Author: gewitt@ameritech.net

 

 

 

Origin:Colchagua Valley, Chili
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Body: Medium
Year: 2015
Alcohol: 5%
Price point: $22
Year Reviewed: 2017

So purchased this wine just for two simple reasons:  such a cute burlap wrapper and a Cab from Chili. Even though 2015 was supposed to be a great year in Chili for Sauvignon Blanc, I still couldn’t resist this bottling and I was going to find out why they were wrapped in burlap.   So what did I end up with?

On the nose, I get vanilla, cherry notes-lots of it, dark currant fruit, a touch of violet (floral) and stone or clay.  On the palate, I get medium acidity and get a well-balanced flavor of cherry, raspberry, woody and cedar tones, and what I will call a younger cab grape.  Drink now or let age a few years.  These grapes are harvested by hand and then matured for 10 months in a stainless steel tank and then 2 months in the bottle.

Okay, so why the burlap?  In the early days of bad roads in the Colchagua Valley in Chili, when the wine was transported in open horse drawn carts, the bottles were wrapped in burlap to protect them from both sunlight and bumpy roads.  That protective tradition still endures until today.

As I always say, every bottle has a story behind it.

 History of Vino de Eyzaguirre the “EZ-GARY”

In the mid-seventeenth century, the Eyzaguirre family left their home in Vizcaya, Spain, and traveled to Chile to seek their fortune. They prospered and became distinguished citizens of their new country. In 1768 Domingo Eyzaguirre was appointed mayor of the capital city of Santiago.

His son, Domingo Eyzaguirre II, planted some of the first vines from French rootstock in that region and founded the Vino de Eyzaguirre near a village built by monks from a nearby Franciscan monastery.

At first the wine was “bottled” in sturdy, 15-liter earthenware chuicos, which survived the bumpy trip by horse-drawn cart from the village to the monastery. When the winery switched to much smaller glass bottles, however, breakage became a problem. To protect their precious cargo, the monks took to wrapping the bottles in burlap sacks. The idea caught on with the winery and became a tradition that has endured to this day.

Today the “EZ-GARY” is produced at Viña San Jorge in the prestigious Colchagua Valley, renowned for its near-perfect climate for growing grapes, and for wines of exceptional quality.

http://www.eyzaguirre.com/chilean_wine_background.htm

Enjoy with steak and potatoes or beef stew.

This winery advertises that they have “Beneficial Environmental Management and Green Practices” but when digging deeper into this, I couldn’t find out what they were exactly doing, except for recycled waste water and water saving irrigation techniques.  Any reader has that information, let me know.

 

 

 

Origin:Crozes-Hermitage, France
Grape: Syrah
Body: Medium
Year: 2013
Alcohol: 13%
Price point: $22
Year Reviewed: 2017

On the eyes, this is blackish purple wine.  The nose is quite interesting and took me awhile to decipher what I was smelling.   Get mushroom, cherries, clay, wet stone, wet leaves, and wet wood. I also get a lot of earth.  On the mouth, the texture is total smoothness of this wine with a bit of a dry, woody taste and an acidic finish that I may even say has a bit of bitterness to it.  Compare/contrast  this Northern Rhone Syrah from France to Australian Shiraz for your growth is tasting experiences or schedule a wine tasting party with me to learn about different grapes from various regions and how they, when bottled, are so varying.    Let this wine breathe at least several hours to release some acids and tannins. After it opened up, I personally enjoyed the flavors much more, as they were not so harsh.

Crozes-Hermitage is a French wine Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the northern Rhône wine region of France. The appellation is the largest in the northern Rhone, and its wines are less highly regarded than those from the nearby appellations of Côte-Rôtie or its near-namesake Hermitage. Most of the wines produced here are red wines made from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with small quantities of white Roussanne or Marsanne grapes. Some white wines are also made, based on Marsanne and/or Roussanne.^[1]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crozes-Hermitage_AOC

 

 

 

Origin:Loire Valley, France
Grape: 100% Chenin Blanc
Body: Medium
Year: 2016
Alcohol: 12%
Price point: $13
Year Reviewed: 2017

A great priced screw top Vouvray that has a bit of effervescence and some sweetness.  On the nose, I do get citrus, green fruit and lemon.  On the palate, I get mild sweetness, well-balanced lemony butter taste.   A great accompaniment for Shrimp, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes.

 

 

 

 

Origin:Piedmont, Italy
Grape: Nebbiolo
Body: Full
Year: 2010
Alcohol: 5%
Price point: $23 for a ½ bottle
Year Reviewed: 2017

For those of you who have read reviews above, you know I love my Nebbiolo grape.  This wine is a DOCG from a winery producing this label for several years and the 2012 vintage received 93points from Wine Spectator.  On the nose, you will receive the aromas of smoke, earth and some mushroom and wet leaf.  This high tannin and high acidity wine has great full flavor for the folks who appreciate this earthy grape.  Nice long finish.  Flavors of earth and red fruit come though and the ½ bottle just wasn’t enough!

 

 

 

Origin:Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina
Grape: Malbec with some Cabernet
Body: Full
Year: NV
Alcohol: 14%
Price point: $16
Year Reviewed: 2017

Dave Phinney searches the world for the best grapes and makes, what I call,” Lettered wines.”  See my article under “Other wine information” off of my home page for the full write up on Dave’s wines. It is truly an amazing story.   This wine, on the nose, smells herbaceous, like mushrooms, red cherry with a hint of vanilla.  I love the nose on this glass.  On the palate, there are flavors of grenadine, raspberry, currant jelly with a bit of nutmeg spice. Try this now or in the Fall.    This may become my new favorite with a price point of under $16.00.  Red wine fans, who like complexities in their glass and interest that accumulates the longer the wine is open, you must try AR wine.  Dave Phinney knocks it out of the park again.

Only thing I can say bad about this wine is the bottle doesn’t fit in my current wine frig.  Time to upgrade to a better wine refrigerator, I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Origin:Italy
Grape: Corvina
Body:Medium
Year:2014
Alcohol:5%
Price point:$12
Year Reviewed:2017
 

Corvina is a type of wine grape used to make wines of the same name or a key constituent of Valpolicella wines, along with Rondinella.  It can also be called Corvina Veronese, and it grows mostly in Northeast Italy.

On the nose you will get aromas of mushroom, wet leaves and earth.  A sour cherry type of taste with low tannins.  Acidity will tingle on the top of your tongue and roof of your mouth.    Note that when Corvina is blended with Cab and/or Merlot, you get a unique tasting wine.  See my review on Zenato Alanero and compare this wine to that for some adventure.

 

 

 

Origin:Spain
Grape: Tempranillo
Body: Medium
Year: 2010
Alcohol: 5%
Price point: $19
Year Reviewed: 2017

This wine came recommended to me and was wrapped in a sign that said this wine was rated 94 points, so I had to try.  Recall the Rioja region is the largest producer of Tempranillos. This wine uses mainly Tempranillo grapes from the Mendavia vineyards of Baron De Ley Montastary.  Read about this only monk castle and their other superior wines.

 

 

 

 

http://www.barondeley.com/vineyards

This wine is aged for 1 year in American and French oak and then let mature in the bottle for 2 years before being sold.  Not too exciting on the nose, but tasting notes of toffee, caramel, leather, black fruits and cherry. Nice structure and balance.

The following 4 wines from Riboli Family of the San Antonio Winery were featured at Chicago Gourmet in September 2017 at Millennium Park.  You must check out this link below and scroll down to view the video to appreciate this hard working family and how large this winery is.

http://riboliwines.com/riboli-family-paso-rob

Maddalena is this gorgeous woman from Italy below who Stefano (not bad looking himself) married and worked to start a wine business upon immigrating to the US.

 

 

 

 

Here is a picture of Stephano (around 94 years of age) and Maddalena now.

 

 

 

 

This is proof that wine makes you look good and live a long happy life!!!!!!!!!

• • Maddalena Pinot Grigio 2015

 

 

 

 

Origin: Arroyo Secco Monterey
Grape: Grigio
Body: Medium
Year: 2015
Alcohol: 1%
Price point: $18
Year Reviewed: 2017

This Pinot is from the Loma vista Vineyard that has just the right climate (and similar to the cooler climate in Northern Italy) to harvest beautiful Pinot Grigio grapes. This wine is fermented in 100% stainless steel tanks.   This well balanced wine will give you flavors of citrus, melon, green apple, wild flowers and hints of mineral notes.  Enjoy with light sushi, other white fish or chicken and light cheeses.  Perfect on a very hot day as it was at the Chicago Gourmet.

• • Maddalena Chardonnay 2013

 

 

 

 

Origin: Mainly Arroyo Secco Monterey
Grape: Chardonnay
Body: Medium
Year: 2013
Alcohol: 5%
Price point: $15
Year Reviewed: 2017

I like to say that the winemaker was pretty smart here when making this wine, but you know the winemaker is 94 years old now…..so what does that say.  There are two types of Chardonnays out there:  the light citrus, green fruit kind and then the buttery, heavier, dark yellow colored ones.  This wine is actually in between these two types of production methods, and hence, is enjoyed by both types of Chardonnay drinkers.  WHY?  The production process starts with only 35% of the grapes going through the Malolactic Fermentation process and not 100% of the grapes. The grapes are grown in a region where a morning fog routinely storms over them.   American and French Oak is utilized for aging.  On the nose, you will get citrus, ripe fruit and some orange.  On the palate, expect a surprise with a lot of structure, balanced acidity with flavors of tropical fruit.  I guess I am the Chardonnay drinker that enjoys this “in between” complexity.  Not too heavy and not too light for my taste.

• • San Simeon Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

 

 

 

 

Origin: Paso Robles
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon + a bit of Petit Verdot
Body: Full
Year: 2012
Alcohol: 5%
Price point: $25
Year Reviewed: 2017

The location of these grapes sit well as the cool Pacific Ocean breezes make for cool nights and successful growing of Cabernet grapes.  24 months in French and American Oak. The Petit Verdot adds some complexity to this wine giving flavors of plum, black raspberry, cherry, currant and cocoa.  Nice tannins with a nice long finish.  Try with lamb kabobs and hummus and stronger flavored foods, as this can complement them quite well. 91 points from Wine Enthusiast, 90 points from Wine Spectator, and 94 points from The Tasting Panel Magazine.  Not your flimsy cab…..nice and bold with fragrant aromas.

 

 

San Simeon, California from Goggle Maps

• • Opaque Darkness Red Wine (Blend) 2014

 

 

 

 

 

Origin: Paso Robles
Grape: 60% Red Zin, 12% Syrah, 10% Cab, 10% Petit Sirah, 5% Grenache, 2% Petit Verdot (For you math stars out there, this only adds up to 99%, so well-kept secret as to what the other 1% really is)
Body: Full
Year: 2014
Alcohol: 1%
Price point: $30
Year Reviewed: 2017

Again some vines from the Paso Robles region.  Only 14 months in French and American barrels makes this beautiful blend.  Flavors of deep blackberry, raspberry  and spice with just a hint of vanilla. (personally I don’t appreciate over vanilla’d wines.” Rated 94 points by Tastings.com Rated 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.  Tight at first upon opening so let it get some oxygen for about ½ hour before enjoying fully.

The family winery picture for Riboli Winery.   Hard work does pay off!