Mendoza, Argentina
30 % Malbec Vistaflores, 30 % Malbec Altamira, 40 % Malbec Chacras de Coria
14.5 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-30 & 2016-07-31
Medium and clear ruby red. Intensive blackberry notes paired with chocolate aromas. At the beginning very earthy but after some hours pure black fruits. On the palate the fruit character is clearly dominating. Besides the blackberries also some cherry impression arises. Together with a nice and charming acidity this Malbec provides a fresh attitude. Summer feeling. The perfect wine - perhaps a little bit cooler served as usual - for a "BBQ on the Lawn" experience. The people from Rancho Nicasio in California know exactly what I am talking about.
rebelión, Rebellion. The name was given by the Maal people because it was the first time that they prepared a Malbec blend from grapes coming from different vineards. So an act of rebellion. A successful act for my opinion.
The wines from Maal are the latest newcomers on the list of one of my German wine merchants, Lucky Wines. The owner of Lucky Wines made a very good avertising for the wines and so I became curious. I ordered a bottle of all six wines from Maal; starting with the entry level blend "rebelión" up to the high-end "paciencia". During the next weeks I will taste and describe all six of them to give a short overview of this winery with the wonderful credo: "We don't just make Malbec. We only make Malbec."
Drink this beauty during the next five years. And all the time during summer time and with burgers from the grill. Then life is - really - good.
Tuesday, July 26. 2016
2002 Weingut Allmendinger Cabernet Mitos (91/100)
Horrheimer Klosterberg, Württemberg, Germany
Cabernet Mitos
13.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-17 & 2016-07-19
Medium dark cherry red. Some light rims are demonstrating first signs of maturity. Sour cherries, black pepper, freshly smoked bacon and a touch of dark chocolate. On the palate still fresh with some mint aromas. Then some slight but pleasant bitterness which flows into a long, lemony finish. Still young but very well drinkable at the moment. Waiting another five years no problem. The wine was 36 months in barriques. So this excellent backbone does not come really surprising.
But what on earth is Cabernet Mitos? No problem. Wikipedia knows everything:
Two days later. Of course I used the wine saver . Now the bitter notes are totally gone. Very smooth and more similarities to a classical Cab. Indeed it would be interesting to smuggle the wine into a Heitz Cab tasting - after three hours decanting.
Concerning food we paired the Mitos the first day with a classical Chili Mac. Wonderful. The freshness of the wine harmonizes perfectly with the spicyness of this comfort food. Two days later we prepared a special kind of burger - with low carb buns ("Oopsies") made mainly of quark. Works also very well. According to my opinion you should pair this wine directly after opening with spicy Mexican food. Fantastic cross-over.
Cabernet Mitos
13.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-17 & 2016-07-19
Medium dark cherry red. Some light rims are demonstrating first signs of maturity. Sour cherries, black pepper, freshly smoked bacon and a touch of dark chocolate. On the palate still fresh with some mint aromas. Then some slight but pleasant bitterness which flows into a long, lemony finish. Still young but very well drinkable at the moment. Waiting another five years no problem. The wine was 36 months in barriques. So this excellent backbone does not come really surprising.
But what on earth is Cabernet Mitos? No problem. Wikipedia knows everything:
Cabernet Mitos is a dark-skinned variety of grape used for red wine. It was created at a grape breeding institute in Weinsberg in the Württemberg wine region, Germany in 1970 by crossing Blaufränkisch and Teinturier du Cher. The previous belief that it was a cross between Blaufränkisch and Cabernet Sauvignon, which even the breeders themselves stated, was corrected in 2013 through a DNA analysis. "Mitos" is the German word for mitosis, a stage in the cell cycle. Cabernet Mitos received varietal protection and was released for general cultivation on January 24, 2001. The vines of Cabernet Mitos show good winter hardiness. ... Cabernet Mitos wines are full bodied and rich in tannin, and are well suited for oak barrel aging. The wines show similarities in aromas to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Two days later. Of course I used the wine saver . Now the bitter notes are totally gone. Very smooth and more similarities to a classical Cab. Indeed it would be interesting to smuggle the wine into a Heitz Cab tasting - after three hours decanting.
Concerning food we paired the Mitos the first day with a classical Chili Mac. Wonderful. The freshness of the wine harmonizes perfectly with the spicyness of this comfort food. Two days later we prepared a special kind of burger - with low carb buns ("Oopsies") made mainly of quark. Works also very well. According to my opinion you should pair this wine directly after opening with spicy Mexican food. Fantastic cross-over.
Wednesday, July 20. 2016
2012 Jeff Cohn Cellars Zinfandel Cassata Vineyard (94/100)
Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California
15.6 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-20
Deep, dark cherry red with some light rims. Aromas of prunes paired with chocolate lava cake and completed by hints of baker's yeast and ground coriander. Complex! Balmy! On the palate warm (the alcohol!) with compote-similar structure. But only at the beginning. Suddenly a tart sourness arises which becomes stronger and stronger up to the long - very long - finish. Far, far at the end suddenly a velvet carpet enters the scene and ensures for a smooth, rounded down finish. Bravo!
For years I have been looking for a red wine which can easily be paired with dishes based on eastern spices (not too hot!). Voilà. Here it is. This sourness to the end paired with the warm ground structure is perfect. Take a sip when the spiciness of the dish reaches nearly the top. I promise an explosion of flavors. Not convinced? OK. Something different. My wife wonders about tarte with bacon, goat cheese and figs. Lots of figs. I must confess that I like this idea.
Jeff Cohn. Hm. Shall I write something about one of - my - icons in wine history and culture? Makes no sense. I met him once. During harvest time. Totally stressed and soiled. My friend Brian asked him for a photo. And even if Jeff was tired, stressed and really in hurry he took his five minute of time not only for the photo but also to give us the feeling that all this wine business is very important but not everything. Friendly, very obliging and everything else but snotty. I visited the winery's website and I like one special sentence: "We are an urban winery because we have a zeal for fruit that is grown in the best micro-climates from all over California and we love Alameda. It is great place to make wine, and is a huge part of what we are as a family and a winery." Nothing to add.
Do you know the movie "The 5th Element" by Luc Besson? This Cassata would represent the earth. Drink this "element" over the next five years.
15.6 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-20
Deep, dark cherry red with some light rims. Aromas of prunes paired with chocolate lava cake and completed by hints of baker's yeast and ground coriander. Complex! Balmy! On the palate warm (the alcohol!) with compote-similar structure. But only at the beginning. Suddenly a tart sourness arises which becomes stronger and stronger up to the long - very long - finish. Far, far at the end suddenly a velvet carpet enters the scene and ensures for a smooth, rounded down finish. Bravo!
For years I have been looking for a red wine which can easily be paired with dishes based on eastern spices (not too hot!). Voilà. Here it is. This sourness to the end paired with the warm ground structure is perfect. Take a sip when the spiciness of the dish reaches nearly the top. I promise an explosion of flavors. Not convinced? OK. Something different. My wife wonders about tarte with bacon, goat cheese and figs. Lots of figs. I must confess that I like this idea.
Jeff Cohn. Hm. Shall I write something about one of - my - icons in wine history and culture? Makes no sense. I met him once. During harvest time. Totally stressed and soiled. My friend Brian asked him for a photo. And even if Jeff was tired, stressed and really in hurry he took his five minute of time not only for the photo but also to give us the feeling that all this wine business is very important but not everything. Friendly, very obliging and everything else but snotty. I visited the winery's website and I like one special sentence: "We are an urban winery because we have a zeal for fruit that is grown in the best micro-climates from all over California and we love Alameda. It is great place to make wine, and is a huge part of what we are as a family and a winery." Nothing to add.
Do you know the movie "The 5th Element" by Luc Besson? This Cassata would represent the earth. Drink this "element" over the next five years.
Monday, July 18. 2016
2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (99/100)
Châteauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France
Roussanne
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-06-25
Golden yellow. Lots of ripe tropical fruits, beeswax and kumquat. On the palate fresh and very intensive. Extremely strong with a tart, challenging acidity. Neverending finish. Far to the end more fruity.
The white Beaucastel "Vieilles Vignes" consists to 100 % of Roussane grapes. The vines are 70 years old on average. Half of the wine is fermented in steel tanks; the other in 225 l oak barrels. Total production 500 cases per year. Only to provide some facts about this outstanding wine.
Sometimes it is not necessary (and not possible) to write too much about a wine and the corresponding wine experience. This was the case here. No food pairing recommendation. This wine would dominate any kind of food due to its complexity. Also no statement to the aging capability - even if I believe that another ten years would not be a problem. It is quite simple: At this special day during this special moment it was definitely one of the best wines I drunk in my life.
Roussanne
14.0 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-06-25
A real Wine Monument - the 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
Golden yellow. Lots of ripe tropical fruits, beeswax and kumquat. On the palate fresh and very intensive. Extremely strong with a tart, challenging acidity. Neverending finish. Far to the end more fruity.
The white Beaucastel "Vieilles Vignes" consists to 100 % of Roussane grapes. The vines are 70 years old on average. Half of the wine is fermented in steel tanks; the other in 225 l oak barrels. Total production 500 cases per year. Only to provide some facts about this outstanding wine.
Sometimes it is not necessary (and not possible) to write too much about a wine and the corresponding wine experience. This was the case here. No food pairing recommendation. This wine would dominate any kind of food due to its complexity. Also no statement to the aging capability - even if I believe that another ten years would not be a problem. It is quite simple: At this special day during this special moment it was definitely one of the best wines I drunk in my life.
Sunday, July 17. 2016
2012 Corison Winery Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (96/100)
Napa Valley, California
13.9 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-17
Medium, dark, ruby red. Lot of black fruits paired with morello cherries in "Black Forrest Cake" style. Also some dark chocolate, a little bit of smoked bacon and freshly planed wood. Animating. On the palate at the beginning the tough tannins are clearly present. But after ten minutes in the - voluminous - glass this is totally gone. The wine becomes smoother and smoother without losing any of its freshness. This is not a full-bodied "killer" Cab. This is a wonderfully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon which shows in an absolutely gorgeous way that "Perfection" is possible without high alcohol and without vinification to the limit.
I visited Corison in September 2015 on a very hot day. We arranged an appointment in forehand and everything was well prepared for our visit. The tasting menu was selected in an intelligent way and demonstrated the aging capabilities of the Corison Cabs in a very good way:
- 2012 Corazón Gewürztraminer
- 2012 Helios Cabernet Franc
- 2012 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2010 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2006 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
Taking with me a glass of the Corazón Gewürztraminer it was possible to see the whole area. It became obvious that Corison Winery, in contrast to other wineries I visited over the last ten years in Napa, is much better prepared for the present Californian dryness. The distance between the row of vines is significantly higher. This forward-looking winemaking idea was noticeable during my whole stay.
But coming back to the 2012 Napa Cab: As you have seen I tasted this wine already at the tasting room nearly one year ago. Since then the wine developed dramatically. It is already now after let's say 30 minutes decanting absolutely perfect drinkable. But already during the tasting at the winery it became obvious that the wines of Cathy Corison age very well. The 2006 we tasted this day was a little bit reluctant. Seemed to be waiting for another coming out. Luckywise just last week I could buy two bottles of the 1993 Corison Winery Napa Cab. I drunk a lot of outstanding Californian Cab from this vintage. So I am really looking forward to what these two bottles will offer. However I believe the 2012 Cab will have a very long life. 20 years plus.
Food pairing? At the moment nearly everything. The charm of this wine ennobles any dish. We drunk it with one of the most classical German dishes: "Grobe Bratwurst" with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. Stunning. The spiciness of the crispy Bratwurst harmonized congenially with the smooth but assertive freshness of the Cab. I know whal all readers are thinking: Bratwurst and a Corison Cab? Is this guy crazy? Try it. Otherwise you will miss an outstanding Wine-Food-Pairing.
13.9 % Alcohol
Tasted 2016-07-17
Medium, dark, ruby red. Lot of black fruits paired with morello cherries in "Black Forrest Cake" style. Also some dark chocolate, a little bit of smoked bacon and freshly planed wood. Animating. On the palate at the beginning the tough tannins are clearly present. But after ten minutes in the - voluminous - glass this is totally gone. The wine becomes smoother and smoother without losing any of its freshness. This is not a full-bodied "killer" Cab. This is a wonderfully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon which shows in an absolutely gorgeous way that "Perfection" is possible without high alcohol and without vinification to the limit.
Corison Winery - Places like these become more and more rare in high-end Napa
I visited Corison in September 2015 on a very hot day. We arranged an appointment in forehand and everything was well prepared for our visit. The tasting menu was selected in an intelligent way and demonstrated the aging capabilities of the Corison Cabs in a very good way:
- 2012 Corazón Gewürztraminer
- 2012 Helios Cabernet Franc
- 2012 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2010 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2006 Corison Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
The Corison Winery "Tasting Room"
Taking with me a glass of the Corazón Gewürztraminer it was possible to see the whole area. It became obvious that Corison Winery, in contrast to other wineries I visited over the last ten years in Napa, is much better prepared for the present Californian dryness. The distance between the row of vines is significantly higher. This forward-looking winemaking idea was noticeable during my whole stay.
The Corison rows of vines
But coming back to the 2012 Napa Cab: As you have seen I tasted this wine already at the tasting room nearly one year ago. Since then the wine developed dramatically. It is already now after let's say 30 minutes decanting absolutely perfect drinkable. But already during the tasting at the winery it became obvious that the wines of Cathy Corison age very well. The 2006 we tasted this day was a little bit reluctant. Seemed to be waiting for another coming out. Luckywise just last week I could buy two bottles of the 1993 Corison Winery Napa Cab. I drunk a lot of outstanding Californian Cab from this vintage. So I am really looking forward to what these two bottles will offer. However I believe the 2012 Cab will have a very long life. 20 years plus.
Food pairing? At the moment nearly everything. The charm of this wine ennobles any dish. We drunk it with one of the most classical German dishes: "Grobe Bratwurst" with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. Stunning. The spiciness of the crispy Bratwurst harmonized congenially with the smooth but assertive freshness of the Cab. I know whal all readers are thinking: Bratwurst and a Corison Cab? Is this guy crazy? Try it. Otherwise you will miss an outstanding Wine-Food-Pairing.
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