an Ode to the humble pot roast

Pot roast:

The lowliest cut of beef turned into the most succulent comfort food. I mean, what says comfort more than pot-roast? Immediately thoughts turn to Sunday evening meals; family is near, there’s good conversation amidst the bickering (it is family after all) and always a decent bottle of wine.

Well as soon as I tasted these two wines I started thinking of pot-roast, and I hope the wineries take that as a compliment! For not all red wines under $20 can actually stand-up to the richness, the intense “beefiness” that is great, slow-cooked meat. These wines deliver concentration, balance and value… perfect for your Wintery-type braised dishes.

THE WINE

2010 Milton Park Shiraz

88+ points, Very Good Value

$14.99 www.BCLiquorStores.com

… deep, dark and inky in the glass – it even looks like a wine for beef! Rich aromas of stewed cherries and blackberries, some fresh thyme and rosemary with that background of cracked pepper that is signature Shiraz. Crisp, light acid and approachable, chewy tannin, the flavors in the wine are much in-line with the aromas and are rich enough to pair with dinner but fresh enough to appreciate a glass or two on their own.

*Shiraz: a note on Shiraz; it is the exact same varietal (grape) as Syrah… no difference at all! The only thing that is worthy of noting between the two is that in the past Syrah was considered the French style of winemaking (and so more restrained, less obvious fruit and more earth tones) and Shiraz was the Australian style meaning big bold fruit, higher alcohol. Well, the times have changed and in a recent meeting of the #WineTastingCircle of Vancouver, industry professionals couldn’t tell which was Australian, American, Canadian or Spanish Syrah/Shiraz. It’s not that there are no differences, but that wine-making has grown and evolved that much in the past 10 years. If you think that you don’t enjoy Australian Shiraz but enjoy full-bodied wines with great concentration, balance and structure then you owe it to yourself to “pony-up” the $15 and give this little gem a try.

Jumilla “Las Hermanas” organic Monastrell

89+ points, Excellent Value

$15.99 www.BCLiquorStores.com

… fresh, fruity, inviting: this is the wine you open as you’re cooking and hope that you have a second bottle for dinner! The aromas are plush with red cherries, currants and young plums and the palate has just enough acid to crave a bit of fatty food but, once again, balanced enough to appreciate thoroughly on its own. A solid wine, this is already on my Top 100 list for 2014~!

*Monastrell: not familiar with it? I find that this grape is very much like Merlot, which all of us can remember as fresh, fruit-driven flavors. This is a classic to serve at social events, but when well-made can offer concentration and structure to pair with classic Canadian winter dishes like pot-roast, tortierre and Shepard’s pie/Cottage pie. As per this particular producer, it’s small wonder that the European Portfolio Manager for the BC Liquor Board (one of Canada’s three Masters-of-Wine: Barbara Phillip) has named this as an “Insider Pick”. This would be a great value even if it wasn’t organic!

THE FOOD

Making beautiful food doesn’t have to be time consuming! And while I can admire the economy of throwing everything into one pot and turning it on, when plating that food it can look sometimes like a plate for the dog rather than the (fussy) kids.

This plate of pot-roast took relatively little extra time to prepare for dinner @ 5:30:

STEP 1:   2pm:      pot-roast in the oven @ 350F (about a 4lb roast)

STEP 2:   4:30:      baked potato and spaghetti squash in the oven

STEP 3:   5:00:      sauté the whole mushrooms on medium-high for 5 minutes, then in the oven

STEP 4:  5:20       steam the carrots 5 minutes, then throw the broccolini in, continue steaming 3 minutes

Kristof’s Pot Roast Recipe

1 fl oz     canola oil

1              yellow onion, finely sliced

6              cloves garlic, finely sliced

4 lb         pot roast

1 lb         green cabbage, rough chopped

½ bottle red wine

1 L           beef stock

½ tsp        each: fresh thyme and fresh rosemary

*salt and pepper to taste

• Start by sautéing the onions in the oil on medium until translucent
• Add the garlic and continue cooking until it’s turned a nutty brown
• Add the beef, sear on all sides. When it’s on it’s last sear then add the cabbage
• When the beef is finished searing, add the wine, then stock, then herbs
• DO NOT salt the dish until it’s finished cooking… as it reduces, the flavors will concentrate. If it tastes perfect at the start then by the end you run the risk of having salty food!
• Just before serving slice the roast on your cutting board and thicken the juice with cornstarch – excellent gravy! Don't forget to rest the roast on that cutting board for a good 15 minutes to ensure it stays moist!

So enjoy your pot-roast dinner with great wine and family or friends. Treat yourself, spoil someone else, and above all: savor the moment~! Many thanks to the Christopher Stewart Wine Agency, representatives in Canada, for the sample bottles. www.christopherstewartwineandspirits.com

As always, I look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions. Here, or:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Perseus wines, British Columbia vqa

 http://perseuswinery.com/

 

A winemaker friend of mine told me recently:

   "Sending my wine to competition is roughly equivalent to the stress I might have faced, had I sent my children to beauty pageants."

...

Rob Ingram, owner

A Little Dramatic I thought, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Flash-forward a few weeks and I'm scribbling away at my notes for the new release of Perseus Winery, his words coming back to haunt me. I considered the wineries (relatively) new owner Rob Ingram and what stresses and challenges he must be facing in his day-to-day business as he sends forth his enological minions to all parts of Canada.

One of the biggest stresses must be that he has worked through three consulting winemakers in as many years, trying to find the right fit. Having settled his focus now with JM Bouchard, who is best known to British Columbians for his work at Road 13 just down the street, I can only believe that a greater clarity will come quickly to the wines.

A native of Quebec, which is perhaps better known these days for the decadent "iced-cider" then it is for wine production, Jean Martin (or JM as he prefers) never planned on becoming a winemaker. But that being said, I've met with those who hail from a multi-generation wine-making family and smile in recognition as I hear JM saying "Its all about the dirt!"

You read it in my reviews time and time again, how the top-level professionals in the wine industry have moved in-line with the idea that 90% of making a wine is growing great grapes. We forget, sometimes, how contrary that is to what was wide-spread practice in the industry only a short generation ago (and in some cases, much-much more recent then that!)... there was a time when making wine was more chemistry then artistry, more equation then inspiration and perspiration. We have moved forward, as a collective, by looking back at the "ancestral farming" and even "ancestral wine-making", when less was more and we didn't put into the soil (or the wine) what we didn't want to take out.

And what I took from my glass(es) of Perseus was delightful:

2011 Chardonnay

*BENEFITS FROM A 30 MINUTE DECANT OR 1 RUN THROUGH THE AERATOR

89+ points

• displaying a smokey/flinty mineral-driven nose, this wine has zippy (full) lemon-peel acids that will work wonders with roast chicken! Packing a strong initial flavor-punch of the same mineral tones, I think it safe to say that the winemaker enjoys his white-Burgundy very much. If you want to pair food off the minerality, then oysters/clams/mussels are a natural! Oysters Rockefeller anyone???

2012 Gewurztraminer

90 points

*NO NEED TO DECANT/AERATE

• This varietal is to wine what a sundress is to women: highly complimentary. And few places in the world are producing so many different interpretations of Gewurztraminer as is British Columbia; this being a personal  favorite! The bouquet is a kaleidoscope of lush tropical flowers, peach/apricot compote and yet delicate mineral-tones underneath. The palate is awash in bright (full) grapefruit acids that are going to be perfect with my next seafood Thai dish and the relatively low alcohol means that I can have that food as spicy as I want. Yum~!

2011 Merlot

89 points

*BENEFITS FROM 1 HOUR DECANT OR 1 RUN THROUGH AN AERATOR

• Dark ruby core and bright cherry rim, this wine is a very cool-climate example of Merlot. The aromas are full of bright red cranberry/raspberry/currant tones with a hint of warm/spicy musk/earth underneath. The palate is full of those same, ultra-cool, ultra-bright red berry flavors with the slight earthy background and huge chunky tannin just waiting for big, rich winter foods to balance it.

2011 Syrah/Malbec

91+ points

*MINIMAL DECANTING/AERATION NEEDED

• Stunning. From the moment I poured it in the glass, this wine flooded my room with heady aromas of warm tropical flowers, red and black berries, precise graphite-like minerality, subtle oak and more... the sophistication of the bouquet was easily matched by the concentration and balance of the palate which exuded many of the same characteristics and in a refreshingly unique manner. This is not classical Syrah, nor is it classic Argentinian Malbec, but it is a delightful mix of both those worlds. I want no food with it, only my fireplace and a great cigar. But, if I needed to eat, then certainly I would use beef as the Argentinians do and delight my friends with how brilliantly it pairs with any steak. Bon appetit~!
  

2010 Select lots Cabernet-Sauvignon

90 points

*NEEDS 1 HOUR+ DECANT OR 2 RUNS THROUGH AN AERATOR

• of note: my preference for this wine would be to cellar minimum 2 years to allow it to really come into it's own
• a deep, dark and inky wine, the aromas are full of traditional red and black currant, leather and graphite notes. Medium+ acids and full/chewy/meaty tannin make me want to use this as a food-wine... the palate is very similar to the nose and enjoys a medium or average length finish. Unquestionably a brilliant choice for your Winter dishes of: roast beef, pot roast, prime rib etc. Want a different pairing? Try this with an ultra-rich dark chocolate dessert and be amazed~!

2010 "Invictus"

Bordeaux-styled blend of: 56% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec

89+ points

*BENEFITS FROM 1 HOUR DECANT OR 1 RUN THROUGH AN AERATOR

• so dark it seems more black then purple... bruised one might say. Medium concentration aromas that start with the freshness of red raspberries/currants and develop into some blueberry/blackberry tones, warm savory herbs and earth with more then a hint of vanilla. Crisp med+ red currant acids and chewy full tannin, an approachable alcohol (14.9% ABV) to be wary of - truly a wine made for big meals. Very good balance and good structure with medium- length... this wine won't disappoint with your hearty Winter dishes, or for the person who just can't help but fire-up their barbeque for just - one - more - steak!

Perseus is a young winery even by BC standards, which means that for most of the world it's barely out of the womb. But. But with talented, passionate individuals like Jean-Martin Bouchard to watch over her, and with the determination of an owner like Rob Ingram (who managed to secure said talent!), I have no doubts that the winery and the wines will continue to grow and evolve. And any winery that evolves from making their own utterly unique blends right out-of-the-gate will undoubtedly grow into something worth watching.

The proof is in the glass!

As always, I welcome your thoughts here or on Twitter @AStudentofWine

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

Moon Curser vineyards, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada

http://www.mooncurser.com/

A few weeks ago I had the sincere pleasure of being invited to the first annual Renaissance Wine Merchants portfolio tasting in Gastown; a neighborhood of distinction and heritage in Vancouver, BC. (http://www.renaissancewine.ca/) 

Now I've always been a fan of the Renaissance line-up; cutting edge Cab-Sauv blends from California, clean Pinot Noir from New Zealand and excellent expressions from the BC wines they carry... but my friend and colleague who invited me asked me to try something "A little different"

Oh! I'm intrigued... what would be different at one of these affairs?

He pours me an ounce or two of a deep, dark, seductive wine and waits for me to wander off in my own thoughts (which invariably happens when I judge wines). "Holy Shit!" says I - "that's f***in amazing."

"What is that?" I stammer.

"A Tannat-Syrah blend" says he.

Ok - I have to admit. That is different!

"From BC" he continues.

Thud.

My friend helps me lift my jaw off the floor.

"You're shitting me." I demand.

He pours me another ounce of the Ambrosia and I lean in to listen to the story; the story of a guy in the I.T. field and his wife from accounting who decide to make wine.... sorry? Where's the punchline?

Oh no - this is the honest story says he! They loved wine, were looking at what to do with the rest of their lives, and decided to make wine. But! But they didn't want to make wine like everyone else. 

Well... if this is any example then they are most certainly not like everyone else. Actually, come to think of it - I did try one of their other wines a year or two ago and was so impressed that I simply had to write about it. (http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2011/08/moon-curser-border-vines-bordeaux-blend.html). Riiight@! I remember now. But this wine is really something else! So I, as any self-respecting wine journalist, Twitter the winery that night and told them that I would love to write an article on their current work.

They sent me the following wines and I was, truly, impressed. Not everything in the line-up was to my particular taste and it may not be to yours, but these wines are crafted with precision and speak articulately of their terroir.

2012 Afraid of the Dark

91+ points
$21.90

Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne

• visual:    clear; pale straw core with watery rim
• nose:    clean; medium+ to fully intense and youthful aromas; fresh papaya, Mandarin orange and ripe melon, small white and yellow meadow flowers
• palate:    clean; dry, medium+ crisp Meyer lemon acid, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14.1% ABV), fully intense and youthful flavors in-line with the nose; bright citrus tones are quickly washed away by ripe exotic fruit layers, nuances of soft flowers abound but all is held together by a brilliantly precise minerality. Excellent balance and structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   a stunning example of Okanagan Crozes-Hermitage, for lack of a better explanation. This blend was made famous by the French, but now a BC winery is re-defining it for a fraction of the price. Imminently approachable, enjoy 2013-2017++
• FOOD PAIRING:   though seafood is a natural pairing, Hermitage is far from the ocean, much like Osoyoos. Think regional! Clay oven baked chicken, mustard and savory herb rub, ratatouille, fried olives and fresh crusty peasant-loaf

BC is the home of Riesling and Gewurztraminer... sure we craft a few world-class Chardonnay, but they're few and far between. But Roussanne? Marsanne? We are one of the most extreme wine-growing regions in the world - a far cry from the chiseled valleys of the Northern Rhone where wine-making has a heritage measured in millennia (yes - thousands of years) and these varietals are best known. I later called Chris Tolley, winemaker and half of the equation that is Moon Curser vineyards. 

I asked Chris "Man - what made you think of this blend for BC?"

Chris told me that , truthfully, when they first started they didn't really know what they were doing. Oh sure - Chris and his wife Beata had gone to school in New Zealand, earned their stripes in vineyards in Australia and here in North America... but they didn't really know. Chris figures that if he had known beforehand how much work this white blend was going to be - perhaps he would have tried something else. After only speaking to him for an hour, I realized that he probably still would have done it. Just to prove that it could be done - and done well.

2010 Petit Verdot

90+ points
$29

• visual:   clear; deep plum core with bright violet rim
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense youthful aromas of spicy stewed blackberries and blueberries, bright violets/dark floral tones, mineral undertones
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+to full red currant acids, full tight/grippy tannin, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14.4% ABV), medium+ intense youthful flavors much in-line with the aromas; the berry tones really sing with the precision of the minerality, good focus with an ultra-fresh finish. Good balance and structure with medium length
• conclusion:   a unique expression of the Okanagan Valley, this wine expresses varietal with great clarity if not depth or layering. The vines are still young though, and each subsequent vintage should bring more and more to the wine. Too young to enjoy now without double-decanting, drink 2015-2020
• FOOD PAIRING:   these ultra-bright acids want fat and the huge tannin crave beef. Consider beef Stroganoff with caramelized pearl onions and fresh farfalle pasta... 

Chris explained to me that 2010 wasn't a particularly great year for the vines of BC; this made the winemakers' work a little harder (and he wasn't the first to tell me this nor, I imagine, the last). Because of the lack of sunshine, and thus ripening of the grapes, there was less intense fruit notes in the wines. For me, personally, I prefer a wine like this; it allows minerality to strut it's stuff a bit more. I like tasting the earth as much as the fruit and love it when a wine can find that sense of harmony. 

Truth be told though, many consumers enjoy overactive fruitbombs. There's nothing wrong with that - indeed, what a sad place the world would be if we all had the same palate (or sense of fashion!)

2010 Syrah

92+ points
$25++ (only available at the cellar door)

• visual:   clear; deep plum core with cherry/violet rim
• nose:   clean; fully intense and developing bouquet of spicy dark fruit; layer upon layer of peppercorns (red, black, white, green), a hint of Thai chili, warm oak, light caramel, cherries and cherry blossoms
• palate:   clean; dry, medium (well integrated) black currant acid, medium+ chewy/fleshy tannin, medium+ body, medium+ alcohol (14.4% ABV), fully intense and developing flavors in true unison with the nose; bright berry notes hit the palate full force, moderately by cohesive oak, earth tones, and that south Okanagan pure minerality. Very good to excellent balance, great structure and full length on the palate
• conclusion: a world-class wine! Easily the equal of any Syrah/Shiraz of this price-point from anywhere in the world... better value then most regions can provide. Enjoy this now, but will reward slight cellaring... drink 2013-2020 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   classy wine deserves classy food, and what could be classier then pizza! But not the $5.99 pizza of our teenage years, consider grass-fed grilled steak pizza with fresh local arugula, shaved Asiago and caperberries... the grass-fed beef has a bit of "funk" to it that will be muscle to this wines finesse, the arugula has a bit of sharpness that is in-line with the Syrah pepper, the Asiago provides the saltiness and the caperberries are your new olives for grown-up evenings!

This was one of the absolute stars of the show for me! I am not the biggest Syrah fan (Bordeaux is my big passion) - but I've been fortunate enough to taste some true gems from around the world. This could become one of them one day, and is already competitive, dollar-for-dollar, with just about any other Syrah/Shiraz. Anywhere.

2011 Contraband Syrah

89+ points
$28.90

• visual:    clear; deep plum core with slight cherry/violet rim
• nose:    clean; light+ to medium youthful aromas of bright red cherries and raspberries with a strong red and black peppercorn undercurrent/mingled with dark floral tones
• palate:   clean; dry, medium red raspberry acid, medium grippy tannin, medium- body, medium- alcohol (13.9% ABV), medium- intense and youthful flavors starting with bright red berries and moving quickly to dark tea/wood tones then back to a tart cranberry/red raspberry finish. Good balance and good structure with medium+ length
• FOOD PAIRING:   never underestimate the lowly pot-roast my friends!!! In France, where Syrah originates, they might call it pot-au-feu but no matter what you call it, it's packed with meaty flavors and tons of richness that will foil this wines active acid with ease and grace. Consider slow-cooked Hopcott Farms** pot-roast with garlic fried parsnips  creamed leeks and mashed turnips (tatties to my Scottish friends)

(I specifically mention Hopcott Farms in Pitt Meadows, BC as they are one of the bastions of great, locally raised and butchered beef in Western Canada. http://www.hopcottmeats.ca/   )

So you may be raising an eyebrow at why I scored the more expensive wine less? Truth be told - I don't like jumped-up fruitiness. Others may love it - and will - and will score higher. The construction of the wine is completely professional, but I missed the great expression of earth and minerality that I got in the 2010. I imagine that a year or two in bottle will tame the fruit enough to allow these secondary notes to emerge more fully.

Chris explained to me that with the "Contraband" the winery really kicks the drive for quality into high gear: more pruning in the vineyard, more careful sorting at the trays, more French oak (as opposed to mild Hungarian/Eastern European), lees stirring, longer aging potential... it's a world of difference in wine-making for an extra $4/bottle. Try getting that kind of value from Old World producers!

2011 Cab-Sauv
89-90 points
$28.90

• visual:   clear; medium+ garnet core with ultra bright cherry-plum rim
• nose:   clean; medium intense youthful aromas of bright red berries (raspberries, currants, strawberries), savory underbrush (aka sous-bois in France), some warm leather and oak tones with a eucalyptus finish
• palate:   clean; dry, fully intense red raspberry acid, medium+ to full chalky tannin, fully intense and youthful flavors much in line with the nose; bright red berries burst on the palate with freshness and immediate appeal, the savory tones follow lead by a south Okanagan herbaceousness and a textbook CabSauv menthol/eucalyptus finish. Good balance and very good structure with medium length
• conclusion: full of life, this is a rare example of Cabernet Sauvignon that I would not cellar. I would enjoy this as it is now - bursting with life. Best (in my opinion) 2013-2015, drink 2013-2018
• FOOD PAIRING:   A classic pairing with your Tuesday night bbq slow-braised and thickly glazed molasses bbq ribs, roasted corn-melon and cilantro salad, hot buttered cornbread and steamed green beans/okra

2007 Twisted Tree Tannat
89+ points
(Twisted Tree is the former label for Moon Curser vineyards)
$ ? *(not for sale - from the Moon Curser wine library)

• visual:   clear; medium+ ruby core with light cherry rim/slight bricking
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and maturing notes of warm caramel mocha, old leather, ripe plum compote, dark rose hips
• palate:    clean; dry, full+ red currant acid, medium- silty tannin, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (14.9% ABV), medium intense and developed flavors much like the nose; the palate opens with a bang! pow - layers of ripe red and black berries; Saskatoons, cherries in every shade... did you know the vineyard used to be home to 5 acres of cherry trees?... followed by that warm Osoyoos earth, leathery cigar tones and finishing with slightly bitter espresso.
• conclusion:   I would drink this now if I had a few bottles in the cellar; the acid is still quite high but I don't envision the concentration lasting much longer. It most certainly will not develop further. Enjoy 2013-2014/5
• FOOD PAIRING:   with the bracing acidity, I would pair this first course with pate and let the two become the best of friends! Jacques Peppin's country-styled pate with spicy sauteed grapes, toasted currant and millet loaf

Chris and Beata certainly sent me a full selection of wines to develop my knowledge of both their portfolio and their terroir. The first people in BC, and probably the only people in Canada, to grow Tannat - this couple knows the meaning of "adventure". It has most certainly been an adventure for them as they developed their lives from desk-job to wine-guru; from air-conditioned cubicle to the roaring furnace of the Sonoran desert...

 A business coach of mine says "It is the job of the entrepreneur to be scared everyday. A day without fear is a day without chasing after the big clients, the big break-through, the big-value for our clients."

 I respect this winery, and it's owners. Not just for bucking tradition and being willing to try something new, but also for making it work. I can't imagine the ridicule that must have taken place when they planted a varietal known best for it's offerings from Uruguay! But - they made it work. Young vines still, I must admit to being intrigued by what will be coming in the near future. As I started this article, I spoke of tasting  the 2011 Cab-Sauv - Tannat blend which is, in a word, world-class.

Much like the winery itself. http://www.mooncurser.com/

my thanks to http://www.Leavetown.com for the photo!

I'm looking forward to your thoughts as you taste these wines for yourself...

 let me know @AStudentofWine (Twitter).

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

Las Perdices Cabernet Sauvignon, Lujan de Cuyo DOC, Argentina

There was once a joke in the wine industry that "It is the duty of all wines to be: red".

   Being a red wine drinker, I certainly have felt like that from time to time, but I am more inclined to follow the new adage that: "It is the duty of all wine to express terroir". Terroir: that inexplicably French term meaning the soil of a specific region, the wind, the quality of sunlight, the very energy of the people and how all of that translates into flavor of the grape.

   It is the duty of all wine to express where they are from; the land from whence it is grown, the tang of seasalt on the wind as it brushes the vineyards, the soft blanket of sunlight holding the grapes as they work their magic and transform from acidic berries to lush flavor bombs. It is the duty of wine to tell a tale of the people who worked the vineyards and toiled through the fermentation and maturation process. It's alot to ask from a bottle of wine, but is it too much to ask?

   In the early 1950's, Juan Munoz Lopez left Spain to begin a new life in Argentina. As I've said many times before (and will no doubt say many times again) I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who forges out on their own and begins their own something. Build a winery, open a car-repair shop, start a cupcake business - I think you are absolutely brave.

   I imagine it must have been difficult for Juan leaving friends and family and moving to the other side of the world. He must have felt quite alone as he walked through the fields of his new vineyard, his new life, and was trying to decide whether or not he had made "the right move". When along comes a partridge...

   Sounds like the opening line of a joke right? But no, seriously, Juan was walking the vineyards and was genuinely surprised by the number of wild partridges on his property. He asked his neighbours and they said that the partridges had always been there, and so the wild birds became constant companions on Juan's walks through the vineyards. It's easy to understand, then, how the vineyard became "Las Perdices" (The Partridges) rather then Domaine Juan Lopez... after all, hadn't the partridges been there first?

equipment at Las Perdices

   Juan's two sons now run the winery, and are developing a portfolio with international standing and respect. They have developed their skills and infrastructure to be able to allow the nuances of the grape to show through - even though their production has now reached a capacity of 900,000 Litres. They still use manual labor to pick the grapes, the grapes go through a sorting process not once, but twice, and the winery has invested in French and American oak barrels of the highest quality.

   It says alot, about this family's beliefs in quality above quantity, and striving every day to allow their wines to express themselves as completely as possible.

Las Perdices 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

(the town of) Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo DOC, Mendoza, Argentina

http://www.lasperdices.com/

14.5% ABV, $18 CAD  
90+ points, **Good Value**

ALTITUDE         1,030 meters above sea level

SOIL                    Alluvial origin, loam-lime, medium depth, supported by a layer of gravel.
MATURATION   aged for 6 months in French and American oak (new and used)

• visual:   clean; deep plum-garnet core with slight cherry rim (little brick)
• nose:   clean; moderate+ intense youthful aromas of red raspberries, red cherries, old leather, light vanilla, rich floral notes, black pepper on the end
• palate:   clean; dry, moderate+ (red currant) acids, moderate+ (slightly chalky and grippy) tannins, moderate+ alcohol, moderate body, moderately intense and youthful flavors of red raspberries and cherries, red currants, old leather, light notes of rich earth, slightly blackcurrant (cassis) finish. Very good balance and structure, medium length on palate
• conclusion:   Good value for the money, this wine will hold in the cellar to 2013 certainly. It's a well balanced wine but doesn't have alot of personal expression in it - still - much more then one would find for the same price from other regions
• PAIRINGS:   Good Cab-Sauv calls for good beef - try this with your roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, pot roast with crispy parsnips, or even just a well made burger~!

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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