This wine has a beautiful golden hue. Its nose captivates me. Salinity comes first, like a whiff of an ocean breeze. Then comes stone fruit, ripe apricots and peaches. There is a hint of orange peel. The palate is loaded with fruit, a savory saltiness, and a bracing acidity. This is a really well made wine. The finish is clean and lively, with the savory aspects lasting longest.
Monday, December 30, 2024
Why I Love To Buy Wine From Eataly - Salchetto Obvius Bianco
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
From Argentina Without Oak
I don't know if that’s true for a great number of winemakers, but it did make for a refreshing experience in the world of Cabs. Recently, I was given a sample of Septima Organic Malbec to try, and it was the other way around. The wine was apparently aged in steel, not oak.
Septima falls under the corporate umbrella of Raventós Codorníu. They have vineyards not only in Argentina, but also in Spain and California. All their vineyards are fully organic. The 2022 Malbec I tried was made in the shadow of the Andes, in Mendoza, a huge wine region in Argentina. The Ugarteche subregion is located in the southern part of the Lujan de Cuyo region. The 2022 Septima Organic Malbec has an alcohol content of 14.5% abv and sells for a modest $14.
This wine is colored medium red. The nose gives aromas of red plums, raspberries and blackberries. On the palate, there are those same fruits, presented in fresh fashion without oak aging. Tannins are medium firm, but the acidity is fresh and tingly. Tart fruit lingers on the finish. I had mine with a vegetable soup I made. I used it in the soup as well.
Monday, July 22, 2024
Sicilian By Nature - Organic Nero d'Avola
The 2021 Caruso & Minini Naturalmente is from the Sicilia DOC, it is organic and it has alcohol at 13.5%. The retail price for this varietal wine is $19.
This wine is medium dark in color. The nose is rather faint, but has a nice scent of cherries and flowers. The palate explodes with a peppery shower of red fruit and some savory drapery that has an earthy, eucalyptus note to it. The flavors exhibited here are exceptional, and somewhat out of the ordinary. Pair it with a meaty pasta dish, or use it in making the meaty pasta dish. Or both.
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
It's Paso, It's Organic, And It's On Sale
Alcohol stands at 14.1% abv and it was on sale for $13 at my local Whole Foods Market. I bought it primarily for cooking, but it turns out that it tastes pretty good on its own.
The wine is a medium-dark garnet. The nose gives off aromas of cherry, plum and a fistful of oak notes - clove, cigars, cinnamon, anise. The palate is dark and savory, with the plum and blueberry flavors joined by earth, white pepper and tomatoes. It is a complex wine, and it shows the chalky minerality for which Paso Robles is known. It also lent quite a lot to the roast I cooked with it.
Monday, March 14, 2022
Women In Wine
Ruth Fernandez is the woman winemaker behind the 2020 Dominio de Punctum Petulante White, a pétillant natural, or pét nat, wine introduced last year. This family winery dates back to 1905, so they are not newcomers to the wine business. She is the Punctum oenologist, working at the winery in the central part of Spain, southeast of Madrid, the Castillo y Leon region. She is one of three siblings who lead the winery on a mission to provide organic, biodynamic wines. They farm their grapes free of any chemicals, pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers on the soil.
Fernandez says Petulante takes sparkling wine a step farther, with minimal intervention and maximum flavor. The grapes involved - there isn't much in the way of a tech sheet available - are likely Verdejo, Viura or a combination of the two. This wine has alcohol at 13% abv and retails for $22.
This white, sparkling wine is actually a cloudy yellow color and brings a savory nose of citrus, floral and minerals aplenty. The palate also rings the citrus bell, with a bit of apple and many minerals thrown into the mix. The bubbles are scant, but the flavor is what you're really after, right? This wine delivers white wine flavor by the carload.
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Big Red Wine From Chile
The 2018 vintage of Primus The Blend was made from five different grape varieties, all grown in Apalta, in Chile's Colchagua Valley. The mix is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carménère, 10% Syrah, 10 % Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. The vintage featured a rainy winter and a temperate summer, allowing for a good, long growing season. The wine was aged twelve months in French oak, two-thirds of it in barrels and one-third in big vats. Alcohol hits only 13.5% abv while the retail price is a mere $19.
The blend pours up to a medium-dark garnet color. Aromas of cassis, tobacco and spice are up front on the nose, with a hint of bell pepper in the background. The fruit is juicy on the palate, with jammy black and red berries and a stout set of tannins. This wine was made for steak, the bigger the better.
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Wednesday, November 10, 2021
A Bargain Wine From Chile
Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserva 2019
The 2019 Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet grapes, then aged in neutral oak for eight months. The vintage had scarce precipitation, but the winery chiefs seem happy with it nonetheless. Alcohol tips 14% abv and the wine retails for $12.
This wine looks medium-dark in the glass, a deep ruby color. The nose is rather rustic, especially for a Cab. That quality could possibly be due to a limited time in oak, for a Cabernet, only eight months. There is currant in there, along with bramble and a strong minerality. The palate is on the rough’n’tumble side, with dark berry flavors and earthiness showing. The finish lingers and brings the savory side back for a revisit.
Monday, August 10, 2020
Cali Sauvignon Blanc, Grown Organically
The 2019 Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc comes from a blend of grapes grown in Mendocino, Lake, San Luis Obispo and Sonoma counties. The grapes were fermented in steel tanks and aged there for six months, so there is no oak effect in this wine at all. The wine has an alcohol level of 13.3% abv and sells for $14.
This pale-tinted wine has a fresh nose of lemons, limes, grapefruit and minerals, along with an herbal aspect that stays well short of New Zealand style grassiness. California SauvBlancs usually feature riper fruit, and fuller fruit flavor than those from the southern hemisphere. The palate on this one is all minerals, with a hint of the citrus in the background. The acidity is zippy and the finish is long and savory.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Organic Rosé At Organic Brunch
I had the opportunity to sample their rosé at the Inn of the 7th Ray in L.A.’s Topanga Canyon. It’s fitting, because, the Inn would no doubt be a place where a couple of post-hippie organic winemakers could feel right at home. The setting is entirely anti-Los Angeles, out in the Topanga woods, with seating areas actually carved out of the natural space. A deer came up to the fence separating the diners from the trees while I was eating Easter brunch. The chef utilizes seasonal, organic foods.
The Carignane grapes for the Horse and Plow rosé came from some of the oldest organic vineyards in California. The alcohol is super low at just 12.5% abv and the juice spent eight hours in contact with the skins, so it has a nice, rosy color. It was fermented in neutral French oak barrels and retails for $20.
The aromas of fresh strawberries and tart cherries burst from the glass, even outdoors where the wind more often than not blows the smells away. Fruity and completely dry, the wine has plenty of acidity for chicken or pork, but I had mine with the dessert selections.
Friday, October 28, 2016
From Big Waves To Big Wine
Baffa is an award-winning filmmaker who chronicled his love of surfing in the film, "Bella Vita," developed with his friend Del Moro. The pair shared plenty of good food and beverage while getting those gnarly waves on celluloid. It was a natural - organic, in fact - transition to ZIOBAFFA (in Italian, Uncle Baffa.)
The press blurb says "ZIOBAFFA is bottled and labeled with eco-friendly material, crafted with a biodynamic focus and organically produced grapes, with a focus on sustainable, zero waste production and environmentally friendly bottling, including the innovative Helix reuseable cork closure."
The unusual cork, which looks like a cross between a sparkling wine cork and a liqueur stopper, requires no mechanical assistance for opening. You can access the wine barehanded, even though it is worth some trouble.
The Ziobaffa Toscana is made from grapes organically grown in the Poggio al Casone vineyard, 80% Sangiovese and 20% Syrah. Visually this wine is a black hole - no light gets through at all. Aromas of black berries, plums and currants are soaked in a savory setting of cigars and spice. The palate is fresh and lively, with enough tannins for anything Bolognaise, for sure. You might even grill a steak for it. Dark fruit flavors are laced with a leathery licorice layer that does not disappoint.
I paired it with an amazing cheese by Italian cheesemaker Beppino Occelli, Occelli al Barolo. After nine months of aging, the wheel is coated with a Barolo grape must, then soaked for two months with another wine, Langa Marc. The Sangiovese fits nicely with the Nebbiolo influence of the cheese. It also plays very well with Occelli’s Testun al Foglie di Castagno, which is wrapped in chestnut leaves.
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Monday, October 29, 2012
Prévu Sparkling Liqueur
I was introduced to a product recently through a public relations message, and I’m rather glad I was. It’s a sparkling liqueur called Prévu. The diacritical is only decorative, as the word is pronounced PREE-view.
The label notes do a pretty good job of describing it, so I won’t bother trying to rework the message:
"Prévu is a delicate blend of organic vodka and cognac, immersed with black currant, raspberry, blackberry and a touch of violet flower. From the Cognac region in France, a harmony like no other."
The drink is only 17.5% abv, a very reasonable level considering that the two main ingredients are vodka and Cognac. All the ingredients are 100% organic.
There’s a very light sparkle upon pouring, with a pretty purple tint in the glass. The nose of cassis is pure and pleasant. There’s a sparkle felt in the sip, along with a nice, fresh feeling and a touch of alcohol - about the same that one feels with a fortified wine.
Prévu is not, however, anything like a Port-style wine. It’s light, refreshing and very easy-drinking. The flavor of the currant is out front, and almost unmasked. A hint of alcohol on the finish reminds me that it is, in fact, a liqueur. I like it as an aperitif, all alone. It also makes a good starter for a cocktail. I tried a little with an iced coffee, and quite liked it.
Simon Tikhman of Simont Enterprises is the guy behind Prévu, and he’s pretty excited about this new entry into the beverage world.
“Prévu is made in France and shipped to the US for distribution,” says Tikhman. “Right now, it's distributed only in California. We're just getting our legs under us, getting ready to take off."
Tikhman sees Prévu’s versatility as a big attraction. "It’s truly a hybrid, with a lot of variety as to how to drink it, how to mix it. It goes great with brown or white spirits. We mix it with Champagne, bourbon - we even make margaritas with it! Mixologists are getting crazy with Prévu.” I mentioned that I liked it as an aperitif, and he agreed. He likes his Prévu with a splash of soda and a twist of lime.
The recipes they were pouring at Taste of L.A. showed the drink’s versatility. A lychee martini that was developed at Spago and a honey whiskey mix from Craig’s showed the light and the dark sides of it. Tikhman says the response at the event was fantastic.
Prévu is distributed by Southern Wine and Spirits. For the time being, it’s a California-only beverage. The 750 ml decorative bottle retails for $30.
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Monday, May 30, 2011
BONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008
My birthday triggered a very nice influx of bottles, so the wine rack at chez Now And Zin is full and happy. The first cork to pop from the birthday bounty was a very nice California Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino County.
Bonterra Winery is in Hopland, California. They farm organically, and have done so since 1987. All the fruit used in making this wine is organic; 81% of it comes from Mendocino County with 19% contributed by Lake County.
Winemaker Robert Blue states on the label his affinity for organic farming and his belief that it produces the highest quality grapes. Bonterra Winery and their grapes are certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers. That label on the bottle is even made from 100% post-consumer recycled product.
The Bonterra Cab carries a 13.5% abv number.
The Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Merlot, Syrah and what Bonterra calls "other complementary varietals." I don’t know why they are so secretive about it, though. The wine is a medium-dark ruby color in the glass, and it offers a huge fruit expression on the nose. Cherries make the big play, with plenty of spiciness. I pick up the scent of white pepper and a layer of vanilla and cedar.
The alcohol shows too much in the first sip, about 15 minutes after the bottle was opened. Cherries, cherry cola and a raspberry note struggle to come forward through the haze.
Give it some time, and it settles down nicely. Eventually it becomes as smooth as silk. Over time, brambly notes and some graphite show up to augment the plum and blackberry flavors. Firm tannins are present even on the third night the bottle is open, and the black cherry cola finish stays a long time.
Bonterra has crafted a delicious wine that's downright affordable to buy - or to give as a gift.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
ORGANIC WINE STUDY SHOWS CONFUSION
That's hard to say. The article goes on to explain that organic wine labels don't make it easy for consumers to buy "green," and further make it difficult to track consumer trends.
The Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State did some research on the matter.
The findings show that consumers of organic wines say they are willing to shell out a few extra dollars for wines they feel are eco-friendly.
Wine consumers in general seem confused by all the terminology used in labeling organic wines. Terms like "100% organic," "biodynamic" and "sustainable" leave consumers unsure of which wines really are organic.
The study recommends the wine industry should try to create a system of terminology that is less confusing.
The authors close the article by asking, "In ten years, will all wine be sustainable anyway?" We'll find out in a decade or so.