Posted by Gabe on June 3, 2009
A few years ago at a large scale tasting I had the opportunity to try the Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon. After that I’ve had it from time to time and find it to be a very solid and consistent value in Chilean Cabernet. So when I discovered that they had also released a Carmenere I was pretty interested in tasting it.
The 2007 Root: 1 Carmenere is produced from fruit sourced in the Colchagua Valley. Since Chile has been unaffected by phylloxera the vines are original, ungrafted rootstock. In addition to Carmenere (75%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Syrah (10%) are part of the final blend. This offering spent 10 months in American oak. This wine routinely sells for around $10.99.
The nose of this Carmenere is very intense and features eucalyptus, dark vibrant blueberry, vanilla and subtle cedar notes. The dark berry continues on the palate which is just loaded with deep, delicious fruit accompanied by light crème brûlée and white pepper characteristics. Some brighter berry fruit notes intermingle throughout the palate and provide a nice counterpoint. The finish which is of medium length has kirsch liqueur and continued spice. This wine has soft tannins and sufficient acidity.
What I like most about this Carmenere is that it’ll pair well with a very wide variety of foods. I found that it went very well with Sausage & Peppers. But I wouldn’t hesitate to pair it with a dish of pasta or just about anything that comes off the grill. For a price that hovers right near $10 this wine offers varietal character and good value. Another solid entry from Root: 1.
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Posted by Gabe on February 19, 2009
I’ve been drinking wines from Montes in Chile for many years now. They have many different tiers of wines. I’ve personally gone back to those in the Alpha and Classic series most often. But I’ve found that there is value to be had in each of their categories. In addition to the various tiers they also have properties in other countries, under their umbrella, that produce wine. Over the next couple of days I’ll look at two wines from Montes in Chile and two from Kaiken their Argentine operation. First up is a blend.
The 2006 Montes Cabernet Sauvignon/Carménère is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Carménère. 70% of the wine was separately aged in American oak for 6 months. This wine, is one of three, in the Montes Limited Selection series Each of them has a suggested retail price of $17.
Cedar and blackberry notes are prominent in the nose of this wine. Throughout the palate red and black berry fruit notes star alongside, subtle but present, spice notes. Sweet dark chocolate leads the finish, followed by espresso, black pepper and earth notes. The finish is above average in length. This offering is well balanced with good acidity.
I found this wine to be fairly open and accessible from the word go. But it really opened up, and hit a new plateau of expressiveness, after about 45 minutes in the decanter. What I like best about this wine is how the 2 components in the blend work off of each other. The Cabernet provides structure and bright berry fruit. The Carménère softens things up and chips in a round, lush, slightly jammy mouth-feel. Combined together, they form a nice package. This offering should drink well for the next 4-5 years at minimum. While the retail price is $17, wine-searcher shows that it’s often available for less than $15. It pairs well with full flavored foods and drinks nicely on it’s own. Taking everything into account, this is a pretty nice value.
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Posted by Gabe on December 12, 2007
Napa and Sonoma get a lot of attention for producing great wines. Much of it is deserved, but there are several areas in California that aren’t as well known yet, also producing noteworthy wines. One of those regions is Lake County California. Many well known wineries from outside Lake County have been sourcing fruit there for years. Now the number of wineries in the area is also growing.
One of these Wineries is Shannon Ridge. They were founded in 2002 and currently produce about 13,000 cases of wine. Their winery sits on 1,000 acres in Lake County. Eventually they plan to have between 60 and 70 percent of that land under vine. The rest will be preserved for the wildlife that roam the area in and around them.
Sauvignon Blanc is one of 3 whites Shannon Ridge made in the 2006 vintage. It hits you immediately with a big nose full of citrus and guava notes. The first sips are surprising considering how big the nose is. This Sauvignon Blanc hits the palate gently at first. The citrus is present but not overwhelming. The mid palate of this wine is quite delightful. It absolutely dances on the tongue, balancing citrus, gooseberry and a nice acidity. It fills the mouth, but drinks smoothly with no sharp edges. The finish is significant, long enough in fact to be noticeable and impressive. Although this Sauvignon Blanc drinks beautifully on it’s own, it will also pair well with a variety of different foods. I found it to be a wonderful match with Chinese Pork Dumplings. The suggested retail price is $16.00 although Wine-Searcher.com shows it can be found in some shops for a few dollars less. Well worth the money.
At just over 3,700 cases the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon stands as Shannon Ridge’s largest production of 2006. The Sauvignon Blanc was close at 3,600 cases. The Cabernet has berries on the nose and the first sip reveals a touch of tartness. This likely comes from the
10% Petite Verdot that was blended in. After the wine had time to breathe that touch of tartness softened up and the wine had a more luxurious quality to it. White pepper is the story of this Cabernet’s mid palate. If you enjoy the spice on your tongue and the back of your throat that comes from those peppery notes this is indeed a Cabernet to seek out. Along with the spice there are lots of deep, dark berry notes present. A touch of oak shows up but does not overwhelm the palate in any way. This is definitely a Cabernet that is ready to drink now. It will also marry well with a wide variety of foods. I had it with pork and it was a nice accompaniment. It’s is however a Cabernet Sauvignon that is smooth enough to enjoy on it’s own. The suggested retail price is $19.00 but Wine-Searcher once again shows it can be found for a couple of dollars less in some instances. A solid Cabernet to drink in it’s youth and a must for lovers of strong white pepper notes.
Significantly smaller in production than the other two wines is their 2006 Syrah. This less than 1,500 case lot has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petite Verdot blended in. The first thing that hit me from this Syrah was a huge nose filled with Blackberries. Sipping it the Syrah reveals itself to be pretty big and bold. There is a bit of jam that brings to mind Zinfandel. That thought only lingers briefly though. The mid palate brings on some mocha notes and more dark berry fruit. This Syrah is full bodied, mouth filling and an absolute pleasure to drink. The finish has blueberry notes as well as a hint of malted chocolate. It lingers on the palate for a good long while. A treat to drink on it’s own this Syrah will pair well with roasted meats, BBQ and perhaps even dark chocolate among others. Retail on this wine is also $19.00. As with the others I found it to be fairly priced.
All three wines I previewed from Shannon Ridge Vineyards and Winery are enjoyable and worth seeking out. However, I found the Sauvignon Blanc to be the most unique of the three and worth going that extra mile to find if you have to. In the grand scheme of things Shannon Ridge are a fairly young operation. With these wines, they show themselves to be one to watch.
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah/Shiraz, Wine | 4 Comments »
Posted by Gabe on December 7, 2007
The 2005 Chaman de Santa Cruz is a 50/50 blend of Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon. 
The Carmenere grape has been making some noise in Chile over the last decade. Prior to that it had been sometimes confused in the vineyard with Merlot. This after it was wiped out in Europe in the late 1800′s due to Phylloxera.
Carmenere is softer with less tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon and is thus often used to blend. Some wineries will bottle it as a varietal, but more often than not it plays a supporting role.
In this case Carmenere is the equal partner of Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is pretty big, once this wine has had some time to breathe. The initial hit is blueberry pie. Chaman is rich and mouth-filling with a lush texture. The mid palate features some white pepper to go along with copious berry fruit notes. The finish has a slight, almost imperceptible tannic bite. Mocha notes however dominate the finish which is a pretty lengthy one cosnidering this wine is selling for around $12.00. Chaman is unlikely to improve at all in the bottle as it’s built to drink young. It should hold and remain enjoyable for a couple of years.
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