As you may imagine, we taste a lot of wines around these parts.
Each selection we make for the Acequia Wine Club and our online store is a result of a long process – every week our panel of tasters goes through 8-12 wines in an effort to discover the best wines produced in Argentina at each price point. In an effort to be as objective as possible, these tastings are “blind”; we sample each wine knowing only what grape it is made from and what the price is. We look at color, aroma, taste and texture, grading on a scale of 1-10 and then comparing overall scores for an average – it’s always interesting (and sometimes outright funny) to see the different reactions that a wine provokes in a group of people with diverse palates and experiences.
Believe it or not, once a wine is selected it takes about 6 months to go through all the steps involved in getting it to our customers in The United States and Europe. We’ve decided to bring you into this process a bit earlier – so every week I’ll be sharing with you some of our thoughts on our recent vinous discoveries.
I hope you enjoy our tasting notes – and don’t hesitate to write in with your own!
Thursday, September 4, 2008: We tasted 11 wines today, hitting many different styles and prices. Here are a couple of notes:
Familia Schroeder Deseado Espumante Dulce Natural N/V- Patagonia
A light straw color, with alluring aromas of chamomile and honey. This wine is sweet but not cloying – the natural sweetness is perfectly integrated and balanced by a lovely acidity. Would be great for New Years if we can get it in time!
Vina el Cerno Utopia Blend 2004- Maipu, Mendoza
While there was some dissension, I found this wine to be dark, rich, and intriguing, with mature tannins and a comforting mouthfeel. The acidity is not yet completely integrated, but as it was just bottled last week I think there’s time for it to settle down further.
Tierra Prometida Malbe 2007 – Mendoza
This introductory malbec is well balanced and very accessible. Bright young fruit, well rounded, the color of wet bricks in the glass. A possible choice for our boutique level Acequia wine club.
