Cantinian Reserva Malbec - Cab Sauv

"Writing about wine doesn't pay very well, but you have to like the benefit package!"

   A writer who is like a mentor to me said that once, very early in my career, and it's stuck with me. What he failed to mention was the amount of work that this was going to be... who knew that writing about wine would take effort?

   A few days ago a colleague of mine from Patagonia imports (  http://www.patagoniaimports.com/our_wines.php ) dropped off a few sample bottles for me to taste and potentially write about. Well, who I am to refuse a friend?

    Then I opened the first bottle, a $27 Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Cantinian vineyards ( http://www.cantinian.com/ )... normally I would be super-charged! I love Malbec, absolutely one of my favorite varietals; I adore the big, juicy red and black fruit notes, the sullen earthiness is can carry and unabashed self-ness when crafted with care.

   I opened the bottle, mouth watering, and poured some into a big Bordeaux glass to allow it a chance to breathe properly before I began guzzling. The glass was sending heady aromas in the air before I even lifted it, and I admit to getting a touch dizzy from the perfume. Then I tasted it.

   What a disappointment.

   Thin, sharp, unbalanced acids were aggressive to say the least and the concentration of flavors couldn't match the puissance of the fine bouquet. Perhaps I just didn't let it breathe enough? So fine, I let the bottle sit open all night, praying that the voracious fruit-flies camped out in my kitchen left my prize alone. They seemed as appalled by the poor vintage as I was... I came back around midnight for a last-effort at redemption but ended up leaving the 95% remaining in the bottle open overnight, more in sorrow then in any effort at further aeration. I had given up, the wine just didn't live up to it's hype.

   Then about 24 hours later I sat down to try and write something redeemable about it, some edge... I searched the Internet, scoured my secret sources for tidbits and even re-read some old notes on wines from the area. A few colleagues were around so I asked them to try it and give me their thoughts...

workers at Cantinian

   "Not bad; good expression of terroir"

   "Brilliant bouquet, lovely bright acids"

    "racy little number, should pair well with some slightly fatty grilled meats"

   Eh? What's this? Are they talking about the same wine?

   I put my nose to the glass again; a plethora of Mendoza trademarks aromas burst forth (with more finesse then the night before). A host of dark red berries, warm earth and savory wood-tones with a light cinnamon-spice finish marched through my olfactory. 

   Trepidatiously I tasted the garnet colored liquid; supple body, brilliantly alive acids, crisp and well-punctuated berry tones... this was a completely different wine.

   What did I learn? Never judge a book by it's cover, or a wine by it's opening notes when it's first poured into the glass. John Schreiner ( http://johnschreiner.blogspot.ca/ ) will always be inspirational to me, not just because he knows more about British Columbia wine then anyone else, but because he is always willing to keep a bottle of wine open for 3-5 days, "just to see what happens".

   Well John, I've truly learnt the lesson. This blend from only minutes outside Mendoza city is brilliantly transparent. If you want to taste a textbook example of "Mendoza-ness", then look no further... just give it a chance to breathe!

2009 Cantinian Reserva Malbec - Cabernet Sauvignon

$27 in BC, SPEC product (only speciality stores)

90 Points

blend:   70% Malbec, 30% Cab-Sauv

harvesting:   manual

organic:   certified organic as of 2012 (this vintage is not certified)

vine age:   up to 90 years; original plantings in 1923, youngest no less then 30 years

soils:   mineral-rich silt and sand with saline deposits

altitude:   950 metres

maceration:   total 39 days; gravity-fed fermentation tanks

maturation:   18 months in new French and American oak

• visual:   clean; fully intense ruby core with slight cherry rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ developing aromas of ripe black strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, dark plums, dark floral notes, wood-tones like cedar,  warm earth, spicy cinnamon finish
• palate:   clean; dry, full (red currant) acids, medium+ (grippy) tannins, medium body, full alcohol (14.5% ABV) is quite hot, medium+ intense and developing flavors akin to the nose with more emphasis on red berry notes and a dark cocoa finish. Good balance and structure, good concentration
• conclusion:   released early, this wine will show best in a few years or with a double decant through your aerator. Enjoy 2014-2020 and best enjoyed with food
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   whilst true that the zippy acids need fat, and a grilled Merguez sausage with eggplant tagine would cosy up to this just fine.. . also consider a Chef Kristof classic: bacon, tomato and aged cheddar sandwich. It has the fat to balance acids, the smokiness to enhance the Argentinian terroir... a lovely way to celebrate the lunch-hour!

the vista at Cantinian

   And so I stand before you, a humbled man.

   I made a snap decision based on literally thousands of wine-tastings, and I was wrong. I actually had the same thing happen with a brilliant Sonoma Pinot Noir  about a year and a half ago, and the sommelier who was with me and I still laugh about it, because we both ended up falling in love with the wine by the end of the night. 

   Wines are living entities; they are born of earth and sweat and sometimes even of love and respect for the place they come from. They sleep in bottles for months, or years, or decades waiting for someone to find them and appreciate them for what they are. Wines have personalities, presence, even the promise of something more... because wine can transport us from one place to another, from one time to another. Wine can ease our burdens, it can lift our sorrows and celebrate our victories. Wine, when it's done well, is a celebration of life.

   You doubt? The proof my friends, is in the glass.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Penfolds Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet

Dr. Christopher Penfold was a man who believed in the medicinal value of wine, especially fortified wine. I can relate to the story because my own father, Dr. Astudentofwine, also is a believer.

     Did you know that red wine is the most absorbable source of iron for humans? Well it is... spinach has iron you say? What about Popeye? Well unless you happen to be related to a rabbit or a cow (I not saying you are), you just don't have the proper enzymes in your stomach to breakdown that particular type of iron. Red wine however...

     And so the story goes that when Dr Penfold, youngest of 11 children, moved to Australia (the edge of the world in 1844), he brought with him not only a wife (rare commodity in Australia) but vine stock! He was going to make wine and heal the masses.

     Praise Jesus and pass the bottle I say! I find myself getting healthier by the moment!

     Dr Penfold settled just outside of present-day Adelaide, and even though the area has been called a "Super-Zone" for wine production, it remains to this day as the only winery located within the Adelaide city limits. It is a small vineyard by Australian standards, about 13 acres, and grows mostly Shiraz (Syrah).

     In time Penfolds grew, as all good things do, and began other vineyards around the Barossa Valley and South Australia in general. One of the places they found was Koonunga Hill in the Barossa Valley. Koonunga Hill isn't an easy Google search, let me tell you! Hit after hit for the wine, but it's murder to try and find the actual area... http://www.findawinery.com/ has some information, though it is limited.

     Called "One of Australia's best kept secrets", it is no secret to the fine folks at Penfolds. Penfolds Shiraz Cabernet is deliberately labeled as "South Australia" rather then being labeled as coming from somewhere within that immense region. "Why?" one may ask. It gives a certain freedom to the winemaker, you see. Every year, the winemaker can choose from the very best crops that all of South Australia has to offer. Good enough reason, but also one needs to accept that whilst wine-geeks may know what the Barossa Valley is, the average consumer may not. Why then confuse a consumer already overwhelmed with new choices every time they go to buy a bottle of wine?

     I think for such a low price-point, Penfolds knows exactly how they want to market it, and who they want to market it to... it's for the consumer who is looking for "Australian" flavors, by which they generally mean big jammy fruit berry flavors, strong alcohol and a rich body. In this, Penfolds most certainly succeeds.

2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet

South Australia region

$9 CAD (375ml) $16 CAD (750ml)   **Good Value**

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/

• visual:   clean; deep garnet core with slightest cherry rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ intense youthful aromas; cherry, blackberry jam, light spiciness, sweet blueberries in the background (possible McLaren Vale sourcing), layered black floral of irises, black rose
• palate:   clean, dry, full (black currant/cassis) acids, moderate+ (slightly chewy) tannins, moderate+ ABV, moderate+ body, moderate+ to fully intense youthful flavors mimicking the nose; cassis is strong from start to finish, oaking is minimal. Good balance, very good structure, moderate length
• conclusion:   Definately overdelivers for an Australian wine in this price range... drink now to 2013/2014 but will not develop in bottle
• PAIRINGS:   A simple wine calls for simple pleasures: I had mine with some grilled bread, pate and cheese. Would also make a bacon and cheddar sandwich sing! The acids can use a little fat (pate or bacon), the sharp cheddar would actually acentuate the spice of the Shiraz and a little tomato would bring out some of the natural tomato-earthy characteristics that are somewhat hidden

     While Penfolds wine may not be the same as it was in 1844 when the daring young doctor brought himself, his wife and their vine clippings across the ocean, it is still worth a visit. Always well constructed, I can honestly say that I've never had a bad bottle... it is reasonably balanced, has decent structure, and some interesting flavors of South Australia. Really, what else could anyone want for $9/375 ml and $17/bottle?

As always, I welcome your comments.

CINCIN~!!!     SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!

Sainte Roseline, Provence

I love this time of year! Summer is the season to grill meats, sit under the sun, and have long talks over cold drinks. That is, unless you live in Vancouver. Today's daytime high? 12C. Wow - I've seen warmer in January, seriously.

So instead of the usual summer fair, we ended up with a roaring fire in the fireplace, and red wine as we watched an old movie. Molasses barbequed chicken, garlicky potatoes & basil-balsamic marinated grilled asparagus & portobello mushrooms. I would like to say that I cooked like this because it was a special occassion - but then - every night with my wife is a special occassion...

Celebrate yours.

2006 Roseline "Prestige" rouge (Syrah, Cabernat Sauvignon, Carignan)

by Chateau Sainte-Roseline, 13.5%, $15 **excellent value**

http://www.sainte-roseline.com/

• fully intense nose, with leathery oak, cigar box & pencil shavings, gamey bloody notes throughout
• moderate++ acids balanced by full tannins, flavors match the nose, with the oak showing through quite strongly
• pair this with food! Strong acids and tannins make me crave a little fat with this wine... at first I wanted to pair it with grilled meats, but more and more I came to the notion of the perfect marriage: a grilled bacon, tomato & aged cheddar sandwich. Great wine with a very good structure for the money, long developed palate and decent balance. But really, decant for an hour & serve with food or it can be a bit much.