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Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

A wine blog written by the experts from The International Wine of the Month Club

Champagne: The Perfect Wine Any Time

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Most Americans relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions: Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, weddings, late night holiday parties, New Year’s Eve celebrations, etc. Frankly, Champagne deserves better. Here’s why.

Champagne, the original and finest sparkling wine that hails from the ancient province of Champagne, enjoys a reputation as the “Belle of the Ball,” the perfect aperitif, a wine of conviviality and good cheer, but there is more to Champagne than frivolity. Champagne works its magic day and night all year round. It also pairs beautifully with a host of foods, which has earned it a reputation as a wine for all seasons and occasions. Long ago European wine drinkers discovered the many pleasures of Champagne and consume far more Champagne than Americans, both with and without a meal. So why not discover the pleasure of Champagne by pouring a glass on a cold, rainy day as well as a warm, sunny day, or serve it at a mid-week meal as well as at a party? Isn’t every day meant to be celebrated in some way?

Why limit the pleasure of good bubbly to a few occasions or just one time of year? Even better, prepare a mid-week meal around a good bottle of Champagne and see why French and Italians consume so much more of this magical wine than Americans. Champagne makes glad the heart as it cleanses the palate and enlivens the soul. For these reasons and more I enjoy Champagne at all times of the year and twice as often during the holidays. I especially enjoy it as an aperitif during a fun-filled evening with friends in the company of tasty morsels. So, what are you waiting for? Make mine Brut Champagne, and make today special.

Don

Cabernet Sauvignon: The World’s Reigning Grape Varietal

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Red Wine Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely cultivated of the world’s red grape varieties.  For centuries it was thought to be an ancient varietal, but DNA studies conducted in the 1990s revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon is not nearly as old as was once thought.  Moreover, what is even more startling is that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the offspring of Cabernet Franc (a red variety) and Sauvignon Blanc (a white variety).

The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon has traditionally been attributed to Bordeaux, where it holds court with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and even Carmenère.  The combination of any three or more of these varieties is what is known in Europe as the Bordeaux Blend or in California and elsewhere as a Meritage selection.  Some evidence suggests that northern Spain, just south of the Pyrenees, may one day lay legitimate claim to being an original site of the planet’s most important red grape variety as well.  However, Bordeaux rightly claims to be the disseminator of this noble red grape because from Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon has traveled the world far and wide.

In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the heart and soul of the finest Médoc wines and a leading player in nearly all of the finest red wines of Graves.  Châteaux Haut-Brion, Margaux, Latour, and Lafite are all Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.  However, even in Bordeaux appellations where Cabernet is King, it is usually blended with Merlot and or other traditional Bordeaux varietals.  By nature, Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick skinned grape that requires a longer maturation than most red grape varieties, which makes blending it a natural choice in winemaking regions such as Bordeaux where climate conditions are variable.

Cabernet Sauvignon truly thrives under warm, even hot, semi arid conditions, which is one reason why this noble variety has been extensively and successfully cultivated in Australia, Argentina, California, Chile, South Africa, and elsewhere.  Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably California’s most prestigious red varietal, both in consummate quality as well as price.  California’s Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties are generally acknowledged to produce the New World’s finest Cabernet Sauvignons.  Select areas of, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa also fashion a growing number of world class Cabernet Sauvignons.

In flavor profile Cabernet Sauvignon can vary considerably, depending upon climate and terroir.  However, blackberry and blackcurrant (often referred to as cassis) flavors are most often associated with this premium variety.  Earthy and herbaceous aromas, such cedar, eucalyptus, graphite, and tobacco are also common.  Moreover, of all the world’s red grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon has the greatest propensity for successful ageing. Cabernet Sauvignon also contains high amounts of antioxidants and resveratrol, which make its wines some one of the most healthful of all.  Enjoy!

What’s the World’s Greatest Red Wine Value?

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Carmenere GrapesCarmenère, Chile’s emblematic red wine, could certainly lay claim to being the world’s greatest red wine value. Why? Of all the Bordeaux varietals and South American wines, Carmenère stands out to me as the most distinctive and enjoyable, especially in the first five years of life which is when the vast majority of all wines are consumed. And as an added bonus, well made Carmenère ages gracefully to perfection for up to a decade or more. Critics and major wine publications have sung the praises of Carmenère, especially from top producers such as Casa Silva, Carmen, Casas del Bosque, and Errazuriz, and every time I bring a fine Carmenère to a tasting or share a bottle with friends, Carmenère is a hit and those happy recipients inevitably add “This must be expensive,” before sheepishly inquiring as to the cost. When told no, most Carmenères are quite reasonable, they wonder why. That’s when I go to work.

When I ask why they have never tried Carmenère or don’t drink more of it, the usual retorts sound something like these: “I didn’t know what it was” or “I never had one before, so I was afraid to try it.” A few others add “It seemed too reasonably priced, so I didn’t think it would be very good.” Ignorance isn’t always bliss. When could any of us ever drink a label, a price tag, or anyone else’s palate and be truly satisfied?

Let’s talk Carmenère and dispel the mystery surrounding the grape. It is safe to say that Carmenère is close to being the missing link of Bordeaux varietals, and that link now thrives in Chile. Although still one of the six legal red Bordeaux grape varietals and in evidence at a few Bordeaux châteaux among a sea of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot (the other five varietals that comprise red Bordeaux), Carmenère has not figured prominently in Bordeaux since the advent of phylloxera in the 19th century. Brought to Chile in the 19th century before the dreaded vine disease, Carmenère was mistaken for a clone of Merlot until the 1980s, and perhaps this is the reason it languished for more than a century in relative obscurity, though it’s hard to believe that one of Bordeaux’s six legal red grape varietals could be misidentified for so long, but then the truth is nearly always stranger than fiction. So, what does Carmenère have going for it? Plenty! Let’s start with Carmenère’s deep purple color, followed by a hedonistic aroma: savory red and black fruit flavors, deft touches of bell pepper, black pepper, dark chocolate, coffee and spice. But best of all, Carmenère’s tannins are smoother than those of Cabernet Sauvignon and its other Bordeaux compatriots. Most of all, people enjoy it, especially after it’s had a few minutes to breathe. One would be wise to never judge a Carmenère on first sip; any good Carmenère needs a few minutes of aeration to undergo metamorphosis in the glass. One doesn’t have to wait years to enjoy this varietal, but allow it a little time in the glass to collect itself, and enjoy!

Salud!
Don

Petite Sirah: California’s Latest Darling

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SyrahPetite Sirah, also known as Durif, is named for Francois Durif, the French botanist who first identified the grape in the late 19th century in the south of France. Petite Sirah is thought to be the result of a natural chance cross pollination between Syrah and the French grape Peloursin. Durif or Petite Sirah (the names are often used interchangeably) is rarely cultivated today in its native France. However, this adaptable grape has gained considerable favor elsewhere, with California its main proponent. It is increasingly popular in Australia and Israel, too, as the grape is well-suited to a dry, Mediterranean climate.

Although called Petite Sirah, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah, except the size of its berries. Petite Sirah produces rich, powerful, and often tannic wines that are typically at their best within the first 5 or 6 years of life, but the finest versions benefit from extensive bottle aging and live for up to two decades or more.

Petite Sirah has a long history in California where it has flourished since the 1870s. A favorite of Sonoma County’s Italian immigrant population for its deep color, rich fruit flavors, and tannic structure, Petite Sirah quickly found a place among California’s “field blends,” wines that were enamored by California’s immigrant population and the state’s burgeoning population. At the turn of the 20th century, Petite Sirah was reputed to be among the three leading grape varieties planted in California. Zinfandel and Mourvèdre were the other players in that triumvirate. Although not nearly so widely cultivated today, Petite Sirah is enjoying resurgence, both as a key component in many of California’s finest Zinfandels and popular field blends but also on its own as a single varietal. Rich dark fruit, plenty of robust flavors, and ample tannins make Petite Sirah popular among American consumers.

Salud!
Don

Malbec: Better Than Ever

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Pinot Noir GrapeMalbec’s more than decade-long meteoric rise to prominence north of the Rio Grande has secured it a place at dinner tables and around barbecue pits all across America. Invariably, Malbec offers a deeply colored mouthful of wine that complements a wide variety of foods that Americans enjoy: steaks, burgers, pork barbecue, pizza, and a host of everyday, stick to your ribs fare. However, Malbec’s star has not always burned so brightly. For years, much of the Malbec on store shelves in this country were simply blah or at best one trick ponies, with only a handful of notable exceptions. It is not because Malbec makes inherently inferior wine (nothing could be further from the truth), but because for too long there were so few really good Malbecs in North America to choose from. With the exception of Catena, Alta Vista, Achaval-Ferrer, and a handful of other notable producers, most Malbecs in this country in decades past were one dimensional wines that provided the grape variety’s deep hue and jolt, but little else. Thankfully, all that has changed. Today, we in North America have many excellent Malbec wines to choose from and one need not have an expense account to enjoy them.

Although Malbec’s origin is southwest France, including Bordeaux, where it still plays an important supporting role alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, Argentina has come to fore as the contemporary champion and spiritual home of Malbec. A continuous stream of excellent Malbecs now flow north from Argentina to grace North American tables. And I am happy to report that many of my favorite Argentinean Malbecs are now readily available in the U.S. Almarada, a new venture from Malbec specialist Antonio Mas, offers a tasty, crowd-pleasing Malbec from the famed Uco Valley at a very reasonable price. Graffito, La Posta, Luca, Mendel, and Tikal are even more consummate Malbec producers that consistently fashion excellent, affordable Malbecs at the level of Achaval Ferrer, Catena and Alta Vista. With that said, one should also not overlook the top Malbec wines from France’s Cahors appellation where Château Armandière and Domaines Georges Vigouroux are fashioning traditional, world-class Malbecs. So why not fire up the grill, call friends over for a barbecue, and pour a glass of a truly good Malbec?

Salud!
Don

Cabernet Franc

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Cabernet Sauvignon GrapesCabernet Franc often lives in the shadow of its younger and more assertive sibling, Cabernet Sauvignon. Although reluctant to rely on gender stereotyping of grape varietals or their particular characteristics, a compelling case can be made for describing Cabernet Franc as the feminine side of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc, whose origin appears to be the Pyrenees Mountains in southwest France, is one of Bordeaux’s oldest and most prestigious grape varietals. It predates Cabernet Sauvignon by many centuries and recent DNA testing has determined that Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc constitute the actual forebears of Cabernet Sauvignon and not the other way around as once thought.

In its spiritual home, Cabernet Franc figures prominently in both Left and Right Bank Bordeaux wines, with the most esteemed Right Bank appellations of Pomerol and St. Émilion relying more heavily on Cabernet Franc’s propensity to ripen earlier than its more famous offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc also flourishes in France’s Loire Valley, most notably in the appellations of Bourgeuil and Chinon, where it produces elegant, sophisticated red wines. Add Cabernet Franc’s hauntingly beautiful fragrance, enticing berry, currant and leafy flavors, along with rounder, more accessible tannins than its progeny, Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is easy to see why Cabernet Franc is uniformly esteemed in France and increasingly sought after by New World wineries. The most notable Cabernet Francs outside of France emanate from Argentina, California, and Chile where they are bottled as premium varietals and play key supporting roles in Meritage selections

Meritage: California’s Best Blend

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Wine CheeseMeritage is California’s answer to Bordeaux.  It is also a term that has come in vogue to describe New World blends that are made from traditional red Bordeaux varietals.  Therefore, a meritage wine is essentially a blend of three or more traditional red Bordeaux grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc the most notable participants.  Malbec and Petit Verdot are the other likely players and Carmenère a possibility but rarely a component.  There are no legal or proscribed percentages for each grape variety in a meritage wine, so producers are permitted to vary how much of each varietal finds its way into the final offering, much as the great Bordeaux Châteaux vary their cépages or blends depending upon the estate’s desired style of wine and the vagaries of each particular vintage.

Nearly all meritage wines eschew the name of a single varietal on the label because varietal bottling requires that at least 75% of a single variety (in California and in most other states) be present in a blend to be labeled as a single varietal.  The minimum requirement for varietal labeling in Europe and in most other New World producing wine countries is 80%.  Because three or more grape varieties are included in the blend, meritage offerings are often more complex and nuanced than their single varietal counterparts.  In addition, it is often the small percentages of other Bordeaux varietals in California’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignons that make producers’ varietal bottlings standout.

Some truly notable California meritage offerings include Pahlmeyer’s Proprietary Red, an iconic wine that ranks among the best California can offer, and Titus Andronicus, Napa Valley Red, a wonderfully decadent, seamless Bordeaux style red that merits serious consideration as the finest value in top-notch California meritage.

Salud!
Don

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