Excellent Red Wines Coming Out Of Argentina

You Know, There Are Some Excellent Red Wines Coming Out Of Argentina

By Kip Quinlan

So, what do you think of the wine? To be honest, I thought it was a little meek. Passable, but meek. Did you happen to catch what kind it was? Obviously, it’s a cabernet, but I can’t quite put my finger on the vineyard. Wherever it’s from, it’s certainly not the best I’ve had.

If our hosts wanted something nice, they might have done better with something from Argentina. A lot of people don’t know this, but there are some excellent red wines coming out of Argentina right now. Most people don’t think of Argentina as wine country, but you’d be amazed. There’s more to that country than the pampas and gauchos.

If you ask me, Argentine wines are highly undervalued. The Mendoza region is on par with the Simi Valley of California. For whatever reason, the Malbec grape just does really well there. It’s got a really fruity bouquet, but don’t hold that against it. The ‘99 Trapiche Iscay Merlot-Malbec offsets that fruitiness nicely. If you ever have the chance to buy a case, do not pass it up. I read in Wine Spectator that it’s going to be the next hot vintage and will be quite hard to come by soon.

Hold still—I think you have something on your sweater. There. Got it.

This is a great time for wine drinkers. I mean, we have so many options and choices available. And with the world economy in the toilet, there’s no shortage of great wines at great prices. It would be criminal not to take advantage of it.

If you’re interested in trying some Argentine wines, you could come over for a private tasting. I’d be happy to let you sample my stock. After all, my wine cellar’s gotten so full, I could really use some help clearing a little room! Anyway, here’s my card. Call me any time. I’m there all week, except when I’m on the boat.

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Counterpoint

I Hate You, I Hate You, I Hate You

By Natalie Tran

Is that right? Are there some excellent wines coming out of Argentina these days? Please, tell me more about Argentine wine. Tell me everything you know. I’m begging you.

God, what a colossal prick.

A lot of people here might enjoy this conversation, but I’m not one of them. Who gives a shit where you get your wine? The way you’re guzzling it, I’d be surprised if you can even taste it. And I’m really impressed by your references to gauchos and the pampas. What a worldly, cultured man you must be to know those two words. Should we have sex here or in one of the upstairs bedrooms?

I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.

If there’s one thing more irritating than wine guys, it’s wine guys with personal-space issues. I can hear you fine: Quit acting like the music’s so loud that you have no choice but to lean in close to my ear.

Do you ever shut up? I wish I lived in your world, where I could spew a nonstop stream of dull facts and think people actually care. If you love the Mendoza region so much, why don’t you move there? No, I’m not going to buy a case of anything, I’m just looking for a graceful way to get away from you. Where do you think you’re putting your hand? Oh my God. He actually just did the invisible-lint thing. I don’t think I’ve had a guy try that one on me since college.

This would be a great time to kick someone in the testicles. I wish I had the assertiveness to say something, but I haven’t even had a chance to open my mouth. I’ve just smiled politely and nodded. Won’t someone please get this guy away from me? Won’t someone please hold a loud conversation about golf or foreign cars that this guy will overhear and want to join? Oh, how I long to hear this man say to me, “Excuse me, but I need to set someone straight about the merits of the new Big Bertha XP-200 titanium driver.”

Thanks so much for your card. I’ll be sure to use it if I ever need a piece of scrap paper.

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McHugh’s Wine Fair

We has a stand at McHugh’s wine fair last Thursday night in the Marine Hotel in Sutton. It was a fundraiser for the local school with proceeds of the entry fee going to charity.

All the tickets were sold and the venue was packed. We were at the same event last year and it was striking that this year probably 80% of people who attended were women compared to maybe 60% last year. There was no match on so where were the men?

Another theme I observed was that even though we are settling into winter, rose wines are still very popular. We had 3 roses on tasting and we finsihed all the bottles we brought. Pinot Grigio is still as popular as ever.

 

Marchesini Pinot Grigio Rose

This wine won the 2009 NOffLA Gold Star for Rose under €15. It has a pale pink colour, the palate is dry but with ripe red berry fruit. Notes of strawberry. Very easy drinking wine with gentla acidity and a good length. Retails for around €11.49+

Pere Ventura Semi Sec Cava Rose

This is another 2009 NOffLA Gold Star winner picking up the award for best sparkling wine under €25. This sparkling rose, from the Penedes, is made from Garnacha and Monastrell. Medium dry with good length, ripe strawberry and raspberry fruit with balanced acidity. Retails from €16.99

 

 

 

 Concerta Pinot Grigio IGT Vallagarina

No gold star for this wine but I have to say that this new vintage is so good. Made in the IGT area of Vallagarina in Trentino Alto Adige. This is no insipid, watery pinot grigio. Instead it had plenty of delicious pear flavours with a good structure and generous length. Have never been a pinot grigio fan but this is certainly a wine that I will drink more often. Retails at €14.99 and the price reflects its quality.

Caves St Pierre Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes 2007

It’s been a long time since I drank a bottle  of Cotes du Rhone, and as I am trying to break away from my well established favourite wine regions, I decided to try a bottle of Cotes du Rhone rouge. The Southern Rhone had a number of different appellations including Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras etc but the real volume comes from the basic Cotes du Rhone. The grapes used for the red wines are Grencahe, Syrah and Mourvedre. These wines can have varying quality and can be blended from anywhere within the specified CDR region. The yield for these wines is 52hl/Hectare

Wines that are deemed to be better than basic CDR are entitled to the Cotes du Rhone Villages Appellation. There is a lower yield required, 38hl/Hectare, and the blend of grapes must be as follows ‘ Grenache 50% minimum, Syrah and / or Mourvèdre 20% minimum, other grape varieties tolerated within the Appellation, 20% maximum.’ Rhone Valley website. The soil and climate criteria are also stricter.

A named village will also be subject to these strict criteria and the yield is slightly lower at 37hl/Hectare. The appellation will still be Cotes du Rhone Villages but the name of the specific village will be prominent on the label, i.e. Cairanne, Rasteau, Sablet being some of the better known. Before becoming an appellation in its own right, Vacqueyras would have been a CDR Villages.

Caves St Pierre Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes 2007 was a lovely, bright medium ruby core with some purple on the rim. Dark fruit aromas of cherry and spice. Surprisingly elegant, in its context, with dark cherry fruit, some strawberry flavours and a decent length. Widely available at €12.99 but have seen it for less.

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Champagne Jacquart Portfolio Tasting

The Head Office of Champagne Jacquart with its famous mosaic facade

Thursday 22nd October. Last night I gave a Champagne Masterclass for The Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club . We tasted through most of the Champagne Jacquart range to show the diversity that Champagne has to offer.

Champagne Jacquart Extra Brut N.V.

We started with the Extra Brut which has a dosage of 5 grams per litre and has been aged on the lees for 5 years. This is an extremely dry wine. On the nose there were hints of yeast, pear and citrus notes. The palate was fresh with citrus and some pear fruits extending to a decent medium plus length. Perfect aperitif and if you are a model it has less calories than Brut Champagne!

 

 

 

 

 

Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaique N.V.

Next we tasted the Brut Mosaique. Brut is the most popular style of Champagne and is different from the Extra Brut in that it has a higher dosage of around 15g/l. It showed more on the nose with a mix of red fruit and lemon. The palate was fruitier and the Extra Brut seemed a tad acidic in comparison.

 

 

 

 

 

 Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaique 1996

We moved up a gear next and tasted our first vintage Champagne of the evening. 1996 was an excellent vintage in Champagne. The nose had more intensity than any of the other wines so far showing complex notes of honey, citrus, yeast (autolytic character) and white fruit. The palate had more body, some red fruit character, surprisingly fresh acidity and a superior length. I think this Champagne would be best drunk with food rather than on its own. A real jump in class 

 

 

 

 

 

 Champagne Jacquart Cuvee Brut de Nominee

This is the pretige cuvee from Jacquart. It is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Chardonnay. The blend has a high proportion of reserve wines from the 1996 vintage. Similar aromas to 1996. There were additional lime and grapefruit flavours on the palate but the length seemed shorter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaique Rose

Rose in Champagne can be made differently to a still rose wine. It is permitted to blend a red and a white wine to make a Champagne rose. The rose had the 3 grape varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in the blend. 15 % of this was Pinot Noir vinified as a red wine. The wine has a lovely salmon pink colour with a consistent flow of fine bubbles. Much more red fruit on the nose intermingling with brioche and hints of citrus. The palate was quite fruit forward in comparison to the two  previous wines. A lovely wine which is much more simple with a medium, refreshing length.

 

 

 Champagne Jacquart Brut Mosaique 1992

 A return to something more serious. The 1992 had much more autolytic character on the nose than the 1996. It had similar aromas but not as much cirtus character. This was also reflected on the palate where the 1992 was much less acidic. It had a medium plus body with nice rounded honey and red fruit character. Still going strong after 16 years

 

 

 

 

 

 Champagne Jacquart Demi Sec

The last Champagne of the evening .We ended with a sweet wine that would be most suitable matched with a dessert or paired with Foie Gras as a starter rather than on its own. The dosage is quite high at 35+g/l. Honey nose with brioche. Palate was extremely sweet, some red fruits but citrus flavours struggling to get past the sugar levels.

A really enjoyable tasting but quite testing on the palate and vocabulary