winewaves

Dominio De Tares Baltos Bierzo Mencia 2005

Bordering Galacia in northwest Spain, Bierzo is considered by some to be the next Priorat, maybe better, thanks to the Mencía grape. An early to ripen grape, Mencía produces concentrated flavors without overly high in alcohol.

I really love Baltos because it packs a punch in terms of flavor and mouth feel without approaching let alone exceeding the 30 proof level and the price is well under $20 a bottle price point.

Dominio De Tares harvests Mencía grapes 25 to 40-year-old vines and ages the wine in new to 3 year-old French and American barrels for 4 to 7 months.

Baltos is deep purple and nearly opaque in the glass, and complex, dark and earthy as the aromas reach your nose. I picked up a hint of bacon from the oak aging to complement the cassis and cherry fruit and floral notes. Very solidly tannic, some would say overly so but I like the tactile nature. Concentrated and intense flavors lead to that feeling of chewing on walnuts in the finish. I had to look in the mirror to see if this wine stained my teeth.

Outstanding value ($16). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Forget about others' over-priced "reserve" wines, Baltos goes the extra mile to deliver. What more can you ask for?

Red Heads "Yard Dog" 2005

Red Heads "Yard Dog" is an unusual $10 blend from Australia, combining 46% Petit Verdot, 30% Merlot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon. This mutt gave me a look and then followed me home. Not appearing to be a contest winner based on external appearances, I must say that back at the ranch we were all rewarded with its unexpected inner beauty.

The Red Heads who produced this wine appear to be a bit scrappy themselves but obviously know what they like and how to turn it out. At the end of the day breeding, fine equipment and caste can sometimes be trumped by the instinct and effectiveness of an underdog.

This deep purple ruby pour is nearly opaque in the glass and has a dark complexity about the nose that belies a much more friendly and straightforward flavor. Richer and smoother than you might expect, there's plenty of cherry fruit and sweet spice notes with some wood showing through.

Never fear, this "Yard Dog" will become your best friend.

Excellent value ($10). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 15%.

The full moon in harvest season is always spectacular and brings out the "junkyard dog" in all of us mutts. This past week I was on assignment in Corona, California photographing hotel signs at sundown when I turned around just in time to catch the moon rising as the sun fell below the horizon.

Moon over Corona California September 25, 2007

When in Nova Scotia

Halifax Harbor September 14, 2007 (click to enlarge)

Continuing on the theme of picking up affordable road bottles that come from local sources, I want to share a new discovery from Nova Scotia. This quick trip landed me at the Halifax airport and took me over to Moncton, New Brunswick and back to Dartmouth (across the bridge from Halifax). Along the route, the exit to Pugwash included a sign for Jost Vineyards (rhymes with toast) which is located in Malagash.

Even with the tempering winds of the Atlantic it surprised me that you can grow red wine grapes this far north in the land of Christmas trees. I didn't get a chance to visit the winery but I did get to the Provincial package store and pick out a bottle of Jost. The label says Cote de Bras d'Or Nova Scotia Marechal Foch 2005. A dry wine of 12% alcohol, it's light and surprisingly very much a delight as well. The color is ruby, the body light, and the flavor is brimming with berries like the berry-laden fresh fruit cups they sell at Canada's Sobey supermarkets (another discovery from my recent excursions north of the border).

I only paid $11 Canadian for this little gem with a cork, in a store alongside Yellow Tail that costs nearly $15.

It turns out Marechal Foch (don't ask me to pronounce it) is, as you might expect, a hybrid grape that winters over well and ripens fairly early. But it's being put to good use here. And what's more, this Marechal Foch was grown in Cape Breton, which is further north and out there than Halifax. The story goes that John Pratt (Johnny Grape) was the first to grow grapes commercially in the area, which proves the old adage, "where there's a will there's a way".

You probably won't hear people going on about Nova Scotia's wine industry but give it a try next time you drop in to Halifax.

This trip also revealed that my Sirius radio works up here, so I happened to hear Friday's NPR program "Forum" with Michael Krasny, and the topic was "wine snobs". Fred Franzia, whose Bronco Wine Company makes Two Buck Chuck and markets a host of anti-wine-snob geek-slapping generic-looking labels, was the most outspoken of the guests. He was joined by Julia Flynn Siler of the Wall Street Journal (author of "The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty") and Leslie Sbrocco, wine author, consultant and host of Check, Please! Bay Area on KQED television. Fred pounded away at his message that wine is wine or if there is any difference, his wine "is probably better than Opus One". The callers were mostly on his side although it seems most don't want to do away with "geek speak", the language of wine.

I suspect my feelings are pretty close to the middle on this subject. I don't want to spend much for most bottles of wine. I might overspend for a label just to mark a special milestone or close a deal. But I need variety, I like to know a wine's story even if it is contrived, and presentation makes a difference to me. At the end of the day I like to talk about wine as well as enjoy drinking it. The good side of the Two Buck Chuck story is that there are now more competitors making better cheap wine, a trend that I hope continues. But just because it's cheap, it doesn't have to be devoid of personality or come with an unwritten rule that it can't be talked about in purple prose.

Maybe next year will bring the debut of my new line of value wines positioned for affordable anti-wine-snob enjoyment: Steak Wine, Chicken Wine, Burger Wine, Spaghetti Wine, Seafood Wine, Lobster Wine, and Barbecue Wine. We've got varietals and appellations, but what could be simpler than wine made to go with what you're eating. One second thought maybe I need to get back to Nashville tomorrow. This cool Canadian air has clearly gone to my head.

Birds of a Feather: Light Sophisticated French Values

Like a good rain falling after a long drought, that's the way these two unoaked crisp French white wine values refresh your palate after a long run of big bold reds. Both of these wines are proof positive that you don't have to spend a lot for a superb glass of French wine.

First, Kysela has introduced La Petite Frog, a 2006 vintage Picpoul de Pinet from Coteaux Du Languedoc, an impressive example of how the bag-in-box format continues to get more interesting and go further upmarket here in the states.

Josh Wesson, a regular guest on The Splendid Table radio program, recently outed Picpoul de Pinet as one of France's finest values in a white wine. In the box it's an even better value and and what better way to keep a sensational house white wine available on tap.

Style: Crisp, light (in alcohol), citrusy, sophisticated. Appearance: Pale yellow straw with a greenish tint. Aromas: Grapefruit and tropical notes. The tart lime flavor is dry, refreshing, clean and does not overwhelm your palate. Pair it with a herb roasted bird or hors d'oeuvres or anything in between.
Outstanding value: $28 (3 Liter bag-in-box). Alcohol content: 12.5%.

Next, Kermit Lynch brings us Kuentz Bas Alsace Blanc 2005. Here's the perfect occasional counterpoint to the big high-alcohol fruit bombs we love.

In Alsace, Kuentz-Bas blends 60% Sylvaner, 15% Muscat, 15% Auxerrois and 10% Chasselas to make an economical and harmonious sip of the region. With an alcohol content of a mere 12.5%, a real cork and a modest $13 price this is a must. Great with fresh steamed mussels, expect aromas and flavors of quince, tart lime, citrus rind and almost salty minerality. Style: Crisp, light (in alcohol), minerally, sophisticated.

You can't go wrong with either of these picks. Because the "Frog" is in the bag-in-box format, it's a no-brainer and now occupies a position in my fridge until something better makes its way into a box with a tap.

When In Boise, El Dorado, or Alberta...

For years I brought wine with me when traveling by air. It's been a year since the rule went into effect prohibiting bringing a bottle of wine through security, and my tactics have adapted. As soon as we get where we're going, I'm bottle shopping. I feel I've hit the trifecta when I find a convenient grocery with nice fresh fruit offerings, a Starbucks inside, and a well stocked wine department.

Recent trips have turned up some notable local quaffs that make the grade and don't cost a lot. They're not Opus One, but it would be a shame to pay a lot for a "road bottle" since usually I only get halfway through it (alright, two-thirds) before going to bed. The next day I'm on to the next place. If a road bottle has a screw cap, all the better since corkscrews are a no-go in carry-on baggage and not all hotels have one available. Fortunately it's still okay to bring wine glasses on board and I'm never without my Reidel "O"s which occupy the center slot in my padded camera and laptop case.

Here are some local finds from the latter half of August.
Boise, Idaho: Sawtooth Winery 2005 Skyline Red. ($10 at Safeway, Screw Cap, 14.5% Alcohol). Think of a stout glass of berry-ish coffee-esque wine. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 10% Merlot and 5% Primitive (Zin-like cousin). Aging was 6 months in oak barrels. Rustic with dusty tannins, the coffee roaster aromas frame black cherry, berry and vanilla oak flavors.
El Dorado (Placerville), California: Boeger Winery Hangtown Red Lot #34. ($10 at the Winery or Safeway, Real cork, 14.1% Alcohol). Definitely a guy's wine, what with the wild west motif and sensibilities, it's the kind of wine I could be happy with if I had to pick only one. The deep cherry fruit is ample, there's comforting oak spice plus a little tobacco note like that sweet loose variety that makes you wish you smoked a pipe. Expressive and dusty, you get a mild hit of tannins and a warm finish. Then you're ready to be tucked in for the night. The blend changes from lot to lot but the San Francisco Chronicle states this lot is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Tempranillo.
Calgary, Alberta: Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2004 Okanagan Valley Cabernet Merlot. ($15 CDN at Howie's, Screw Cap, 14.7% Alcohol). Released a year ago, the texture is smooth and you get a nice combination of bright red fruit, oak spice and Canadian forest earthiness. Nicely tart, it was the perfect partner for the takeout burger I grabbed at a place called Joey's Tomato. The blend is 63% Cabernet Franc (not Sauvignon as you might expect) and 37% Merlot.
Grand Island, Nebraska: I don't have a clue. I arrived too late and somebody will have to tell me where the wine is.

My recent trips to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and California allowed me copious opportunities for picture taking. As usual, the pictures I missed were better than the ones I got, but you can view the slide shows from those trips now.
The Sturgis slide show can be seen at http://www.gusset.com, by clicking here.
The California Wine slide show can be seen at http://www.frugalmacdoogal.com.

Here's another wine tip. Good friend Ed Young does a monthly wine letter for Frugal MacDoogal's, the Nashville and Charlotte area wine and spirits retailer whose website and email program I manage. This month he assembled a nice group of humorous and familiar wine and spirits quotes. Be sure to check them out (http://www.frugalmacdoogal.com).