Nothing Like a Good Shiraz

There is nothing like a good Shiraz to tickle the taste buds for us dry red wine lover.  And this Shiraz is well under $20 in most places. 

Morse Code Pathaway Shiraz (I tasted the 2010) from South Australia is delightfully flavorful and balanced. Produced by Henry’s Drive Vineyards on the Limestone Coast, this Shiraz is aromatic and fruit-driven with minimal oak, reflecting the regional flavors.  If you enjoy bright black fruits – plum, black cherry, a hint of blueberry – with some spiciness and a touch of chocolate -- this wine’s a great choice. The tannins are smooth too – a personal preference.

In 2012, this wine gathered 2 bronze medals in some impressive competitions:  the International Wine challenge and the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

For those who like history, Henry’s Drive is named after the of the 19^th century mail coach service that ran through the property. See www.henrysdrive.com.

And for the viticulturalists, the dark-skinned Syrah grape is genetically identical to the Shiraz, but there are stylistic differences in the Australia production and terroir (specific vineyard characteristics) that produce a wine with unique, defining characteristics when compared with the Syrah’s from France. Both are very good, but just delightfully different from each other.

Cheers!

Petite Petit -- This one's for Me!

I have reached a point in my wine tasting journey where I would rather wait for a good wine than drink just anything. House wines rarely do it for me anymore making it hard to eat out affordably and have a good wine.  The mark us is understandable, but tough to pay knowing the actual retail cost of different wines. So, I find I would rather go home and get a good bottle out of my lovingly built private stock. Ah, the perils of food pairing!

I have found through my travels in the last year a particularly enjoyable, rich, full-bodied red blend by Michael David out of Lodi, CA, called Petite Petit. (The Wine Girls will agree with me on this.) Petite Petit is 85% Petite Syrah and 15% Petit Verdot, hence the name.  This dry red explodes with sumptuous dark fruit flavors but is smooth and has a wonderfully lingering finish.

MD's website (www.michaeldavidwinery.com) refers to this blend as a "whopper style of wine" and uses descriptors such as "substantial" and "loaded." Drinking a fine wine is not a side dish for a meal or nondescript prop for social events, it should be a beautiful centerpiece.

This wine stops conversation in mid-sentence as this lucious, round elixir caresses the tongue, coats the mouth, and tickles those olfactory nerves. Pause. Sigh. Repeat! No doubt, Petite Petit is a rich experience, and a deep, joyous distraction from the mundane.

You can generally find it for under $20.  I buy mine at one of my favorite wine bars - Grappa Growlers.

Oh, for a good Amarone!

On my way to a conference last week, I had a lay-over in Dallas.  It so happened that in my terminal was a wine bar! I had to stop in and do a little shelf reading -- and a tasting -- as I had over an hour before they boarded for my flight to Phoenix. Vino Volo's attend was Chad, a very polite and knowledgeable fellow.

Chad directed me to a Costasera Amarone Classico 2008 by Masi made from Corvina, Rondinella, and Molinara grapes -- three indigenous grape varieties grown in the Veneto region of Italy. The fruit flavors and rich complexity were outstanding. After a sip, I just had to sit and savor the long, luscious finish. I love plum, fig, black cherry -- it had all those and hints of vanilla and cocoa. This DOC Amarone Della Valpolicella -- made from grapes  that have been partially dried --  is a well structured, delightfully complex, Italian red wine, but be careful as it is 15% alcohol by volume. Cheers!

Norton Reserva Malbec 2010

Although Malbec was once thought of as a Bordeaux grape, Argentina has adopted it to such an extent that it has become that country's signature varietal. The heart of the Argentine wine regions is the Mendoza region with vines growing well up the slopes of the Andes mountains. The terroir is a perfect fit for the flourishing of the Malbec grape.  In this setting, Norton Reserva Malbec is created. For me the 2007 was outstanding, but not until 2010 has it been this enjoyable and lush once again. This complex dry red has great dark fruit character and depth, whether by itself or paired with a hearty meat - lamb, beef, fajitas, perhaps even spaghetti or spicy foods.

Cotes du Rhone Villages

Red Cotes du Rhone wines are from a key wine region in the Southeast of France and are a blend of Syrah, Granache, and maybe Mourvedre.  Most French wines do not possess the characteristic of being strongly fruitforward, but this wine had a wonderful array of fruit flavors to offer such as crushed blueberries and bright cherries, spice, black pepper, and smoke. It can also boast of a silky,smooth finish.

I paired it with smoked pork steak (cooked with a spice rub) served with a side of Country Bob's barbeque sauce. This was an awesome combination of flavors.  (We also had a bottle of Valpolicella wine (partially made in the ripasso style) that went equally as well with the smoked meat.)

Laurence Feraud of Domaine du Pegau and Andre Brunel of Les Cailloux partnered together for this wonderful Rhone blend that has received scores of 86-91 from several organizations. Prices are around or below $20.  I found it for less at Costco - whose a thoughtfully assembled wine collection I regularly survey.

Keep this one in mind for summer barbeque and hardy meats - especially grilled and smoked! Cheers!

Louis Latour! Ooolala!

I am in love with Louis Latour -- his wines, I mean.  Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend the Food and Wine Experience at the renowned Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, which for 3 days offered various levels of tasting opportunities.  In the VIP Tasting Room, we were treated to wonderful hors d'oeuvres supplied by Schnucks Markets and some incredible wines.

I took the photo below with my iPhone, one-handed - hence, the blurriness.  Nonetheless, the famous branding of Maison Louis Latour identifies the pedigree of these outstanding wines.

From the Cote D'Or in Burgundy, France, I savored samples of a Marsannay Rouge , a Chassagne Montrachet Chardonnay, and an incredible Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru Les Chaillet Pinot Noir. Even for those who struggle to identify the array of flavors present in wines, when it's a good wine, a wine lover knows it! The Latour family has been producing wines since the 17th century, and they are masters of fine wine production.

The best way to get familiar with great wines is to attend wine tasting events such as this, where you can taste a variety of wines side by side. Learn how quality wines taste. This then becomes your measure for others.  Are you familiar with good Chardonnays? Outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon? An great old world Pinot Noir? Find local wine shops and attend those tastings. Cheers!

Barbera d'Asti

 

Barbera d'Asti is a great dry red wine from the Piedmont or Piemonte wine region of Italy. In northwestern Italy, the Asti area is perhaps the best known.  Quality wines are rated DOC; exceptional wines DOCG - Denominazione de Origine Controllata e Garantita - where the G represents a promise (guarantee) of quality.
This 2010 Barbera does not disappoint. it offers great berry/dark fruit flavors, lingering nicely on the palate. I found this one at Trader Joe's in the St. Louis area.