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THE VINES’ FAVORITES 2009

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Despite the global economic recession in 2009, Argentine wines have continued winning international acclaim for their high quality and wine sales have had an incredible growth. There are stats that show Argentina was the fastest growing import in US, followed by New Zealand, Spain and Chile.

One of my favorite moments as a sommelier is to introduce new amazing wines to our customers and have them share with me their impressions about Argentine wine. I feel proud to be able to witness people from all over the world loving our wine!!

As 2009 is over, we wanted to share with you the Top 10 wines that had the best success and were sold the most!

If you want to get more information about any of these wines email me at monofri@vinesofmendoza.com

Time to taste them!

Here they are in no particular order, we love them all!

1. PERPETUUM TORRONTES 2008 – A brilliant representation of Argentine Torrontes! US$ 15
2. MAIRENA BONARDA 2005 – Time to taste a new varietal? Taste this blackfruit blast. US$ 19
3. LA FLOR PULENTA ESTATE MALBEC 2008 – An easy Malbec to always have in mind! US$ 19
4. PUNTO FINAL RESERVA MALBEC 2006 – The best quality-priced wine! US$ 19
5. MONTE CINCO MALBEC 2003 – An spicy Malbec made in an interesting european style! US$ 29
6. RICOMINCIARE ALTISIMO CABERNET FRANC 2006 – Who said Cabernet Franc is just good for blending? US$ 40
7. LABORUM TANNAT 2005 – High Salta is present with this amazing powerful red! US$ 49
8. LINDAFLOR MALBEC 2004 – One of the best of Michel Rolland’s Argentine wines. US$ 49
9. BRESSIA CONJURO 2003 – Velvety, Intense & unforgettable! US$ 120
10. ACHAVAL-FERRER FINCA ALTAMIRA 2007 – The best of the best from the Valle de Uco!



THE ART OF TASTING GRAPES

Monday, November 9th, 2009

Determining the exact faultless harvest dates for each parcel can be really challenging. It requires knowledgeable skills to lay down a meticulous harvest plan in order to have an ideal outcome at this important stage. Every so often, it is crucial to take the necessary risks in search of perfection.
In France as in Argentina, berry tasting constitutes a ripeness evaluation tool, which with a good training, allows not only to differentiate the degree of maturity concerning sugar but especially phenolic maturity, which equally is an essential indicator of potential wine quality.
As a winemaker, it is necessary you taste several bunches of grapes before drawing a conclusion about a parcel. When walking the vineyard you choose the berries at random, from different clusters, from different areas until you are able to determine harvest dates and quality for each parcel, or even divide a parcel if necessary.

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INTERESTING REMARKS FROM MICHEL ROLLAND

Sunday, November 1st, 2009

One of the most highlighting things in my agenda last week was the organization and execution of the conference call we had with Michel Rolland and two well-known winemakers of his team as Thierry Haberer and Marcelo Pelleriti.

Michel Rolland is one of the most charismatic people I have met in the wine world. You can pick out his passion and of course his magnificent palate! When you share a tasting with him, he is usually very solemn since he likes concentration but it is fascinating to observe his ability to distinguish the best grape parcels just through tasting wine in its different stages. Then together with the winemaker they take decisions in order to get the best out of these grapes.

Along the conference (and before and after it!) we covered different topics but most importantly I would like to concentrate about Valle de Uco. I would like to highlight some comments that were made by Michel;

  • “When I went to Valle de Uco for the first time I was impacted by its view! The mountains are magnificent. But there was something else… I could smell it… Valle de Uco has an outstanding terroir due to its altitude, soil composition and weather conditions. I was lucky as well of course to have chosen one of the best terroir from Argentina!”
  • “There is just one way to succeed in Argentina… making good-quality wine! And not getting crazy with prices!”
  • “Of course I believe in Malbec! When I started working with it when it was still undervalued, even being paid less than a Criolla grape! Fortunately we were able to change the history of this noble grape and it has become a really appealing grape for wine lovers”
  • “There are many other varietals that grow well in the Valley. That is why in Clos de los Siete in Valle de Uco we have 60% Malbec and then we have other varietals such us Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir among the reds and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc among whites”
  • “One key element to get quality of grapes in all varietals is to manage yield correctly. That will be essential to be able to make good wine in Argentina”
  • “Of course Argentina is a success in USA. In Europe it is more difficult but little by little it is finding new interesting markets as it can be Denmark, Norway, Sweden and UK”
  • “Torrontés is a very interesting grape and I think it is a question of time to conquer new markets. It will be very successful in 10 years! It has interesting attributes as its crispness and easy palate that can be very appealing for many consumers”
  • “It is very possible to make amazing out of young vines! Taste our 2001 wines and you will see! Of course with old vines you have a natural low yield that provides a natural balance and concentration. Yet, it depends on how these old vines have been managed. You can also make terrible wine from old vines if the management has not been the correct one “


TASTING WITH PRIVATE VINEYARD ESTATES OWNERS AT POMEROL

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Mathias and Stefanie have recently purchased a lot in our project of Private Vineyard Estates in Valle de Uco.  They are wine passionate and are determined to be part of this exciting experience of making your own wine!

They were able to join me for a wine tour at Pomerol and Fronsac. We started the day at Chateau Le Gay, Marcelo Pelleriti, guided us through a fabulous tasting of all 2009 oak casks and barrels. It was amazing to enjoy the different character Merlot can get according to the soil it came form. Finally, we ended the tour tasting with Chateau Le Gay 2008 and Chateau La Violette 2008, both wines 98 pts parker!

Afterwards, we went to Chateau Le Bon Pasteur, Michel Rolland’s Chateau at Pomerol, where Thierry, agronomist and oenologist was waiting for us. We started the tasting with barrel tasting of Bordeaux white varieties. It was great since I have been in Bordeaux this the first time I taste whites of the region. They have a very small production of whites and it is all micro-vinified. We tasted Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadet blended with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. All these wine will be finally blended so as to obtain a classic Bordeaux white wine. Tasting didn’t finished there, we continue tasting the best barrels 2009 and 2008 of Merlot and Cabernet Franc… if it would have been for Thierry, we could have stayed there tasting wine ceaselessly, but it was time to go to St. Emilion for lunch. Luckily, Marcelo and Thierry joined us for lunch so we were able to continue talking and learning about wine throughout the whole meal.

We finished the wine tour at chateau Fontenil, another of Michel Rolland’s Chateau in Fronsac. Moving to another terroir made even more evident this huge character that the soil and climate gives to wine, and how winemakers have to learn to interpret it so as to get the best of it.

I lost track of how many wines we tasted.. I just can say that it was great tasting these amazing wines with passionate people as Mathias and Stefanie… and of course with such knowledgeable winemakers as Marcelo Pelleriti and Thierry  Haeberer.



Breathtaking International Tasting!

Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

It is true that there have been times I have lost track of time when tasting wine… but let me tell you that never in the way we did last Saturday. We had a superb tasting in a kind of cavern restaurant where you could not say it was daytime or nighttime outside… it was like going through a tunnel time where lunch and tasting lasted 5 hours!
We were 11 wine passionate people enjoying of eleven amazing wines!!! Of course, all wine accompanied by true exquisite Spanish food.
It would be hard for me to talk about everything we ate… because it was an endless ceremony of different delightful dishes… but I can tell you much more about the wines we had… that out of 11 I could not say I disliked one. It was that kind of tasting where the quality is so elevated that no wine could be discarded. For sure I liked some of them better than others…And I had my favorite wines as well!
1.    FRANCIS COPPOLA FAMILY WINES CHARDONNAY 1997 – NAPA
It was absolutely in great shape for its twelve years. It had a beautiful nose that started with softly toasty hazelnuts and as soon as it started breathing it became fruitier with some touches of green apples and passion fruit. Velvety and crisp, good volume and really nice integrated acidity and lingering finish.
2.   CHATEAU LE GAY – SAMPLE WINE PARCEL LA ROUTE MERLOT 2009 – POMEROL
We started with a wine that despite of not being ready we could start feeling the great vintage 2009 will be for Pomerol. Appealing purple with black hues with smooth tannins that you wouldn’t guess it is a month-old wine!
3.  BERGSTROM  PINOT NOIR 2006 – DUNDEE HILSS VALLEY -  OREGON
An absolutely great exponent of a true Pinot Noir. Elegant nose, black cherries, earthy minerality and subtle spices. Finesse in its tannins and fabulous explosion in mouth. A Pinot that could be compared easily with first-class Burgundy Pinot Noirs.
4.   LACHIN PINOT NOIR 2005 – OREGON
Much more exotic on the nose and palate. Concentrated cherry and an appealing touch of earthiness, which complements the full-flavored, bright, ripe fruit. Excellent mid-palate and it really lingers on the finish.
5.  CHATEAU LE GAY 2002 – POMEROL - 90% Merlot – 10% Cabernet Franc
This is what Robert Parker wrote about this wine…“A deep saturated purple color is accompanied by aromas of plums, figs, and black cherry liqueur. This dense, full-bodied, muscular, firmly tannic Pomerol should be cellared for 5-8 years, and enjoyed over the following 10-20. This is clearly a property to watch now that it is in the hands of Catherine Pere-Verge, who is intent on taking it to the summit of Pomerol. In a challenging vintage for this appellation she has produced one of the most powerful and concentrated wines of the year (with the assistance of Michel Rolland). Bravo.” … After 6 years I say again Bravo!!
6.  BUGADER 2005 – Joan d’Anguera Montsant – TARRAGONA
Montsant, a relatively new D.O., surrounds the famous D.O. of Priorat southwest of Barcelona. With its 70% Syrah it shows all the characteristics of first-class Syrah. It had a bit of rustic tannins for my taste, on the nose it is smoky, meaty and even slightly earthy. On the palate the wine is rich with blackberry flavors.
7.    RIDGE MONTE BELLO 1997 – Santa Cruz Mountains – CALIFORNIA – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 11% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc
Elegant fruit whose tannins have softened considerably after 12 years without losing character. Still I think it should be drunk now or in no more than 2 years…Naturally signs of time are started to be noticed. I loved it though!
8.   BALTHVS 2004 – BORDEAUX SUPERIORMerlot
40 year-old Merlot vines gave birth to this wine. It is a concentrated wine, lot of black fruit and tobacco. Personally I think it needs more time in the bottle to be fully enjoyed.
9.    PSIS TEMPRANILLO 2007 – RIBERA DEL DUERO
Peter Sisseck has made this exciting wine. It is supposed to be a revelation concerning its style. I personally liked it a lot. Juicy and really pleasant acidity. A very attractive wine.
10.   LINDAFLOR MALBEC 2005- MENDOZA
Well… what can I say… I have been in love with Lindaflor 2004 for a long time now. Lindaflor 2005 was rich, intense, with amazing velvety tannins but still needing time. I think this wine has a great aging potential… so we need to wait for it at least a couple of years if possible.
11.   OPUS ONE 2005 – NAPA – 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec.
The result of a partnership between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild to create a Bordeaux style blend in Napa Valley. Outstanding concentrated aromas of blueberry, violets, licorice and a touch of nutmeg and black pepper. In mouth it is so velvety, elegant but concentrated as well… I have to say that it was definitely my favorite of this unforgettable tasting!




Intense Wine Weekend in Spain!

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Being a wine consultant is the kind of job I think I would love to have! Traveling to taste wines, being part of exciting projects and getting to know new cultures and meet  wine passionate people!

Mikael Laizet, consultant oenologist, has worked for Michel Rolland’s laboratory for nine years. He consults 30 wineries mostly in Bordeaux, one in Portugal and one in Somontano, Spain. Once a month, and by harvest time more often, Mikael travels to Spain to visit this winery, and every year when Marcelo Pelleriti is in France, he usually joins Mikael in his trip to Spain. In this opportunity, I was very lucky to be able to join them in this wine consulting weekend!!!

After traveling for almost 6 hours, we arrived at Somontano de Barbastro. It is a county in the Province of Huesca, in Aragon, north-eastern Spain. As its latin name suggests, Somontano, meaning “beneath the mountain”, lies at the foothills of the Pyrenees. In recent years the area has come to enjoy world renown as one of Spain’s finest viticultural regions, earning it Origin Appelation certification in 1984.

Mendoza and Somontano share several characteristics… one of them is its climate. It has very low rainfall, very dry, sunny most of the year and many olive trees plantations. The main difference is on the kind of soils and the fact that in Somontano most of the vines are planted on slopes… and instead of the Andes as a frame you can enjoy the view of the Pirineos! Yet, we also share a religious aspect, there is a sanctuary in honor to La Corrodilla Virgin as we do in Luján de Cuyo of my beloved Mendoza.

There are several new wine projects in the area that are bringing a new aperture to the wine quality fame to the region. One of them is a new winery that is just being built called El Grillo y La Luna. Jose Luis Ruiz, its Spanish winemaker and viticulturist, together with Mikael are designing these interesting wines that will be in the market in 2011. I had the chance to start tasting the potential of these wines… and so far I loved their Syrah!

Beautiful landscape, amazing people and an intense wine tasting day paired with fabulous Spanish food!… tasting that deserves its own chapter!



TRES BELLE JOURNÉE!

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

I started the day measuring density and temperature as usual… and soon after I had finished Marcelo invited me to join him in a tasting with two French sommeliers, Sylvins and Sebastián, who had come to visit the Château.

Marcelo explained to them that Château Le Gay is a winery where there is an important artisan work but at the same time applies modern and innovating techniques. They use new best brand oak and micro-vinification techniques that together with the right study of terroir allow them to obtain remarkable wines. We tasted Château Montviel 2004, Château Manoir Le Gay 2006 and finally we tasted Château Le Gay 2007. I was missing being part of a tasting as I am habitually at The Vines Tasting Room in Mendoza. Definitely, Château Le Gay 2007 was my favorite of the three, a wine with an important structure but with silkiness that displays the really nice typical finesse from French wines.

Fortunately for me, these two nice sommeliers invited me to join them in the wine tour they were having at two other wineries they work with; Château Cheval Blanc and Château Vieux Taillefer.

At Château Cheval Blanc we were welcomed by the senior viticulturist, who gave us a knowledgeable tour. Famous Château Cheval Blanc  is situated in the farthest corner of St. Emilion, bordering into Pomerol. It is one of the rare properties that never have changed hands, the vineyard has been the property of the Fourcaud-Laussac for over 150 years. They are very proud of the vines that give birth to their precious wines; 66% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 1% Malbec, with an average age of 40 years. They have a much more traditional winemaking style compared to Le Gay, since they elaborate everything in small concrete tanks and stainless steel tanks, both alcoholic and Malolactic fermentation is carried out in vats and later they are aged in new oak barrels. They were receiving part of their Cabernet Franc, so we tasted the berries from the sorting table and I can assure that just tasting the berries I could confirm that their Cab Franc is superb!

We tasted three wines; La Tour du Pin, Le Petit Cheval and Chateau Cheval Blanc, all 2008. Wines that are all still in barrels and will be bottled in April next year. Well… I can say that probably these have been the most concentrated wines I have tasted so far… deep, intense, huge in the mid-palate but with an amazing balance and velvety tannins. I really loved Cheval Blanc (50% Merlot/ 50% Cabernet Franc).. of course it is the most expensive as well…

Finally we headed towards low area of St. Emilion, to a small Château just next to the Dordogne River… Amazing view!!!!!!!!!! The Château Vieux Taillefer is a family property with 3.8 hectares of vineyards in the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. We had lunch with the proprietors and winemakers, Phillipe and Catherine Cohen, and had the chance to taste the two wines they produce; Château Vieux Taillefer and Pavilion de Taillefer. We tasted vintages 2007 already bottled, and 2008 still in barrels. We really had a nice lunch that ended up with the natural pairing of fantastic cheese and wine!!!!! As regards the winery… the style of wineries I personally love! Super small but with the right resources to make high-end wines! People’s kindness, small-scale production, know-how, great terroir are some of the attributes that give birth to these memorable wines.

If you come to Bordeaux, you shouldn’t miss any of these enchanting Châteaux!



True Savoir Faire; Chateau La Violette

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

I don’t find enough words to describe what it means to make high-ends wines as La Violette! We have had two intense days in which every single task seeks nearly extreme perfection.

Chateau La Violette started to be done by Catherine Pére-Vérge in 2006 when she purchased the vine lots that belonged to the chateau of the same name. Almost 4 acres give birth to this amazing wine. Vines are around 45 years old planted on mostly limestone and clayish soils. The average yield is 1, 4 tons per acre. This year, 2009, we have filled 23 barrels from which luckily we will be able to get nine or ten barrels of wine, which will be released in 2012.

Harvest started for La Violette on September 30th and October 1st. Marcelo Pelleriti, the winemaker, explains that he was looking for perfect maturity and he has waited as much as possible. He seems to be very happy with the grape ripeness and overall quality.

A crew of 6 harvesters (including myself… ok count me as half…I was too much time entertained taking pictures) were in charge of cutting the precious clusters. Instructions about how to do harvest are given by Jerome Aguirre, the chateau’s chief “Basque” (important detail according to him) viticulturist, Marcelo Pelleriti and even Madame Catherine Pére-Vérge, who is knowledgably supervising every step of the winemaking process.  Just the perfect bunches are cut. Speed is not important at all, the idea is to be able to have the first important selection at the vineyard. Cases are not filled with more than 25 pounds each.

Once the grape clusters arrive at the winery, all bunches are de-stemmed by hand!!! Along 2 long days, 60 people have been de-stemming berry by berry so as to avoid having steams, unwished berries or any leaves, making sure the best whole berries go to the barrel. It sounds appealing… well a piece of advise…don’t try it at home! It is a nightmare… it seems you never come to an end and the mess you can provoke with berries spread on the floor will make you understand why de-stemmer machines exist!!

These whole Merlot berries, are placed into new medium-toast Saury barrels. That is to say, La Violette is micro-vinified in 225lts barrels. It Seems simple… but imagine that in order to do so, it is necessary to take one barrel top off, fill it with berries and dry ice and close it again. You need qualified personnel in order to do… I would say you need a person with similar skills of a barrel maker. Fortunately, we have Ceferino Carmona, our Argentine barrel maker!

Well, finally La Vioeltte 2009 is on course. Now it is time for cold maceration!

I will keep you updated on the progress of this fabulous wine!!!



WINE LEGACY; FAMILY TRADITION AND PASSION

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Vintage is more than just one stage in winemaking. It is time of celebration and in countries like in France, where this tradition is so deep in the culture of  people, the whole family is part of this exciting moment. Madame, as we call Catherine Pére- Vérge, has a traditional  family winemaking weekend every year. His son and two daughters together with her 9 grandchildren join her at Chateau La Gay to make their own barrels of wine.

Madame explained to me that it is very important for her to teach their grandchildren to value the tradition and art of making wine. She tells that when she was a child came every year to Bordeaux for harvest time to work, but at this time they didn’t own their own Chateau. In 1985 Madame bought Chateau Montviel, and later in 1998, when she sold her father’s famous company Cristal d’Arques, she decided to buy Chateau Le Gay, becoming wine a lifestyle for her. Finally, in 2001, she decided to become part of the successful project Clos de los Siete, in Argentina.

Saturday and Sunday morning the family started early the day picking grapes.  They continued sorting grapes and destemming by hand!!! So as to fill their own barrel that afterwards it will be distributed among all grandchildren. Madame laughs and explains that they sell these bottles at a very good price among their relatives and friends!

The day ended with a sort of black tie dinner, at Chateau Le Gay with Madame, all her family, Marcelo Pelleriti and us, the Argentine team. We had la viande as they say in French. A big piece of beef barely cooked, not even blue! Really tender ( but not sure if better than the Argentinian beef) but it was very tasty. Paired with a Le Gay 2003 it made of it a perfect marriage!
The weekend was over and so the work for Madame’s grandchildren. They came back to their normal lives in Belgium where they live. Vintage weekend is over for them, but vintage time is not over at all at Pomerol!

It was really nice seeing how Madame passes on her wine passion to all her grandchildren!!!!



Harvest time at Pomerol

Friday, September 25th, 2009

We are having long days… We are in the middle of harvest but the grapes in tanks and barrels (we are doing barrel fermented Merlot) start demanding our attention.

At the Chateau, we have received mainly Merlot, but also yesterday we processed a bit of Malbec or Pressac as it is called in Bordeaux before the Argentine Malbec became worldwide known. Now it is called Malbec here as well… What can I say about it…the berries are a bit bigger compared to Merlot here… and also compared to the good quality Malbec in Argentina. Tasting it I can say that it lacked sweetness and the skin was not as thick as our Malbec.

This difference is mainly due to the different Terroir… Well what does it mean?  For you to have an idea, almost every morning there is a thick frog and after noon we start seeing the sun if we are lucky, that is to say, not every day. Compared to Mendoza, the land of sunshine… well we have many more sunny days and our sun brightens very early in the morning every day. That fact, among many others, seems to benefit our beloved cepage MALBEC! Imagine, that I  was even talking to some French workers from the region and they think that Malbec is originally from Argentina, and that it was brought later to France… Malbec is a synonym of Argentina!!!

Here in Pomerol the 95% of grapes is Merlot. And you can see its great potential since you start tasting the grapes. Thick skin, firm but with velvety tannins that you can start tasting from the very beginning and really pleasant acidity. Elements that will all contribute to the quality of the wine.

Knowing when to harvest is a key decision. It is necessary to learn how to taste grapes, what to expect and decide about the right moment to get the best of it. A task that requires training. We chewed the berries and talked about the skin, the pips, the acidity… Definitely I can assure that a good wine is born at the vineyard as it is said. You could feel the differences in each berry in the different lots despite it was all merlot!

To conclude I can say that there is no doubt Merlot can be an brilliant wine.. for those who after the movie Sideways stopped drinking this grape varietal… don’t forget that Merlot is the grape to make one of the most expensive wines in the word as it is Petrus. Today Pomerol is one of the finest and most expensive of the Bordeaux vintages.