just another wine blog.

Biddenden Vineyards.

2011-05-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Finding myself wandering through the town of Kent, I decided to stop by the oldest continually producing vineyard in the area. Biddenden’s former life as an apple orchard lives on in its production of ciders alongside its current line of wines. This 22-acre estate grows Ortega (a hybrid invented in 1948), Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Gamay, Scheurebe, and Huxelrebe among other experimental varietals. No more apple trees can be found here, but Biddenden buys apples from local orchards and does cider production on-site.

Here’s a little history of the estate: Biddenden was established in 1969 by Sally and Julian Barnes. They invested in a sole acre of land after an article appeared claiming vines were the next big cash crop in the Kent area. They slowly expanded, planting land they bought with German varietals as they went. After three years of perfecting their training and pruning methods, Biddenden had its first official harvest in 1973.

Ortega vines outside Biddenden's tasting room

The Barnes’ turned to mainly German varietals due to the availability of information regarding the adaptation of these grapes to the unique Kent terroir. The cool climate is similar in some ways to the grapes’ native terrain; Kent, however, is much wetter, often being enveloped in fog. This humidity brings the area’s major problem: powdery (oidium) and downy mildew. Luckily the weather dries out a bit in the crucial months of March through August, but mildew and rot are challenging enough to require numerous copper sulfate sprays.

This estate’s philosophy is to express their winemaking skill in the wines they offer. Terroir is not the focus here; rather, the ability of the winemaker to turn a difficult area for grape growing into a prime winemaking opportunity is the highlight. It’s quite interesting to taste these unique wines, especially if one knows the history behind the wine region here.

cider tanks at the Biddenden estate

Ciders, on the other hand, are really what this estate makes to perfection. In fact, Biddenden’s ciders are so good that the local pubs will only sell them by the half-pint… they are crafted in such a delicious manner that the alcohol lurking underneath is rarely even sensed, making these delectable drinks quite dangerous on a hot day.

I was welcomed pleasantly by my hostess Vikki Wright and offered a taste of both lines of wines (Gribble Bridge and Biddenden) and the line of ciders. Here’s what I tasted:

2009 Gribble Bridge Ortega

A simple but nice display of Ortega grapes grown in a rather warm year. Crisp and mild with medium acidity. Full of soft apples and white peaches. Nothing remarkable, but pleasing nonetheless.

2009 Biddenden Ortega

Similar aromatic and flavor profiles to the Gribble Bridge version: Red Delicious apples and white peach, but with a little more acidity. Again, nothing spectacular, but a nice example of Ortega.

2009 Gribble Bridge Dornfelder/Acalon Rose

Probably two grapes most people have never encountered. Acalon, by the way, is not a certified fine wine grape, but is a French varietal used typically for making jam or eating. Here it acts as an experimental varietal. This rose was truly interesting… full of funky, earthy cherries, with a gamey aroma that would make it pair nicely with rabbit. A hint of sourness in the background; I’m not sure if that is from the Acalon or Dornfelder, or from a natural wild yeast in the area.

2009 Gribble Bridge Dornfelder

Again loaded with sour cherries. This wine would be a great replacement for a Beaujolais Villages, or a Gamay from the Loire. I would serve it slightly chilled. This one was pretty good.

2004 Gribble Bridge Sparkling White

A blend of Reicht, Sheurebe, and Ortega. This wine is not intended to be Champagne-style, though it is made by the Champagne method. In this area the people have developed a taste for aged sparkling wines. This one exemplifies the creamy style preferred here. Aging on the lees for over 9 months gives a yeasty character; fruity apples and a clayey minerality give it character.

2007 Gribble Bridge Sparkling Rose

This 100% Gamay sparkler was the most impressive wine I encountered in the lineup. Sweet cherries and rose petals make this one a delicious, easy drinking summer wine.

The 2009 Biddenden Gamay was unfortunately not available for tasting, but Jancis Robinson covers it well here.

And on to the ciders. I tasted through the line of ciders and loved every one of them. However, use caution: the dry Strong Kentish Cider tastes exactly like the best apple juice you could ever imagine, but packs a powerful 8.4% alcohol. The medium Strong Kentish Cider tops out at over 9% alcohol (though the label says 8%), and again, you would never even guess it had been fermented. Also on the menu are a sparkling cider with hints of licorice and refreshing fine bubbles (unfortunately only available in the tasting room), a “Special Reserve” cider fermented in whiskey casks weighing in at 13% alcohol (absolutely phenomenal), and the “Monk’s Delight” spiced cider. I recommend every single one of these if you have the opportunity to taste them!

If you’d like to visit Biddenden, or for more information, check out their website or email Vikki Wright.

The history of English winemaking.

2011-03-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

UK vineyard locations today

Many are surprised to hear of wine production in England. Very little of the wine ever makes it out of the UK. Sommeliers around the world typically have no opportunity to taste these wines unless they pay a visit to the regions themselves. So when people read about the wines of England they naturally think this is a relatively new development. But a reading of the history of English winemaking below will definitely surprise most and change opinions…

Roman amphora discovered in Kent, England

The first wine production in what is now England occurred during Roman times, about 2000 years ago. Oxford Archaeology has discovered many artifacts telling of the consumption of wine throughout the Roman era, including an amphora from BC times (see above). The small-scale winemaking enterprise was welcomed among the conquered: they had developed an appreciation for wine due to the importation of the beverage from the Belgae before Roman occupation. But some historians believe that the production was, in fact, so small-scale that hardly any wine was produced at all, and that the ceremonial tending of the vineyards and making of the wine was more a remnant of the homesickness of the Romans than an actual productive business.

Conquest of the Normans

The departure of the Romans and the subsequent Dark Ages mostly resulted in these small vineyards falling into disuse and disrepair. The adoption of Christianity under King Alfred encouraged a bit of winemaking to produce wine for the church, but more widespread interest didn’t begin until the entrance of the Normans in 1066.

By the time of the Norman conquest vines were certainly grown in quantities that allowed a significant amount of wine production. Evidence abounds throughout cities in England of the importance of wines (street names such as Vine Street, for example). The Normans were heavy drinkers who enjoyed wine in particular, and their skills as winemakers were finely honed. The Domesday Book reported 46 vineyards in the south of England in 1085-1086, and English production nearly matched imports in volume. Of these only 12 were tended by monasteries. The rest were property of noblemen, producing wine for their personal pleasure. At this time wine was being produced in the coastal area in the southeast and in an area including present-day Somerset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire.

Thereafter the number of vineyards suddenly declined. There is a popular debate regarding a potential climate change that may have taken place during the Norman times that might explain this demise. Some say that the summers became colder and winters became warmer, and that the climate in general became wetter, making grape growing a much more difficult task. Others attribute the change in vineyard land to the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536. Still others point to the change in agriculture following the Black Plague due to a dramatic drop in population. Importation of the wines of Bordeaux, Champagne, Germany, and Portugal may have had an effect as well. By the late 1300s more than half of all the wine in Bordeaux was loaded onto British ships and sold within England. Unfortunately we have very few records to help us figure out the exact reason or combination of events that led to the fall in vineyard acreage.

A tavern frequented by wine drinkers in 18th century England

In the 17th century and onward there was once again a rise in wine production, mostly due to private enterprise. A few influential figures were key in boosting the home industry such as the Hon. Charles Hamilton in 1740, who developed the vineyards at Painshill Park in Surrey which has been recently restored. John Tradescant planted 20,000 vines on the estate of Lord Salisbury in Hartfordshire. The Marquis of Bute planted vines at Castell Coch in South Wales in the late 19th century, considered to be the last great experiment in viticulture prior to the modern period. His wine was not thought of as the finest: a joke existed about it, posing the question “How many men does it take to drink a glass of the Marquis’ wine?” The answer is 3: one to drink the wine, and two more to hold him down while he does. After World War I a labor shortage hit the wine industry heavily, leaving many vineyards untended for years.

Wrotham Pinot Noir, discovered by Edward Hyams

The modern revival can be traced to a couple of influential figures. Ray Barrington Brock, a research chemist, developed a research lab in Surrey where he experimentally planted over 600 grape varietals to study their growth in the English soils and climate over a period of 25 years. He introduced the relatively well-faring Muller-Thurgau (Riesling Sylvaner) and Seyval Blanc (Seyve Villard) to the English countryside. Edward Hyams, a writer and journalist, used his skills to popularize viticulture, winemaking, and wine consumption. He collaborated with Brock in Surrey and discovered a number of “native” vines still growing in England, including Wrotham Pinot (an interesting clone of Pinot Noir, cultivated a little now in California). George Ortish, another who impacted England’s wine industry, studied horticulture in Champagne and upon returning to his native Kent realized the similarity of the region to Champagne. He planted a vineyard in 1938 and proved himself to be an excellent winemaker.

Major General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones in his vineyard

The first modern 100% commercial vineyard was planted by Major-General Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones in 1951. A few others slowly followed suit, planting mostly Seyval Blanc and Muller-Thurgau after the recommendations of Brock’s research. The period immediately after 1976 saw a huge boom in vineyard land for winemaking. Currently the growth has slowed, and there are 1,215 hectares planted today.

During the last couple decades sparkling wines, roses, and oak-aged reds have become the norm of English production. Germanic-style fruity, easy to drink quaffers are slowly being replaced by more serious examples, though grapes such as Huxelrebe and Scheurebe still constitute a large amount of production. Beside those, Chardonnay, Ortega, and Optima constitute most of the white blends. As for red varietals, Rondo, Dornfelder, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier are favorites. A comprehensive list of varietals grown commonly can be found here. In addition, the Quality Wine Scheme (England’s AOC, DOC, or AVA setup) can be found here.

I visited Kent recently to do a bit of wine tasting myself. I'll post a couple of writeups of some Kentish vineyards over the next week.

Raffaldini.

2011-03-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

It’s a strange feeling to drive along through the countryside of Yadkin Valley in North Carolina and encounter Raffaldini’s villa that appears to be straight out of Tuscany. It certainly brings one’s attention to the similarity of the rolling hills and picturesque vistas of this region to the Italian countryside itself. And this is exactly why the Raffaldini family chose to establish their winery here, in the seemingly unlikely AVA of Swan Creek.

The Raffaldini family hails from Lombardy, from a town just south of Verona. In the 1950s they began exploring sites in the United States to start a vineyard. An exhaustive search was undertaken through the whole country including the now booming wine regions of California and Oregon. But the similarity of the land in Swan Creek to southern Italy (indeed, the latitude of this region is shared by Sicily: 36.14 N for Yadkin, 36.53 N for the middle of Sicily) was enough to anchor the family here.

The Raffaldini family bought their vineyards in Swan Creek in 2001. Since then, they have experimented with more than 30 different varietals. Their most successful thus far seem to be Montepulciano and Vermentino, but experimental planting is still being undertaken.

The soil quality is excellent in Swan Creek: vineyards lying in the mountainous areas are planted on rocky, schist-based soils with northeast exposure. A pretty much continuous breeze slightly lessens the fear of downy and powdery mildew, the region’s worst plights. The climate is a little cooler and drier here than in the rest of Yadkin Valley necessitating a separate AVA and allowing central and southern Italian varietals a chance to flourish. Yields are kept around 5 tons per hectare. Clusters are turned by hand to induce an even exposure. When sprays must be used, the choice at Raffaldini is organic and natural spray whenever possible. Time consuming multiple pass hand harvesting is done every year to ensure optimal ripeness of every bunch.

Raffaldini's Thomas Salley

A recent article of mine appeared on Terroirist (http://www.terroirist.com/, “Rediscovering North Carolina’s Wines”) discussing the difficulty of getting people to think of North Carolina as a serious wine producing region, including an interview of RagApple Lassie's Linda King. Thomas Salley, the tasting room manager at Raffaldini, had a bit to say about the hardships of being an up-and-coming region as well:

Q: What is the typical response to the idea of North Carolina as a wine producing region?
A: Most people are pleasantly surprised. North Carolina was once the top producer of wine in the United States prior to prohibition.

Q: What particular difficulties have you had in marketing/promoting your wines?
A: One overall challenge has been education. As stated in the previous question, we have to explain why NC is a good wine region and then help people tell the difference between the variety of wines that we have here (e.g. muscadine, vinifera, scuppernong).

Q: What measures do you undertake to try to overcome the stigmas associated with this region? Or do you have interest in doing so?
A: We work hard to stay true to our focus and passion which is producing the best possible central to southern-style Italian wines. Therefore we shy away from trying to produce a wide variety of wines to suit every palate.

Q: Are you looking to expand distribution when the wines begin to be well-received outside the state?
A: We are currently producing around 6,000 cases annually with an eventual goal of producing 10,000 cases. Most of our sales are direct to consumer and while many of our clients reside in NC, we have many others who pass through on interstate trips or also have our wine shipped to them based on the referral of a friend or relative or a past experience here at the winery. This has led us to some expanded distribution, but as our sales are mainly DTC, this is simply a function of our business model.

Here are the wines we tasted in the villa's tasting room with Thomas:

2009 Raffaldini Pinot Grigio
Minerally and citrusy on the nose. Excellent acidity with a medium finish. Nothing spectacular, but pleasant and drinkable.

2009 Raffaldini Vermentino
Again, very noticeable clayey minerality. All citrus and peaches on the finish. Simple but refreshing, and probably very good for pairing.

2008 Raffaldini Bellamisto
This Bordeaux blend showed heightened minerality again. On the palate, bright ripe cherries, rich dark fruit, and a hint of a complex earthiness.

2008 Raffaldini Oenotroia
A little jammy but delicious! Dark purple fruit and an interesting note of slate. A very long finish. Excellent acidity adds to this wine’s elegance.

Winemaker Stephen Rigby giving us excellent information as well as some fantastic wines

After tasting in the tasting room, we moved to the cellar to do some tank and barrel sampling with the winemaker Stephen Rigby (who unfortunately left Raffaldini shortly after our visit to move to Pennsylvania). This was the real treat… some of the wines that have yet to be bottled are absolutely fantastic.

From the tanks:

2010 Raffaldini Vermentino
Rich peaches and Meyer lemon. This is one of the best Vermentinos I have EVER tasted. I was completely shocked! I will certainly buy a case of this when it’s bottled, and I recommend the same to anyone!

2010 Raffaldini Pinot Gris
This is a wild ferment. Excellent acidity, hints of wet rocks and baking spices. Another astonishing wine.

From the barrels:

2009 Raffaldini Merlot
Candy cherries and peppery spice! Medium velvety tannins finish this wine off nicely. A long soft finish adds to the enticement. An excellent wine.

2009 Raffaldini Sangiovese, Brunello clone
Red cherry and strawberry fruit on the nose. This is an amazingly reserved wine that opens up explosively on the palate. I recommend this one highly.

I was much more impressed by the wines yet to be bottled than those I tasted in the tasting room. When I asked the winemaker about this, he reminded me that winemaking here has really only been underway for 7 years. Each year as their knowledge of the land and the grapes improves, they are able to produce more elegant, terroir-driven wines. Keep your eyes on this winery… Raffaldini’s wines will only improve, and may turn out to be some of the best examples of Italian varietals in the US…

To set up a visit or inquire about ordering and shipping wines, go to Raffaldini’s website or email Thomas Salley.

RagApple Lassie Vineyards.

2011-02-20T13:32:00.000-08:00

The first stop in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley was RagApple Lassie, a 150-year-old estate with a curious namesake. We were warmly welcomed by Lenna Hobson, wife of vineyard manager and owner Frank. Lenna took us through the fascinating story of the development of RagApple Lassie and showed us around a bit, then introduced us to Frank and the estate’s winemaker, Linda King.

Frank and Lenna Hobson

The estate was once a tobacco plantation farmed by Frank Hobson. As public opinion of tobacco soured throughout the 80s and 90s, profits declined sharply and many farmers in the area began looking for alternative crops; the Hobsons decided on grapes after witnessing the founding of a large winery nearby. Initially their idea was to grow grapes for sale but soon winemaking became the focus. In September 2002 the 9,600 square foot winery was finished, complete with a 4,000 square foot underground aging cellar and a large tasting room open to visitation. Recently voted one of the finalists for “Best New Winery in the US” by The Wine Appreciation Guild of San Francisco, this is a must-see for anyone venturing through the North Carolina wine country.

Frank and RagApple Lassie

And the curious namesake? Frank Hobson’s prize calf of his childhood. When he was a young boy Frank adopted a newborn calf on the farm and named it RagApple Lassie. The two were fast friends and went everywhere together. After winning first prize at the Yadkin County Fair RagApple Lassie went on to take first at the North Carolina State Fair (the biggest fair in the state). Many years later, when it came time to come up with a name for the winery, RagApple Lassie was immortalized in reverence to his influence in Frank’s childhood.

Grape growing at the estate is fairly easy. The land is still fertile, active farmland; nutrients are reintroduced to the soil each year by intelligent row cropping and crop rotation. The vines thus are kept disease-free and nutrient depletion is not much of a concern. So rich is the soil in organic content, in fact, that the first harvest was done after only 18 months albeit with green harvesting and bunch dropping to avoid high yields. This land challenges the idea that good wine grapes can only be grown in areas that force the vines to struggle… Frank Hobson equates the land to a spa for the grapes, insisting that the easy way of life here for vines does not inhibit serious wine production.

The Hobsons are experimenting with many different varietals as Yadkin Valley is still in the process of determining what its characteristic grapes will be. They are testing not only different varietals, but different clones and rootstocks as well. Among the varietals currently grown on 35 acres at the estate are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Viognier, Syrah, Zinfandel, Pinot Gris, Marsanne, Semillon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Mourvedre, and Symphony. Powdery and downy mildew can be a problem in this area, as can Pierce’s disease. For more information on soil and climate see the introduction to North Carolina’s wine regions here.

A side note: Symphony is a vinifera grape known for its Muscat-like aromatics, slow oxidation, and ageworthiness. It was developed by Harold P. Olmo at UC Davis to provide the character of a Muscat wine without the associated bitterness that frequently accompanies grapes of the Muscat family.It is a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris developed on May 21, 1940 and tested in California over the next few decades. During trials in the 1970s an interesting attribute was discovered: after aging 10 years, wines made from Symphony maintained their Muscat character. According to the US patent application #301,910 filed December 21, 1981, “… persistence of the Muscat aroma and flavor is not a common event in aged table wines of varieties with Muscat character…”

Linda King

Winemaking began in earnest at RagApple Lassie about 10 years ago. Linda King has been the winemaker since 2002. With 38 vintages under her belt in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina and decades of self-training, Ms. King provides an unsurpassed level of knowledge and technical ability that shines through in RagApple Lassie’s young but promising wines. Average production is 6,500 cases, and Hungarian and French oak is used judiciously. Here are the wines we tasted with Frank, Lenna, and Linda:

2009 Pinot Gris

25% of this Pinot Gris was barrel fermented and underwent malolactic fermentation, then was blended in with 75% steel fermented wine. This gives a spicier Gris style as opposed to a fruitier Grigio style to the finished product. On the nose, this wine offered great baking spice and oak spice aromas along with candied lemons. I felt the wine could use a little softening on the palate and would benefit from a year or two in the bottle. Overall a really enjoyable wine. Great for a soft, creamy cheese like a Camembert.

2009 Viognier

Characteristic honeysuckle and sweet honey aromas. Spicy in the mouth with a rich lanolin mouthfeel. A long, cool stainless steel fermentation highlights the Rhone style captured by this wine.

2009 Kaleidoscope Gold

6 white varietals comprise this blend: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Marsanne, Semillon, Viognier, and Traminette. There’s an interesting funkiness to this wine as well as a significant minerality, floral notes, and spice. It’s mouth-coating, with a long creamy finish of lemons and peaches. We thought it was delicious and took a bottle home!

2006 Chardonnay

Barrel fermented and aged sur lie with battonage twice a week for 3 months. This is considered the flagship wine of RagApple Lassie. And honestly, this Chardonnay could easily hold its own against many buttery, oaky California Chardonnays. Lemon cream and spice on the palate with a very long finish. Excellent!

2008 Merlot

Aged 18 months in Hungarian and French oak. Bright ruby red with purple tinges; plums, prunes, and cherries on the nose. The mouthfeel is a little lighter than I had expected based on the aromas. Quite a good effort.

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Also aged 18 months in the same blend of oaks as the Merlot. Great minerality and soft, plumy notes. A bright acidity gives a spark on the finish.

2008 Syrah

Made in a Rhone style, the typical white pepper and blackberry fruit shine through perfectly. Great minerality. A long toasty oak finish.

2007 Zinfandel

This was my favorite red of all. Fruit leather, cherries, and dark berries highlighted with excellent minerality. At only 12.5% (low in my opinion for a Zin!) it maintains a bit of elegance that caught my attention. I’d happily share a bottle of this Zin with any of my sommelier friends.

2008 Kaleidoscope Red

A blend of finished wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Mourvedre. There’s a slight residual sugar that many would appreciate (though I’m not one of them). Oozing with jammy plums and soft tannins, I could imagine this with pulled pork or a tomato based pasta sauce.

First Blush

Made with Traminette, Marsanne, Semillon, and Malbec in the style of a white Zinfandel. Spicy with notes of cola and 3% residual sugar. For those who like white Zin, this is a great replacement with much more complexity.

Rockford Red

A sweeter wine: 4% residual sugar. This Bordeaux blend can be sipped as an off-dry table wine. Its sweet candy cherries and purple fruits with a hint of cinnamon serve as a great accompaniment to anything with blue cheese or chocolate. This is not a wine I’d drink on its own, but with the appropriate food it would be delicious!

Boonville Blanc

A blend of Viognier and Traminette with 5% residual sugar. Honey and peach syrup with a weighty palate and great acidity. But here’s the incredible thing: pair it with white chocolate and coconut and the result is an amazing piña colada flavor that won me over instantly! I would encourage everyone to get ahold of this bottle…

Evening Sunset

A whopping 8% residual sugar. Symphony, Muscat, and Traminette come together in this wine to offer candied orange peel, honey, guava, and mango notes. No need to pair this with anything… just sip a glass after dinner (or actually any time…)

Hobson’s Choice

This wine has a story behind it. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina led to dry weather in Yadkin Valley. During the harvest the unripe grape bunches were left on the vines and by chance matured to 25 Brix. They were all picked as a field blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Gris and fermented together. After 30 months in used barrels the wine emerged, delicious. The name “Hobson’s Choice” traces its roots to a common 16th century English phrase: George Hobson had opened a livery in London with horses and buggies; he would offer customers whichever horse and buggy he chose. This developed into a saying… “Hobsons Choice” was given to customers who had no option of selecting for themselves. Hence the name. When a vintage is particularly good, a field blend will be picked after a long hang time and fermented as Hobson’s Choice!

Though I was not a fan of every wine offered by RagApple Lassie, a few were astonishingly good. And this is after only less than a decade of winemaking and grape growing. Over the next 10 years I believe these wines will continue to develop toward a unique expression of terroir and begin to make their mark on the wine world. And I urge anyone who finds themselves within the vicinity to stop by and judge for themselves!

To set up a visit or for further information, go to RagApple Lassie’s website or email Lenna Hobson.

An introduction to North Carolina.

2011-02-12T07:20:00.000-08:00

current wineries in North Carolina

North Carolina has come quite a long way since the discovery and cultivation of the infamous Scuppernong grape here in 1524. I decided to investigate this state’s AVAs a bit not just to discover the unique wines the region has to offer, but also to pay homage to what was once the largest wine producing area in the United States. Production levels dwindled post-Prohibition, but a comeback is on its way. There are now 99 wineries located throughout the state of North Carolina with the 100th currently being built. Here’s a little history of the wine industry in North Carolina:

Giovanni de Verrazano and Scuppernong grapes, courtesy of http://www.visitncwine.com/

As mentioned above, the Scuppernong grape was discovered here in 1524 in the Cape Fear River Valley. The Florentine navigator Giovanni de Verrazano named the grape after the Scuppernong River. According to him and Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers a few years later, the land was virtually a sea of these large green Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) grapes. In 1585 a governor described the grapes of the area to Raleigh thus: "We have discovered the main to be the goodliest soil under the cope of heaven, so abounding with sweet trees that bring rich and pleasant, grapes of such greatness, yet wild, as France, Spain, nor Italy hath no greater..."

Sidney Weller, founder of Medoc Mountain winery

In 1835 the first commercial winery was established in the state. Sidney Weller, an educator and farmer, bought 300 acres of farmland in Halifax County, North Carolina for $1.50 per acre to practice his somewhat revolutionary agricultural methods. He used crop rotation, plant propagation, and organic soil enrichment to maintain the health of his estate; he is furthermore credited with introducing the “American system” of grape cultivation. By 1840 the vineyard, then known as Medoc Mountain, was the largest in the state and led production in the entire country, hosting over 200 varietals. Its main concentration however was the omnipresent Scuppernong.

A decade later 20 wineries had developed in the state. A thriving wine industry was well underway. This was halted in the 1860s by the unfortunate timing of the Civil War. But the foresight of the brothers Garrett would prove to be the impetus for the industry’s salvation: in 1867 the brothers purchased Weller’s estate and continued its winegrowing tradition, producing still and sparkling wines. One of the brothers’ sons, Paul Garrett, soon emerged as a fantastic salesman and distributed the winery’s products far and wide along the Atlantic coast. In fact he sold more than could be produced, and bulk California wine had to be added to the precious Scuppernong to boost quantity.

By the 1890s the wine industry had regained its health and was seen as a boon for North Carolina, given the state of the economy. The wines’ fame spread attracting well educated and experienced viticulturists and winemakers who perfected production techniques. In 1900 wines from North Carolina even won a few prestigious medals at the Paris Exposition. And in 1904, Paul Garrett’s Virginia Dare wine (named for the first child born to English settlers in the colonies) earned the grand prize in the Louisiana Purchase Exhibition and became the top selling wine in the country. (A side note: sales far outweighed production of this popular wine; Garrett had to blend California bulk wine with the Scuppernong wine which was Virginia Dare’s base, and in the end there was only enough Scuppernong in a bottle to give it a hint of the character of the grape.)

Pau Garret's Norfolk, Virginia facility

It is here that Prohibition enters the scene. In 1909 a ban was placed on all alcohol in North Carolina. Paul Garrett fled to Virginia to escape the laws of Prohibition and reestablished his headquarters there, continuing to sell his famed Virginia Dare. He was forced to escape again to New York a decade later due to Prohibition sentiments in Virginia. But Virginia Dare remained the top seller in the country even post-Prohibition.

the Biltmore Estate

The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 led to a brief freedom for the remaining 13 wineries in North Carolina. A dry vote in 1947 finally killed the wine industry in the state, making the production and selling of all alcohol illegal. Vineyards continued to produce grapes and winemakers hoped that the dry initiative would be short-lived; in the 1960s Senator Carl Vitners passed a bill for funding of wine and viticulture research much to the relief of those in the wine industry. Over the next two decades more and more funding and tax incentives led wineries to try their luck once again, and the grand Biltmore Estate opened the doors of its $6.5 million winery to the public in 1985 to encourage wine tourism.

old tobacco plantations have transformed into vineyards in NC

By 1999 the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council had been established to encourage expansion and experimentation and the Golden LEAF Foundation was teaching tobacco farmers how to transition their plantations to the more profitable vineyards the state wanted. Money was poured into tourism and festivals, with the North Carolina Wine Festival bringing 11,000 people to the wine country in 2002. And to further validate the state as an official and serious wine producer, Yadkin Valley was declared an AVA in 2003 followed by Swan Creek in 2008.

Now a bit of technical information:

deep cecil soil

Muscadine grapes are grown in the fine wine producing regions of the state still, but comprise only about 5% of the vineyards. The remaining 95% are all Vitis vinifera. Many varietals are experimentally planted as the regions are still determining which are best suited to the terrior here. Soil in Yadkin is mostly deep cecil (a bright red clay) and very nutrient-rich… this was once all tobacco land. Swan Creek, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has shallower loamy topsoil with gravel underneath and low organic content.

Four distinct seasons occur in these areas offering vines good growing and ripening conditions with large temperature variations between day and night. Average rainfall sits around 40 inches per year necessitating heavy copper spraying year-round. Heavy pruning and hedging must be done to keep vigor to a minimum. Other than the threat of downy and powdery mildew, Pierce’s disease and Japanese beetles cause some problems for the vines. Organic farming, unfortunately, is not much of an option here.

Varietals grown are too numerous to list at the moment. Sangiovese and Nebbiolo have not fared too well so far, but Bordeaux varietals and other Italian varietals are thriving. A few hybrids are also favored in Yadkin and Swan Creek. Look for the preferred varietals discussed in the summaries of the wineries I will visit next...

Currently North Carolina is the 7th largest wine producer in the US. Most vineyards have less than 10 years of production under their belts. Vitis vinifera is the focus everywhere but the coast, and the wine (though sometimes a little rough) is shockingly good considering the limited number of vintages thus far. Given a decade or two more, top-quality wines will be pouring out of this state and possibly preparing to challenge the Napa Valleys and Willamette Valleys of the country. But we as consumers must be open to this fairly new region… instead of encouraging bias against upcoming wine producing areas such as this, I urge those who are doubtful to try a bottle first, or even pay a visit to the charming wine country of North Carolina. You may end up happily surprised…

For a list of Yadkin Valley wineries: http://www.yvwt.com/

For a list of wine related events in North Carolina: http://www.ncwinegrowers.com/

For more information about visiting the wine regions of North Carolina: http://www.visitncwne.com/

A history of Mexico's wine regions.

2011-02-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

This post is meant only to give a brief history of winemaking in Mexico. And for those whose interest is piqued, a book introducing the wines and wine regions of Mexico, pairing them with Mexican cuisine, and offering traditional step-by-step recipes will be published later this year. I will announce the release of the book when it is available; feel free to contact me with any questions about content or availability.

***

Mexico has a much more extensive history of wine than most would imagine. In fact, the first Vitis vinifera grapes brought to the Americas from Europe were planted in Mexico by the Spanish in the 1500s, long before they arrived in any other country in the New World. After unsuccessful attempts by Spanish conquistadors to grow vinifera wine grapes in the tropical areas of Mexico, cuttings were planted alongside the native varietals which grew profusely in the Parras Valley in Coahuila. Soon afterward grapes were introduced to other regions such as Puebla and Zacatecas.

There is some debate over what the initial grape varietal was that first crossed the Atlantic in the early colonial era. What is known for sure was that the grape was referred to as the “common black grape” of Spain, and that it gave rise to the Mission grape of California, the Criolla (Criolla Grande) grape of Argentina, and the Pais (Criolla Chica) grape of Chile. A side note: Pais and Criolla are now known to have a common ancestor that was a crossing between Muscat of Alexandria and Mission.

Casa Madero

The planting of vinifera grapes was ordered by Hernán Cortés in the 1520s after the supply he had brought dwindled. During the next century and a half wine production in Mexico skyrocketed. Casa Madero, the first commercial winery, was established by Lorenzo Garcia in Santa Maria de las Parras (Coahuila) in 1597 and still exists today.

remains of the Santo Tomas Mission

Eventually the demand for Spanish wine imports dissipated; this resulted in a 1699 ban on wine production in the country save for Church requirements. This ban was not officially lifted until Mexico’s independence. The ban, however, did not faze the Mexican wine producers. Juan Ugarte, a Jesuit priest, was one of the many who continued making wine despite the ban. He introduced the first vines to Baja California upon his relocation in 1701 to Loreto. The vines were transported from Loreto to the Santo Tomas Mission in 1791 by the Jesuits, then to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe del Norte Mission in Guadalupe Valley in 1843 by Dominicans.

Bodegas Santo Tomas

During the next 50 years the Reform War had a drastic effect on winemaking in Mexico. Vineyard land was seized by the state and redistributed; in 1888 the Santo Tomas Mission was revived as a commercial winery by private investors and now operates as Bodegas Santo Tomas. From this period until 1910 winemaking spread once again.

a view of Guadalupe Valley, which currently produces 90% of Mexican wines

A group of Russian immigrants (the Molokans) fled the Czar’s army and relocated to Guadalupe Valley and its surrounding areas. There they began making good quality wines, only to be stifled by the Mexican Revolution. Since the 1980s there has been a small revival of winemaking especially in Guadalupe Valley, but foreign competition and a general lack of viticultural and vinicultural knowledge make this a difficult struggle. Nevertheless some excellent small wineries have sprung up since the 1990s and some are prophesying a new Napa Valley’s birth in Guadalupe. This is definitely an area to keep an eye on during the next few decades…

Some traditional Argentine dishes.

2011-01-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

More specifically, the dishes here are very typical of the central region of Argentina, from Buenos Aires across to the Cuyo region. In the north and south of the country there are a few fundamentally different dishes found on the table. The cuisine of Argentina in general is heavily influenced by its Spanish and Italian ancestry. But the dishes resembling their European counterparts have been transformed in one way or another into traditionally Argentine creations.

I have skipped the parrillas here... grilled meats are very popular in Argentina, and the keys to a truly Argentine parrilla are to avoid seasoning the meat prior to grilling, to make sure the embers are glowing evenly to ensure even heating, and to choose meats that will maintain their juiciness even when well done (as the Argentines like to serve them). I have also skipped the everpresent pizzas and pastas. The recipes below are other dishes I especially liked during my Argentine adventures.

Puchero con chorizos y repollo. (Chorizo and cabbage pot)

There are many versions of the puchero throughout Argentina. The heritage of this dish is traceable to Spain, where a type of chickpea-based stew (cocido) bears the same name. In the area of the Rio de la Plata, the lack of chickpeas necessitates the use of another ingredient; as beef is quite the local favorite, it serves as a substitute.

This recipe will serve 4.

2 pieces of beef shank (marrow included)
2 pounds beef for boiling
½ pound bacon
4 chorizo sausages
1 sprig parsley
garlic (slightly bruised) to taste… typically 2 or 3 cloves
3 medium or 4 small peeled potatoes
4 small carrots, peeled
2 medium onions
4 leeks
1 2 to 2½ pound cabbage, cut in quarters
1 sprig oregano
salt and pepper to taste

You will need 2 pots for this preparation. In one, put beef bones, beef, half the bacon, half the garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper; cover with water. Simmer for at least an hour. After an hour, put in the second pot the chorizo, the rest of the bacon and garlic, and the cabbage and cover with water; boil gently until the cabbage is done. When the second pot reaches a boil add the rest of the vegetables to the beef pot and cook until the potatoes are done.
Make some rice with the broth from the beef pot. This is used to make the soup, which is served separately from the meats. Serve the soup as a starter, followed by separate dishes of meats and vegetables. Pair this with a lighter wine like Altos las Hormigas’ Bonarda, or Argento’s Malbec.

Empanadas de carne al horno. (Baked meat empanadas)

Empanadas in general origínate in Galicia and Portugal, where they resemble more of a meat pie cut into sections. Of course in that region of the world some of the most popular fillings are codfish and tuna, whereas in Argentina a beef filling is preferred. Empanadas can be served as an appetizer or as a main course.

Dough:

3 cups flour
1 cup shortening or pork lard
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp water
salt to taste

Mix shortening or lard with flour and add the egg. This will form a dough after a bit of kneading and gradual adding of water and salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.

Filling:

1 pound lean ground beef
½ cup butter or lard
1 cup scallions, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
½ tsp oregano, cumin, and paprika, respectively
1tbsp seedless raisins
2 tbsp chopped green olives
2 or 3 chopped hard boiled eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Boil a small pot of water. Pour boiling water over ground beef in a bowl while stirring; let stand until beef changes color. Discard water (or save as broth). Heat butter in a skillet and fry scallions until they turn bright green. Add tomatoes, pepper, garlic, parsley, and spices. Sauté for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add raisins, olives, and eggs. When the mixture cools add the ground beef and mix well.
Roll out the dough into rounds. Place a few heaping spoonfuls of the mixture on half of the round; fold dough over and seal with fingers. Bake in a hot oven until browned.
Pair these with a sparkling wine such as Bodegas Chandon’s Rosé or Finca Flichman’s Extra Brut.

Carne adobada al horno. (Marinated beef roast)

4-5 pounds roasting beef
marinade (below)
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
salt to taste

marinade:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp of one of the following: parsley, oregano, or rosemary

Rub the roast well with marinade, let stand overnight. Place in oven on medium heat in a roasting pan. About 30 minutes before it’s done, pour ½ cup wine over it. When it’s done, let the roast stand while you make a gravy from the pan juices and ½ cup red wine with cornstarch diluted in it. Boil the gravy for a few minutes and pour over the roast. Preferably, slice the roast at the table.
Serve this with a spicy, rich red wine, such as Finca Flichman’s Malbec Reserva or CarinaE’s Reverva Syrah.

Conejo al horno. (Roasted rabbit)

A very popular dish in the Cuyo region. This roasted rabbit is simple and delicious!

1 rabbit
marinade, as in above recipe (bay leaves and thyme work well)
brine solution (strongly salted water with a bit of sugar added)

Rub the rabbit well with marinade and let stand overnight. Place in a roasting pan, and roast on medium heat until the meat begins to separate from the bones. Baste frequently with marinade diluted with ½ cup brine solution. Serve well done with a side of carrots and squash, and a light red such as Argento’s Bonarda or CarinaE’s Rosé.

Milanesas caseras especiales. (Breaded steaks)

The name for this simple dish comes from cotoletta alla milanese. Many different meats can be used, and different preparations can be done. This one is common:

8 thinly sliced steaks (not more than a pound in total)
2 tbsp oil
2 cups flour
3 or 4 eggs, beaten, with a pinch of salt, pepper, and oregano
bread crumbs
lemon wedges

Pound steaks flat. Rub with oil and a little salt and let stand for a few minutes. Dip in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs; fry in oil. Serve with lemon wedges and potatoes. Any fruity red wine will do, but this is also great with a buttery Chardonnay like Catena Zapata’s Angélica Zapata Chardonnay Alta.

Escabeche de pollo. (Chicken Escabeche)

This dish has an ancient relative by the name of al-sikbaj, originally a Persian word. It was brought to Spain via the Moors, and made its way to Argentina from there. Traditionally it uses fish, but now many versions such as the one below are made throughout the world.

1 small (3 pound max) chicken or game hen, cut in serving pieces
3 onions cut in rounds
3 red peppers, seeded and cut in strips
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 bruised garlic cloves
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp peppercorns, whole
1 cup olive oil
1 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 cup dry white wine
salt to taste

Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with half the onion slices and half the red pepper. Place chicken pieces on top, then cover with the rest of the vegetables. Sprinkle bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt over all. Pour the oil, vinegar, and wine into the dish until all chicken pieces are covered. Bake covered for 2 hours on medium-low heat. Let stand 48 hours before serving.
This dish pairs perfectly with a light white wine like CarinaE’s Torrontes or Argento’s Pinot Grigio.

Dulce de Leche.

This filling for pastries and cakes needs no introduction. And it’s incredibly simple to prepare…

¼ gal milk
2 ½ cups sugar
1 vanilla bean

Boil milk and sugar with the vanilla vean and a Little baking soda until the milk begins to change color. Turn the heat down to low and stir frequently to avoid burning until the milk thickens. Some prefer to add a little cornstarch to speed up the thickening process, as it can take sometimes up to 2 hours.

A few more from Mendoza: Bodegas Chandon, Catena Zapata, and O. Fournier.

2011-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

There is no need for appointments if you want to visit the following wineries. We had a free day with no plans, so we wandered down Acceso Sur from Mendoza to Uco Valley stopping at the must-see wineries of Mendoza. And here they are...

Bodegas Chandon.

Mendoza’s Chandon traces its heritage to the Champagne giant Moёt and Chandon. In the 1800s the company began producing its famous house wine. By the 1950s demand had skyrocketed for sparkling wines; there was simply not enough available grapes in the Champagne region to offer the volumes required for the market. The French oenologist Renaud Poirier was sent to South America by then-president Count Robert Jean de Vogue to seek out land suitable for sparkling wine production.

After two years of observations and experiments, Pourier found Agrelo (in Lújan de Cuyo). He felt it had excellent potential for sparkling wines: its well-drained clay soils and large day-to-night temperature differentials would be perfect for high acidity base wines. In 1959 the winery was built here. This was the first area of international expansion for Moёt and Chandon. Napa Valley’s Domaine Chandon followed in 1973, then Australia’s in the 1980s (this decade also saw the creation of the colossal LVMH).

Each Chandon winery produces a similar line of wines, but with its own signature. Argentina’s Chandon Extra Brut, for example, will differ in constitution and aroma/flavor profiles from California’s Extra Brut. This is dependent upon the terroir of the region and the varietals best grown there. Here in Malbec country you can be sure to find hints of the regional bestselling grape in the sparkling wines.

Chandon grows some of its own grapes, but 70% of its production comes from other growers with whom Chandon has long-term contracts. All grapes are hand-picked in 20-kilogram crates. All wine is given a dosage for which only Chardonnay is used.

Bodegas Chandon is an easy 5-minute drive off the highway. The tasting room is open to the public, making it a nice midday stop. Here are the wines we tried with our hostesses Lucia and Carolina:

Assemblage

This is a base wine available for tasting to show visitors how a sparkling wine evolves. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and 5% Semillon (to contribute a roundness to the wine), this extremely high acid wine is reminiscent of apple cider and has very little finish. Some tannins are present due to the touch of Pinot Noir. When it becomes a sparkling wine, however, you will see a deliciously different animal…

Extra Brut

This wine is produced via the Charmat Method from the base wine mentioned above. The goal is a fresh, young product that is easy to drink and refreshing. 4-6 months after the base wine is fermented, a dosage with residual sugar of 10 grams per liter is added. The wine is then aged 8 months in the bottle. It is very floral, with soft rounded notes of peach and citrus.

Brut Fresco

This wine is only available in the Chandon winery. It is produced via the Methode Champenoise with 60% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, and 20% Semillon. The dosage used has a slightly higher residual sugar content (14 grams per liter). It has a deeper gold color than the Extra Brut due to a higher percentage of Pinot Noir in the blend. 12 months of lees contact and 2 years in the bottle make this wine quite the production. White and red cherries, rich floral aromas, and a long creamy finish… an astounding wine.

Chandon Rosé

50% Chardonnay, 50% Malbec (of this, 45% is blanc de noirs and 5% is red wine). There is an earthiness present in the rosé, likely from the Malbec. Red fruit shines through. This would make a great accompaniment to salads and appetizers.

For more information, visit Bodegas Chandon’s website.

Catena Zapata.

No visit to Mendoza would be complete without at least a brief stop at the remarkable Catena Zapata tasting room. The story of the Catena family is already written beautifully here, so I find no need to repeat too much.

The Catena family has been extremely influential in turning Argentina into a producer of fine wines recognized worldwide. The family estate had been producing bulk wines since 1902. But in the 1980’s, after Nicolás Catena, son of the Italian immigrant Nicola, taught at UC Berkeley as a visiting professor, he developed the desire to pursue wines that could hold their own against the Bordeauxs and Napa Valley Cabernets of the world. He sought out land on which to grow grapes for high-quality wines, and found it 5000 feet above sea level in Gualtallary in the province of Mendoza. An excellent quote from him says it all: “I felt that the only way we would make a leap in quality would be by pushing the limits of vine cultivation, by taking risks.”

The land he chose proved to be perfect for wine grapes. Poor in nutrients, stony and well-drained, with desert conditions, this land offered just the right qualities for ripe grapes with high skin-to-juice ratios. The rich, concentrated wines produced aged nicely and offered true competition throughout the world of wine. Malbec in particular ripened beautifully here. Clone and soil experiments continued in the area until, in 1994, Nicolás felt reasonably assured that the best plots had been identified. In fact, a Catena Zapata Cabernet/Merlot blend from 1997 was compared to Latour, Solaia, and Opus One.

Catena Zapata was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Argentine fine wine industry. Through the continued work of this family, from Nicola to Nicolás to his daughter Laura Catena, the world’s attention has been brought to this once bulk wine producing country. And some excellent wines now come from this winery, though not all are to my liking… here are the wines we tasted at the tasting room:

2004 Angélica Zapata Malbec Alta

This is a 100% Malbec with grapes from 4 vineyards: the Angélica Vineyard in Lunlunta, the La Pirámide Vineyard in Agrelo, the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, and the La Consulta Vineyard in La Consulta. Altitudes range from 2850 feet to 4850 feet. 18 months in half new, half used French oak finish it off nicely. Black fruit and flowery notes are spiced up with black pepper and cinnamon. A long silky finish.

2004 Angélica Zapata Cabernet Sauvignon Alta

This is a 100% Cabernet with grapes from 3 vineyards: the La Pirámide Vineyard in Agrelo, the Domingo Vineyard in Villa Bastías, and the La Consulta Vineyard in La Consulta. Aged 16 months in 85% French oak (30% new) and 15% American oak (for a bit more oak spice). Ripe red cherries and strawberries pack quite a punch, and a round, long finish leaves hints of leathery spice. This was one of my favorites.

2004 Angélica Zapata Chardonnay Alta

All the grapes for this single vineyard Chardonnay are sourced from the Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary at 4830 feet altitude. Lots of (not so subtle) oak comes from a 1-year rest in new French oak barrels. Peaches and citrus aromas with buttery vanilla are present, but the oak kind of dominates… for those who love the big oaky Chards, this would be a winner. Not my cup of tea though.

2005 D.V. Catena Malbec Malbec

Malbec for this wine is sourced from the Angélica Vineyard and the La Pirámide Vineyard. The former provides ripe black fruit, and the latter gives a characteristic peppery spice. I preferred this to the previous Malbec.

2003 D.V. Catena Cabernet Cabernet

Cabernet from the La Pirámide and Domingo Vineyards. 2 years in 80% new French oak. Eucalyptus, rich eart, leather, and cassis mingle deliciously with red cherries and plums, and a bit of chocolate notes finish it off… and this was, by far, my favorite of the visit. Very complex and mouthfilling.

2005 D.V. Catena Cabernet Malbec

Cabernet from La Pirámide and Malbec from Angélica. Full of berries and vanilla, with spicy oak at the end. A nice blend, but overpowered by the Cabernet Cabernet.

For more information visit Catena Zapata’s website. For my review of Laura Catena’s recent book, Vino Argentino, click here.

O. Fournier.

Head down Acceso Sur from Mendoza toward San Carlos about an hour and a half, make your way along various stone and dirt roads, and you with luck may arrive at Bodegas y Viñedos O. Fournier. This winery was founded by the Spanish family Ortega Gil-Fournier in 2000 with the mission of making internationally recognized boutique-style fine wines. Now the estate comprises 286 hectares of Tempranillo, Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, and Syrah.

The ostrich character used as O. Fournier's symbol represents a joining of earth and sky. It is a stylized representation of a Mocovi Indian cave painting from the area. The bird is endangered in the Uco area.

O. Fournier uses grapes from 12 producers under long-term contract. The estate’s own grapes are not deemed quite ready to use (they would prefer 10-15 year old vines), so while the vines are maturing, grapes have been carefully externally sourced. Yields are kept low, and basically organic practices are encouraged though O. Fournier is not currently organically certified. It can get quite cold in Uco Valley, but the large stones in the vineyards provide not only good drainage, but warmth at night too.

Staying true to tradition, the Tempranillo vines are grown in the “vaso” style (small bushes) typical of Spanish vineyards. Thus far Tempranillo has shown great promise in here Uco Valley. All grapes are hand harvested and treated gently throughout vinification. The winery is designed for gravity processing, and all fermentation is done with whole berries. Underground cellars store the French (80%) and American (20%) barriques used to age the wines.

The family also has a beautiful restaurant on the estate run by Executive Chef Nadia Haron de Ortega.

Here are the wines we tried before our (overpriced) prix fixe lunch in the restaurant:

2009 Urban Uco Torrontes

For more about the Argentine Torrontes grape, click here. This wine was a quite popular seller at the retail shops where I worked in New York and San Francisco. An excellent value! Pear syrup, white peaches, and a ginger ale spice remind me a bit of a simple Gewürztraminer. Great acidity, and a medium finish with some minerality.

2009 β Crux Sauvignon Blanc

This wine had a hint of petillance when we tried it, but I do not remember having detected this in other bottles of it. Round grapefruit, tropical fruits, and a little hay. Very low pyrazine levels.

A note: The β and α Crux wines derive their names from the stars of the Southern Cross, only visible here in the Austral Hemisphere. β Crux wines spend 1 year in 50% new, 50% used oak, while the α Crux wines are aged for 18 months in 100% new oak. Each will spend time in the bottle afterward before its release.

2009 Urban Uco Tempranillo

Blackberry syrup and notes of fruit leather. Very jammy, but with good tannins. I think this will be better in another year or two, but it is a great value once again.

2007 β Crux Vino Tinto

60% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet, 15% Syrah, and 10% Malbec. A VERY intense nose of blueberries, strawberries, and leather. Some floral notes as well. This wine is great but very big and rich. Pair it with anything with cheese or bacon!

2003 α Crux Vino Tinto

50% Temoranillo, 40% Malbec, and 10% Merlot. There is absolutely no age showing on this 2003. Dark cherry, strawberry, herbs, and a distinct dustiness make this a very complex wine. The complexity is matched on the palate. The tannins here are still dominant enough to age quite a while. This was my favorite by far.

2007 α Crux Malbec

Sweet rich fruit and floral notes burst out of the glass. Some cinnamon spice and leather plays in the background. This wine is worth every penny of its $44 price tag.

For more information, visit O. Fournier’s website.

Finca Flichman.

2011-01-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Finca Flichman was a prerequisite stop for me in Mendoza. I first tasted the wines in the city of Porto with the Sogrape group, which owns Finca Flichman along with some major Port wine producers and a few other wineries in Portugal, Chile, and New Zealand. They made quite an impression on me there, so I vowed to pay a visit when I made it to Argentina. Upon my arrival in Mendoza I made an appointment with Flichman’s winemaker and took a hired car to the winery in Barrancas, where we enjoyed a very thorough (perhaps TOO thorough! I had to take a little nap afterward…) tasting along with a parrilla lunch (parrilla is a type of Argentine asado with a somewhat disturbing namesake).

Here’s a bit of information on the history of Finca Flichman: The winery was founded in 1873 by Jewish immigrant Don Sami Flichman, a native of Lodz, Poland. After arriving in Buenos Aires he made his way to Mendoza during the area’s first wine rush. He invested in a winery and a market which has since been converted to the Harrod’s of Mendoza. He also purchased a piece of property in Barrancas (southern Maipú) and planted vines in these ravines along the Mendoza river. The farmhouse that still stands on the property was first built by Don Sami behind protective walls to ward off attacks by the Huarpe tribe native to the Mendoza area.

In 1910 the estate was renamed Finca Flichman (finca is a Spanish word for a large farm or ranch). The Great Depression of 1939 forced the estate to downsize, but Don Sami kept the Barrancas vineyards. He ran Finca Flichman based on bulk wine production until it was passed into the hands of his son Isaac, who had studied oenology in France and decided to try his hand at making fine wines here in Barrancas. He created Caballero de la Cepa with winemaker Raúl de la Mota, one of Argentina's first fine wines that brought fame and international attention to the region.

In 1998 The estate was acquired by the Sogrape group. Sogrape’s $7 million capital infusion, extensive winemaking experience, and international presence were all great boons that helped Finca Flichman focus on more terroir-driven wines made for export. Winemaker Luís Cabral de Almeida, Portuguese by birth, has made wines with the Sogrape group for decades and has lent his expertise to the Flichman wines for over 10 years. The Flichman wines are now available worldwide (even in Lodz!) and viewed quite favorably.

The grapes for Finca Flichman’s wines come from Barrancas and Tupungato. The grounds in Barrancas (Spanish for “ravines”) are littered with the kaleidoscopic array of colored rocks that wash down from the Andes via the Mendoza River; the Tupungato soils are similarly stony, with sandy alluvium mixed among the rocks.

Large temperature variations typical of the desert climate in both regions help the grapes ripen and achieve the potential for elegance and structure. At about 700 meters altitude, the Barrancas grapes get loads of sunlight and offer jammy fruit, rich earth, and deep color. Tupungato, sitting at 1100 meters, contributes more structure, elegance, and a touch of floral aromas. Finca Flichman’s extensive line of wines shows each region beautifully, both individually and in blends.

All of Finca Flichman’s vines are ungrafted. This makes propagation easy, only requiring a shoot from a neighboring vine as shown in the picture above. Traditional flood channels irrigate parral-style trellising used alongside VSP trellising in the vineyards, and all vines are of course covered by sturdy netting to protect against the dreaded Mendoza hail (click here for more information). There is no threat of phylloxera, little worry about mildew or fungus, and very few natural pests to fear here. Varietals grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec, Merlot, and Chardonnay, and the estate even produces a delicious sparkling wine.

Here are the wines we tasted with Luís:

Extra Brut Chardonnay/Malbec

This assemblage of 80% Chardonnay, 20% Merlot is created via the Charmat method. Fresh and fruity, but with some yeastiness and an earthy structure, this makes a great aperitif. Though I did not take a bottle with me upon leaving the estate, I did enjoy its refreshing apply character enough to end up buying 3 or 4 bottles throughout my stay in Mendoza.

2010 Malbec Roble

This wine sees a little time in oak, leading to a vanilla spiciness that is atypical of the average young Malbec. Dark fruit and a little violet peer through the oak but are pretty much overpowered. I think this one would be much better off paired with empanadas or a steak.

2009 Misterio Malbec

4 months with oak staves give this wine its slight oaky spice. Lots of chocolate, plums, ripe cherries, and violets. The Misterio finishes off with chocolate covered cherry elegance. This was one of our favorites.

2009 Malbec Reserva

This is a nice example of an Argentine Malbec. Bright red cherry fruit is framed with soft tannins and highlighted with a touch of violet. An excellent food wine.

2009 Gestos Malbec

Made with 50% Malbec from Tupungato and 50% Malbec from Barrancas, this blend gets the ripe plum fruit and rich deep color from one and the structured floral character from the other. 6 months in new oak balance it all out. We took a bottle of this one for sure.

2007 Expresiones Reserva Malbec/Cabernet

Cherries, chocolate, and spice. Very full and heavy mouthfeel. The Cabernet lends a tannic structure that lingers on the finish. This one definitely should not be paired with anything of less substance than a thick juicy steak.

2007 Expresiones Reserva Shiraz/Cabernet

The Syrah character shines through here, with aromas of blackberry and white pepper dominating the blend. There is a hint of wet forest floor and tobacco leaf. The rich fruit is tempered by strong but soft tannins. I actually enjoyed this more than the Malbec blend.

2007 Paisaje de Tupungato

The Paisaje wines are Finca Flichman’s terroir line. Each is carefully crafted to achieve the winemaker’s interpretation of the two regions. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot make up the Tupungato blend. Aged for 12 months in mostly French oak. Roasted coffee spices up the plum and blackcurrant fruit, with a slight touch of chalky and sanguine minerality. An exceptionally long finish. This is a big wine.

2007 Paisaje de Barrancas

My favorite of the day! I had to take some home. Old vine Shiraz (40+ years), Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Blackberries and violets dominate, with a bit of menthol hiding beneath. The full body and soft but powerful tannins won me over instantly.

2006 Dedicado

The Dedicado is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet, and Shiraz made only in the best years. It is aged 12 months in new French oak, followed by 12 more in the bottle. The 2006 is an explosion of berry fruit, smoke, and cedary spice aromas. The palate is meaty and intense, with smooth silky tannins. This is a special wine for a special occasion.

For more information, visit Finca Flichman’s website or send an email.

CarinaE.

2011-01-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

We happened upon CarinaE while driving on the dusty tree-lined roads of Maipú. This is one of Mendoza’s boutique wineries that encourage vintage expression and traditional quality winemaking. Our host Elena took us through the simple but immaculate winery, showed us the barrel room, and led us through a lengthy tasting, all the while relating the history and philosophy of CarinaE.

CarinaE was founded in 2003 by French immigrants Brigitte and Philippe Subra. After relocating to Mendoza in 1998 and managing an electric company for years, Philippe invested in the old abandoned winery in Cruz de Piedra that would become CarinaE Viñedos y Bodega. Its name derives from Philippe’s favorite pastime as an amateur astronomer: the Carina constellation containing the massive Eta Carinae nebula hovers directly above the vineyard in the summer and fall months. (Side note: Cruz de Piedra is a reference to the stone crosses that follow the pilgrims' road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain)

The main vineyard of the estate is an 80+-year-old, 11 hectare plot of Malbec, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The altitude here is around 850 meters and the soil is predominantly alluvial, loam, and loamy clay. The Mendoza River provides plentiful irrigation in this region and the vines rarely suffer drought conditions. Here Bordeaux varietals flourish and the Malbec grapes mature beautifully during the long, slow ripening season. No significant pests or diseases plague the vines, save for a little botrytis in rare years. The wines from the Cruz de Piedra area of Maipú have a rich jammy character, with fruit shining through as the focus, as opposed to the higher-altitude vineyards that highlight more minerality and floral notes.

the old wooden press, still used, sits outside the winery

CarinaE’s winery has a 30,000 case production limit making it truly a boutique winery in this region. An old wooden press sits outside the winery. This is not a prop: this 100-year-old refurbished relic from the old winery is still used during the harvest!

cement tanks

Epoxy-lined concrete vats are used for fermentation, and many of the wines are finished in French oak. Though Brigitte and Philippe comprise the winemaking team, Michel Rolland acts as consulting winemaker through his Mendoza-based crew at Enorolland and conducts biannual tastings. The prerequisite cold maceration and prolonged post-fermentation maceration result in concentrated, rich wines with a strong tannin and acid backbone.

Two brands are produced by CarinaE: Octans and CarinaE. Octans is the southernmost constellation in the night sky of the southern hemisphere which contains the southern polar star. It is an omnipresent fixture in the sky above the vineyard due to its location. This aptly named wine is only available through the winery. CarinaE, on the other hand, is available in many countries throughout the world.

Brigitte Subra at the winery

Here are the wines we tasted with Elena:

2009 CarinaE Reserva Torrontés

This wine is vinified in Maipú with grapes from Cafayate near Salta. It has a round mouthfeel due to the 2.5 grams per liter of residual sugar. A nose of tropical fruits and baking spices with a slight ginger ale feel is followed by a lingering citrusy finish. I would prefer it to be a little less sweet, but it isn’t cloying by any means. Overall quite good.

2010 CarinaE Malbec Rosé

The grapes for this wine hail from the 80-year-old espalier trained vines in the Cruz de Piedra vineyard. Fresh and fruity, this is great on a Mendoza summer day in the park.

2009 CarinaE Malbec

Again from 80-year-old Malbec vines. Unoaked and fresh, this wine is full of ripe red cherries. A good wine for the price, but nothing particularly special.

2008 CarinaE Reserva Malbec

Half of these grapes come from Lújan de Cuyo, the rest come from the Maipú vineyard. It has a distinctly oaky nose due to its 12-month rest in French oak. Plummy and full of jammy red fruit, this is another good wine for the price. Parker gave it 90 points for those interested in scores…

2008 CarinaE Reserva Syrah

This wine is from young vines, grafted 9 years ago in the Cruz de Piedra vineyard and trained in the traditional parral method. A vibrant, rich nose of violets, dark berries, and plums. This wine is enchanting! 12 months in French oak have given it a sturdy frame to complement the vivid fruit. We were sure to take a couple bottles home.

2009 CarinaE Cuvée Brigitte

72% Malbec, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon from 85-year-old vines in Cruz de Piedra. Half the wine was aged in French oak for 9 months. Though is contains almost 15% alcohol, this cuvee maintains some elegance and nice structure. This is a delicious fruity expression of Malbec, meant for drinking soon with a roast or rare steak.

2007 CarinaE Malbec Gran Reserva

3211 bottles made. 15 months in French oak. And a whopping 15% alcohol. Chocolate and espresso waft out of the glass, along with syrupy blackberry and a bit of leather. This was almost too much to drink, but in a fantastic way. The long finish lingered on well after we had tasted, and I almost hated to sip the next wine and eliminate the luxurious tannins and intense fruit of this Malbec. This is a must try.

2007 CarinaE Prestige

79% Malbec, 14% Syrah, 7% Cabernet, but the blend varies year to year. These grapes are a selection of the best CarinaE has to offer. Very dark, filled with caramel and toffee, and astounding. This will last quite a while in the cellar as well. Our favorite (and the most expensive, of course).

To contact CarinaE, visit their website or email Elena.

Argento.

2011-01-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

There are many different styles of producers in Mendoza. On one end of the spectrum is the boutique winery such as CarinaE where vintage variation adds intrigue and novelty; on the other is the large company that uses branding as a focus. Argento is one of the latter, though this does not make the wines any less interesting or delicious. In fact, a company like Argento can be a boon for the Mendoza wine industry. By providing customers with reliable quality and a consistent wine character year after year these producers boost consumer confidence in a region with which many are unfamiliar.

Argento was founded by a joint venture between Bodega Esmerelda (of Catena Zapata) and Bibendum, the largest private importer in the UK. Bibendum already had a customer base and an idea of a wine style but needed a brand. The style Bibendum’s customers desired was an easy drinking, fruit forward wine with elegance that could be appreciated with or without food. In 2000 this brand was realized.

Argento sources all grapes used to make the wines from vineyards all around the Mendoza area. Long-term contracts with growers ensure that Argento’s staff has intimate interaction with the wines from farming the vines to vinifying in the cellars (Esmerelda’s cellar, to be exact). Blends are made from different vineyards each year to maintain the aroma and flavor profiles and structure of the wines from vintage to vintage. To satisfy the markets in all 50 of the countries where Argento has a presence, even the bottle closures are tailored to market preferences: synthetic closures in Brazil, screwcaps in the US.

Terroir is an interesting subject at Argento. Though the company recognizes that different regions and vineyards offer different potential, Argento is focused on providing a dependable brand for consumers. Thus they are less interested in the optimal expression of a particular plot of land and more interested in how to mix and match flavor and aroma profiles to repeat with precision the Argento wines year after year.

I insisted on visiting Casa Argento while in the Mendoza area. I fell in love with their peachy, crisp Chardonnay while working in a retail shop in San Francisco. I probably consumed on the order of cases myself, and sold a few bottles to customers too. Happily, I was welcomed to the estate by Paula Lucero, Argento’s PR and Hospitality Manager, along with Sebastian San Martin, the winemaker, for a tasting and lomito lunch.

The Casa is located a few minutes out of Mendoza in Chacras de Coria. It is a perfect place for a tasting and lunch or dinner, complete with a guest house and beautiful gardens. Here we tasted through Argento’s wines while Sebastian gave us information about the region, the grapes, and the terroir:

2010 Argento Pinot Grigio

This wine should be called a Pinot Gris, as it is teeming with baking spices, minerality, white and pink flowers, and a little tropical fruit. This grape was brought to Mendoza by accident: in 2000, Lurton ordered Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines to plant in the area but got a palatte of Pinot Grigio instead! And a good thing, too… this was a favorite, and a bottle was, of course, taken home for dinner.

Some informative notes: The winemaker keeps the crisp Pinot Gris style by using a reductive New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc yeast and inert gas during vinification to avoid oxidation, keeping fermentation temperatures around 13-14 Celcius, and clarifying the juice with a cold rest; in the vineyard, the acidity is preserved by avoiding effeuillage and harvesting at night. A creaminess is present due to battonage.

2010 Argento Torrontes

This typical Argentine varietal is always a winner. Loads of white flower and stone fruit aromas (and something I call ginger ale) are followed by great acidity and lemon on the palate. Simple enough to pair up with white meat or shellfish, but with a slight complexity to add some curiosity, this is an easy wine to like.

More informative notes: Argentine Torrontes is not Spanish Torrontes (aka Albillo Mayor), nor the Torrontes that grows on Madeira, but in greatly reduced numbers post-phylloxera (Terrantez). It is actually Criolla (aka Mission) crossed with Muscat de Alexandria. Its thick skin from the Criolla parentage allows it to handle extreme temperature swings and harsh soil conditions (salinity, high pH, low moisture), and gives it some rusticity, while its floral nature comes from the Muscat line. There are three types of Torrontes: Mendocino, San Juanino, and Riojano (decidedly the best; the other two are used for table grapes). To keep the delicate nature of the Muscat contribution and some good acidity, parral trellising is used to protect the grapes from too much sunlight. Careful fermentation must be done: Torrontes’ thick skin can lead to bitterness, so a cool fermentation around 12 degrees Celcius is best.

2009 Argento Bonarda

A very floral, fruity, jammy wine full of plums, blackberry, and raspberry. VERY easy to drink. Even after sitting in the glass for an hour this wine’s floral notes were still present. The soft, silky tannins and nice medium-long finish made it a pleasure.

Some notes: Bonarda is sometimes said to be an Italian varietal, but ampelography has determined that much of the Bonarda found in Argentina is actually a grape from the south of France called Counoise. This Rhone grape is used in Chateauneuf-du-Pape blends and provides acidity, spice, and not much color in France. In Argentina it makes a darker wine than its counterpart in France.

2009 Argento Malbec

Black fruit and violets dominate, with a very mellow tannin backbone. A light oak influence is imparted by a small quantity of high quality oak staves selected with the same process as barrel selection. The staves (and sometimes chips) come from Carneros company, known for its excellent products. This easygoing version of a Malbec would be a great accompaniment to a hearty tomato-based pasta.

Some winemaking notes: This gets a little technical. Sebastian San Martin prefers to use a long immersion of a small quantity of staves rather than shorter times and larger quantities. This increases the microoxygenation that occurs in the fermented wine. Oxygen bonding with alcohol combines to make acetaldehyde, which acts as a bridging mechanism between tannin molecules and aids in the creation of large tannins. These larger molecules give a softer mouthfeel, and some become so large that they precipitate out. Thus a softer wine can be made.

2009 Argento Malbec Reserva

Less floral notes and more spice than the Malbec. This wine is aged in American and French oak barrels. Its black jammy fruit and heavy body mingles nicely with the vanilla and cinnamon provided by the oak aging. This one is for steak.

2009 Argento Chardonnay Reserva

Though we did not taste the Chardonnay I know and love, we did try the next step up: the Reserva. The Reserva’s slight oak spice, some butter from malolactic fermentation, and delicious stone fruit with crisp acidity almost made me forget the soft peachiness of my familiar Chardonnay. Almost. I now have love for both styles. For those who prefer the California-style Chardonnays, this wine would be perfect.

To contact Argento for more information or to plan a visit, visit their website or email Paula.

Altos las Hormigas.

2011-01-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

My first tour in Mendoza took me to Altos las Hormigas in the outskirts of Lújan de Cuyo. The name “heights of the ants” comes from the masses of small ants that filled the vineyard decades ago:

As we refused to poison the ants, and looked for natural ways to deflect their attention, our workers commented that the ants were the ‘real’ owners of the place, free to roam around effortlessly. We liked this novel idea of the ants owning the place, and decided to name our venture after this early situation. As the vines grew taller, the ants moved to other foods.

Antonio Morescalchi and Carlos Vasquez of Altos las Hormigas

We were driven from Mendoza city 45 minutes to Carrizal de Abajo, where the winery resides, on the boundary between Lujan de Cuyo and Barrancas. Malbec is the star here, and no winery represents the vision of Argentina as “the land of Malbec” more than Altos las Hormigas. This estate is the creation of two Italian winemakers from Tuscany: Alberto Antonini, former winemaker at Antinori, and Antonio Morescalchi, current head of marketing and management. The two set out to find an investment opportunity in Argentina in 1995 and bought 216 hectares in Carrizal de Abajo and Uco Valley. Together with three others they founded Altos las Hormigas.

The winery is quite isolated, with the Andes barely visible off to the east. The road to the estate winds though Bonarda vines trained in the traditional parral (a type of pergola) style, a system that keeps direct sunlight off of the grapes to maintain delicacy and acidity. A little further the scenery changes to vertically trained Malbec vines planted amidst the old irrigation channels which are still used. Walking among the vines, no sign of drip irrigation can be seen... flood irrigation is used here. When questioned about this irrigation practice, Antonio Morescalchi explained that it is preferable at the estate as it encourages competition between the vines by forcing the roots to spread further than with drip irrigation. A large reservoir along with a few wells provide water which is pumped out to the vines.

This land is relatively free of pests and diseases. The dry climate, extreme temperatures, and sandy/rocky soil ensures that vectors can’t propagate easily. Phylloxera exists in the soil but doesn’t spread. Some say this is due to a break in the phylloxera life cycle eliminating the flying “winged form,” which spreads eggs rapidly and only emerges in humid climates; others say it is a function of the heat and sandy soil; still others claim the flood irrigation makes an unfriendly habitat for the louse. Whatever the reason may be, lack of organic culprits to damage vines leads to lack of necessity for sprays and pesticides. Because of this many Mendoza wines are pretty much organically produced whether the official stamp appears on the labels or not.

Vineyard manager Carlos Vazquez, previously of Catena Zapata, describes the terroir as nearly perfect… the “nearly” comes into play not due to biological factors, but due to the threats posed by the Zonda. This hot, dry foehn wind originates in the Andes and warms as it blows down the slopes to the vineyards. It picks up dust and speed and tops out at 125 miles per hour. The real issue for the vines is not the force of the wind, however; after the Zonda comes the hail, large as baseballs, that breaks the vines violently and leads to incredible losses. For this reason the vines are propped up with sturdy nets, and this also may be the reason vines growing in this region develop thick trunks that make them appear to be much older than they are.

The wines of Altos las Hormigas are crafted in a serious but approachable style, and represent their respective districts quite well: the Lújan de Cuyo wines are fruity and bright with soft, velvety tannins, and the Uco Valley wines are full of flowers and spice, with a more prominent backbone of ageworthy tannins. Altos las Hormigas produced three wines until 2009: an unoaked Bonarda, an easy drinking Malbec, and a Malbec Reserva from vineyards in Uco Valley. Grapes from different vineyards are vinified separately and blended after vinification. Oak is used judiciously so as not to dominate the wines. We tasted at the estate in a very informal setting along with Antonio Morescalchi and Carlos Vazquez:

2009 Colonia las Liebres Bonarda

This wine’s aroma of bright, ripe raspberry fruit was an immediate attention grabber: the Bonardas I’ve tried before tend toward dark cherries. Its very soft tannins, excellent acidity, and lighter mouthfeel would make it a fantastic wine to pair with a Bolognese sauce or a veal dish.

2009 Altos las Hormigas Malbec

Very fruity! This was a favorite. In fact, I took a bottle home for good measure. Nice tannins back a deliciously juicy red fruit focus. The noticeably long finish made it all the more pleasant. You could pair this wine with a rare steak, as we did, but it’s great on its own as well!

2008 Valle de Uco Malbec Reserva

An intense, floral, spicy wine perfect for aging for 5-8 years. There is a definite minerality that shines through, giving the Reserva a heightened complexity. The tannins are relatively soft now, but should become quite silky with a little aging. This is definitely a red meat wine.

The 2010 vintage will rework the two previous Malbecs and include two new wines representing the terroir of the region as a joint venture with Chile’s infamous terroir consultant Pedro Parra. The Mendoza Clasico is the entry-level Malbec, full of bright fruit and spicy notes due to the combination of Valle de Uco and Lujan de Cuyo fruit. The Valle de Uco Terroir comes only from Uco Valley, showing off the floral backbone with fine fruit overtones characteristic of Valle de Uco. The Valle de Uco Reserva is aged in French oak for 18 months and utilizes the best of the available soils in Uco Valley: the ancient stony riverbeds with excellent drainage. This is a wine meant for aging, potentially 10+ years. And the pièce de résistance? The Vista Flores Single Vineyard, from the best terroir identified at an altitude of 1250 meters. Aged for 36 months in French oak, this wine is an investment piece loaded with complex spices and delicate flowers.

For more information on Altos las Hormigas or to set up a visit, go to their website or send an email.

A brief introduction to Mendoza.

2011-01-11T17:59:00.000-08:00

Some geographic and climatic info about Argentina and its wine regions: locations, rainfall, climate (left to right)

Mendoza is a name often seen on the labels of bottles of Argentine Malbec readily available in the US in wine shops, wine bars, and restaurants alike. However I feel to understand this region one must travel there, either literally or through the eyes of someone else. There are intricacies of terroir and producers that are tied to the history of the region, its interesting mix of desert and rivers, and its equally interesting factor of foreign influence that can enlighten one on this new-world region's old-world twist.

Criolla, or Tinta Amarela, grapes

Argentina’s wine industry dates back to Spanish colonization. Cuttings were introduced to Santiago del Estero in 1557 and grown near Buenos Aires. These cuttings failed in the climate, stalling progress until grapes brought from Peru were successfully grown near modern-day Salta in 1542. In 1546 vines were introduced from Chile to Mendoza and San Juan. These were most likely the ancestor of the Criolla grape, which gave rise to Argentine Torrontes (a cross between Criolla and Muscat of Alexandria).

the Argentine railway at its peak

The first vineyard dates to the 1550s, and vineyards in Mendoza were planted shortly thereafter. The first Malbec grapes were brought to the Mendoza area by Miguel Pouget (a French agronomist). As the wine industry developed in the West, an increasing pressure by producers including Tiburcio Benegas, owner of El Trapiche estate, led to the development of the now abandoned Argentine railway (another story in itself… the railway at its peak extended 47,000 miles, but when privatization occurred the railway fell into disrepair).

Consulting winemakers: France's Michel Rolland (left) and California's Paul Hobbs (right)

The phylloxera plague drove many European winemakers to Argentina in the 1800’s. Quantity was the focus rather than quality and the main grape varietals were Cereza and Criolla Grande. This changed in the late 1900s when foreign investment drove producers to switch to fine wine production for the export market. Consulting winemakers from France, California, Australia, and Italy brought new methods and equipment. Now Mendoza and Salta export a large quantity of fine wine to the US, Europe, and Australia, and the wine industry is strengthening rapidly.

The city of Mendoza was established in 1561. Prior to this, the area was occupied by a number of tribes; the Huarpes are credited for the irrigation system that is still present today: fairly deep ditches that run the length of all the city streets, allowing runoff from the Andes to flow in and irrigate the many trees that line the roads. Without these established irrigation channels the immigrants arriving to the Mendoza in the 1500s would have been greeted with a barren desert instead of a flourishing agricultural area. An interesting side note: some of the trees that parade down the streets in Mendoza are platanos, or plane trees, also known as the “trees of Hippocrates” after the legendary tree under which Hippocrates is said to have taught his students the art of medicine; the tree is native to the island of Kos but has been transplanted to nearly every suitable area of the world.

The Mendoza wine region has a semi-arid desert climate with dry, sandy soils on top of clay intermingled with patches of alluvial deposits due to the rivers snaking through. Very little rainfall characterizes the winegrowing areas. Huge temperature differentials between day and night are common, with daytime highs of 105 degrees Fahrenheit contrasting nighttime temperatures of 50 Fahrenheit. Rivers flowing from the heights of the Andes water five natural oases that allow agricultural development here. The northern oasis is fueled by the Mendoza river and lies underneath part of Maipú and Las Heras. The eastern oasis waters Junin, Rivadavia, San Martín, La Paz, and Santa Rosa, mainly table grape production areas. The Mendoza River itself flows through Maipú and Lújan de Cuyo, arguably the first wine-production regions of Mendoza. Uco Valley encompasses Tupungato, Tunuyán, and San Carlos. And the southernmost oasis covers San Rafael and General Alvear.

hail in Mendoza, courtesy of http://www.stormtrack.org/

Two major climatic issues arise in Mendoza and are inextricably linked: hail and the Zonda. The Zonda is a cool foehn wind that blows over the Andes from Chile, heating and picking up dust as it races down the Argentine side. By the time it reaches the valleys of Mendoza, windspeeds can exceed 40 km/hour. Hail trails a particularly harsh Zonda, sometimes as large as baseballs (hence the rugged netting covering most vines in the afflicted areas). The winds can damage young vines, and the hail can wreak absolute havoc on entire vineyards as, for example, in the 2010 vintage when 50% of the vines were killed. But beside these two pestilent problems few other issues loom in the Mendoza region for vines. Though phylloxera does exist here in the soil it doesn’t create a problem for the vineyards: in this climate the phylloxera louse is incapable of achieving its flying phase, keeping phylloxera attacks limited to one vine at a time. Some producers choose to plant on rootstock while others feel confident enough to use own-rooted vines.

Malbec, from Cahors (left) and Mandoza (right)

The characteristically “Argentine” varietal that most often comes to mind is Malbec. Introduced initially from Cahors, Malbec was once the dominant varietal in Bordeaux. However the grape is very disease-prone, and after a severe frost in 1956 that wiped out most of Bordeaux’s Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon were planted in its stead. Phylloxera dealt another rough blow to the vine: planted on American rootstock, the French Malbec would become overly vigorous reducing the concentration of the grapes. Pouget brought Malbec to Argentina in the mid-nineteenth century; these vines have tighter clusters of smaller berries than Malbec in Cahors, suggesting it was perhaps a unique clone now extinct in France. Another common Argentine varietal to find is Bonarda. Bonarda is sometimes said to be an Italian varietal, but ampelography has determined that much of the Bonarda found in Argentina is actually a grape from the south of France called Counoise.

Over the next month I will visit a few representative wineries throughout the main regions of Mendoza in an attempt to clarify some ambiguities of these wines. Hopefully an introduction to producers, their philosophies and backgrounds, and their styles will shed more light on what unites and distinguishes wines of Mendoza.

Some traditional Chilean dishes.

2011-01-05T16:51:00.000-08:00

While visiting some of the wine regions of Chile I not only learned a bit about the wines… I had the chance to learn about Chilean cuisine too. Below are some recipes shared with me by chefs throughout the regions. These are some very typical (and delicious) dishes that can be made as-is or easily adapted to ingredient availability. I have recommended some Chilean wines I liked for each dish, but any similar wine will do. The first few are appetizers but can serve as main courses together.

Thanks to the guys at Catalejo for the recipes and translations!

Special thanks to the host and chef at Catalejo Restaurant for their help (Calle Santa Laura, Concón).

Machas a la Parmesana.

These clams are found on the sandy shores along the coast of Chile. We call them Pacific razor clams, or surf clams.

- 24 machas
- small amounts of each of the following:
        butter
        olive oil
        white wine
        grated parmesan
        salt
        black pepper

Open the razor clams (carefully!) with a paring knife. Cut off the black tip of the neck, or pinch it off by hand. It has a tough texture and strong scent, so it’s better to prepare this dish with them removed. Many prefer to prepare these clams by removing anything that is not white from the steak. Rinse each thoroughly to remove any sand.

Place each clam in half a shell and line them up on a baking sheet. Put a bit of butter, a few drops of olive oil and white wine, a little pepper and salt, and some grated parmesan on top of each. Put the sheet into a preheated oven. When the cheese is melted and the clams are slightly pink, they’re finished (just a couple of minutes). I would pair this with a Chardonnay from Leyda, such as Amayna’s.

Ostiones al Pil Pil (Pil Pil Scallops).

There is a heavy Basque influence in Chile (a clear example is the Errázuriz family’s impact on Chilean history). Pil pil is a traditionally Basque preparation but is now found all over Chile. Many fish and shellfish dishes are served “al pil pil,” and all are fantastic. This was my favorite.

- 24 scallops (cleaned, if they were in their shells)
- olive oil
- spicy red peppers of your choice (ají cacho de cabra or guindillas are typically used, but any will do the trick)
- 5 or 6 garlic cloves, minced
- white wine
- parsley (Chileans mostly use dried parsley, but fresh can be used as well)
- salt

Heat olive oil in a medium pot uncovered over medium heat. Add the minced garlic. Sauté for a few seconds and add the red peppers (sliced and deseeded), parsley, and wine. Simmer for two minutes. Add the scallops and stir, cooking only for a couple of minutes so they don’t get rubbery! Serve this very hot immediately from the pot. Pairs nicely with a Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca Valley such as MontGras’ Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.

Empanadas de Pino.

Though empanadas originated in Argentina, they have now become Chilean cuisine as well.

Dough:
    - 3½ cups flour
    - 1 egg
    - 2 tbsp butter
    - 1½ tbsp milk
    - 1½ tbsp white wine
    - ½ cup cold water

Beat the water, wine, milk, butter, and egg together in a bowl. Slowly beat in flour. When the dough is stiff, place it on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Put the dough in the refrigerator for an hour while preparing the other ingredients.

Carne (meat):
    - 1½ cups minced onion
    - 1½ cloves garlic, minced
    - ½ lb ground beef
    - 3 tsp ground cumin

Mariscos (seafood):
    - 1½ cups minced onion
    - 1½ cloves garlic, minced
    - ½ lb seafood of your choice (shellfish work best), chopped

Sauté all ingredients for the pino together in a little oil. When the pino is cooked sufficiently, Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Roll out 4-inch diameter circles, place a spoonful of pino on half, and fold over. Crease edges with a fork or press together with you fingers. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Carne empanadas go well with a peppery Pinot, marisco empanadas are great with a slightly buttery Chardonnay. Aquitania had both of these.

Ceviche.

This dish can be made with any fresh fish or shellfish. White fish and salmon work best. Originally a Peruvian dish, this is now a staple in Chilean cuisine.

- 2 lb fish or shellfish
- 2 spicy peppers, chopped; I liked it with 1 green or yellow and 1 red
- 2 red onions, finely chopped and rinsed in cold water for a while to remove the pungency
- juice of lemons and limes (enough to cover the seafood in a bowl)
- cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste

Cut seafood into small cubes or slices (the smaller you cut them, the faster this dish will be ready, so cut them into pieces proportional to the time you have!). Add salt to the lemon/lime juice until it is salty to the taste, but not overly so. Place the seafood in a bowl and cover with juice. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for an hour, or until the seafood looks “cooked.”

Mix all other ingredients together. When the seafood is ready, mix all ingredients together and serve. Pair this one with a sparkling wine from Bío-Bío like Cono Sur Brut.

Pebre.

This is a cilantro-based sort of pico de gallo, served with fresh bread. It is also good as a topping for just about any dish.

- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white wine
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 4 small or 2 medium spicy peppers (to keep it traditional, use ají cacho de cabra, but you can use habaneros or jalapeños too)
- ½ cup diced fresh tomato
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup red onion, minced
- ½ cup cilantro, minced
- ½ tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp fresh oregano, minced
- salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and let stand for at least an hour.

Charquicán.

This is a Chilean stew of sorts. It actually came initially from Peru but has been adapted to Chilean taste.

- 1 lb tenderloin or sirloin, cut into small cubes or ground
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ½ lb squash (zapallo is used typically... see an image here), cubed
- 1½ cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp spicy pepper (ají cacho de cabra, the spicy Chilean pepper, is typically used)
- 1½ tbsp oregano
- ¾ tsp cumin
- 2 cups corn
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 fried egg per serving (this recipe is meant to serve 4)

Sauté the beef for 2-3 minutes in hot oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add potatoes, squash, peppers, and spices. Pour in beef stock and let simmer over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Add the corn and simmer for 5 minutes more. Test the squash and potatoes throughout to ensure they are cooked but not overcooked. Plate each serving and top with a fried egg. This is typically served with a Chilean salad consisting of onions, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and olive oil. Pair this with a bold red such as von Siebenthal’s Montelíg, Cousiño Macul’s Antiguas Reservas Merlot, or Lapostolle’s Clos Apalta.

Viña MontGras.

2011-01-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

MontGras was a pleasant surprise. We wandered in without an appointment hoping to do a simple tasting. Two hours later, after touring the vineyards, tasting through five wines, and listening to endless stories of the region and the winery from our host Cristián Olate (the brother of our host Josue at Emiliana, strangely enough), we left, thankful that we had made this random stop. And the wines are pretty good, too.

MontGras' Cristian Olate, our fantastic guide for the afternoon

MontGras was founded in 1992 by Hernan and Eduardo Gras along with Cristián Hartwig (of Laura Hartwig) in the commune of Palmilla. Vinifera grapes had grown at the estate since before the 1850s, mainly País and Garnacha Tintorera. Now the vineyards span more than 900 hectares in Colchagua, Leyda, and Maipo. The Leyda parcels specialize in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc; the Maipo contribution is Cabernet, of course; Syrah, Carmenere, Viognier, and Cabernet are grown in Colchagua along with a little Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

The Palmilla vineyards are planted on a predominantly clay soil with some influences of volcanic rocks and a little sand close to the river. That being said, the soil profile varies enormously due to the presence of the hills and the river, so many expressions of the wines can be made (see the map above to view the proximity of the vineyards to the river and the mountains). In the valley its texture is fine and the topsoil runs deep due to its slow sedimentation. At the foot of the mountains, clay and loamy clay form the majority of soils. And in the mountains (such as Ninquén), deep granitic soils offer good drainage and the possibility for growing grapes for wines with lots of structure.

The land is irrigated by large wells on the property from which water is pumped to a drip irrigation system. There can be a problem with botrytis in this area which complicates the growing of the Zinfandel grapes on the property. Zinfandel grows in large, tight bunches which provide perfect incubators for mold spores and mildew. For this reason the Zinfandel is picked early for the Pink Sin wine.

MontGras has beautiful vineyards with an interesting structure in the middle: a small semicircular set of benches covered by a lattice entwined with some of the old remaining Tintorera vines. The benches and vines make an accidental sound lens, and if you stand at the center and talk strange echoing effects can be observed. It may not sound particularly captivating, but it is remarkable in person. And we spent probably too long having a great time playing with it! You can also observe the teinturier properties of the Tintorera grape here.

Here are the wines we tasted with Cristian:

2009 MontGras Reserva Sauvignon Blanc

Hailing from Leyda, this wine exhibits the characteristic saltiness of the region. Tropical fruits dominate the nose and palate, with a bright acidic grapefruity finish. But watch out: its refreshingly light feel belies its 14% alcohol content. This would be great with seafood.

2010 Pink Sin

An “early harvest” (for reasons discussed above) Zinfandel rosé. Light salmon in color with aromas of rosewater, candy strawberries, and red licorice. Slightly sweet and simple, but a nice aperitif or pairing for sushi.

2009 MontGras Reserva Merlot

These grapes were grown in Colchagua. Aging in mostly American oak gives a cinnamon spiciness. Lots of red fruit and plum. Paired with a bacon-wrapped prune… delicious!

2010 MontGras Reserva Carmenere

Spicy, intense perfume. Ripe blackberries and cherries make a great pairing for a spicy Spanish chorizo.

2008 Antu Ninquén Syrah

My favorite of the lineup. The grapes for this one come from the hillsides of Ninquén Mountain. Considered MontGras’ ultrapremium wine, the focus here is on structure. Floral notes and blackberry shine through the sturdy but soft tannins. I think this shouldn’t be opened for another year, though.

Overall the wines were excellent and have great quality to price ratios (they are virtually a steal). I definitely recommend picking up a few bottles of MontGras, which are readily available in US markets. For more information visit MontGras’ website here.

Lapostolle: Clos Apalta.

2011-01-03T17:05:00.000-08:00

Lapostolle’s Clos Apalta was for me the most anxiously awaited stop in Colchagua. This winery has been a grand success, drawing eyes from all over the world to focus on the up-and-coming region. Another interesting fact is that all the farming is 100% biodynamic. And for those who question biodynamic philosophy (like me), one look at the health and vibrance of these vineyards may change your attitude.

Apalta is a region in Colchagua about 15 minutes east of Santa Cruz. Here the soil is very sandy with a bit of clay and lime down to about 1-2 meters, below which sits bedrock. The climate is considered Mediterranean with warm days and cool nights and approximately 700 mm of precipitation in an average year. This area is a haven for winegrowing, with few problematic issues, lots of sun, and good daily temperature differentials.

The Marnier Lapostolle family (owners of Grand Marnier and Chateau de Sancerre) chose this site after investigating many Chilean wine regions and vineyards. Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet fell in love with the Apalta vineyard and its old ungrafted vines, realizing that the site had extraordinary potential to produce elegant and serious wines. “Merlot” and Cabernet Sauvignon that had been brought over as original cuttings from Bordeaux long before were still growing on the property, basically undiscovered. The Merlot was of course later determined to be Carmenere. Alexandra and Cyril contacted Don José Rabat Gorchs of the Chilean Rabat family, owners of the site at the time, and enacted a joint venture. Their first vintage was in 1994.

In 1994 the estate produced the Casa and Cuvée Alexandre lines. The wines were seen to have excellent structure and aging potential with a good amount of fruit. The success of the wines led to a more focused effort in 1997: Clos Apalta. The production of this iconic wine led to the remarkable winery’s creation on the property, solely for the vinification of Clos Apalta.

From the winery, the vines of Lapostolle reach down the hillside and spread onto the valley floor. Clos Apalta uses only the oldest vines and those on the slopes to incorporate only the most concentrated fruit. The remaining grapes go into the Casa and Cuvée Alexandre wines. Lapostolle also owns vines in Casablanca (40 hectares of Chardonnay) and Requinoa (117 hectares of Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot); the grapes grown in Colchagua are predominantly Carmenere and Cabernet. These are typically high density plantings (6,066 plants per hectare spaced 1 meter apart) yielding 3 tons per hectare of fruit. As mentioned before, all farming here is done based on the principles of biodynamics and has been for the past 4 years; our host Diego commented that all the wild animals are returning to the vineyards signaling the success of the new farming methods.

All vinification techniques for Clos Apalta are done by hand and by gravity. Even the destemming is done manually by a team of many women working long hours. The berries are not crushed; rather, they are transferred by hand from a small vessel to oak fermenters and left to macerate for a week while being cooled with nitrogen. The temperature is allowed to slowly rise to the point where wild yeasts begin fermentation. Once the fermentation starts, the temperature is rapidly increased to 18 degrees Celcius to encourage a thorough fermentation with no off-flavors or aromas. Punchdowns are performed 2-3 times per day throughout the fermentation. Afterward the wine is put in new French oak barrels (Taransaud, Radoux, and Saury are preferred) to age for up to 2 years. Just a note: Michel Rolland is a consulting winemaker for Clos Apalta.

The winery itself is a work of art. The cellar, barrel rooms, and offices spiral through 4 floors around an open central column. The winery is equipped with the latest technology allowing all movement of must and wine via gravity. There is a curious addition to the oak fermenters in the winery: a strange gray egg-shaped object that requires closer inspection. In fact it is an unlined concrete aging tank designed by Chapoutier to mimic an ancient amphora. Theoretically the shape of the tank forces the wine to constantly circulate due to a temperature gradient that naturally exists in the liquid; the porous concrete allows subtle microoxygenation. The idea is to age the wines without the use of a barrel.

Here are the wines we tasted:

2010 Casa Sauvignon Blanc

There is 7% Semillon in this wine to round it out a little. Aromas of honeydew melon and tropical fruits were evident, but so was a burnt sulfur smell that was difficult to get around. Later I realized one of the cellar workers was sulfuring some barrels nearby… probably the source, but I can’t say for sure. Other than that, the wine had a nice sharp acidity and a softness on the palate that was good, but I can’t vouch for this one!

2007 Cuvée Alexandre Merlot

This is considered the estate’s flagship wine, a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Carmenere. The nose was quite nice, with chocolaty plums and spice dominating. The tannins were a little too aggressive for my taste. Maybe this one needs a few more years to express itself properly.

2007 Clos Apalta

63% Carmenere, the rest a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, and Petit Verdot. I really liked this one. The aromas of baking spices, vanilla, plums, and intense strawberry fruit were enticing. And there was even a very slight herbal quality. Good soft tannins and a long finish. I decided not to spit this one out.

And a secret bonus wine…

“Terroir Project” Syrah

An experimental Syrah and Viognier (3%) coferment! Aged in used French oak. Made way down in the basement by Diego Urra. The Viognier comes from near the Andes, where its acidity can be balanced with its sugar properly. This was my favorite wine of all. Too bad the only place you can get it is in from a barrel in the deepest depths of the winery.

Our host Diego Urra

For more information, or to set up a visit to Clos Apalta, visit their website here. I would recommend speaking with Diego if possible.

Laura Hartwig.

2011-01-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

The land for this winery right outside the city of Santa Cruz was bought by Laura Hartwig’s owner “for fun” in 1928. After having done very little with the land, he gave it to Laura in 1966. The land remained vacant while the family moved to Canada and Laura’s father traveled on business to the US and Germany. During these trips he learned about the potential of winemaking and made silent plans for the land in Colchagua.

Laura and Don Alejandro Hartwig

In 1978 Mr. Hartwig planted his first Chardonnay grapes on Laura’s land. His oldest son Christian (of MontGras) asked to join him in 1994, encouraging the production of the first Cabernet after discussing at length the “best varietals” with a friend from Bordeaux. The Hartwigs agreed that their desire for the winery was to remain a boutique-style affair, producing wines mainly for restaurants and to be sold at the winery.

The winery now exports 90% of their wines to China, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, the US, Germany, Denmark, England, and Japan, but remains a boutique producer with a maximum of only 12,000 liters made per year.

Our host at the winery was not only informative and helpful, but was a bottomless pit of knowledge about Santa Cruz’s origins and gave us most of the information I previously wrote about regarding Carlos Cardoen. The visit lasted much longer than expected, and more than a few glasses were consumed over tales of the infamous Cardoen’s dealings! Here are the wines we tasted:

2009 Reserva Chardonnay

Half of the Chardonnay in this wine is aged in new to 5 year old French oak for 6 months to give a hint of oak spice and vanilla. At first the aromatics were impressive: a minerally, herbal, peachy scent that was very complex. However after just a few minutes all these were gone leaving behind a bit of oakiness and not much else. It is full, rich, and reminiscent of canned stone fruits in the mouth, but the dissipation of the aromatics was rather disappointing.

2008 Reserva Merlot/Petit Verdot

Another disappointment. The nose of this wine was completely reserved and never opened up. I could get a faint touch of plums and baking spices, but that may even have been my imagination. This wine was ok.

2008 Reserva Carmenere

Spice, black pepper, and wood attempted to waft around in the glass, but failed once again. At this point I began to believe this was a winemaking issue, not an issue in the vineyards. When I asked about the overly and unpleasantly reserved nature of these first three wines, the response I got was something about the unique expression the winemaker is attempting. Hmm.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Sometimes a Cabernet offers me a strange wet clay smell. And I never like it. I feel it dulls the fruit and reduces my enjoyment greatly. I sensed some strawberries and black fruits under the lump of clay but did not bother to characterize it further.

2007 Gran Reserva

Finally! This wine allowed me to end the tasting on a good note. A blend of 39% Cabernet, 31% Carmenere, 29% Shiraz, and 1% Petit Verdot gave this wine an extremely complex aroma profile of blackberries, violets, vanilla, caramel, and a hint of bright strawberries. Its concentrated feel and perfectly velvety tannins were followed by a very long and luscious finish. Thank God one of them was good!

My overall impression of Laura Hartwig’s wines was not good. The Gran Reserva was the saving grace. As was the charming ride through the vineyards in a horse-drawn carriage crafted by a German man who lives next door to the winery. The experience was great; the wines were not. A fun place to visit nonetheless.

For more information, visit Laura Hartwig’s website here.

An introduction to Colchagua Valley.

2011-01-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Colchagua Valley occupies an area approximately 90 miles south and a little west of Santiago. The vineyards are blessed with few problems, organic or climatic. The well-drained soils are variable but predominantly sandy loam and loamy clay, some with a touch of calcium carbonate and some with a volcanic soil base, on top of granite; topsoil has depths of ½ to 3 meters and rainfall is plenty (about 700 mm per year). Colchagua shares its latitude with the wine regions of Santa Barbara, California. This is a land famous for ranchers, huasos… and Carlos Cardoen.

Carlos Cardoen (http://www.uchile.cl/)

Carlos Cardoen basically created the wine industry in Colchagua. Not that there weren’t grapes growing and wine being made before him. But he gave the area a huge financial boost and allowed it to be transformed into a bustling tourist destination. This man is a legend here. Ask the locals and you’ll hear all sorts of stories, some of which are true and some of which are so overly embellished that one local man gave sole credit for the building of the Apache helicopter to Mr. Cardoen. But a figure like Carlos Cardoen doesn’t need much embellishment. Here is a brief summary of his story:

Carlos’ father escaped World War II by fleeing to Chile. On May 1, 1942 Carlos was born in the small farm town of Santa Cruz. His father made his living there farming plums. After attending school and obtaining a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Cardoen returned to Chile to start a mining explosives manufacturing company. Cardoen was running his company quite successfully just prior to the reign of Pinochet, during which the US passed a law to ban exports to Chile putting the country in a rather vulnerable state sandwiched between unfriendly Peru and Argentina. This was the catalyst for Chilean Air Force commander Fernando Matthei’s request that Cardoen build a bomb, in 15 days, that was intended “to fuck up” the enemy. And thus the cluster bomb was born.

the bomb that created the Colchagua Valley wine region

The Iran-Iraq war gave rise to a worldwide rush to sell weapons and technology to Iraq. Cardoen was no exception, selling over $200 million worth of cluster bombs to his (self-proclaimed) “cousin” Saddam Hussein; as business improved he opened a manufacturing plant in the city of Baghdad to facilitate sales. The situation became quite intricate and complex, with Cardoen’s money funneled through Switzerland to the US to be invested in real estate, and US politicians receiving support through the process. For a detailed description of the goings-on, Wensley Clarkson’s book “The Valkyrie Operation” is a great place to start.

In 1990 everything changed for Cardoen with the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq. Zirconium exports to Iraq for cluster bomb manufacturing were “traced” to Cardoen (though the US government had always been aware of the exports), and suddenly he was considered to be on the enemy’s side. This whole situation eventually ended in an issuance of Cardoen’s international arrest warrant. So he stays in Chile, enjoying freedom in his country as long as he doesn’t set foot beyond the border.

Hotel Santa Cruz

Cardoen maintains a large amount of wealth in Chile. One project he began, viewed as an attempt to obtain forgiveness for his prior actions, was the tourism industry in Santa Cruz. Those hailing from the region deny that the Colchagua Valley wine industry is his apology; they consider him a proud and valiant man who wanted to show his pride in his home town. “He could be anyone when you see him, you know,” our host at Laura Hartwig said. “The people here are happy to see him. Even though he’s 70 years old they call him Carlito and smile when he comes.” Cardoen has sponsored the town casino, numerous wineries, and the beautiful Hotel Santa Cruz with its delicious restaurant and luxurious rooms. He created the wine route almost single-handedly and is always looking for new business ideas. La Casa de los Espíritus, a distillery of sorts in Santa Cruz, is wholly funded by him… and has yet to see a profit after years of operation!

courtesy of http://www.laplayawine.com/

Colchagua is often termed “the next Napa.” Wines here can be structured and full of mouth-watering fruit, but some fall sadly short of expectations of the region named “2005 Wine Region of the Year” by Wine Spectator. Cabernet, Merlot, Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and the occasional Semillon make the usual appearance. Some outliers like Zinfandel can be found but are not considered to perform well here. A mild Mediterranean climate, clean air, and lots of sunlight hours allow for long ripening periods. The flavor and aroma profiles vary widely and cannot be briefly summarized perhaps due to the numerous microclimates and varying alluvial soils. And many large export-oriented producers are taking a shot at making their own distinct wines here, allowing a visitor to experience a wide array of styles all within the valley’s 75 mile stretch.

Colchagua boasts some of the most well-known exported wines coming from Chile including Viu Manent, Lapostolle, MontGras, Estampa, and Montes. I’ll be visiting a few of these wineries to see the spectrum for myself!

Cousiño Macul.

2011-01-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

After a visit to Aquitania, we went a couple of kilometers down the road to Cousiño Macul. Unlike the former this winery is not a newcomer. In fact it was the 3rd winery in Maipo, part of the clan that began the fine wine industry in the region (and, in effect, in all of Chile). It is an interesting contrast to go from one end of the spectrum to the other… it really shows the lifetime thus far of Chilean wine.

Cousiño Macul was founded in 1856. In this year, Matías Macul purchased the estate from the conquistador who owned it previously. Macul’s plentiful wealth was largely resulted from Chilean silver mines he had developed. Upon Matías’ unfortunate early demise in 1863 his son Luís traveled to France, bringing back what he considered the best rootstock: Cabernet and Merlot from Pauillac and Margaux, Sauvignon from Martillac in Graves, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Burgundy. He managed the estate until his death at the young age of 38. But his widow continued management with the assistance of French enologist Pierre Godefroy. The families still work together.

For the Macul family wine was, and still is, an (albeit serious) hobby. They intentionally made wines for aging as money was no object. No need to extract any instant profit means, no harm in the wines passing some time in bottle at the estate before being introduced to the market. And age they can: the 1968 vintage wine is still very drinkable!

The Macul family now owns everything from the train station in Maipo to the base of the Andes. They occupy a large house near the vineyard that is blocked off from all view by lines of trees. Most of the staff has never laid eyes on this house. The cellar is a remarkable structure and the family’s personal wine collection, which rests deep underground in a dimly lit and well locked room, is phenomenal. An interesting bit of trivia: during the earthquake of 2010 which wreaked havoc upon many wineries, not a bit of damage was done to the cellars. Legend has it that the cement, made with egg whites as a binding substance, is strong enough to withstand almost any sizeable quake.

The Macul vineyards are planted in mostly shallow (10 centimeter depth) alluvial soil atop rocks and clay. I have been told of the salinity in the region, but there is none here. Hot days are moderated by a cool mountain breeze, and temperatures drop significantly at night. Only the red spider mite poses any threat, and not much of one. Rainfall is low here and high levels of ripeness are achieved leading to alcohol levels in excess of 14.5%. Reverse osmosis is sometimes practiced to lower the alcohol content for “a more enjoyable experience.”

One major issue is air pollution, which is causing more difficulties in recent years. Due to the particulate matter in the air the grapes must be rinsed and dried before vinification, and barrels are taken 30 km south near Concha y Toro to age. This was deemed necessary after a study was done using barrels of the best Chateau Margaux wines aged here at the estate… many quickly became vinegary due to the massive amount of bacteria easily transported on pollution particles.

The current winemaker is Pascal Marty, previously of Baron Phillipe de Rothschild (Chile and France), Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau d’Armailhac, Chateau Clec Milon, and Opus One. We tasted with sommelier Martin Duran, below.

After a lengthy tour through the vineyards and cellars, we tasted the following wines:

2010 Sauvignon Gris

This is a light 100% Cabernet Sauvignon rosé produced by must contact of only 40 minutes. An interesting dusty nose exhibits red fruits with a bit of lemon. This wine would make a very nice aperitif.

2009 Antiguas Reservas Merlot

Grapes for this wine come from original cuttings from Chateau Lafite and Chateau Margaux. After fermentation on steel tanks it spends 14 months in second-year French oak. Purple flowers, vanilla, plums, and baking spices abound; plums and strawberries with noticeably strong tannins coat the palate. A slight menthol component, according to the sommelier, is due to the presence of deep eucalyptus roots n the nearby soil. I’m not sure this is the origin. But this is actually a really delicious Merlot, enough to convert anyone into an avowed Merlot fan. We certainly bought a couple of bottles…

2008 Finis Terrae

60% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, and 10% Syrah. A good but not remarkable Bordeaux-style blend. In comparison to the Merlot, basically unmemorable.

2008 Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon

14 months in French oak. Intense red fruit and really good structure. This one is not quite ready in my opinion, but will be perhaps in 2-3 years.

For more information see Cousiño Macul’s website or contact Martin Duran.

Viña Aquitania.

2010-12-31T15:59:00.000-08:00

Aquitania is part of the more recent wave of wineries to hit Maipo Valley. Completed in 1993, this winery is the brainchild of Bruno Prats (of Cos d’Estournel fame) and Paul Pontallier (technical director of Chateau Margaux) along with Felipe do Solminihac (of Cousiño Macul down the street). In 2000 Ghislain de Montgolfier of Bollinger was added to the lofty list of partners.

The history of the winery goes something like this: the original three partners wanted to invest in vineyard land in Chile since the early 1980s. They had a desire to make Bordeaux-style Cabernets, focused on structure rather than fruit. After much searching, they found a plot of land close to the Cousiño Macul estate. After ripping up most of the plum and walnut trees and the berries growing on the 25 hectare plot, they planted (what else?) 20 hectares of Cabernet, 2.5 hectares of Merlot, and 2.5 hectares of Carmenere. Stainless steel tanks, the first in the Alto Maipo region, were imported here from Spain and still stand proud in the winery, used to this day in vinification (along with newer models, of course).

Unfortunately the climate was not suited to Merlot: this vineyard is located in Maipo Alto, the coldest area in the Maipo region. Cold air washes down the nearby mountains at night and delays the ripening of the Merlot until mid-May or even June. Because of this, the partners decided to graft Syrah onto the Merlot and Carmenere. Aquitania attempts to stay true to its original Bordeaux inspiration, but with Cabernet-Syrah blends.

From the Alto Maipo vineyards, you can see the city of Santiago and its layer of haze. This unfortunate result of the city's expansion forces producers in this area to rinse and dry their grapes after harvesting them to remove particulate pollution. Though this is a concern, it has not thus far been reflected in the quality of the wines. Aquitania also owns vineyard land in Malleco Valley where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are produced.

This producer’s wines were all rated far above average by those in our party. We left the winery with full hands, including a bottle of the 1999 Paul Bruno. Here are the wines we tried with Eduardo de Solminihac (to purchase any of these, contact Eduardo or visit Sherry-Lehmann's website):

2010 Aquitania Rosé Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark salmon in color. By the aromas you’d expect this 85% Cabernet, 15% Syrah rosé to be sweet: ripe red fruits, cotton candy, even a little cherry Jolly Rancher! But the surprise for me was the refreshingly spicy, dry, long finish. A great wine for a hot Chilean summer day. We bought multiple bottles.

2009 Aquitania Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon

20% new French oak gives a nice cinnamon and vanilla spice to this one. Plums and blackberries form the backdrop. I liked it for drinking now, but some may prefer a bit more complexity that would result from 2-3 years more aging in the bottle. Again, 85% Cabernet and 15% Syrah. And again multiple bottles came with us.

2003 Lazuli Cabernet Sauvignon

The dark brick color shows the slight aging. A meatiness and spiciness add interesting notes to the dark cherry fruit of this wine. There is definitely a concentration on structure here. Half of the grapes for the Lazuli were sourced, and half came from the vineyards in front of the winery.

1999 Paul Bruno

This Cabernet is perfect for pasta! It is rich and spicy, and seemingly reminiscent of… sausage! Strange but amazingly good. It made us hungry. And we took a bottle home, made some pasta with chorizo, and paired it up perfectly for dinner.

2008 Sol de Sol Pinot Noir

The 2008 was only the second harvest of Pinot Noir. The vineyards are located in Malleco Valley, a mostly experimental viticultural area in the far south of Chile. Volcanic soils there have shallow layers of clay over impermeable rock. A strange region, but this wine was phenomenal. This is a floral, elegant Burgundy-style Pinot filled with sweet cherries and a potent earthiness. Excellent acidity and a long finish tie everything together nicely. Absolutely delicious.

2008 Sol de Sol Chardonnay

See the above description for a bit about Malleco Valley. This creamy, yeasty Chardonnay is a mouthfilling masterpiece. Lemon meringue and peach syrup ooze over the tongue. Over time more peaches emerge. And of course we could not pass up the opportunity to buy many bottles. This is a stunning wine.

All the wines from Aquitania were quite good. It was actually difficult to decide which and how many bottles to buy. I’m very happy to have visited.

For more information or to set up a visit, check out Aquitania’s website or email Eduardo de Solminihac at esolmini@aquitania.cl.

An introduction to Alto Maipo.

2010-12-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

Maipo is Chile’s oldest wine region. Its proximity to the city of Santiago has benefits and detriments. Originally, it encouraged the pioneers of the fine wine industry to plant here. Today Santiago is a vast metropolis of around 5 million residents who are beginning to engulf Maipo and turn it into suburban sprawl, bringing the pollution of the city along with them. Winemakers must develop ways of dealing with the pollution, such as rinsing and drying the grapes after harvest and before crushing. Nevertheless the wines made here are of very high quality and demonstrate the proud history of Chilean wine.

The first to plant noble varietals in Maipo was Don Silvestre Ochagavía Echazarreta, a baron of mining and agriculture. On one of his many visits to Europe he was struck by an intense desire to become a winemaker. After studying techniques in viticulture and viniculture in Bordeaux he brought French clones back to Chile and planted them on his land in Talagante, creating Ochagavia Wines in 1851. It is believed these vines are the only clones of grapes prior to phylloxera in the world. In 1856 Matías Cousiño, a rich industrial entrepreneur, founded Cousiño Macul (though wheat, barley, and vinifera grapes had been growing on the land since Hacienda Macul was granted to Juan Jufre, a conquistador, by the Spanish king in 1564). Matías’ son Luis traveled to France to bring back Bordeaux clones in 1860, inspired by his father’s vision. As the valley slowly filled with French grapes, other estates opened: Viña Carmen (technically founded in 1850 but used Pais until the Bordeaux grapes were brought over), Santa Rita in 1880, Concha y Toro in 1883. The decline in the wine industry throughout the mid-1900s and subsequent boom since the 1980s caused vineyard land to contract and expand throughout the last century; now the Maipo Valley region consists of more than 26,000 acres of vineyards.

Maipo is subdivided into three regions: Alto, Central, and Pacific. Though all three regions produce fine wines, the oldest and most recognized for high quality is Alto Maipo which will be focused on here. Central Maipo borders the Maipo river and thus has alluvial soils; good reds grow here. Pacific Maipo runs southwest of the city of Santiago and backs up against the Coastal Range. Few vineyards are found here even though it is separated from the San Antonio/Leyda region only by a political boundary.

Alto Maipo rises up into the foothills of the Andes, reaching an altitude of 800 meters. Soils tend to be loamy clay down to 50 centimeters, and sandy loam, gravel, and rocks below. Cooling winds keep the grapes free of botrytis. Large temperature differentials between day and night encourage excellent ripening. Drought can be a problem at times (rainfall averages 300 mm per year but can be much less), but drip irrigation is set up in most of the vineyards to combat the occasional dry spell. No vineyard pests are a problem, except the occasional red spider mite. Cabernet Sauvignon is the star here but all Bordeaux varietals reach their fame alongside it. The wines tend to have superb structure and elegance characteristic of old world reds and can age well.

Viña Errázuriz.

2010-12-29T13:37:00.000-08:00

After a fascinating visit with Mauro von Siebenthal, we headed 200 meters down the road to his inspiration, Viña Errázuriz. This giant in the Chilean wine industry consumes a good chunk of Panquehue with its beautifully manicured vineyards and gardens, majestic visitors’ center, and mesmerizing but functional biodynamically engineered cellar. This winery was founded in 1870 by Don Maximiano Errázuriz, who was the first to move north from the then established Maipo region.

Don Maximiano brought Cabernet and Merlot from Bordeaux, and later Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and planted 300 hectares in the Panquehue region after recognizing its potential for fine wine production. The deep soil of sand, loam, and clay over large stones on the valley floor and the colluvial stony soil on the hillsides provide excellent locations for low yield vines; the large temperature differential of 40 degrees Fahrenheit from day to night preserves acidity in the grapes and helps to develop complex aromatics and flavors. Rainfall is typically around 250 mm per year, but the water table rises quite high in the valley to offer good hydration for deep roots. There are not many pests or diseases to worry about, except for two: a recent invasion of avocado trees has brought with it a certain destructive nematode forcing the grafting of some vines on rootstock, and a small red spider mite that attacks the leaves sometimes results in a chemical treatment for the vines.

a view of the winery from the hillside.

The Errázuriz estate has been family-owned since its inception (Mondavi partners with Eduardo Chadwick, the 6th generation owner of Errázuriz, for Seña but Chadwick is the sole proprietor of the Panquehue estate). The total current landholdings are around 2500 hectares throughout the regions of Chile. Techniques are constantly fine-tuned at the estate: vine vigor is monitored by satellite imagery, special organic fertilizers such as chicken guano are used, and heavy green harvesting is often employed. Harvest is done at about 25 Brix for optimal ripeness. Now the farming is done organically and biodynamically where possible, and at the Aconcagua estate a completely biodynamic winery was commissioned to be built from a design by Samuel Claro, the leading sustainable and biodynamic architect in Chile, with consultation from Guillermo Hevia. Only a visit to this remarkable structure can allow one to appreciate the incredible use of natural water and air flow, gravity, and a fluid, streamlined design to benefit wine production.

Walking around the vineyards, cooling down in the fabulous winery, and relaxing in the garden with our flights of Errázuriz wines, it was difficult to relate to the small von Siebenthal winery down the road. However the overly touristy presentation and repeated flaunting of the Errázuriz family’s name and connections by our host made us long for the simple wooden table, glass of deliciously unique wine, and personalized stories offered by the former. And when a bill was given to us for the tour that was originally offered by our host with no mention of cost, we were completely nonplussed. Errázuriz is a beautifully pristine estate that perhaps once had character, but now seems to be a Disneyland of a winery.

Now on to the wines. The two top wines of the estate are Seña, developed with Mondavi, and Maximiliano, a blend of Syrah, Cabernet, and Cabernet Franc considered to be the flagship wine. And maybe next time we will taste these, if we come with large pockets ready to empty them. I suppose they are quite rich and powerful, but I cannot say. We did, however, try a mystery “Chardonnay” (according to the guide) which was actually the Estate Sauvignon Blanc… I did not correct him. Here are the wines we tried:

2007 Wild Ferment Chardonnay

Grapes for this wine are grown in Casablanca. After full malolactic fermentation, this Chardonnay is aged for 10 months in used French oak. It is a deep gold in color, with lots of butter and toast on the nose mixed with slight tropical fruit richness. It is quite mouthfilling. Probably best for chicken dishes or pasta with a cream-based sauce. We liked it so much we bought a bottle.

2009 Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

A plumy, high-alcohol Cabernet with very concentrated dark berry fruit and excellent structure.

2009 Estate Sangiovese

This is the only Sangiovese I encountered throughout all of Chile. Definitely a new world style, with bright jammy strawberries and spicy oak. The tannins are a little strong. This wine probably could use 2-3 more years in the bottle.

2008 Estate Carménère

Lots of leather, damp earth, and wet leaves dominate the nose. Herbaceous notes of rosemary and thyme integrated with red fruits make a very interesting wine. Its medium tannins and very high acidity made me wish I had some lamb or a rare steak!

2009 Reserva Shiraz

I couldn’t get over the hard tannins in this wine. It is very young yet, so its floral and fruity flavors were only hints. I’d like to try this one in a few more years.

2007 Carménère Kai

This was one of my favorite wines in Chile! Soft vanilla and sweet oak mingled with strawberries, herbs, and baking spices… delicious!

Overall the wines were quite good, and the winery is beautiful, but this was not my favorite visit. However I would definitely recommend a visit if one wanted a more touristic experience with a professional tour guide.

For further information or to set up a visit, visit the website here.

Viña von Siebenthal.

2010-12-26T18:54:00.000-08:00

Mauro von Siebenthal is one of the few small producers in Panquehue. Literally a few hundred meters from the front door of his inspiration, the huge Errázuriz estate, von Siebenthal is making amazing Bordeaux-inspired wines that consistently win medals and score high points with many judges. In fact, his wine is among my favorite of all I’ve tasted in Chile.

Meeting Mr. von Siebenthal is quite an experience, and I’d recommend it to anyone. He is a fascinating, cheerful, gracious man who can talk about history and wine for hours and keep his audience riveted. At least that’s what happened with us. We were in fact late to our next appointment but chose to stay longer just to listen to more of his stories and explanations!

Mauro has been an appreciator of wines since he was 17 years old. A Swiss native, he developed a dream of making wine at a young age. After serving as a lawyer for 25 years in Switzerland he started to look for vineyard land in the EU; however, his desire to plant new varietals was not an easy one to satisfy in the old world. So he decided to look toward the new.

Mauro began tasting Chilean wines in Switzerland. One of his favorites was an Errázurriz hailing from Panquehue. Simultaneously a friend sent him some pictures of Aconcagua telling him how beautiful it was. Quoting Paulo Coelho, Mr. von Siebenthal said, “You know, when you want something, all the universe conspires to achieve it. This is what happened with me.” Errázurriz was the only vineyard in the region at the time, and the locals were not the most welcoming of newcomers, but Mauro came nevertheless in 1997 and spent quite a large sum planting his Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Carmenere vines.

A view of Panquehue

According to von Siebenthal, no one in the area cared much for fine wine production in the late 1990’s (the folks at Errázuriz would disagree, but I’m not sure which side is closer to the truth…). Mauro found that the terroir was perfectly suited to the Carmenere grape due to the complex, unusual soil: there are no stones for 2 meters and then big gravelly rocks below. Carmenere, he says, loves deep, cool soil. And Robert Parker apparently agrees, as he gave the von Siebenthal Carmenere 97 points.

Von Siebenthal’s vines are farmed and harvested by hand. A tractor sits idly on the property; this is apparently only used to spray sulfites when needed. As in most Chilean vineyards you will find no trace of rootstock here. With an average of 320 days of sunlight per year, fresh water from the Andes, and little risk of diseases or botrytis, Mauro refers to his land as a paradise for vinegrowing.

The cellar is nothing fancy, just a functional operation. “It’s not an Armani store. It’s a winery. I prefer to have a low-profile winery and make fantastic wines,” he says. These wines typically ferment for 2 weeks following a cold maceration. An additional maceration occurs after the fermentation. The wines then spend 10 to 24 months in French oak, with the soft, elegant Taransaud barrels reserved for the best wines (always for the Carmenere).

We tried the 2005 Montelig

This 40% Cabernet, 30% Petit Verdot, 30% Carmenere blend’s name is derived from “mountains and light,” two things Panquehue has in plenty. It sees 24 months in new French oak followed by 2 years in the bottle. Hues of rich garnet and deep purple are visible. Black pepper and concentrated berry fruit with a hint of leather form a friendly assault on the nose. Dense red fruit and berries are backed by slightly harsh tannins: this wine still needs a few years in the bottle. “This is an expression of Panquehue,” Mauro explains. “Mature but not over-mature fruits, soft tannins, a lot of structure.” For Parker fans, this one consistently scores 93-94 points.

For information or to visit Mr. von Siebenthal, check out the website or email María Soledad Latorre at latorre.soledad@gmail.com.

An introduction to Panquehue, Chile.

2010-12-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

The Aconcagua wine region encompasses both Casablanca Valley and Aconcagua Valley. It is the latter that is the subject here. Aconcagua Valley is named for the 22,841-foot mountain peak that towers in the distance, the second largest peak in the world. It is split between a hot, dry interior region 80 kilometers from Santiago and a more moderate coastal area. In the interior lies a commune that has been making very high quality Bordeaux-inspired wines for 140 years, and is continuously gaining international recognition: Panquehue.

Panquehue was first planted with wine grapes in the 1870s by Don Maximiano Errázurriz, a member of the very influential Basque family that arrived in Chile in the 1750’s and has produced four Chilean presidents, two Archbishops of Santiago, and numerous other significant writers and businessmen. Don Maximiano saw potential in the region for Bordeaux blends after having spent a year in Europe and enjoying Bordeaux’s finest.

Maximiano sent for the finest French clones and planted them here. (French varietals were preferred to Spanish varietals due to the bad blood between the Chileans and the Spanish after independence was gained. Chileans wanted nothing to do with anything Spanish. Thus the people turned toward other varietals, of which the best known and most readily available were the Bordeaux grapes. Now some Italian grapes are being grown with great success as well.) The success of his namesake winery has paved the way for Panquehue’s burgeoning wine industry.

Errazuriz Winery, Panquehue

Panquehue’s location and soil give it a unique advantage for wine production. The cool Pacific breeze due to the Humboldt Current reaches the valley giving it a Mediterranean climate with warm summers and cool winters. This allows a long ripening season. The wind begins late in the morning and picks up force throughout the day, so botrytis is rarely a problem. A good temperature variation of about 40 degrees Fahrenheit between day and night allows grapes to keep their acidity while ripening well.

The soil profile is particularly distinct: a layer of loamy clay with a good lime concentration and excellent drainage goes to 70 centimeters in depth, followed by a 50 centimeter thick layer of the same, but more compacted, all atop loamy clay mixed with rocks down to 2 meters. The water table here rises to about 10 meters. This adds up to the fact that water is not a problem, especially as the fresh Andes snowmelt can be captured efficiently.

This region has been dominated by the Errázuriz estate for more than 100 years. As the company expanded it produced more jobs, employing many of the locals. An attitude of conservatism exists here that makes it rather difficult for newcomers to build successful businesses, though some attempt anyway, and occasionally with huge success.

Panquehue is capable of producing wines with great concentration and complexity. The unusual soil is a perfect haven for the roots of Carmenere, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot; the rocky hillsides are suited well to Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Overall these wines may be the richest, chewiest, most intense wines of Chile.

Amayna Winery.

2010-12-22T12:08:00.001-08:00

A few days ago I received an email from Hugo Desenzani of Amayna Winery inviting me to have a lunch with a few others at the winery. At this point I was very unfamiliar with Leyda Valley and jumped at the chance to experience it for myself. So after a long misguided adventure from Concón without a GPS, I arrived ready to take in Leyda.

After a rather intense tasting session with Hugo and the winemaker Francisco Sanhueza, we walked a little through the vines to the vineyard house for a lunch of local traditional foods: machas a la parmesana, congrio (aka conger eel) and potatoes, avocados, corn, and salad. All paired nicely with Amayna’s wines. A great experience all in all, but especially so due to the vast amount of information I was able to glean regarding the appellation Leyda Valley and the Amayna Winery itself.

Amayna’s vines were planted from 1999 onward. José Antonio Garcés Silva founded the winery when only a few were interested in the area. He was attempting to create a different styke than the typical new world Chilean whites pouring into the export markets at the time. He detected the area’s potential to vinify minerally wines with ripe aromas of tropical fruits, flowers, and stone fruits; this opportunity to have fantastic aromatics with high acidity offered him exactly what he sought. His focus on whites eventually broadened to include Pinot Noir and Syrah as well, with the Syrah being the most recent newcomer.

Amayna produces five different wines totaling 15,000 cases. Though they own 170 hectares, only 30-35 hectares are usually selected to produce wines. The rest of the grapes are sold off to other producers. This allows Amayna to produce with the best grapes available on the property each vintage. Bunch selection one day prior to the harvest is followed by berry selection during the harvest to include only the fruit in the most optimal condition. This great care pays off with complex, interesting wines very expressive of the unique Leyda terroir.

Here are the wines we tried:

2009 Amayna Sauvignon Blanc

Light straw in color. Tropical fruits and stone fruits virtually explode out of the glass, with the typical grassiness of a Sauvignon Blanc a little underplayed. According to the winemaker, the pyrazine (what gives Sauvignon its characteristic aroma) levels are reduced naturally by harvesting a little later than usual. A full mouthfeel is highlighted by a slight saltiness detectable under the acidity and long, lemony finish.

Some technical notes: This wine undergoes a reductive vinification for 10-15 days, followed by an oxidative treatment via unprotected racking to open up the wine a little. This is to achieve a goal of balance between oxidative and reductive flavors and aromas. Inoculation occurs with a yeast that is selected for alcohol tolerance; sometimes a blend of different yeast strains is used for flavor profiles and aromatics. The grapes are harvested in April and March.

2008 Amayna Chardonnay

This Chardonnay was rated the best of the new world by Decanter Magazine, and consistently receives 90+ points from Wine Spectator. Interesting minerality can be detected on the nose, as well as a slightly caramel note. No malolactic fermentation is used, but oak aging and battonage is. The resultant smooth, toasty, creamy taste with a smattering of toffee is delicious. A blend of 25% new, 40% one-year, and 30% two-year French oak adds the complex toast without overpowering. Only Taransaud is used for its sweetness and elegance.

2007 Amayna Barrel-Fermented Sauvignon Blanc

Only 500 cases of this wine are produced each vintage. The grapes used are the same French clone 242 as are used for the regular Sauvignon Blanc. Aged an additional 1 year in 60% new, 40% old French oak, this wine exhibits little fruitiness, being primarily dominated by buttery and toasty aromas and flavors. Its rich yellow-gold color and depth of flavor make it a very interesting wine indeed.

2008 Amayna Pinot Noir

A mixture of different clones with slightly different ripening times are used in this wine to add complexity. A light herbal scent sets the stage for aromas of black pepper and ripe red cherries. In the mouth, this wine is rich and spicy with, again, the characteristic minerally touch. Cold maceration is employed here with very little pigeage resulting in a red garnet color.

2008 Amayna Syrah

First, a note: there is none of this wine left. And the 2009 is all but sold out as well, even though it is not yet in the bottle. That being said, if you see a bottle in your local shop, grab it and give it a try...
Syrah vines were planted at the estate in 2002 and 2003 as a project to expand. The 3rd vintage was the first to be bottled. After 2005, yield adjustment was done by pruning down to 6-8 bunches per vine to perfect the grapes.

Bracing tannins show that this wine is not yet ready. A few more years in the bottle will do it well. Flowery scents of violets and roses come through along with berries and red fruits. This will be delicious in 3-5 years.

To contact Amayna for visits or to inquire about purchasing wines, email Hugo at hdesenzani@vgs.cl or visit the website: http://www.amayna.cl/.