winewaves

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.

Martin Codax Rias Baixas Albarino 2006

Martín Códax is a Galician Troubadour who lived some 7 centuries ago; his writings were rediscovered in the last century by an antiquarian bookseller in Madrid. The name was given to the winery what produces this Albariño by the same name. Bodegas Martín Códax also produces Burgans Albariño as well as herb and coffee liqueurs.

Like the medieval troubadour Martín Códax, the namesake Albariño is an unwashed expression of the place as well as the grape.

Outstanding value ($14). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 13%.

Style: Exotic, juicy round, fruity and refreshingly dry.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Pale straw with a greenish tint. Aromas: Mandarin, lime, pear and cold blossoms. Medium-bodied, juicy and tart on the tongue, the pear and citrus medley flavors play out over a lengthy dry finish.

Comment: “In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.” -  Federico Garcia Lorca

Winewaves reviewed Bodegas Martín Códax Burgans Albariño 2005.

Zaca Mesa Santa Ynez Valley Viognier 2005

Zaca Mesa is thirty-something now and has developed into a very well managed and focused wine estate that practices "sustainable winegrowing". Through a winnowing process they found Rhône varietals (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Viognier, and Roussanne) grow best on their sprawling property north of Solvang. Although they also produce Chardonnay from vines planted in the 1970's.

Clay Brock follows a string of highly successful Winemakers. He reports Viognier 2005 was fermented in stainless steel and neutral oak barrels, aged 3 months on the lees but not allowed to go through malolactic fermentation. Filtering was "gentle".

Excellent value ($15). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

Style: Aromatic fruit, lightly floral, round body, crisp finish.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Light golden straw. Aromas: Peach, mandarin orange and cold blossoms. The mouthfeel is nicely round and juicy tart. Layers of citrus fruit, peaches and cream reverberate in the crisp dry finish.

Comment: Chill gently; this natural beauty will easily form "wine diamonds", or tartaric acid crystals. This is considered by many a good sign for a white wine. If you're bothered by them, you can filter them out.

Sebeka Western Cape Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Following a trend that's long in the tooth, wine giant Gallo is using the Cheetah as their symbol for marketing the new Sebeka line. Everyone is saying the "critter craze" has run its course and we need to move on. But what's a brand manager to do when given the task to come up with a marketing icon for a new $7 South African wine; one that will compete with Yellow Tail?

Evidently Gallo believes heavy marketing and promotion plus an over the top floor display will make this Cheetah hunt. But from an informed wine consumer's point of view it's somewhat of an insult. Animals on labels are still fair game but one needs to be more creative with them and do a better job of connecting the animal, the brand and the wine's story. If South African wine is a bit mysterious, how does hitting us over the head with a cheetah help tell the story?

The name Sebeka is just as superficial and non-explanative. It was recently posited (at Grape.co.za) that "Sebeka in the isiXhosa and isiZulu languages means something that is (has been) stored or laid down", but is seems more likely that Gallo just thought it sounded good. Are they aware that Sebeka is a town in Minnesota, population 710?

Gallo is working with Swartland Winery for the source of wine for the Sebeka brand, using fruit from the Western Cape region north of Cape Town.

Very nice value ($7). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Style: Crisp, citrusy, grassy, lightly fruity, palate cleansing.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Pale straw. Aromas: Melon, grass, and slight hints of sweet marshmallow and banana that reminds me of a compound flavorists use called "ethyl maltol". The mouthfeel is light and tart, with lemon, green apple and lime rind flavors that finish nicely dry and palate cleansing.

Comment: If you can get past the Cheetah coalition, the price is right on this wild white.

Mad Dogs & Englishmen Jumilla Monastrell 2005

It was Noel Coward who penned the lampoon tune in 1932 what shares the name of this wine. The irreverant wit Coward was adept at poking fun at the snobbery of British aristocracy.

"At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done, But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun."

Mad Dogs & Englishmen the wine is another of the "wine-antisnob" Peter Click's imports, this one from Jumilla Spain. Jumilla is hot and dry, the kind of place where at midday one would be well advised to retreat and take a siesta. There Monastrell is the thing, a grape also known as Mourvedre. The 2005 vintage of Mad Dogs is half Monastrell (from 30-year-old un-grafted vines), plus 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Shiraz, barrel-aged.

Excellent value ($9). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Style: Fruit-forward, youthful and boldly seasoned, minerally.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep ruby, translucent. Aromas: Cassis, loganberry and chocolate. Medium-bodied with moderate young tannins, the plethora of raspy fruit layers nicely over cocoa, white pepper and gravel. The finish is warm and dry as Noel Coward's wit.

Comment: Here's a no fuss way to hot the nail on the head with a Spanish red. Juxtapose it with filet mignon, medium rare.

Barefoot Cellars Non-Vintage California Chardonnay

Click for an enlarged picture

At home in a plastic cup or a Riedel glass, at $1 a glass the price is right on this Chardonnay when an "estate pour" isn't called for or when there's no one around you feel the need to impress. Hey look, there isn't even a vintage, but the juice isn't bad, definitely on par with the better boxes priced the same per liter.

Gallo bought the Barefoot brand in early 2005 and continues growing it at an impressive rate. Millennials, a.k.a. "Generation Y" are said to be the target. A lot of Barefoot buyers may just be "Millennial at heart" or on a tight budget. Why not sneak a drink of the "class of 2000"? It's sort of a reversal; you drinking theirs rather than the other way around.

Jennifer Wall is Winemaker for the Barefoot line, and she calls the style "vibrant and fun, fantastic and affordably priced". That sounds a bit like a "one night stand", but at least it doesn't overpromise, which is refreshing.

Excellent value ($9/1.5 Liter). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 13%.

Style: Juicy round tropical and refreshing but uncomplicated.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Light straw, with a greenish tint. Aromas: Tropical fruit: peach, pineapple, lemon and hints of banana. Juicy round and soft with enough acidity to balance the sweet fruit, the tropical punch and green apple crispness leads to a simply refreshing finish.

Pictured below, Barefoot showed up to have some fun at the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) Festival Tasting in January.

Click for the Winewaves ZAP - Zinfandel Advocates and Producers - January 2007 San Francisco Tasting Photo Album

EOS Novella Paso Robles Synergy 2003

Novella Synergy 2003 is produced by EOS Estate Winery and is a blend of 56% Petite Sirah, 39% Zinfandel and 5% Sangiovese. Leslie Melendez, Senior Winemaker rose through the ranks from Lab Tech and has been with EOS since its beginnings in the 1990s.

Excellent value ($14). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 13.5%

Style: Lush, Fruit Forward, Some Oak Spice.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep purple ruby, translucent. Aromas: Red to black berries, some dried fruit and some toasty oak spice; perhaps a bit of forest/earth there as well. This wine is firm but polite, with lush fruit and chocolate flavors that reverberate in the tangy dusty finish.

Comment: Good on a rainy night.

Winery Website: http://www.eosvintage.com/novella.html

Wallace Brook Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2005

Oregon Pinot Noir from top producers, the sort that hits all my flavor and texture "hot buttons", is usually a bit out of my everyday price range. It may be worth the price paid, but it usually takes on "special occasion only" status.

One way to keep to a wine budget is to find "second labels" from top producers. Wineries more often sell the extra wine that doesn't match their stylistic or business requirements, but sometimes they bottle it under a second label.

Like in Burgundy, in Oregon lots of "unmatched" Pinot Noir finds its way into "negociant" labels. Perhaps it is just the temperamental nature of the grape. Fortunately Adelsheim Vineyards offers up some of their extra wine under the Wallace Brook Cellars label. Wallace Brook Pinot Noir is sourced from vineyards in the northern Willamette Valley and aged in French oak barrels (up to 1/4 new).

Unfortunately the quantity is limited and varies from year to year, with less than 1,400 cases produced of the 2004 vintage. Wallace Brook shows up on a lot of restaurant wine lists.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Bright ruby, translucent. Aromas: Intense cherry, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate and hints of earth. Light bodied and tart with fine tannins, the juicy red fruit flavors combine with citrus and light buttery oak spice and mineral notes, leading to a vibrant dry finish.

Excellent value ($16).  Closure: Neocork.  Alcohol content: 13%.

Food pairing: By itself, or if it doesn't disappear first, with pan-seared salmon.

Höpler Grüner Veltliner 2005

Take a break from the red wine season and cleanse your palate with something green and "groovy" as Grüner Veltliner is tagged. The minimalist in you will appreciate having the slate wiped clean if only for a little while with a white wine perfectly made from the national grape of Austria.

One word: Höpler.  Grüner Veltliner 2005 is Burgenland fruit, vinified in all stainless steel, of course.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Very pale straw with a slight greenish tint. Aromas: Quince, starfruit, under-ripe apricot and a flinty sort of minerality. Tart, light-bodied and just a bit rounded off on the tongue, the high-key citrus and starfruit flavors are joined by a smidgen of white pepper and mineral, followed by a crisp, dry and palate-cleansing finish.

Outstanding value ($13). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 12.5%.

Food pairing: Fresh Guacamole, Pommes Frites or Deviled Eggs.

Winewaves reviewed the 2004 vintage of Hopler Grüner Veltliner and also named it  "best white wine of the year" for 2006. The 2005 is every bit as good.

Aquinas Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2005

Aquinas Napa Valley is named for Patron Saint Thomas Aquinas. Fitting, considering the wine inside delivers truth and divinity, reason and revelation, refinement and expression, all at a vow-of-poverty price. And it's available to the masses.

Richard Bruno (also of Vinum Cellars acclaim) directs the winemaking efforts at Don & Sons with lots of help from hands-on winemaker Greg Kitchens. Both are "foodies" as well as winemakers and they are masters at getting the end product seasoned and spiced right. The Sebastiani family's superb fruit sourcing relationships ensure the winemaking team has plenty to work with.

Aquinas Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2005 is 86% Napa in origin, with some Monterey and Clarksburg lots blended in. Production: 17,000 cases.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Cherry red with bright edges, transparent. Aromas: Sour cherry, pomegranate and strawberry fruit framed by lightly smoky oak seasoning and earthy nuances. Well-structured, a middleweight Pinot that's tart and possessing fine tannins, the ripe cherry red berry flavors combine with citrus rind and a bit of sweet spice before finishing very dusty dry like its valley of origin.

Outstanding value ($10).  Closure: Neocork.  Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Also tasted, same label (not photographed): Aquinas Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 is another stylish winner for the price, deep garnet in color with blackberry, mocha, coffee, and ripe olive aromas. Medium-bodied with substantial firm tannins, the blackberry, cherry and cedar flavors combine with a light herbaceous quality and finish with nice grip and dust. At the Sonoma Market sale price of $8, I got a whole bottle at a per glass price. (Neocork, 13.5% alcohol).

Winewaves recently reviewed Vinum Cellars CNW Clarksburg Chenin Blanc 2005.