Renacer Punto Final Malbec
Renacer Punto Final Malbec Mendoza Reserva 2010 $16.99 Wine Spectator 90 points. Ranacer Punto Final has the classic profile of a Malbec from Argentina but it is carried in a medium-bodied wine instead of the more robust full-bodied wine that you would expect. This Malbec may have a lighter body but it packs its taste palate with all the dark fruit and plum flavor that you would expect from a Mendoza winery. Pair it with beef, either roasted or grilled.
Urraca Malbec Mendoza Argentina Vineyards 2008
With the holidays fast approaching I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone, including myself, what the true belief of this blog is. The essence of what I want to relate is that many lasting memories are made when you share quality time with good friends and loving family over a glass of wine. This and the next two posts will highlight three Malbec that are highly rated and fairly priced. All three will pair well with grilled or roasted red meat or even a hamburger because it won’t only be turkey and stuffing for dinner until New Years Eve.
Urraca Malbec Mendoza Argentina Vineyards 2008 $17.99 Wine Spectator 90 points. This wine has all the traditional qualities that come to mind when you think of a Malbec from Argentina. Urraca Malbec 2008 is dark and full-bodied with intense flavors of concentrated blackberry and plum along with lots of oak to round out this classic Malbec. I would recommend using your wine aerator or swirling it in your glass to open it up.
Vina Equia Rioja 2008
The beat goes on from Bodegas Equía, in the village of Elcigo in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Their Viña Equía Rioja 2008 is a good example of a well made Tempranillo at great sale price of $8.99 at P.L.C.B. stores. This Rioja has flavors of lush ripe red fruit and lightly toasted oak all contained in a rich medium-bodied wine that displays its’ silky tannins throughout the finish. Bodegas Equía produces this ruby-red colored Rioja by fermenting the Tempranillo grapes for 15 days in stainless steel vats while doing daily pumpovers to extract the greatest amount of color and flavor from the grapes. The wine then goes into stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation and then is racked twice before being aged 12 months in American oak. Wine Advocate rated this vintage at 91 points and Wine Spectator gave it an 87 rating, while not as highly rated as the 2007 vintage that I reviewed last April, this is an exceptional wine at a bargain price.
Christian W. Klay Winery Photo Courtesy: Christian W. Klay Winery
I had the pleasure to drink several Christian W. Klay wines at a friend’s wedding reception that was held very near the Klay winery’s home in Chalk Hill,Pa. I enjoyed their Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, both displayed good structure and a medium body that paired well with my steak dinner. The Chardonnay I tried didn’t impress me as much as the Cab and Merlot. When I asked my wife for her opinion on the White Zinfandel she gave me a favorable comment saying it was pleasing and easy to drink. The Christian W. Klay winery has been a mainstay of the wine industry in Western Pennsylvania since opening in Fayette county in 1997 and has always raised the quality of their wines with every vintage. These wines, as well as the wines of many other W.Pa. wineries, continue to improve every year and I look forward to the offerings that will come from the superb 2013 vintage. www.cwklaywinery.com
Glass of wine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As another great growing season draws to a close the 24 wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country are getting ready to celebrate Harvest Wine Weekends. The festivities will be held over two weekends with the first November 1-3 and the second on the following weekend November 8-10. This is a perfect time to visit all the wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country, which stretches between Harborcreek, Pa and Silver Creek, NY. Ticketholders will receive a set of wooden LEWC coasters as a gift as well as a wine glass, recipe booklet, extra tastings and a $5 voucher. When visiting the wineries you will be able to sample wines paired with “harvest inspired” foods. Tickets can only be purchased online at www.lakeeriewinecountry.org and range between $31-$35 with a designated driver ticket costing $20.
Ripe grapes of Riesling. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I received a press release from the Standing Stone Winery that proudly announced the release of their Old West Block Riesling. This is a single yeast Riesling named after the oldest vineyard on their property that was planted in 1972 by Gold Seal Vineyards. Marti Macinski and her husband Tom take great pride in making the best Riesling and Gewürztraminer possible from the ground up in the Finger Lakes Region. In 2012 due to the increased production from the Old West Block vineyard they were able to harvest enough grapes to produce a truly artisanal single vineyard bottling. The grapes were picked at 22.5 Brix and the wine was bottled with a R.S. of 1.4%, 3.00pH and a total of 7.4 g/l. After reading the tasting notes I was left the with the impression that this Riesling has aromas of apricots and pears with a flavor palate of ripe fruit complemented by a hint of white peach, smoked tea and white pepper in the background. The finish is long and lingering but bright due to its lively acidity. Standing Stone Winery made only 129 cases of Riesling with the grapes harvested from the Old West Block and of the first 129 cases only 50 remain, that means it is in short supply and with single bottles priced at $18.99 it won’t last long.
While we were in California I tasted plenty of good Sauvignon Blanc and it reminded me that this wine was a favorite of mine for years but had been forgotten recently. I decided to remedy this oversight by doing some research to find not just a good
Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2010
Sauvignon Blanc but a very good one. The search led me back to Healdsburg, California with the discovery of Chalk Hill Estate 2010 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc. This offering was bestowed a 90 point rating by both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. My impressions of this wine were spicy, floral, lemons, herbaceous, bright, energetic, crisp with an interesting balance. It can be found in P.L.C.B. stores or online at their website with the product code 46248 for $29.99.
Snarky Puppy Performs at SummerSounds
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Jack’s Blend South Eastern Australia 2011 is a Red Wine Blend that has a solid character and the good taste that are usually only found in a more expensive wine. Jack’s Blend exhibits a light oak aroma with a medium body and a long smooth finish full of mild tannins. This offering would pair well with grilled meat or even pizza. I had the pleasure of drinking this red while sitting with friends under a starry night sky in St Clair Park , Greensburg Pa as the band Snarky Puppy performed at SummerSounds. When you need to grab a bottle or two of red wine for a gathering of friends this wine will give you good quality at a great price. Jack’s Blend can be found at P.L.C.B. stores for only $5.99 or online for under $10.
Photo: Fox Run Vineyards
Fox Run Vineyards will be holding their 21st Annual Garlic Festival on August 3rd & 4th from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. each day. Free parking and free admission will be provided for all guests at the winery on 670 State Rte 14 Penn Yan, NY. Thursday August 1st will feature a free concert by the West Coast Celtic rock band Town Pants that will start around 6 p.m.. Please bring your lawn chairs but leave your coolers at home because food, drinks and of course wine will be available for purchase starting at 5 p.m.. More information can be found at foxrunvineyards.com or by calling 800-636-9786.
A glass of Malbec wine from Argentina (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
This wine is an excellent example of a well made Malbec, it displays good body along with both red and black fruit flavors at a reasonable price. A glass of this Malbec can be equally enjoyed and savored with food or alone. I will be taking the advice of Dave De Simone, author and restaurateur, who suggests using your emotional reaction to a wine to describe its character and unique personality. My descriptive feelings about Achaval-Ferrer Malbec 2011 would be agreeable, pleasing, appetizing, rich and vigorous. Wine Spectator gave it a rating of 92 points in 2012 and it is available in P.L.C.B. stores for $29.99 but can be found online for under $25. This is a solid Malbec and worth the price.
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