March 9, 2010

Impressive Haul of Value Gold Medal Wines

It has become a Wine Talk column tradition that following every Monterey Wine Competition since its inception in 1994 I devote part of an ensuing column to selected value gold medal wines.

The 17th annual Monterey Wine Competition was staged March 6-7 at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, CA. Here are the highlights from this week's nationally syndicated Creators Syndicate Wine Talk column:

EOS Estate Winery 2007 French Connection, Paso Robles ($18) — This red Bordeaux-style blend from the up-and-coming Paso Robles region is a steal in this price range. It was nominated for the sweepstakes round of voting for Best of Show, and thus was elevated from gold to platinum.

Ventana Vineyards 2007 Rubystone, Arroyo Seco ($18) — Another gold that was elevated to Platinum as a result of being nominated for Best of Show consideration. This red Rhone-style blend is heavy on the Grenache, which lends a pure red-fruit aroma profile. The scent of white pepper is unmistakable and very sexy. The previous vintage of Rubystone also earned gold and made it to the sweepstakes of the 2009 Monterey Wine Competition.

Castello Banfi 2008 Centine Bianco, Toscana ($12) — This blend of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay is a sensational everyday white, delivering refreshing and complex flavors at a low, low cost.

Lava Cap 2007 Barbera Reserve, El Dorado ($18) — The wines of California's Sierra Foothills aren't the easiest to find, but they are certainly worthy of the effort to seek them out. This one's great for grilled meats with savory seasonings or with flavorful pasta dishes.

Little Black Dress 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($11) — It's a feat to be able to tantalize the taste buds with a mass-produced commercial Cabernet, but Little Black Dress pulls it off consistently. If you're on a tight budget, this is a great Cab for the money. PS: At the same price, the Little Black Dress 2008 Chardonnay also earned Platinum!

Villa San-Juliette 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($15) — Dollar for dollar perhaps the best value in red wine I encountered at this year's Monterey competition. The winemaker, Adam LaZarre, is a rising star and his wines at Hahn Estates, his previous stop, were stellar over the better part of his decade there. This one was elevated to Platinum by virtue of its presence in the sweepstakes round.

Fleur de California 2007 Pinot Noir, Carneros ($17) — You simply don't find many gold medal Pinots for less than $20 a bottle. Or even $30 a bottle. So this wine stands out on the merits and the price. Get it while it lasts.

Fish Eye 2007 Pinot Noir, South Eastern Australia ($7) — See the above!

Jefferson Vineyards 2008 Petit Verdot, Virginia ($19) — I realize this wine from southern Virginia will be nearly impossible to source unless you are visiting the Charlottesville area for some reason, but I mention it because the panel that judged it loved it, and one even pegged it for a Virginia wine.

Segura Viudas 2003 Mas d'Aranyo Tempranillo, Penedes ($15) — We've been saying for some time that Spain is home to many of the greatest values in collectible red wine. I would be proud to have several bottles of this wine in my cellar — in fact, I do.

Tapena 2008 Tempranillo, Tierra de Castilla ($10) — These guys in the unregulated region of La Mancha are doing a fabulous job with huge volumes of Spanish reds and whites. You cannot only afford them, but they're also delicious!

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, Columbia Valley ($13) — In the world of inexpensive bubbly, this non-vintage beauty from Ste. Michelle is a standout. If you have a wedding or other large party planned for this spring and summer and hope to serve a good bubbly that won't break the bank, you could do way worse than this.

Navarro Vineyards 2008 Muscat Blanc, Anderson Valley ($19) — Though I know this wine would be difficult to find and Muscat, for some people, is a very hard sell, I am confident that no open-minded wine lover would fail to see the charms of this dry, well-balanced, floral beauty from one of California's most accomplished producers of aromatic white wines.

March 4, 2010

Massive Wine Losses from Earthquake in Chile

Saturday’s massive earthquake in Chile resulted in the deaths of at least 800 persons as well as terrible physical devastation.  Chile’s wine industry was hit particularly hard, and early estimates indicate that losses run to nearly $1 billion in spilled wine alone.  René Merino, president of Wines of Chile, pegged the losses at 150 million bottles worth of wine, though total losses may run much higher once the damage is assessed more precisely.  At current retail prices in the United States (for which Chile is the fourth leading source of imported wine), the loss would be worth roughly $975 million--and that figure does not include extensive physical damage to wineries or vineyards.

Damage to facilities and irrigation systems seems to be most serious in the Maule, Colchagua and Cachapoal valleys.  Much of the destruction resulted from the toppling of stainless steel fermenters and storage tanks, which appear to have crashed when legs snapped beneath the shaking, top-heavy tanks, which then took down adjacent vessels in a disastrous domino effect.  Stacked casks and bottles were also smashed in many areas.

Vineyards have also been imperiled just as the 2010 harvest is beginning in earnest.  Decades-old irrigation canals that channel run-off from the Andean snowpack to vineyard areas have collapsed or been severed.  Within the vineyards, widespread power outages have deprived vintners of power for the drip irrigation systems that would carry essential moisture to the vines at this very hot point in the growing season.  Back-up generators are in very short supply in the entire area south of Santiago, so damage to this year’s crop may add to the massive losses from last year’s harvest.