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Editors note: Starting today, we will be highlighting an Iberian wine, or winery, every Friday. It may cover a single one, a project or a winery. We’ll try, in most cases, to choose wines that are widely distributed, but this will not always be possible. Hope you enjoy.
About a year and half ago, I stumbled across a wine website that had a link to an Iberian winery blog. Clicking the link, I was taken to a page with about three posts and no comments enabled. At the time, there were approximately three other winery blogs out there, and I was excited to see another pop up. However, this “blog” didn’t allow comments. Thus, in my world, it wasn’t a blog. Long story short, earlier this month, I made contact with Andrew McCarthy through a friend, and was able to help him with a little Blogspot coding to remedy this problem. Today Castro Martin sits at the 8th place in our sidebar list of Iberian winery blogs, and I’m glad to have them there. I have loved Castro Martin’s wines for quite some time, and today, both Gabriella and I would like to recommend their great Albarino’s from the popular region of Rias Baixas.
Seriously, these are some nice wines: full of body and pure fruit, they are both complex and easy to understand. The Castro Martin Albarino is straightforward pure flesh fruit with some zesty acidity. It is a 2006, and if you noticed, we’re almost to the end of 2008; meaning that for it to have this kind of zestiness is a credit to the winemaker or the grape. I’ve been lectured by winemakers who work with Albariño that contrary to popular thought, it should be aged. In fact, I have yet to do it, but I have a standing invitation with Lusco to taste through some older vintages just to illustrate this exact point. This wine is still alive, full of vivacity, and I trust will last for another year or two.
The second wine we’re suggesting is the A2O, a wine that unfortunately is spelled with a tilde (~) over the 2; thus making brand awareness an issue since no one I know can type it. But that’s beside the point. This wine is full of stuffing and ready to go for a 5 year stay in my cellar, if we can stop ourselves from drinking it all up. Rich and layered flavors supported on a framework of acidity that is strong and yet supple. I want more, and you should too. Check this wine out!!
This family owned winery itself has a history that stretches back well before DO of Rias Baixas existed, and their website claims that they were the first to use stainless steel tanks for their wines. And current winemaker, Angela Martin is responsible for the production of award winning wines, such as the Acio de Ouro (no info) in 2000, for best Albariño. There’s even rumor that in 2001, Andrew McCarthy attended a wine tasting that appeared to have lasted a bit longer than was to be expected, eventually ending in a marriage!
I don’t need to recap the entire history and wine making, because the site (despite its silly pop-up windows and some distracting flash) provides some good information for your to peruse on your own time. Here’s a direct link to avoid the pop-up window.
Complaints? Well I have to say, I hate fake cork. If your going to opt out of the real cork, then please move to screw caps. Fake cork is annoying, ugly and at times, harder to open than the real stuff. Please just get on with it and move to a screwcap if you don’t want the cork. Otherwise, the wines are great and well worth seeking out. Not to mention, please leave a comment on their newly “open to comments” blog, where you can see what is happening in Galicia, Spain.
Best Deal Magazines is currently offering "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine" as a downloadable version for free. The guide is currently off of print in bound form, but is loaded with good advice on how to select, taste, and collect wine. Although aimed at the beginning wine lover, there's sure to be something of interest to the experienced sipper also.
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A combination cited as a classic food and wine combination is Munster cheese with Gewürztraminer. But how many people sit down to a meal of just cheese? What I'm after is a main meal dish.
Ruling out Gewurz with Chinese or Thai dishes (a combination I've never found remotely enjoyable) a recipe sent with a bottle of Espiritu de Chile Gewürztraminer sounded at once interesting, autumnal and tasty.
The wine itself is not hugely expensive (around a fiver) but works well as a mid-week slurp and did work deliciously well with the food - a Thai-Spiced Chicken Salad.
Review0.3 Wine Tasting Note: Espiritu de Chile Gewürztraminer, 2007, Central Valley, Chile. Price: £4.99 [More: Adegga / Snooth]
A pleasant nose - hints of violets, limes and roses with similar flavours on the palate only more focused and noticeable. Hints of sweetness balance the wine but this is not a full in-yer-face Gewurz some can verge on the soapy, almost violent in intensity and spicy sweetness. This does have a little of the rose and ginger coupled with a suspicion of strawberries but, as expected for a humbly priced wine, is quite gentle and more subtle.
With the food: Despite the generous dollop of Thai Chili Paste the salad is not overly spicy (in the heat-hot spectrum) it still has a decent level of background heat but not enough to dampen the taste buds and, in turn, ruin the wine. Pear and apple flavours appear in the wine leading to the question should the dish have a little sliced pear added for additional autumnal flavours (not terribly Thai I suppose. Mind you is Savoy cabbage?)
Andrew BarrowScribblings Rating - 86/100 [3.25 out of 5]
Duck pâté and Foie Gras (although I find this too rich a combination, especially if the wine is of the sweeter style) do work well with Gewurztraminer.
Although I missed the boat on this one completely, the results are in for the latest Wine Blogging Wednesday over at CorkDork. This month’s objective was to try new red wines from New Zealand. 31 bloggers participated this time! Check it out!
[11/25/2006, 14:17]
Preparations for Christmas.
Santiago of Chile prepares itself to receive the Christmas.
While hurried wayfarers travel the Plaza of Weapon, a group of workers raised in nets, prepare a gigantic tree.
It will be finished in a few days more and be be almost so high as the centenary Cathedral, Satiago's former relic.
Torbreck’s top shiraz – the Run Rig Shiraz, priced at well over $200 per bottle – is probably Australia ’s most hedonistic wine. It leaps out of the bottle like a rattlesnake, all fanfare and bite. It is, always, dangerously drinkable. It is thick with flavour and accented by sweetness, its spicy, gravelly, smoky complexity ramping its class through the roof. There’s always been a question mark though: this tastes so bloody good the day it is released – what happens if you stick it in the cellar? Is it Australia ’s best early-drinking wine, or will it develop and evolve if given time? A tasting in the Barossa Valley recently of every vintage yet made of Torbreck Run Rig Shiraz (including the just-released 2005) threw a crust of clear answers.
What does it take to be a pioneer in the wine business? Vision, drive, a great love of wine, and of course, money. Dr. Piya Bhirombhakdi found himself in possession of all of these prerequisites and so in 1989 he fulfilled his dream and started PB Khao Yai Winery.
The Bhirombhakdi family are no strangers to the beverage industry. They founded Thailand's first brewery in 1933 and so it is only fitting that they should also lead the way in wine making. Today the PB Winery produces over one million bottles of wine annually from 130 acres of vineyards.
The ubiquitous Syrah and Chenin Blanc are well represented, but PB's Tempranillo which is not widely planted in Thailand, it is also amazingly good. This Spanish grape seems an obvious choice for the warm climate of these southern latitudes. I expect to see more of it from other producers in the future.
The large area of plantings allows PB to source grapes from a myriad number of micro-climates. This not only gives the fruit a variety of characteristics, it helps to mitigate the chance of disaster. Mildew may pop up in one side of the vineyard, but down the dell and around the corner chances are the vines are safe.
The banana trees that can be seen from the vineyards are the only indication you have that this is not your ordinary grape growing region. One of the first of the "New Latitude Wines" as they refer to themselves in Thailand, PB's vineyards are among the most mature and healthy of those we witnessed.
The entry level of wines go by the charming name of Sawasdee, which means "hello" in Thai. True to their name the wines are welcome and a good place to start. The Pirom line is in the middle, with PB Reserve taking the top position. Chenin Blanc can be found at all three levels, and Shiraz at the top and bottom, but Tempranillo is only used for the Pirom wines.
The winery and vineyards are open for tours and the Great Hornbill Grill is the on site restaurant. We had quite the feast when Piya himself hosted us, but any visitor will enjoy their selection of Thai and Western dishes. In the mood for something simple and familiar? A wood fired pizza and plenty of Singha beer on tap may be just the thing you are looking for.
400 people a day on the weekends come to marvel at this wine estate. Set among the jungle growth of this tropical locale, it is situated less than two hours outside of Bangkok. If you prefer to skip the crowds come out during the week and take in the sights and flavors of Thai wine country. To make tour arrangements or for more information, visit their web site at http://www.khaoyaiwinery.com.
Tuscany is probably the Italian wine region that is best known among American drinkers. Hundreds of raffia-covered fiascos (you know what I'm talking about--the bottles that you use for candle holders when the wine is all gone) have entered hundreds of homes all over the country. (picture by dottorpeni)
But there's more to Tuscan wine than just Chianti. For the last two months of 2008 I'll be focusing on the wines from this region. Why two months? There's just too much good wine to spend only one month exploring.
Tuscany is a region that is known for more than wine, of course. Home to the great poet Dante, its also the region where Pisa's "leaning tower" is located. Pisa is not the only town in the region with stunning architecture, as any visitor to Florence, San Gimignano, or Siena knows. Rolling hills, groves of olive trees, fields of sunflowers and vines, and old houses dot the landscape as well, making Tuscany a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. (photo by vigour)
And the grapes of Tuscany are just as diverse as the countryside where they're planted. There's Sangiovese, of course, but there's also rarer indigenous varieties like Toroldega, Vernaccia, and Canaiolo. And Tuscan vineyards have their fare share of international grapes in them like Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon, too. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are often blended with Sangiovese in the powerful red wines known as Super Tuscans that earn high scores from the wine magazines and command high prices in the wine shops. (photo by rayced)
Great wine demands great food, and as anyone who has been to Tuscany knows--these people can cook. Whether you're looking for a simple pasta dish with sauce made from butter and sage, a hearty soup thickened with bread and beans, grilled beef cooked to perfection as they do in Florence, or the small cookies made for dunking in your coffee or wine called cantucci, you can find a dish to suit you from among the region's traditional recipes. These dishes are perfect for winter temperatures and feeding large crowds at the holidays. Many of them are also either quick to prepare, or cook at low temperatures in the pot or oven so they are ideal for entertaining.
With so much to love about Tuscan food and wine, it seemed like the right moment to slow down and enjoy the end of the this year's wine journey through Italy. Those of you who have been following the series know that there are still regions I've not yet reached. So we'll pick up where we left off in January 2009 and continue to drink the wines from the remaining regions of Italy all through next year. (photo by davidanthonyporter)
I'll be back periodically over the next several weeks with tasting notes and food pairings for Tuscan wines. Yes, Chianti will be among them. So, too, will be Tuscan whites and a wine made with indigenous varieties. And the Tuscan wine theme will spill over into Serious Grape on Fridays as well, where I'll talk about Super Tuscans and compare the different levels of Chianti from the regular bottles to Chianti Classico and reserve wines. As always, I hope you will join in and share your Tuscan wine recommendations and experiences.
Wow. I have just come back from visiting one small corner of the Thai wine making industry, and I am really quite impressed. With tropical grape growing changing all of the rules, these hearty mavens have managed to beat all the odds and produce world class wines in a monsoon climate.
To be fair, I was pretty impressed with India's efforts as well, so it shouldn't have come as much as a shock as it did. In India I didn't have a chance to tour the vineyards, an oversight I hope to correct in the not to distant future. Seeing the Thai vines in person was an enlightening experience.
I saw well tended row after row of primarily young vines which were already producing decent enough fruit to make outstanding wines. I also saw older vines that while only in their teens, were capable of churning out reserve quality grapes, year after year.
I also witnessed the heartbreak of a 30% loss of crop due to the unusually long rainy period that has yet to subside. The immature grapes were devastated by Powdery Mildew (Oidium) leaving behind fruitless vines and dashed hopes.
In the coming series of reports I will relate the tales of four commercial wineries, each with a slightly different approach to success. One who avails themselves of a little help from France, one who is creating a Grand Cru style estate, another who has found the balance between tourism and quality, and finally a large concern who's wine cooler business helps them afford to take chances on their premium wines.
I also found one producer who has yet to turn commercial, but his highly inventive nature has led him to experiment with ideas that push the envelope of vineyard management. While his vintages to date have only yielded enough wine for friends and family (a mere 1000 bottles) his wines were among the finest I have tasted in Thailand.
In no small part my trip was especially memorable for the company I kept. Not only the incredibly generous winery owners and staff, but by the presence of the hard working and eminently impressive Denis Gastin.
Denis is a wine writer from Australia who's tireless efforts on behalf of the Asian wine industry are an inspiration. Expect to see more about Asia on my web site in the coming months, as I elevate this continent's visibility to the status it deserves.
In the minds of many, not to mention my own, Asia is not a player in the world wine scene. This is simply wrong, and it is high time everyone knew about it.
clouds came into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storms, but to add colour to my sunset sky - rabindranath tagore indian playwright, poet and essayist.
You can read a little more about me if you visit Rosella in Italy. She interviewed me about my foodies travel experiences.
The Mountain X Hunter Shiraz 2006 is the inaugural release and the brain child of Gary Walsh and Campbell Mattison of The Wine Front. It is a blend of 95% Hunter Shiraz (good start) and 5% Yarra Pinot - a throwback to a traditional hunter blend of yesteryear. The winemakers are Rhys Eather (Meerea Park) and Franco d’Anna (Hoddles Creek) respectively.
Stylistically modern Hunter Valley - showing fruity aromas of cherry, blackcurrant and some licorice. The palate is initially juicy and intense with tangy dark fruits and berries, a dash of spice and a dollop of vanilla oak. There are just enough super fine and approachable tannins to pull the finish into the savoury realm.
If you plan to drink up now, I suggest 2+ hours in a decanter, otherwise it should improve in the cellar over the medium term. A successful first release, there is something here for hunterists and non-hunterists alike. Since I don’t mind giving this lot a plug, you can buy the wine from the Boutique Wine Center, Boccaccio or North Sydney Cellars.
Score: 91/100 Price: $30 Closure: Diam Alcohol: 13.5% Would I buy this wine again? Yes I will, $30 is a reasonable price for a low production, hand picked and unique wine.
This concludes the baker's dozen of reruns. I had to republish this one. It was hard to write -- I'll say it took me years, effectively. I said things I'd needed to say for a long time. If ever I had a touchstone in writing, it would be this. I don't what know what else to say. January 27, 2008 Húgues the Memorious: Wine, Depression, Introspection, Awareness In vino veritas. For centuries there have been...
If you are often frustrated reading wine magazines, wine books, and wine reviews that focus on wines you can't find in your local store, you may wonder why I am addicted to Michael Broadbent's Vintage Wine: Fifty Years of Tasting Three Centuries of Wines. This book collects his tasting notes for the oldest, rarest, and most coveted wines in the world.
If you don't know Michael Broadbent's book, it's an awe-inspiring trip through some of the oldest and most expensive cellars on the planet. And because there's no conceivable way most of us will ever be able to buy any of the wines he tastes here, there's none of that frustration--just pure enjoyment. If this sounds like something you might find fun, or you are looking for a gift for a wine lover, check out today's post.
It's a great site that lists wine events for just about any state, country or region. Plus, they send out a Weekly Newsletter called The Juicewhich will notify you of upcoming events in your area.
In this final part of this series, I would like to introduce readers to an extremely small winery which pays serious attention to their vines. Himmelsfeld vineyard began in 1991 when owner Elizabeth(Beth) Eggars decided to try something else besides nursing. Nestled on a gentle hill in Upper Moutere, the 10.5ha property has about 1.5ha dedicated to growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and SauvignonBlanc (roughly equal split). The rest of the land is still home to an apple orchard and many sheep!
Total production for all wines is roughly about 600+ cases so odds are you will not see this too often overseas. In fact, don't think we saw it in shops while in New Zealand either.
Of the many wineries visited - Beth struck me as one who puts emphasis on the Vineyard first and wine making second. She is adamant that "great wines are made in the vineyard", something which I hear echoed in the most zealous ( and coincidentally top notch) Burgundy producers. Her vineyard is the first one I have seen in New Zealand which does not "irrigate" - yes you heard it right - no irrigation. It was deemed that a deeper vine root system was preferable over "immediate results" and irrigation did not encourage this.
2002 HimmelsfeldMoutere Chardonnay Hints of citrus fruits and what is the beginning of some secondary aromas coming from the oak. Defintely French oak and probably not new oak either. Not as tight in terms of acidity which I suspect means it should be consumed within 3-5 years. 90 points.
2002 HimmelsfeldMoutere Cabernet Already achieving some secondary aromas, black and red fruits, not an inky black monster by any measures & soft smooth tannins. The core of the mid palate however shows some lightness in density indicating perhaps rain - grape bloat? Other than that a very nice wine but do not expect this to get much better and should be consumed within 3 perhaps 5 years. 90 points.
2003 HimmelsfeldMouter Noble Chardonnay Of the wines offered for tasting this is probably the got me excited the most. I am thinking this is comparable to top level Alsace SGN's but it also has that acidity which lifts the whole thing up. Defintely something I would be very curious to try again in 10-15 years - think this will be a knockout. 96+ points
Fall is just around the corner and few wines are more enjoyable when the weather turns cool than Italy's Sangiovese wines. In the video below, Iron Chef Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich discuss how best to pair Sangiovese with food. Take a look:
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The first bottle I tasted was spoilt by a strong balsamic vinegar character so I asked for another. No such problems here - it’s a beauty. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%) Petit Verdot (18%) Malbec (14%) and Merlot (2%) from the Montgomery Brothers Vineyard at Ellensbrook and the Glenmore and Bantry Bay Vineyards at [...]
This wine and its red counterpart are always nice values. This white blend from the Cotes Du Luberon is a light golden with sweet almost perfumy bouquet of vanilla, red apples and pears.
Palate--lively acidity, light citrus, pears and crisp clean finish. Blended from 4 different grapes, this wine is just a decent wine and drinks well by itself yet handles the right foods as well. I find this wine most everywhere in the $6 (when on sale) to $8 and again--this and its red version are writh keeping around for lighter drinking that won't break the bank. Raise a glass!
Posted by 1 Much to my horror, my recent trip to the United States and Canada revealed to me that some people have actually been reading this blog. While it was not a shock that people visit WineSpectator.com, the fact that anyone would labor through my heavy prose and factual notes was a total revelation.
I couldn't resist dropping a line about McCormick & Kuleto's 15th Annual Shuck & Swallow Challenge, going down tomorrow eve in SF, because it's just so deliciously fun to say out loud. Those in the mood for shucking and swallowing are welcome to watch and score some oysters and wine in the process ($30 for food & wine). The 411: The competition between a dozen teams from Bay Area restaurants goes down at 5pm and showcases teams competing to shuck and eat as many oysters as possible in 10 minutes. (The current record is just under 200.) The shucking & swallowing is free to watch...
Tecnorati
The Mountain X Hunter Shiraz 2006 is the inaugural release and the brain child of Gary Walsh and Campbell Mattison of 
