A wine blog written by the experts from The International Wine of the Month Club
We’re excited to be prominently featured on Top 10 Picks Reviews Not to Miss which recently posted a great article about ten of our monthly subscription services including our 2 Distinctive Cigar of the Month Clubs, as well as our wine, beer, cheese, chocolate, and flower clubs.
Pretty cool to get some nice ink as we celebrate our 30th year in business!
A Votre Santé!
Kris
Carmenère, one of Bordeaux’s oldest grape varietals and Chile’s emblematic grape, continues to outperform its South American rivals. However, it rarely receives the recognition in North America that it deserves and remains undervalued, which makes it a boon to savvy consumers. Of all South American wines, Carmenère clearly stands out as the most distinctive and enjoyable, especially when consumed in the first five years of life, which is when the vast majority of all wines are consumed. Even more impressive, well-made Carmenères age gracefully to perfection for up to a decade or more in bottle. Increasingly, critics and writers sing the praises of Carmenère, especially from top producers such as Casa Silva, Casas del Bosque, Carmen, and Errazuriz, and every time we serve a Carmenère at a tasting or share it with friends, it’s a hit with red wine drinkers, both young and old. When asked why they don’t drink more Carmenère, the usual retorts still sound something like these: “I didn’t know what it was” or “I never had one before, so I was afraid to try it.” Adam should have exercised a bit more caution when handed the apple, but when it comes to wine, we implore you to be more adventuresome, courageous, even audacious!
Why hasn’t Carmenère taken the wine world by storm? For one, Carmenère is close to being the missing link of Bordeaux varietals, and it has only been since the 1980’s that DNA testing ascertained that Chile’s distinctive red grape is indeed Carmenère. Carmenère’s origins go back many centuries, and it is still one of the six legal red Bordeaux grape varietals for Classified Bordeaux. Carmenère, like Malbec, figured prominently in Bordeaux until the advent of phylloxera in the 19th century. However, post phylloxera, the prolific, earlier ripening Merlot became Bordeaux’s dominant varietal followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Brought to Chile in the 19th century before the dreaded vine disease, phylloxera, Carmenère was mistaken for a clone of Merlot until the 1980’s. This surely accounts for Carmenère languishing for so long 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. Political and economic instability in Chile until the 1990’s is another reason Carmenère is a relative late comer to our shores. Lastly, some of the first Carmenère wines sent to the US were under-ripe and not all indicative of what this premium grape is capable of being.
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 Bordeaux compatriots. Most of all, people enjoy it, especially after it’s had a few minutes to breathe. The only caveat with Carmenère is this: never judge a Carmenère on first sip. Any good Carmenère needs at least a few minutes of aeration to undergo metamorphosis and blossom in the glass. Yet, one doesn’t have to wait years to enjoy this varietal. Just allow Carmenère a little time in the glass to collect itself, and enjoy!
In April, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is pleased to offer our members four outstanding wines from around the world, beginning with the 2020 Water Wheel The Estate, a prodigious Shiraz/Cabernet blend. The 2020 Water Wheel The Estate is a robust wine of great concentration, depth of flavor, and the ability to age for a decade or more. Brandishing a deep opaque purple color and offering lush hedonistic plum and berry flavors infused with explosive tannins, the 2020 Water Wheel The Estate is truly a big wine and a one of a kind. It explodes in the mouth and awakens the palate. To be sure, there is no wimp in this wine, which rings in at 15.9% alcohol by volume; nevertheless, the 2020 Water Wheel The Estate wears its ABV well. Enjoy this blockbuster now and often!
Our next Premier Series feature is the charming, vivacious 2022 Massone Masera Gavi DOCG. Stefano Massone has again turned in a first rate performance in the 2022 Massone Masera Gavi DOCG. The 2022 Masera Gavi is bright, fresh, and exceptionally pure. It also sports the Cortese varietal’s pale straw sunny color and a delicate perfume that is imbued with the haunting scents of white grapes, crisp mountain apples, pears, and a tantalizing minerality. What more can one ask for in a wine? How about a pure racy mid-palate and supreme balance? In the hands of Stefano Massone, the 2022 Masera Gavi truly shines. By eschewing the use of oak barrel ageing in favor of highlighting Gavi’s natural attributes, the 2022 Masera Gavi delights with its delicate perfume, subtlety of flavor, and Masera Gavi’s calling card, a crisp refreshing finish, which is reminiscent of the mineral-rich waters of a cold mountain stream. Enjoy!
This month’s next exceptional offering is the delicious, highly acclaimed 2020 Boya Valle de Leyda Pinot Noir (92 Points – Descorchados; 90 Points – Vinous). Bright, energetic, and bursting with fresh fruit, the 2020 Boya Valle de Leyda Pinot Noir puts a whole new face on cool climate Pinot Noir. The 2020 Boya Leyda Pinot Noir sports a radiant cherry red robe, while its heady aromatics leap from the glass with the redolent scents of crushed cherry, strawberry, and cranberry. In the mouth, its explosive aromatics re-emerge with succulent cranberry, strawberry and orange zest flavors carried on a stream of racy acidity and incisive tannins, all leading to a laser-like finish. Balanced and beautiful, the 2020 Boya Leyda Pinot Noir strikes the ideal note between Old and New World Pinot Noir with its fruit-forward flavors and crunchy tannins. Enjoy!
Completing April’s Premier Series offering is the 2023 Casa Silva Colchagua Sauvignon Gris. The scion of a vineyard planted in 1912, the 2023 Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris ranks among the world’s finest examples of the rare heirloom Sauvignon Gris varietal. Produced from vines that are the oldest in Colchagua Valley, the 2023 Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris pays tribute to the superb but relatively obscure Sauvignon Gris varietal, which exists in few places outside of Colchagua, Chile and its ancestral home among the finest Bordeaux estates. As a relative of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris yields a dry, highly aromatic white wine but with considerably more body and texture than most Sauvignon Blanc. The 2023 Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris pushes the envelope and takes this rare variety to new heights. From the onset, it captures the eye with a bright sunny robe and haunting aromatics. Melon, ripe pineapple, verbena, and freshly squeezed citrus aromas and flavors emanate from this wine. Add hints of fig and an umami-like texture in the mouth and there’s no mistaking this wine’s venerable character. Enjoy!
In April The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is thrilled to offer our members the exceptional, newly released 2021 Casa Silva S7 Los Lingues Carmenère (93 Points Alistair Cooper MW – Catad’Or Wine Guide), the most polished, sensuous, expression of Chile’s most emblematic grape variety that we have encountered. It wears Carmenère’s profoundly dark regal purple color and it offers an amplifying aroma of ripe red fruits: Morello cherry, plum, and assorted berries whose scents captivate the nose. Round and velvety in the mouth, yet layered with flavors, the 2021 S7 Carmenère graces the palate with beautifully textured fruit and savory chocolate tones, mingled with crushed violets and aromatic cedar. Elegant, complex, and impressively long on the finish, the delightful 2021 Casa Silva S7 Los Lingues Carmenère brings its welcome from the moment it is poured. In fact, we found it downright hard to put down. Enjoy this outstanding effort now and for years to come. Enjoy!
Our next April Collectors Series offering is from Marlène and Nicolas Chevalier, who continue to outdo themselves with their property’s racy and full-bodied 2021 Chevalier Crozes-Hermitage Les Pends Blanc. The 2021 Domaine Chevalier Les Pends Crozes-Hermitage cuts a fine figure in the glass with its crystalline brilliance and sensuous aroma. Scents of freshly cut pears, tropical fruits, savory spices, and vanilla bean all come to fore. In the mouth, the 2021 Les Pends Crozes-Hermitage is both round and racy, which captures the Marsanne varietal’s multiple facets: it’s robust in flavor with orchard and citrus fruit flavors, yet textured and precise on the finish. Think of Janus, the mythical Roman god of beginnings, transitions, and much more – that’s Domaine Chevalier’s 2021 Les Pends. Enjoy!
Rounding out this month’s Collectors Series is the highly acclaimed 2019 Luca Uco Valley Beso de Dante (94 Points – Wine Enthusiast; 93 Points – Vinous), a wine that pays homage to the original Bordeaux blend of yesteryear as it is comprised only of Malbec and Cabernet. The 2019 Luca Beso de Dante exudes flavor, power, structure, and length. Emanating from high altitude vineyards (6,000 feet or more), Luca’s 2019 Beso de Dante (meaning Dante’s Kiss) outperforms many classified Bordeaux and top California Meritage offerings. The 2019 Luca Beso de Dante offers a deep, nearly opaque purple robe, entrancing aromatics, and a mouthful of complex flavors. Blackberry, chocolate, cassis, mint, plum, and spicy wood tones emerge in the aroma and again on the palate. The wine’s deep and dense berry, clove, and dark chocolate flavors are steeped in firm tannins, the latter providing structure and a fresh, explosive finish. This is one kiss with youthful ardor that you won’t want to miss. Although enjoyable now with ample aeration, additional time in bottle will only increase the complexity and drinking pleasure of this top-notch Cabernet/Malbec. Enjoy!
In the north of Italy, nestled just beneath the great Alpine wall as it tumbles out of Switzerland and the gleaming Mediterranean Sea, lies Italy’s Piedmont. This is a region of myriad beauty. It is also the region of Italy closest to France in proximity as well as in the sheer quality and variety of exceptional wines it produces.
For centuries, Italy’s Piedmont remained a prize to be won among European powers, no doubt in part on account of the province’s exceptional wines and world famous cuisine that still draws happily on the abundance and quality of local truffles. Yet, today it is the superbly made wines of Italy’s Piedmont that garner the most international recognition: complex, hedonistic red wines, still delicate whites, and sweet haunting Muscats. Although not inexpensive, the great enological treasures of the Piedmont constitute the most affordable of Italy’s great wines and form a tapestry of the planet’s most affordable and exciting wines. With such exquisite fare, should anyone question why the hearty robust delights of the Piedmontese table remain the region’s most famous ambassadors to a hungry and thirsty world?
Barolo, the region’s quintessential red wine from the prized Nebbiolo varietal, reigns as Piedmont’s most renowned wine. It has justly earned the moniker “The King of Wines and the Wine of Kings,” and for good reason. Barolo offers complexity, flavor, nuance, and power, and it comes in a variety of styles, both modern and traditional. Barbera, another splendid red varietal and the region’s eponymous wine, is Piedmont’s most widely planted grape. Moreover, Piedmontese Barbera from Alba and Asti have also never been better, many even challenging Barolo in quality. And, not surprisingly, Piedmont also fashions red wine from several other indigenous varietals, including Dolcetto, Brachetto, and a host of others.
Although red wines dominate the wine scene in Piedmont and garner the most international attention, the white wines of Piedmont also reign as some of Italy’s finest. Arneis and Gavi are the region’s most elegant and traditional dry white wines. Neither receives much, if any, oak barrel ageing, and they are the better for it. Elegance, subtlety, pinpoint minerality and laser-like precision are hallmarks of these varietals. And, if sweet ethereal Moscato slakes your thirst, a host of Piedmontese producers make fine, easy to drink Moscato – a Moscato as succulent as any on earth – slightly effervescent and sweet but not cloying. Enjoy!
In March, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series is proud to offer members four special wines from France and Italy. This month’s Premier Series opens with a Piedmontese classic, Seghesio’s 2021 Barbera d’Alba, a downright juicy, scrumptious wine. Intense ruby in color and redolent with the scents of ripe Bing cherries, wild violets, and aromatic spices, the 2021 Seghesio Barbera d’Alba captivates both the eyes and the nose. In the mouth, the wine’s bright, concentrated fruit flavors burst with vivacity. Juicy ripe cherry, bergamot, and balsamic notes ingratiate the palate. This is a full-bodied gracious Barbera d’Alba that wears its 15% ABV lightly, while providing a delightful, lip-smacking experience from start to finish. Enjoy!
Our next feature this month is the 2022 Sallier de La Tour Inzolia. Produced from Sicily’s autochthonous Inzolia grape variety (aka Insolia), the 2022 Sallier de La Tour Inzolia is a bright, festive wine which sports a slightly golden hue reminiscent of the dazzling Sicilian sun and the formidable light that illuminates the alluring, exotic island of Sicily. Sallier de La Tour’s 2022 Inzolia exudes an airy aromatic perfume, which beautifully reveals the sensual side of Sicilian wine. Fragrant, subtle and faintly spicy, Sallier de La Tour’s 2022 Inzolia first greets the palate with a fresh open smile, but once in the mouth it expresses a deeper layer of fruit, spice and stone – all of which enliven the senses and will make you beg for more. Although neither big nor brawny, buttery nor oaky, this dry white wine captivates the palate and refreshes the senses with a combination of gentle ripe fruit, a hint of cinnamon, and a touch of exotica, the latter affording the wine – as well as the mysterious land of Sicily – a special allure.
This month’s next feature is the exceptional 2019 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Supérieur, traditional blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The 2019 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Supérieur is a dense, concentrated Right Bank Bordeaux, which puts it in the company of much pricier wines from nearby Saint Émilion and Lalande de Pomerol. Deeply colored and scented with the fragrances of red currants, wild berries, cacao, and forest woodlands, the bouquet of the 2019 Château La Gabarre Bordeaux Supérieur portends the body and depth of flavor inherent in this well-made red. It offers plenty of flavor throughout and finishes with verve and vigor thanks to a healthy dose of rich tannins. Enjoy!
Rounding out this month’s Premier Series is the 2021 Colpaola Verdicchio di Matelica DOC, a wine that cuts a fine figure in the glass with its brilliant sun-struck color, including Verdicchio’s telltale flash of green. Subtle scents of spring flowers, orchard fruits, dried fruit, and raw almonds waft from the glass to greet the nose. In the mouth, the wine’s fresh fruit flavors mingle with subtle floral tones, an uplifting minerality, and a purity born of organic grapes which leaves the palate fresh and energized. In the 2021 Colpaola Verdicchio di Matelica, you won’t find any flabby overbearing butter or oak tones, or harsh sulfite burn. Instead, the 2021 Colpaola Verdicchio di Matelica exhibits pure natural charm. The mature 2021 Colpaola Verdicchio di Matelica reveals the definition and flavor for which the Verdicchio di Matelica DOC is renowned. Enjoy!
The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to deliver this month three truly world-class wines from around the world. Leading this month’s Collectors Series is the highly prized 2018 Seghesio Castelletto Barolo DOCG. If ever there was a Barolo to dispel the myth that “the king of wines” is despotic and unapproachable in its youth or it is somehow undrinkable before its 10th birthday, the 2018 Seghesio Castelletto Barolo is just such a wine. Sporting a deep garnet color and endowed with an elegant and entrancing bouquet, the stylish 2018 Seghesio Castelletto Barolo offers up a complex floral aroma: delicate rose and violet scents mingled with a touch of exotic spice and forest woodlands captivate the nose. The wine’s heavenly scents carry through to the palate, providing plenty of mid-palate appeal and nuanced flavors to savor, all of which culminate in a long, lovely finish Elegant, but by no means lean, the 2018 Seghesio Barolo possesses a healthy dose of velvety, well-integrated tannins undergirding its noble stature, which should assure a decade of exceptional drinking pleasure. Enjoy!
Next up is the exceptional and rare 2022 Taboadella Encruzado Reserva. Although always a vigorous full-bodied white wine, the Taboadella Encruzado Reserva is especially concentrated and vivacious in the 2022 vintage – a wine that truly enlivens the senses. Moreover, the 2022 Taboadella Encruzado Reserva shines with crystalline brilliance. As a beautifully textured wine, it delivers subtle fruit flavors with laser-like precision. The wine’s pear, white peach, and citrus flavors are imbued with a touch of spice and a fine patina from partial oak ageing. Fresh and firm to the finish, the youthful and complex 2022 Taboadella Encruzado Reserva races across the palate to a smashing finish. Enjoy!
Completing this month’s Collectors Series is Domaine Chamfort’s 2021 Vacqueyras. This classic Vacqueyras is a traditional blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 15% Mourvèdre from vines in excess of 50 years of age. It is regally colored and concentrated, and truly a wine to ward off the cold and rain. It offers a deep-down aroma of dark fruits, heady Provencal herbs, pepper and spice, all of which re-emerge in the mouth to warm the palate and let the Provencal sun shine in. Polished, pure, and long on flavor, this youthful Vacqueyras captures the essence of Provence – beauty, warmth, and pleasure. Enjoy!
Tuscany captivates the senses, which makes it a must stop for any oenophile. Located in the center of the Italian peninsula, its cities, culture, and people have existed for thousands of years. Drawing strength from its ancient Etruscan origin, which lent Rome its ability to build and engineer feats of unparalleled proportion, the inhabitants of Tuscany have shaped an austere, mystifyingly beautiful countryside into a rich, fecund land. In harmony with a singularly beautiful land that has been inexorably shaped throughout the centuries by the finest human artistry, Tuscans have created a nearly ideal world in which agriculture, architecture, art, thought, and of course wine continue to form one seamless vital union.
The Golden Age of wine is now. Consequently, during no time in its thousands of years of existence have the wines of Tuscany been better than they are today. Whether one enters Tuscany from the south, driving north from Rome, or discovers Tuscany from any number of small country roads that head south from Emilia-Romagna, it is almost impossible not to know that one has entered a special land. Wooded mountains and valleys, full of oak and pine, and a sea of vines that traverse the hills greet the fortunate sojourner into Tuscany. From the sight of the land, it is easy to understand why Tuscany is one of the most important wine producing regions in the world. Likewise, it is equally difficult to comprehend the simple truth – that Tuscany, with it multitude of great wines and illustrious place names, is not one of Italy’s most prolific wine producing regions. In Tuscany, quality, not quantity, holds sway, so a treasure trove abounds of fine wines. Moreover, the great wines of Tuscany are by and large artisanal affairs, produced by families, visionaries, and small groups of very dedicated men and women.
The most expensive and renowned names in Tuscan wine are Brunello di Montalcino – a complex, garnet colored wine from the hills surrounding the precipitous town of Montalcino – and the extraordinary Super Tuscan blends of Tuscany’s Bolgheri. Carmignano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are other venerable names whose fame dates conclusively from the early Middle Ages. And, nowhere in Tuscany or anywhere else in Italy for that matter is better wine being made at prices that one can still afford than in Carmignano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Chianti and Chianti Classico, the two most recognizable names in Italian wine, also provide a venerable trove of exciting wines. Equally important, Tuscany fashions wonderful Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Vin Santo, and a plethora of delicious IGT Rosso and Bianco wines, which Tuscany bestows happily upon a thirsty world. Come and enjoy!
When asked what country comes to mind when wine begs the conversation, invariably the answer will be France. Most consumers and critics consider France the home of the most celebrated and expensive wines on earth. Names such as Châteaux Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, Domaine Romanée Conti, Dom Perignon, and Guigal are known the world over for their quality, style, and luxury. These wines hail from such recognizable and influential regions as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and the Rhône Valley. Nonetheless, and despite the aristocratic and prestigious pedigree of France’s top wines and producers, France and its many magnificent wines are much more than a handful of famous names and places. In fact, France – the world’s second leading producer of wine – remains a treasure trove of fine wines at affordable prices from a myriad of appellations, both renowned and obscure, if only one knows where to look.
In France, geography is king and dirt has been hailed as destiny; yet, what often sets one celebrated estate apart from its neighbor is not always the quality of the wine produced at the properties, but rather a tiny vineyard road, a humble rock wall, or a reputation established a hundred years ago or more. While a Frenchman will never discount the importance of terroir (the soil, climate, exposure, and total environment of a wine) in the production of fine wine, savvy consumers know that there is no substitute for meticulous winemaking and vineyard management, regardless of terroir. Consequently, many of France’s enological treasures need not cost a king’s ransom for one important reason: there is no shortage of quality wine makers or wine in France.
Today, more fine wines flow from France than ever before. From Alsace in the north to Cassis on the Mediterranean Sea and Minervois in the far south, or Midi as the South of France is often called, France still dazzles the wine consuming world with both the quality and variety of her wines. Today, even a famous château or domaine cannot turn out a mediocre wine and continue to thrive solely upon an age-old reputation. The present generation of young winemakers and vineyard owners in France continue to push the envelope in terms of quality. So in addition to the traditional big names, many unknown vignerons both in the well-established communes and even in what were once thought to be lesser appellations are fashioning wines of distinction, and we, the consumers, are the fortunate beneficiaries of this phenomenon. This month we invite you to a taste of France from wineries great and small, but all on the cutting edge. Salut!
The International Wine of the Month Club | 1-800-625-8238 (Outside USA call: 949-206-1904) | P.O. Box 1627, Lake Forest, CA 92609