winewaves

Rock Solid Bargain: Bodegas El Chantre Ramos-Paul Ronda Proprietary Red 2004

Don't be surprised if a few bargains pop up in this recession. Here's a terrific wine that I found on sale here in Nashville. At its release price of around $50 and up, it was beyond my reach. But at $20, I took it home.

This is the kind of high-end wine I like, and wouldn't be disappointed if I had to pay the regular price. This is a very firm wine with a unique sensibility, a wine with longevity; some would say terroir. Some high-end wines are designed to appeal to people in higher income brackets. Ramos-Paul is something more rare than that, more genuine.

Ramos-Paul 2004 originates from southern Spain in Andalusia, near Ronda. This is a rocky area, very rocky. Bodegas El Chantre is owned by José Manuel Ramos-Paul, hence the namesake for this wine. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Tempranillo, 15% Syrah, and 10% Merlot.

There's plenty of debate about whether you can smell rocks, or other pure terroir characteristics in wine, but that was the first thing I picked up on in this wine. Then the perfumed fruit, spice and roasted notes materialized. Those aromas include blackberry liqueur, cedar, framboise and even dark chocolate and tobacco shop. On the tongue, this is a very young, big, bold wine. If you have one of those ingenious decanting devices, here is a wine to test it on. I like the very firm, gravelly, perhaps even chalky tannins. The fruit is liqueur-like, but bone dry of course. By liqueur-like, I mean intense and pure, not at all sweet. The finish demonstrates this wine's longevity.

Price: $20 (Nashville, Sale). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

2 Nice Australian Red Blends: Heartland Stickleback 2006 and Marquis-Philips Sarah's Blend 2006

There may be several bottlings of Stickleback 2006 out there, or at least, I've seen different compositions quoted for this vintage. This bottle reads, "51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Shiraz, 10% Grenache". Stickleback has a lot of personality, and may not appeal to everyone equally. It's rather on the dark and brooding side, with lots of black fruit on the nose and some of those medicinal anise and eucalyptus overtones. For my money, this is a near perfect "10" in its price range, not over the top on alcohol (14%), and luxurious in terms of fruit and texture.  The finish is pepper spicy, warm and chocolaty, and continues to resonate deep black fruit all the way.

Ben Glaetzer is chief wine maker for this very affordable Heartland label project. Ben is perhaps best known for the Glaetzer range, including Amon Ra, Bishop and Wallace, all very upmarket. Maybe I'll be able to afford to drink Ben's high-priced stuff down the road, and it's quite excellent. But for now, I can't get enough of his Stickleback. It's rock star red, on an indie budget.

Price: $12 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 14%.

Sarah's Blend 2006 is 60% Shiraz, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, with minor portions of Merlot and Cab Franc. The 2007 is already released, but the 2006 remains available and is drinking very well. There's a lot going on in this bottle, built around aromas of red currants, smoke, and vanilla, with cedar and sweet spice overtones. Lots of oak spice and lush red fruit flavors are awash on a sturdy frame. The finish is well integrated and long lasting.

Marquis-Philips no longer has anything to do with Sparky or Sarah Marquis. Rather, this is now the project of R Wines' Chris Ringland and Lisa Weatherell, and Grateful Palate Imports' Dan Philips. The fruit is sourced from McLaren Vale, and aged in French oak, seasoned, for 12 months. Philips and Ringland have a good number of highly successful labels in the market, from the lovely raspberry-laden Bitch Barossa Grenache, to the sensually brilliant Roogle Riesling.

Price: $16 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 15%.

A Weird Bottle, A Postage Stamp of a Label, A Big Mouth, A Screw Cap, and A Very Likeable Red Bordeaux: Francis Coppola Encyclopedia Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

At first, you can't wrap your mind around the "Erlenmeyer flask" shaped bottle and the other non-standard elements. Then you think, this must be a clever juxtaposition. Weird bottle, un-weird wine. No one would go to this length to draw attention to bad wine. Then you think, this isn't a wine to lay down, because you can't fit it in your wine rack. Good thing, because who wants to wait? What if you never get around to drinking it? It's better to drink wine, than to continually have to dust it.

The Coppola Companies latest concept wine is Encyclopedia. Now in the top 20 wine companies (ranking by case volume), Coppola is keen to get on, to offer more wines from more regions. The Encyclopedia concept is focused on unearthing wines that truly represent their regions. It appears Coppola isn't afraid to look different (on the outside), if it gets people to try what's inside. It's risky business I suppose. The wine inside better be excellent, and truly represent its region.

Encyclopedia Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 does it. You get plenty of black cherry from start to finish, nice complexity from overtones of herbs and mild oak spice, balanced soft tannins, and a very smooth, some might say elegant, texture. This isn't a monster Cab, rather, it's a very approachable Bordeaux that happens to be a Cab. The alcohol content is less than most California Cabernets. The fruit comes across like preserves. There aren't any rough edges. The finish evolves a restrained hint of vanilla and goes dusty dry as it should. This is a cut above expectations for an under-$15 Bordeaux.

This Cab turned out to be a great match for flank steak; medium-rare, dry-rubbed, pan-seared, grass-fed beef. It didn't overpower the rub, a nice aromatic combination of herbs and spices I probably could never repeat.

Price: $13 (Nashville). Alcohol content: 12.5%. Closure: Screw cap.

A Look At Three 2006 Paso Robles Cabs: Robert Hall, Victor Hugo and Justin

Robert Hall is a most likable person. From my selfish point of view, his second career in the wine business has been more rewarding than his first career as a real estate developer in Minnesota. You wouldn't be blowing smoke or be guilty of sacrilege, if you called him the Robert Mondavi of Paso Robles.

Robert Hall Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 is the personification of California Cabernet as I think of it; at once world class, modern, optimistic, expressive, and not overpriced. A lot of California Cabernets have forgotten about that last idea, not overpriced. But somehow, maybe due to the midwestern roots of the eternally youthful Mr. Hall, the Cab he puts his name on hasn't gotten priced out of my range. I'm rooting for his longevity, and that he hangs on to his winery as long as possible, so we can continue to buy his great wines at a great price.

Expect classic Cab aromas of black currants, cassis liqueur and sweet spice, with overtones of cedar. Neither under ripe nor a fruit bomb, this is a luxurious buttoned-down claret suitable for casual affairs. Neither opulent nor austere, neither stuffy nor nouveau riche, this Cab is clean, true to form, and it over-delivers. The textbook Cab flavors evolve nicely on the tongue, staying black in fruit character, and the structure asserts itself as the spice evolves in the cocoa-dust-laden finish.

This Cab is 80+% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc blended in. Barrel aging was 14 months.

Price: $18 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

A long time ago, Victor Hugo said, "My tastes are aristocratic, my actions democratic." The 19th century French poet and human rights activist expressed himself in many ways throughout his life, though he was perhaps best known for his epic work "Les Misérables". Conservative in his youth before becoming a "free-thinker" and advocate for the "common man" later in life, he said, "the wise man does not grow old, but ripens."

It is fitting that Victor Hugo Roberts chose to make the literary connection when he labeled his wines. Paso Robles is an appropriate place for free-thinking people to grow wise and ripen. We expect provocative no-holds-barred, expressive, let's say well-extracted, wines to come from Paso Robles. Victor Hugo (Roberts) delivers with Victor Hugo Cabernet 2006.

If someone put a brown bag on this Cab, you might not guess it for a Cab; you might be thinking Zinfandel. As Cabernet goes, this is a fruit bomb. If you're going to drop bombs, I say make them out of fruit. This is a most decadent Cabernet Sauvignon, the kind of Cab that makes you want to loosen you tie and get in the hot tub. Deep candy apple red in color, it has a slight haze to it that makes it seem opaque. The aromas are raspberry, blueberry, loganberry, nutmeg, sweet spice and hints of earth. On the tongue, black cherry and spice flavors carry forward the democratic decadence - hedonism for everyone. The finish is dusty dry with a nice kick to it. It's not a textbook Cab, but you can't help but like it.

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aging was 18 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels.

Price: $20 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.8%.

My favorite Victor Hugo quote? "Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age." Why? I'll be fifty in December.

Justin Baldwin began pioneering wine making in Paso Robles in the early 1980's. Together with wife Deborah and their staff, the focus of Justin is combining old world tradition and new world techniques. They succeed with Justin Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. This is a complex, firm, steak wine.

Barrel aging was 18 months in 3/10 new oak, American and French, weighted more towards American.

The color is deep dark crimson, with an unfiltered slightly hazy appearance that makes it seem opaque. Expect tart cherry and blackberry flavors and aromas to dominate the palate, while spice, roasted and vanilla notes play over the fruit in the nose. All the while, tannins will likely keep a firm grip on your tongue. I found the finish to be dusty and gravelly, like a Pauillac, with a bit of vanilla being the last note.

Price: $25 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

I can only conclude one thing from comparing these outstanding, albeit different Paso Robles Cabs. That is, a trip to Paso Robles needs to be on my agenda for the very near future. It may not be as easy to get to as Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara, Temecula, Monterey, Mendocino, or Amador. But the pilgrim's path is never easy. Meanwhile, you can't go wrong with any of these Paso Cabs.

A to Z Wineworks Night & Day Oregon Red 2005

There is a Samuel Johnson quote on the back label that states, "The fact of twilight does not mean you cannot tell day from night." The choice of this obscure yet provocative and timely bite of wisdom from 300+ years ago would have to make you curious about what's in the bottle. It's a fair sight better than the reading on the back label of most bottles, or anything I could write. As they said in the 70's, "heavy, man". One would have to expect a deep wine experience to justify that line.

You won't be disappointed. There isn't a lot of buzz about wines from the Rogue Valley and surrounding area in southern Oregon. This part of the country is really out there. You can still get lost here, or perhaps you might "find yourself". A to Z Wineworks might have called this wine "Lost & Found", but "Night & Day" works fine. The points are, this is a well made Bordeaux-style blend and it's one that makes you think, maybe too much. This isn't a wine for mindless consumption.

A to Z Night & Day 2005 is 33% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, plus 6% Syrah, 6% Grenache, 6% Sangiovese, 2% Nebbiolo and 2% Tempranillo. The minor components stray from the Bordeaux theme, but tireless blending is a mark of the A to Z Wineworks. Often this skill is put to use assembling lots of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, in search of synergy. Fortunately, they have not stopped with these better known Oregon grapes.

You might go on and on trying to describe this one, just as you might keep thinking about that Dr. Johnson quote on the back label. I'll say the aromas run the gamut of berries, from black to red, and there's tobacco and oregano in there with the fruit. The black is the base note, and the red is the melody. As you keep sniffing it, you pick up subtle wood spice, the atmosphere. On the tongue the intensity increases, there is pepper, and dusty cocoa tannins carry the mixed berry liqueur flavors through a rocky finish.

What did Dr. Johnson mean? I'm not sure, so how about another easier to get quote of his. "Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others."

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

Hendry Napa Rosé 2006

Whenever I notice someone buying good quality dry rosé, I look to see what else they're buying. These are people I should know, or at least I should know what they drink. They're not stuck in a red and white world. They are open-minded wine drinkers. And they aren't afraid of color.

Some people have no time to stop and smell the rosés. But I wonder, how can you not like a good rosé? No wine is as much fun to look at in a glass, and none is more versatile. Rosé is the de-facto picnic wine and is the liquid stuff of romantic sidewalk cafés. Still, few Americans venture to the middle of the wine spectrum.

Hendry Napa Rosé, like most good dry rosés, is really all about the color. You're not so much drinking rosé because of the flavor. The flavor can be really good, of course, as with this Hendry, still it's not tremendously different from drinking a white wine. But look into a glass while you swirl it around and what do you see? Of course, you can't help but to think of the flower. Anarchist Emma Goldman was quoted as saying, "I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds 'round my neck." Personally, I couldn't agree more. Does that make those of us who like rosé, wine anarchists? Then there are the sunsets that stop us in our tracks, whatever hurry we're in. Even neon comes to mind when swirling a glass, like the pink elephant neon sign near the Space Needle in Seattle. Rosé also brings to mind the brilliant turning leaves that happen in the fall. We usually think of Vermont, but this brilliant color can even be seen in Hendry's vineyards.

Hendry Napa Rosé comes into being when the lots of freshly crushed Cabernet and Primitivo grapes have been in the fermentation tank a short time, and a judicious cut of the brightly hued juice is bled off. The saignée process as it is called, results in a fanciful rosé from great stock, while also concentrating the phenolics and deepening the color of the red wine that is left on the grape skins. It's a win-win, or you could say, wine-wine situation.

Breathe in Hendry Rosé and your apt to sense lots of citrus, grapefruit and blood orange, plus stone fruit, peaches and nectarines, and a hint of something plummy. Your tongue will be delighted by a bittersweet sensation that carries through the citrus character. This is a real picnic wine that makes me think of cold fried chicken, pimento cheese sandwiches and those addictive salt and pepper kettle chips.

Another real nice thing about Hendry Rosé is it's kind of like an early bird special. You'll pay $55 for a bottle of Hendry Cab, or $31 for the Primitivo, both of which gave up some of their juice to make this rosé, which you can buy for under $15. That's a great deal for this estate bottled beauty. There's only a few hundred cases of it, but you can buy it online direct from Hendry if your state allows it.

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Educated Guess Napa Cabernet 2005

There have been a string of really good Napa Cabernet vintages, and 2005 is shaping up as well in the bottle as it looked in the vineyards. When I was in Napa in mid-October of 2005, most of the abundant crop of Cab was yet to be harvested, so I was able to get some pictures of the pregnant vines. The vines were loaded and seemed to be almost bleeding rich ripe fruit. It was obvious then there was enough fruit to go around and then some. As a result there are now some bargains to be had, like Educated Guess.

In fact, 2005 was the first year for Educated Guess Napa Cab, founded by Proprietor Mark Albrecht, who is by all accounts an industry marketing success story, having been behind a number of successful labels. He tapped consulting wine maker Barry Gnekow, another big noise in industry circles to make sure the bottles got filled with the best juice available. I guess the timing was perfect for Educated Guess. Representation by Hahn Family Wines, formerly known as Wimbledon Wine Company, ensured the brand quickly received the reach it needed. Hahn represents some great bargains that over-deliver, like Cycles Gladiator, Hahn and Huntington. They spun off a big winner a few years back, Rex Goliath 47 Pound Rooster.

Put this Napa Cab up against the big names on the Valley. This is a big, bold, buttoned down wine that could easily win a brown bag contest of Napa Cabs. Few would guess it to be available under $20. The color is deep and dark. You definitely get textbook blackberry and cassis liqueur aromas, plus vanilla overtones and a smidgen of peppermint leaves. On the tongue the cassis liqueur dominates as it should, plus there's a bit of spicy oak present. The body is full and the finish is substantial with sturdy tannins, although you won't have to wait on this Cab. At least I won't - it's ripe for drinking now. That's good, because I have neither the patience nor the room to lay down wine these days.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14.1%.

The Hunt for October Red

Click for a larger picture of these bottles.

The hunt for October red has turned up a whole lot of alternatives. Here are four to get the week off on the right track. I love them all and have repeated them in search of my favorite. I can't say which is best because they're all top notch, each perfect for the season, and each priced at about $15 or under per bottle. Two are from Spain, continuing on my October theme; one is French and one from Washington State. Perhaps the balance of the month will turn up something from California.

Eric Soloman's European Cellars is an importer many people trust. It's like a seal of approval for any Spanish wine in the eyes of many value conscious Americans. Eric brings us Capçanes Mas Donís Montsant Red 2004 ($15) and Mas Que Vinos Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2005 ($13). Both are deep purple in the glass, but the Ercavio has more of an unfiltered appearance, showing some haziness under a halogen beam.

Mas Donís 2004 is mostly old-vine Grenache (80% Grenache with 20% Syrah) and has a perfumed black cherry nose with teaberry and hints of pencil lead. The body is medium, the flavor's tart and the mouth feel is moderately tannic. The cherry fruit along with some vanilla flavors come together nicely in the dusty dry finish. The only thing I don't like is the plastic cork. Why must anyone use that blasted plastic cork? Alcohol content: 14%.

Ercavio Tempranillo 2005 spent 5 months in French American oak and has a lovely aroma of black raspberry, loganberry and apple pie spice, plus the scent of a tobacco shop. Lush and fruit forward, this is what I would describe as a masculine comfort wine, and it would pair perfectly with a cheeseburger. The closure is a Nomacork*. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Jean-Philippe Bourgeois was the General Manager for Eric Solomon for 6 years, and now he is bringing French values to the American market. Château Capion 1C Rouge 2005 (Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, $13) is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and was barrel aged for 14 months. That sounds like a recipe for a great Bordeaux but this gem of a red comes from further south. Still you get the deep purple color and aromas of black currants, dark berries and hints of vanilla. The rich blackberry cobbler flavors envelop the mouth in a far reaching luscious dry finish.

The Magnificent Wine Company is the mass-production wing of K Vintners of Walla Walla, Washington. KV is the project of Charles Smith who brings us such magnificent wines as "The Creator". You might walk right past House Wine 2005 ($11) due to the rather "in your face" and non-standard graphics on the label. You might mistake it for a generic red blend but it's anything but. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Here's another ideal Bordeaux blend, and the latitiude is virtually the same as Bordeaux. The resulting aromas and flavors are much better than the average house wine, with dark berry flavors and aromas, resolving nicely in to a lush dry finish that echoes the virtues of barrel aging. The closure is a real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

*The Nomacork is a composite resin artificial cork that is similar to the Neocork, but the Nomacork brand is much more popular in terms of units sold.

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).

Schug Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

The Schug family has never sold out to anyone and always seems to be aiming to define classic wine. Without pretension, Walter Schug presides over modestly priced creations infused with worldly experience such as this Cabernet which bridges the gap between Sonoma and Bordeaux.

The Schug Winery was established in Carneros in 1980 after Walter Schug decided to go it on his own after years of helping put Joseph Phelps and California Cabernet on the map. Walter made the first Bordeaux-style blend for Phelps (Insignia) as well as the first vineyard-designated Cabs (Bacchus and Eisele) and the first varietal Syrah in the US. Having grown up in a Pinot Noir vineyard in Germany, Walter wanted to make Pinot Noir commercially but Phelps didn't. Hence it was off to Carneros where he has been making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and sparkling wines.

Now Walter has the help of Michael Cox, plus a small to medium sized state of the art winery facility and a modest cave where wines are barrel aged. Sonoma Valley Cab 2004 is a blend of Cab, Cab Franc and Merlot.

Outstanding value ($20). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

Style: A bit lusher than a firm Bordeaux but combining the best of the old and new worlds; well endowed with oak.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep purple ruby with just a slight haze. Aromas: Classic cassis and loganberry combine with spicy oak and cave earth. On the tongue the body is medium to full with nice tartness and substantial yet lightly polished tannins. The dark fruit and spice flavors are backed with a smidgen of pencil lead and the finish lingers well.

Comment: A good candidate for taking to a friendly blind tasting competition. You know, where everyone brings a bottle in a brown paper bag and the person whose bottle finishes last pays for dinner.