This will look lovely on the veranda overlooking the Mourvèdre block of my vast vineyard empire. Oh wait… that doesn’t exist. Oh well, the chair does: Whit McLeod: Folding Wine Barrel Chair, at 40% off
You may need to sign up with Fab.com to view, but I recommend signing up anyway — it’s free and there’s lots of cool stuff there.
Finally catching up on some old tasting notes. Here are a couple of wines from Alex Elman Wines, an importer who decided to create her own label, featuring wines from Argentina made from organic grapes. You may notice braille on the labels; that’s because Alex Elman lost her sight in her 20s. Read the full story here.
TRIVIA BREAK: What well-known Rhône winery uses braille on it’s labels? (Here’s a lesser known one.)
These wines were provided as samples for review. They each retail for around $12.
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Overall, I think the Torrontes is a solid example of it’s type for the price. It’s just not a style I’m a big fan of. Given the glut of inexpensive Malbec on the shelves of wine shops and grocery stores and gas stations coast to coast (depending on the relative enlightenment of your state’s beverage laws), I’d have a hard time recommending this one.
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And now an offering to the SEO gods (and anyone who needs to cut & paste):
Alex Elman 2010 Torrontes Mendoza (Argentina) | Floral, apricot/peach nose like a car air freshener. More apricot/peachy flavors on a medium-bodied, low-acid frame, with the barest hint of minerality. | C+
Alex Elman 2009 Malbec Mendoza (Argentina) | My first reaction is that it smells cheap. There’s lots of Christmas spice and it reminds me a bit of mulled wine (though maybe I’m just having a flashback to a really terrible tasting room experience in Fredericksburg TX). The flavors are blueberry/blackberry, a bit on the thin side and in need of some backbone. Overall, I don’t get enough of the richness I want when I’m drinking Malbec. | C-
My cellar has been running low on everyday whites, so when I saw this bottle of Montes Sauvignon Blanc at Costco recently, I grabbed it. Chilean Sauvignon Blanc has impressed me in the past and Montes is a very reliable producer up and down the price scale. This wine is from their “Limited Selection” line and at $9.99, the price was right.
I unscrewed it tonight with a Meatless Monday dinner of pasta with fresh corn, grape tomatoes, garlic, scallions and parmesan.
Lots of parmesan.
Producer
Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Leyda Valley (Chile)
Vineyards: Labeled as “Leyda Vineyard” — presumably a Montes-owned vineyard within the Leyda Valley appellation.
Vintage: 2010
Winemaking: no oak or malolactic fermentation
Alcohol: 13.5%
Price: I got it for $9.99 at Costco. Regular retail is around $15.
Tasting Notes: Crisp, lemon pith acidity cuts through the plump tropical fruit. It’s also got that green, fresh-cut grass character that I love in an SB, plus a bit of minerality at the core. It all comes together to give the sense of a wine teeming with lifeforce, like some magic elixir you could pour upon the earth in a moonlit glade and conjure an Ent. (OK, that was a weird reference).
Overall impression: I think this is a dynamite bottle of wine at $10. Great for a refreshing summer sipper to buy by the case. If you are Costco-deprived and you find it closer to $15, it’s still a good deal. VINEgeek approved. Strong B+
Free association:
Image credit: matildaben via Flickr
More info:
90 POINT ALERT: This wine was well-reviewed by the big publications, receiving a 91 from Wine & Spirits and a 90 from Wine Enthusiast.
But maybe, at the end of the day, we should be happy that most wine talk is so ridiculous. In a world that is oversaturated with overdetermined meaning, there’s something decidedly cheering about this mischievous drink that resists plausible description.from Liquid Memory: Why Wine Matters
Where is Kokomo? The Beach Boys made us all think there is some beautiful island named Kokomo somewhere in the vicinity of Aruba or Jamaica (“Ooo, I wanna take ya”), or Bermuda or the Bahamas (“come on, pretty mama”). Well, it ain’t true. They made it up. There is a real place named Kokomo, but it’s a factory town (Chrysler & Delphi) in Indiana. Why do I know this? My wife is from this little burg, and let me tell you – it’s no tropical island.
So why the hell am I talking about Kokomo? Well, it turns out there is a winery by that name as well. It’s not in Indiana; rather it’s a Sonoma-based winery started by a guy from Kokomo, Indiana. These fine folks sent me a couple of bottles of their wine to try. Would they smell of tanning lotion or transmission fluid? Hopefully neither. Let’s check them out.
Kokomo Petite Sirah Dry Creek Valley 2008
Tasting notes: Some enticing woodsy, herbal scents get my attention on the nose. The palate delivers inky dark berry and plum fruit (like a pen leaked in your mouth). It’s a little warm and a little oaky, but not a fruit bomb. There is a tightly-wound, metallic core and a slightly sinister quality.
Overall impression: An intriguing wine that I enjoyed drinking and contemplating. B+
Price: $25-30
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Kokomo Zinfandel Sonoma County 2008
Tasting notes: A bold, fruity nose, accented by woodsmoke aromas. On the palate, the wine brings dark berry and plum flavors similar to the Petite Sirah, but sweeter and riper. The mouthfeel is polished and almost plush. A bit of peach skin and a light peppery bite at the end add interest.
Overall impression: If you like ‘em fruit-forward, I think this is a bottle you’d like. It’s well-made and shows off some character. B/B-
Price: $25-30
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I found the Petite Sirah a bit more compelling, but both are good wines. So if you want to get away from it all … Kokomo may be just the getaway you need.
Disclosure: The wines were provided to me as press samples by the winery.