HJW in Argentina

After a long journey from the Finger Lakes to Long Island to Argentina, it was about time for Peter and me to drink the wine we made during the 2009 harvest at Hermann J. Wiemer. In October we had harvested Gewurztraminer from the HJW vineyard at Wiemer, the original and oldest planting on the property. We had separated out the botrytis-affected bunches and used only the shriveliest bunches for our wine, fermenting it and yielding just one 375mL bottle. It was ready by the end of October, so it´s been aging (and traveling) for about 3 months.

When we took it out of the fridge today we noticed the sediment in the bottle right away. When we first poured it there were some bubbles, so we worried that it had started to re-ferment. But the nose was developed and very pretty, with white flower, orange, grapefruit, and a touch of botrytis spice and minerality. On the palate it had a luscious mouthfeel, complexity, and a really good integration of sweetness, acidity, body, and alcohol. The flavor reminded me of honeyed grapefruit and the finish was crisp. It tasted very different from when we first tried it in early November; the 3 months of bottle aging definitely served it well. We were so excited by the result! We are so proud that we made a good wine. If only we had been able to make some more. Maybe next harvest...

Green harvest

At Peter's vineyard we did a little green harvesting, or fruit thinning, of the Tempranillo. We eliminated bunches so that a smaller amount of fruit could develop more fully. It was kind of sad to drop so many beautiful bunches, but I know it'll be good for the wine in the end - having fewer bunches means the remaining grapes will have more intense flavors. We fed some of the fallen bunches to the sheep, so that was good too.

I found the most beautiful bird´s nest in one of the plants I was working on. It had 4 small turquoise speckled eggs in it. We went back later to get a photo and the mother bird, which is a Chingolo, was there and flew off when she saw us, so we snapped a quick one and left so she could return.

We worked for a few hours in the morning and then took a break for lunch and a siesta. I now understand and appreciate the whole siesta thing. It is too hot in the afternoon to work outside, so everyone rests and then goes back to work around 5pm til about 8pm, when it's cooler. The sun doesn't go down until around 10pm, so everyone works late and eats late.

It seems like people here should be heavier since they are always eating and then sleeping, but they're not - must be all that farmwork.

Barrel Sampling at Los Vencejos

Peter and I went to check on his wine, which is vinified and aged at Finca La Luz in the Uco Valley, south of the city of Mendoza (but still part of the Mendoza wine region). We barrel-sampled his Malbec and Tempranillo, contrasting oak types and ages and getting a sense for how the flavors are developing.

*Malbec 2009 in French first-use oak: black pepper and dark fruit; layers of complexity forming.
*Malbec 2009 in French second-use oak: more pronounced fruit with more elegant body.
*Tempranillo 2009 in American first-use oak: cherry cola and smooth tannin.
*Tempranillo 2009 in French first-use oak: a hint of clove with red cherry.
*Tempranillo 2008 in Hybrid (French and American) first-use oak: clove and baking spices, like mulled cider; evolved into eucalyptus and blackberry jam; very complex and exciting.

All the wines were very tasty and interesting. We were pretty jazzed about the Tempranillo in general because it is very unique (it's a mainstay grape in Spain but here in Argentina it's Malbec most of the time). In a few days we'll be bottling the Tempranillo 2008 and then it will age in bottle for another 2 years.

The 2009s will stay in barrel for at least another year before bottling. If you can't wait that long, Los Vencejos Tempranillo 2007 and Malbec 2007 are available at www.losvencejos.com.

Meat me in Mendoza (Part 2)

After the visit to Achaval Ferrer we had lunch at Norton - but not just any lunch - a 7-course lunch with 7 wines: 3 appetizers, 2 mains, and 2 desserts. It was so ridiculous because we didn't realize it was happening until they brought out the second main and then we figured out that we weren't splitting the tasting menu, we were basically getting all of it. The food was delicious. Fresh salmon ravioli, empanadas, lamb, etc. For the wine pairings they sometimes contrasted regular wines with reserve wines - Chardonnay, Malbec - and interestingly we preferred the regular wines in these cases because they were more fruity and less oaky.

After that we didn't think dinner would be necessary, but we ended up at a wine bar later that night and did a delicious wine and cheese pairing. My favorite pair was the Urraca Familia Langley Blend 2005 - Malbec, Merlot, Cab Sauv - with Sainte-Maure goat cheese, followed by the Enamore Blend 2007 - Malbec, Syrah, Bonarda, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc - with blue cheese sprinkled with black pepper.

Meat me in Mendoza (Part 1)

After a thrilling all-day busride over the Andes, Peter and I reunited and spent the weekend in Mendoza, Argentina, enjoying the meat and Malbec. First up was a really elegant Angelica Zapata 2004 Malbec, a product of the successful Bodega Catena Zapata. Bright fruit with balanced alcohol and acidity made this a treat both with and without the meat.

At a visit to Achaval Ferrer, one of the top Malbec producers, I learned about their very interesting way of de-alcoholizing their wine. They said because of the heat their Malbec gets super ripe and can get up to 17-18% alcohol, which is too high, so to bring it down to a more reasonable 13-14% they have fans blowing over the juice as it is fermenting, helping to evaporate the alcohol. This is fascinating to me. Their yields are very low to concentrate the flavors in the grapes, which explains why the vines looked so sparse as we were driving in - only a few bunches per plant. We also learned that you should age your wine without the foil capsule on it so you can see how the cork is holding up. If you see that you have a leaky cork, better drink the wine!

















We tasted one of Achaval Ferrer's single vineyard Malbecs, Finca Bella Vista, from 2007. This wine goes for over $100 a bottle in the US. It was super concentrated with flavors of blackberry and licorice. They also had a nice blend called Quimera (also 2007) that was Malbec, Merlot, Cab Sauv and Cab Franc. It had a lot of bright red fruit and good structure.

The Maule Moment

It just so happened that I saved my best winery experience in Chile for last. I made an excursion to the J. Bouchon Winery and Mingre Lodge this week in the Maule Valley, 3 hours south of Santiago. Hosted by Julio Bouchon, I learned about the history of the family, the wine, and the land. Maule Valley is the largest wine-producing region geographically, but it is only just beginning to receive recognition for the terroir and the quality wines that result - hence, the Maule moment. In terms of hectares, Bouchon is medium-sized for Chile with 370 hectares planted and 1.8 million liters of wine produced annually. All the grapes from their 3 vineyard sites are hand-picked and sorted at the winery.

In between mountain biking and horseback riding I tasted the complete lineup of wines - 3 whites, 1 rose, and 8 reds. In general the wines are fresh and fruity, with the reds showing a balanced use of French oak, sometimes new and sometimes old. Since I liked them all I have to mention them each briefly:

* Sauvignon Blanc 2009: easy-going, floral, citrusy, light.
* Chardonnay 2009: unoaked so crisp and fruity.
* Las Mercedes Sauvignon Blanc 2007: complex, oaked SB that maintains tropical fruit and acidity.
* Cabernet Sauvignon Rose 2009: strawberry, cherry, light and dry.
* Merlot Reserva 2008: strawberry with a black tea finish.
* Carmenere-Syrah Reserva 2008: interesting and unique blend with green pepper, black fruit, some chocolate.
* Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008: red and black fruits, very juicy with smooth tannins.

The Reserva Especial line is made from the oldest vines - some as old as 80 years!
* Malbec Reserva Especial 2007: strawberry and vanilla with firm tannin.
* Carmenere Reserva Especial 2007: fresh bell pepper nose and red fruit with some spice.
* Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Especial 2007: black fruit, cassis, eucalyptus; very juicy and approachable.

The Blends
* Las Mercedes Ensamblaje 2006: 45%Cab Sauv, 40%Syrah, 15%Malbec. Complex with black fruits, cassis, mint, eucalyptus, raspberry.
* Mingre 2006: 45%Cab Sauv; 15% each Carmenere, Malbec, Syrah; 10%Merlot. Similar to Las Mercedes but with brighter red fruit.

I talked a lot about the Carmenere in Chile, but I should mention that Cabernet Sauvignon is really the main grape and wine in Chile, making up 50% of wine production in Chile. Cab Sauv is not one of my favorite varieties (it is often too heavy and tannic for me) so I don't often focus on it. But, the Cab Sauvs at J. Bouchon were the best I had in Chile and some of the most enjoyable I've had to date. 

Beautiful scenery, outdoor activities, and great wine - a fantastic way to end my stay in Chile.

Skip to Marilu

I had a fantastic experience at Casa Marin in the San Antonio Valley, west of the coastal ranges just 20 km from the ocean. I tasted the best lineup of winemaker Maria Luz Marin's wines and toured the facility with her. Marilu, as she is called, was a pioneer in planting vines on the slopes of the mountains 10 years ago. Like all pioneers, she was viewed as loco (crazy). And like all pioneers, her results proved otherwise. The vineyards on top of the hills experience a different mesoclimate (cooler, more breezy) than those at the bottom (warmer), and the taste differences are apparent in the wines, particularly the Sauvignon Blanc. In general, the area benefits from constant coastal breezes that moderate the temperature and cool things down at night.

In terms of varietals, Marilu produces all my faves: Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Syrah. The Sauv Blanc and Pinot Noir are fermented naturally, while the rest are usually innoculated with yeast (with the exception of the 2009 Riesling).

The tasting:
* Riesling Miramar Vineyard 2008: set on the higher part of the hills, Miramar vineyard enjoys a cooler climate with the ocean wind naturally keeping yields lower. The nose is like a classic German Riesling - petrol, mineral, citrus. It is dry, crisp, and fresh with high acidity.
* Sauvignon Blanc Laurel Vineyard 2009: Laurel is a lower vineyard with calcereous soil and warmer temperatures that result in a higher yield. The nose was unlike anything I've ever smelled on a Sauv Blanc - cantaloupe, yellow peaches, apricot. The zesty palate has tropical and similar stone fruit flavors with a long finish.
* Sauvignon Blanc Cipresses Vineyard 2009: Cipresses is higher on the hills with a cooler climate and lower yield. This is a more typical style Sauv Blanc with pronounced gooseberry, herb, lime zest, and a tiny bit of ash on the finish.
* Sauvignon Gris 2009: 60% fermented in new French oak and the rest in stainless steel for 6-7 months. The nose had a unique fresh corn character and was smooth and tropical on the palate with some melon notes as well. This grape is a mutation/cousin of Sauv Blanc and I'd never had it before - very interesting.
* Gewurztraminer 2009: beautiful perfume aroma that at first reminded me of the Tocca Brigitte perfume I sometimes wear and then evolved into lychee and white peach followed by the softest baby powder. On the palate it was dry with pretty flowers and tropical fruit. A really beautiful wine, reminding me how much I love Gewurz.
* Pinot Noir Lo Abarca Vineyard 2006: 12 months in oak, 60% new. Served chilled to lesson the impact of the 15% alcohol (which worked since I never would have guessed it was that high). Classic PN aromas and flavors of red fruit and smoky bacon - delicious! My first Pinot in Chile and it definitely delivered.
* Cartagena Pinot Noir 2009: an experimental label launched in Nov '09, it is completely vinified in stainless steel and meant to be drunk now, cold. The nose is smoky with eucalyptus, then red fruit and meat come through on the palate. It tastes light and almost fizzy. 14% alcohol. Very interesting and pleasant.

After this fantastic lineup I did some barrel sampling with Marilu and her son Phillipe. We tried the '09 Syrah, comparing a French oak sample with an American oak sample. The French barrel was soft and fruity with very subtle spiciness. The American barrel was pure black pepper on the nose and blackberry on the palate. Both are currently going through malolactic fermentation so they will soften after this completes. They've been in barrels for 9 months so far and will remain there for at least another 6 mths. Marilu said they don't always do a Syrah - it depends on the vintage.

I had been most looking forward to this winery visit in Chile, expecting great things from Casa Marin's whites and Pinot Noir, and it was everything I had hoped for. Thanks to Marilu, Phillipe, and Jamie for hosting me and to Karen for setting it up and sharing the experience with me!

Alpacas and grapes

On Tuesday the workers at Viña Matetic on the border of the San Antonio and Casablanca Valleys caught their alpacas eating the Chardonnay grapes. I guess this is one of the cons of having an organic winery. Of course one of the pros is that the alpacas, and the sheep and other animals that share the land with the grapes, contribute naturally to the cycle of life in this environment (mostly because their waste is used as fertilizer). Matetic has been certified organic for 4 years and has been working to become biodynamic since 2002. Biodynamic practices are complicated and include 'rituals' like spreading carefully prepared mixtures of manure at certain times throughout the vineyard. Isn't winemaking so romantic?

The Matetic winemaking facility is built into the hills with a lot of large rocks and smooth wood flanking the interior. It is gravity-driven so they don't need to pump the wine from one place to the other. The family Matetic was the first to plant Syrah in the area, in 1999. The Coralillo Syrah 2008 was a gorgeous fuschia color with blackberry, smoke, and roses. The tannins were firm and it could probably use more time in the bottle. Failing that option it may also be great with a steak. The Winemaker's Blend 2007 is 44% Cab Franc, 30% Merlot, and 26% Malbec. It had a spicy cinnamon nose with flavors or black fruit, rose, and caramel. It too would probably benefit from some meat and/or more bottle time.

 

I think I was most excited about seeing the alpacas :) Although it would've been even better to eat some grapes with them.

Chilean Riesling

With 2 days off from wine touring (yesterday was Election Day in Chile so wineries were closed and today I had a shopping day), I was going through a bit of withdrawal so I decided to pick up a half-bottle of wine from the supermarket (for less than US$4). It's from Underraga, who I visited last week, and it's a Sauvignon Blanc-Riesling blend from 2008. I don't think I have ever seen these 2 grapes together before so I was intrigued. Plus the bottle is a bizarre shape - reminds me of an old-school Chianti bottle or a liquor bottle. On the nose the wine has classic Sauv Blanc herbaceousness mixed with Riesling minerality and a bit of petrol. On the palate it is light and citrusy with great acidity and zest. Quite enjoyable for this sunny afternoon in Santiago. I hope there will be more Riesling in my semi-immediate future during these last few days in Chile.

Cruzing

Colchagua Valley, Chile - home to the little town of Santa Cruz and the picturesque wineries MontGras and Bisquertt.

MontGras was just beautiful, with purple flower gardens accenting the vineyards. At this point in the lifecycle of the vine (summertime) the grapes are developing and for the most part have not yet gone through veraison, or color development. So all the grapes I've seen so far down here have been an unripe green, until today at MontGras, where I witnessed their Pinot Noir beginning to turn purple. At MontGras I actually had my favorite Chardonnay of the trip yet. It was 60% aged in French oak and the rest stainless steel, and it went through partial malolactic fermentation. The result was a smooth wine with tropical fruit flavors.

At Bisquertt, I saw huge Chilean oak barrels that are no longer used for fermenting wine but are now made into regal chairs. Sitting in one of these chairs fit for a queen I had my first Chilean Gewurztraminer, which was delicious. Not many wineries in Chile have this variety so I was so happy to try it. It was flowery on the nose and tropical/citrusy on the palate, just like it should be.

Colchagua Valley is the first area in Chile that slightly resembles other wine areas that I've been to the before. Maybe it's the Andes, but before today every where I'd been seemed so unique. In Colchagua there actually seems to be a wine trail, a main road where you pass multiple wineries along the way. There is even a Wine Train that leaves from Santa Cruz and takes people along the route. You drink wine on the train, learn about the industry and visit 2 vineyards. Tren del Vino! Maybe next time.