New Year, New Wines !

Why not kick off the New Year with new wine grapes you don’t’ know….but should know.   The four wines below, all of which are from outside the USA, need to be on your 2023 list.   Don't expect to recognize them, but do know that they are going to be among the best wine deals you buy this year.  Because there is limited demand for these little known wine gems, prices are a steal! 

There’s something for everyone in this article.  Two are white wines, and there are two for red lovers.  One is from South America, and the other three are European (Spain, Italy & Croatia.)   The PQR for all is superb.

                        Wine from Spain's Bierzo is becoming red-hot for wine lovers in-the-know
                                         

Bierzo (Spanish red)

Want a complex red that won’t break the bank?  Bierzo has your name on it.  Produced in Spain’s northwest region (near the Portuguese border), Bierzo is not only the name of the wine, but the wine region as well.  The grape is Mencia (men-thee-ah) and it’s attracted a lot of attention in the last few years from savvy wine consumers around the globe.  Mencia, the only red grape allowed by law in Bierzo, is known for high quality wines with red fruit and floral nuances.

Best producers:   Aportela, Avancia (about $15 each)

                            WineKnows have a memorable day at El Enemigo in Mendoza, Argentina

Bonarda (Argentinean red)

I blogged about this varietal in November in an article titled, “The Noah’s Ark of Wines.”   A nearly extinct varietal, Bonarda has become somewhat of a “cult” wine.  Known as Charbono in the US, Bonarda remains popular in Chile & Argentina for its black fruit flavors often with an interesting mélange of licorice.  Good acidity make Bonarda an ideal food wine.

Best producers:  Bodega El Enemigo Aleana Single Vineyard ($20), or Familia Zuccardi Emma Bonarda ($35)

                   One or two spots remain on WineKnows' private Croatian yacht in September 

Posip (Croatian white)

If you’re turning up your nose at a Croatian wine, don’t because you’ll miss a great summer wine.   Posip is an aromatic, flavor-chocked grape that screams summer-by-the-sea.   This little sleeper wine delivers big flavors ranging from lemons to figs….with apricots and almonds tossed in for a bonus.   Posip is difficult to find because it is not yet well known, but I promise it’s worth seeking out.

Suggested producers:  Merga Vieta comes to the US and it’s 20 bucks a pop.  One step up is Saints Hill, available for $37.  (Both are available via CroatianPremiumWines.com)

                    A sip of Vermentino can instantly transport you to the the Italian coastline

Vermentino (Italian white)

The Vermentino grape has been a favorite of mine for >30 years.  If you’ve been to the Cinque Terre, the Tuscan coast, or the island of Sardenia and ordered a glass of white wine in a good restaurant you were most likely served a Vermentino.    It’s a taste of summer in your glass:  peaches, lemons & flowers.  If this one doesn’t grab you at ciao, you may have serious jet lag as even the modest renditions of this wine are perfect for a summer's day on the Mediterranean.

Best producers:   Argiolas or Pala (both Sardenian)

 

Happy New Wines in the New Year!

Charbono: Noah’s Ark of Nearly Extinct Grapes

               Charbono thrives in climates where there is a huge swing between day & night temps

Charbono has been declared an “endangered” grape by Slow Food.  (The Slow Food movement begin >30 years ago when an Italian food journalist took a stand against fast food by protesting the opening of McDonald’s in the heart of ancient Rome.)   A nearly extinct varietal, Charbono has become somewhat of a cult wine.   First, because it is produced in very limited quantities in the US.   Secondly, it has a loyal following of connoisseurs. 

 

In Argentina, however, Charbono is surprisingly the most widely planted red grape after Malbec.  In South America (above photo), Charbono is called Bonarda.  It was imported to Argentina by Italian immigrants.  In fact, this dark red grape is thought to have originated in Italy.

 

                             The Charbono grape is late ripening so it's one of the last picked

Charbono (aka Bonarda), is thought to have first been planted 3,000 years ago by the Etruscans in Italy.   Today, relatively little of the grape remains in Europe with the exception of the France’s Savoie region in the southeast.  Most of these grapes have now taken root in the New World with Argentina leading the production.

 

Currently there are fewer than 100 acres of Charbono grapes in California.   The most ideal location for the grape appears to be the microclimate of the Calistoga area.  Calistoga is about 10 degrees warmer than lower parts of the Napa Valley, but it’s the cooling nighttime fog brought in along the Russian River that makes this area ideal.  In Argentina, the Andes mountain vineyards also provide for hot days and cold nights.  Known as a “diurnal shift,” these dramatic differences between day and night temperature allow Charbono to ripen but to also keep its acidity. 

           In France Charbono is called Douce Noir & it is grown at the foot of the Alps

So what does Charbono offer in one’s glass?   Its color is a deep inky purple due to the large amount of dark pigments in the grape’s skin.  On the nose, think dark-red and black fruits (e.g. blackberries, cherries and plums) mixed with an interesting mélange of flavors such as licorice and tobacco---that can develop into leather or tar as it age).  In the mouth, the wine serves up flavors of black fruits, medium tannins, and a solid acid structure making it a perfect pairing for foods.

Here are my recommendations for Charbonos/Bonardas to try (listed in order of price):

• Bodega Aleana El Enemigo Single Vineyard:  $20  (BEST BUY FOR QUALITY)

• Hobo Wines Folk Machine (California):  $25

• Familia Zuccardi’s Emma Bonarda  (Argentina):  $35

• Robert Foley (California):  $45

Buy a bottle before it's too late!

Argentina’s Napa Valley

                                         The breathtaking Andes offer a breathtaking backdrop

Mendoza is the Napa of 30-40 years ago...on the eve of the cusp of change. Like Napa which was once a bucolic, traffic free, agricultural area where a wide variety of crops were grown, Mendoza is now witnessing a plethora of new wineries, and along with them are new foodie restaurants and luxury hotels. During the 1970-80's, Napa's wines were beginning to make their mark on the world by winning prestigious awards around the globe.  This is all transpiring in Mendoza right now.

             Like Napa, there's been a huge influx of capital from around the globe.

Argentina’s version of Napa, Mendoza, is the largest wine region in Latin America.  Located 600 miles west of Buenos Aires, the province is home to >800 wineries.  Wine tourism is growing exponentially as traveling oenophiles discover these great quality/price ratio wines, as well as the charms of this interesting wine area situated at the base of the majestic Andes.

                         Catena Zapata offers a state of the art winery with jaw dropping wines 

Winemakers from the USA, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia and Chile are flocking to this special spot in Argentina to work their magic.  Like the Napa Valley, Mendoza is quickly becoming a mecca for quality wine, celebrity-chef restaurants, and mesmerizing five-star hotels with all of the bells and whistles.   It’s rapidly changing and the time to see is now....before it becomes a victim of its own success.

                              Cutting edge chefs tantalize with unforgettable meals               

Wine-Knows will be taking a group of travelers to both Argentina and Chile for next year’s harvest in the southern hemisphere, March 2017 and there are still a few seats available on this trip.  For more information about our visit to Argentina’s Napa Valley, check out www.WineKnowsTravel.com.

Here’s a list of our top 5 fave producers (listed in alpha order) in Mendoza.  Many of these wineries, along with a terrific lineup of other mover-and-shakers, will be visited on next year’s tour:

• Archaval Ferrer
• Catena Zapata
• Fabre Montmayou
• Familia Zuccardi
• Vinalba