruades de Lafite 2003 hace cuatro años atrás por unos $40 dólares. ¡Hoy día la misma botella vale más de $400 dólares!

Es tan exagerado que según Liv-ex (pueden hacer click para leer el artículo), la segunda etiqueta de Lafite genera más ingresos que Chateau Haut-Brion, uno de los Premier Cru, y posiblemente uno de los vinos más raros de burdeos el Chateau Petrus!

Específicamente hoy, he vivido un momento de nostalgia no esperado con esta región que muchos productores en el mundo tratan de emular. Hoy la gran mayoría de los chateau publicaron los precios de su cosecha del 2010 denominada la "vendimia del siglo" por muchos productores. Un momento, el año pasado para la cosecha del 2009 también lo declararon la "vendimia del siglo", y lo mismo con el 2006 hasta cierto punto, el 2005, el 2003, el 2000, en fin parece ser una declaración que nunca deja de ser utilizada. Al parecer esto ayudo a muchos chateau justificar aumentar los precios de este año mucho más arriba que el pasado.

Hubo algunos productores, que aceptaron que el 2010 no fue tan buena cosecha como el 2009, y decidieron bajar su precio de salida, entre ellas Chateau Pontet-Canet cuyo precio aproximado fue 143.00 por botella, y para el momento que llegue al puesto final de venta estará entre 170 a 200 dólares la botella. Como ha crecido esta pequeña bodega, en la 5ta categoría dentro de la organización de burdeos. ¿Sin duda, hoy día el vino es de mejor calidad a lo que era hace una década sin embargo, lo vale?

¡Hoy adquirí una botella de Chateau Pontet Canet 1999 a tan solo $36 dólares, si solo $36 DOLARES! Ver que ahora la misma botella de este productor de otras añadas supera los $100 dólares de la botella me lleno de nostalgia. Esa época de antes, donde uno podía tomar muy buenos vinos a precios accesibles ha pasado. Tendremos que ajustar el bolsillo, o buscar otros productores u otras regiones.

Veredicto final de las añadas 2009 y 2010 - Mejor que lo compre el mercado asiatico, hay mejores opciones!

Recomendaciones:

Añadas míticas: 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009
Añadas clásicas (calidad alta precio bajo): 1983, 1985, 1988, 1996, 2004, 2006, 2008

Chateau Pontet Canet : Proviene del Pauillac, la misma área de donde nacen tres de los Premier Cru (Lafite, Latour, y Mouton). ¡Según muchos expertos tiene la misma calidad del afamado Lafite a una fracción del precio!

Ducru Beaucaillou de St. Julien

Cos D' Estournel de St. Estephe

Smith Haut-Lafite de Pessac Leognan/ Graves

Chateau Pavie-Decesse de St. Emilion

Chateau Le Gay de Pomerol

Bordeaux AOC de buenas añadas (2000, 2005, 2009) : Estos son vinos que se obtienen uvas de cualquier parte de burdeos, usualmente las aéreas menos conocidas, y se mezclan con otras aéreas. En los mejores años puedes experimentar ya que las condiciones climáticas favorecen a la fruta y en muchos casos la mayoría de las bodegas no interfieren tanto.

Areas con poca fama como Cotes de Castillon, Fronsac, Laland de Pomerol etc...

Afuera de burdeos:

Riesling Alemanes, Barolo Italiano, Cava Catalana, Beaujolais, Montsant, Tarragona ... entre otros.

Por cierto, no me olvido de la nota de cata del vino que despertó la nostalgia en mi hoy....

Chateau Pontet Canet 1999
Pauillac, Burdeos
Francia

La esencia de Pauillac en nariz, se reconoce fácilmente y no se puede negar el origen. Los olores están un poco callados, sin embargo hay notas de polvo, frutas oscuras, casis, grosella, grafito, tabaco, y toque de cuero al final.

El vino está en declive, el color muestra lo cansado y añejado que esta; tiene un color negro oscuro en el centro con un rojo ladrillo en el borde. Al probar le vino, el ataque inicial tiene sabores a ciruela, moras, con toques de grosella, y cerezas oscuras. En el paladar medio el vino mantiene las frutas oscuras pero aparecen notas de cerezas amargas, chocolate oscuro, café, sin embargo son sabores livianos que desaparecen rápidamente. El retrogusto tiene taninos verdes y con un toque leve de vainilla que perdura en boca por unos segundos.

Aunque el vino está en declive, tiene lo que todo buen burdeos debe tener; buena nariz, buenos sabores, y un precio decente. Los sabores son vibrantes, pero están desarticulados sin rumbo o precisión alguna, y tiene un retrogusto muy corto. 89+ puntos (28/06/11).

Bodegas Vizcarra Ramos Vertical : Ribera's Hidden Gem

2011-06-27T23:11:00.004-05:00

What possibility is there to be within two different countries at one moment while simultaneously view it in three different time periods? Although it seems physically impossible, the impossible becomes possible. I believe the only conduit for this paradoxical situation is wine, one of the blessings this world has to offer.

Land is perhaps one of the most important external stimuli; our modern nation-state is built around the idea of a clearly defined group of people from a delimited area of precious land. Therefore this travel of land begins between two countries separated by a vast ocean; Panama and Spain.

Although the ground beneath my foot was that of my beloved Panama the “ground” in my hand was that of Spain; if I could fit my foot within the vase that holds this magical terroir I would technically be in two countries at the same time. Precious and magical is the land contained in the glass container, a small piece of Castilian land from Bodegas Vizcarra in Ribera del Duero.

To further divulge the mysteries of wine, not only does it take us mentally and physically through its soils to other places but it also serves as a time machine to the past. “Tempus fugit”, or time is fleeting is the true nature of time, but that notion is quite challengeable. Time has proven unable to escape, in its vinous liquid form, from two of the simplest human inventions: a glass bottle and a cork stopper. Three different years lay trapped for our enjoyment: 2006, 2007, and 2008.

All three wines exhibited to me the essentials of Ribera Tempranillo; a plethora of dark and red fruits upfront, a slight vegetable component, and a beautiful box of spices with roasted red peppers. However with the difference of vintages there were some differences.

Vizcarra 15 Meses 2006, 2007, 2008
Mambrilla de Castrejón, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
Spain

2006 was perhaps the most balanced, austere, and elegant. It has a lot of talents, however its old and tired and will not do more than is asked. A show of what aged Tempranillo can do. This was the wine that would pair beautifully with food. Besides the typical Ribera flavors it had great secondary notes of leather, cigar smoke, wet earth, and animal fat. 92 non blind (27/11/10)

2007 departed from the similarities and continuity of both 2006 and 2008. An abnormal and difficult year in Ribera, with Vizcarra having most of their crops destroyed by hail that year; both Celia and Ines were not bottled this year therefore that exquisite fruit ended up here. This wine had an awkward burnt rubber aroma at first, but it then developed into concentrated red fruit compote with typical spice box component. Good tannins, and DARK flavors, but it was quite short on the finish; this was by no doubt the ugly duckling of the bunch that might blossom into the elegant swan with time. 89 non blind (27/11/10)

2008 was invigorating, the essence of youth and fruit. The small hyperactive child exploding with dark and blue berries, smooth silky texture, and polished tannins. The only one out of its brethrens that could be had by itself because it’s simply delicious, every sip begs for more. 91 non blind (27/11/10)
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Now that we've seen the mid-level wine offerings why not try the top end ones? If the quality is as good as it is at this level, then the top offerings should exhibit the same clear cut high quality with an added bonus of a highly distinctive piece of terroir. The following two wines, Celia and Ines are the names of the proprietor's daughters. We can be safe to say that Robert Parker's Wine Advocate highly praises Vizcarra Ramos' daughters.

As is with any human, each wine has her own personality, two different expressions. Ines is composed of 90% Tinto Fino with 10% Merlot, whereas Celia is made up of 95% Tinto Fino and 5% Granacha. You can see each "daughters" similarity, but each ones charm and personality will entrance and entertain you in a different manner.

Inés Vizcarra 2005
Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
Spain

This wine has a youthful dark purple on the rim, with a very dark central core that also exalts the visible thick velvety texture. The nose is very soft, warm, and feminine. The initial attack is packed with dark fruits and berries, sour cherries, leather, Ribera spices, violets, cocoa powder, red flavored cough syrup, and sweet vanilla.

A very concentrated and polished red fruit attack that transition into a dark fruit mid palate with graphite pencil shavings. The finish is very lengthy filled with seductive fruits, vibrant acidity, and well rounded tannins. This is smooth from the nose to the palate, seamless, and velvety. Very enjoyable. 94 non blind (19/09/10)
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Celia Vizcarra 2005
Mambrilla de Castrejón, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León
Spain

This is pure decadence; the color alone is quite alluring. A vibrant dark purple color almost hinting toward dark blue. The aromas that are jumping out of the glass are simply velvety and well rounded. Dark ripe plums, berry compote, milk chocolate, smoke, and slight pencil shavings.

A very straightforward wine that communicates delicious dark fruits. There is no attack, mid-palate, or finish, but rather it is all integrated in a seamless manner. This is a very decadent experience, sweet fruits with a velvety structure that just take a hold of your palate with tamed caressing tannins. It just has a delicious factor that keeps you coming for some more; however it can get a bit excessive and tiring on its own. 95 non blind (27/10/10)

Three Rieslings, Two Sweet Wines, Great Food, and Good Friends

2011-06-10T01:21:00.003-05:00

This entry certainly has a long title, but it tries to capture what happened on this eventful night. It all started with a mere suggestion on trying to discover the evolution of Riesling in different terriors around the world. The second challenge was to match these with some innovative dishes that would make it a more gratifying experience.

Good friends: at Restaurante El Bodegon took the challenge to great success. I'd like to thank our host, and one of Panama's best Restaurateurs, Ramon Barreiro as well as talented and creative Chef Alvaro Perrino. Last but not least, my old friend Ramon Barreiro Jr. who made this whole thing happen, as well as choosing the wine and food pairing. The dishes you will see in this entry will just be but a testament to the quality and excellence that was delivered, and always is delivered at this fine restaurant.

Three Rieslings were chosen from three parts of the world. Germany was naturally our first choice, since it has claimed reputation to this varietal while also making mind blowing examples. Austria was the second, just a stone’s throw away from Germany and exhibiting a similar terroir. Could it be that similar terroirs produce similar wines? Then the wild ringer would be Australia, a totally different terroir in a land that is separated from everything.

Two sweet wines, no gastronomic event should go without a proper dessert and its propper wine. Gratitude to Dr. Flavio Velasquez and Orlando Calvo for mustering from their collection fine pieces of heavenly elixir, a vintage 1995 six puttonyos Tokaji, and a Canadian Ice Wine respectively.

Our conclusion was first and foremost that Riesling is a very versatile variety that can pair with a wide array of dishes. Terroir does, as always shown, make a huge impact on the final product. We could generalize and say that the German Riesling showed brute masculine force, and rugged flavors that were very powerful with a lot of age ahead in bottle to round out. Austrian Rieslings on the other hand demonstrated a more elegant, feminine beauty, that makes it hard not to fall in love. The Australian example was on a different wavelength from both, however, it was cleaner and crisp with a much more defined mineral component.

I would personally recommend Riesling, especially for Panama where our climate requires these refreshing wines with low alcohol levels. The complexity, the sweet flavors, and great mineral notes in great Rieslings are worth it. What’s stopping you, try one sometime, you'll be surprised!

Bedrock Ode to Lulu Rose 2010
Sonoma Valley, California
USA

An interesting color for a rose, not your typical full throttle neon pink, but rather a delicate and refined salmon pink. The nose is quite primary, but has clearly defined and well accentuated aromas of watermelon, melon, flowers, rose water, orange peel, with a touch of salmon fat.

On the palate the wine is crisp and clean with contrasting flavors, at first you get a sweet burst of fruit with a mineral tang finish. On the attack the wine shows tart strawberries intermixed with a touch of watermelon following through into the mid-palate with generous flavors of ripe melon. The finish is long and persistent with a sharp mineral tang with small touches of crushed black pepper.

Straightforward wine that delivers clean and crisp flavors, neither too overly sweet nor sour, just at its perfect balance. Overall a good wine to enjoy by itself or aperitif, as we had in this case! 90 non blind (12/05/11).

Aceitunas rellenas en Casa con Piquillo y Anchoa

No fancy stuff here, good ingredients, and clear cut flavors that make your taste buds think. The green flavors of the olives, as well as the fatty flavors of the anchovies create a huge wall of tastes on the palate, but the acidity and refreshing part of the rose cleanse the palate. Each bite induces a sip, and the cycle continues.
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Grosset Polish Hills Riesling 2010
Clare Valley, South Australia
Australia

The wine has a clear transparent central core with a dab of yellow on the rim; there's a good crisp bouquet on the initial whiff that challenges the notion of Riesling from different areas of the world. There’s a clear and distinguishable citric facade, most notably lemon juice and orange peels, some lychees, honey, salty sea breeze, and crushed slate stone.

On the palate there's a tart lemon attack, mixed with a touch of juicy grapefruit, a dense mid-palate consisting of molasses with honey, and finally on the finish there’s a great vibrant acidity, a cool metallic steel flavor, and crushed stones. The wine is elegant and very balanced, all the components work together to intensify the experience.

The most appealing part is the piercing acidity on the mid-palate going up to the finish and intermingling with the mineral zing finish. A very particular wine for its varietal, haven’t had such a crisp and refreshing Riesling as this, it's almost like a Sauvignon Blanc! Clean & crisp with capacity to age for decades. 91 + non blind (12/05/11).

Carpacio de Mero con sabores Mediterraneos

A flavor intense yet delicate dish, exalting different components of the Mediterranean. Perhaps the wine worked more on a refreshing level on this paring; the slight sea influence in the Carpaccio and the minerals in the wine combined with each approach to exalt the Mediterranean flavors.

Langostino a la Sal de Maa Pepper

The second dish to accompany this wine perhaps made a more primitive connection. Not in a bad manner, but rather an instinctive pairing of flavors and aromas. The shrimp was impeccably cooked, and captured the aromas and flavors of the sea; the juices in the head invoked memories of sea foam. The wines citric and sea flavors combined impeccably with the shrimps natural flavors. Simply WOW!
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Rudi Pichler Weissenkirchner Achleiten Riesling 2007
Smaragd, Wachau, Niederosterreich
Austria

The wine exhibits a beautiful color on the eye, clear with a very golden yellow hue. It also reveals a thick and dense texture as it coats the sides of the glass, something I haven't experienced before. The aromas are mind perplexing; the purity of aromas cut through like a sharp knife.

There’s an initial aroma of pears, apricots, ripe peaches, sweet green apples, honey, and a very perfumed and feminine floral component similar to daisies. Behind the complex aromas of sweet fruits lay a small amount of lemon peel with crushed stones just to snap you out of the heavenly aromas on the forefront.

The most noteworthy aspect this Riesling exhibits is its thick texture; you can feel small invisible dots of acidity attacking each taste bud on your tongue. The wine enters with a nice sweet pear, apricot, peach flavor that immediately but seamlessly transfers into the mid-palate with additional flavors of citrus fruits, and rock dust that continue to the finish. The finish is long, with complex flavors lasting for more than a minute.

Although the wine smells sweet, looks sweet due to its viscosity, and has a initial sweet fruit attack it is very bone dry. This wine is very smooth, clean, and crisp. This wine is so intense in flavors it is definitely full bodied, but still maintains a certain delicate feminine aspect. Very enticing and out of this world. 94 non blind (12/05/11).

Cocochas y Almejas al Pil-Pil

Usually wines are paired to meet a dish's flavors, and often the textural component is totally ignored. This is perhaps the best pairing in both flavors and textures. This Pil-Pil was just as mind perplexing as the wine, if not even more! The textures were quite unique and feminine; delicate, soft, smooth, and heartwarming. The flavors were very refined and intense, and the fatty and gelatinous flavor/textures were exalted to a greater degree by the small acidity laced "dots" the wine produced as well as by its thick texture.
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Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenhuer Auslese 2008
Wehlen, Middle Mosel, Mosel Sarr Ruwer
Germany

BLIZTKRIEG! This wines nose is the most singular and unique noses you can ever register in your conscious. I've always said that the aromas paint an imaginary picture of old WWII German Panzers rushing through a field of flowers, filled with pears and apricots. The wine exhibits a nice golden yellow color, with a nice thick viscosity apparent to the eye with small amounts of bubbles floating around.

These aromas are so intense and fresh that it seems as if it were bottled a few hours ago! There’s an undeniable aroma of petrol that takes over everything, but if you persist there is some tart green apples, honey, peaches, melons, papaya, and passion fruit hidden behind.

On the palate the small bubbles that can be observed are immediately felt and they make your taste buds jump to attention. There's a quick initial flavor of Sprite cola on the attack, which gives way to tart green apple compote, honey, peaches, apricots, vanilla pods, and crushed stones. The flavors invade the palate, from attack to finish and cover every square inch! The wine is sweet, but it isn't over cloying at all, its balanced in its own way which is hard to describe. This wine has come a LONG way from where it was just a few months ago when I last tasted it, it has shed some of its baby fat and has developed into a strong masculine full throttled German Riesling. 94 non blind (12/05/11).

Pato Peking-Paris

With no doubt the dish of the night as well as the BEST pairing. This dish was the epitome of what a 100 point wine would be; a mix of sweet, savory, and complex flavors that make it easy to eat more and more. This is why I admire El Bodegon and Chef Perrino's works of art! I won't damage this by overanalyzing; I will say this however... One of the BEST dishes/pairings I've had in my lifetime!
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Pellers Estate Founders Reserve Vidal Ice Wine 1998
Niagara VQA, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Canada

An absolutely lovely dark amber color with a deep golden rim, liquid gold! From a 375mL or half bottle, each person got a small amount, which was appropriate due to its pungent aromas and sweet flavors. The nose was quite ethereal with molasses, hazelnuts, ground cardamom, cinnamon, a touch of orange peel, and rum reduction.

Very viscous on the palate, totally mouth coating and needing to literally chew on it to get it down! The flavors are pleasing and complex, on the attack sweet brown sugar syrup with cloves, cinnamon, and spices. As the wine progresses throughout the palate there’s a succession of peaches and pears that boasts on the finish. Quite long and lasting flavors on the end, very sweet but not over the top. Still a bit primary on the flavors and structure. 94 + non blind (12/05/11).
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Oremus Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos 1995
Hegyalja, Tokaji
Hungary

Where to begin with this one? The color alone attests to the amount of time this magical elixir has awaited to meet its final end. Dark amber with touches of copper hues, and a golden rim, with a natural viscosity due to the high amounts of residual sugars.

The nose is exhilaratingly mind blowing and complex; burnt honey, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and a huge amount of lush oranges adding a refreshing touch on the end of the nose. The palate proved equally as good as the nose, with alike flavors.

The initial attack had a vibrant sweet citrus flavor which quickly developed into maple syrup, as the wine progressed to the mid-palate black tea flavors intermingled with sweet peaches. The finish had vibrant citric flavors that kept things fresh and not too sweet, as well as a great mineral tang. The balance this wine had was quite admirable, it was sweet in places it had to be and exhibited refreshing acidity so as to refresh the palate and not dominate it completely. 95+ non blind (12/05/11).

Piña Flambeada al Ron con Helado de Coco (not pictured)

This disappeared before I could take a picture, thats how good it was. Decadent and hedonistic experience that paired well with both sweet wines. The grilled pineapples were sweet and savory, while the coconut ice cream added texture and a play on temperatures. I slightly preferred the Tokaji on this pairing since it had a orange/citrus component which just exalted the flavors in the dessert.

The Medoc in Chile???

2011-05-14T22:23:00.003-05:00

When you pop open a bottle of Chilean wine, you expect to find a new world fruit driven wine that is simply made to please the senses, rather than challenging the status quo as well as your senses. Of course, most of these huge corporate conglomerate wine producers seek to create Parker-esque wines, which will garner high ratings and press in order to sell; so, bring on the high fruit and creamy oak driven wines!

Wait a minute, there might still be a glimmer of hope! Having assisted a vertical tasting of Errazuriz flagship label, Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve, I have seen a portal into Chile’s misused potential. I’m not talking about those fruit driven new world bombs we’re mostly accustomed to from this area, but rather a style reminiscent of the old world with slight touches of Chilean terroir. I personally believe it is a mix of both worlds, creating something completely new and unique.

The second component that made this experience even better was the food to accompany each dish. As I mentioned before, just as each wine evoked contemplation, as did each dish; every dish was thoroughly thought out by my good friend Fabricio Torcivia, chef and proprietor of Restaurante Casuale. The structure of the whole meal was amazing, and the attention to detail is what hit it out of the ball park; after each course very small portions of palate cleansing concoctions were brought out to prepare us for the next step. Out of these small creations, which I did not take a picture of and take full responsibility, was a orange sorbet with drops of high end Spanish olive oil. I would highly recommend this restaurant, the ambience is inviting, the food is soul comforting, and least but not least intense in flavors and mind provokingly creative!

Getting back to the wines, the aspect that stood out the most was how old world these Bordeaux blends actually were. They had an unmistakable Medoc personality present on the nose and slightly on the palate, with a very Chilean clean ripe fruit backbone. It’s as if this wine was born from the Chilean soils with its countries heritage and culture, but was educated and molded in Bordeaux. It is quite refreshing, and noteworthy, to find this quality of wine coming from such a big producer; moreover, it is also very encouraging as if foreshadowing tomorrow’s promise of though provoking old world complexities and discrete elegance.

Errazuriz Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2010
Aconcagua Valley
Chile

A very light wine, on the eye it is almost transparent with a slight yellow tinge and a greenish rim. The nose is clear and precise with tart green apples, pear compote, green herbs, a touch of fresh mint, crushed stones, and grated pepper.

The clear and refreshing aspect is also found on the palate, the initial attack boasts gooseberry, ripe pears, tart green apples, with a brine filled mid-palate and steely mineral finish. The wine is quite precise like a surgeons tool, very refreshing with a zingy after taste, but this finish is quite short. Still the refreshing aspect is achieved so well its worth a look at. 90 non blind (12/04/11)

Salmon a la parilla con palmitos frescos grillados, sandia y papas cuñas al romero

A very intriguing mix of ingredients, but the contrast between the refreshing sweet watermelon and the fatty savory salmon created a natural balance in the dish. The watermelon complemented the sweet white fruit attack on the wine, whereas the salmon added weight on the mid-palate and paired perfectly with the sea brine the wine offered. The starch in the potatoes served as a palate cleanser within the dish, but it also brought out the minerality on the finish.

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Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2005
Aconcagua Valley
Chile

This wine is a Bordeaux blend with 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Syrah; On the eye the wine exhibits an alluring dark concentrated color, predominately a dark black central core with a purple to red rim and a slight viscosity apparent as it slightly coats the sides of the glass.

A very well polished bouquet of dark plums, violets, eucalyptus, cloves, cinnamon, tobacco leaves, graphite, dark chocolate, loam, and a touch of old leather. The most astounding thing was that the nose seemed to be very old world, in particular a bouquet reminiscent of the Medoc instead of Chile!

On the palate the wines showed a nice attack of plums, blackberry, the mid-palate was dense and smokey, with touches of dark chocolates, cassis, and espresso. The finish was dominated by a dry tannic flavor and a long finish with hints of eucalyptus, very alike to its Bordelaise counterpart. The wine has great structure, the flavors are mouth coating yet elegant, with an uncanny Bordelaise profile. 92+ non blind (12/04/11).

Empanadas de cordero patagonico con salsa de morrones asados

I believe, and partly due to the age the wine already possesses, it is a natural and obvious pairing with Lamb. Just as aged Bordeaux, the acidity and tannins possess enough power to cut through the natural fattiness of the lamb, but that slight funkiness present in the meat mix superbly and thus exalt the fruit on the attack. To me this was THE best lamb empanada I’ve ever had!

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Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2007
Aconcagua Valley
Chile

This wine is a Bordeaux blend with 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 6% Syrah; On the eye the wine exhibits a very dark concentrated color, predominately a dark black central core with a bright vibrant purple rim and a generous glass coating viscosity.

A well rounded bouquet of dark plums, blue and blackberries, raspberries, sweet scented violets, toast, smoke, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, dark chocolate, and loam. Once again, a very Chilean wine with a very Medoc like nose!

On the palate the wines showed a nice attack of plums, blackberry, blueberries, a sharp sappy greenness on the mid-palate with nice acidity, with a peppery finish dominated by sweet yet dry tannic flavors and a long finish with hints of crushed river stones, dark chocolate, and grounded coffee. Once again it shows to be as good as its Bordelaise counterpart, but also strutting the cleanliness of new world fruit and vivacity. The wine has great structure, the flavors are good, yet tannins and depth of flavors are not as strong as previous vintage. 91 non blind (12/04/11).

Wrap de prosciutto y esparragos grillados con rucula y mayonesa de cilantro

So they say asparagus is hard to pair with wine, well this proves that whole notion WRONG! The green sappy flavors in the wine are tamed by the asparagus, while the saltiness in the prosciutto exalts the fruits the savory fat doesn’t let the fruit get too over the top. This is one of those dishes that are so well prepared it just kills time tested notions of wine and food pairing.

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Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder’s Reserve 2008
Aconcagua Valley
Chile

This wine is a Bordeaux blend with 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Carmenere, 3% Petit Verdot, and 5% Syrah; On the eye the wine exhibits a very dark concentrated color, predominately a dark black central core with a bright vibrant purple rim and a generous glass coating viscosity.

An intense nose, with a generous amount of dark plums, blue and blackberries, currant, cassis, milk chocolate, violets, toast, incense, tar, black pepper, and green tree sap on the end. This wine still has a touch of some Medoc qualities, but they are overshadowed by the intensity of dark fruits and a underlying chocolate velvet glove.

A sweet fruity attack consisting of dark fruit compote, all types of berries, and dark milk chocolate continuing on to the mid-palate where it becomes thick and dense with added refreshing acid, a good amount of mouth puckering tannins with a touch of peppers and spices on the end. This is a very playful, kind, gentle, and enticing wine with vibrant youth. The added Carmenere makes it much more approachable and appeasing because of the sweetness it adds. Overall a very impressive effort that will appeal to many a peoples sweet tooth. 91-93 non blind (12/04/11).

Medallones de res y risotto de hongos en salsa de vino tinto

Alright, so no picture of this dish, OOPS! Besides screwing up, this was hands down THE dish of the night. So much so, that I forgot to take a picture of it. The steak was prepared to perfection, nice and red in the middle, very soft, an juicy. The magic however was in the risotto, which was dense and creamy with an explosion of flavor. The added sweetness in the wine worked perfectly with the red wine sauce accompanying the steak, while the acidity in the wine exalted the steak aux jous. The risotto was more of a palate cleanser, that prepared your mouth for another sip of wine. Kudos Chef Torcivia!

Updates and New Domain

2011-05-02T00:12:00.002-05:00

This page has remained quite desolate for the past month, for which I fully apologize. I will be coming back stronger than ever with alot of wines that I've reviewed, just keep posted.

On the upside, you can now find this page directly at:

http://panamawinereview.com

The old url will still work, but this new address is much simpler to remember.

Cheers!

PWR

Seven Great Spanish Reds and Two New Finds

2011-04-03T05:01:00.009-05:00

I'll keep this short, and let the tasting notes speak for themselves. A tasting in which seven of the highly rated wines from Spain were put together with no other reason than to taste them. Three wines from Ribera del Duero, two wines from Rioja, one from Priorat, and one from Mallorca.

Condensed Notes for the time savvy:

Artadi Viña el Pison 2006: "Flirting with Perfection"

Bodegas Roda Cirsion 2005: "Discretely Elegant Feminine Beauty"

Bodegas Vizcarra-Ramos Celia 2005: "Playful & Bright Immature Child"

Anima Negra Son Negre 2007: "Unique"

Mas Sinen Coster 2006: "Soul of Priorat"

Flor de Pingus 2005: "Precise & Mechanically Made"

Bodegas Numanthia Numanthia 2007: "Wild, Savage, and Young"

Here are complete tasting notes :

Artadi Viña el Pison 2006

Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

Spain

This wine is almost flirting with perfection, it’s got all the right components and is put together so well. The color is thick dark with a nice purple to red rim, showing that this still has enough to go for 20+ years. The nose is a collection of various aromas that meld together and produce something ethereal and seductive, and are evolving every time you stick your nose into the glass.

There are ample amounts of plums, figs, blueberries, blackberries, violets, truffle oil, pencil shavings, espresso, touches of toasted oak, dark chocolates, with hints of aromatic homemade dried masala powder, and incense. The aromas are intense, straightforward, hitting you all at the same time, making your head spin in amazement.

On the palate this wine is seamless; there is just a burst of flavors that tingle your taste buds. Initial attack of sweet dark fruits and berries, then on the mid-palate there is an addition of tingling spices with dark chocolate with a touch of refreshing acidity. The finish keeps adding to the flavors with a pinch of creamy vanilla, toast, and smoke. The actual magic here is the transition on the palate, the flavors never dissipate but rather start to aggregate!

The aromas are perfect, the texture is soft and velvety, the wine has great acid that keeps it fresh, nice flavors that are very well orchestrated and harmonious; this is seriously flirting or getting very close to what a perfect wine should be. 98 non blind (02/01/11).

Bodegas Roda Cirsion2005

Haro, Rioja Alta, Rioja

Spain

This wine is out of this world, at first it might seem muted and dull, but just wait. This wine is elegant, but not just any type of elegance. This is a type of elegance that is naturally present, so much so that this wine just discretely lets you into its presence and then awe’s you. The color shows a beautiful dark central core with a nice bright crimson red rim, and the bouquet catches your attention with its seducing feminine perfume.

The aromas are just mind blowing, they’re constantly changing and evolving, but they’re delicate and seductive. A plethora of flowers come through, some violets, acacia, daisies, lavender, and we’re still just scratching the surface. Behind the floral component there’s a huge pool of ripe plums, blackberries, blueberries, and sour cherries all mixed together and reduced until the aromas intensify. Then there are alluring secondary aromas of leather, dark chocolate, roasted red peppers, Indian spices, and incense that add a impeccable finishing touch to the nose.

The first thing noticeable on the palate is the texture, a very velvety and mouth coating wine. There is sweet dark fruit jam on the attack, but it’s not overly sweet, but restrained and elegant. The mid-palate is packed with thick milk chocolate, ending in a nice refreshing peppery finish with tannins that are so polished they massage your taste buds. The Roda identity is present; the dark fruits with amazing tannins are here but this is just up on another level of complexity and elegance that is breath taking. This was the first wine to be fully consumed in the tasting, that is a clear message of how good this was. 97+ non blind (02/04/11).

Bodegas Vizcarra Ramos Celia 2005

Mambrilla de Castrejon, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y Leon

Spain

This wine shows very dark colors, glass coating purple almost blue hued central core with a nice red to purple rim. The texture itself looks thick and enticing, and the initial aromas that are flowing from the glass are mouth watering.

The aromas are sweet and fruity, but not fake over the top fruit. Dark plums, crushed blackberries, purple flavored candy, cloves, spices, scorched earth, toast, and espresso dominate the nose.

The palate is very straightforward here dark fruits dominate with a slight spicy undertone that is quite delicious. The wine is so dense and thick that it coats the whole palate delivering a unified attack, mid-palate, and finish. The plush dark fruits, berries, silky milk chocolate, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and oak induced vanilla flavors are very discernable individually as they work together. This is a very decadent wine, with polished tannins, creamy texture, and a childlike playful and cheerful personality. This just as a very delicious factor to it, that makes you happy, however it can get a bit over cloying. 95 non blind (02/04/11).

Anima Negra Son Negre 2007

Felanitx, Illes Balears, Mallorca

Spain

This is a unique wine, there are so many reasons that justify this adjective but all will fall short to the actual experience. The color is a nice dark ruby red, with a translucent core, foreshadowing a medium bodied wine that is not too dense. However the nose shows very complex aromas that I have never experienced in any other wine.

The aromas are crisp and clean, with a huge touch of pine trees, lavender, enticing mule sweat, dried red berries, wet leaves, licorice, black tea, dense smoke, a touch of burnt rubber, and sun heated river stones that are freshly crushed. This wasn’t a normal bouquet, mainly because apart from having different components it gave me an image and transported me to another place; there was a particular aroma alluding to a room full of barrels at a winery on the outskirts of a patch of Mediterranean forest.

On the palate the wine has sharp searing sour cherries meets tart strawberries on the attack, following through on the mid-palate with dark tea mixed with tart raspberries, and ending on a bright mineral note. The appealing part is that the acid present is so refreshing; the wine is balanced since it is neither too light nor too heavy. This wine still needs time to come together, perhaps two to three years, but the components are all there. This definitely has that “je ne sais quoi”, new flavors & new experience! 94 + non blind (02/04/11).

Mas Sinen Coster 2006

Poboleda, Priorat, Catalunya

Spain

I have always insisted that this wine represents the heart and soul of Priorat, there isn’t any showing off or excessive make up, just sincerity and hard work in the vineyards. Out of the group this wine was the most vibrant, alive, and full of life. A very dark colored wine with a nice ruby red rim, with the classic Priorat nose.

There is a clear dense dark bouquet filled with particular smells, thick dark berry jam and plums, licorice, old oak, glycerin, dark chocolate, smoke, toasted almonds, wet crushed slate stones. On the palate the wine comes across as a big powerful red, with an initial tart red fruit meets a touch of red candy attack. The mid-palate is filled with dense berries and licorice, and the finish is long boasting dark chocolate, spices, and tangy crushed stones.

This wine isn’t your typical polished sweet fruit forward wine; this wine is real and honest. It’s not standardized, it’s not “perfect”, it’s naturally imperfect showing rustic elements. Perfection can be mimicked easily by masking the true terroir and identity of the fruit, here however it is anything but. This wine shows a natural beauty that no one can mimic or copy, as I said before, the heart and soul of Priorat. 92+ non blind (02/04/11).

Flor de Pingus 2005

La Horra, Ribera del Duero, Castilla y León

Spain

This offers a very compelling and feminine nose that is simply enticing just as well as the color. It is composed of a dark colored core with bright red to purple rim on the eye. This wine exhibits a very precise mechanic approach, with aromas and flavors being bright and precisely layered.

The initial aroma is quite sweet and perfumed, but for some reason there’s a heavy dose of sandalwood on the forefront followed through by a dense and rich layer of black, blue, and raspberry jam. The following layer exhibits ripe plums, rich dark chocolate, and ground coffee, with a touch of burnt toast. Finally on the end there’s a slight touch of wet earth, smoke, a touch of black olives, and a touch of Indian spices.

On the palate the wine follows the bouquet, giving a delicious mixed berry attack, sweet strawberries, and maraschino cherries. As the wine moves to the mid-palate there are strong flavors of blueberry jam, thick dark chocolate, and espresso that move seamlessly onwards to the finish. For some reason as the wine ends the flavors become dry with gritty tannins, which to me is very off putting.

The wine is very new world oriented, with a lot of work put in the winemaking instead of winegrowing that is the true sense of fruit doesn’t shine through. Yes, it is a very fruity yet balanced wine, with nice texture, but the aromas and finish are quite short. 92 non blind (02/04/11).

Bodega Numanthia Numanthia 2007

Valdefinjas, Toro, Castilla y León

Spain

Dense and savage wine with thick texture on the eye that stains the glass with its dark purple core and a bright ruby red rim; the color shows a very muscled wine with great amount of power behind it. The nose on it is very muted and shut down, it is far too young at this point, but some minor nuances are shining through. The bouquet is quite perfumed, with a mixture of plums, figs, blackberries, tar, burnt earth, cassis, glycerin, and a touch of burnt dark chocolate.

This wine charges the palate like a reckless beast, boasting a huge dose of blackberry syrup, plums, sweet figs, on the attack. The mid-palate is quite dense with ground coffee, dark chocolate, and glycerin that give way to power packed tannic finish. The finish is loaded with fresh ground peppers, cumin seeds, and a touch of cloves, and oaky vanilla. However, the tannins are so strong that all these flavors on the finish are put off by astringent yet polished tannins.

The wine is very structured, balanced, with great velvety texture, and refined tannins. It is very fruit forward, not over the top, but doesn’t really capture a sense of terroir. This wine will age effortlessly for 10+ years, and only then will its true character be appreciated. Given its youth I will not give it a final score. 90-92 non blind (02/04/11).

If you’ve made it this far then I’ll let you into two new wines that are completely different from your average wines, they will break your perception of sweet wines since both are well dessert wines.

One is a new wine by Bodegas Elias Mora in Toro, making the first wine from sun dried Tinta de Toro, or Tempranillo, and the other is a sweet wine from Monastrell hailing from the Valencian DO of Alicante.

Bodegas Elias Mora Benavides NV

San Roman de Hornilla, Toro, Castilla y León

Spain

Bodegas Elias Mora’s new dessert wine made from sun dried Tinta de Toro grapes. The color is quite deceptive for a wine from Toro, it is not dark black and thick but rather translucent dark red. The aroma is also something completely distinct and different from any other wine I’ve had period!

There is a heavy dose of mint, eucalyptus, apricots, peaches, and fresh rosemary on the nose, making way for a bright and refreshing bouquet. On the palate the wine is not thick and over cloying as other sweet wines are, but rather it is also as refreshing as the nose.

On the attack there is a rush of sweet raspberries, maraschino cherries, red rock candy, and a bit of robitussin cough medicine. The mid-palate shows a creamy cherry coca cola flavor, with a touch of milk chocolate, and a refreshing crisp mint finish. This wine is impeccably unique, and has laid the groundwork for a reinterpretation of sweet wines. 92+ non blind (02/04/11).

Bodega Cooperativa de Algueña Fondonet Monastrell Dulce 2008

Algueña, Alicante, Valencia

Spain

Thick and dark wine with glass coating dark black central core and bright red rim, although this is a sweet wine it’s got a very peculiar nose that gives off another profile. The aromas that are present are green, specifically getting a big pot and boiling artichokes, asparagus, mustard leaves, and then mixing the remaining liquid with a bit of vegetable stock.

The wine shows a similar profile on the palate, with a sweet thick dark fruit attack, dense chocolate driven mid-palate that moves to the finish with a hint of mustard leave greenness that adds a bit of complexity and tartness to balance the sweet attack. Very contradictory aromas and flavors, but it works. 91+ non blind (02/04/11).