Red, white or rosé? Discrimination is a crime!
.o0o.
Wines presenters: Jairo Sanchez, Alfonso Sanchez
Participants: Members: Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Clarita Estrada, Peter Lapera, Alvaro López, Orlando Mason, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena , Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Ricardo Zavaleta, German Zincke.
Non members: None
Type of Tasting: Blind
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Wine: Tasting Notes Lemony yellow color with glints of green. An intense, youthful aroma: pear and pineapple, along with a hint of flowers and some minerality. Its bright acidity gives it attractive freshness, and it tastes fruity and mineral, harmonious on the finish, elegant and well balanced.
Grão Vasco Dão White 2014 is a light, lively wine that offers both the classic elegance typical of the white wines of the Dão region and great versatility for everyday drinking. Grão Vasco is a respected brand with true Portuguese character. The wine is a blend of Bical, Cercial, Encruzado, Malvasia Fina.
Read more at: http://eng.sograpevinhos.com/marcas/Grão%20Vasco
The Wine: Very concentrated in colour. Deep and complex nose with lots of aromatic nuances, yet maintaining the balance between them. In the mouth it is vibrant, in a set of great elegance, showing an excellent integration of the wood, a surprisingly large variety of flavours, and a very long aftertaste.
This wine is a blend of 58% Touriga Nacional, 35% Touriga Franca, 5% Tinta Barroca and 2% Tinta Roriz. After being crushed, the grapes were cooled down and trodden by foot during four hours in granite lagares and then transferred to small refrigerated stainless steel vinifying vats. Each grape variety is vinified separately. All the wine was matured in French Allier oak barriques (225 litres). 80% new and 20% second usage.
Read more at: http://www.quintadovalemeao.pt/historia.php
The Wine: Tasting Notes: It is intensely red in color. It has a generous bouquet which includes red fruits and floral notes, especially violet, so typical of this variety, freshened by warm spicy hints and underpinned by harmonious, integrated oak notes. Its palate has a surprisingly fresh attack and shows a fine acidity, with well-rounded but lively tannins, that culminates in a well-balanced and elegant finish.
Harvested by plot into 20 kg crates and selected on arrival at the winery, the Touriga Nacional grapes were directly off-loaded into the de-stemmer-crusher. The grape juice gravity fed into small stainless steel tanks, equipped with automatic pumping-over, where alcoholic fermentation took place for about a week, at an average temperature of about 28ºC. They remained in post-fermentation maceration for another 20 days. Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, followed by a 12-month maturation in new, French oak, fine-grain barrels from 8 French cooperages. Throughout the maturing process numerous tastings were performed in order to monitor the wine’s evolution after which the blend was prepared, fined, filtered and bottled.
2012 Quinta Dos Carvalhas Reserva, Douro
The Wine: This is an initially smooth wood-aged wine that is intense, concentrated and packed with power and tannins. It is rich and full of brooding dark plum and dense with structure. Dominated by Touriga Nacional, it has that variety’s perfumed character which is balanced by the smoother Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. It is obviously a wine to age, so drink from 2018.
The Wine: The Madeira regulations say that 10-years old is the age of the youngest part of the blend. So this richly sweet Malmsey contains many older wines. These are shown in the old gold color, the proper citrus acidity and the dryness that goes with wood aging. At the end, though, the liquid honey flavors are dominant.
Madeira is a fortified wine found only on the mountainous Atlantic island of the same name.The vines are grown from sea level up to a height of 600 metres and the wines range from dry to very rich. The principal grape varieties are Malmsey, Bual, Verdelho, Sercial and Tinta Negra Mole. The driest wines are made from the Sercial grape grown on high cool slopes mainly on the north of the Island. The sweetest Madeiras are made from the rich Malmsey grape which flourishes on the warmer lower-lying vineyards, particularly around São João on the north and Jardim do Mar on the south.
During the 18th century many of the ships which took on casks of Madeira passed through the heat of the tropics. It was noticed that the effects of the increased temperature on the casks of the fortified wine was entirely beneficial. Indeed the wines acquired remarkable keeping qualities, extraordinary longevity and an attractive mellowed character.
Before long, ships were taking consignments of Madeira on round trips especially to subject the wines to this tropical heat. This heating of the wine, known as’estufagem’, became a recognised process in Madeira’s preparation and when it became too expensive to use ships an alternative method was found.This involved ageing the wines in large lofts naturally heated by the plentiful Madeiran sunlight. Today all the MWC’s premium wines continue to be aged using this, the traditional ‘canteiro’ system, where the wines are warmed over a period of years in seasoned American oak casks by the natural heat of the sun in the lodges of Funchal.
Read more at: http://www.blandys.com/section.php?id=981
The Wine: Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port is a deep brick colour with amber rim. Rich and elegant nose combining aromas of ripe berry fruit with a delicate nuttiness and subtle mellow notes of chocolate, butterscotch and fine oak wood. Smooth and silky on the palate and full of ripe figgy, jammy flavours which persist on the long finish.
Although best known for its legendary Vintage Ports, Taylor’s is also one of the most respected producers of 10 Year Old Tawny Port. This style of Port is fully matured in seasoned oak casks each holding about 630 litres of wine. Here, over many years of ageing, the wine gradually takes on its characteristic amber ‘tawny’ color, slowly developing the complex mellow flavors and the smooth luscious palate which are the hallmarks of Tawny Port. Taylor’s blends its magnificent 10 year old tawny from its extensive reserves of old cask aged Ports matured in the firm’s cool and tranquil cellars (known as ‘lodges’) in Oporto on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. It is the best selling 10 Year Old Aged Tawny Port in the UK.
Read more at: http://www.taylor.pt/en/what-is-port-wine/introduction/
Overview: The wines were judged from good (Grao Vasco) to excellent (Quinta Dos Carvalhas Reserva Red BlendDouro). The order of preference given by the participants at the blind testing before disclosing the wines coincided with the average scores.
Best Rated Wine: Quinta Dos Carvalhas Reserva Red Blend Douro – 90 Pts
Best Value for Money: Quinta Dos Carvalhas Reserva Red Blend Douro – Price $15
See detailed evaluation and prices of all wines here: Summary Evaluation 174 – Portugal
Read about Portugal wine regions here : https://clubvino1.com/2014/02/13/tasting-152-february-242014-touriga-nacional-from-portugal/
Wines presenters: Jaime Estupiñán, Alfonso Sanchez
Participants: Members: Mario Aguilar, Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Clara Estrada, Jaime Estupiñan, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Peter Lapera, Alvaro Lopez, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sanchez, Jairo Sanchez, Pedro Turina,, Carlos E. Velez, Ricardo Zavaleta, German Zincke.
Non members: Jose Brakars
Type of Tasting: Blind
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
Taken from: http://www.mirabeauwine.com/about/
The Winery. Provence leads the world in producing dry, gastronomic rosé wines and though the region may boast 300 days of sunshine every year, there can be dramatic vintage variations across this large and geographically diverse wine producing area. The fruit is sourced from some of the best growers in the region, covering over 1,250 hectares (3,000 acres) of prime Côtes de Provence vineyards and giving us access to fantastic fruit from different locations. To help pick the top bins from these vineyards, the winemaking team which is lead by Jo Ahearne, who is not only a Master of Wine (who chose to do her dissertation on rosé), but who is also a fully qualified oenologist, having studied in the Barossa Valley in Australia.
The Wine: Very pale, delicate violet pink with a hint of salmon weaving into the colour spectrum. Strawberry notes appear first closely followed by raspberries and white cherries. Then a merest whisper of that most elegant of fruits, rhubarb. The acidity is crisp and integrated and the fruit provides an element of texture and complexity. Grenache 60% and Shiraz 40%
Like red wine, Provence rosé is made from red grapes. It’s the natural pigment of the grape skins that gives both red and rosé wines their color and tannic structure. The color, flavor, and elegance of rosé depends on at least three things:
Provence rosés get their unique color and character from this limited time of skin contact, which lasts for only a matter of hours. Red wines, by contrast, are “long vatted” – the skins are in contact with the juice for days, giving the wine a rich, dark color and a more tannic flavor. While rosé-making is an art, it’s also a science, and the tools, controls, and equipment available have evolved significantly in recent years. Today’s techniques, though rooted in tradition, are much more sophisticated and reliable than those of decades past. This is thanks in part to the work of the Center for Rosé Research in Provence, the only such organization in the world.
Alcohol: 13.5 % ; Price: $ 16
Experts Ratings:91 points: Parker’s The Wine Advocate: Gold medal from Concours General Agricole of Paris in 2015
The Wine : 90% Carignan, 10% Grenache. Aged in oak for 18 months. Very even and deep red and garnet color. Bright with deep purple hints. Open and expressive with great complexity. There are ripe black fruits (blackcurrants, elderberries) alongside more spicy characteristics (pepper, herbs). Very attractive in the mouth with firm yet silky tannins. Aromatic & spicy with a fabulously generous weight. The finish is long and delicate
Experts Ratings: WA 93 Pts. – “As with the 2012, the 2011 Carignan Continuite de Nature comes from very old-vine, goblet-trained Carignan vines. Showing the best of the variety, with classic black cherry, saddle leather, wild herbs and exotics spices, it flows onto the palate with a big, voluptuous texture that carries polished tannin and rocking length. Staying fresh and lively, and not skimping on fruit or texture, it’s a great Carignan to enjoy over the coming 5-7 years, if not longer. “
WS 91 Pts. “A powerful, concentrated style, with a core of molten chocolate to the effusive dark fruit flavors. There are pepper accents that linger as well, with a sanguine finish that offers plenty of minerality.
The Wine: The 2013 Tessellae Old Vines is a blend of 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre that was aged all in concrete tank. It offers brilliant notes of black cherries, blueberry, licorice, clove and spring flowers in its medium to full-bodied, gorgeously pure profile. Showing more and more finesse and elegance with time in the glass, as well as classic Roussillon minerality on the finish, it has loads of fruit and texture yet is never heavy, cumbersome or cloying.
Alcohol: 14% ; Price: $15
Experts Ratings: WS 94 Pts.
The Wine : Made from a block of Syrah vines that are planted on steep, granite soils (which is unique as this region is mostly limestone) facing the Mediterranean Sea, the 2013 Corse XX270 sports an inky purple color to go with incredible granite influence in its liquid rock, blackberry, raspberry, floral and peppery bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, with incredible purity, this is a seriously elegant, classically styled Syrah to drink over the coming decade.
Alcohol: % ; Price: $18
Experts Ratings: WA 93 Pts.
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
2014 Mirbeau – Rose Pure Cotes de Provence
Calificación Media: 89
Desviación Estandar: 2.0
Mediana: 90
Moda: 90
2011 Chateau Maris – Carignan Minervois, Laguedoc
Calificación Media: 89
Desviación Estándar: 2.4
Mediana: 89
Moda: 89
2013 Domaine Lafage – Cotes du Roussillon
Calificación Media: 90
Desviación Estándar: 4.7
Mediana: 90
Moda: 90
2013 Vignerons de L’ile de Beaute Corse
Calificación Media: 92
Desviación Estándar: 1.7
Mediana: 92
Moda: 92
NOTA FINAL: Segun las calificaciones y la opinion de los asistentes, el vino que se considero mejor o de mayor preferencia, fue el Vignerons de L’ile de Beaute Corse con una Moda de 92 puntos..
Read more :
Provence: http://www.provencewineusa.com/site/terroir
Languedoc: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-languedoc-roussillon
Cotes de Rousillon: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-cotes+du+roussillon
Corsica: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-corsica
Wines presenters: Mario Aguilar
Participants:
Members: Mario Aguilar, Marcello Averburg, , Cecilio Berndsen, Clara Estrada, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Emilio Labrada, Peter Lapera Alvaro Lopez, Orlando Mason, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Pedro Turina, Ginger Smart, , Ricardo Zavaleta.
Non members: José Brakarz (Marcello’s guest), John Redwood, Lucía Redwood
Type of Tasting: Blind
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Winery. Pearmund Cellars is located in the foothills of eastern Fauquier County, VA, conveniently close to Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. The 7500-square-foot geothermal winery and 25-acre vineyard produces Chardonnay, Viognier, Riesling, Late Harvest Vidal, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Meritage, and other award-winning Virginia wines.
The Wine: Pearmund Cellars (voted Virginia’s Best Winery and Winemaker several years running). Pearmund Cellars 2013 Viognier has been awarded 90 pts. by the World Wide Championships.
Information condensed from http://pearmundcellars.com/
Alcohol: % ; Price: $ TBA
Experts Ratings: W&S 90 pts.
The Winery : The estate winery and vineyards are located on 830 acres of beautiful rolling hills near the Blue Ridge Mountains. We presently have 90 acres of vineyards and continue to expand. Under the direction of Luca Paschina, General Manager and winemaker, Barboursville consistently produces quality wines that have won international recognition. The Zonin family of Italy, brought their strong commitment to produce quality wines to Virginia in 1976. They were the first in the state to plant and successfully establish the revered vitis vinifera vines. The four Zonin brothers, proprietors of the largest Italian privately held wine company, descend from a family that has for centuries been wed to viticulture.
Information condensed from http://www.wine.com/v6/Barboursville-Octagon-2012/wine/146283/Detail.aspx
The Wine: A wine of highly distinctive character, achieved in blending estate-grown Bordeaux varietals, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, Octagon’s great prestige rests further on its being created only in fine vintages, and with the most astute selection from the harvest. But it is also the highest expression of our estate’s European derivation and inspiration; a wine of unquestioned distinction and age worthiness in every incarnation.
VINIFICATION
Fermentation: 6-10 days on skins in stainless 6-10 days in stainless steel
Maceration: 15 days.
Aging: 12 months French oak barriques, new 40%
Analysis: Alcohol 13.5%; residual sugars 0.0%; total acidity 0.54%
AWARDS
Virginia Governor’s Cup, 2015: Gold Medal
Beverage Testing Institute, 2014: Gold Medal 90 Points
Sommelier Challenge, California 2014: Gold Medal
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition, 2015: Gold Medal 93 Points
Texas Sommeliers International Wine Awards 2015: Silver Medal
FOOD PAIRINGS: Osso buco alla veneziana, Chicken braised in Octagon and black olives, Sage and walnut-crusted lamb chop in rosemary jus.
Information condensed from: https://www.bbvwine.com/wine-shop/octagon
Experts Ratings:
The Wine: Wine experts still come to Barboursville in the conviction that Nebbiolo should not be grown outside of Piedmont, only to express disbelief that this Nebbiolo is grown and crafted in Virginia (in the region of Piedmont no less!). Critics at the 2012 Virginia Wine Summit selected this Nebbiolo against famous alternatives estate grown in Piedmont, Italy, and the Barboursville vintages continue to garner the highest praise in international competitions.
AWARDS
Critics Challenge International Wine Competition, 2015: Platinum, 94 points
TASTING NOTES
Elegant and complex, aromatically enthralling depth of violets, forest loam, dark berry and tobacco notes. Full body, a firm, dense structure followed by a seamless, sustained finish.
VINIFICATION
Fermentation: 7-9 days on skins in stainless steel
Maceration: 10-15 days
Composition: Nebbiolo 100%
Aging: 12 months, French oak barriques, new 30% used 70%
Analysis: Alcohol 13.5%; residual sugars: 0.0%; total acidity: 0,62%
FOOD PAIRINGS
Oven roasted veal strip loin with ragu of fresh morels
Roasted rack of lamb with reduction of Nebbiolo and blackberry
Pan roasted duck breast with sauce of dried cherry
Information condensed from: https://www.bbvwine.com/wine-shop/nebbiolo-reserve
Alcohol: % ; Price: $
Experts Ratings: WS 90 Pts.
The Winery:
The Wine : The 2012 Boxwood is a blend of 56% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in French oak (one-third each of new, second-use and third-use). Graceful and nicely crafted–something this winery seems to do well–this is elegant in the mid-palate, reasonably crisp, fresh and supported by ripe tannins. I rather liked this a lot. It is not a “wow” wine, but it has some potential to improve a bit over the next couple of years and it drinks beautifully. It won’t be the one you ogle, but it will be one of the ones you.
The Winery: The Boxwood Winery in Middleburg, Virginia, is owned by John Kent Cooke, a former owner and president of the NFL Washington Redskins. Boxwood is committed to making premium red wines in the Bordeaux tradition, but with distinct Virginia expression overseen by consulting wine-maker Stephane Derenoncourt: Boxwood, reflecting the “Medoc” style (a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot blend) and Topiary, in the “Saint-Emilion” style (a Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend). Boxwood also produces a dry Rose wine blended from select Boxwood varietals. Boxwood Winery has received three Decanter Magazine World Wide Wine Medals in its five year history. The Vineyards
The Boxwood sustainable vineyard, designed by noted viticulturist and consultant Lucie Morton, occupies almost 8 hectares of the farm, and are planted with traditional Bordeaux varietals, predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, all ENTAV certified by the French Government. The stunning modern-style winery, completed in 2005, was designed by nationally acclaimed architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen, with winery consultant Dr. Richard Vine, Head of the Oenology Department at Purdue University. The winery complex, which features four buildings and a circular underground ageing cellar, is modern but harmonious with the historic farm and the Virginia countryside. State-of-the-art equipment was chosen from the USA, Italy and France.
Information condensed from:
http://newhorizonwines.com/boxwood-winery/
Alcohol: % ; Price: $
Experts Ratings: WA 89 Pts.
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
El vino Blanco, calificado de Muy Bueno, con promedio de 88 puntos. El primer Tinto, también Muy Bueno con calificación Media de 88 puntos; el segundo Tinto de Excelente con calificación Media de 92 puntos. El tercer Tinto, también recibió una calificación de Excelente con 90 puntos. Esta degustación Ciega, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy buena por ser todos los vinos degustados muy bien aceptados por los asistentes.
Vinos degustados:
2013 Pearmund Viognier
Calificación Media: 88
Desviación Standard: 2.8
Median: 89
Moda: 90
2012 Virginia Nebbiolo Reserve
Calificación Media: 88
Desviación Standard: 4.8
Median: 91
Moda: 91
2013 Barboursville Octagon
Media: 92
Desviación Standard: 3.1
Median: 92
Moda: 91
2012 Boxwood Estate Bared Blend
Calificación Media: 9
Desviación Standard: 3.1
Moda: 90
Median: 90
NOTA FINAL: Segun las calificaciones y la opinión de los asistentes, el vino que se consideró mejor o de mayor preferencia, fue el Barboursville Octagon, con una Moda de 91 puntos.
Read about Virginia wine region here: http://www.americanwineryguide.com/regions/virginia-wineries/
We must invite this individual to become a member of Club del Vino!
.o0o.o0o.o0o.
The Rhône – Source: Wikimedia.org
Wines presenters: Orlando Mason
Participants:
Members: Mario Aguilar, Clara Estrada, Emilio Labrada, Peter Lapera, Alvaro Lopez, Orlando Mason, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sanchez, Jairo Sanchez, Ginger Smart, Ricardo Zavaleta.
Non members: John Redwood, Lucía Redwood.
Type of Tasting: Blind
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Winery. Much of the 70-hectares of Château de Nages is planted with Syrah, which excels in our soil and bears color-drenched, concentrated, tannic grapes. Grenache is reserved for the poorer soils which temper its exuberance. In small doses, Mourvèdre confers an original, spicy complexity. After several trials, we discovered that certain parcels of our terroir had a predilection for Roussanne. Its tiny honey-colored berries release their aromatic richness in the wine. Grenache Blanc rounds the blends with its unique mineral note. Read more at: http://www.michelgassier.com/en/home.html
The Wine: This is a blend of 80% Roussanne 20% Viognier. Wines and Spirits describes the wine as :”A blend of 60percent barrel-fermented roussanne with marsanne and voignier, all pulled from his oldest vines, its smells of warm stone, nuts and earth; it tastes of clementines and lemons, with a light, savory spice.”
Alcohol: % ; Price: $ TBA
Experts Ratings: W&S 90 pts.
The Wine : This wine is a Syrah (93%) with a 7% of Mourvedre. – Parker: “Offers classic Syrah notes of powdered rock, pepper and dark berry fruit. Firm and tight on the palate, its medium-bodied, with integrate acidity and plenty of tannin.”
Experts Ratings: WA 92 Pts.
The Wine: This is a 100% Syrah. Wine Spectator: “Focused, with a plum skin and anise frame around the core of dark cherry and raspberry fruit. Subtle mesquite and sanguine notes line the fine-grained finish.” Fresh . Black Currant . Violet . Medium-bodied.
Alcohol: 13% ; Price: $
Experts Ratings: WS 90 Pts.
The Wine : Displays mineral-tinged aromas of black cherry, underbrush, leather and spring flowers to go with a medium-bodied, fresh and edgy profile on the palate. It should benefit from short-term cellaring and have a decade of longevity.
Alcohol: % ; Price: $
Experts Ratings: WA 90 Pts.
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
El vino Blanco, calificado de Excelente con promedio de 90 puntos. El primer Tinto, también Excelente con calificación Media de 91 puntos; el segundo Tinto, también Excelente con calificación Media de 91 puntos. El tercer Tinto, también recibió una calificación de Excelente con 91 puntos. Esta degustación Abierta, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy buena por ser todos los vinos degustados Excelentes.
Vinos degustados:
2013 JT Chateau de Nages Joseph Torres Blanc
Media: 90
Desviación Estándar: 0.9
Mediana: 90
Moda: 90
2013 JT Chateau de Nages Rouge
Media: 91
Desviacion Estandar: 1.7
Mediana: 91
Moda: 91
2012 Domaine de la Presidente Chateauneuf du Pape Media: 91
Desviacion Estandar: 1.7
Mediana: 91
Moda: 91
2012 JV Fleury Crozes- Hermitage
Media: 91
Desviación Estándar: 0.8
Mediana: 91
Moda: 90
NOTA FINAL: Según las calificaciones y la opinión de los asistentes, el vino que se consideró mejor o de mayor preferencia, fue el Domaine de la Presidente Chateauneuf du Pape con una Moda de 91 puntos.
There is a good information on the Rhône wine región at this site:
http://winefolly.com/review/cotes-du-rhone-wine-with-maps/
There is also e summary prepared by Jairo Sánchez (taken from The Essential Guide to Wine cuyos autores son de Madeline Puckette y Justin Hammack y publishedby Wine Folly) here:
Sorce: Winesofturkey.org
Wines presenters: Ruth Connoly and Ginger Smast
Participants: Socios: Mario Aguilar, Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Clara Estrada, Jaime Estupiñan, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Emilio Labrada, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Jairo Sanchez, Pedro Turina, German Zincke.
Type of Tasting: Open
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Wine: Lively, simple white with citrus and dill herbal finish. Well made medium bodied white made to be consumed young. Malagouzia is an aromatic white variety grown in Central Greece and Greece Macedonia. The variety was rescued from near extinction in 1983 by the winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou. The grape is best known for its citrus and peach characteristics often showing various melon flavors on the palate. It is often used as a blending agent with Assyrtico, to which it adds a medium body weight.
Alcohol: 13% ; Price: $20
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine : Xinomavro literally means “sour black”. It could be described as a raspberry with spice box and cinnamon aromas. Lively acidity and a good tannic structure balance the cherry fruit. It is one of Greece’s better indigenous reds. It shows a spicy nose of black pepper, coffee and red fruit.
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine: In this Turkish wine there is a clean fruity, very pure nose with real sweetness in this wine. It is well balanced. It has a Damson (sour plum) fruit that is round with good freshness
Alcohol: 14 % ; Price: $23
Experts Ratings: NA
The Wine : Elegant with a long finish. Plummy fruit shows on the finish. Think Bordeaux blend when you taste this wine. The wine winemakers were classically trained in France. Most winemakers are thinking of cash flow and try to get their wine sold as soon as possible. This is not true with the Hochers. They let their millions of bottles of wine age gracefully for years before their release. Also, they hold back 100,000+ for research on their wine. This family saved their vineyards during 20 years of civil war in their country which is a remarkable fete in itself
Alcohol: 13.5 % ; Price: $40
Experts Ratings: TBA
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
El vino Blanco, fue calificado como Muy Bueno con promedio de 88 puntos. El primer Tinto, como Bueno con una calificación Media de 83 puntos; el segundo Tinto, como Excelente con calificación Media de 90 puntos. El tercer Tinto, también recibió una calificación de Excelente con 91 puntos. Esta degustación Abierta, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy buena e interesante por los tipos de vinos consumidos, Excelentes y Muy Buenos.
Vinos degustados:
2013 Axia Alpha, Estate Malagouzia
Media: 88
Desviacion Estandar: 2.6
Mediana: 88
Moda: 87
2012 Naoussa Xinomavro-Xinomauvro
Media: 83
Desviación Estandar: 3.3
Mediana: 82
Moda: 80
2009 Prestige Okuzgoza
Media: 90
Desviacion Estandar: 2.2
Mediana: 89
Moda: 89
2007 Chateau Musar by Gaston Hochar
Media: 91
Desviacion Estandar: 1.8
Moda: 90
Mediana: 91
NOTA FINAL: Segun las calificaciones y la opinion de los asistentes, el vino que se consideró mejor o de mayor preferencia, fue el Chateau Mussar con una Moda de 90 puntos.
Jairo Sanchez prepared these notes from various sources includung Internet – Click the link to see the note
Ginger Smaart and Ruth Connolly prepared these additional notes
Presentation Wines August 2015 Mediterranean wines
Red Wine
Wines presenter: Ricardo Zavaleta
Participants: Socios: Mario Aguilar, Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Emilio Labrada, Peter Lapera, Orlando Mason, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Ginger Smart, Pedro Turina, Ricardo Zavaleta, German Zincke.
Type of Tasting: Closed
The objective of this tasting is to determine the grape variety of each wine . There will be four wines. The names will be added later.
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Wine: Color: Deep fuchsia. Aroma: Plum and laurel leaf, spices, red currants and blackberries. Palate: Marked weight and silky tannins, spicy overtones of red currants that remain to the finish. Pairing: Ideal with Indian curry or tandoori chicken.
Alcohol:13.5% ; Price: $9
Experts Ratings: Wine Enthusiast ;Meaty, earthy aromas of mixed berry fruits show a fair amount of wood. The palate is ripe and blocky, with black-fruit flavors, primarily blackberry and plum, accented by a noticeable herbal element. Toasty and spicy on the finish, this is a commendable value-priced Carmenère. Score: 89. —Michael Schachner, March 01, 2015.
Wine Spectator: Shows good typicity, with appealing green herb and leafy notes to the dried berry and stewed plum flavors. Chewy finish. Drink now. Score: 86. —Kim Marcus, 2015.
The Wine : Bixby Creek Bridge Cabernet is from the Napa Valley region of California. The fragrant cassis, black cherry and cocoa notes tantalize the nose and has fleshy ripe tannins with blackberry, dark chocolate and tobacco flavors. Pairs with steak, hamburger and lamb.
Alcohol: 13.9%% ; Price: $15
Experts Ratings: NA
The Wine: Kirkland Signature is a private label collection of wine, spirits and beer from the Costco warehouse club chain. The offerings are only available to members of the Costco club and not sold in other retail stores or bars and restaurants. These items are sourced from around the world, with selections that span a range of styles for all palates.
Read more: http://www.snooth.com/wine/kirkland-malbec-mendoza-argentina-2011/#ixzz3j6wcNQ2t
The 2011 Kirkland Signature Series Malbec comes from single vineyard, old vine grapes grown at 4,000 feet above sea level and spends 12 months in 100% new French oak. It has only 2.4 g/L of residual sugar which makes it a very dry (not sweet) wine. Eigthy six pecent Mlabec and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon. It opens with very pleasant aromas of ripe plum, black cherry and dark berry fruit along with a little vanilla and spice. Tasting reveals a big, rich, smooth and tasty wine full of ripe juicy fruit and plenty of vanilla and caramel notes. Spice and black pepper notes come to the forefront on the long, dry, dusty finish.
Alcohol: 14.5% ; Price: $19
Experts Ratings: NA
The Wine : Winemaker’s Notes-This is a classic Barolo, with excellent structure and harmony, mild tannins and balanced fruit. It is immediately approachable, but it also has a very long ageing potential.
Alcohol: 14.5% ; Price: $56
Experts Ratings: The Wine Advocate – Robert Parker 93 pts “Pio Cesare offers two very distinct expressions of Barolo. The first, the 2009 Barolo, shows classic lines and elegant characteristics of mild spice and forest berry backed by dried ginger, blue flower and anise seed. Its tight, crisp and finely textured mouthfeel appeal to those with a preference for traditional Barolo. Again, this producer has done a good job managing the warmer vintage conditions. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028.”
James Suckling – 92 Pts“. There’s an impressive purity of fruit with strawberry character and hints of cream and flowers. White pepper too. Full body, with polished, integrated tannins and a long flavorful finish. Beautiful fruit. Nougat with fruit. Orange peel. Polished and refined. Better in 2015.”
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
Síntesis.Todos los vinos recibieron calificaciones medias de 88 y 87 puntos o sea que están en el rango de muy buenos. Esta degustación de tipo ciega, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy buena e interesante por la aceptación de la calidad de vinos consumidos y la novedad del tipo de degustación.
Vinos degustados
2013 Carmenere, Chile Santa Carolina Reserva , Valle del Cachapoal
Calificacion Media: 88
Desviacion Estandar: 2.7
Mediana: 88
Moda: 89
Impresión General: Vino Muy Bueno, color rojo bastante acentuado, poco aroma pero muy agradable, buen sabor Impresión General con un final un poco largo y persistente, muy bien balanceado y elegante.
2013 Bixby Creek Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley California USA
Calificación Media: 88
Desviación Estándar: 2.8
Mediana: 88
Moda: 88
Impresión General: Un vino Muy Bueno, con un color rojo muy típico, sabor frutoso y moderado así como su final, agradable y de un aroma intenso.
2011 Kirkland Malbec, Mendoza Argentina.
Media: 87
Desviación Estandar: 3.6
Mediana: 88
Moda: 88
Impresión General: Este vino Muy Bueno color rojo muy llamativo, con un aroma muy fuerte y un final, largo y agradable, con mucho cuerpo. En general un vino muy aceptable como lo es un clásico Malbec.
2009 Barolo Italia, Pio Cesare Piedmont
Calificación Media: 88
Desviación Estándar: 3.1
Mediana: 89
Moda: 91
Impresión General: Rojo oscuro Muy Bueno clasificado con una Moda de 91 puntos, aroma a frutas agradable, bien balanceado, con un final largo. Con mucho cuerpo y gran sabor de esta clase de vino.
Carmenere.
It is a red wine grape with intense, inky violet color very similar to merlot and is planted mainly in Chile. The wine aromas most often associated with Carmenere are tobacco, tar, leather, bell pepper, dark fruit, coffee and chocolate. The palate profile can echo the nose, but is largely dominated by cassis, cherry, blackberry, blueberry, plum, pepper, earthy nuances, vanilla and spice. It is typically a medium-bodied wine that is best enjoyed in its younger years. The wines are all over the place stylistically, from simple and even rustic to polished and sophisticated. Some of the wines are characterized by dark, plummy flavors while others are more floral. Many wines have an attractive spicy quality likened to roasted chili peppers. This is not to be confused with an unpleasant bell pepper aroma that characterizes carmenère made from underripe grapes.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make medium- to full-bodied types of red wines. They are high in tannin, which is a natural preservative that comes from the skin, stems and seeds of the grape and the oak wood in which the wine is aged.
Typical taste in varietal wine: full-bodied, but firm and gripping when Young. With age, polyphenols polymerize: the grip fades away. The rich currant qualities of the Cabernet Sauvignon wine change to that of pencil box. Bell pepper notes remain.
The Napa style is dense, purple-black, jammy and tasting of currants and black cherries. Thick and ripe, layered with expensive new oak scents and flavors, it has almost single-handedly created the phenomenon of the cult wineries.
Malbec
Malbec has risen to prominence in Argentina, where it makes spicy, tart red wines that take well to aging in new oak barrels. Malbec has a deep red color, with full-bodied flavors of berries and tannins.
Typical taste in varietal wine: malbec’s characteristics vary greatly depending on where it is grown and how it is transformed. Generally it produces a fruity and easy-drinking style, well colored wine that tastes of plums, berries, and spice.
Nebbiolo
The flavors and aromas of Nebbiolo wines are of fruit and spices. They tend to have lots of tannins and high alcohol content as well. So what does Nebbiolo at its best taste like? It’s one of the few grapes you can sometimes identify simply by its colour alone, for it tends to take on a brick-orange tinge at the rim of its blackish ruby relatively early in its often-long life.
The wine is typically intensely aromatic, developing the most extraordinarily haunting bouquet in which, variously, roses, autumn undergrowth, woodsmoke, violets and tar can often be found – together with a greater variety of other ingredients than most other grapes. On the palate, the wine is typically high in acidity and, until after many years in bottle, tannins.
Willamette Valley
Source: “Wvatbethel1” by Rvannatta at the English language Wikipedia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wvatbethel1.jpg#/media/File:Wvatbethel1.jpg
Wines presenter: Italo Mirkow
Participants: Socios: Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Clara Estrada, Jaime Estupiñan, Jorge Garcia-Garcia, Emilio Labrada, Alvaro Lopez, Orlando Mason, Ítalo Mirkow, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sanchez, Jairo Sanchez, Raúl Sanguinetti, Ginger Smart, Ricardo Zavaleta, German Zincke.
Invitados: Peter Lapera, John Redwood
Type of Tasting: Open
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Wine:
Our Willamette Valley Pinot Gris is an elegant expression of this versatile varietal. Intensely aromatic powdery floral notes give way to a palate of Asian pear, Meyer lemon and rose petal. Balanced and crisp, this wine is a great match for many dishes from chicken paella or moules-frites to pork roast. Read more about Annie Amie Vinerads at: http://anneamie.com/
Alcohol: ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine : Firesteed 2012 Pinot Noir continues the Firesteed tradition of a consistent fruity style, achieved with gentle techniques in the cellar and imagination in the vineyard. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts propagated from cellars in Burgundy, pressed during the last days of fermentation, and racked as soon as the wine finished malolactic fermentation. A touch of barrel-aged wine was included in the blend to round out the flavors and enhance complexity. Read more at http://www.firesteed.com/our-place/firesteed-vineyards/
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine: Castle Rock Pinot Noir is produced from grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Sheltered by the Cascade Mountains, this area is on the same latitude as France’s Burgundy region, and in the past thirty years it has gained international recognition as one of the most prestigious appellations for this cool climate varietal.
This elegant medium-bodied wine offers aromas of cherry and spice. On the palate the wine give flavors of berries, cinnamon, black cherry, sweet vanilla oak, and floral notes, with a long velvety finish. This versatile wine pairs well with lamb, chicken, veal, salmon and light pasta dishes.
Alcohol: % ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: NA
The Wine : HVW produces small quantities of hand crafted wine from premium vineyard sites in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. We emphasize low yields and careful hands-on management of the vines to produce wines that express the unique characteristics of our vineyard sites. Read more and watch interesting video at: http://www.holloranvineyardwines.com/home.html
Alcohol: % ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: TBA
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
Síntesis. El vino Blanco, fue calificado como Muy Bueno con promedio de 88 puntos. El primer tinto, también como Muy Bueno con una calificación Media de 87 puntos; el segundo tinto, tuvo una calificación media de Bueno con un promedio de 85 puntos. El tercero y último de los tintos, recibió una calificación de Excelente con un puntaje medio de 90. En resumen, esta degustación, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy buena por la aceptación de la calidad de vinos consumidos.
Vinos degustados
2014 Pinot Gris, Annie Amie Viveyards – Willamete Valley Oregon
Media: 88
Desviación Estándar: 3.6
Mediana: 89
Moda: 89
Impresión General: Vino Muy Bueno, color Amarillo pálido, poco aroma y sabor agradable con un final un poco largo y persistente, muy bien balanceado y elegante.
2011 Pinot Noir, Willamete Valley – Castle Rock Winery.
Media: 87
Desviación Estándar: 3.9
Mediana: 88
Moda: 84
Impresión General: Un vino Muy Bueno, con un color rojo claro muy típico, sabor frutado moderado así como su final, agradable y de un aroma intenso.
2012 Pinot Noir, Firesteed – Oregon.
Media: 85
Desviación Estándar: 4.5
Mediana: 86
Moda: 87
Impresión General: Vino Bueno color rojo claro, con un aroma muy fuerte, aterciopelado con un final largo y agradable.. En general un vino muy agradable.
2012 Holloran, Oregon Pinot Noir Willamete Valley – West Lynn Oregon.
Media: 90
Desviación Estándar: 2.4
Mediana: 90
Moda: 90
Impresión General: Rojo oscuro excelente aroma a frutas agradable, bien balanceado, con un final muy largo. Muy Bueno con mucho cuerpo y agradable sabor.
Jairo Sanchez compiled the following note on the Oregon wine región (click on the link): Oregon wine regions
Calificación Media: 89Moda: 90
Wines presenters: Pedro Turina, Germán Zinke
Participants: Socios: Marcello Averburg, Ruth Connolly, Alvaro Lopez, Orlando Mason, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sánchez, Jairo Sánchez, Pedro Turina, Ricardo Zavaleta, German Zincke.
Invitados: Alfonso Caycedo, Lucia Redwood, John Redwood,
Type of Tasting: Open
(The information below has been compiled from varios internet sources) .
The Wine: Oaky mineral nose. Complex, restrained fruit. Mouth-watering fresh structure. Complex finish.
Campanha is Brazil’s most southerly wine-producing region, located along the country’s border with Uruguay. While not quite as well known as the neighboring region of Serra Gaucha, Campanha – sometimes known as Fronteira – is beginning to attract attention for the quality of its wines. Soft, fruit-driven reds and rustic, full-bodied whites are made here from grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat and Chardonnay, Read more at http://www.wine-searcher.com/wine-283814-2011-salton-virtude-chardonnay-serra-gaucha-brazil
Alcohol: 13% ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine : Color rojo vivo rubí; intensos aromas frutales a frambuesa, moras y casís; en boca, resalta su carácter frutal, intenso y equilibrado. Añejamiento de 12 meses.
A couple of hours from downtown San Diego, just across the Mexican border, lies the Valle de Guadalupe, a place of green valleys and boulder-covered hills. Its dry, hot summers and cooler, damper winters, combined with porous soil and cooling sea breezes, are ideal for grape growing. This northern end of the Baja California peninsula is, in fact, one of the New World’s oldest wine-growing areas. Jesuit priests cultivated vines here in the 18th century, and the first commercial winery, Bodegas de Santo Tomas (santo-tomas.com), opened in 1888.
Irrigation is the lifeblood of the vines here, a basic tenet of desert agriculture. Just about all the world’s warm-climate grape varieties are grown, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Syrah, Tempranillo, Malbec, Carignan and Grenache among red grapes. The wines tend to be full-bodied and high in alcohol, with lusty black-fruit flavors and an occasional blast of heat and/or saltiness derived from saline-rich water used for irrigation. Among white wines, look to early harvested, oak-free Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Viognier as best bets. Read more at:http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jan/31/mexico-wine-trail-valle-de-guadaloupe-baja-california
Experts Ratings: TBA
The Wine:
Winemaker’s comments “An elegant blend of Malbec, Tannat and Petit Verdot, shows a glistening red colour. On the nose, aromas of red cherry and berry fruits with smokey herbal notes, supported by very soft and gentle tannins. A light and smooth texture, elegant fruit flavours with hints of spice.”
The Tacama Vineyard has an area of about 200 hectares (494 acres) and is located in the Valley of Ica, a fertile oasis surrounded by desert. It is situated 300 kilometers from Lima the capital of Perú, and 50 kilometers from the coast, it is 400 meters above sea level. Tacama uses both French technology and receives advice from French experts. Tacama has won several awards in international shows. International Experts have classified Tacama’s wines as being of worldclass quality. Read more at: http://www.tacama.com/english/portada.htmad
Alcohol: 13.5% ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: NA
The Wine : Juicy, aromas and flavours of tart cherries and fresh-turned earth! Lovely balance and appeal in the glass with one of Niagara’s signature grapes and flagship producers. This wine would be perfect for holiday dinners, whether you’re serving the turkey or bringing the hostess gift.
Niagara Peninsula is the largest and most productive viticultural area in Canada, located on the southern shores of Lake Ontario. More ice wine is made on the Niagara Peninsula than anywhere else on Earth, to the point where the region is synonymous with lusciously sweet wine, although many varieties of quality dry wine are also produced. Riesling is something of a local darling and has a loyal following of enthusiasts. The ubiquitous Chardonnay is also prominent and its Burgundian partner, Pinot Noir, is becoming more common. Read more at: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-niagara+peninsula
Alcohol: % ; Price: TBA
Experts Ratings: TBA
Criterio para calificar:
Excepcional: 96-100 puntos; Excelente: 90-95 puntos; Muy Bueno: 86-89 puntos; Bueno: 81-85 puntos; Aceptable: 75-80 puntos.
El vino Blanco, fue calificado como Bueno con promedio de 85 puntos. El primer tinto, también como Bueno con una calificación Media de 85 puntos; el segundo tinto, tuvo una calificación media de Muy Bueno con un promedio de 88 puntos. El tercero y último de los tintos, recibió una calificación de Muy Bueno con un puntaje medio de 89. En resumen, esta degustación de mayo 2015, según las notas del grupo asistente, resulto muy interesante por la variedad y calidad de vinos de distintos países degustados.
2011 Salton Virtude – Chardonnay, Serra Gaucha, Brasil
Calificación Media: 85
Desviación Estándar: 3.4
Mediana: 87
Moda: 88
Impresión General: Un vino Bueno, color Amarillo Dorado, mineralidad y un poco de acidez, aroma y sabor agradable con un final largo y persistente, muy bien balanceado y elegante.
2009 L. A. Cetto, Zinfandel, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, México.
Calificación Media: 85
Desviación Estándar: 4.1
Mediana: 87
Moda: 87
Impresión General: Un vino especial, con un color rubí, sabor frutoso y taninos moderados así como su final, agradable y de una estructura balanceada.
2010 Cava Sprint Pinot Noir, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Canada
Media: 88
Deviation Estándar: 4.1
Mediana: 89
Moda: 90
Impresión General: Intenso aroma frutal agradable, bien balanceado, con una estructura solida taninos moderados y un excelente final.
2012 Tacama, Gran Tinto Blend, Valle de Ica, Peru
Calificación Media: 89
Desviación Estándar: 3.5
Mediana: 89
Media: 89
Impresión General: Intenso aroma frutal agradable, bien balanceado, con una estructura solida taninos moderados y un excelente final.
Please click below to see the maps and read about the regions included in this tasting. Jairo Sanchez prepared the note.
Club del Vino - Washington DC area 
