Spier - 2005 Private Collection Sauvignon Blanc

Spier is a South African Winery who’s roots in the industry take back to the late 1600’s.  They make wines in as many as 6 different tiers. Prices, styles and intent range amongst the tiers. Over the next few days I’ll be looking at 4 wines in the Spier portfolio.

The 2005 Sauvignon Blanc is from the Private Collection. This is the highest rung on the Spier quality scale.  The wines at this level are from single vineyard plots and released in limited quantity each year assuming the selected grapes are up to snuff. Suggested retail price on this wine is approximately $28.

The nose of this wine opens with a lot of citrus which is underscored by a subtler but persistent grassiness. The first sip reveals and incredible fruitiness and well balanced acidity. This wine is rounder and more full bodied than the average Sauvignon Blanc. The mid palate continues the citrus theme with an undercurrent of pineapple and a touch of green pepper. The finish is long and persistent with spice notes closing things out.

For a Sauvignon Blanc that’s three years old as I write this, the Spier Private Collection is very fresh and lively. It has another 2-3 years of life ahead of it, assuming it’s well stored.

Truthfully I don’t often consider spending the sort of money on a Sauvignon Blanc that this wine goes for. That said it’s one of the more impressive and complex Sauvignon Blanc’s I’ve had in a long while. And while the retail is in the upper $20’s, this wine can be found for much closer to $20. At that price Spier is offering a wine that straddles the world of Sauvignon Blanc’s. It has the citrus associated with them in many parts of the world as well as some of the grassiness most often associated with Sauvignon Blanc emerging from New Zealand.

Up Next: Spier Private Collection Pinotage.

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Boggy Creek Vineyards - 2004 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon

The last wine I’m looking at from Boggy Creek Vineayrds this week is also the only blend. The 2004 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon is 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s worth noting that blending these two varietals is as traditional to Australia as the blending of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bordeaux.

This wine was aged in a combination of American and French Oak. The suggested retail price is $26. As with the other Boggy Creek Wines it’s finished in screw top.

Dark plum and raspberry jam notes emerge immediately in the nose. From the first taste a tremendous sense of spice character is revealed. It’s as strong and impressive as the fruit throughout the palate of this wine. One of the spices that comes out of the gate and stays with the wine is white pepper. The finish which is long and lingering reveals a significant undertone of earthiness which is the last thing from this one that stays with you. This wine drinks very well on it’s own due in part to it’s inherent silkiness. That said it’ll pair with a broad range of foods.

The 2004 Boggy Creek Vineyards Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon is the most elegant of the Boggy Creek wines I tasted. The combination of the two varietals presents a very smooth wine that at first blush seems mellower than the stand alone Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. In reality this wine is more subtle and complex than the stand alone varietals. Certainly a case of the whole being greater than the sum of it’s parts.

For $26 this wine offers a good value due to it’s combination of complexity and easy drink ability. It’ll last in the cellar for a few years, at least, but it’s ready to drink now. Boggy Creek Vineyards is making some fairly priced, well balanced wines. This is a producer to seek out for something outside the average from Australia.

Up Next: The wines of South Africa’s Spier.

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Boggy Creek Vineyards - 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

The final wine that’ll I’ll look at from Boggy Creek Vineayrds later this week is a blend. However today, the third wine I’m looking at from Boggy Creek is a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.

This wine spent 11 months in French oak and the suggested retail price is $18.

The Boggy Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon has a big nose of fresh raspberry and strawberry. White pepper, nutmeg jammy fruit and a touch of licorice come out front he first sip and carry through the mid-palate. A light vanilla bean note is evident all the way through this wines palate. The finish features a wallop of blackberry with an underlying mocha presence. This is a rich and full flavored wine with lots of fruit upfront and throughout. It’s not however over extracted or over-oaked. As with the other Boggy Creek Wines it’s well balanced and made for food. This would be a good match for a steak or dishes with lots of earthy mushrooms.

The 2004 Boggy Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignion has soft tannins and a round, smooth mouth feel. It’s ready to drink no and will also standup to near term cellaring. For $18 the wine has plenty of Cabernet character.

Coming Next: a Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Boggy Creek Vineyards.

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Boggy Creek Vineyards - 2004 Shiraz

Although their first vines were planted in 1978 and they produced wine ever since, the Boggy Creek Vineyards Label was not actually launched until 2000. With Shiraz being the benchmark grape of Australia and Boggy Creek being in a cool climate area I was very curious to see what they did with this wine.

The 2004 Boggy Creek Vineyards Shiraz is made of 100% Estate Grown fruit. It was aged in a combination of French and American Oak Barrels. The suggested retail price is $22.

This wine opens with a nose of black cherry, vanilla and spice notes. A ton of raspberry, blueberry and strawberry feature prominently throughout the palate along with a nice undercurrent of spices such as white pepper and nutmeg. The finish has touches of leather and earthiness along with subtler but present chicory notes that linger for a good long while. This wine will pair with a wide variety of foods. Pork chops, sausage and peppers, and grilled shish kabobs are just a couple of the choices that pop into my head when considering this wine.

The Boggy Creek Vineyards 2004 Shiraz has plenty of fruitiness to please those who like a wine that has pleasing bright fruit character. But this is a well balanced wine with good acidity. It has shows restraint and should also be of interest to those who prefer old world wines. In short this wine tows the line, lots of fruit, but in a classy manner. As with the other Boggy Creek Wines I’ve had the Shiraz is elegant and refined.

For $22 this probably isn’t a Wednesday night with leftovers wine for a lot of people. However It is a fairly priced wine for the quality. It has at least a few years of evolution ahead of it in the bottle. With that in mind it’s a good choice to stash a few of in the cellar for future enjoyment. Whether the future is Sunday Dinner in a month or Easter in 2010.

Up Next: Boggy Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Boggy Creek Vineyards - 2005 Unwooded Chardonnay

Boggy Creek Vineyards is located in Australia’s King Valley. This is one of the cooler climate areas of Australia and it tends to produce wines that have a bit of a different flavor profile than the what the average consumer thinks of when considering Australian wines. A couple of months back I had the opportunity to taste some Boggy Creek wines for the first time and I was impressed with their offerings across the board. So when the opportunity to take a closer look presented itself, I jumped at the chance. Over the next few days I’ll take a look at four releases from Boggy Creek Vineyards.

Today I’m looking at Boggy Creek Vineyards Unwooded Chardonnay. Frequent readers of my blog have no doubt noted my disdain for overoaked Chardonnay. This is a beautiful varietal when handled properly. Too often in California and to a lesser degree in Australia it’s mangled with absurd amounts of oak treatment. The 2005 Chardonnay from Boggy Creek Vineyards is the other extreme, no oak at all. This wine is finished in screw cap and the suggested retail is approximately $18.

The nose of the Boggy Creek Vineyards Chardonnay presents hazelnut, fig and citrus notes that really burst from the glass and envelop the senses. Taking the first sip I was hit with honeydew melon and copious tropical fruit notes. This Chardonnay is very fresh and crisp throughout. There is an excellent spiciness on the mid-palate that carries through the finish which is fairly lengthy. Good complexity is apparent through the length of this wine.

I found the 2005 Boggy Creek Vineyards Chardonnay to sip very well on it’s own. It will also match well with entree salads, grilled chicken, and a variety of cheeses. This is also an excellent choice to serve with appetizers at the beginning of a long meal.

The 2005 Unwooded Chardonnay from Boggy Creek is an incredibly pure and unadulterated expression of Chardonnay. Nothing gets in the way of the fruit exploding on your palate and making its charms known.

At a suggested retail of $18 this is a nice value.

Up Next: Boggy Creek Vineyards Shiraz

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Valentin Bianchi - 2005 Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon

The Valentin Bianchi Winery, bottles four separate Cabernet Sauvignons as stand alone varietals. They also use Cabernet in several blends, so clearly this is a grape that’s important to them. After Malbec, I happen to think that Cabernet is generally speaking one of the strongest varietals being produced in Argentina. Today I’m going to look at the 2005 Valentin Bianchi Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon.

As with the other two Valentin Bianchi wines I looked at this week, the 2005 Cabernet is 100% varietal. The wine spent 10 months in oak, one third each in new, one-year and two year old oak. The suggested retail price on it is $18.

This 2005 Cabernet’s nose is loaded with berry casis and mocha notes. The first sip reveals a lot of spice characteristics, which stay with the wine from beginning to end. Earthiness emerges on the mid-palate and stays through the finish, which is fairly long and lingering. The Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet is rich and mouth filling throughout. This is a pretty big wine and should be paired accordingly. Red meat, mushroom based dishes and strong cheeses are all safe bets

The oak on this Cabernet is apparent but well integrated and unobtrusive. This is smooth, elegant and well balanced for a Cabernet this young and at this price point. It has good complexity and enough structure for near-term aging. A Napa or Sonoma Cabernet of this quality would easily fetch twice the price. The Valentin Bianchi Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon is widely available for around $15. If you like well made Cabernet at a more than reasonable price point this one is a bit of a steal.

Imported by Quintessential Wines.

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Valentin Bianchi - 2005 Famiglia Malbec

Valentin Bianchi has several families or tiers of wines. A step up from the Elsa line whose Malbec I last looked at is the Famiglia Bianchi wines. I’ll be looking at two wines in this category. First up is the Famiglia Bianchi Malbec.

8,000 cases of this wine were made. Valentin Bianchi Famiglia Bianchi Malbec spent 10 months in new oak, with 80% of it French and the balance American. The suggested retail price is $18.

Strong plum aromas fill the nose of the Famiglia Bianchi Malbec. The first sip reveals mocha notes and dark berry fruit that carry on through a round, mouth-filling mid-palate that coat the back of the throat. A ton of black pepper emerges in the mid-palate and carries through the finish, which is fairly long and luxurious. A ton of spice notes present themselves throughout. This Malbec is wine that wants food. Grilled meats such as steak or a burger would be excellent accompaniments, as would strong cheeses.

The Famiglia Bianchi Malbec from Valentin Bianchi is a step up in refinement, silkiness and elegance from the Elsa. It has significantly more structure and complexity. I found it to really open up and be it’s best after 90 minutes in the decanter. . It has enough structure to suggest that it will evolve nicely for a few years and drink well for a few after that.

There are a lot of well-made wines coming out of Argentina made from a wide array of varietals. However for me Malbec remains their benchmark grape. Other regions make it, but when you want a great Malbec Argentina is the place to look. This release from Valentin Bianchi is a good place to start.

Imported by Quintessential Wines.

Coming Tomorrow: Valentin Bianchi Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon

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Valentin Bianchi - 2007 Elsa Malbec

Over the next couple of days I’ll be looking at three wines from Argentine producer Valentin Bianchi. And while they have an Eighty-year history in Argentina they also have roots that connect them to both Italy and California. The Italian heritage is Valentin Bianchi himself who founded the winery after immigrating to Argentina in 1920. The California connection came a bit later, in 1996, when the grandsons of the founder recruited well-regarded Napa based winemaker Robert Pepi as a consultant.

Valentin Bianchi makes several tiers of wines. Within those tiers they have a number of Malbecs. This isn’t surprising as Malbec is essentially the benchmark grape of Argentina. Malbecs can often provide some of the greatest values in Argentine wine as well as some of the most interesting releases. The 2007 Elsa Malbec saw a minimal amount of oak aging. 15,000 cases of it were imported into the US and it’s suggested retail price is about $9.

This wine is a deep purple in color with jammy berry fruit in the nose. The first sip reveals some light sour cherry notes that give way to darker berry and plum fruit in the mid-palate. The finish features some earthiness along with light vanilla and white pepper notes. This is a fruity approachable wine that will go nicely with a wide variety of foods. Strong cheeses and meat dishes would be a great match. A sausage and mushroom pizza would compliment it well also. With alcohol at a modest 13.5% this is an easy one to drink on it’s own as well.

For $9 the Elsa Malbec from Valentin Bianchi shows good varietal character in its category. Approximately 45 minutes in the decanter is recommended to get this wine to perform at it’s best. Once it opens up the Elsa Malbec proves itself to be a good value. It’s approachability; easy drinking style and sufficient complexity make it a wine to consider as an everyday red.

Imported by Quintessential Wines.

Up Next: Valentin Bianchi Famiglia Malbec.

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Clos La Chance - 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is the last wine from Clos La Chance I’ll be covering this week. Their Petite Sirah will be included in my coverage of that great varietal later in the month during Petite Sirah Week.

As the name indicates this wine is from Clos La Chance’s Estate Series. Cabernet Sauvignon represents 93% of this wine with Cabernet Franc making up the rest. 60% of the wine spent 27 months in new French Oak with 30% in 1 year French Oak. A modest 800 cases of this wine were bottled and it’s suggested retail price is $40.

The Clos La Chance Estate Cabernet’s nose opens brimming with leather, cedar and casis notes. That nose, no doubt elevated by the Cabernet Franc makes an impressive first impression. Dark berry and mocha present themselves from the first sip and carry onward to the mid palate which also adds in some earthiness and spice in the form of white pepper. That mid palate is big, round, rich and mouth-filling. Black pepper and additional earthiness by way of mushroom notes come out in the smooth, elegant finish. This is a nice big Cabernet Sauvignon that cries out for a steak or perhaps lamb chops to pair with it.

There is a present but approachable tannic structure to this wine. It’s drinkable right out of the bottle but a little time in the decanter is definitely suggested to allow it to blossom properly. This wine has the stuffing to evolve nicely and drink well for quite a few years. I’d guess it has at least 7-10 years of life ahead of it. In that time I’d expect what is already a present earthiness to emerge closer to the forefront.

Well made, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t inexpensive. For $40 I feel this wine is priced fairly. As with the other Clos La Chance wines I looked at this week, it’s well balanced and food friendly.

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Clos La Chance - 2005 -Black-Chinned Syrah

Today’s selection from Clos La Chance, a Syrah, is part of their Hummingbird series. This 2005 wine is 77% Syrah with the remainder being made up of Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignane and Petite Sirah. 24% of the wine spent 16 months in a combination of new, French and American oak. The total production on this wine was 4,700 cases and it’s suggested retail price is $18.

The Black-Chinned Syrah has a nose of mulled spices and berries. The first sip out of the glass reveals a host of blueberry notes.  the mid-palate has some earthiness and a hint of bacon fat that carries through to the finish which also features some pepper and vanilla notes. This wine will go well with grilled meats but also drinks nicely on it’s own.

This is a medium bodied wine with good acidity that’s also fairly smooth and easy drinking. It brings to mind wines of the Northern Rhone more than the average California Syrah. Part of that is likely due to the 12% Grenache which lends a nice balance to this wine.

Much like their numerous wine tiers, Clos La Chance’s wine club is full of options to those interested. If you happen to lean towards one of their wine tiers more than another, there’s likely a club option for you. I’m told that they take the wants and needs of their members very seriously and do whatever they can to accommodate them. Much more detailed information including specific discounts and benefits afforded for each level are available on the Wine Club portion of their website.

Coming Tomorrow: Clos La Chance 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

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