People love to support small, family-run wineries. But if you truly believe in fighting for the little guy, it’s time to give cooperative wineries a second look.

Cooperative Wineries

Cooperative wineries are joint ventures owned by several (up to hundreds) of members. The concept is simple, pool resources and costs for winemaking and marketing. The formation and rise of cooperatives in Europe happened after the 1930s. Members are made up of wine growers of various sizes that don’t have the knowledge or desire to bottle and market their own wine.

People would be surprised to know cooperative wineries are responsible for around 50% of all the wine produced in both Italy and France. In Spain and Portugal, those numbers can get closer to 60%. In Germany, fruit from about one-third of the countries vineyards ends up in cooperative wineries.

Cooperatives often have members that are small growers who work with unique or forgotten varieties. In essence, they become stewards of these unique grapes. Small producers may pull some of these varieties in favor of more marketable grapes.

When well run, cooperative wineries produce excellent wines at great prices. From everyday bottles to wines that can age in the cellar. I’ve had magical bottles from Italian cooperatives like Produttori del Barbaresco (Piedmont), Cantina Terlano & Cantina Tramin (Trentino-Alto Adige), and Santadi (Sardinia). These cooperatives make wine that can rival those from small producers around the world.

Cooperatives: Advantages

The trend in both food and wine is all about supporting the small farmer. In the wine industry, that is what cooperative wineries are all about. I’d like to see more awareness and support of cooperatives, especially those that are well run. They offer a scale and price points that individual estates might find hard to match.

Tessa Donnadieu, the Export Manager at the cooperative Vinchio Vaglio Serra, agrees. “I have been working for Italian coops for 11 years (before with Clavesana now Vinchio Vagiol Serra). I believe in the concept of community and the incredible potential of the wines,” she says.

Nicola Thornton bottles wine under her label Botas de Barro (muddy boots) in Spain. She thinks cooperative wineries have some distinct advantages in the marketplace. “Price, volume, quality. They (coops) are in the BEST position because of access to fruit in volumes that other producers would find hard to accumulate,” she says.

While many people equate vineyard attention and care with small private wineries. Nicola insists that the same kind of attention happens with growers that contribute to coops too. “Each farmer looks after his own vineyards on a relatively small scale and many have a special link and knowledge to each parcel, ” she adds.

But… Is The Wine Good?

All of this sounds great but we all want to know one thing. Is the wine delicious?

During my tastings in late 2020 and early 2021, I got the chance to reaffirm my assumptions. Cooperative wines run the gamut from easy and delicious to complex and serious. All of the wines tasted were well made with some I’d be proud to show to the most critical palates.

Here are some of my favorites from samples sent to me by Vinchio Vaglio Serra (Piedmont, Italy), Cantina Tramin (Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy)., Pico Wines (Azores, Portugal), and Vignerons Catalans (Languedoc-Roussillon, France).

Wine Recommendations:

• Vinchio Vaglio Serra, Barbaresco 2016

The Vinchio Vaglio Serra Barbaresco offers tremendous value. There are less than 6,000 bottles made from this cooperative. This is a very savory, denser Barbaresco. Notes of cherry, leather, fall leaves, mocha, and tobacco. Medium-bodied on the palate, the acidity is tamed on this wine. Tannins are grippy and not overly drying (like Nebbiolo can be). Good length. At this price point, you’re getting a developed, delicious Barbaresco. Shows a little more bottle age than the vintage suggests, so drink it up now. Score: 92/100

• Vinchio Vaglio Serra, Barolo 2013

The Vinchio Vaglio Serra, Barolo has some bottle development. Notes of dried rose petals, dried cherry, perfume, tobacco, and mocha. Very complex nose. While the nose makes me think it might be a massive, over-extracted Barolo, the palate is the complete opposite. There is a finesse and prettiness here that only Nebbiolo can give. Tannins are chewy but have softened a bit with bottle age and a dried citrus-peel acidity wraps up the finish. Very nice Barolo that’s in a good place now. A longer finish would push it to higher levels. Score: 91/100

• Vinchio Vaglio Serra, ‘I Tre Vescovi’ Barbera d’Asti Superiore 2018

The Vinchio Vaglio Serra, ‘I Tre Vescovi’ Barbera d’Asti Superiore is aged almost six months in large casks. Notes of cranberry, dried cherry, earth, and a little smokiness from the wood. The palate is much more elegant than the 14% would suggest. Sometimes these Barbera Superiore wines can get much too sappy or heavy. Bright fruit with some structure suggests this could develop even further in the cellar. Score: 89/100

• Vinchio Vaglio Serra, ‘La Leggenda’ Barbera d’Asti 2019

The Vinchio Vaglio Serra, ‘La Leggenda’ is a fun and easy-going Barbera. It’s straightforward with notes of cherry, sour cherry, cranberry, and a touch of olive. Nothing complex here, just fruit and fun. There’s a touch of earthiness and complexity here for a wine that didn’t see wood. The red fruits fill the palate and there’s just a faint hint of tannins. Don’t dismiss this wine by the score, this is a fabulous, low-cost bistro red that I’d be happy to sip on anyday. Score: 87/100

• Cantina Tramin, ‘Moriz’ Pinot Bianco 2020

The Cantina Tramin, ‘Moriz’ Pinot Bianco is a level above their standard Pinot Bianco. It has notes of melon, cantaloupe, white peach, and mineral notes. It’s a delicious and easy-going white wine. There is a nice interplay between the fruit and lemony acidity. A crowd-pleaser with enough complexity to keep seasoned palates happy and casual palates quenched. I’m almost never disappointed with Pinot Bianco from Alto Adige and this is no different. This is the type of white that I love to drink on a daily basis. Score: 90/100

• Cantina Tramin, Stoan 2019

The Cantina Tramin, Stoan is one of the winery’s high-end offerings. It’s a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Gewürtztraminer, and Pinot Bianco aged in large casks. A very unique white wine, there are notes of guava, kiwi, yellow flower, and chestnut. It smells like it would be full-bodied but the acidity here keeps the wine medium-bodied. The wood integration is flawless here, it doesn’t impart flavor but gives it body. The wine is good with length and structure but the flavors could be odd here, I do get some grassiness from the Sauvignon and the pungent floral notes from the Gewürtz along with the body of Chardonnay. It reminds me of a famous white wine called ‘Manna’ from Franz Haas. Score: 91/100

*Find Cantina Tramin bottles at Wine.com.

• Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Arinto dos Açores 2019

The Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Arinto dos Açores is a barrel-fermented Arinto that is aged for six months. Gorgeous nose of lemon, lavender, white flower, pineapple, and seawater. The oak integration here is outstanding. The wine has Riesling-like electricity on the palate. There’s a tension that stretches out the seriously salty finish. Brilliant white wine. Score: 93/100

• Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Verdelho 2018

The Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Verdelho is a varietal wine with 20% of the cuvée was barrel-fermented. Explosive nose of flint, lemon, smoke, and white flower. This wine is all about weight and rich texture. The fruit is neutral, mostly sticking to lemons. The salinity here is again intense. This would be great with oysters, very Chablis-esque. Score: 91/100

• Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Terras de Lava Reserva 2017

The Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Terras de Lava Reserva is a volcanic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc aged for 14 months in oak. The capsicum and smoke jump out of the glass. They are accompanied by intense tobacco notes and subtle black cherry flavors. Lighter in color for these two grapes. On the palate, the Cabernet Franc seems to dominate (which to me is a good thing). It’s a savory, leafy, and mineral-driven red with some slowly building tannins. Those looking for fruit look elsewhere. Those looking for leafy and earthy notes, feel right at home. Score: 90/100

• Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Terrantez do Pico 2019

The Pico Wines, ‘Terroir Vulcânico’ Terrantez do Pico is actually made from the grape Malvasia Fina. This wine is barrel-fermented and aged in old oak for six months. Gorgeous nose with intense complexity. It has flavors of lemon, slate, white peach, sea salt, flint, and apple blossom. Incredibly complex. The palate has richness and finesse that is very Chablis-esque. The long finish is like eating a salted lemon (before you do a shot of Tequila). Acid freaks will be right at home with this gorgeous effort. Score: 94+/100

• Vignerons Catalans, Grenache ‘l’Art et le Vin’ 2020

The Vignerons Catalans, Grenache ‘l’Art et le Vin’ is a special edition Grenache aged in vat before being bottled. Fresh red with notes of strawberry, smoked meat, rose petal, and pepper. For an inexpensive red, this is fantastic. There’s plenty of fruit with a meatiness and a peppery edge. It’s listed at 15.5% ABV but acts more like a medium-bodied red. This is friendly Mediterranean red that’s ready to drink right away. Score: 90/100

• Vignerons Catalans, Lesquerde Racine 2018

The Vignerons Catalans, Lesquerde Racine is a Côtes du Roussillon Villages and a blend of Syrah, Carignan, and Grenache. Notes of blackberry, cherry, meat, and a touch of white pepper. It smells like a Southern French red in an easy-going style. Smooth on the entry and easy to drink. The tannins are rounded out well. Drink this with some bbq meats. Score: 88/100

• Vignerons Catalans, Saveurs d’Austrefois Gris 2020

The Vignerons Catalans, Saveurs d’Austrefois Gris is 100% Grenache Gris. There are subtle notes of strawberry, watermelon, parched earth, and tangerine peel. It’s a crisp and refreshing rosé with plenty of acidity to cut through the palate. Simple, fun, and unfussy. Highly recommended for a hot Summer day. Score: 89/100

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

Do you like our content?

If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind-the-scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

Pico Wines, Vinchio Vaglio Serra, Cantina Tramin, Vignerons Catalans provided tasting samples. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Cooperative Wineries: High-Quality Wine At All Prices appeared first on Wine Travel.

Full-bodied reds with gobs of sweet fruit and tannins pair perfectly with big meat dishes. If this is what you crave, the reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape rarely disappoint. These wines are blends of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (there are 15 additional grapes which are also permitted in the blend). Red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are usually rich and hedonistic.

The reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are where I cut my teeth on fine French wines. What’s the bottle that did it for me? It’s the classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Clos des Papes (Paul Avril). The rich palate and perfect blend of fruit, meat, and leather notes held on to me and since then, I’ve never looked back (Avril was one of the key people responsible for creating the appellation and his wine still remains a collectors favorite today).

Today there are many collectible Châteauneuf-du-Papes that easily reach several hundred dollars a bottle. Luckily, you don’t need to spend that much money to drink world-class wine in this appellation. There are hundreds of producers that create great Châteauneuf-du-Pape at reasonable price points.

This isn’t an article about Rayas, Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, or Henri Bonneau. Those wines are excellent with prices that can command several hundred dollars a bottle. This is an article about bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape that reach greatness without breaking the bank. All of these wines (with the exception of one) can be found for 60 USD and under per bottle.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Recent Vintages

Consumers have a lot of choices thanks to the latest vintages of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The region has been blessed with four excellent vintages in a row. The 2018s are starting to hit the market now but there are plenty of 2015s, 2016s, and 2017s still available. After tasting extensively tasting through the vintages, here are my impressions.

2015 – Regarded as an exceptional vintage. Along with 2016, these two vintages rank among the greatest vintages in the region. These wines tend to be darker in color with more concentrated and dark fruit flavors. Tannins are tough in these wines and they are just starting to really unfurl now.

2016 – My favorite of these four vintages. The wines tend to be Grenache dominant and lighter in color. The fruit is in more of the red fruit spectrum with vibrant acidity (not a common theme in Châteauneuf-du-Pape). These wines are a joy to drink now and should age beautifully. Alcohol levels in these wines are slightly lower than the other three vintages.

2017 – Very similar to the 2015s. These wines are darker in color with tough tannins. They might not be as long-lived as the 2015s but time will be the ultimate test.

2018 – Another vintage where dark fruit and color dominate. These wines are just starting to reach the market and are like 2017 with softer tannins. They should drink beautifully the minute you take them home.

Wine Recommendations:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Domaine Giraud, ‘Grenaches du Pierre’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018

The Domaine Giraud, ‘Grenaches du Pierre’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is pure Grenache from 100-year-old vines, only raised in concrete. Intense notes of dried strawberry, meat, black pepper, garrigue, and a touch of wax. Intense notes of fruit on the mid-palate. Complete wine from start to finish. Extra sweet and fine-grained tannins. The high alcohol might bother some but nonetheless, it’s an exciting wine. Score: 94/100

• Cellier des Princes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018

Cellier des Princes is a cooperative. This is mostly Grenache with just a touch of Syrah and Mourvèdre aged in concrete. Notes of stewed strawberry, cherry, peppered meat, and rose petal. Super silky mouthfeel with some bitter tannins. Plenty of pleasure and complexity. It might not be a long-lived wine, but it’s a ton of fun to drink now. Medium-bodied, balanced CDP. For a wine that can be found around the world around 25 USD, this represents a screaming value. Score: 91/100 – BEST BUY

• Domaine du Calcernier, ’La Fortune du Pot’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

Domaine du Calcernier is a tiny, garage winery. Their ‘La Fortune du Pot’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made of Grenache and Mourvèdre from the Lieu-dit (vineyard area) of La Crau. Notes of mahogany, thyme, stewed strawberry, leather, and pepper – very complex. A big, rich red with plenty of refinement. There’s enough fruit and structure to last in the bottle. This can be drunk now but it really needs more time in the bottle to spread its wings. Handles the 16% ABV well and reminds me of a wine from well-regarded producer Clos des Papes. Score: 94/100

*We also highly recommend the Domaine du Calcernier, ‘Les Notes d’Aline’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017. It’s a unique blend of Grenache and Cinsault.

• Domaine des Chanssaud, ‘Chanssaud d’Antan’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015

The Domaine des Chanssaud, ‘Chanssaud d’Antan’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a reserve wine and made of 90% Grenache with the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre. The grapes are organically certified and come from old vines. The Mediterranean brush and brown herbs come out first and are accompanied by strawberry, cherry cola, and chocolate notes. The incense and garrigue notes are what stand out the most, not the fruit. If drinking young, this wine needs a lot of time to air before serving. The nose is gorgeous, I just want a little more from the palate. Score: 90/100

• Domaine Pegau, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Lawrence 2013

The ‘Cuvée Lawrence’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape by Domaine Pegau is made in the same way as their standard ‘Cuvée Réservée’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape. the only difference is that the ‘Cuvée Lawrence’ is kept in the barrel longer and released with bottle age. It’s the most expensive wine in this article but does offer value because it gives you the opportunity to taste mature Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

This is made of Grenache with a slew of other permitted varieties. My bottle is a little corked but there is enough here to feel. Notes of leather, mocha, cherry, strawberry. Full-bodied, yet elegant. There’s a good balance between savory and fruit notes. Intense minerality with fine tannins. Long, leathery finish. Score: 94/100

*The Domaine Pegau, ‘Cuvée Réservée’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 is also highly recommended.

• Domaine de Ferrand, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

Domaine de Ferrand is a tiny, certified organic producer. Their Châteauneuf-du-Pape is mostly Grenache (85%) with Mourvèdre, Bourbolenc, Syrah, and Cinsault that sees no wood. This again smells like a Red Burgundy. The leather, earthy, and soil notes come to the forefront. Fruit notes include strawberry, red raspberry, and licorice. Refined on the palate with endless depth. Alcohol is under control, long finish. Tannins are tough and chewy. Score: 94/100

• Domaine de Ferrand, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

This is an absolute STEAL in the world of fine wine. The Domaine de Ferrand, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 is mostly Grenache (85%) with Mourvèdre, Bourbolenc, Syrah, and Cinsault that sees no wood. Notes of strawberry, spiced dried plum, leather, and white pepper. This baby acts more like a Red Burgundy. It’s constantly changing in the glass and has many layers of flavor. Many people would never pinpoint this as a Mediterranean red. The alcohol is in check and it really acts like a cooler climate wine. No hard edges with chewy tannins with a long finish. Score: 94+/100 – BEST BUY

• Domaine du Grand Tinel, ‘Alexis Establet’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

The Domaine du Grand Tinel, ‘Alexis Establet’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 100% Grenache from old vines. What a stellar wine. It’s like a blend of the Northern Rhône and Southern Rhône. Intense notes of dried strawberry, bacon fat, herbs, meat, and pepper. Full-bodied, this has generous amounts of fruit on the palate. The alcohol is high but integrated well. Fine-grained tannins and a spicy finish. Super complex, this is outstanding and also steal in the world of fine wine. Score: 95/100 – BEST BUY

• Domaine des Pères de l’Eglise, ‘Le Calice de Saint Pierre’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018

The Domaine des Pères de l’Eglise, ‘Le Calice de Saint Pierre’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made mostly of Grenache with a touch of Mourvèdre and Syrah. Notes of cherry, beef jerky, dried strawberry, mocha, and pepper. This is a modern, clean Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It’s a full-bodied with generous fruit. This is surprisingly approachable now. Once it gains complexity with bottle age, this could be brilliant. Very well done oak management. Score: 90+/100

• Domaine des Pères de l’Eglise, ‘L’Heritage de Pollus’ Châteaeuneuf-du-Pape 2017

The ‘L’Heritage de Pollus’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 100% Grenache aged in demi-muids (600L casks) for 15 months. This is a big, ripe wine. Notes of stewed strawberry, raspberry, rare steak, and mocha. This is a style of wine that reminds of me some Napa Cabs or big Shiraz from Barossa. Fine tannins and the density to age well. Put this in your cellar for another 5-7 years so the baby fat can fall off. It’s a very good wine but doesn’t taste like a typical Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Score: 92/100

• Domaine La Fagotière, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

The Domaine La Fagotière, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is half Grenache with Mourvèdre and Syrah. It’s tight on the nose at first and needs air to show its best. Violets jump out of the glass here along with cherry, strawberry, meat, and mocha. Very elegant palate with supple tannins. The acidity comes out here along with a streaky mineral note on the finish. This is a delicious, straightforward Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with the stuffing to age well. It’s certified organic and can be found at the lower end of the price spectrum for red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. Score: 92/100 -BEST BUY

• Domaine Galevan, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

The Domaine Galevan, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is Grenache with a touch of Mourvèdre. There’s a note of soy sauce and leather here with the stewed strawberry, cherry, and plum notes. There’s a rustic, meaty quality to this wine which I enjoy. The fruit is really ripe on this full-bodied wine with supple tannins. More of a traditional style of wine. Score: 90+/100

• Domaine Bosquet des Papes, ’A la gloire de mon Grand-Père’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

Bosquet des Papes is a classic producer that brings excellent quality and their wines age well. The ‘A la gloire de mon Grand-Père’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 98% Grenache with a touch of Cinsault and Clairette. Clean and focused flavors of strawberry, sour cherry, sun-baked soil, and white pepper notes. Traditional yet clean Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Full-bodied and plenty of fruit. The tannins are pretty chewy and astringent now but this should do well with some medium-term aging. Score: 93/100

• Domaine Bois de Boursan, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

Bois de Boursan makes classic, old-school Châteauneuf-du-Pape out of a tiny cellar. This is mostly Grenache with Syrah, Mourvèdre, and 5% other permitted grapes. Incredibly complex with notes of sour cherry, white pepper, game, leather, and violets. This is an elegant wine, not a big bruiser, this is a wine with plenty of layers, firm tannins, and a long finish. These wines age gracefully and this should be no exception. Score: 95/100 – BEST BUY

• Domaine Les Cailloux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016

The Domaine Les Cailloux (Andrè Brunel), Châteauneuf-du-Pape is Grenache with Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault aged in mostly concrete. Notes of strawberry, beef jerky, soil, plum, and a boatload of pepper. Full-bodied but not overly bruising. Everything about this wine is in harmony. It’s a fantastic example of Châteauneuf-du-Pape with a super spicy finish. This is what I want Châteauneuf-du-Pape to taste like! Great wine from a legendary producer. Score: 95/100 – BEST BUY

• Domaine Les Cailloux, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

The 2017 from Domaine Les Cailloux is made from Grenache with Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault aged in mostly concrete. This is darker and denser than the 2016. Notes of smoked meat, plum, cherry, leather, and black licorice. This is a wine that has a great interplay between fruit and earth. Very complex even though it is so young. Powerful tannins on the backend suggests this should be great in the cellar. Score: 92+/100

• Château de la Gardine, ’Peur Bleue’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018

The Château de la Gardine, ‘Peur Bleue’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre aged in stainless steel and made with no sulfites added. This wine has more pure fruit and incense notes than the standard Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Notes of blue fruit, black cherry, licorice, stem, and incense flavors. This is clean without flavors of oak. There are no brett or leather notes here. Chewy tannins and a good finish. This needs a lot of time to breathe to show its true colors. Score: 92+/100

*This wine is bottled with a little CO2 for protection, so make sure to decant and shake out the small bubbles.

• Domain Chante Cigale, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

The Domaine Chate Cigale, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 represents a new direction for the winery and one we mightily applaud. It is Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre with a hint of Cinsault aged in stainless steel and concrete. Dark in color with a meaty, gamey nose that pops out of the glass. Notes black raspberry, red plum, pepper, and sage also emerge. This is round with rich, mouth-coating fruit. It’s ripe but not stewed. The tannins and sneakily firm. Beautiful wine, I really like this fruity but non-oaky style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Score: 93/100

• La Bastide Saint Dominique, ’Secrets de Pignan’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 

The La Bastide Saint Dominique, ‘Secrets de Pignan’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 100% Grenache. Big, ripe, and structured but don’t dismiss it as a jam bomb, there’s a lot going on here. Plenty of stewed strawberry, stewed beef, pepper, and smoke. This has real power in the mid-palate. Tough tannins. Put this aside for several years to allow tertiary notes to form. Score: 94/100

• La Bastide Saint Dominique,‘Les Hespérides’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

The La Bastide Saint Dominique, ‘Les Hespérides’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre. I thought the high proportion of Mourvèdre would make this wine too powerful but that’s not the case. Full-bodied and rich with plenty of dark cherry, ripe strawberry, stewed meats, mocha, and pepper. It’s round on the palate and the tannins have a ripe, chewy character to them, they aren’t overly drying. A big boy Châteauneuf-du-Pape that needs air if you open it young. Score: 92+/100

• Domaine Mas Saint Louis, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015

Domaine Mas Saint Louis produces old-school Châteauneuf-du-Pape and has older vintages available for purchase. This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre with other permitted grape varieties. Showing some development now with sweet cherry, dried strawberry, crushed rock, tomato leaf, and pepper. This is full-bodied and round, it’s got the perfect amount of fruit, development, and tannin structure at this point. Long finish. Score: 93/100

• Domaine Mas Saint Louis, ’Grand Réserve’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017

The Domaine Mas Saint Louis, ‘Grand Réserve’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the top wine of the estate. It’s a blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre. This is darker and denser than the other two Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottlings from this estate. Full-bodied and ripe with darker fruit notes of cherry, stewed strawberry along with meat, leather, and pepper notes. It’s massive and round on the palate with fierce tannins. This wine has a future in the cellar. Score: 92/100

• Château Sixtine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018

The Châteaue Sixtine, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre aged in large oak casks. This is big and intense. There are notes of blue fruit, raspberry, dried strawberry, pepper meat, and garrigue. This is a full-bodied monster. There are tons of sweet fruit and pepper on the palate. It finishes with big tannins but they have a wonderful ripeness and savoriness to them. Score: 93/100

• Château Mont Thabor, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

This beauty from Château Mont Thabor is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault made with whole clusters and aged in old barrels for a year. Very pretty nose with violets, cassis, black cherry, and smoked meat. This almost smells more like a pure Syrah than a Châteauneuf-du-Pape red.  It’s intense and mouth-filling. The fruit is intense upfront but the wine has a savory quality to it. Tough tannins and high acidity. This is one of the rare CdP rouges that I’d love to see aged for 10+ years. Score: 93/100 – BEST BUY

*******

Get a Discount on Châteauneuf-du-Pape Wines

Find or buy Chateau Sixtine, Domaine Pegau, Grand Tinel, and other Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines at 8wines. Use the promo code EWT8WO7 and get €15 off your first purchase of €100 or more. (EU-wide delivery plus Hong Kong, Japan, and Norway.

[ap_call_to_action button_text=”Shop Now” button_url=”https://8wines.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=chateauneuf” button_align=”center”]Get €15 off. Use the code “EWT8WO7”.[/ap_call_to_action]

Do you like our content?

If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind the scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

You Might Also Enjoy:

Exotic Wine Travel: Articles on Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Thanks to the Fédéracion des Producteurs de Châteaneuf-du-Pape and the wineries for arranging samples to be sent. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Best Buys appeared first on Wine Travel.

With these times of uncertainty, who does like a good deal?

We still want to drink wine but want to get bang for our buck. Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to find value wine in the Southern Rhône. Whether it’s white, rosé, or red, the Southern Rhône has you covered.

The reds tend to be full-bodied with plenty of red fruit and meat flavors and are based on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (although you’ll find other cool grapes like Carignan, Cinsault, and others). The white wines of the Southern Rhône are full-bodied, oily whites that have unique flavors of sun-baked rocks, white peach, and lime. They are made from grapes like Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul, Ugni Blanc, and others. Rosé wines are made from the same grapes as reds in the Southern Rhône.

Cheerful and Value For Money

The wines of the Southern Rhône are delicious and can be found at a variety of price points. The quality is highly dependent on price. There are ‘porch pounder’ Côtes du Rhône available for as low as 2 USD while the better examples go from 10-25 USD. I believe there are great buys in the 13-20 USD range.

Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages, & Crus

Côtes du Rhône (Hills of the Rhône) is a wine known the world over. Most people associate it as a cheap and cheerful porch pounder. There are plenty of thin, cheap bottles of Côtes du Rhône on the market but wines made from reputable producers can deliver excellent value for money. We often enjoy Côtes du Rhône (white and red) made by producers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Wines labeled as Côtes du Rhône Villages offer a step up in quality. These wines come from 22 different villages. There are stricter requirements for these wines versus standard Côtes du Rhône. They also come from vineyards that show the potential to create distinctive wines.

There are also nine crus in the Southern Rhône, the most famous being Châteauneuf-du-Pape with Gigondas and Vacqueyras also gaining steam in recent years. Tavel is a cru known for deep-colored rosé wine. The lesser-known Crus are worth seeking out because the wines (especially the reds) can deliver phenomenal value for money. These crus are Lirac, Rasteau, Cairanne, Beaumes de Venise, and Vinsobres. We highly recommend tasting wines from these crus.

Wine Recommendations:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Château Pegau, Pink Pegau 2019

The Château Pegau, Pink Pegau 2019 is mostly Cinsault with a touch of Grenache and Carignan. This is a full-bodied, savory rosé. There are notes of leather, strawberry, watermelon, and white pepper. Not just a fruity rosé, there are layers and some depth here. More of a thinking man’s (or woman’s) rosé. Score: 89/100

• Château Sixtine, ‘Cuvée du Vatican’ Réserve de l’Abbé Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019

The Château Sixtine, ‘Cuvée du Vatican’ Réserve de l’Abbé Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019 is a blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Clairette. Part of it is aged in oak. The nose is subtle with notes of white flower, passion fruit, apricot, and crushed rocks. Medium-bodied white with just the right amount of acidity, not too much but not too little. Good length with a limey finish. A real value play. Score: 89/100 

• Château Sixtine, ‘Cuvée du Vatican’ Réserve de l’Abbé Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2019

The red ‘Cuvée du Vatican’ Côtes du Rhône is a tangy blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. There are notes of kirsch, sour cherry, smoked meat, and a tangerine peel-like acidity. It’s a medium bodied red with soft tannins that can be served chilled. This is another fine summer BBQ wine. Score: 89/100

• Château Pegau, ‘Setier’ Côtes du Rhône Villages 2016

The Château Pegau, ‘Setier’ Côtes du Rhône Villages 2016 is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre that didn’t see oak. The vineyard is located in Sorgues, which is just outside of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is a distinctive ‘Old World’ style of wine. Notes of meat, smoke, black raspberry, dried strawberry, and leather. Full in body with big tannins, this is a touch rustic and full of character. Those that don’t want to splurge on Châteauneuf-du-Pape should seek this out. Score: 90+/100

• Domaine des Pères de l’Eglise, Lirac 2018 

Grenache and Syrah make up the Domaine des Pères de l’Eglise, Lirac 2018. There are notes of meat, caramel, black cherry, strawberry, and pepper. Full-bodied with tons of character. There is a smoky character to this wine. Chewy tannins and bright acid for a Southern Rhône. This could age in the cellar well in the medium term. Score: 90/100

• Domaine Les Cailloux, ‘André Brunel’ Côtes du Rhône 2017

Domaine Les Cailloux is a legendary producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and their ‘André Brunel’ Côtes du Rhône isn’t bad either. It’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. Attractive notes of ripe strawberry, thyme, bbq meat, and tangerine peel. For a basic Côtes du Rhône, this shows impressive body, concentration, and tannins. It’s full in the mouth without being too weighty. There are a small level of tannins here not seen in typical CdRs. This is a great summer BBQ wine and can even be served slightly chilled. Score: 89/100

• Elodie Jaume, ‘À en perdre le Soufre’ Côtes du Rhône 2019

Elodie Jaume is the daughter of Patrick Jaume, who owns Domaine des Chanssaud. The ‘À en perdre le Soufre’ Côte du Rhône 2019 is Elodie’s personal project and is made without the addition of sulfur.

It is a blend of 70/30 Syrah and Grenache aged in concrete and produced without any added sulfites. It’s a dark wine with notes of violets, black cherry, leather, meat, and pepper. For a Côte du Rhône, there’s a lot of concentration here. The Syrah really comes out. The wine is full and fruity with mouth-coating tannins. For this style, this is a delicious red and I’d love to see how this would develop in the cellar with proper storage. Minimal intervention style of wine. Score: 88/100

• Château de la Gardine, Rasteau 2017

The Château de la Gardine, Rasteau 2017 is a real value play. This is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. Notes of strawberry, raspberry, crushed rock, and pepper. The nose is quite elegant so I was surprised on how full in body this is. The red fruits and peppery meats show through here. Ripe tannins and a spicy finish. Score: 90/100

• Château de la Gardine, ‘Même Pas Peur’ Rasteau 2018

The ‘Même Pas Peur’ (Not Even Afraid) Rasteau 2018 is made without the addition of sulfur. It is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah bottled without sulfur. You need to shake the CO2 out of this. Notes of strawberry, cherry, meat, and rose petal. It’s a rawer wine than the normal Rasteau but has plenty of sweet fruit. This is dense and should age well. Soft tannins with a floral, peppery finish. Score: 90+/100

• Château Saint Roch, ‘Confidentielle’ Lirac 2017

Château Saint Roch is Château de la Gardine’s property in Lirac. The ‘Confidentielle’ Lirac is an equal blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre aged in used oak. The flavors are clean and bright. Notes of cherry, strawberry, mocha, bbq meat, and pepper. Full-bodied and rich with a gamey mouthfeel. The tannins are firm but easy enough to enjoy this elegant Rhône wine young. Score: 89/100

• La Bastide Saint Dominique, ‘Jules Rochebonne’ Côtes du Rhône 2018

The La Bastide Saint Dominique, ‘Jules Rochebonne’ Côte du Rhône 2018 isn’t your typical Côtes du Rhône. This is mostly Syrah and Grenache. Notes of blackberry, mocha, mocha, and stems. Fruity and full-bodied, it shows impressive concentration for a CdR. Plush mouthfeel. Round and ripe tannins with good length. Score: 90/100

• La Bastide Saint Dominique, Cairanne 2018

The La Bastide Saint Dominique, Cairanne 2018 is an equal blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. People who like Rhône’s will just get off on this. Notes of meat, cherry, black raspberry, pepper, and clay. Medium-bodied despite the 14.5 ABV. Polished with chewy tannins.l and a quasi-stemmy (in a good way) finish. Score: 89/100

• Château Mont Thabor, Côtes du Rhône 2018

The Château Mont Thabor, Côtes du Rhône is a real overachiever. It’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault aged in concrete. For an entry-level red, this is rocking. Notes of leather, strawberry, raspberry, red plum, meat, and pepper. Elegant with several layers on the palate. The fruit is great but the savory qualities take center stage here. Finishes with leathery tannins. This truly acts like a little brother of Mont Thabor’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Score: 90/100

Do you like our content?

If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind the scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

Thanks to the producers for providing tasting samples. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Finding Value Wine In The Southern Rhône appeared first on Wine Travel.

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean, just a hair behind Sicily. Despite the size, Sardinian wines aren’t as visible on the international market like the ones from Sicily. This is a shame because there are some fantastic bottles being produced from both international and local grapes.

I went to Sardinia for the third installment of the Cagliari International Wine & Food Festival. It was my third time on the island in less than two years. With every visit I become fascinated by the quality level of the wines, from small producers and especially cooperatives.

Carignano del Sulcis

The visit included a day trip to Carignano del Sulcis to taste with the Consorzio Carignano del Sulcis. The grape Carignan is a big part of the blend in Corbières and Corbières Boutenac (Languedoc, France), wines that I appreciate. In Sulcis, Carignano stands on it’s own.

The vines in Carginano del Sulcis are old and often sit on their original rootstock. South Sardinia is one of the most southern grape growing regions in Europe, which means it’s hot. It’s the perfect climate for Carignan.

These are ripe wines with enough fruit and silkiness for novice drinkers while providing enough earthy, gamey notes and fine tannins for the more experienced palate. Better yet, these wines are available at fantastic prices. They make for a wonderful entry to the world of red Sardinian wine.

Cagliari International Wine & Food Festival

This was the third edition Cagliari Interntional Wine & Food Festival and my second time in attendance. It’s two days of food, wine, and fun in downtown Cagliari. The festival this year had several tables with different consorzios from the island. This made it easy to drink a lot of different wines from many producers in a short time period.

Here are some Sardinian wines that you should look out for.

Exotic Wine Travel’s Picks:

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

• Sardus Pater, ‘Sardus Pater ‘Isola dei Nuraghi 2016

This blend was made for the 70th anniversary of Sardus Pater. The Sardus Pater ‘Sardus Pater’ is a blend of 70 percent Carignan, with the remaining portion of the blend being Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Monica. It’s the most complex red in the winery’s lineup. There are notes of dark berry, earth, tobacco, and pepper. It is full-bodied with silky tannins and a spicy finish. Score: 90/100

• Santadi, ‘Terre Brune’ Carignano del Sulcis Superiore 2015

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Santadi is one of Italy’s finest cooperatives when it comes to red wine. The Santadi ‘Terre Brune’ Carignano del Sulcis Superiore is the top wine of the estate. It is a true Mediterranean red with notes of pine, rosemary, dark cherry, and cedar. This is intense with ripe fruit on the palate. The palate is full bodied, layered, and complex. I’ve been hard on this wine in the past, but today it is shining. Score: 92/100

*I also highly recommend the Santadi ‘Rocca Rubia’ Carignano del Sulcis Riserva. It delivers a lot of wine at about a third of the price of the Terre Brune.

• Agricole Punica, Barrua 2015

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Agricole Punica is a joint venture between Santadi and Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia) of Tuscany. This is a blend of 85% Carignano, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot aged 18 months in oak. There are notes of dark fruit, pepper, violets, meat, and garrigue. It has a round, silky, and refined palate. There are layers of flavor here with a spicy finish and fine grained tannins. Very good effort, I already liked it a lot but Charine’s enthusiasm for the wine pushed the score higher. Score: 94/100

• Dolianova, ‘Terresicci’ Isola dei Nuraghi 2013

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Dolianova is a high quality cooperative winery just 25 minutes from Cagliari. The Dolianova ‘Terresicci’ Isola dei Nuraghi is made from Barbera Sarda and aged in barrique for one year. This has a lot of oak but the fruit handles it well. There are notes of black olive, black plum, tobacco, and cigar. It really smells like a Mediterranean Merlot. It smells big and huge but it feels so light on the palate thanks to the high acidity and medium level of tannins. There’s a lot to like here. Score: 91/100

• Argiolas, ‘Iselis Bianco’ Isola dei Nuraghi 2017

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Argiolas is one of Sardinia’s benchmark producers. The top wine of the estate is the Turriga, which is a Cannonau dominate blend. It’s a excellent wine but I find the Argiolas ‘Iselis Bianco’ Isola dei Nuraghi to be very charming. It’s made from the grape Nasco and around 30% of this cuvée is barrel fermented.

There are notes of thyme, yogurt, lemon, and white pear. It really smells like a Mediterranean white. The wine has an oily, full body with a slightly bitter almond finish. A white that is more savory and less fruity, but well done. Score: 90/100

• Audarya, ‘Nuracada’ Bovale 2017

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Audarya is a small, family winery with a success story. In 2014 they started bottling 30,000 bottles per year. That has now risen to over 300,000 bottles per year. The Audarya ‘Nuracada’ is made from the grape Bovale Sardo, known internationally as Graciano. It has notes of dark plum, cedar, pepper, and baking spice. This is full bodied and aged in barrique. The tannins are firm but under control for the grape. Super spicy finish. Score: 89/100

• Antonella Corda, Nuragus di Cagliari 2018

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Antonella Corda is one of the up and coming names in Sardinian wine. Her wines are light-handed and show lots of finesse. The Antonella Corda Nuragus di Cagliari is made from the unique white wine grape Nuragus. Many examples of this grape tend to be neutral-tasting, but this is something different.

There are notes of lemon, sage, stone, and white peach. This is a really shiny wine with roundness on the palate. It’s full in body from the lees contact. There is a touch of bitter almond on the finish. Score: 89/100

• Ledda, Tenuta Matteu ‘Soliànu’ Vermentino di Gallura Superiore 2018

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Vermentino is Sardinia calling card. The finest examples we have tasted hail from the north, it’s the islands only DOCG named Vermentino di Gallura. The Ledda Tenuta Matteu ‘Soliànu’ Vermentino di Gallura Superiore is rich from lees contact. The wine has intense notes of pineapple, sage, seawater, and baked stones. For a fresh white this is full-bodied. It finishes with a citrusy acidity. Score: 90/100

• Mesa, ‘Buio Buio’ Carignano del Sulcis Superiore 2016

Find or buy on Wine-Searcher.

Cantina Mesa is another ambitious project in Carignano del Sulcis. The Mesa ‘Buio Buio’ Carignano del Sulcis Superiore is another classic example from the region. It has notes of dark fruit, thyme, earth, and baking spice. This is a full-bodied, yet silky red with fantastic wood integration. The tannins are sandy and the wine has a lingering, peppery finish. Score: 89+/100

• Muxurida, ‘Costa J Vacca’ Sardegna Semidano 2016

Semidano is a local grape that shows a lot of potential. Unfortunately it is a finicky grape to work with. The Muxurida ‘Costa J Vacca’ Sardegna Semidano is a fine example. It’s a developed white wine with chalk, dried pebble, yogurt, and white pear notes. This is more of a salty wine with some French flair and rich texture. Long and succulent finish. Score: 91/100

Do you like our content?

If you like our articles and videos, we’d love for you to be a part of our community on Patreon. The support from Patreon helps keep the content coming and you access to behind the scenes content. It also gives us the chance to get to know you better. Check out the Exotic Wine Travel Patreon page by clicking the photo below.

Thanks to APS Promotions, Consorzio Carignano del Sulcis, and Consorzio Vino Cagliari for hosting me. Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Sardinian Wine: Cagliari International Wine & Food Festival, Carignano del Sulcis, and More appeared first on Wine Travel.

Some of you may be aware of James Suckling’s fondness for Mexican wine and his amicable friendships with the wine producers in Valle de Guadalupe. And so perhaps it is no surprise to some that he would make wine in Mexico.

In 2010, Suckling released a red wine and a white wine under the name “One Wine One World”. The red is a blend of mostly Grenache, with some Carignan, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Cabernet Sauvignon; the grapes came from the Wente Vineyards in California, Roussillon in the south of France, and Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico. The white—a blend of Pinot Grigio, Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Furmint, and Chevalier—is made with grapes from Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia. About 550 cases of the red were produced and 250 cases of the white.

The proceeds go to a London-based interfaith charity: The Maimonides Foundation, whose mission is to promote understanding among Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Front label of James Suckling’s One Wine One World Vino Tinto. Photo credit: jamessuckling.com

The genesis of this wine occurred in the summer of 2010 during a lunch in Ensenada, Mexico. Together with Canadian writer, director and producer James Orr and Mexican vintner Humberto Falcon, Suckling discussed the idea of making a wine from the grapes of Mexico and the United States to signify what the two countries had in common instead of what was different.

The idea quickly evolved into a series of actions with the help of Mexican wine pioneer Hugo D’Acosta (check out the interview that Amanda Barnes of Around the World in 80 Harvests did with D’Acosta here), who facilitated the process of obtaining the grapes and making wine in Mexico. In fact, the French grapes were acquired from D’Acosta’s own vineyards in Roussillon and the Californian grapes came from the stainless steel vats in his own cellar. The rest of the Mexican grapes came from a group of small wine producers in Valle de Guadalupe.

Suckling wrote on his website:

“Not only was the wine for a good cause, I also wanted to find out if a wine could transcend borders and terroirs and still be a good and interesting bottle. I wanted to understand in the end if the virtues of good quality wines have more in common than not. It was very much like Khalili’s [David Khalili of The Maimonides Foundation] ideas about men and women. We all have so much more in common as human beings than not, regardless of our faith or our ways of life.”

In this video, he explains how the wine is tasting.

Back label of James Suckling’s One Wine One World Vino Tinto.

Tasting Notes: On the nose, this wine bears some resemblance to Alvaro Palacios Camins Del Priorat 2013. The bouquet reveals notes of lambskin leather, forest floor, dried green herbs, sweet tobacco, and dark fruit. Expansive and textured on the palate with ripe fruit characteristics without crossing into being jammy and heavy. I adore the balance of the fruity and savory characteristics. The gentle acidity gives energy to the wine and adds tenacity to the peppery finish. This wine is showing its peak performance; drink now.

Food Pairing Suggestion: One of my favorite restaurants in Ensenada is Da Toni. Toni, the owner and chef, makes a Tuscan-style Tagliata with beef from Sonora, Mexico. The Tagliata is perfectly charred on the outside and pink and juicy inside. There are no fancy herbs and spices, just the classic cracked black pepper and rosemary to go with the fresh meat. It isn’t an intensely flavored dish so the savory-sweet flavors of the wine will work well with the peppery char on the meat. The wine is only lightly tannic but rich enough to work with the fat on the Tagliata ribeye.

Tagliata di Rib Eye, Tuscan style preparation | Sonoran beef Open at 2PM #hungry #steak #italianfood #bajacalifornia #ensenadaisdelicious #ensenadamexico #valledeguadalupe🍷#bajawine

A post shared by da Toni Ensenada (@datoniensenada) on Jun 10, 2017 at 8:45am PDT

You May Also Enjoy

• Mexican Nebbiolo from Baja California
• Mexican Cabernet Sauvignon by Cavas Valmar
• Mexican Red Blend: Valle De Tintos Reserva 2013
• In this video, we take you to our favorite wine shops in Ensenada and highlight a few noteworthy Mexican wines.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post James Suckling’s One Wine One World Vino Tinto appeared first on Wine Travel.

Charine and I moved to Zagreb for a few months in late 2016/early 2017 to finish the research for our upcoming Croatian wine guide. It just so happened that there was a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) course happening in Zagreb at the end of 2016. We decided to kill two birds with one stone and finish the wine research while getting our WSET Level 3 certification. We chose the Wine Academy Croatia as our course provider.

WSET – Wine & Spirit Education Trust

WSET is one of the big names in international wine education for enthusiasts and professionals in the wine industry. There are four levels. The first two are targeted at wine enthusiasts, level III is known as the advanced certification, and level IV is a diploma course. For those who want to apply for the Master of Wine course, it is necessary to complete the WSET level IV diploma. Confident in our wine experience and knowledge, we opted to skip levels I & II, going straight to the level III course.

The criticism of the WSET program is that it is simply a certification mill. Some people say that passing the WSET course is meaningless, apart from the WSET Diploma. Some people say it makes people robotic in their approach to tasting. Others have said that it poorly trains people to describe wine. Regardless of these complaints, we found the course to be incredibly valuable. Here are some of our thoughts on the course.

SAT Tasting Method

The WSET calls their tasting method SAT, which is an acronym for Systematic Approach to Tasting Wine. The SAT is a structured system although it still leaves some room for subjectivity. It is broken down into observing the appearance, smell, and taste of the wine to determine the quality and price level.

Prior to taking this course, we had honed our tasting skills by doing a lot of reading and massive amounts of tasting. In 2016, we tasted a little over 3,000 wines. After taking the course, we found that our tasting techniques were a little sloppy, as well as our wine descriptions.

We really enjoyed the deductive tasting process when it comes to describing the body of a wine. To consider that oak and alcohol can bring the body of a wine up while acidity can bring the perception of the body down was a game changer for us. When we tasted in the past, we measured body mostly by weightiness on the palate.

I used to wonder if a wine can have high alcohol while being medium or low in body because of the mouthfeel. Using the deductive SAT method has allowed us to answer that question by taking acidity, oak, and perception of sugar into consideration. Looking at a wine more holistically instead of relying simply on feeling alone has allowed us to state our observations with more confidence.

Winemaking Process

While I come from a farming family, we both admit our shortcomings when it comes to knowledge of the winemaking process. What we know about the winemaking process comes from constantly traveling, spending time with producers, and seeing a few harvests.  When we first started traveling for wine, many of our questions probably seemed mundane, ignorant, and dumb.

The great thing about WSET is the coursepack and powerpoints which describe the winemaking process. The flow charts created by WSET describe the winemaking process clearly. They are not intended to make you a winemaker by any stretch but they offer a broad view of the process.

There were four Croatian winemakers attending the course with us. All of them wanted to learn more about international wines. The time we spent interacting with them, asking questions, and having discussions were invaluable. We’re thankful that the Wine Academy Croatia attract these types of people into the course, which offers a new dimension of learning and experience to us.

We find all of this information to be useful in understanding wine holistically. More importantly, it will allow us to have better conversations with producers.

Tasting Choices from Wine Academy Croatia

This is where Wine Academy Croatia excels as a course provider. One of the instructors works for a wine importing business in London. Because of this, Wine Academy Croatia has access to many excellent wines from around the world that are not available on Croatia’s wine market. We tasted close to 80 wines over the duration of the course.

These were our favorite wines tasted in class.

WHITE WINES

• Dawson & James, Chardonnay 2011 – Tasmania, Australia

This is an oaked Chardonnay done right. From the island of Tasmania, this wine was tasted double blind. It has all the fresh characteristics of Chardonnay with a touch of wood and very high acidity. Banana, pineapple, tropical fruit. Extremely delicious and wonderful. A fresh approach to New World Chardonnay.   4.3/5

• Chateau Lamothe, Bouscaut 2014 – Pessac – Léognan, France

A marvelous white Bordeaux! This is a 55-45 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The wine is herbal with a touch of oxidation. Nice acidity. Flavors include grass, stone fruit, herb, cat pee, and sweet oak with deliberate oxidation notes. This wine has the stuffings to age. It is a beautiful wine.   4.6/5

• Domaine du Chêne, Condrieu 2013 – Rhone, France

This is the first Condrieu that I’ve tasted. Fashionable as a premium white wine made from Viognier that should always be drunk fairly young. This is full of dried stone fruit, apricot, jasmine, brioche, and almond flavors. I tend to prefer acidic white wines and Condrieu is renowned for its low acidity. My preference doesn’t matter, this is a wonderful wine.   4.8/5

• Domaine Koquelicot, Belaigra Grand Cru 2013 – Istria, Croatia

This was served to us during our practice blind tasting examination. Most people thought it was a Puligny-Montrachet (high-end White Burgundy). This winery is made up of a Frenchman and an Istrian woman. This is full of flint, stone fruit, vanilla, and oak. Flavorful, nice acidity, and very elegant.   4.4/5

RED WINES

• John Duval Wines, Entity Shiraz 2013 – Barossa, Australia

After 29 years as a winemaker at Penfold’s, John Duval left to start his own winery. This is Australian Shiraz in a big way. It is dark, full of spice and blackberry jam. The tannins are ripe and mouthcoating, you need a huge steak to make this easier to drink. It is nice now, but boy has the stuffing to age gracefully.   4.2/5

• Chateau Talbot, Saint Julien 2005 – Bordeaux, France

This vintage, as well as 2009 and 2010, are considered to be the vintages of the century thus far in Bordeaux. This producer has a track record of producing very good and fairly inexpensive wines. It has a rocking nose of tobacco, tomato leaf, cedar, and chocolate. The finish is long and the tannins are fine and gritty, this can age even more. Excellent wine and can be transcendent if the palate offers the same ommmpf as the nose.   4.3/5

• Cafaro, Merlot 2010 – Napa Valley, USA

I was wondering how the USA would be represented in this course. Most of the excellent wines from America don’t make it abroad. If they do make it overseas, they come with insanely high price tags. This wine is from a producer who recently closed his doors, what a pity. The wine is a wonderful blend of New World fruit and Old World earthiness. Leather, meat, tobacco, cedar, tomato leaf, and blackberry. Beautiful structure with a long finish.   4.3/5

• La Croix de Saint Jean, Lo Paire Minervois 2012 – Languedoc – Roussillon, France

A GSM blend (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) from the south of France. I really enjoy the wines from Languedoc – Roussillon. Mostly Syrah, it is a big wine that has all the stuffing to age gracefully. This is chalked full of dark fruit, cedar, and licorice. High in alcohol, with medium tannins, and a voluptuous body, this wine is a pleasure to drink.   4.2/5

 (You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

Conclusion

We were happy with the entire WSET 3 experience. Wine Academy Croatia did a fine job and exceeded our expectations with the wine tasting samples. The course was fun and dynamic. We skipped the Level I and II course and jumped straight into level III. It didn’t prove to be a big leap as we both passed the final examination.

You can find out more about the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the course provider we used, Wine Academy Croatia, on the websites listed below. 
– https://www.wsetglobal.com
– http://www.wineacademycroatia.com
Many of the wines we tasted in class are available at Liberty Wines.

Disclaimer: This article is based on our own opinions and is NOT associated with sponsorship or business promotions of any kind.

The post Wine Academy Croatia: Advancing with WSET appeared first on Wine Travel.

This is Part 2 of our report about the workshops at Vinart Grand Tasting; here’s Part 1. If you’d like to learn more about Croatian wine, check out Cracking Croatian Wine: A Visitor-Friendly Guide.

Tasting with the Godfather of Istria: Clai Winery

Clai is perhaps our favorite producer in Croatia. Giorgio Clai and his wife ran a few restaurants in Trieste, Italy, before moving to Istria and establishing a winery. They use no herbicides, insecticides, or commercial fertilizers in their eight-hectares vineyards. We first visited the winery last April, and our first taste of Clai wines blew us away.

Giorgio likes long maceration and his reds are dark and dense, while the whites are full-fledged amber wines. The reds are big and explosive with enough finesse and structure to keep many different types of palates happy. The whites are amber wines that manage to retain fruitiness; they don’t have the heavy nut and dried apricot flavors that many macerated amber wines tend to have. He is a legend on the Croatian market and his wines regularly sell every vintage. The workshop was packed and the room was buzzing. It’s nearly impossible to taste older vintages of

The workshop was packed and the room was buzzing. It’s nearly impossible to taste older vintages of Clai’s wines—they’re just not available on the market. All of his wines are so delicious and drinkable in their youth that there are not many older vintages out there.

In this workshop, we tasted several vintages of his Cru wines, Sv. Jakov and Brombonero. It showed how well these wines age.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Clai, Ottocento bijeli 2014

The new entry-level white wine from Clai. Beautiful dandelion, peach, honey, and summer laundry nose—a gorgeous nose. Honeycomb in color due to the time on the skins. A blend of Malvazija Istarska, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc. Really ethereal mouthfeel, full bodied and rich yet fresh with nice acidity. There is just a gentle tannic feel from the skin contact, but it is minor. The finish stays in the mouth for a long time. Great effort for a rainy and difficult vintage.   4.7/5

Clai Ottocento White | €21,99 | Shop Here

• Clai, Sv. Jakov 2009

This is the reserve white wine from Clai. It’s made from 100% Malvazija Istarska and is tangerine in color. This is more earth- and mineral- driven in the nose than previous vintages, due to the aging. Ripe peach, yellow flower, and vanilla spice round out the flavors. Rich and full on the palate, the fruit takes over with a savory feel. This has an extremely smooth and long finish. A beautiful macerated white wine.   4.7/5

Clai Malvazija Sv. Jakov | €29,99 | Shop Here

• Clai, Brombonero 2009 

Clai’s flagship red made from Refošk grapes. It is made in very limited quantities. We tasted this wine from a magnum bottle. Still extremely dark in color, this is taking on some forest floor notes at eight years of age. Black plum, blackberry, leather, and pepper flavors dominate. This is very juicy on the palate and has a long life ahead of it. The finish has a touch of black pepper. This has the stuffings to age even further.   4.8/5

Clai Brombonero | €44,99 | Shop Here

Champagne, Champagne!

Charine loves bubbles. To clarify, Charine loves Champagne. So attending this workshop was not optional, it was a necessity for us.

Charles Heidsieck is better known for its larger brand, Piper Heidsieck. Wine nerds should not overlook Charles Heidsieck because they deliver big-time wines at reasonable prices compared to other premium champagne houses. Both non-vintage rosé and non-vintage brut champagnes really showed well compared to the vintage bottles.

Warning: this paragraph is strictly for wine nerds. What makes Charles Heidsieck wines unique is the high amount of reserve wines added to the base of their non-vintage champagne. They also place a cellar and disgorgement date on the back of the label. This adds a whole new level of transparency for the consumers.

 

Clearly, the Charles Heidsieck class was one of the most exciting masterclasses at the Vinart Grand Tasting event. Right after the last word of the presenter, almost everyone rushed to the bottle lineup to take pictures and pour out whatever was left in the bottle. Our presenter Drazan Sunjic (also our WSET educator) knows the champagne region and Champagne Charlie inside out.

A post shared by Exotic Wine Travel (@exoticwinetravel) on Feb 26, 2017 at 12:00am PST

The workshop was a rousing success. There is not a huge selection of international wines available in Croatia and even fewer labels of champagne. When the class was finished, everybody rushed to the front of the room to take photos of the bottles and drink the last few drops of this stellar juice.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Charles Heidsieck, Rosé Réserve NV

Light tangerine in color with fine bubbles. Brioche, lemon, and red berries with a touch of earthy notes. Nice strawberry notes on the palate with creamy mousse and a long finish. This isn’t overly yeasty and is very easy to drink. A champagne that all palates will enjoy, even those who are turned off by yeasty flavors.   4.4/5

• Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires, 1995

Blanc de Blanc Vintage Champagne made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for a minimum of 10 years. Full of butter, peach, slate, and a touch of biscuit nose. Pure elegance and beauty in a glass, a masterpiece. A wine that must be tasted, not described.   4.8/5

Cabernet Franc from… Hungary?

We have repeatedly heard that Villány, Hungary may be the second best area for Cabernet Franc outside of Loire, France. Every time someone told us that phrase, it seemed more like rehearsed marketing rhetoric than the truth. However, tasting these wines turned us into believers.

The Villányi wine region in the southwestern part of the county is described as the Bordeaux of Hungary. It is across the Danube river from Croatia. The hot summers and mild autumns allow for the production of Hungary’s biggest red wines. There are notable Bordeaux blends coming from the area. Cabernet Franc is a specialty and the top quality fruit is bottled under the name Villányi Franc.

All of the wines we had in this workshop qualified for the Villányi Franc name. They were the top red wines in each producer’s portfolio. Vinart presented us with six wines.

We just finished a tasting of excellent 2010 Bordeaux wines prior to this workshop. Our expectations for the Hungarian wines were not very high. What a treat! The quality across the board was shockingly good. The wines were extremely well-made, with rich texture and earthy notes. Here are our three favorites.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

(You can find out more about our scoring system on the START HERE page.)

• Weninger & Gere, Villányi Franc 2013

Aged in French and Hungarian oak for 16 months. Earthy, with leafy vegetables, herbs, black cherry, and a touch of cedar. A medium-bodied wine with nice acidity and balance between greens and fruit, with soft yet palpable tannins. This is well made and delicious with a lot of character. I love the pencil lead finish.   4.2/8

• Vylyan Pinćeszet, Mandolás’ Villányi Franc 2012

Matured in oak for 16 months. Amazing nose and very fruit forward for Cabernet Franc with plum and black cherry. Green herbs and leafy veggies are present with a lot of graphite. Wonderful, round mouthfeel with nice flavor intensity in the mid-palate and a long finish.   4.5/5

• Bock, Villányi Franc (Fekete-Hegy Selection) 2011

Aged in new oak for two years. This is dark and really smells like Bordeaux. It is full of earth, chocolate, tobacco, black cherry, and cedar notes. This is rich and tannic. It is extremely ripe for Cabernet Franc and doesn’t have strong veggie characteristics, but it is a beautiful wine.   4.4/5

The Many Faces of Grenache

We have been reading the blog Wine On VI for some time and it was nice to meet author Miquel Hudin in person. While Miquel wrote a guidebook to wine travel in Dalmatia and is a Croatian citizen, the workshop was not about Croatian wine. Miquel currently lives in the Priorat region of Spain. He led a workshop on Grenache/Garnacha, which was a must-attend for us as we love wines made from this grape.

All five wines showed well and all brought a lot of thunder for the 15-25 Euros price range. Grenache is a grape that has a lot to offer. It gives the delicious red fruit flavors that are easy for many people to like, along with earthiness and spice to appease more discerning palates. A lot of people are more familiar with the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and for good reason. However, we find equal amounts of joy in Grenache-based wines from both the Languedoc-Roussillon area and different parts of Spain.

Miquel did a good job selecting wines from different areas and highlighting the subtle contrasts between them. It was an early Sunday morning class but everyone enjoyed it. Once again, Grenache-based wines showed their merits and packed some punch.

EXOTIC WINE TRAVEL’S PICKS

• Proyectos Garnachas de España, La Garnatxa Fosca del Priorat 2014

This is Priorate to a “T” for us. Vanilla, dark cherry, cedar, herb, earth, and crushed rock flavors. This wine is tart and the flavors wrap themselves around your palate, a touch of brett on the finish. Inexpensive and classy stuff.   4.2/5

• Domaine Treloar, One Block Grenache 2014

From Southern France, this wine is absolutely wonderful. Full of chocolate, cherry, pepper, cedar, orange peel flavors with a touch of brett. Well rounded and silky on the palate with an earthy finish. Top-notch quality from Côte du Roussillon, we can’t wait to make it there one day.   4.3/5

The finest selection of

wines

available at:

Shipping is available EU-wide and to the UK.

Check out Wines Available in the USA.

************

    Do you want to try Croatian wines?    

If you’re looking to savor the exquisite flavor of Croatian wines, look no further than wineandmore.com. With an abundance of options from different winemakers, it’s easy to find exactly what your palate desires. Not sure which bottle is best for you? Try out one of their curated wine cases and discover the perfect vintage for any occasion!

************

Want to learn more about wine?

Are you ready to discover the wonderful world of wines? Come join us at wineandmore.com and let’s explore the incredible selection of delicious wines together! We can’t wait to share our passion for wine with you!

Other Wine Events in Zagreb, Croatia
Croatia’s Wine Tasting Event: Zagreb Bubbles In Pictures
Zagreb VINOcom: Gems From Croatia’s Largest Wine Show
Graševina Without Borders: Eight Wines to Try

Disclosure:
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Best of the VinArt Grand Tasting 2017: Part 2 appeared first on Wine Travel.