We’re going slightly over our typical price limit today, but I have a good excuse. We’re checking out a new wine from Spelletich Family Wine Company, one of my favorite small producers. I’ve just come across them this year and previously reviewed their SPELLwine Sangiovese, Severed Head Red, Spelonu Red and SPELLwine Syrah, all of which were pretty darn tasty.
This is a new brand they’ve created, called 3 Spells. My understanding is that the name represents the fact that it’s the third generation of wines to come from the company—the others being Spelletich Cellars and SPELLwine. 3 Spells will be their mid-tier wine, priced between the other two brands.
3 Spells Blend GHK is a blend of 57% merlot, 28% sangiovese and 15% cabernet sauvignon. Like their other wines, the quantity of production is fairly small with only 300 cases being produced for the 2007 vintage. The other thing you may have noticed right there is the vintage. Although it’s a new release this year, the vintage is a 2007… so this wine has a touch of age on it.
Wowee, this is an interesting wine. The nose is loaded with powerful spicy aromas, like nutmeg, caramel and chocolate. It also shows some fruit, like cherry and currant. There’s nothing subtle about this wine on the palate. It’s overflowing with ripe cherry, blueberry and currant flavors evolving into caramel in the midpalate and into a long finish. The mouthfeel is good, although I’d prefer a touch more tannin to give it more texture. The acidity is great. This is a rich, powerful and exciting wine. It’s good stuff, although perhaps a little heavy for some folks. But if you like a big wine you’ll want to check this one out.
Wine: 3 Spells Blend GHK
Variety: Red blend
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 14.2%
Rating: 88
Price: $26.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
It may be September and Summer is winding down, but it’s still hot outside and it’s still a good time to enjoy some light, crisp white wines like Vinho Verde from Portugal. If you like really, really light white wines this may be a style for you to check out. We took advantage of the warm weather this week to sip on a couple different ones.
2011 Cruzeiro Vinho Verde
Citrus and mineral are all that I really get from the nose of this wine. The palate is equally austere, showing some tart lemon flavor alongside mineral characteristics, such as stones and salt. The acidity is good and it has a nice, dry mouthfeel. The finish is all mineral.
This isn’t a wine that’s going to excite everyone, but it has its place. If you like rich tropical fruit flavors in your wine, this isn’t for you. But if you want something clean, simple and refreshing on a hot summer day, you might dig this wine.
Wine: Cruzeiro Vinho Verde
Variety: Vinho Verde
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 9%
Rating: 84
Price: $10.00
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2011 Terras de Felgueiras Vinho Verde
This Vinho Verde doesn’t show a lot of fruit on the nose, although it does have a hint of melon and citrus. Otherwise, the aromatics are all mineral. The palate is a similar story. It’s bone dry with a slight, frizzante-style sparkle and the fruit is faint, basically showing some light citrus and apple. But fruit is not what this wine is about. The palate here has bold mineral qualities that come off as slightly salty. And although the citrus flavor is subtle, the acidity is quite crisp. And when you put that crisp acidity together with the frizzante bubbles, the mouth feel is superb.
This is a really light wine and good for sipping on a hot summer day. It would be good with some ripe strawberries too.
Wine: Terras de Felgueiras Vinho Verde
Variety: Vinho Verde
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 11%
Rating: 86
Price: $6.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
If you took a peek into my wine cellar you’d quickly figure out that I have a thing for Italian red wine. Yes, I like plenty of wines from other regions too but the red wines that have the balance and style that I prefer are often Italian. The bad part of that, however, is that Italian wines are also often rather pricey—and that doesn’t jive with a bargain hunter like me. But if you move away from the best-known wine regions in Italy and get to some of the smaller regions you can find some great values, and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is surprisingly one of my favorites.
As you probably figured out from the name, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is made from the montepulciano grape and is from the Abruzzo region. It’s typically a fruity wine with soft tannins and soft acidity, and that’s why I say that it’s surprising that this is a favorite of mine. I typically like Italian red wines for their vibrant acidity and firm tannins, but this variety is an exception to that rule. I guess it all comes down to balance and I’ve been fortunate to find some Montepulciano d’Abruzzo with good balance and great prices.
With low acidity and tannins, these wines are meant to be consumed young. So don’t tuck this bottle away in the cellar, just enjoy it.
This particular wine comes from Fratelli Barba, in the northern part of Abbruzzo.
The nose is very pleasant, offering plum, vanilla and floral aromas. The aromas are slightly sweet, but the floral aspect is fabulous! The palate has a medium body, with lots of fresh fruit flavors such as plum and blueberry. There’s a touch of spice to it, but I wouldn’t call it a “spicy” wine. It’s very approachable, very food friendly but also great for just sipping. It has moderate tannins that add a little silkiness to the mouthfeel. It finishes relatively long, with lingering plum flavors.
Wine: Vasari
Variety: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 87
Price: $10.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
I’ve been told that today is National Cabernet Day. I’ve also been told that today is Cabernet Day, International Cabernet Day and World Cabernet Day. Regardless of what you call it, it’s a phony, made-up holiday created by some marketing/PR schmuck in order to get people talking about cabernet sauvignon. And I’m the sucker who has fallen for this lame stunt. But hey… I don’t really need an excuse to enjoy a tasty cabernet!
Today I’m checking out an Argentine cabernet sauvignon called Crios. This is a “second label” from Susana Balbo. Essentially when she produces her wines, she hand selects which barrels go into her signature, premium wines and the rest goes into Crios, which she calls the “offspring” of her signature wines. And if this wine is considered the seconds, I can’t imagine how good the premium is!
Smoky cedar is the most prominent aroma from this cabernet, underneath that cedar aroma it shows some blackberry and black currant. The palate brings lush blackberry and cassis flavors with good intensity, plus an outstanding, silky mouthfeel. The overall balance of this wine is also spot on. It finishes with more blackberry flavors and a touch of toasted oak. Most importantly, this wine is delicious!
I can’t wait until the next cabernet day to taste this again… and I won’t.
Wine: Crios
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 13.9%
Rating: 90
Price: $15.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Some folks say that vintage makes no difference when it comes to cheap wine, but I say poo poo to that! It does make a difference and I like to revisit new vintages of wines that we’ve tasted in the past.
Today I’m tasting the 2009 Apaltagua Envero Gran Reserva Carménère from the Colchagua Valley in Chile, which is a followup from one of our other reviewers at Cheap Wine Ratings, David Germano, who tasted the 2008 Apaltagua Envero Gran Reserva Carménère. Since this is not only a different vintage but also a different reviewer there likely to be both a difference in the wine and a difference of interpretation of the wine that are in play here. Nonetheless, it’s still an interesting comparison (to me anyway).
David found the 2008 to be “dark, rich and heavily extracted… with complex, yet subtle hints of coffee and cola.” Clearly, David enjoyed that wine. Meanwhile, I found the 2009 to also be quite enjoyable, with rich flavors. But I found the spice profile to be a little bit different from the 2008.
The nose of the 2009 is absolutely lovely. It offers a harmonious mix of aromas, including plum, cedar, nutmeg and black raspberry. The palate is brimming with delicious, ripe fruit flavors such as blackberry, plum and cherry. The acidity makes it nice and bright, while the tannins add a touch of texture to the mouthfeel. The finish shows more of the fruit flavors and just a hint of green pepper.
Wine: Apaltagua Envero Gran Reserva Carménère
Variety: Carménère
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 87
Price: $15.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Banfi is a pretty big name in Italian wine and one that you’re likely to come across in many wine shops. And while I’ve found their wines to be generally good, I typically don’t go for them as I’ve often found them to be priced above what I think they should be. Of course, that’s the bargain hunter in me. But this white blend is a tasty wine at a reasonable price.
The Banfi vineyards are in the Brunello region of Tuscany. It’s a family-owned producer with many accolades in its history. I give them a lot of respect for the work that they’ve done in wine production research and using technology to improve their wines. They do a nice job of balancing tradition with technology to not just preserve local flavors, but improve the consistency and quality with which they produce them.
This wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot grigio and that’s exactly what is smells like. You find yourself saying “sauvignon blanc, no wait, chardonnay, no wait, pinot grigio!” The aromas are a harmonious blend of citrus and pear, with a touch of oak. The palate is well balanced and offers tasty apple, citrus, pear and tropical fruit flavors. The acidity is good and the mouth feel is pleasant. It finishes with a touch of mineral along with pear flavors.
Wine: Banfi Centine Bianco
Variety: Sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot grigio
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 86
Price: $11.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Typically, I work a little bit ahead on my wine reviews. I’ll photograph a wine, taste it and take my notes and then a couple weeks later it will get published to the website. But sometimes I taste a wine that I’m so excited about that I just can’t wait to get the review published. This is one of those times.
Reginato is a limited-production winery in Mendoza, Argentina and they only produced 2,000 cases of this bubbly this year. So, you’re not going to find it at every wine shop you walk into. But I think it’s worth hunting down.
I haven’t had much sparkling wine from Argentina before this one, but now I’m intrigued as this one is awesome ! It’s made from 20% torrontés (an Argentine grape variety) and 80% chardonnay.
This is an absolutely beautiful bubbly. The nose offers a nice blend of apple, pear, peach, floral and leesy aromas. “Leesy” is kind of a wine geek term and refers to an aroma achieved from contact with the lees, which is the sediment at the bottom of a wine batch consisting of yeast and grape pulp. It’s a somewhat yeasty aroma, but a bit more complex than just yeast.
The wine has a fantastically creamy and bubbly mouth feel. The flavors include peach, apple, lemon and mineral notes. It finishes with a superb, citric acidity and a touch of salty mineral. This is fantastic! It has everything I want from a bubbly.
Wine: Reginato Sparkling Torrontés Chardonnay
Variety: 20% torrontés, 80% chardonnay
Vintage: Non-vintage
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 92
Price: $14.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Good news for those of you who are ready for a change, we’re moving on from riesling tonight and reviewing a sauvignon blanc.
New Zealand has a great reputation for creating exciting sauvignon blanc, full of tropical fruit flavors and vibrant acidity. And Marlborough, where this wine is from, has a particularly strong reputation.
The Stoneleigh vineyard where the grapes for this wine were grown lies in an ancient river bed and the land is filled with old river stones. This creates land that makes the vines struggle, which is reputed to create better wines. The producer also likes to spin a story that the sun reflects from the stones onto the grapes for better ripening and hence, better wines.
The aromas on this sauvignon blanc are surprisingly subtle for a Marlborough sauvignon blanc. That said, it is still quite pleasant and shows some classic cut grass aromas along with citrus and mineral. The palate offers a nice blend of tropical fruit, apple and lime flavors. The acidity is adequate. The finish is medium in length and characterized by citrus and mineral flavors. Overall, this is a well balanced sauvignon blanc that offers something more elegant than the typical in-your-face tropical fruit.
Wine: Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Variety: Sauvignon blanc
Vintage: 2010
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 88
Price: $14.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Riesling, riesling, more riesling. We’ve been doing so many riesling reviews lately that we’re at risk of needing to rename the website to Cheap Riesling Reviews. And here’s yet another one… but wait, there’s something different about this riesling.
Yep, this one comes from Chile—a different country in a different continent versus the other riesling we’ve reviewed recently. Specifically it comes from the Maule Valley in Chile, a region at the southern end of the Central Valley that’s best known for its red wines but may actually be a good region for riesling.
Meli is a relatively young wine brand, but it has years of years of experience behind it. It was started in 2005 by winemaker Adriana Cerda, who has over 30 years of winemaking experience, along with her three sons. The property they purchased for the vineyard had 60 year old riesling and carignane vines, so the vines are much older than the brand.
Mineral, hay and slight floral aromas give this wine a pleasant and soft nose. The palate is quite dry, offering flavors like lime, apple and mineral. The acidity is adequate, although a touch more would be better. The finish is relatively short with salted apple flavors.
It’s a good riesling and I think Meli has potential to get even better in future vintages. In fact, I think Chile is a region to keep an eye on for riesling.
Wine: Meli Riesling
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 12.8%
Rating: 85
Price: $13.00
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Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
Tonight we have a double-header review, with two different rieslings from Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler. These two fall slightly above our typical price limit, but it’s always interesting to see how more pricey wines compare to the bargains we typically review. And with a little hunting, you may find these wines for under $20.
The Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler family has a history of winemaking dating back to the 16th century. They are a vineyard-centric producer, meaning that they focus on the unique characteristics of their vineyards to create different wines. While many other producers will combine grapes from multiple vineyards during production, Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler keeps them separate, fermenting grapes from each of their 15 different vineyards separately. And those 15 vineyards are in the Mosel region of Germany.
Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
The Wehlener Sonnenuhr part of the name refers to the vineyard where the grapes for this riesling were grown. It’s in the heart of Mosel, near the village of Wehlen.
The aromatics from this wine are quite pleasant and have a honeysuckle and citrus quality to them. The palate is sweet, but has enough acidity to balance that sweetness. The flavors are mostly citrus, like lemon and lime, although there’s a touch of peach. On the finish, that peach flavor becomes more pronounced and lingers for a long finish.
Wine: Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 8%
Rating: 88
Price: $28.00
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Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett
Just like the previous wine, the Bernkasteler Badstube part of the name is a reference to the vineyard. This is their largest vineyard, located in the northwest end of Bernkastel.
There is a slightly herbal nature to the aromatics on this riesling, along with some floral, mineral and tropical fruit aromas. The palate is slightly sweet and offers tasty apple, peach and mandarin orange flavors. The acidity is sufficient, although a smidge more would be even better. It finishes long, with lots of peach and apple flavors. For those who like a riesling that’s on the slightly sweet side, this is a very nice choice.
Wine: Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett
Variety: Riesling
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 9%
Rating: 86
Price: $22.00
Find Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett with Snooth
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
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