Torreon De Paredes Reserva Carménère

Torreon De Paredes, Reserva Carménère 2014, Rengo, Chile. 13.5% ABV,  Street Price $11/bottle.

With a garnet center and ruby edging, the nose offers blackberry, blue plum, boysenberry, lilac and autumnal leaves.  On the palate: dark blue fruit, heavy clove and spice box, followed by bittersweet chocolate and forest floor. On the lengthy finish: notes of cumin, cherry, and vanilla. 

 

Featuring big, chewy tannins and moderate acidity, this wine is a mouthful that requires some thought to make an excellent food pairing. My attempt with fettuccini carbonara was only so-s0, the dish felt too delicate compared to the wine that easily overpowered the pasta sauce. A better choice would have been a dish featuring game or beef, or a savory sauce with a heavier profile, such as alfredo or genovese sauce. But for the price point, this is a decent table wine to pair with dinner, especially in the under $12/bottle range, that manages to taste unique when you want to step outside your “normal” range of red wines.

 

 

 

à votre santé!

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Castillo de Molina

San Pedro Reserva Castillo de Molina Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, Central Valley, Chile. $11 at Mayfair Wine & Liquor. %14 ABV.

Color in the glass is deep garnet with rose edging. The nose shows cassis, young black plum, forest floor, young oak and a hint of menthol. In the mouth, a mix of fully ripe black cherry, blackberry and black plum, dried flowers, clay and some barnyard funk on the finish. A full-bodied wine with a very South American attitude. Pairs best with strong flavors, retains balance on the second and third day after opening. A solid value at this price point, best demonstrated with gamey meats, spicy fare or savory cheeses.

à votre santé!

Popping the Zork on Pepperwood Grove

Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2010.Chilean grapes, vinted & bottled by Pepperwood Grove Winery, Napa. 13% ABV. List $10/bottle, $9 direct from winery, seen locally as low as $7/bottle.

Always on the lookout for a good value, I saw a shelf talker that mentioned this wine was a Wine Enthusiast Best Buy and Wine Spectator Best Value. OK, at this price, that’s enough to give it a try. I got home and realized they used a zork for bottle closure, and I wanted to taste Pepperwood Grove’s wine, even if only for the use of the Zork and their trademark “Groovy Green Bottle”. On the back of the bottle, they have two sliding scale markings, placing this closer to “Dry” than “Sweet”, and medium bodied, to help customers decide if this wine might be to their liking. That was a third thing I liked, and I haven’t even tasted the stuff in the bottle. Someone is a savvy winemaker. But here we go, unwrap and pull the zork:

Color: violet body with light edging. Nose: ripe plum, cut flowers and toasted almond. In the mouth, cherry and plum, a touch of spice. Modest fruit meets modest acidity and  tannins, medium finish. I’d serve this for an afternoon party in a second, it’s easy going down, gentle enough for everyone but enough body to please the cab lovers, carefully built and sleekly packaged. At this price, what’s not to love? No wonder it has the accolades. Smart winemaking that will garner a big chunk of marketplace.

Don’t take my word for it. Crack the zork and try it yourself.  Whoa, I just saw that they sell this by the BOX! While I haven’t tried boxed wine before, I guess I will now. Keep an eye out for my box wine review…

 

à votre santé!