2007 Vina Falernia Carmenere Reserva, Chile

Color – Dark red, nearly black

Nose – Blackberry, black currant, vegetal notes, alcohol

Taste – I would love to be able to rate this Carmenere right up there with my favorites because it looks good in the glass, it smells pretty darn good, and even the initial sip starts off well, but everything goes downhill from there. There is a lot more fruit in this wine than I am used to in Carmenere; I can taste blackberry, plum, dark cherry right from the initial sip, but those flavors get eviscerated in the mid-palate with a massive dose of alcohol. It is so bad that the aftertaste is one that I am only familiar with in terms of cherry flavored Nyquil. Basically after the first hints of actual flavor the wine degrades into a mouthful of fruit flavored alcohol. You can still catch tinges of brown sugar and cut grass, but they are completely trampled by a long, Long, LONG aftertaste of alcohol. The tannins in this wine might be nice and firm or they might be flabby and flat, I honestly couldn’t tell you because I can’t find them. The only thing my palate can detect after the second sip is alcohol. I tried this over a period of five days and the wine didn’t get any better after decanting or being consumed at higher or lower temperatures. It is a fairly heavy bodied wine and that makes it even harder to slug down.

Overall, I would say pass on this train wreck of a 10 dollar wine. It is not a good QPR, it is a terrible QPR. This wine is overbearingly alcohol forward and not a wine at all but closer to a cough syrup in flavor and nearly in texture. The wine is “heavy” on the tongue and with the predominant flavor of alcohol-cherry-chemicals it brings memories of taking Nyquil when I had the flu growing up. If that is your idea of a good red wine then this one is for you. For everyone else, dump this down the toilet and get ANY OTHER CARMENERE IN THE WORLD (that’s how bad this wine is).

Vina Falernia Wines

Wine, the Journey So Far pt. 3

(I do not own the rights to this picture)

Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century. It has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production; however, it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape's naturally high acidity. - source Wikipedia-

On a recent trip to Total Wine & More, one of their wine experts recommended that I try a 2009 Beaujolais Cru. He had seen me perusing their rather paltry offerings of Bonarda and thought I would like either Beaujolais Cru or Cabernet Franc. After a brief glance of both varietals I opted for the Cabernet Franc only because I have had red blends with Cabernet Franc and at the time knew nothing about Beaujolais-Cru or the Gamay grape. Hindsight is 20/20 and I now wish I had gone the other route.

I purchased a few bottles of Beaujolais-Villages over the last two weeks and boy was I eves surprised at how much I enjoy this varietal. I’ve done some research now on the grape, Gamay, and on the wines that feature this grape. While the Beaujolais-Villages is not as complex, proud, and revered as the Beaujolais Cru, it comes in a close second. And I am finding myself enjoying this grape for reasons that other reds just can’t satisfy.

So another side of my palate is coming to maturity. That of the side that enjoys lightly-tannic, red wines that are less fruit forward with a nose that has more floral tendencies rather than fruit tendencies. I usually go for the big, bold red, something that you would drink with a great big steak, barbecue ribs, or a juicy burger. Beaujolais-Villages is a red wine that falls into the exact opposite category. That’s not to say that it’s a “sissy” wine or a flat, tasteless wine. In fact, it actually seems more complex than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec. The flavors that come across or more fleeting and delicate, and the wine itself can be hard to pair with food. But it is extraordinary when consumed by itself. This is truly a wine to savor on its own.

One of my favorite things about Beaujolais-Villages is that it’s a rather refreshing wine. Sometimes a red wine can be more “filling”, overwhelm my palate or just end up being too “heavy”. Beaujolais-Villages does not have that problem whatsoever. It feels and tastes light, but with a nice complexity and flavor transitions that are very pleasant. I have come to enjoy the aroma and flavor of flowers just as much as I enjoy wines that feature spice box aromas and flavors.

So my new favorite “go-to” wine on a given night is a nice Beaujolais-Villages. Now I understand that Beaujolais Cru will taste different, and I intend to sample a few bottles of Beaujolais Cru in the coming month, but Beaujolais-Villages is a good enough wine for me right now. According to wine experts the 2009 vintage of either Beaujolais-Villages or Beaujolais Cru is the best that has been produced in years due to a rather hot summer with little rain. The vines produced grapes of superior quality and ripeness for this sweet, small thick-skinned grape. I would say stock up on wines featuring the Gamay grape and of the 2009 vintage. Though you should definitely sample them rather than randomly buying a case as there are still a few “loser” bottles out there.

In all, this part of my journey with wine has been educational, as well as eye opening. My palate has once again been broadened where wine is considered. I’ve learned to love another red wine, this one light bodied from the Old World, specifically France. And I’ve found yet another wonderful wine to drink after a hard day at work. I would have to say my journey’s coming along quite nicely. What about yours?

2009 Finca Los Maza Coleccion Bonarda, Argentina

Color - Red

Nose - Strawberry, raspberry

Taste - This is nice and fruity on the first sip. I taste strawberry and cherry mostly and they linger into the mid-palate which is a little too full of tannins and heat for me, then on the medium finish the cherry takes on a sour flavor though it's not unpleasant and the heat lessens into a nice even warmth. In my opinion, this is a pretty decent bottle of vino, but it's really at its best if consumed right after uncorking. The tannins don't really mellow and if anything the heat intensifies after this breathes for a while. It's really a medium bodied wine but at times can seem heavier especially at warmer temperatures. Finally, I would guess that this will age well and actually taste better after some cellaring, it has the tannins to carry it and I would like to see what the flavor profile develops into after a year or two.

Overall, this is a decent wine but nothing amazing. It's just a notch under the Maipe Bonarda and nowhere near the Munoz de Toro (but that wine is perhaps an aberration for the Bonarda grape). This is pretty straightforward with little depth but I'm OK with that here. It's a decent refreshing wine if consumed immediately and slightly chilled. I'd definitely buy it again.

Finca Los Maza Wines

2009 Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

Color – Inky purple

Nose – Blueberry, cherry, blackberry

Taste – This wine is nicely fruit forward with blueberry, cherry, and other dark fruit right from the start. It’s not very complex, though the flavor transitions from fruit to soft tannins and muted alcohol, to a finish of caramel, oak, and chocolate. The tannins are larger and more pronounced upon first opening of the bottle, but they only mellow a touch, and the alcohol is really only present in the mid-palate and right at the beginning of the medium finish. The wine has a pleasant mouthfeel, though it tends to be “lighter” in weight in my mouth than I would have expected. There is also a small amount of burnt popcorn flavor right at the end of the finish that I have found I like in red wine. I would say this is medium bodied with a cool texture, and perhaps too few tannins for my taste, though the flavor itself is pleasant and inviting.

Overall, this is a decent performer in the 8 dollar bottle section of Cabernet Sauvignon. It doesn’t jump out at me with immense flavors or complexity, but it has solid flavors, depth, and mouthfeel. I would say the QPR is good for this wine as the quality is definitely present and the price is perfect. In my opinion, there are few 8 dollar reds that would fare this well, I would challenge you to find one and bring it to my attention. I would say this is a must try and one to keep in mind when planning any get together or for a house warming gift as this wine is good enough to give to just about anyone.

Anakena Wines

2009 Kalbarri Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia

Color – Ruby red

Nose – Raspberry, oak

Taste – The fact that the nose was so muted had me wondering if I’d gotten a dud of a wine. That and the fact that this wine features a “cute” drawing of a bird really had me wondering. But when I took my first sip, I was overjoyed to be proven wrong. The nose might be subdued, but the wine itself is not. It’s not a big, bold Cab rather this is a medium bodied Cab that features some very different flavors and textures. First off, I get some sour cranberries and sweet/sour red currants those fade to a nice mid-palate of roses and hints of mint, then there is a smooth transition to the medium-long finish that is filled once again with cranberries and some oaky black pepper flavors. The wine is a lot less “weighty” than most Cabernet Sauvignons, which works here. I was nicely surprised by the delicate flavors and textures rather than disappointed. This would go great with pizza or a burger maybe even a roast beef sandwich. It’s a nice change of pace from the “big” reds I normally favor, plus it’s priced right.

Overall, I would say this is a surprisingly good wine for the money. At 6 bucks you won’t find a lot of stellar wines and this isn’t stellar, but it is so far off the beaten path of what 6 dollar Cabs are that it’s refreshing and I will definitely buy it again. I would say pick this up for a sipping wine or as a way to introduce newcomers to red wines (though make sure to tell them that this isn’t a normal Cabernet Sauvignon). Good QPR, different enough to please my palate, and something I can enjoy just about any time of the day.

Kalbarri Wines