Dallas Wine Chick

Moet Hennessy Portfolio: Taking Dallas By Storm

I recently attended a trade event at the Mansion on Turtle Creek hosted by Sigel’s featuring the Moet Hennessy portfolio available in Texas.  When I received the invitation, a few things caught my eye.  First, Manuel Louzado from Numanthia was on the list and I love, love, love his wines.  Second, Cloudy Bay winemaker, Sarah Burton, who recently hosted #nzwines, was also in attendance so I wanted to talk to her about that event and her experience.

It was a star-studded winemakers line-up featuring Cape Mentelle, Chateau de Sancerre, Chandon, Numanthia, Lapostolle, Newton, Cheval des Andes, Cloudy Bay and Terrazas de los Andes.  Most of the vineyards had their wine makers in attendance.  I was in heaven.

I tried a number of wines that day, but I thought I’d give you some of the highlights that I really enjoyed.  You can find all of these at Sigel’s if you want to “taste along.”

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 07 – If you read my recent column about my New Zealand wine experience, you’ll note that I was very impressed with the Pinot Noirs.  This one continued that trend for me.  It was spicy with cherry notes and an earthiness that made me want more. 

Cape Mentelle – I really enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blend from this Australian winery, but the 04 Cabernet stood out to me.  It showed very well with notes of blackberry, tobacco and a nice balance.

Chandon – What can I say?  I’m a sparkling girl and the Etoile Brut was elegant with notes of hazelnut, apple and citrus.  I had a great conversation with winemaker, Tom Tiburzi, and he told me about how this blend changes yearly based on what he feels will work the best from the grapes as opposed to his other more value-oriented sparkling that must stay true to what consumers expect.  I also tried the Extra Dry Muscat Cannali, which is definitely the perfect off dry sparkling wine with Asian food.

Chateau de Sancerre had two wonderful whites.  I first became a fan of this after Scott Barber from the Commissary served it at an event.  I tried the Chateau de Sancerre white, which had floral and citrus, but with the minerality that I like in a Sancerre wine.  Then I tried the Chateau de Sancerre Cuvee du Connetable.  Wow – complex, while intense, creamy, almost buttery with mineral notes and vanilla.  Bravo!

Lapostolle – I have a soft place in my heart for them because they have a very drinkable and affordable Sauvignon Blanc that becomes my wine of choice when we go to Punta Mita.  However, I had never ventured out of their value wine category.  I really enjoyed three of their wines.  The first was the Borobo, a blend of five different French varietals, originally put together due to a bet between two winemakers to see if a blend could be made from two vineyards.  The winemaker upped the ante and blended three.  Trust me – he could and it’s good.  The second one is Canto de Apalta, a fabulous Bordeaux blend that will debut in May and retail for $19.  This has been described as the “baby Apalta,” one of the top cuvees and rated #1 by The Wine Spectator in 2008.  You should discover this when it launches and quickly.  It is a fabulous deal.  The final wine was the los Apalta, the flagship wine I described before.  Lots of blackberry, cherry, spiciness and a velvet finish.    

Newton Vineyards – Winemaker Chris Millard was representing this popular Spring Mountain winery.  If you are a chardonnay fan, you should try the 09 unfiltered chardonnay deemed as a “non-Chardonnay drinkers” Chardonnay.  Lots of almond and a very nice wine either with food or without.  Then we jumped to the 08 Puzzle, a red blend that changes yearly-  hence the name.  This was a wine with finesse, elegance, silkiness, cherry, licorice, vanilla, chocolate and mocha. 

Terrazas de los Andes – I had the chance during a wine event in 2011 to try the value and mid-range wines, so I immediately asked for the Afincado Malbec.  I tasted vanilla, blackberries, oak and some floral notes.

Cheval des Andes – Would love to have tasted the fruits from the partnership of Terrazas de los Andes and well-known Chateau Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux, but alas, they had no more wine. Next.

Finally, Numanthia and Manuel Louzada.  I had the chance to talk to Manuel about a wine group that I belong to and the second and third-growth tastings that we did of iconic wines.  His wines were fabulous in every tier.  I loved his descriptions of the three wines.  He talked about the Numanthia Termes as being geared to capture the vibrancy and the loveliness of the fruit with “newbie” vines between 30-50 years old.  The 08 Numanthia, featuring vines between 60-100 years old, is built to deliver massive power and elegance.  Louzada compared this to the body of an athlete with “beautiful lines outside, massive character inside.”  It’s an elegant wine and wonderful.  But then we moved to the 07 Termanthia.  He described it as one of the few vineyards where “all the stars aligned.” I admit it – I had to stop him to “take a moment” to savor this wine.  It’s velvet, it’s silky, and it is dark.  I smelled truffles, mocha, chocolate, black fruit and this was just of a bottle not decanted for long.  Also, I was fascinated with the story of the vines being compared to the city of Numanthia that survived a 20-year siege only to come under attack again.  The city decided it would not be taken and essentially they burned it with everyone inside.  It’s called the Numanthia resistance.   These vines have survived their own resistance – through pholoxia, through extreme temperatures and through hard growing conditions.  Viva de Numanthia and long live these grapes!

Tapena’s Most Creative Piropo Winner

Now it’s time to announce the winner of the poetry into action contest with Tapena.  You were all creative and had some fun ways to personify your love affair with the grape. 

I’m happy to announce that Jacqueline Medina is the winner of the most creative Piropo.  She wins a four-pack of wines, a Spanish-themed cookbook and some other fun material for her “love is like wine, it tastes much better as it gets older.”  As someone who has been married for nearly 18 years, I raise my glass and respectfully agree.  Jacqueline, contact me  and I’ll get your prize to you.

Tapena’s Most Creative Piropo Winner

Now it’s time to announce the winner of the poetry into action contest with Tapena.  You were all creative and had some fun ways to personify your love affair with the grape. 

I’m happy to announce that Jacqueline Medina is the winner of the most creative Piropo.  She wins a four-pack of wines, a Spanish-themed cookbook and some other fun material for her “love is like wine, it tastes much better as it gets older.”  As someone who has been married for nearly 18 years, I raise my glass and respectfully agree.  Jacqueline, contact me  and I’ll get your prize to you.

Brown Bagging: A Blind Tasting Experience

Before the holidays, a group of Dallas-based wine folks gathered together for our first brown bag tasting event.  We tried ten wines in an informal format at Campania Pizza in Uptown, who was generous enough to waive the corkage fee. 

The parameters were wide open – a red wine in the neighborhood of $20-25 a bottle.  I was really intrigued to see what the group would bring as it was a varied group of wine lovers – some formally trained and some self taught – all interested in continuing their journey with wine. 

Here was the line-up and my reactions:

• Cooper L’inizio – 2008 (Washington).  After hosting Neal Cooper on his first Dallas visit last year and being impressed with Washington State wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2010, I thought I’d bring something that the rest of the tasters couldn’t get in Texas.  Note that I did break the rules a bit and bring a bottle that is now estimated to sell around $40 in very limited quantities.  Definitely in my top three wines.
• Inwood Estates 2008 Cornelius (Texas) I admit it – I continue to struggle with the price point and payoff of this wine.  @jftxwine brought it as the zinger of the night and I tasted concrete and something sweet that didn’t work for me especially at $40.
• Petalos Bierzo 09 (Spain).  I tasted blueberry, spice and a hint of floral, which may have been lavender.
• La Vierge,” Cahors 07 (France), smoky, dark cherry, flinty, meaty and earthy.  This wine is referred to as the “French Malbec”
• Mollydooker The Boxer (Australia) – After having the ability to spend some time with Sparky and Mum late last year, talking about these guys is like talking about family.  I tasted big berry, licorice, oak and cedar.
• Bodini Malbec – 2010 (Argentina).  Berry, meaty, licorice abound in this juicy Malbec.
• Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon 09 (California).  Cherry, cassis, coffee and some spice.
• Haven’s Meritage 09 Rutherford (California).  Blueberries, vanilla, spice and a big juicy red.  Definitely in my top three wines.
• Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 09 (France).  Raspberry, cardamom, smoky with a little pepper.  On my top three list.
• Pagos del Moncejo Garnacha 08 (Spain).  Cedar, spice, vanilla and cherry.

We had a great time, ate some really good pizza and enjoyed diverse wines from around the world.  Our next brown bag tasting is in early February and we’ll taste Pinot Noirs.  I just happen to have another surprise in store.

The Blind Wine Chick Has Line of Sight to A Great Chardonnay

When I got an email entitled The “Blind Wine Chick,” I was intrigued.  I assumed that it had something to do with testing my own palate in a blind tasting.  I quickly came to realize that the email was about Alexandra Elman, an American oenophile and successful wine entrepreneur, who lost her sight due to complications from diabetes at the age of 27.

Courtesy of Doug Holt Photography

Elman was born to an oenophile father and a Brazilian chef mother.  She spent her youth in Brazil, France and New York exposed to food and wine.  These experiences honed her passion for wine and she worked for Perrier-Jouet Champagne in France and later Sherry Lehman.  Working for these firms exposed her to some of the lesser-known wines in the world, which seemed more honest to her than many of the larger labels.

Elman’s blindness never slowed her down.  She continues to search the world for the best wines to bring to the U.S.; however, now she has her seeing-eye dog, Hanley, as her companion.  In 2009, she created her own label, Alex Elman Wines, which was released in November 2010.  The focus – sustainability and representation of the wine’s terrior. 

Our group tried four varietals from Argentina—a Chardonnay, a Torrontés, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Malbec.  The two group favorites were the Chardonnay – yes, stop the presses!  It was a crisp white with notes of green apple, toast and vanilla.  In other words, a Chardonnay that appeals to those who do not usually like Chardonnay.  The other was the Cabernet Sauvignon with its big berry, licorice and notes of cedar.  All bottles retail for under $15.

Taste, Value & Sustainability: Santa Julia Wines Deliver

Julia Zuccardi from Santa Julia

Last month I attended a lunch at Komali to introduce Santa Julia wines from Argentina to the Dallas market.  Julia Zuccardi, the namesake of Santa Julia and a third-generation family member of one of Argentina’s family-owned wineries, was our gracious host.  In her words, and said with a smile, “my father named the winery after me because he thinks I am a saint.”

Ana Rodriguez Armisen of Santa Julia’s Casa del Visitante jointly planned the menu with Abraham Salum of Komali and it was focused on Argentinean cuisine.  I felt like I needed expando pants by the time I finished the three appetizers followed by a four course menu paired with seven wines.  I had taken the afternoon off as we had what is known as a very leisurely European lunch and a few of us were checking our watches after two and a half hours due to other commitments as much as we would have loved to stay.

Santa Julia wines are all about sustainability and focused on four pillars — people, vineyard, energy conservation/reclamation and environment.  The wines are bottled in lighter weight glass to lower carbon emissions and organic wines comprise of 30 percent of the vineyard.  The Mendoza-based vineyards grow estate-planted grapes and the wines retail for under $13.

We started with passed hors d-oeuvres — sopes de tinga de pollo con queso fresco, slices of grilled beef over home-made countryside bread and chimichurrie sauce, which was later demonstrated by Armisen; and grapes and raisin bread with goat ricotta cheese dressing of frantoio olive oil from the estate, black olives and fresh arugula.  The wines included the Santa Julia 10 Organico Cabernet Sauvignon with lots of cherry and spice; the 09 Organico Malbec with mocha, chocolate, deep berry and vanilla; as well as the Santa Julia Brut Rose NV with red fruits, floral essence and a creamy texture.  I was really impressed with the sparkling especially at a price point of $10.

Already full, we moved to our first course — a fresh green salad with mustard shoots, carob’s bread croutons, grapefruit and cured trout with a grapefruit juice and manzanilla olive oil dressing paired with 10 Santa Julia Torrontes.  What a fabulous pairing – the grapefruit, peach and minerality worked exceptionally well with the salad. This is a great wine for $10.

Our second course paired with a roasted snapper filet, pumpkin seed pipian and nopal salad was matched with the 10 Santa Julia Organica Chardonnay.  The pairing worked, but this was my least favorite wine tried, but still a solid chardonnay option for $11.

The third course was grilled lamb with crispy smashed potatoes with frantoio olive oil, Malbec reduction and warming salsa criolla paired with two 09 reserve wines. The first is the Santa Julia Reserva Malbec with fig, chocolate, terrior and mocha.  This was a more balanced and deep wine than the first Malbec tried.  The second wine was the Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet with black cherry, currant, leather and blackberry.

The grand finale, and it was fabulous, was a capirotada-Mexican bread pudding with piloncillo syrup, Mexican raisins, fresh mango and queso Cotija matched with an 09 Santa Julia Tardio, la ate harvest Torrontes.  The bread pudding was almost cobbler like and one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time.  Matched with the Tardio, the dried orange peel, apricot, honeysuckle and almond present in the wine was one of the most sublime combinations I’ve ever tried.

Cliff Raven Wines: Michelangelo of Tattoo Has Grape Art

Those of you that know me well know that I am not a big fan of the oversaturation of tattoo-oriented art with brands like Ed Hardy. I drew the line when I saw kid oriented tattoos in the gumball machine at the local grocery store. I actually think I was on one of my rants when I got the direct message from Cliff Raven wines asking if I wanted to try its wines. You see, Cliff Raven was one of the early pioneers in tattooing and the first to incorporate the Japanese art of Irizumi or full body tattoos with American influences. But could the Michelangelo of Tattoos have a good wine? Granted – the winemaker behind the project is Hector Durigutti, who is well known as one of the most sought after winemakers in Argentina and noted for bringing Malbec to its current popularity.

A few weeks later, two bottles arrived in the mail and a few weeks after that in the midst of Dallas Blizzard 2011, I asked some friends to come over and sample them with me. We started with the 2010 Torrontes from Argentina. I smelled almost a sweet floral smell upon first swirl, but it had a dry finish with lots of stone fruit. Very nice and a bargain at $14.99.

Our next wine was the 09 Malbec, which was the absolutely star of the snowy night and at $14.99 earns a place on my “must try” list of wines under $15 wines. This one was velvety “like buttah” and was a deep red color. Lots of plum, chocolate, red fruit and I loved the balance.

Once again, I learned that you can’t judge a book by its cover and while I probably am not going to advocate for a tattoo of my own, I am a fan of Cliff Raven wines. The wines just gained online distribution, so to check them out, go to http://www.bevmax.com.