Chile versus Argentina at Wine Watch

"To make a great wine one needs a madman to grow the vine, a wise man to watch over it, a lucid poet to make the wine, and a lover to drink it." - Salvador Dali, Spanish Painter 1904 - 1989

We had to reschedule this event from a few weeks ago and we have 20 wines on the table this evening so we need at least that many “Wine Drinking People” to make this one happen.  I like those odds and we will be showing the Catena Zapata out of Magnum this evening as well as the Don Melchor and some other top level wines from both of the two powerhouse wine producing countries of South America, Chile and Argentina. 

These two countries are making some of the best wines in the world, especially when it comes to Bordeaux varietals.  It is hard to beat Chile and Argentina when it comes to value and each country has its own specialty that is unique in the world of wine in terms of grape varietals and there will be a lot of Carmenere and Malbec on the table this evening.  It is hard to find wines that are over $100 a bottle from either country and you can still find many of the top wineries top wines at under $50 per bottle like the Diamandes Grand Reserve and the Grand Vin from Cuvelier de Los Andes both of these wines are Most Excellent and are a part of the Clos de los Siete group that French Vintner Michel Rolland put together in Mendoza.  We have the best price in the country on both of these wines and 18 other wines on the table this evening along with Toni’s empanadas! 
This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this event is $45 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Argentina Versus Chile Wine Tasting at Wine Watch
Thursday, September 15th
7pm

Join us as we explore some of the best that these two countries have to offer side by side to see who will win this battle of South American wine supremacy.  Wine Watch Caterings Toni Lampasone will be on hand to provide a few small courses to accompany the tasting wines.  This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 25 tasters.  The fee for this tasting is $45 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Twenty One Wines

Cuvelier Los Andes Rosado 2015
Price: $15.00       Sale $13.20          Case $153

This is the lightest rose Malbec they pick the grapes early and this is the same vineyard as collection Malbec cut the press when the color gets too dark, watermelon very fresh and clean with a bone dry finish. Finish 35+. Excellent 10,000 bottles Very Good +

Cuvelier Los Andes Gran Vin Mendoza 2009
Price: $37.50       Sale $29.00         

A blend of 70% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 5% merlot and 3% petite Verdot, a typical bordeaux blend 19th century style, the Grand Vin contains the best wines from each harvest aged for 18 months in 50% new French Oak barrels. this wine has a big aroma of smoked meat licorice and an intoxicating array of blackberry blueberry fruit, blackberry fruit, violets, dark chocolate and more very complex, notes of mocha and fig with lots of fruit here coming out as the wine opens. They produce 300,000 bottles per year and they make 30,000 bottles per year of the Grand Vin. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

2011 Baptiste Cuvelier Cuvee Maule Red Blend Cauquenes Chile
Price: $21.75       Sale $19.14          Case $222

(90 points)  The 2011 Cuvee del Maule is sourced from very old, dry-farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan with just a pinch of other grapes (Pais, Carmenere...) from vineyards in the Cauquenes region in the Maule Valley. It has some sweet fruit sensations with sharp acidity, a red fruit profile with some raspberry leaf aromas and good length, with some tannins and a mineral sensation toward the finish. Very drinkable. Drink now.  Wine Advocate #213, Jun 2014

2013 Zorzal Chardonnay Terroir UNico Argentina
Price: $15.25       Sale $13.42          Case $156

This hand harvested, single vineyard from Gualtallary is 100% Chardonnay and is lightly oaked (3%) which lets the true characteristics of the varietal and terroir shine. This nicely balanced and complex wine shows melon, fresh whipped cream, beeswax, mace, and golden apples on the nose that lead to almond paste, hazelnut, and tropical fruits on the minerally driven palate. A persistent finish with a round mouth feel balanced by an enticing acidity

2009 Diamandes Malbec-Cabernet Grande Reserve Mendoza
Price: $36.00       Sale $31.68          Case $368

(93 Point) This is very refined for the vintage with blackberry, blueberry and hints of wood. Full body, elegant tannins and a long flavorful finish. 80% new French wood and aged 24 months.  75% malbec and 25% cabernet sauvignon.  James Suckling- jamessuckling.com - June 2014

Diamandes Gran Reserva Chardonnay Valle de Uco Mendoza 2014
Price: $33.75       Sale $29.70          Case $345
Barrel fermented aged for 14 months with a nice rich toasty oak spice vanilla, cinnamon spice and lemon drop candy, a smooth and creamy texture with a good amount of fruit with a nice compliment of lightly toasted oak spice. Finish 40+. Excellent

Stacole

Terranoble Carmenere Calandes 2012
Price: $30.00       Sale $26.40          Case $306
The 2012 Carmenere has a very attractive red-violet color with blue tones in the glass. In this wine, you find ripe fig, black and red berries mixed with chocolate notes. On the palate, an intense fruity sensation comes up, with some coffee notes. It is well-structured, with smooth and silky tannins.

Leyda Pinot Noir Lot 21  2013
Price: $40.50       Sale $35.64          Case $413
Lot 21 Pinot Noir is a complex and elegant wine, with delicate aromas of strawberries, red cherries, orange peel and herbs with a subtle earth complexity. The first impression on the palate is of fresh, sweet red berries. The middle palate has nice volume with concentrated cherry flavors and soft ripe tannins that cover the entire tongue. The finish is bright and lingering.

Cousino Macul Lota Red 2009
Price: $86.00       Sale $75.68          Case $878

The “LOTA” project started in 2003, when the Cousiño family decided to create a world class wine for the 150th anniversary. Lota gathers two passions of the family: the coal mining and wines. Both began in the XIX century and were the starting point of the great legacy of this traditional family. Lota is a wine that combines tradition, the history of the Cousiño and the distinctive elegance of the Cousiño-Macul wines, with the cohesion of a winemaking team that is guided by excellence.

A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.  This wine displays complex aromas of blackberry and plum fruit with a generous amount of cassis and hints of cedar and baking spices. Full-bodied with elegant tannins, it shows luscious flavours of blackberry, currant, cocoa, soy and sweet oak spices. The solid core of delicious concentrated black fruits is framed by light toasty oak and ripe tannin. The supple and seamless theme continues into the long, ultra smooth finish.

El Enemigo Gran Enemigo 2010
Price: $90.00       Sale $79.20          Case $918
Winemaking is a mix of old Mendoza style and Alejandro's vast experience. He uses cement tanks and 225 liter French barriques for fermentation and then ages the wine in 3,000 liter barrels. These barrels are a recreation of the old barrels used in Mendoza a century ago. Alejandro had these barrels of Alsatian origin brought from Italy and re-toasted and reassembled in Mendoza.

El Gran Enemigo is an assemblage of four grapes with a majority of Cabernet Franc, 73%. "Adrianna and I make it in honor of the old Pomerol style where Cabernet Franc was blended with the other Bordeaux varieties," says Alejandro

Renacer Punto Final Gran Cabernet Franc 2011
Price: $63.00       Sale $54.44          Case $643
With a limited production of only 2,000 bottles, Renacer's Punto Final Gran Cabernet Franc is a rarity by its own nature.  Add to that the fact that it is composed of 100% Cabernet Franc in a region that is all but devoted to Malbec production and you have a true gem.  A seemless balance between ripeness and freshness; fruit and wood, Renacer Punto Final Gran Cabernet Franc provides another way to appreciate the spectacular terroir of Mendoza, Argentina.

Punto Final Gran Cabernet Franc is deep ruby in color.  On the nose, the wine displays inviting aromas of cassis, raspberry, and blackcurrant.  On the palate, ripe and juicy red fruit combines with peppery spice and subtle oak tones over a hardy structure of soft, velvety tannins.

Catena Zapata White Stones 2012
Price: $90.00       Sale $79.20          Case $918
The White Stones Chardonnay has a bright lemon yellow color with gold highlights. Aromas of pears and apples are underscored by notes of vanilla and white flowers and a stony minerality. On the palate, the wine has flavors of baked red apples, Bosc pears, and quince along with notes of creamy vanilla and baking spices. The finish is crisp and bright with a stony minerality that lingers on the palate.

Catena Alta Malbec Magnum 2010
Price: $97.50       Sale $85.80          Case $498 (6 mags)

(94 Points) "The 2010 Catena Alta Malbec is composed with fruit from Angelica, La Piramide, Nicasia and Adrianna and there was about 30-40% whole-cluster fermentation with a pinch of Viognier and Cabernet Franc. As with many others, the fruit from four different vineyards created different lots from different stages of harvests and different fermentation methods. A pure exercise of blending a selection of available wines from this painstaking working method. It feels riper than the Alta Cabernet, quite dark, with aromas of ripe plums, blackberries and a touch of spices, but with air the nose comes back with a strong violet note. It is medium-bodied, with good acidity, clean and pungent flavors, ending long and supple. Excellent. Drink 2014-2020. " The Wine Advocate

Catena Zapata Red Magnum 2010
Price: $255          Sale $224.40       Case $1300 (6 MAGS)

(95 Points) Doctor Nicolas Catena always liked Cabernet Sauvignon so the wine that carries his name has a greater percentage of the noble Bordeaux grape. The 2010 Nicolas Catena Zapata is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec sourced from La Piramide, Domingo, Adrianna and Nicasia. The fresh and balanced 2010 produced good ripeness of the fruit but the acidity was also great and the wine finished with 6.5 grams of acidity and a natural pH of 3.5, as the grapes are selected from cold soils. The first vintage was 1997, but this has to be one of their finest. This has the intensity of the Catena Alta Cabernet and the verticality and austerity of the Adrianna Malbec. It has very good acidity and intensity, while it has some velvety tannins. For a minute I was trying to remember the varietals as the sense of place, the freshness and the earthy sensations clearly take over. A superb bottle of wine. This is a wine to age. Drink 2016-2023.   Wine Advocate #212, Apr 2014

Republic National

2011 Concha Y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Chile
Price: $112.50    Sale $99.00          Case $1148

(95 Points)  "With 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and some drops of Cabernet Franc, this comes form the tradtional Tocornal Vineyard, planted in the mid-1970s. A cold vintage reveals its herbal, spicy, flavors, but above all a crunchy, vivacious acidity and pungent tannins that need time in a bottle. A brilliant version of a classic. " Decanter

Concha Y Toro Carmenere Terrunyo Block 27 Peumo 2013
Price: $45.00    Sale $39.60    Case $459
(92 Points) "A rich and well-sculpted red, bursting with fresh fl­avors of dark plum, cherry tart and dried blackberry. Asian spice notes in the midpalate.and complenish balances savory and dark chocolate notes." Wine Spectator

Marques De Casa Concha Syrah Chile 2013
Price: $19.75    Sale $17.38    Case $202

Dark and deep red color. Very ripe and dense, remarkably focused on ­flavor, offering solid blackberry and cherry ­flavors. At the end a lasting smoky yet rich black-tar. Firm in texture, with fine grained tannins supporting bright fruit. One already experiences the complexity beginning to develop out of its firm, quiet, supple core.

Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir Patagonia Argentina 2014   
Price: $32.25    Sale $28.38    Case $329
Smooth with dusty berry, plum, caramel and spice aromas and flavors, this Pinot Noir culminates in a composed and satisfying finish.

Salentein Numina Malbec/Merlot 2013
Price: $45.00    Sale $39.60    Case $459

A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.  It displays a bright, intense and deep purplish red colour.  Its aroma is complex and elegant with notes of tobacco, cassis, blueberries, spices as well as notes of vanilla and caramel.  In the mouth, it is a wide and intense wine with full body and tannic structure as well as a long and lingering ­nish.

Masi Tupungato Paso Doble Malbec/Corvina
Price: $14.75    Sale $12.98    Case $151
With Tupungato, Masi combines its refined double fermentation technique with the outstanding terroir of the Uco Valley in Argentina. Passo Doble Rosso gets its Argentinian characteristics of ripeness, power and expressiveness from the Malbec grape, while its Corvina component gives it the style, elegance and warmth typical of wines from the Veneto. Masi’s specialty process of double fermentation is used with fresh Malbec grapes and a percentage of lightly-dried Corvina grapes. Vigneti La Arboleda is within the renowned wine region of Mendoza. Vineyards are situated at 950-1050 meters elevation in the Tupungato valley, with organically poor soil composed of many stones, sand and chalk, with good mineral content. Malbec grapes are gently pressed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The second fermentation uses selected yeasts and 30% of whole Corvina grapes given a brief appassimento treatment before pressing. Fermentation is followed by final fermentation and malolactic. The wine is aged in French oak barriques and a period in bottle.

Menu
Crispy Olives stuffed with sausage and manchego
Chilean Pork Empanada with Chocolate Mole Drizzle
Chimichurri grilled chicken & sweet purple onion relish slider
Avocado & Shrimp Ceviche with Cuban toast

This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this event is $45 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.