Category Archives: Spain

Bottles from NZ, Spain Quite Tasty

25 Sunday Jan 2015

Posted by in Australia/New Zealand, Spain

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Catch up time again on reviews and I’ve got several bottles I’ve really enjoyed, all at reasonable price points too.

Anyone entering the kitchen must think ‘what a wino’ but if they notice the bottles are empty. I keep the empties of those wines I haven’t yet reviewed – deemed worthy. These two, and several more to come, are quite worthy!

stoneleigh-latitude-chardonnay-marlborough-new-zealand-10625105Stoneleigh Latitude 2013 Chardonnay – Let’s face it when you think New Zealand most people don’t think Chardonnay – sauvignon blanc or pinot noir sure, Chard – not so much.

This wine comes from New Zealand’s “Golden Mile” in Marlborough – the premier region for wine grapes. I looked at this sample a couple of times when the box arrived certain I had never had a New Zealand Chard. I still don’t remember one but the Stoneleigh could change that.

Since I’ve written over the past several years I’m not a big Chard fan, I just may have to go back and find my digital eraser. I’m discovering more Chardonnay I really enjoy and this was one joins that group.

The wine has nice soft fruit – peach perhaps – on the palate with a hint of the wood but most importantly to me was the wonderful balance. I wasn’t clobbered by the fruit or the wood and it was still a rich mouthful of wine. I’d drink this wine with chicken or pork dishes. The alcohol was a bit of a surprise at 14 percent, but I wouldn’t have guessed that without looking.

Stoneleigh Latitude 2013 Chardonnay, avg. $17 retail, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended.

Altos de Tamaron 2013 – If any country in the world makes wine as consistently good for $11 as Spain, I’m still searching.

tamaronSince much of my focus, at least in the newspaper column, is on value wine and getting folks out of the supermarket wine aisle this is a huge winner. For years I’ve recommended Malbec and Tempranillo wines. Nowadays I seem to find more consistency from Spain at the bottom of the price chart than Argentina.

I thought this wine was simply darn tasty for the $11. We can go on with the dark rich flavor and deep purple color all you want but its pleasing and smooth red wine. The finish was longer than expected and I’d drink it – and buy it – in a minute.

The wine has been a pretty consistent medal winner in previous vintages. It never seems to win the gold but consistently takes silver or bronze. In the big international tests, that’s pretty consistent.

I’d drink this wine with grilled chicken, pork, lamb, and I actually had it with a bit of a quick meatloaf. This wine is rewarding enough to even put on your evening sipper list for a weeknight.

I’d highly recommend the wine for beginners or regular wine drinkers.

Altos de Tamaron 2012, SRP $11, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended.

Nothing Like Evening of Great Wine!

12 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Italy, South America, Spain

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On more than one occasion I’ve written about my wine buddies on the blog and our frequent gatherings to try new wines, themed nights, blind tastings, and enjoy the good conversation and great wine.

A couple of the guys have job situations that have them out of the community for awhile so it’s always great when we can get the band back together. We were able to do that Friday night and had a dynamite lineup.

FriulanoLivio Felluga 2011 Friulano – I have to admit, this was my first Friulano and I loved it – so did the guys.

The Friulano region is as far north and east as one can travel in Italy. The wine is yellow-ish with fresh apple and citrus notes. I loved the rich mouth feel and balance. It has a hint of almond and even a bit of a grassy thing going on.

The Livio Felluga is the name to look for too. The Felluga family brough Friulano back after WWII, according to the winery website. Wine Enthusiast gave this vintage a great 90 points.

Livio Felluga 2011 Friulano, $26, Trade Sample, can find it higher and lower in the $20-range, Highly Recommended.

Turley 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel – The wine guys and I have had plenty of Zin but never Turley. That’s going to change!

2008-turley-zinfandel-old-vinesThe Turley old vine was our first red of the evening but might have been the best wine of the night. Simply put- it was stunning Zin.

Dark ruby red, spicy nose, incredible balance from tip of tongue to lingering finish, it was stylistic and silky with a rewarding finish. It had raspberry and pepper and all things that make Zin so alluring.

It’s an alcohol bomb but doesn’t taste like it at a whopping 15.6 percent.

Robert Parker gave this wine a stingy 89 points. Steven Tanzer a point lower at 88. It’s every bit that good and maybe better.

Turley 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel, $39.99, Very Highly Recommended.

toroSan Roman 2006 Toro – This is good as Spanish wine gets at a reasonable price point. I’ve had this wine on two or three previous occasions and it never disappoints.

This is a bold, muscular, in-your-face red wine that still has balance. Think smoke, tobacco, chocolate, and leather for this wine that is only seven years old. The critics all rave at 93-94 points.

Blackberry and dried fruit might best describe the palate. It’s big dry wine. We were enjoying this with shortribs which had spent the day in a crock pot. It was an awesome pairing.

San Roman 2006 Toro, prices all over from $30-$50, Very Highly Recommended.

Achaval Ferrer 2010 Quimera – This Argentinian blend from one of the country’s top producers just rocks. The wine is a unique blend of 31 percent Malbec, 20 percent Merlot, 27 percent Cab Sauvignon, 18 percent Cab Franc, and 4 percent Petit Verdot.

achaval-ferrer-quimera__92820.1359816257.1280.1280It’s something new from the winery and fits the description, often over-used, as a Bordeaux blend. These vineyards are 3,000 feet above sea level and represent some of the best regions in Mendoza.

It gets the classic treatment of new French oak, 40 percent, and is a reasonable 14 percent alcohol.

Plum, chocolate, and a hint of oak makes it a great wine with steak. We were sipping while tasting bites of a grilled ribeye and it worked great. It was not quite as big a wine as I had anticipated but certainly a good way to taste Argentina beyond all the mid-teen priced reds.

Achaval Ferrer 2010 Quimera, SRP $56, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended.

Three Good Whites & a Red Blend

03 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by in Napa/Sonoma, Oregon, Spain

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I’ve wore out the ‘catching up” language on wine reviews but with these four, I’m caught up! Seriously! Until tonight, or maybe this afternoon!

It’s hard to measure the value of posting reviews and what one guy thinks of a bottle of wine but I do get occasional feedback from folks trying to find a specific bottle I’ve reviewed. More often, I talk about the varietal – as I will with one of these on this post – and someone will drop me a line wanting to know where to find it.

So reviews are worth the time if you’re going to blog about wine. But it’s just one opinion. If you scan any number of blogs you will find writers who alternately hate/love the same bottle. Hopefully, regular readers learn the writers’ palate – mine or anyone else’s – and that serves as a guide.

verdejoOro de Castilla 2011 Verdejo – Spanish Verdejo isn’t all that difficult to find but you’ll have to go to a wine shop. Unlikely you’re going to find it in any grocery unless you’re in a high-end establishment.

The good news is that its almost always a very affordable alternative to Sauvignon Blanc or wines with some crisp acidity that really hit the spot in the summer months.

This had a great bouquet with a lovely crisp freshness. Certainly a grapefruit flavor with some nice floral components. I drink the Verdejo in the summer for the crisp acidity and refreshing mouth feel. Though it has acid and minerality, it won’t be as powerful as a NZ or California Sauv Blanc.

Oro de Castilla 2011 Verdejo, $10-$15 in most shops, Recommended.

12PinotGris_FrontPonzi 2012 Pinot Gris – Gris is probably my favorite summer white wine for many of the same reasons I like Verdejo.

Ponzi is a big name in Oregon’s Willamette Valley but despite several trips out there I had never tried their wines. I found the Gris at a rock bottom $11.99 and grabbed one in an Indy wine shop. The winery was also one of the valley’s Pinot Gris pioneers.

It’s hard to put a label on this one but I’d call it good, really good actually but not great. I found green apple tartness and maybe something like white peach. By the way, I usually roll my eyes when I type sentences like the previous. Because if you taste the wine and find watermelon and rhubarb then it’s watermelon and rhubarb. But I digress!

This is nice wine for the price point. There are better and worse Oregon Pinot Gris on the market. It has nice aromas and I’d buy it again.

Ponzi 2012 Pinot Gris, $11.99 but closer to $17 in most markets, Recommended.

sancerreDomaine Jean-Paul Picard 2011 Sancerre – Sancerre is a region of France’s Loire Valley which produces Sauvignon Blanc – and great ones at that.

The difference between Sancerre and, say, New Zealand or California is a roundness and deft touch that wine lovers gravitate to more than the hammer and brick approach.

A delightfully round and soft mouthfeel is generally the characteristic I would use to describe the difference with Sancerre. This wine has a fresh-cut grass and mineral appeal I like. It’s dry it’s onl 12.5 percent alcohol.

Picard’s vines of this tiny area of Sancerre are nearly 30 years old. This is great wine.

Domaine Jean-Paul Picard 2011 Sanceree, $19.99-$22.99, Highly Recommended.

ElementsArtessa 2009 Elements – Big Napa Valley taste in a pretty darn good blend. I like the mix of 71 percent Cabernet, 16 percent Merlot, 5 percent Cab Franc, 5 percent Malbec, and 3 percent Petit Verdot. What did they miss?

For me, 2013 has been the year of really nice California Meritage, blends, kitchen-sink wines, whatever you want to call them – I like them.

The great thing about these wonderful blends, coming largely from California and Washington State, is they are great values.

This wine tastes big and it tastes expensive. But SRP from the winery is only $32 and you’ll often find it lower. As a matter of fact, I bought this wine off of one of the flash, discount internet sites for $17.99 and at that price its larceny!

This is typical California Meritage with big dark fruit, nice tannins, an herbal or spice base, and enough fruit to keep it all in balance.

Artessa 2009 Elements Meritage, SRP $32, Highly Recommended.

Going Back to Old Favorites Pays Dividends

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by in Spain

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When I first got serious about wine I got into Malbec – probably similar to many wine drinkers. Shortly after that, I discovered Tempranillo and Garnacha and fell equally in love with Spanish wines.

But as those two opened my wine eyes and palate, I was anxious to try new things. Recently, I’ve had a couple of simply dynamite Spanish reds.

San Roman 2006 Toro – Wow! This is big and silky smooth red wine that will would please most any palate. You might never guess it spends two years in oak from the smooth finish and balanced tannin structure.

I got coffee, smoke, vanilla,  licorice, and maybe some dark chocolate from this gorgeous tempranillo. Of course, I was nibbling some 85 percent cocoa chocolate while sipping so that could have influenced my thinking!

The nose was intoxicating with its aromas of dark, sweet fruit. This wine doesn’t come cheap but it has been frequently featured on the popular internet wine flash sales sites. A friend picked up four bottles of this big beauty for $29 per bottle. Normal retail for the San Roman can range from $50-$65 – and what you get matches the price. If you have the opportunity to find it for less, treat yourself to great Spanish wine.

The critics love this wine: 94 points, Wine Entusiast; 93 points, Wine Advocate’ 93 points, Wine Spectator – sweeping the trifecta of the most important wine publications.

San Roman 2006 Toro, $49-65 normally, 14.5 alcohol, Very Highly Recommended.

Vega Escal 2008 Priorat – With Grenache, Carignan, and Shiraz, it would be tempting to call this wine a “Rhone-style blend.” But you probably have never had a Rhone (short of Chateaunauf de Pape) with this level of richness.

This wine spends much less time in oak, just six months, and might not have quite the intense depth of flavors as the San Roman but it is extremely satisfying red wine.

I would describe the palate as very ripe with rich fruit flavors and beautiful finish. This wine notched 91 points from the Wine Advocate.

Vega Escal 2008 Priorat, $20, 14.5 alcohol, Highly Recommended

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Three Rose’ Wines Worthy of Consideration

13 Thursday Sep 2012

Posted by in France, Spain

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Have you spent a summer looking through Rose’ colored glasses? If not, it’s never too late.

Sales are really exploding in this country for Rose’ wines – that happy middle between whites and reds. The beautiful dry Rose’ wines will please almost any palate.

Here are three worthy of your consideration.

Chaeau La Tour De Beraud 2011 Rose – The Costieres De Nimes region of Southern France produces many nice Rose’ wines. This was one of the most enjoyable I tasted this summer. This Rose was 50 percent Grenache, 30 percent Mourvedre, and 20 percent Syrah.

A simple primer on the grapes is that Grenache will give it great fruit flavor, the Mouvredre will add a little color and the Syrah adds body and mouth feel to the wine.

The wine had delightful fruit and balance. Rose’ done right is always very drinkable wine and this one was one of the best. It was in limited supply when I bought it several weeks ago in Indiana. If you find the wine, buy it.

Chateau La Tour De Beraud 2011 Rose, $11-$14, Very Highly Recommended.

Borsao 2011 Rose’ – One of my first really great Rose’ wines was a Spanish Garnacha-based wine. During my last trip to the wine shop, I realized I hadn’t had one this year! So I picked up a very affordable Borsao 2011 Rose.

Before any wine geekiness – the Borsao Rose’ can be found for $7-$12. At that price, you should buy a case.

The Garnacha (same as French Grenache) makes beautiful and fruity wines – especially Rose. The wine had nice balance but pretty mild acidity, perhaps too mild for some tastes. But it kills the drinkability test.

The differences between a Spanish Garnacha Rose’ and a blend from Southern France will be slight for many but worth the exploration.

Borsao 2011 Rose’, $7-$12, Recommended

Cuvee des Messes Basses Ventoux 2011 Rose’ – A Grenache blend Rose that is easily the lightest of the three reviewed here. Now, that does not mean it’s flavorless. But the fruit is mild, its soft on the palate and the acidity is barely detected.

Many wine writers/critics would hate this wine for all of those reasons. I like it for all those reasons. I like big bold wines, light bodies wines and wines which fall everywhere in between.

It’s delightful, non-complicated wine that’s easy to drink. Isn’t that what most of us are looking for on most trips to the wine shop?

Cuvee des Messes Basses Ventoux 2011 Rose’, I couldn’t find what I paid for it but under $15, Recommended.


Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

Catching Up on a Bunch of Good Wines

05 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in Napa/Sonoma, Paso Robles & Mendocino, Spain

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Whenever I’m looking for something on my desk and keep stumbling across notes on wines I’ve tasted, it’s time to write some reviews.

Some of these wines span back a few weeks but I always make a few notes on what I thought. I’m not ever excited about reviewing wines and not sure how important it is to readers. But I do figure if someone reads the blog regularly and finds my recommendations favorable to their palate, then it’s worth doing.

So let’s catch up …

Clayhouse 2010 Syrah  – I’m a Clayhouse fan and have written that before. This value line under the Adobe label rocks and is widely available. I don’t drink Syrah often but when I do I drink Paso Robles. Hmmm, sounds familiar?

This wine has the stereotypical dark berry and fruit flavors of plum and caramel. I liked the full mouth feel and nice long finish. This juice gets just 10 month in oak making that long finish smooth instead of tannic. It’s a relatively low 13.8 percent alcohol wine.

Clayhouse 2010 Syrah, SRP $15, Trade Sample, Recommended

Valdubon 2003 Crianza – Beautiful red wine from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain which always rocks my juice palate.

I tasted pronounced black raspberry and vanilla with that wonderful silkiness you get with well-made and aged Tempranillo-driven wines. But this 100 percent Tempranillo was bolder than some. It was beautiful wine.

Even with additional press in recent years, Spanish wines remain a great value delivering superior quality for the price.

Valdubon 2003 Crianza, Around $20, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Jigar 2009 Pinot Noir – This Sonoma Pinot Noir is a California keeper. It comes from the Pinot-rich region of the Russian River Valley.

It’s a more full-bodied Pinot than many you’ll pick up but with good balance. It’s rich with nice minerality and acidity on the finish. There is some dark cherry on the palate. It’s really delightful wine.

Jigar 2002 Pinot Noir, Retails around $30, I got a buy under $20 at Zionsville’s Grapevine Cottage. Recommended.

NOTE: I have a few more reviews to post as well and hope to get those up Tuesday night.



Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com

3 Wines: Awesome, Darn Good, & a Stinker

02 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in France, Paso Robles & Mendocino, Spain

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For three-and-a-half years I have not written much about wines I didn’t care for after sampling or purchasing. I’ve read more and more where I’m not doing anyone in service in doing that. I’ve come to agree.

I have written about not liking a particular wine and why others might like it, and occasionally really went after a bad bottle. But it’s been very rare I write about wines in a negative tone. From now on, I think it’s necessary to do that when warranted. Sometimes it might be bottle shock, a wine going bad, or other outside factors. I’ll try to note that to the best of my ability. But sometimes the wine just doesn’t taste right, like the review you’ll read below.

Now, just because I don’t like a wine doesn’t mean you might not love it. On the other hand, occasionally I’ve tasted some stinkers I would tell readers/friends to stay away from.

With that aside, sometimes we all come across a wine that is just wonderful and beyond expectations. Sometimes we find a wine that keeps us trying new things and reminds us why we became wine enthusiasts in the first place. This first review is such a wine.

Awesome – Abadia Retuerta 2006 Seleccion Especial – I like this wine so much I don’t even know where to start. This wine (a 2005 actually) won the The International Wine Challenge Award for best red wine. This wine consistently gets 90-92 points from the major wine magazines.

Dark, rich fruit like cherries, plum, and flavors of licorice, spice, coffee, and vanilla sweep over the palate in a smooth and extremely well-balanced manner that few wines match. It has very concentrated fruit with unbelievable balance from sip to swallow.

The wine comes from what is known as Spain’s Golden Mile between Tudela de Duero and Penafiel. The Abadia Retuerta wine normally retails around $23-$24 but it can be found in the $17-$18 range. It’s a tremendous value at $24. If you find it, buy it.

Abadia Retuerta 2006 Seleccion Especial, $17-$20, Very Highly Recommended

Darn Good – Ancient Peaks 2009 Renegade – This 2009 was an inaugural bottling for this wine. It’s a typically big Paso Robles combo of 46 percent Syrah, 31 percent Malbec, and 23 Petit Verdot. All of the fruit comes from Margarita Vineyard in the Central Coast appelation. This vineyard is at the foot of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, just 14 miles from the Pacific.

The wine gets 18 months in a combination of oak. It’s a big smooth wine. On the palate, I got smoky flavors like coffee, chocolate with big fruit. Not a fruit bomb as it opens up, the wine’s power dark juiciness is balanced by good acidity and well-balanced tannins. For a wine of this power and flavor, the alcohol comes in at a palatible 14.5 percent.

The winery released just over a 1,000 cases of this wine so you’re going to have to look to find it.

Wine geekiness aside, if you like big flavored red wine with good balance Ancient Peaks Renegade is a very, very good bad boy!

Ancient Peaks 2009 Renegade, SRP $23, Trade Sample, Highly Recommended

Stinker –  Alain Paret Cotes-Du-Rhone Valvigneyre 2009 White Wine – I was upset when I tasted this wine. It’s 100 percent Viognier, a floral grape that provides wonderful aromas and often a tad of sweetness on the palate.

First, I really like the whites of France and particularly from the Rhone Valley. The wines are usually blended but when I had a chance to pick this wine up for $10.99 from a distinguished producer I jumped on a couple of bottles.

I thought a lot about this wine. It was disorganized, a little two tart for a floral wine, and just not very pleasant. I had the wine stored for awhile so I don’t think it was bottle shock. It just was not very palatable. 

Alain Paret Cotes-Du-Rhone Valvignevre, $10.99, Not Recommended.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com