Mini-Review – Casa Marin Sauvignon Gris

I don’t write a lot of review-only posts these days. I've never said I wouldn't ever post one, this is all because I don't think the format is all that useful; I just figured that if something truly interesting came along I would feel like writing about it.

When I saw the grape Sauvignon Gris on the label I had to look again. After the second glance I knew I had never heard of or had tasted wine made from this grape before. Quick research indicated it is a clonal mutation of Sauvignon Blanc, is minimally planted worldwide but is seeing a resurgence of interest in Chile, New Zealand and the Graves region in France. Interesting enough to give it a shot!

The specific bottling I added to my cellar was the 2010 Casa Marin Estero.

This wine balances flowers, nuts, citrus and some green components in the nose. Because 70% of this wine was aged in oak, touches of brown spices and vanilla wrap melon and in the mouth. The wine is luscious and mouth filling. Contrasting other typically oaked whites, Chardonnay I’m talking about you, the acidity holds through the finish where it is mixed with nuttiness and hints of bitter orange. Clean and crisp, this wine really demands to be enjoyed!

The first pairing I threw at this wine was a last-minute-scramble of a pizza whose sauce was made from avocado, garlic and balsamic vinegar. I added garden fresh tomatoes and basil, topping it off with two year old Grafton cheddar cheese. The match didn’t transport me anywhere, but the mélange of flavors was handled well by the wine and the acidity helped clean up the creamy avocado.

So I learned something new this week and enjoyed the experience. That is worth writing about.

Cheers!

Jason

Falernia Pedro Ximenez 2009 – Elqui Valley, Chile

I picked up a bottle of Falernia Pedro Ximenez 2009 at Bottles in the North End of Boston in 2010. I wrote a bit about my trip to Bottles in a post last year. It was actually that visit and the conversation I with Peter at the shop that got my wine region project started.

The aromas from the wine were definitely fruity with some white peach and green apple. A floral note was present, but subtle. The predominant flavor for me was lemon and the sweetness I detected was surprising for what is billed as a dry wine. Upon researching the wine it would seem others have said the same thing and the actual residual sugar is very low. There was a mild hit of acidity in the middle of the taste and the finish was of moderate length.

Unfortunately I felt like the wine was falling apart before I even got to the bottom of the first glass. The aromas and flavors seemed to come unhinged. The serving temperature is suggested at 50 degrees so I threw it into the fridge to see what some additional chill would do. It was pleasing again after it cooled down, but it seemed to degrade fast with as it warmed up.

The Falernia page at Wine-Pages has some interesting information about the Elqui Valley and how grape growing and winemaking go started there.

The funny story I was told about the wine is that is made from a red grape traditionally used to make Sherry in Spain, that is grown in Chile, and tended to by a guy from Italy. Oh, and it is a dry white wine. Talk about a state of confusion!

Wines of Chile has a page on the Elqui Valley with a map showing its location in relation to other winemaking regions in the country. The valley is at the southern edge of the Atacama desert and has some serious elevation (6,000+ feet) where grapes are successfully grown. The region is better known for the grapes grown for the distillation of Pisco. Red wine grapes dominate by a large margin these days.

While I didn’t find this particular wine to be exceptional, I will be back for more adventures in Chilean wine. In 2010 I had Chilean wines made from Torrentes as well as one from a blend of Carmenere and Cabernet that were both excellent. Later this year I will be bottling my homemade wines made from Chilean grapes. Recent tastings of them suggest that I will be happy with the effort put into my Cabernet, Syrah and Malbec from Chile.

Cheers!

Jason

Late Harvest Wine with Lavender Sugar Cookies

I caught this recipe for Lavender Lemon Sugar cookies in the Foodbuzz Top 9 today. It is brought to us by the 52 Kitchen Adventures blog.

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/2238861-lavender-lemon-sugar-cookies

I immediately thought of a late harvest wine that is sweet, but not too sweet, with enough acidity to work well with food. I realized I hadn't had one that I could recomend first hand.

I have experimented with lavender from my own garden and with some more on the way this year I plan to try some additional preparations. Not only does it smell great during the growing season, think about a strategically placed flower box where the breeze blows into the house; it smells great during cooking and makes a wonderful compliment to both sweet and savory dishes.

After a bit of research I found a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc made by Errazuriz from the Casablanca Valley in Chile. From the description seems like it would do the trick. The description includes mild aromas and flavors of melon and pineapple and is summarized as being a more intense version of its traditional dry sibling. I can imagine some amped up grassy and herbal notes as well that present as fresh fruity in nature. I read the review at http://www.slashfood.com/2006/12/21/dessert-wine-notes-errazuriz-sauvignon-blanc-2005-late-harvest/ as the basis for my conclusion. Both the healthy, but not super-high, sweetness and crisp acidity are mentioned which I think are requirements for these delicate cookies.

This is truly a fanciful pairing that is imaginative and inspiring. Hopefully it forms as wonderful of a mental picture for you as the experience should prove to be.

Cheers!

Jason

Spring Is On The Way

Several themes are evolving for Ancient Fire’s activities this spring. While not everything we are hoping for is likely to come to pass, more on that to follow, we are nonetheless excited.

This past weekend a lineup of twelve Ancient Fire wines were used in a tasting to raise money for the Relay For Life. Some of the selections hadn’t been tasted in a few months which ended up being particularly exciting for some of our 2008 reds that are now drinking very well. The Cab Blend and Ruby Cabernet are both showing their individual character and Amarone #2 is developing and should continue to do so for another year or more. Margot’s Symphony was the star of the day and as our youngest wine it is sure making a statement. With nice floral notes on the nose, obvious fruit flavors from the first sip, and a balance seldom found in our wines we think we have a competition success in this wine. Everyone who tried it had something, and very positive somethings, to say about this wine where other very good wines didn’t attract nearly as much attention. We raised around $350 with this event which is a nice bump for our annual Relay For Life event.

The Sake experiment was a bust, I grew other fungi than I wanted so I threw it out and will focus my efforts where I am already successful, fruit and grape wines!

Our spring winemaking plan is partially tied to receiving a shipment of Chilean grapes, which after the earthquake is no sure thing. While our supplier is proceeding with optimism they have not yet confirmed what will be available and have extended the pre-order deadline so we must wait patiently and see. If the grapes do not work out we will acquire some frozen must (pressed grapes from last year’s fall harvest) and make some of the wines in our plan, but will reserve budget for the 2010 west coast harvest later in the year.

We have also begun receiving our WinExpert Special Edition kits including the Australian Petite Verdot and the hugely popular Pacific Quartet white blend. When these get started will depend on the outcome with the Chilean grapes. Obviously we will give an update when they get going.

Otherwise we are almost done with the ciders which have also been bringing smiles for all who have tried some. Summer here we come!

Cheers!

--Jason