I’ve been impressed with the offerings from Valentin Bianchi for several years now. The thing that most hits home with me is their ability to craft well made, value driven wines at numerous price tiers. What I’ve found is that whether you buy one of their under $10 wines or one of their higher end wines such as Enzo Bianchi you’re getting a lot of value for your money. This is true throughout their many tiers of wine. That’s no small consideration, especially in the economic times we’re in. Today I’ll look at their Sparkling Wine.
The Valentin Bianchi Extra Brut Sparkling Wine is a Non Vintage offering. Fruit for this selection was sourced at two of their vineyards; Dona Elsa Estate and Las Parades Estate. The vines on these two parcels are an average of 760 meters above sea level. This offering is composed of Chardonnay (60%) and Pinot Noir (40%). This Sparkler was produced using the traditional French Champenoise method. 5,000 cases of this wine are produced per year of this wine and the suggested retail price is $29.99.
As I sit on my deck enjoying the one day of sun this late summer weekend has bestowed I continue to wonder why as a people we don’t drink more Sparkling Wine. For some reason it’s largely been relegated to New Years Eve and other celebrations. There is something about popping a cork on some bubbly during those times that signifies a party. But those are all positives, so why don’t we reach for it more often? I can’t answer that, but what I can do is make a more concerted effort to drink Sparkling Wines and cover them here when they stand out. This example from Valentin Bianchi is just another notch on their belt for me as a go to producer of Argentine Wine.
This Extra Brut has a nice yellow hue, slightly tinged by a splash of green bell pepper. Hints of apple, pear and a dash of vanilla are part of the inviting nose. This wine is full flavored and complex. Flaky biscuit, buttery apple pie crust, hazelnut and white pepper join the fruit to form an expressive palate. The finish on this South American Sparkling Wine is lengthy and persistent with spice elements providing a lasting tingle on the tongue and back of the throat.
Whether you choose to drink this Sparkling Wine from Valentin Bianchi with a meal or as a celebratory toast you’re going to enjoy it. This is a well made offering that continues the Bianchi tradition of over-delivering in its price point.
what they can do with Chardonnay. I found the Zinfandels quite tasty and was hopeful that the Chardonnay would follow suit.
Another day and a second Zinfandel from 
number of locations throughout California to make their wines. In addition to Wine, founders Scott Del Fava and his wife are also major motorcycle enthusiasts. Their future plans for a tasting room includes finding a location where both passions can co-exist for them and their customers. Their website is the first step in that direction with a member photo gallery. I’ll be looking at several of their releases this week, the first is a Zinfandel.
When most people think of Sparkling wine, Champagne comes to mind. In truth Champagne represents a small percentage of the sparkling wines out there. As time goes on there are more and more options as additional wineries and regions start experimenting with different styles of Sparkling wines. And of course many counties have long had their own traditions when it comes to them. Today I’ll look at an Argentine example from Trapiche.
show. It’s emerging here but not quite on the tip of every wine drinkers tongue yet. The question isn’t if Torrontes is going to break out and be everywhere, it’s when. This is an excellent varietal which most often produces floral wines with diverse food pairing possibilities. Today I’m going to look at a current release from Trapiche. If you shop for Argentine wines the name Trapiche is likely familiar; they make a wide range of offerings in several tiers. The Torrontes I’m examining today is from their varietals tier. These wines are under $15 and aimed at everyday affordability and enjoyment.
I really enjoy Riesling, but over the years I’ve had a hard time finding well priced examples that impress on any level. Too often the offerings on US shelves at an everyday drinking price-point are one dimensional and uninteresting at best. In many casing that single dimension is sweetness. While I enjoy this in a dessert wine, it’s not something I generally look for in table wines.
blink there’s a good chance you’ll miss them, which I almost did. Generally they’re not open for public tastings. On this particular occasion they were hosting a blind tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many other folks in the local wine community stopped by with a bottle of wine. Each bottle was in a brown paper bag and had a number assigned. I didn’t count exactly how many there where, or taste every one, but I think it was in the neighborhood of 50 Cabs. It was a fun time and it was nice to say hi to the Titus brothers, who are responsible from some very tasty wines. It put me in the mood to taste and report on more of their selections. Today I’ll look at their current release of Cabernet Franc.
distinctly. It was November of 1998; and it was still called Carmenet Winery. I went with my friend Dave with whom I write the website 
