I’ve been sitting on a stack of Malbec reviews for a while, waiting to get enough done to do a good series on Malbec and it’s time to finally start posting them. Although, I’m sure I’ll break up the series with a couple other extraneous reviews I have in the works.
Malbec, an inky, dark grape variety, has become synonymous with Argentina in recent years, at least if you’re a wine nut like me. But it has a strong history in France, and is still prevalent in some French wines, particularly those of Cahors. It used to be a common grape variety in Bordeaux, but plantings in that region have declined significantly since a devastating frost in 1956. With the recent popularity of Malbec from Argentina, I’ve noticed other regions starting to experiment with this variety—including some producers from California like Michel-Schlumberger.
Bodega Septima is a relatively young producer in Argentina, having just established there in 2000. But it, like many wine brands, is part of a larger wine family with a long history. The wine family for Bodega Septima is Grupo Cordiniu, operating in the US as Aveníu Brands.
The depth of color in this wine is slightly lighter than I expect from a Malbec, but it’s bright and beautiful. The nose is full of toasted oak, bacon, soft black cherry, coffee and vanilla. The palate is nice, although fairly simple. The acidity is perfect. Black cherry, plum and subtle cassis flavors make up the fruit on the palate. It’s almost jammy, but not quite. The tannins are soft, but do the trick. It’s a decent wine… scratch that, it’s a good wine. And the price makes it a good deal.
Wine: Bodega Septima
Variety: Malbec
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 86
Price: $12.00
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It seems that every time I taste a wine from X Winery I can’t wait to taste the next one. And with the Red X, that tradition continues. Here’s a double review for you of both the 2006 and 2007 Red X, a red blend they produce that’s definitely worth a try.
2006 Red X
This vintage is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 12% Zinfandel and 6 % Petite Sirah. I found this to be a very easily approachable wine.—one that goes well with food, and is also enjoyable on its own. In a way, this wine reminds me of both a French Rhone blend and a California blend as it seems to have the best of both worlds—the fruitiness you you’d expect from a California wine and the earthiness you’d expect from a French wine.
The nose is a nice balance of cherry and blackberry fruits with leather, vanilla, sage and cocoa to make for a wonderfully complex nose. The palate is bursting with abundant ripe blackberry and cherry. Rich tannins and cocoa fill the mid-palate and linger into the finish. This is a very nice red blend.
Wine: X Winery Red X
Variety: Red Blend
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 14.5%
Rating: 88
Price: $14.50
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2007 Red X
The blend for 2007 is 60% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Zinfandel. And X Winery has done it again with this exquisite and affordable red blend.
On the nose, it’s spicy and full of dark fruit. I love the licorice aroma, which is layered over figs, cassis, plum and a very subtle strawberry. On the palate, it’s velvety smooth and cherry flavors come to life along with juicy, ripe blackberries. That subtle strawberry I mentioned finding in the nose makes another appearance on the finish – which lingers for quite a while. This is a great wine and an exceptional value.
Wine: X Winery Red X
Variety: Red Blend
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 14.5%
Rating: 89
Price: $14.50
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I’ve made a lot of noise over the past year about the awesome Sauvignon Blanc coming from Chile, and here’s another Chilean SB to get excited about. But there’s something different about this one. Most of the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that’s knocked my socks off has been from the Casablanca Valley region, but this one is from Colchagua Valley.
What’s really interesting about that is the fact that Colchagua Valley isn’t known for Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, it’s not known for any white wine varieties. There are gads of outstanding red wines coming from Colchagua Valley, but I haven’t come across many whites at all. If you look at the Wines of Chile’s profile of Colchagua Valley you’ll see for yourself that they list no white varieties (at least at the time I’m writing this). After tasting this outstanding Sauvignon Blanc I can’t help but wonder if we’ll start to see more white wines come from Colchagua Valley.
While Casa Silva was only established under that name in 1997, the history of the Silva family producing wine in the Colchagua Valley goes back 5 generations to 1892. They produce several varieties, including a number of different whites from Colchagua Valley.
Lately, I’ve been trying to take pictures of wine bottles before I empty them, but somehow this one slipped through the cracks.
Similar to other Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, tropical aromas dominate the nose. It has all the characteristics you’d expect from a good SB—soft grassy aromas, citrus, melon and mineral. The palate has an outstanding, crisp acidity with lime and tart apples. The finish is long, refreshing and filled with citrus and granny smith apple.
This is yet another reason to head to the Chilean shelf when you’re shopping for Sauvignon Blanc.
Wine: Casa Silva
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 88
Price: $14.00
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Although I rant and rave about the awesome Sauvignon Blanc coming from Chile, they can’t all totally blow me away. Can they?
Root: 1 is a wine brand created through a partnership between Viña Ventisquero in Rancagua, Chile and Click Wine Group, a wine importer based in Seattle, Washington. And when it comes to Chilean wine, Viña Ventisquero produces some of the best.
I’ve reviewed the Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon before and it was a pretty good wine. It seemed that for a while, everywhere I went people were raving about that Cabernet. But until now, I hadn’t tasted the Sauvignon Blanc.
Like most Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, this one is grown in the Casablanca Valley region. But getting back to my earlier question… well, this one was good but didn’t totally blow me away.
Mostly lemon and mineral dominate the nose, there are some melon aromas also. It’s more subtle than I expect a Sauvignon Blanc to be in terms of tropical aromas. The palate is nice, although simple—like the nose. Pineapple, lemon and melon are soft and pleasant. If you prefer a more delicate Sauvignon Blanc, then this is a good choice for you. I prefer something with a little more depth, concentration and intensity.
Wine: Root: 1
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 85
Price: $11.00
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I haven’t had the opportunity to try many wines from South Africa, so I was glad to give this one a shot. Two Oceans wine is named for the two oceans that converge at the Cape in South Africa.
The label on this wine says that it has “ripe gooseberry flavors” but I don’t think I’ve ever tasted gooseberries, so I’m not sure about that. What I am sure of is that this wine is characteristically different from Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted from other regions. There is something much more earthy in the nose on this one. It does have the tropical fruit aromas you would expect from a Sauvignon Blanc, but they are slightly restrained. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just different.
Melon, apricot, lemon, flint and dried straw make an interesting bouquet. Really, it’s that dried straw aroma that makes this wine different than other Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted. It’s funny though, often a SB will have a “grassy” characteristic but this one is like a dried grass making it rather earthy. The palate is tart and minerally. It’s like green apples and flint stones, followed by more apple, apricot and melon on a lengthy finish.
To me, this wine is slightly off balance. That said, there are some interesting characteristics to it and if you’re looking for a very acidic white you may like it.
Wine: Two Oceans
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 12%
Rating: 81
Price: $7.99
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This wine is a great example of why I like doing blind tastings. If I had known what I was tasting, I know I would have had a bias against this wine. Why? My preconceived notion of this wine is that it’s basically a bulk-produced, “generic-label” wine and my expectations of quality are low. But when you don’t know what you’re tasting, the quality of the wine itself is the only thing you’re evaluating. I probably wouldn’t have even tasted this wine, had I not received it as a sample. And while it didn’t totally blow me away, I was pleasantly surprised by it.
Napa Ridge is yet another brand from Bronco Wine Company, the folks who produce Charles Shaw and dozens of other ultra-cheap wines. The brand was established in 1986 and was owned by Beringer Vineyards prior to the sale to Bronco in 2000.
There is some interesting history behind Napa Ridge. It’s been a controversial brand with Napa Valley vintners due to the fact that before it was sold to Bronco there was no Napa Valley fruit used in the production of the wine. Many Napa Valley vintners felt that the Napa Valley name was being exploited by this wine. Bronco Wine Company had also been accused of exploiting the Napa Valley name with other labels that they owned by using the word “Napa” on wines that were produced with less expensive non-Napa grapes. But Bronco Wine Company surprised its critics by actually using Napa Valley fruit in some of their wines. This particular bottle is labeled as “Napa Ridge Napa Valley”, so I assume they have used authentic Napa Valley grapes in this one.
While California isn’t usually my top pick for Sauvignon Blanc, I thought this one was a decent wine. It’s slightly soft, but the bouquet is a nice, tropical and mineral blend. (Yep… I just said I found some mineral notes in this wine that I would have doubted had I not tasted it myself). Grapefruit, mango, melon and apple aromas give the fruit good complexity on the nose. The palate has crisp acidity, with tasty grapefruit and apple flavors. Mineral comes into play on the finish of this wine too. I prefer a little more concentration on the palate and a little more intensity on the nose, but overall it’s a decent Sauvignon Blanc.
Wine: Napa Ridge
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 12.5%
Rating: 85
Price: $12.00
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I’ve made no secret of my preference for Chile when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, and again I’ve come across another one that I love. This one comes from Los Vascos in Chile. We’ve previously reviewed the Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon and Los Vascos Reserve, both of which were great wines. But this is the first white we’ve reviewed from Los Vascos.
One thing you’ll notice right away when you pick up a bottle of Los Vascos is across the top of the label it says “Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite).” If you don’t recognize that name you’ll be interested to know that they are one of the most prestigious wine producers in France — and one of the most prestigious in the world for that matter. They’re best know for their Chateau Lafite Rothschild, one of the most expensive wines in the world, and one I’ve never had the opportunity to taste. But I’m glad to taste the more affordable wines from this producer.
I’ve been trying more and more to do my tastings blind. It helps eliminate any influence of bias—either positive or negative. Although my goal is to always remain neutral, bias can influence reviews in subconscious ways. I’m glad to say that this wine is one that was tasted blind. That said, the characteristics of this wine practically took the blinders off, at least to the fact that this was from Chile.
Loads of tropical fruit dance around the nose of this Sauvignon Blanc. It’s like Carmen Miranda dancing around you with her fruit hat wafting aromas into the air. Pineapple, melon, lemon and banana all come together to form a beautiful, tropical bouquet. On the palate, citrus comes to life with grapefruit and pineapple. There’s also a touch of apple on the finish. The acid is nice and crisp.
Consistent with many other bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from the Casablanca Valley region in Chile we’ve tasted, this one is fantastic!
Wine: Los Vascos
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 89
Price: $11.49
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As an active wine blogger I get a lot of wine samples. Most of them are OK… decent wine but not spectacular, so I write reviews with my honest opinions and move on. But every now and then I come across a wine that I totally love. This is one such wine. After tasting a sample of this wine I was thrilled to find that my local wine shop also carries it, and I stocked up!
Fire Station Red was created by John Drady, a winemaker and firefighter in Sonoma County, California. He wanted to create a wine to honor firefighters and also one that could be used as a fundraiser for fire departments. While I applaud him for that, I applaud him even more for creating some incredibly delicious wine!
I’m not the only one to find this wine to be exceptional. It got a Gold Medal in the San Fransisco Chronicle Wine Competition, a Gold Medal in the New World International Wine Competition, Four Stars from the Press Democrat and Four Glasses from the Vine Times.
Toasted oak, blackberry, black cherry, caramel and licorice make for a wonderfully complex nose. On the palate, Fire Station Red Cabernet Sauvignon is a luscious, velvety delight. The tannins are just right for a ‘drink now’ Cabernet, this is not a wine for aging several years but one to be enjoyed now… and enjoy it you will. Rich, dark fruit abounds, with loads of blackberry, cassis and cherry. The flavors evolve into vanilla and berries into the finish, which lingers delightfully. This is a fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon, for a very reasonable price.
Wine: Fire Station Red
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 90
Price: $15.00
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Washington State is an area I’m excited about when it comes to wine. The more wines I try from Washington, the more intrigued I become. And so, I was glad to taste this Mercer Chardonnay from the Yakima Valley.
Mercer Estates is a family-owned winery, which is actually a partnership between the Mercer and Hogue families. You might know of Hogue as another Washington wine brand. Both the Mercer and Hogue families became involved in vinifera in the 1970’s. Taste this wine and you’ll be glad they did, as this Mercer Chardonnay is a great example of the complexity and quality coming from Washington wines.
The color of this Chardonnay is a mid-straw color. There is pretty good intensity to the aromas, which include melon, celery, honey and hazelnut. The palate is lime and melon with nice, crisp acidity. An oaky aftertaste, along with crisp apple, comes into play on the finish. It’s a very dry Chardonnay, and high-alcohol compared to the others in our blind tasting, at 14.1% ABV.
Wine: Mercer
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Alcohol: 14.1%
Rating: 87
Price: $17.00
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The first few times I saw this wine I thought it was Bridgeman, with an “e” in the name, but it’s Bridgman without an “e.” It’s funny how your mind plays tricks on you like that… and I swear it’s not from drinking too much wine. The wine is named after William B. Bridgman, a pioneer in Washington state winemaking. Bridgman was the first to plant wine grapes in the Yakima Valley in the early 1900’s. This Chardonnay has no direct affiliation with WB Bridgman, but was named in his honor.
The Bridgman label is produced by Apex Cellars in Washington state, which was founded in 1988 by Harry Alhadeff and Brian Carter. Alhadeff’s background is in wine retail and distribution, while Carter has spent his life as a winemaker. When Brian Carter moved to Washington in 1980, there were only 16 wineries in the state. Prior to launching Bridgman, Carter worked at Paul Thomas winery, where he twice was awarded “Winemaker of the Year” by Washington Magazine.
I wanted to include this Bridgman Chardonnay in my current series on Chardonnay, although I do have to confess that it wasn’t part of the blind tasting when I took notes on the other wines in this series. I had already completed that tasting before I recieved this wine. I also need to disclose that I have a business relationship with Barclay’s Wine, who provided the sample and sells this wine. You can read about that in this previous review for Randall Harris Merlot.
I often don’t agree with the descriptions on wine labels, but they definitely got one thing right on the label for this Chardonnay: Butterscotch. There is intense butterscotch on the nose of this wine, along with lemon, apple and melon. It certainly is an oaked Chardonnay, but it’s not over-oaked like many others that turn me off. The palate presents a crisp apple flavor, followed by a long-lasting vanilla flavor on the finish. There’s a creaminess to this wine too. In a word, I “dig” this Chardonnay.
Wine: Bridgman
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.3%
Rating: 87
Price: $13.00
Buy Bridgman Chardonnay at Barclay’s Wine. You can also purchase Bridgman Chardonnay as a part of a Washington State Wines Pack.
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