winewaves

Toscolo Chianti 2004

Toscolo's ten buck Chianti tastes more American than a lot of its competition. But then, the USA is the target market for this 40,000 case label.

Importers Empson & Company represent such popular labels as Farnese, Monte Antico, A-Mano, and Teruzzi & Puthod.  Toscolo is their project.

Native New Zealander Neil Empson and his wife, Italian-American Artist Maria Gemma own Toscolo Winery in Pisa, where Franco Bernabei is Winemaker. Toscolo Chianti is the entry level of three Tuscolo Chiantis, and is 100% Sangiovese. Maria Gemma Empson designed the label. Tasting Notes.  Color: Bright ruby red with a slight purplish tint. Aromas: Loads of sour cherry and plums with persistent overtones of rose petals. The mouthfeel is light, tart, almost levitates on the tongue. Plummy and floral, herbal and minty flavors dissipate quickly in the simple clean finish. Closure: Real cork.  Excellent value ($10).

Alamos Mendoza Pinot Noir 2004

Alamos Mendoza Pinot Noir 2004 is 100% Pinot Noir, from Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, made by José Galante. Winemaker José makes good use of the fruit, grown at 5000 foot elevation.

The aging was 9 months French. Native Italian Nicola Catena was the founder of Catena*, the Argentine Wine concern which produces the Alamos label. Tasting Notes. Color: Bright ruby red, transparent. Cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon and coffee aromas are backed by hints of vanilla. The mouthfeel is tart, a middleweight Pinot Noir, with moderate dusty tannins. The cherry and raspberry flavors are followed by oak spice as the wine finishes with a dry polished texture. Closure: Real cork. Excellent value ($9).

*Catena's website lists some interesting Argentina Wine Facts. For example, Argentina has the third largest wine consumption in the word, per capita.

Domaine Jean Bousquet Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Jean Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet, from Tupungato, Alto Gualtallery, at 4000 feet elevation. The soil is "rubble and sandy".

Originally farming in France, Jean Bousquet selected this location as ideal for employing "organic cultivation".  He uses no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 90.5 points.  Color: Deep, dark warm crimson, semi-opaque. Aromas: Ripe cherry and black raspberry, backed by vanilla, oak spice, and gravel notes. The mouthfeel is medium-to-full-bodied, with substantial dry tannins. Red to black fruit flavors, hints of dutched cocoa and moderate acidity are well balanced. Dusty tannins and warm fruit flavors are long lasting in the finish. Production was 5000 cases.

Closure: Composite plastic cork.  Retail: $11. Value: Excellent.

Don Miguel Gascon Mendoza Malbec 2004

Don Miguel Gascon is one of a number of relatively inexpensive Argentine Malbecs now easily obtainable in grocery stores and wine shops across the USA.  Malbec is considered a minor blending grape in Bordeaux and elsewhere, and the vines can be difficult to manage in many places.

But in Mendoza (near the Argentina-Chile border), where it is grown at elevation, it does quite well in the vineyard, and produces successful 100% varietal wines. 88 points. Color: Deep purplish-crimson, semi-opaque. Aromas: Black fruit (black cherry, blackberry), vanilla, smoke, grilled meat, and mineral. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, with moderate dry tannins, good acidity, and flavors of compote of black fruit, white pepper and cocoa. The finish evolves fruit and oak. The closure is a real cork. (A screw cap would be better.) Retail: $10. Value: Very nice.

Domaine Jean Bousquet Mendoza Malbec 2004

Jean Bousquet Malbec is 100% Malbec, from Tupungato, Alto Gualtallery, at 4000 feet elevation.  The soil is "rubble and sandy".

Jean Bousquet employs "organic cultivation" in its vineyards, using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 89.5 points. Color: Deep purplish-crimson, semi-opaque.  Aromas: Cherries, blackberries, vanilla oak, mineral/earth, and hints of meat. The mouthfeel is medium-to-full-bodied, with substantial but finely textured dry tannins and nice acidity. The dark cherry, chocolate and spicy vanilla oak flavors carry through the long finish. Closure: Plastic composite cork. (A screw cap would be better.) Retail: $11.  Value: Excellent.

Terrazas de los Andes Mendoza Malbec 2004

Terrazas de los Andes Malbec is 100% Malbec, grown 3500 feet above sea level. Aging was 6 months in 65% French/35% American oak, split evenly between new, 1-year, and 2-year-old barrels. 88.5 points. Color: Purplish-ruby semi-opaque. Aromas: Ripe cherry-raspberry jam, with hints of vanilla, spice, and toasty oak. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and softly tannic. Jammy flavors of plum, cherry and pomegranate combine with sweet oak spice mid-palate, and the finish is abundantly fruity and easy. Closure: Real cork. (A screw cap would be an improvement.) Retail: $10.  Value: Excellent.

Tamari Reserva Mendoza Malbec 2003

Tamari Reserva Malbec is imported by Paterno Wines. The vinification included stainless steel fermentation and 7 months barrel aging in new French oak. Winemaker is Sergio Correa. 88.5 points.  Color: Deep dark purplish-ruby, semi-opaque. Aromas: Black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cassia/spice, smoky scented oak, and hints of bacon. Ripe, soft, medium-bodied, dark fruit flavors evolve, along with some oak, on the warm finish. Closure: real cork. (Screw cap would be an improvement.) Retail: $13.  Value: Very Nice.

Altos Las Hormigas Mendoza Malbec 2004

Argentina claims to be the fifth largest wine producing country in the world, and Mendoza is considered the best area. Mendoza is along the Chilean border, about halfway down the country's length.

Nearly 30,000 cases of Altos Las Hormigas Malbec are produced annually, 50% from Estate fruit and 50% purchased fruit. After 15 days fermentation-maceration in stainless steel, a portion of the wine goes into oak for nine months. After aging, the wine is bottled unfiltered and rests in the bottle three months prior to release. 88 points.  The color is deep opaque eggplant-crimson. The aromas are dark, nearly black expressions of blackberry, wild cherry, leather, earth, and vanilla oak. The mouthfeel is rich, chewy and tannic, with some fruit as well as acidity and a bit of pepper on the palate. The finish is dry, warming, and releases more fruit. Closure: Artificial plastic composite "cork". (A screw cap would be a plus.) Price: $10 (Nashville).  Value: Nice.

Altos Las Hormigas Mendoza Malbec 2002

Argentina Malbecs are steadily gaining in popularity in the store, because the quality price ratio is very good, and the wines are appealing. Malbec was originally a blending grape in Bordeaux, but the grape turns out to fare much better in Argentina, where it dominates as a red varietal. Altos Malbec is a deep semi-opaque cranberry color, and the aromas include cherry, cranberry, chocolate and vanilla oak. There are moderate tannins providing good structure, and the finish is nice. The only downside is the composite cork, which we would prefer to be a screw cap.

At $10 (Nashville), this is a lot of wine for the price, and would be ideal for anything off the grill.

Wine Spectator just named this wine a Best Value Red (5-15-05 issue).

Don Miguel Gascon Mendoza Malbec 2003

A dark vibrant red in the glass, with blackberry, spice, coffee, cocoa, smoky vanilla oak & more.

At $11.99 retail (Nashville), definitely worth keeping around for repeat enjoyment. Wine Spectator (James Molesworth): 89 Points. "Rich and fleshy, with smooth blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors augmented by sweet mocha, spice and toast notes. Long, suave finish. Offers plenty of fruit without ever getting jammy or heady. Drink now through 2006. 13,000 cases imported." (Sept. 15, 2004)