International Wine Club - August 2012
Learn the finer points to many of our Wine of the Month Club. Our club wines are expertly researched and selected for quality, value and uniqueness and every one has an interesting history. Here are some of the wines we are offering this month:
Les Caves Fleury - France
2009 Leo Vinis Bordeaux
The Bordeaux region in southwestern France has been famed in the wine trade for centuries. Bordeaux produces more classified wine than any other region in France. Bordeaux is most noted for the red wines of exceptional quality that it produces. Based on the centuries of grape growing and winemaking history in the region, the local regulations allow only six grape varieties to be used in the production of red wine. (You can actually grow whatever you want, but only the 6 authorized red grapes can be used in red wines labeled 'Bordeaux'). Of these grapes, only 5 are really in use today. They are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. The sixth grape, Carmenère, is nearly impossible to find in the region today. The percentage of each grape variety used in a particular red Bordeaux wine can change from year to year, depending on the climate, and how each variety has fared during the growing season. The percentage also varies from one wine estate to another. Les Caves Fleury has blended just two of these varietals for their 2009 vintage: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009 is Merlot dominated (75%) which has helped make it both rich and soft. This blend has a wood element that broadens the texture and enhances the black plum and berry flavors. The wine is ready now and will keep through 2014. Serve at room temperature with T-bone steaks, spicy dishes or strongly flavored cheeses.
Bodegas Palacio - Spain
2007 Glorioso Rioja DOC
The wine of Rioja is named after the river, Rio Oja which runs through the Oja Valley in the province of La Rioja in northern Spain. Rioja wine is the product of a long and varied tradition of winemaking in this area, which began in 11th century B.C. with the Phoenician settlers. Many of the Rioja vineyards were founded by the Ancient Romans, as is the case with several of Europe’s most renowned wine areas. Tempranillo is the most well-known and widely used grape to make red wine in Spain. It is a black grape often referred to as Spain’s noble grape which ripens several weeks prior to the other varieties and provides the full bodied-ness of red wines. Bodegas Palacio is a historic bodega founded in 1894 in Rioja Alavesa and boasts a long track record of success. They were pioneers in making high quality Rioja wines, following techniques from Bordeaux. The Cosme Palacio 1986 vintage was nothing short of a revolution, setting the stage for the wave of Rioja signature wines. Made from 100% Tempranillo, the Glorioso spent 12 months in 225 liter French oak Bordeaux barrels with 10 months bottle ageing prior to release. The color is an intense ruby red with aromas of dark and red fruits with hints of vanilla from the oak. The texture is very full with exceptional balance and a fruit concentrated finish. The wine is ready to be enjoyed now but will continue to improve for another two to three years with proper cellaring. Serve with roast beef, grilled pork chops, pasta with meat sauce, and rich cheeses like Gorgonzola.
ViniGalicia - Spain
2011 Conde de Orio Vino Blanco
The wine tradition of ViniGalicia was goes back over half a century to the Galician town of Chantada. In 1976, Manuel Méndez and his sons founded Vinícola de Chantada, S.A. Now, some 20 years after its foundation, with the third generation of the family now on board, ViniGalicia has been created: a company bringing together Vinícola de Chantada with other companies – Vía Romana Adegas e Viñedos, Conde de Orio – as well as other wineries around the different Galician designations of origin controlled by the group. It was the acquisition of those wineries in the main Galician and Spanish designations of origin allowed the company to enter into a new phase and develop its project in new markets it believed held potential. Only a love for wine can explain the struggle and determined effort to recover the historic vineyards of the area and to develop it with great hopes for the future. Today these motivations are joined by a new one: that its wide range of wine products should gain international renown. The latest offering from Conde de Orio is their popular Vino Blanco. The wine is made from equal parts Macabeo & Airén grapes using classical winemaking techniques. This wine boast a brilliant, pale-straw color with aromas of apple & citrus fruits on the nose. On the palate, the wine has a fresh liveliness which is refreshing & fruity with a clean finish. The perfect summer wine! It is ideally suited for vegetable and rice dishes, white fish, white meat or lovely by itself on the patio.
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