Hahn Winery Meritage Central Coast 2010

Meritage is one of those interesting wines (to me) that are a mixture of a number of delicious grapes, so therefore can not be listed under any one varietal. Apparently, the name itself is fairly recent, only being coined in 1988, but the wines themselves are Bordeaux-type wines, making the theory behind them much older.
Hahn Estates are located in California's Monterrey County and much of the vineyards were once a cattle ranch and horse ranch. The soil, however, is perfect for growing grapes, and the family has been successfully doing so since they released their first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in 1980.
This Hahn Meritage is pretty interesting, which may be a common characteristic of wines made with a number of different types of grapes? In this case, the dominant grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, but it also has a fair amount of Merlot (ahh, part cab, part merlot - no wonder I like it), Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. And like it, I do. It has a bit of the spice I like, the pepper that sits on your tongue after you've swallowed, but also a little sweetness, like from the currant and black cherry flavors. Complex is a word that would apply to this wine, and strong, able to hold its own when paired with a filet or lamb.

Burnet Ridge Purple Trillium 2006

This Ohio made wine is a wonderful mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. It's a spicy little red that has obvious red currant and cedar tones. The spice hits you as you swallow and, unlike some wines that disappear right away, this wine lingers on the back of your tongue as the bite slowly dissipates. All of these factors make it complex and delightful, especially when you find that it is being produced right in the middle of the country.

Burnet Ridge is a winery located near Cincinnati, Ohio and is a product of many years of wine-perfecting by owner Chip Emmerich. His wines are aged in mostly new American oak from the Ozarks in Southwestern Missouri.

I like this wine and would drink it often, though at around $26 a bottle, I'll just have to enjoy this bottle for as long as I can.

Tenuta di Trinoro Le Cupule 2005

This Italian red is a fruity, smooth wine with (according to Anthony) very light tannis that start the front of your tongue and slowly recede down the center. Hints of dark cherry, black raspberries and currants linger. My very uneducated pallet just thought it was smooth, not too spicy, not very tannon-y, but flavorful, and would go very well with the rest of the flourless chocolate torte he brought home for me. :)

Le Cupule is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cesanese, and Uva di Troia. I was familiar with the first 3 but had never heard of the others - so I did a little research. According to Wikipedia :), Petit Verdot is a red wine grape that is often used to add small amounts of tannin, colour, and flavour to a blend - probably making it responsible for the very slight bite in this wine? The Cesanese grape is grown primarily in the Lazio region of Italy and is of very old origin, many believing it can be traced back to Roman times (kind of cool!). And the Uva di Troia is from the Puglia region of Italy and is likely named after the town of Troia - founded by the Greek Diomedes!

Another thing I thought was interesting about this wine is that it is aged for 12 months in French barriques and then for 10 months in cement. I was like cement? I'm not sure how I feel about that. To which Anthony pointed out that the Roman's used cement to ferment wine 2000 years ago. Apparently, wine that spends some of its time in cement seems to come out more crisp and clean with clear undertones.

If you can find a bottle, they seem to run around $30. We just finished Anthony's last one. :( 

Llama Malbec 2008

Wow. It's been a year since I last posted to this blog. Ahh, how I've missed it. It's definitely time to get back. And this Malbec seems like a great start.

I was very surprised to realize that I've never written about a Malbec before. Maybe it's because I can never quite decide how I feel about them. My father seems to prefer the Argentine Malbec's, of which this is one, and I do think he'd enjoy this bottle.

Malbec is a thin-skinned grape, which needs more sun and heat than other varieties. It is described as having a plum-like flavor and its intensity and color makes it ideal for combining with Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Though originally grown in France, Malbec is now becoming very popular as an Argentine varietal.

This Llama Malbec 2008 is from the Mendoza region of Argentina, which is supposed to produce something like 60% of Argentina's wines. What I thought was interesting about this wine is that the grapes are grown at the base of the Aconcagua mountains, which means pollution-free air, with clean, melting snow for irrigation, and it is also harvested by hand.  Even more interesting is that apparently the Argentine Malbecs are "unfiltered and unstabilized in the traditional artisan style to preserve subtle aromas and flavors, while promoting richness, body and color." I'm always interested in trying wines that are created in the old ways.

As far as the flavor goes, it is tannon-y, and plumy, and a little spicy, though not overly so. I did like that it doesn't linger in your mouth, but leaves it crisp and clean. And I suppose my now empty glass speaks for itself!

It ranges around $16/bottle, so not too bad. Anthony also brought home a bottle of the San Polo Mozzopane Sant' Antimo. Yum! His guests bring him the best stuff!

Via Vecchia Adamo Reserve 2006

I was spurred back into writing on this blog when it was pointed out to me that an owner of a vineyard had commented on my post about HIS wine. Wow. And yes, it had to be pointed out to me as I didn't notice it for myself. Pathetic.

But this Via Vecchia wine is definitely worth the post. So here goes.

Some time ago I wrote about this winery, after Anthony had the opportunity to visit it for a tasting. I was very impressed with their approach to wine making and very curious about the rumor that they actually Stomp their wine. As in the old way. So cool. Well, I haven't yet had the opportunity to try it for myself, although it is definitely on my to-do-before-I-die list, but I was excited when Anthony brought a bottle of their wine home. And not just any bottle.

This Via Vecchia Adamo Reserve (which apparently means it has been aged longer, and therefore developed more), number 779 of 879 :), is a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Seems very light but still full of flavor. I feel like you can taste the grape, and maybe a little oak, without a lot of other flavors interfering or overtaking it, and, with just a very slight bite, it really is a very good wine. I could drink this often.

So here's the really interesting part about Via Vecchia. They purchase their grapes from California, but that should not dissuade you. They have managed to answer the great question - can you make a wine that tastes good, but with nothing added? That means, no added yeast, no added chemicals, no added colorings, enzymes or preservatives, and about half of the organic standard of added sulfites. Then can you rely on the sedimentation and the moon for filtration of the wine? Well obviously you can. They've done it. And it's very good.

Ponzi Pinot Noir 2007

This wine is from the Willamette Valley of Oregon, one of the best regarded Pinot noir regions in the US, and is new to Anthony's wine menu. Apparently this region of Oregon is at the same latitude as the Burgundy region of France, which may account for how well these very difficult grapes grow and the success its winemakers have had.

We have tried quite a few Pinot noirs lately and as always my first comment was 'grapey' or 'fruity'. To which Anthony scoffs. Rightly so, I suppose. I think it is a fairly light bodied wine, which is typical of Pinot noirs, and is fairly smooth, without a lot of spice or bite to it. Perhaps it is the cherry and red currant undertones that I taste. You are also supposed to sense violet and smoked meat and cedar, though I'm not sure that I got all of those. Pleasant but not particularly memorable? This may be more due to my mixed feelings about Pinot noirs in general than the merit of this particular wine.

Still, I did like the wine, and would drink it more often...were it not for the price. ;) Anthony thought highly of it - of course.

Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2006

This is a marvelous Shiraz from one of the most famous wine makers in Australia. According to their website, the Barossa escaped the scourge of phylloxera, and consequently many of the vineyards remain planted on their own roots, direct descendants of cuttings brought to Australia in the early 1800’s from Hermitage in the Rhone Valley. This makes the Barossa the envy of the wine world.

Butter is the first thing I thought of when I tasted this wine. It seems to have a smooth buttery flavor at the start, but packs quite a punch at the finish. Apparently this is the result of it being 'firm with powdery tannins'. I can't say that I taste the chocolate and dark plum in the wine but it certainly has spice and flavor.

I really enjoyed the wine and would definitely drink it with my husband's fabulous fillet. Yum!