I remember tasting wines from Viña Leyda, the winery, back when nobody had heard of the Leyda Valley and people had just started talking about Chile's new cooler climate coastal regions lying, in this case, to the west of Santiago (and just south of the perhaps better known Casablanca valley), let alone other new areas further north e.g. Limarí, Elquí. Leyda was set up in 1997 and was the driving force behind creating a name-sake sub-region in 2002 (this could get confusing...). They've been busy since then too, as the estate now comes to nearly 250 hectares (towards 700 acres) of mostly 'cool' varieties as per my tasting notes below.
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27 May 2011
Rioja: Bodegas Alvarez Alfaro
Pablo Alvarez Alfaro set up cellar and vineyards in Aldeanueva de Ebro in rugged Rioja country at the end of the 19th Century, as the story goes, and the winery is still family run today. They have over 60 hetares (150 acres) of their own vineyards, where all the grapes are sourced from for three different wines. Their Viña Vieja is 100% old-vine Tempranillo and aged for eight months in new French oak, and the Crianza at least one year in American and French oak. These three reds were tasted in May 2011. More info on the winery, prices and where they export to follow. I’ve used my ‘new’ scoring system of one, two or three ‘ticks’ (good, very good, fabulous); or just plain 1 to 3 here.
Rioja Crianza 2007 (80% Tempranillo + Mazuelo, Garnacha, Graciano; 13.5% alc.) – still quite coconutty/cedary on nose and palate but it’s concentrated with vibrant blueberry/plum fruit vs liquorice and pepper edges vs savoury tones; firm and tight structure, nice tannins and fresh bite, balanced and elegant too; grainy finish vs berry fruit vs dry/sweet coating. Next day: gets tastier and less oaky with airing, attractive berry and spice vs sweet/dry tannins, more savoury finish. 2
Rioja Crianza 2008 (80% Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Garnacha, Graciano; 14% alc.) – cedary and ‘inky’ tones vs rich berry fruit vs vanilla oak; quite punchy and tight at the moment, refreshing undercurrent vs dark fruit with savoury hints vs cedar and coconut; hasn’t come together yet but it’s promising. 2
Alvarez Alfaro Viña Vieja Tempranillo 2010 (14%) – ‘reductive’ herbal hints layered with a fair bit of vanilla, lively alcohol/acidity combo on the palate vs lots of berry fruit, intense and chunky finish; needs a couple of years to settle down, something a bit different. 1-2
26 May 2011
Chile: rosé / rosado
Loica Pinot Noir Rosé from leyda.cl |
19 May 2011
Black cats and black grapes
Black grapes refers to a lively little Italian rosé - sorry, Sicilian (oops, there go the kneecaps...): 2010 Nero d'Avola made by Cantine Settesoli. Weighing in at 12.5% alc. and £4.99 a bottle at Tesco, this zingy vs creamy fruity rosé delivers plenty of redcurrant and raspberry with crisp finish; and is fairly versatile as a foodie wine (venison & red onion burgers from M&S, fish & chips, prawn Balti...).
From http://snickrt.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/gato-negro1.jpg |
More @ gatonegro.cl
15 May 2011
Cabardès
Languedoc: Cabardès
Cabardès reds: "...wacky mix of Med, Rhone and Southwest grapes..." (removed and lost by Blogger due to techno issues: if they don't put it back, I'll redo it at some point...)
Or just jump forwards in time a little to the latest report here:
Cabardès reds: "...wacky mix of Med, Rhone and Southwest grapes..." (removed and lost by Blogger due to techno issues: if they don't put it back, I'll redo it at some point...)
Or just jump forwards in time a little to the latest report here:
Languedoc: Cabardès (June 2012).
Loadsa Languedoc
New pieces on 'French Wed Wine', my 'mostly' Roussillon & Languedoc blog:
Cabardès reds: "...wacky mix of Med, Rhone and Southwest grapes..." (temporarily removed by Blogger due to techno issues: if they don't put it back, I'll redo it...)
Pézenas: "...claim to fame as one-time hang-out for playwright Molière..."
Saint-Chinian Berlou & Roquebrun: "... who's really getting behind these 'where on earth is that' mini-appellations..?"
Corbières & Boutenac: "...one of those new-fangled Languedoc subzones..." Plus my pick of straight 2010, 2009, 2008 Corbières red, white and rosé: "...hard work... disappointing line-up..."
Limoux: "...lavish whites and fizz..."
Domaine de l'Hortus, Pic Saint Loup
Pic Saint Loup: "... brings out the cynic in me..."
Picpoul de Pinet 2010: "What can I say..?"
La Clape: "...done that 'joke' to death... the whites had real character and class..."
In the pipeline: Minervois Muscats...
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Header image: Château de Flandry, Limoux, Languedoc. Background: Vineyard near Terrats in Les Aspres, Roussillon.