Wine - It's Really Very Simple

I recently read a piece in Wine Spectator (March 31, 2018) by Matt Kramer. It was titled "It's Really Very Simple." He started off by stating "The temptation for all wine evangelists...is to somehow make wine simple." He then goes on to say "Although the reality is that wine, fine wine anyway, is anything but simple, the temptation to simplify is irresistible."

And, yes, I started EverWonderWine.com and my weekly blogs in order to make wine more understandable and simple. So, I guess I too have fallen into the temptation.  But, I really think there is good reason to try to simplify wine, although I admit it's sometimes difficult.

As I started out writing blogs for my EverWonderWine.com website, one of the requests I got was "Just tell me what wine I should buy."  I have regularly struggled with this request.  It's a simple one. Yet, I have always found it to be a difficult one to address.

The problem with this simple request is that everyone's palate for wine is different. There have been plenty of times that I've said "Oh, wow!  This wine is really nice!" and had someone else try it, make an ugly face and shake their head and exclaim "No!  I don't like that at all."  

So, what I have continually tried to explain (in simple terms!) is that wine appreciation is a journey. You shouldn't expect to start with exceptional quality wines and immediately like them. But, if you truly want to try to understand and appreciate wine, you have to start somewhere; anywhere.  And, because our brains are wired to like sweeter things, it's often sweeter wines or bubbly that people with start with. Or, a very fruity rosé wine that maybe isn't that sweet but has lots of bright fruit flavors.  But, you have to jump in somewhere. And, give it time.

It's so simple! Right?  Well, at least I'll keep trying. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2015 Matsu "El Recio" Tinta de Toro ($22)

This is the second in the lineup of 100% Tempranillos from Matsu. This one also comes from the D.O. Toro in north-western Spain.

The grapes used in this wine come from 90 to 100 year old vineyards that are manually harvested. After being softly pressed, it is fermented in concrete vessels with natural yeast.

But, unlike the "El Pícaro" Tinta de Toro from Matsu that I reviewed last week, this one is aged 14 months in second use French oak barrels.

The "El Recio" (the tough or strong) is a nicely produced Tempranillo. It delivers the deep, dark-fruit flavors of blackberry and fig while the addition of oak aging yields wonderful hints of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. If you prefer a more fruit-forward wine, the "El Pícaro" is the Tempranillo for you. But, if you are like me, and enjoy the added complexity that goes with a wine that has been aged in oak, this "El Recio" really comes through. It's a medium to full-bodied wine that's easy to drink and finishes very easy.

Keep your eyes out for this one. He's looking for you, too! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

Sample provided by Rebekah Polster 401 West Communications and supplied by Vintae (www.vintae.com) 

Learn More About Appassimento Wine

A friend of mine recently recommended a wine that he really liked. When he showed me the wine's label I saw that it was an Italian Appassimento. That's a wine that I was not previously familiar with, so I took a look on-line and found a brief description of it. Soon thereafter, I went on the hunt for the wine so that I could give it a try. Unfortunately, I was unable to find it in any of my local stores, so he graciously brought me a bottle to try.

Simply put, Appassimento wines are made from grapes that have been dried before being pressed. The grapes are harvested and laid out on racks in large temperature controlled drying rooms for up to six months. After drying, the grapes are de-stemmed, crushed and fermented.

But, since the dried grapes lose up to 50% of their water during the drying process, the result of the press (i.e., the resulting must) is quite rich and concentrated. And, high in sugar. But, typically, the high sugar content simply results in high alcohol wines (15-16% ABV) when fermentation is completed. These wines are then generally barrel aged for one to two years before being bottled. The resulting wines are full-bodied, concentrated in dark fruit flavors and, not surprisingly, have just a hint of raisin flavor to them.

The Appassimento process is used traditionally in Italian wine regions to make the popular Amarone, Recioto, Valpolicella Ripasso, and Sforzato wines. The best known, Amarone Valpolicella, is the high-end of wines from Valpolicella and commands the highest prices.

While you can find inexpensive Appassimento wines (and the one I tried was well under $20), the process simply makes it more expensive.  First, you have to add a large, temperature controlled drying facility. Then, you have the labor involved in laying out all the grapes on the drying racks and stacking them. Finally, when it comes time to make the wine, it takes a lot more dried grapes to make a bottle of Appassimento than to make other wines. So, the cost of a bottle of Amarone Valpolicella can easily be the $50 - $80 price range.

So, keep your eyes out for an Appassimento and give it a try! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

2016 Matsu El Pícaro Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo) $14

From the D.O. Toro in Spain, this 100% Tinta de Toro is grown in 50 to 70 year old vineyards and manually harvested.

It is fermented in concrete with natural yeasts.

Matsu pays homage on their labels to those that have been working the vineyards. And this "El Pícaro" translates as swindler, rascal, or scoundrel.  But, I don't suspect there is any correlation.

This is a delicious medium-bodied Tempranillo with wonderful juicy fruit flavor of sour cherry, some moderate acidity, light herbal notes, a bit of spiciness and an easy finish. The concrete vessels truly do allow the fruit flavors to be the star in this wine without the addition of flavors typically associated with oak.

This is a nice one.  And, as always in the Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week feature, it's a great value! Keep your eye out for this scoundrel - El Pícaro. He'll treat you nicely! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

Sample provided by Rebekah Polster 401 West Communications and supplied by Vintae (www.vintae.com) 

Try A Different Wine for a Change

I just took a week-long trip to the east coast. Not a wine-focused trip. But, nonetheless, I did pick up a couple bottles to enjoy in the evenings. Being a Californian, it's really easy to immediately look on the shelves for a nice California wine.  But, this time I decided to try a different wine for a change.

Being on the east coast, and a bit closer to Europe (well, nearly halfway there!), I decided to pick one bottle of wine from France and one from Italy. While it can seem really tough to pick out French and Italian wines, I came at it from a simple approach. I simply looked for wines any wines that were in my typical price range. 

I started with the French wines.  I spotted several upper-shelf wines that fit the price range. But, then I spotted a Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  Knowing that great red blends come from this region, I picked up the bottle.

Then, I turned my attention to the Italian wines.  Again, scanning the upper shelves, I spotted several bottles of Chianti.  And, seeing a 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva (and spotting the Black Rooster), I picked it up. (And, yes, the 'Riserva' truly distinguishes it from the more common Chianti.)

In both cases, I was very pleased with each bottle of wine.  The Châteauneuf-du-Pape (a blend of up to 13 varietals) was rich and flavorful while the Chianti had wonderful bright cherry flavor.

I could have gone with a couple of bottles of go-to wine from California, but I'm really glad I tried something a bit different. And, you should too. It's a fun way to get exposed to some different flavors. And, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised with your choices.

Cheers!