Vol. 7 No. 1
Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
Altos Las Hormigas Malbec 2001 - Argentina
Huia Marlborough Chardonnay 2002 - New Zealand
Red Wines Only Featured Selections
Rosenthal Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 - USA
White Wines Only Featured Selections
JJ Hahn Riverflat Barossa Valley Semillon 2003 - Australia
Altos Las Hormigas Malbec 2001 - Argentina
Altos Las Hormigas remains the hottest boutique winery in Argentina. Situated in the midst of the mighty Mendoza, the Altos estate is located at an altitude of 2500 feet, which puts it high into the foothills of the towering Andes as its name implies. Unlike most Mendoza wineries, Altos specializes in the cultivation and production of a single varietal. In fact, this estate produces only one wine outstanding Malbec. Presently, the 475-acre estate has 75 acres of vines under cultivation, all of which are devoted to Malbec.
Formerly known as Altos de Mediano when it released its debut vintage in 1997, Las Hormigas changed its name in 1999. This modification paved the way for the estate to use very old vines of Malbec from outside of the immediate geographic area of the property, which is solely within the Medrano region of Mendoza. Now under the ownership and direction of Marco de Grazia, whose portfolio of great Italian estates is second to none, Altos Las Hormigas produces sensational Malbec from selected old vines.
Indeed, if there is a single great varietal in Argentina, it is Malbec. Malbec is a French red wine grape that traveled to Argentina well over a century ago from Bordeaux, before Phylloxera devastated the vineyards of Europe. In Bordeaux, where it is sometimes referred to as Cot or Pressac, it plays an important, but subordinate role alongside of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. However, around Cahors in Southwest France, Malbec remains the major player, accounting for the traditional, full-flavored black wine of Cahors. It is with this excellent, dark colored Cahors-style Malbec in mind that Altos Las Hormigas excels, transforming Malbec's great color, flavor and tannin into tasteful velvet.
Argentina and the Mighty Mendoza
Argentina has long been one of the world's leading producers and consumers of wine. Presently, this sprawling nation, which contains some of the world's most diverse geography: tropical jungle, barren desert, towering snow-capped mountains and windswept deserted islands that herald Antarctica, is the world' fifth largest producer of wine and the planet's third largest consumer of the fruit of the vine, placing it just behind Italy and France.
It was in the 16th century that learned Jesuits, with fervor for faith matched only by their desire to cultivate the seeds of civilization, first brought the vine to the land of the pampas. Father Cedron, a Jesuit missionary from Spanish Mexico, is believed to have planted the first vineyard in what is now Argentina in 1556. His early plantings survive as the Criollas grape variety, which still produce light red and rose wines. Once the most widely cultivated grape varietal in Argentina, the ancient Criolla is now giving way to Chardonnay, Torrontes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and most importantly, Malbec.
Although Argentina acknowledges its viticultural debt to the early Spaniards who settled there, the modern tale of wine in Argentina really begins with the Italian migration of the late 19th century. Sparked by political strife and economic stagnation, many Italian growers and winemakers headed for Argentina. Settling in the dry rain starved Mendoza at the base of the Andes, these Italian immigrants began to sluice the snow waters from the mountains out over the vineyards, causing the desert to bloom. In less than a century, the Mendoza, a state approximately the size of Illinois, has become Argentina's leading wine producing region, accounting for the vast majority of the nation's wine production and more than half of all the wine made in South America.
Driven by Argentina's seemingly insatiable thirst for wine, as well as the burgeoning worldwide demand for fine wine, especially well-made reds, the Mighty Mendoza now comprises some 700,000 acres of vines, and is still growing. The vast majority of wine from the arid, nearly insect-free environment of Mendoza is red, and happily the quality of these wines continues to grow exponentially. The recent attention to quality is much to the delight of savvy North American consumers, finally astute enough to notice the myriad of fine Mendoza offerings flowing north, without holding the region's previous viticultural history of favoring quantity over quality against it.
Since the early 1980's, relative political stability along with the infusion of money and talent from abroad has transformed the Mendoza. With the likes of Paul Hobbs, Jacques and Francois Lurton and most recently Marco de Grazia, this recent wave of immigrants and investors has transformed the once sleeping giant into a treasure trove of fine wines. Moreover, savvy consumers would be wise to look to Mendoza for value as well as quality because unlike most other wine producing nations whose prices have risen sharply due to the decline of the dollar, Argentina's economic woes have kept prices in check. And with the likes of 2001 Altos Malbec, this is as good as it is going to get, so enjoy!
Tasting Notes: The Altos Las Hormigas Malbec has been consistently excellent from vintage to vintage, but the estate's present offering, the 2001 Malbec, has raised the bar. Exceedingly deep in color and infused with purple overtones, the 2001 Altos Malbec sets the stage for the grandeur of the vintage as well as the varietal. Scents of ripe black cherries, hickory, sandalwood, and bacon fat waft from the glass in what can only be described as a command performance. Tantalizing is another adjective that comes to mind. In the mouth, smooth, full-flavored tannins mingle with lush, refined flavors that must be experienced to be believed. As the wine airs, it seems to form one single, seamless garment that reveals additional even more intriguing flavors with every sip a hallmark of Altos' Malbec. Unquestionably, the 2001 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec remains one of the finest examples of this exciting varietal we have ever encountered, and that says a lot; the wine captures the light and space of the great, sprawling land of Argentina and reproduces perfectly all of its fruits, remarkable character and latent vitality all in a single glass. We suggest drinking this alluring Malbec at cool room temperature (64º-68º F), and often.
Accompaniments: Gutsy, stick to your ribs kind of fare best suite the 2001 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec, so save the dainty delights of Nouvelle Cuisine for another wine. Steaks, braised meats, stews and wild game all provide excellent accompaniments to the intriguing Altos Malbec. Venison is a particular favorite; ostrich and buffalo are excellent, as well. Full throttle pasta dishes work well, too, especially those made with plenty of garlic, olive oil and fresh, ripe plum tomatoes. Yet, the 2001 Altos Malbec is so good, especially after an hour or two open, that it needs no accompaniments. Typical for Altos, we have rarely tasted such a young Malbec that shows so beautifully at such a young age, and without any accompaniment or pretense. It, also, makes us shiver to think that this wine may actually be in its infancy, and have its best years ahead of it, so why not plan a party some two or three years hence and impress your friends. In other words, put a few bottles away for a rainy day, and a sunny one, too.
Recipe for Red Wine:
Pork Cacciatore
2 lbs. pork tenderloins cut-up into ½ thick pieces
3 Tbl. olive oil
2 large green peppers cut into chunks
1 large onions chopped coarsely
1 large cup tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
In a large dutch oven, sauté pork tenderloin pieces and onions until rowned. Add peppers and sauté for 5-10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and then slowly add beef broth. Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
Huia Marlborough Chardonnay 2002 - New Zealand
When you meet Claire and Mike Allen and sit at their kitchen table, gazing out upon the stunning beauty of the surrounding Wairau Valley all covered with vines, and peer beyond to the silhouettes of lofty mountains bathed in rarefied air, you cannot help but understand how wine is made at Huia and why it tastes so pure and natural.
In addition to the supreme terroir at Huia and the sustainable viticultural practices that are away of life at the Allen's budding wine estate, Claire and Mike also bring some of the finest winemaking credentials to their small domain along Rapaura Road in Blenheim on New Zealand's picturesque South Island. They have the distinguished honor of being one of the few husband and wife teams to have studied at Roseworthy in South Australia, one of the world's most prestigious schools of oenology. Moreover, they both helped establish the renowned and now legendary Cloudy Bay Estate, before establishing Huia in 1996. Each has also completed an extended stage in Champagne where they worked at Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger, respectively, in order to master the art of producing top-notch bubbly. When it comes to making expressive, individually styled white, red, and sparkling wines that exhibit flavor as well as panache, no one knows how to do it better than Claire and Mike Allen.
The Huia estate is strung along a series of low hills and terraced slopes that were once an old riverbed. From the rock and mineral rich soil of this domain flows a plethora of award winning wines, most notably Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and one of New Zealand's finest Champagne Method Brut sparkling wines.
All of Huia's wines receive the spa treatment, meaning the grapes are hand harvested and receive kid glove treatment from start to finish. Yields are kept extremely low in order to allow each of the estate's varietals to garner the maximum amount of flavor and finesse to impart to the resulting wines. Huia also uses Seguin Moreau French barrels and puncheons for aging its wines, which impart flavor, depth, and an added dimension of age worthiness, without smothering the wines in the flavor of oak. All this adds up to excellence at Huia.
So What's a Huia?
The Huia (who yah) was a unique New Zealand bird. It co-existed in pairs (male and female) and inhabited the dense forest canopy that once covered much of New Zealand. It is the only bird in the world in which the bills of the male and female birds are different in shape. This unique feature along with the bird's beautiful plumage generated great interest from international collectors and ultimately led to the Huai's demise. Highly prized by the local Maoris and Europeans, the Huia is believed to have been hunted to extinction. The last official sighting of the Huia was in 1907. However, there have been unconfirmed reports over the years of hearing the song of the Huia in isolated bush areas around Ureweras, so who knows we may one day catch a glimpse of this beautiful bird. In the meantime, we have Claire and Mike Allen and their beautiful wines to console us.
Tasting Notes: The 2002 Huia Chardonnay is a racy, elegant, Burgundian style Chardonnay that embodies the purity of New Zealand; yet, it exudes the elegance and panache of fine Côte d'Or white Burgundy. All of the grapes for this stylish wine emanated from Huia's own vineyard, the major portion of which is devoted to the highly touted Meursault clone of Chardonnay. In addition, only the vineyard's natural indigenous yeasts were used for fermentation, adding an extra degree of complexity to the resulting wine. Peach and creamy vanilla tones persistently haunt the nose, while the wine's palate is finely structured with ripe fruit, rich melon and citrus flavors, and traces of coconut, all of which are backed by subtle oak. All of this adds up to complex layers of texture and flavor that support a long elegant finish. Given this wine's supreme balance and the consummate quality of the 2002 vintage in Marlborough, we suggest that you not be in any hurry to consume this beauty or drink it to extinction, but you had better stock up soon. As fine as 2002 was for quality, it was not a generous vintage for quantity. We suggest serving the 2002 Huia Chardonnay fairly well chilled (40º F), and then allowing it to slowly bloom in your glass as it reaches toward room temperature.
Accompaniments: So you would like a few suggestions would you? Well, for starters, the 2002 Huia Chardonnay, like most premium New Zealand whites, provides a superlative accompaniment to seafood. Whether you serve the seafood sautéed, steamed, baked, broiled or raw, you will find the Huia Chardonnay an exemplary partner. Some of our suggested pairings with the Huia are Smoked Salmon Tartare, Black Snapper Sashimi, Pan Seared Sea Bass, Tilapia Pacifico, a dish that calls for baking the tilapia with a crust of fresh golden kiwi and assorted tropical fruits, and Rockfish or just about any other mild white fish that is served with a light, saffron infused sauce. And if you are still hungry, why not consider the 2002 Huia Chardonnay with a Seafood Turnover, replete with scallops and shrimp, all topped with a lobster sauce. For those who prefer the land to the sea, we suggest you consider the Huia Chardonnay with a mild goat cheese or a rich, creamy cow cheese. Light, cream based pasta dishes are good, too. Enjoy!
Recipe for White Wine:
Pasta Primavera
2 cups asparagus cut into 1 pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms-sliced
½ cup frozen peas
2 tomatoes peeled & diced
1 lb. linguini or fettuccini
2 Tbl. olive oil
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. Basil - chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Steam asparagus and broccoli until crisp; drain and keep warm. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté garlic for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, peas and tomatoes; cook 3-4 minutes. Gently stir in heavy cream, Parmesan and basil. Add broccoli and asparagus pieces and keep heated on low.
Cook pasta; drain and add to skillet with vegetables in cream sauce. Toss all together quickly and serve immediately.
Rosenthal Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 - USA
In the 19th century, Los Angeles County was reputed to have been the leading producer of wine in California, but with the advent of phylloxera and Fierce's Disease, followed by urban sprawl (the county's most deadly disease of the 20th century), wine production nearly disappeared from Los Angeles County. Such was the unhappy state of wine affairs in and around Los Angeles until 1987, when George Rosenthal planted a prime portion of his Malibu ranch to European varietals and put Malibu and Los Angeles County back on California's viticultural map.
A real estate developer, restaurant/hotel owner and breeder of fine Andalusian show horses, Rosenthal produces the county's premier wines. Specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, which are made only in miniscule lots, George Rosenthal and French winemaker Christian Rougenet spare no expense in the pursuit of full throttle, highly extracted wines of distinction. At Malibu Estate, the grapes are entirely handpicked from low yield vines and the resulting hand crafted wines are all aged in the finest French oak barrels. No wine is released until it is ready to drink, a practice that defies contemporary economic exigencies but aptly defines this estate's commitment to quality. To highlight just how serious this property is, the 1998 Cabernet has just become available, after six years of covetous ageing.
Tasting Notes: Happily, the 1998 Rosenthal Malibu Cabernet Sauvignon follows in the footsteps of its illustrious predecessors. It also qualifies as the finest 1998 California Cabernet we have tasted, without exception, so forget everything you have ever heard or experienced with other 1998 California Cabernets because the 1998 vintage in southern California was as sensational in Malibu as it was disappointing in Napa, Sonoma, and elsewhere along the entire North Coast. The 1998 Rosenthal Cabernet is an old-fashioned California Cabernet Sauvignon, which means it is a formidable, highly flavored wine that hearkens back to the glory days of the California Wine Renaissance in the late 1960's and early 1970's. It sports pronounced aromas of cedar, black cherry, currant, tobacco, and mint. On the palate, the essence of blackberry, with an infusion of cassis, spice, mint, chocolate and new oak, wraps around a highly structured core to define the wine's flavor profile. Packed with subtle complex flavors, the 1998 Rosenthal Cabernet Sauvignon also exudes the estate's telltale length and lingering finish, which constitute the signature of Rosenthal's Malibu Estate Cabernet. We suggest decanting this buxom beauty and allowing it to breathe for an hour in a cool ( about 65º F) spot. This way the wine will reveal its inherent power as well as its pleasure. Enjoy!
Accompaniments: You could serve almost anything with the 1998 Rosenthal Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and it would taste good, commented one member of the tasting panel to the nodding, almost prayerful approval of the entire cohort. However, meat and cheese, and just about anything else that calls for body and flavor, provide especially fine accomplices to the 1998 Malibu Estate Cabernet. Roast leg of lamb, prepared Provencal style with garlic, olive oil and fresh rosemary is, perhaps, our favorite complement to this wine. The pronounced flavor of the lamb melds with the full flavor of the wine to provide the perfect pairing. Other Meditteraranean specialties, especially Greek and Lebanese dishes and other selected Middle Eastern fare, with their highly charged, exotic flavors, also offer splendid choices with this full-throttle Cabernet Sauvignon. Beef, duck, buffalo steak, spicy sausages, and piquant bean dishes also make other excellent complements to the 1998 Rosenthal Malibu Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, but if all you want is a splendid Cabernet to drink, completely unencumbered, this too is your wine.
JJ Hahn Riverflat Barossa Valley Semillon 2003 - Australia
JJ Hahn is a premium Barossa Valley winery with more than six generations of expertise and a long list of outstanding offerings to its credit. The family has lived and worked this very same land since 1846. Today, James Hahn is the present vigneron or grape grower, while Christa Binder, scion of the famous Binder family of Barossa Valley, serves as the chief winemaker. The Binders are best known for Veritas wines, one of Barossa Valley's unofficial first growths.
Veritas unequivocally produces some of Australia's finest red and white wines, from full throttle Shiraz, Mataro (Mourvedre), Cabernet, and Merlot to outstanding Semillon, and even a10 year old Tawny port-style wine. Not surprisingly, the Binder magic plays out in Hahn's Riverflat Semillon.
Hahn's Riverflat Semillon is produced from a heritage vineyard of only two and half acres. This special parcel of vines was planted in Barossa on the banks of the North Para River in 1960 and 1962. At more than forty years of age the Riverflat vineyard produces only half of its original crop, which results in rich wines of great flavor. Through limited production of this single vineyard Semillon, JJ Hahn aims to preserve part of the heritage of the Barossa Valley and allow the outstanding fruit from this historic vineyard the opportunity to reach its ultimate potential.
Tasting Notes: Richly robed and golden hued, the dazzling 2002 JJ Hahn Riverlflat Barossa Valley Semillon exudes the seductive scents of ripe citrus and fresh honey, with just the right amount of a certain sensual je ne sais quoi. Perfumed, fleshy, and all together decadent, this Barossa Valley Semillon is nothing short of hedonism in a glass. If the JJ Hahn Riverflat Semillon were anything but wine, it would be arrested for indecent exposure. And happily, this not so demure coquette delivers everything it promises; it coats the mouth with kisses of luscious fruit, before ending with the satisfying feel of silk and satin on the finish. Ripe, but never sweet, the amply endowed 2002 JJ Hahn Riverflat Semillon has both weight and length, without resorting to residual sugar or a soppy, syrupy finish. Enjoy this wonderful, easy to drink Barossa Semillon moderately to well chilled (40-50º F)
Accompaniments: The 2002 JJ Hahn Riverflat Semillon is a winner with everything from Baby Shrimp, served in a ripe avocado, to Chicken and Cheese Flautas, smothered in a mild tomato based salsa or picante sauce. Not surprisingly, the lush balanced flavors of the JJ Hahn Semillon saunter right through even the most difficult food flavors to pair with wine. Consequently, another recommended accompaniment to the Hahn Semillon includes fresh Smoked Red Snapper, served on a bed of grilled sweet potato and roasted cherry tomatoes, with fennel and edible woodland ferns. New Zealand green-lipped mussels, simmered to perfection in an island fruit and roasted root vegetable broth provide yet another flavorful and highly charged companion to the Hahn. Certainly, the 2002 Hahn Riverflat Semillon also marries beautifully to most white fish and full flavored seafood specialties such as lobster tails and Alaskan King Crab Legs, and the Hahn Riverflat Semillon tastes just fine with a plate of soft white cheeses, too. We even recommend it as an aperitif, as it tastes quite splendid all by itself. And best of all, the wine has not even hit its peak of perfection, so you will want to sequester a couple of extra bottles in your cellar to drink over the next few years.
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