Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Is 2018 Another Great Bordeaux Vintage?

June 14, 2019 by Don Lahey

It seems that those with a vested interest in Bordeaux wines are forever declaring yet another “vintage of the century” or at the very least extolling the virtues of the most recent vintage over previous ones. Since vintage makes a difference, and vintage is especially important to the quality of Bordeaux wines, one has to ask: Just how good was the Bordeaux vintage in 2018? More importantly, what are the chances the wines will live up to the early hype heaped upon them? Will the 2018 Bordeaux wines be any more thrilling than those from the last several vintages, especially those from 2015 and 2016?

Weather determines the overall quality of a vintage. While some wine regions enjoy climates that limit the vagaries of a vintage, others are not so fortunate. The weather in Bordeaux varies enormously throughout the growing season and from one year to the next, as the 2018 Bordeaux vintage can certainly attest. In 2018, Bordeaux experienced devastating hailstorms, excessive rain, severe drought, and an extended harvest into late October. Consequently, one could easily conclude that the weather Bordeaux experienced in 2018 was highly unfavorable and, because weather largely determines the quality of a vintage, the resulting wines will turn out to be equally unimpressive. However, for the châteaux that did not lose their entire crop in 2018 to Mother Nature’s whims, their 2018 Bordeaux reds may be the finest they have ever made.

It is true that the spring and early summer weather in 2018 brought many Bordeaux owners to tears and made others wonder if they would have even a few barrels to make. In fact, quite a few Bordeaux châteaux lost everything to hail and early summer rains, which wreaked havoc in the vineyards and limited crop size throughout Bordeaux. In Bordeaux, the old adage “June makes the quantity, August the style, and September the quality” surely rang true in 2018. Add exceptional weather in October that extended the growing season so that the Cabernet Sauvignon could bask on the vine to perfection and 2018 may turn out more exceptional red Bordeaux wines than anyone could ever have imagined by looking at the weather charts. While hail and torrential rains early in the season dramatically cut production, the excessive rain allowed the vines to cope with the drought conditions that developed later in the summer and fall. The results are extremely concentrated red Bordeaux wines with ripe tannins and higher than average alcohol levels. Early tastings out of barrel indicate that many Bordeaux châteaux have indeed produced their finest wines to date. The bad news is almost every châteaux has a lot less wine to sell and prices will be high due to the exceptional quality and extremely small harvest. So where does that leave the consumer?

Consumers will have a chance to look at Bordeaux’s white wines this year but will have to wait for the 2018 Bordeaux reds to come of age. However, smart consumers and all Bordeaux, Cabernet, and Merlot enthusiasts ought to be purchasing as much of the 2015 and 2016 Bordeaux reds as they can find. Quality across the board, from the lowliest Petit Châteaux to the finest Grand Crus, is exceptional. No matter how great 2018 may turn out, the 2015 and 2016 red Bordeaux wines are already in bottle and they are the real deal. Don’t miss out!

Salud!
Don

What to Look for in April

April 26, 2019 by Don Lahey

In April, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is excited to offer four exceptional wines from around the world, beginning with Edgebaston’s 2016 Pepper Pot crafted by David Finlayson, South Africa’s highly acclaimed winemaker. In the 2016 Pepper Pot, Finlayson has fashioned his finest Pepper Pot to date as scores from Vinous (91 points) and James Suckling (91 points) will attest. A lip-smacking, palate-pleasing blend of Syrah, Carignan, Tannat, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Grenache, the 2016 Pepper Pot brims with the savory scents of blackberry, mulberry, and exotic spices. Equally rewarding is Pepper Pot’s smooth, rich flavors, which fill the mouth and caress the palate. An enticing blend of berry fruits, garrigue, orange rind, and savory woodland flavors all come to fore in this smooth medium-bodied red with just the right amount of acidity to leave the palate refreshed and ready for more. Without a doubt, the 2016 Pepper Pot is a crowd pleaser as well as one of the planet’s great red wine values.

Our next Premier Series feature is the 2017 Martinsancho Rueda Verdejo from Spain’s greatest producer of Verdejo, Angel Rodriguez. Rodriguez was responsible for reviving Verdejo’s fortunes in the 1970s. The 2017 Martinsancho is the last vintage Angel presided over, as he passed away in early 2018. Like its mentor, the 2017 Martinsancho is full of energy and shines in the glass with a bright sunny color. Refreshing minerality, laser-like precision and purity emanate from every draught of this wine, while pungent aromas of citrus and lemon zest, spring flowers and liquid stones seduce the nose and prepare the palate for the sensual fruit and floral tones that grace the mouth. Underpinned with a crisp, racy herb-tinged minerality and perfectly balanced natural acidity the 2017 Martinsancho enlivens the senses and finishes with subtle yet complex flavors. In fact, nothing detracts from the purity and freshness of this wine, which is undoubtedly one of the reasons that noted wine critic Robert Parker Jr. once made this comment about Martinsancho: “This is the best dry white table wine I have tasted from Spain.” Come and taste the legacy!

Next in April’s world tour of wine is the 2016 Château Ducasse Graves. Born during a superlative Bordeaux vintage, the 2016 red Graves epitomizes Graves’s classic style by exhibiting a deep purple robe and offering enticing aromas of black fruits, cassis, mulberry, unsmoked tobacco and supple earth tones that tantalize the nose and satiate the palate. Dry, yet rich with the quintessential savor of Graves, the 2016 Château Ducasse offers a wealth of blackberry and currant fruit, cedar, herbs and wood smoke on the palate to complement its firm tannins. Bolder and more structured than in previous vintages, the 2016 Château Ducasse can be enjoyed now or cellared for several years.

Completing this month’s Premier Series portfolio is Sherwood’s 2015 Waipara Riesling, a wine that was splendid upon first release but is even better now as Wine Enthusiast’s stunning review and 91 points will attest. From the wine’s brilliant sunlit hue to its graceful exit down the throat, the 2015 Sherwood Waipara Riesling truly shines. Entrancing scents of apple, peach and apricot waft from the glass and settle in the soul of this concentrated Riesling. Pure fruit and floral flavors emerge in the mouth to tantalize the palate. Rich and concentrated, yet lively and long, the 2015 Sherwood Waipara Riesling makes a stunning case for Waipara as a source of world class wine. Endowed with a delightful fruitiness and a winning outgoing personality, it’s easy to imagine consuming the better part of a bottle of this magical Waipara Riesling without much more than a notice, but there is a lot more to this Riesling than a good quaff.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is thrilled to reveal April’s three award-winning wines. Beginning this month’s three nation tour is Union Sacré’s 2016 Squire Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, a wine that arises from one of California’s heretofore unsung gems. Enclosed in a clear bottle that reflects its brilliant ruby red robe, the 2016 Union Sacré Pinot Noir looks good and tastes even better, that is if on account of its intoxicating aroma you can take your nose out of the glass long enough to taste it. Scents of crushed raspberries and strawberries mingled with hints of forest woodlands and a silky minerality make the 2016 Union Sacré Pinot Noir hard to resist. Better still, the wine’s enticing aroma emerges on the palate along with touches of spice and a crispness that keeps this Pinot Noir fresh and engaging all the way through to a smooth succulent finish. Yes, Union Sacré’s 2016 Squire is a royal beauty just waiting to be discovered.

Our next April Collectors Series offering is the 2016 Château de la Crée Les Tourelles Montagny Premier Cru, the recipient of numerous 90+ point ratings. Montagny is home to many of Burgundy’s most delightful and exuberant white wines. Made from 100% Chardonnay from Premier Cru vineyards, Château de la Crée’s 2016 Les Tourelles Montagny Premier Cru wears a fashionable golden color and offers fresh aromas of acacia flowers, almonds, apple and citrus blossoms as well as youthful juicy flavors to delight the palate. In the finest Montagny fashion, Château de la Crée’s 2016 Les Tourelles comes across sleek and juicy, yet surprisingly rich. In the mouth, pure beautiful Chardonnay fruit laced with hints of hazelnut, nutmeg, and a distinctive minerality comes neatly wrapped in a fine patina of French oak, which adds subtle creaminess to the wine’s bright acidity and considerable structure. Refined and richly flavored, the 2016 Château de la Crée Les Tourelles Montagny Premier Cru starts and finishes with panache.

Rounding out this month’s Collectors Series is the 2011 Valenciso Rioja Reserva. Valenciso is no stranger to The International Wine of the Month Club as Valenciso has consistently fashioned the finest Rioja Reservas for more than a decade, seemingly in defiance of the vagaries of each vintage. In 2011, Valenciso’s Rioja Reserva has once again risen to the top. A hot, dry year in which superb selection and a reduced crop yielded a bolder and more concentrated Rioja Reserva than usual makes the 2011 Valenciso Rioja Reserva a clear stand out as well as a candidate for both early drinking and extended cellaring. Valenciso’s supreme balance, elegance and refinement remain front and center in the 2011 Rioja Reserva. Produced from 100% organically farmed Tempranillo from the bodega’s holdings in Rioja Alta, the 2011 Valenciso Rioja offers an amplifying aroma redolent with floral, fruit, and spice tones. Tightly constructed around a core of polished tannins, the wine explodes in the mouth, filling the palate with persistent red and black berry flavors that wrap around a cache of cinnamon, sandalwood, and vanilla from 18 months in French barriques. The recipient of multiple awards and 90+ point ratings, including 95 Points – Tim Atkin MW, Special Rioja Report 2018, every serious wine lover and collector should have Valenciso’s 2011 Rioja Reserva on their table and in their cellar.

Enjoy!

Great California Wine Bargains of 2019

April 24, 2019 by Don Lahey

The number of California wineries continues to explode and given the recent spate of excellent vintages, both quality and bargains abound. Although California has suffered through a number of drought years which has resulted in many smaller than average crops, the proliferation of new wineries coupled with greater attention to viticulture and appellations other than Napa and Sonoma guarantee plenty to like. Moreover, one need not be a multi-millionaire to enjoy the Golden State’s viticultural fortunes.

Boutique family owned wineries are firmly behind California’s most exciting wines. However, many long established California wineries are also re-inventing themselves by establishing vineyards in locales heretofore out of their realm and by growing a wider range of grape varieties. Blends have become popular again and Rhône varietals, such as Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, have gone mainstream, both as individual varietals and in blends labeled GSM.

One of my favorite California off the radar wineries that offers superb quality is Fisher. Fisher’s Mountain Estate Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon constitute some of the tastiest and most endearing Chardonnays and Cabernets we have come across in recent years. Fisher’s wines are not cheap, but far more recognizable California Chardonnays and Cabernets sell for a lot more and deliver much less. Fisher’s wines are hard to come by but worth the price.

Union Sacre’s 2016 Squire Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir from longtime friends Philip Muzzy and Xavier Arnaudi is not exactly on the tip of everyone’s tongue yet; these guys have crafted an exceptional Pinot Noir for under $40.00 that positively rocks. Look out Russian River! You have some real competition from Santa Barbara and points south.

Pedroncelli remains a stalwart family owned Sonoma County winery that consistently puts good wine in the bottle at a very fair price. Known for more than 90 years for their Zinfandels, Pedroncelli has been quietly bottling small lots of knockout Petite Sirah in addition to first rate Sauvignon Blanc. The moral of this story is “search for the small batches and little known bottlings from established California wineries.” Therein lay the values and troves of undiscovered gems.

The 2016 Andronicus from Napa Valley’s Titus Vineyards is one Bordeaux blend that should not be missed. Priced around $30.00 a bottle, this beauty combines the best of Cabernet Sauvignon (at 66%) with varying amounts of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Andronicus sells for a fraction of the price of Titus’s fabulous award-winning Cabernets and Merlots but is every bit as rewarding in its own right, and it’s ready to drink from the moment the cork is pulled. We are sure to see more of this beauty.

Salud!
Don

What to Look For in March 2019

March 22, 2019 by Don Lahey

In March, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is proud to offer members four special wines from iconic producers from two hemispheres. This month’s odyssey begins with the charming, easy to like 2013 Laderas de Cabama Rioja, an elegant, fragrant Rioja from Valenciso that brings out the feminine side of Tempranillo at the same time that it offers bold flavors and impeccable balance. Luis Valentin’s magic touch with Tempranillo shines through in the 2013 Laderas de Cabama. Produced from 100% Tempranillo, this wine delights the nose with savory scents of woodland berries, pomegranate, dried leaves, and exotic spices. In the mouth, the wine displays a smooth round feel that carries the wine’s spicy cherry and blackberry flavors to a delightfully fresh conclusion. In true Rioja Alta fashion the 2013 Laderas de Cabama unfolds beautifully in the glass, revealing layers of complex flavors and a freshness rarely seen in other Riojas. Once again, Valenciso has released a wine that strikes a perfect balance between fruit and structure that is ideal for drinking now!

Our next feature this month is the 2017 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Blanc, a traditional blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that comes across as the quintessential white Bordeaux. The 2017 vintage yielded exceptional quality white Bordeaux wines and the finest Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Blanc to date, thanks to the Gabards’ expertise with Bordeaux varietals and a late spring frost in 2017 that drastically reduced yields in 2017 but increased quality. The wine’s bright glint in the glass makes a fine first impression that is quickly followed by a savory bouquet redolent with the scents of freshly cut melons, citrus, herbs, and orchard fruits. The wine’s sensual appeal continues in the mouth, where deep drafts of melon, citrus and minerals combine to embrace the palate. In the mouth one also tastes and feels the roundness and superb texture that Semillon imparts to the wine. Fresh, layered, and artfully balanced the 2017 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Blanc offers plenty of flavors before finishing with verve and vigor.

This month’s next feature is the 2015 Nugan’s Scruffy’s Single Vineyard Shiraz, a wine that is anything but scruffy or even slightly hard around the edges. Named for Nugan’s Shiraz Vineyard Manager, the 2015 Scruffy’s Single Vineyard Shiraz shines from the moment it is poured. This a deep purple potion that offers spicy blackberry, cherry, and currant aromas infused with hints of violet flowers and Asian spices that woo the taster. The wine’s beautiful olfactory carries through on the palate, where it offers a mélange of succulent dark berry and fruit flavors, dried flowers, and delicate spice tones. Silky soft in the mouth but never flabby this Shiraz exhibits just the right amount of gentle ripe tannins to seal the deal. The 2015 Scruffy’s Single Vineyard Shiraz over delivers in every respect, offering the class and breed one normally associates with the finer Syrah based wines from France’s Rhône Valley. Enjoy!

Rounding out this month’s Premier Series selections is the sunny, straw-colored 2016 Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay from the birthplace of Chardonnay in the heart of Burgundy’s Maconnais. From its ebullient straw colored robe emanate orchard scents of ripening apple and pear, coupled with soft floral tones reminiscent of acacia and mimosa. Interlaced among the wine’s floral aromas is a beguiling limestone minerality, the very calling card of the finest Maconnais Chardonnays, thanks to the region’s unique terroir. And to everyone’s delight the 2016 Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay carries its delightful olfactory onto the palate. Imbued with a wonderful smooth texture and bearing a host of savory orchard fruit flavors, minerals, and lemon zest this bone dry, medium-bodied Macon-Chardonnay leaves the mouth invigorated and refreshed. .

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collector Series is proud to deliver three truly exceptional wines this month from three of the planet’s most prized appellations. Leading this month’s Collector Series is the 2015 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, a wine that has garnered a cult following among consumers and critics alike (93 Points Wine Spectator). The 2015 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is not only delicious and easy to drink it offers a degree of complexity rarely seen in Zinfandel. A superb blend of 95% Zinfandel and 5% Petite Sirah Mauritson’s 2015 Dry Creek Zinfandel positively sings from the glass, offering a beguiling bouquet of blackberry, black cherry, and exotic spices. Redolent but not overpowering, this medium to full-bodied, sleekly structured Zinfandel offers up an enviable array of flavors to match its seductive bouquet: blackberry and blueberry fruit infused with vanilla, baking spices, and bramble unfold seamlessly in the mouth. One can hardly resist this bold flavored handsomely made Zinfandel, its innate charm, and explosive finish.

Next up is the exceptional and rare 2017 Domaine du Grand Tinel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. Grand Tinel has been on a roll in recent vintages with its Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc and their 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is perhaps the finest to date. From this light straw-colored wine, which holds more than a glimmer of the shimmering Provencal sun, emerges the seductive scents of tropical fruits: pineapple, guava, and lime infused with subtle hints of wild herbs and minerals. On the palate, the wine truly blossoms, revealing a lush creamy texture backed by a bright citrus vivacity that makes it hard to resist and the ideal companion to bring to table. Unlike so many white wines whose flavor profiles appear wrapped up mainly in the bouquet, it is the center of this intriguing Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc that makes it special. This classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is ideal for drinking now and over the next several years.

Completing this month’s Collector Series is the 2016 Consortium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Born in a perfect vintage in America’s premier appellation for Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Consortium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is already an absolute delight to drink. Bold but not brazen, this superbly crafted Cabernet exudes exceptional flavor, charm and precision. From the moment it reaches the glass, the 2016 Consortium begins to work its magic by offering beguiling scents of blackberry, Morello cherry, plum, and hints of bay leaf, all of which come wrapped in a well-integrated patina of oak. The 2016 Consortium Cabernet doubles the pleasure in the mouth as the wine’s beautiful olfactory wells up on the palate, providing rich black and red fruit flavors infused with deft touches of bay leaf, dark chocolate, and tobacco. Fine ripe tannins support the wine’s complex flavors and provide impeccable balance and mouthfeel. Enjoy!

Zinfandel: America’s Own Grape

March 15, 2019 by Don Lahey

Zinfandel has been dubbed “America’s own grape” despite or perhaps on account of its obscure heritage and its immigrant status. Like the vast majority of Americans, Zinfandel’s ancestry and roots hail from lands far away. Zinfandel’s DNA points to Eastern Europe and the Primitivo grape variety whose origins lay in Croatia and more recently Italy, which may in part account for its popularity among the Italian immigrant population that began flocking to our shores, both east and west, in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Finding favor in California among a welcoming immigrant tide in search of a grape capable of producing wine with both a body and a soul in a climate conducive to its production should come as no surprise.

Nonetheless, Zinfandel produces a wine quite different in California from Primitivo and its Croatian and Italian forbearers, and nowhere is that more apparent and welcome than in Sonoma County – the spiritual home of Zinfandel. In Dry Creek Valley and along the banks of Sonoma County’s Russian River, Zinfandel relishes the cooling Pacific breezes that funnel up the appellation’s canyons and valleys as its fruit basks in the long dry summer afternoons, which not surprisingly bring the grape to the pinnacle of perfection. Amador County, Lodi and other California locales also call home to America’s quintessential varietal where Zinfandel’s deep rich colors, intense berry, bramble, and herb flavors, high alcohol, and lush tannins result in wines that fill the mouth and satisfy all of the senses, yet there is more to Zinfandel than strength and vigor.

One of Zinfandel’s keys to success is its extraordinary lifespan, which enables it to produce quality fruit well into old age. In fact, the oldest Zinfandel vineyards (many in California are in excess of 100 years of age) are the most prized. Another attribute of Zinfandel is its versatility. Zinfandel can take on the role of chameleon, equally capable of becoming a light pink quaffable wine such as White Zinfandel, or a deep, dark intense potion of incredible proportion, or something altogether different in the refined style of classic claret.

As an immigrant to our shores, Zinfandel embodies the American experience.

It is a grape that has transformed itself over the last century and a half and honed its own unique identity, an identity that is continually evolving and infinitely open to interpretation. In the eyes of its many admirers, Zinfandel has become a bigger, better, more complex grape since its arrival in America with “a can do attitude” and an identity all of its own. This year, why not take a tour of America and discover America’s own grape. Enjoy!

Salud!
Don

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