A few days ago I had the opportunity to taste a large sampling of wines from Croatia. With twenty-two wineries represented, my palate was treated to some very impressive wines. Today’s post is a general overview of Croatian wine. I will be getting into a more in-depth study of each region, the wines, producers and some history in future posts. Croatia stretches over Central and Southeastern Europe with a very long coastline hugging the Adriatic Sea. There are four wine regions throughout Croatia with twelve sub-regions and 66 appellations. The climate and soils vary throughout these regions. The Adriatic coastline enjoys typical Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. Further inland in Central Croatia, the Dinaric Alps run parallel to the Adriatic Sea creating an alpine climate at the higher altitudes. Depending on the region, one can find a variety of soils, with white soils of limestone, iron-rich clay soils and stony karst soil being the most dominant. Here is a fun fact: Croatia is home to the Slavonian oak forest, which provides oak for the casks preferred by many European winemakers for aging their finest wines! There are 130 indigenous grape varieties in Croatia of which 40 are in production. Over 60% of wine produced in Croatia is white. Here is a list of just a few of the indigenous grape varieties: Red grapes Tribidrag is genetically identical to Zinfandel and the oldest recorded name for the variety. Plavac Mali (offspring to Zinfandel) and considered “king of the Croatian wines”. Teran found mostly in western Istria region Babić found mostly in the Central Dalmatia region White grapes Graševina (most planted grape variety in Croatia) Pošip found mostly in Dalmatia region Malvazija Istarska (second most planted grape in Croatia) Grk found mostly on Lumbarda, a small island off the coast Debit found primarily in the Dalmatia region Generally speaking, the majority of white wines that I tasted were very aromatic, dry, crisp, light and fresh, with a perfect balance of fruit, citrus, and minerality. I must admit that the white wines were my favorite. The red wines run the gamut from soft to chewy tannins with layers of dark fruit, spice and herbs that are full-bodied and robust to softer medium-bodied reds of cherry, sweet berries, spice and floral. I tasted a few rosés that were very impressive, including a standout from Vina Laguna Perla Rosé NV made with Teran grapes. Vina Laguna is located in the Istria wine region. Among the many producers present was Grgić Vina Winery, owned by winemaker Mike Grgich, who became famous in 1976 when his Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won first prize at the “Judgment of Paris.” Both his Pošip 2016 (white) and Plavac mali 2015 (red) were outstanding. His winery is located in the Peljesac Peninsula, part of the Dalmatia region. In addition to the wines, I tasted amazing olive oil from several producers. Wow---just wow! As I said earlier, this is just a quick introduction to Croatian wine…I have more to cover! The names of the varietals can be daunting, but I hope I have peaked your curiosity enough to pick up a bottle the next time you’re in a wine shop. If you do, share your thoughts with me! Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Winter is history and hopefully we’ve seen the last of nor’easters and snow. I’m looking forward to the trees budding and flowers blooming. To help celebrate the onset of spring, I opened a bottle of Chenin Blanc from South Africa. As you know by now, I drink whites, rosés and reds all year round. However, it seemed fitting to start the spring season with something light and fresh! Chenin Blanc is a native white grape of France, specifically associated with the Loire Valley and the grape is mentioned in Official French documents dating back 1300 years ago. Over the years, Chenin Blanc has made its way to New World wine regions, including South Africa. In fact, Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted grape variety in South Africa and is now the largest grower and producer of this varietal. Chenin Blanc is also known as Steen in this wine region. Aromas and flavors of Chenin Blanc can vary depending on which wine region of South Africa they are produced in and whether the grapes are grown in cool or warm climates. But overall, the Chenin Blanc wines tend to feature high acidity, an oily texture and tropical notes. Nederburg Wine Estate is located in Paarl in the Western Cape province of South Africa and is situated about 45 minutes from Cape Town. This is a warm climate region. Here is a very condensed version of the estate’s history. Philippus Wolvaart bought the land in 1791 and together with his wife, they created the groundwork, setting the stage for Nederburg Wines. Once he cleared the land, Wolvaart planted a variety of vines. He also built a beautiful Manor House, which he completed in 1800 and is now a tourist attraction today. Wolvaart eventually sold his farm in 1810, which then repeatedly sold until 1937, when Johan Georg Graue purchased it. Graue pioneered new practices from wine growing to winemaking. In 1953, Günter Brözel became the winemaker and was the first person in South Africa to win the International Wine & Spirits Competition Winemaker of the Year Award for his “Edelkeur Wine”. In 2001, Razvan Macici, a Romanian born cellar master, took over the operation and he continues the tradition of creating quality wines. Nederburg Winemasters Chenin Blanc 2016 is made with 100% Chenin Blanc. The Winemasters brand is their premium wine named in honor of the cellar’s long-standing tradition of winemaking excellence. The Chenin Blanc is a soft golden color with lovely aromas of floral, honey, stone fruit and minerality. The palate is rich with ripe tropical fruit, honeysuckle, pear, apricot and hints of vegetation and flint with a finale of tart granny smith apples. The texture is creamy, light and crisp. This a great wine to drink as an aperitif or with seafood, light pasta and cheese. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $12.99 Have some fun and open a bottle of Chenin Blanc from Loire Valley and South Africa. Taste and compare, then let me know what you think!
Have a great weekend and enjoy the spring weather! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com My mouth was still tingling with delight after tasting and reviewing several bottles of wine from Alentejo, Portugal last week. So, last night I opened a bottle of wine from northern Portugal’s Douro Valley region. My palate was not disappointed! Douro is famous for supplying the world with its production of port wine. However, it is now being praised for its succulent and refined unfortified wines, both red and white. Quinta da Zaralhôa is a family owned estate with 12 hectares located in the sub-region of Douro Superior. This sub-region experiences extremely cold winters and very hot summers. The vines grow in schist soil on steep slopes with the vineyards facing southwest, exposing them to less sun. With less sun exposure, the grapes are allowed a longer time to ripen, developing flavors without excess sugar impeding the acid levels. At Quinta da Zaralhôa harvest takes place in October. Farming is certified organic and sustainable. Grapes are crushed with the tradition of stomping the grapes with their feet, in the belief that it is the best way to maximize the juice’s contact with the skin without crushing the seeds. Photo credit Quinta da Zaralhôa Quinta da Zaralhôa Rumansil 2012 is a blend of indigenous grapes; 25%Touriga Nacional, 25%Touriga Franca, 25%Tinta Roriz, and 25% Tinta Barroca. The wine is named after Rumansil, a Roman villa of the 3rd century, located next to Quinta da Zaralhôa. The wine is aged in French oak for 2 years. Prior to bottling, different lots are selected for the final blend and then aged for one year in bottle. The color of the wine is burgundy with intoxicating aromas of dark fruit, floral and spice. The palate is layered with a rich concentration of dark berries, plums, spice, fennel, hints of cocoa and finishes with cherry and pepper. Silky tannins, good acidity, fresh and juicy! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $25 Wines from Douro are becoming more and more popular and run the gamut in price. If you haven’t already tried these wines, I encourage you to treat your palate! Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com A few weeks ago I opened a bottle of Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Malbec 2014 from Chile. I intended to give a “shout out” to this expressive wine, but days got away from me and I never got around to writing about it. And then, yesterday I received several bottles of Malbec from Chile and Argentina. One of the bottles was a Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Malbec 2016. So, I thought it would be interesting to compare the 2014 and 2016 vintages. The Gran Reserva Serie Riberas is also known as “Riverbank Series”. These are single-vineyard wines grown close to one of Chile’s major rivers, the Rapel, Cachapoal and Tinguirica. The Malbec vineyards are planted on the south bank of the Tinguirica River. The Palo Santo Vineyard is located 180 meters above sea level. The climate is Mediterranean with an extended dry season and the river and coastal breezes influence the temperature. Marcio Ramírez is the chief winemaker for the Gran Reserva Serie Riberas. Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Malbec 2014 is made with 90% Malbec and 10% Syrah. The color is deep purple with tantalizing aromas of dark fruit, dark plum, blueberries, blackberries and spice. The palate is layered with dark berries, dark plum, hints of blueberries, nutmeg, pepper and dark chocolate. This wine has a beautiful concentration of flavors and is full-bodied with soft tannins. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $17 Gran Reserva Serie Riberas Malbec 2016 is made with 85% Malbec and 15% Merlot. The color is dark purple with concentrated aromas of blueberries, plum, spice, pepper and hints of floral. The palate offers lush dark fruit, black cherries, plum and spice with a long finish of pepper and sour cherry. It is medium-bodied with soft tannins. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $17 The 2016 vintage has a tad more spice and has earthiness, but both vintages are easy to drink and they will pair well with many foods.
Until next time! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com When the topic of Portuguese wine comes up, thoughts might turn to the exceptional fortified wines that this country produces. But there is so much more to discover. I have written several stories about Portuguese wine, discussing some of its regions and producers. Here is a quick review: Portugal is located in the Southwest corner of Europe in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the westernmost country of Europe and surrounded by Spain to the North and East, and the Atlantic Ocean to the South and West. What makes Portugal so unusual with regards to wine is that it boasts a remarkable number of grape varieties that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In fact, many of the Portuguese grape varieties are restricted to the national territory. There are 250 indigenous grape varieties officially registered. The Alvarinho, Baga and Touriga Nacional grapes are probably the most widely known by name. Portugal is divided into fourteen Regional Wine areas. Each region has a unique geography and climate, influencing the production of the grapes. Most of the wines produced in Portugal are a blend of several national grape varieties rather than using a single varietal. In fact, some winemakers will blend more than twenty varieties to attain the perfect balance. However, there are a few regions that produce a single variety grape, such as Bairrada, using the Baga grape (red) and in Moncao/Melgaco in the Vinho Verde region, using the Alvarinho grape (white). Overall, the most “popular” of the white grapes are Alvarinho, Arinto/Pederna, Encruzado and Fernao Pires/Maria Gomes. The popular red grapes are Baga, Casteao, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira/Tinta Amarela. My focus today is the Alentejo wine region which covers a third of Portugal in the southern half. (see map above) Alentejo has eight sub-regions that cover approximately a fifth of the Vinho Regional Alentejano region with climate and soils varying within the sub-regions. The wines produced here come in a range of styles, influenced by the diversity of the climate and soil. The soil of Alentejo varies throughout the sub-regions. In fact, it has the most diverse soil of any region in Portugal. Interspersed amongst the mountains, hills and valleys, one can find soil with clay, limestone, quartz, granite, schist, sandstone and marble. Most of the soils are non-calcareous, meaning they are neutral or more acidic. For instance, Portalegre is located well to the northeast at the foothills of the São Mamede Mountains with predominately granite soil, more rainfall and cooler temperatures. Borba, Évora, Redondo and Reguengos, located in the interior of Alentejo, experience typical Mediterranean weather which is mild and warm, with more rainfall in winter. The soil types vary between marble, red slate, brown Mediterranean soil, granite and schist. Whereas, Granja-Amareleja, Moura and Vidigueira are exposed to a much hotter climate with infertile volcanic soils of granite and schist and poor limestone based soils. Alentejo has 51,000 acres of planted vines that enjoy 3000 hours of sunshine annually. More than 80% of the grapes grown are red, but whites are gaining momentum, especially Antão Vaz, the star grape of the region. The following are Alentejo’s signature grapes: Whites Antão Vaz Arinto Fernão Pires Roupeiro-aka Malvasia and Siria Verdelho Reds Alfrocheiro Alicante Bouschet Castelão Touriga Nacional Trincadeira So, let’s check out a small selection of wines from Alentejo! Olho De Mocha Reserva 2014 is produced by Herdade do Rocim located in the southernmost region of lower Alentejo. The wine is 100% Antão Vaz. The color is golden yellow with subtle aromas of citrus, floral, apples and hints of minerality. The palate offers tropical fruit, honeysuckle, gentle citrus and lively acidity with a dose of lemon zest on the finish. This is a fresh and aromatic wine. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $30 Tinto De Talha 2014 is produced by Piteira located in the Granja-Amareleja sub-region. The wine is made with 100% Moreto grapes grown in a mix of sand pebbles and quartz. This is a “clay jar” wine, which is a 2,000-year-old tradition of making wine. The grapes are destemmed and crushed by hand and then the must and skins are deposited into large 520-gallon handmade talhas (clay jars) where fermentation starts spontaneously and lasts for about 3 months. The wine then ages for 6 months in the talhas with skins. The color of the wine is deep garnet with ripe fruit, floral and plum on the nose. Neutral flavors and a hint of bitterness remain on the palate. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $23 Reserve Red 2014 is produced by Esporão located in Reguengos de Monsaraz DOP, in the interior of Alentejo. This is a beautiful blend of Aragonez, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouschet. The grapes are grown in clay loam soils with granite and schist mother rock. The color of the wine is dark red bordering on purple. Aromas of ripe red and dark fruit, herbs and hints of oak segue onto the palate with cherry, plum and pomegranate, leaving a hint of tartness on the finish. This is a full-bodied wine with medium tannins and multiple layers. A very expressive wine. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $28 Evora Tinto Colheita 2013 is produced by Cartuxa located in the sub-region of Évora. The wine is a blend of Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Trincadeira and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are grown in granite soil. The wine is dark red with aromas of sweet berries and dark fruit. The palate offers dark rich fruit, dark plum, cherry, spice, licorice, medium tannins and a peppery finish. This is a full-bodied wine with a lot of depth and character. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $25 Monte de Peceguina 2015 is produced by Herdade Da Malhadinha Nova located in Beja, a southern sub-zone. The wine is a lovely blend of Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are grown in free-draining schist soil. The color is dark ruby with heady aromas of lush ripe fruit, cherry and dark berries. The palate offers succulent berries, spice, anise and hints of pepper and herbs. White chocolate and cherry linger on the finish. This is a fresh, medium-bodied wine that is smooth as silk. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: 18.99 Alentejo producers and growers embrace and practice sustainability. In 2014, the Alentejo Regional Wine Growing Commission created a voluntary initiative for grape growers and wine producers called Wines of Alentejo Sustainability Programme in order to improve social, environmental and economic welfare. In addition to wine production, Alentejo produces award-winning olive oil and is home to over one-third of the world’s cork forests. Alentejo has a rich and fascinating wine history, amazing architecture, mouthwatering cuisine and a captivating culture, all of which I will cover in another post. In the meantime, the next time you’re in a wine shop pick up a bottle from this impressive region. Most of the wines are available nationwide.
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com The following post was intended for publication a few days ago. However, as my finger hovered over the “publish” button, the power went off in my home due to the tumultuous Nor’easter raging outside. I lost communication with the world…no Internet, TV or phone service. It has been an interesting and challenging few days to say the least and I still have no electricity. Through the kindness of friends, I’ve been able to “recharge” and finally go online today. So here is the story as written before the lights went out! Winter is not over yet and another Nor’easter has descended upon us. So rather than gaze out the window helplessly watching the tree branches bend in a torturous rebellion against nature, I decided to transport myself to the South of France! And it was so easy; all I had to do was open a bottle of wine! My taste buds took me to Languedoc, France’s largest wine producing region extending from the Rhône valley in the east to the Spanish border in the southwest, The wine styles reflect the climate and terrain which vary with the location of the vineyards growing from the Mediterranean to the mountainous terrain more inland. About 75% to 80% of the region’s wine production is red with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan being the major players. The red wines from this region are noted for being fruit driven and full-bodied with an emphasis on blends rather than single varietals. Languedoc is also one of France’s largest organic wine growing regions. Le Domaine Fabrègues is located in the heart of Languedoc on a hillside in the village of Aspiran, with Cévennes and the Black Mountain as its backdrop. Carine Despinasse is owner and winemaker. Domaine de Fabrègues 'Le Coeur' Languedoc 2009 is a beautiful blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Carignan. The Carignan grapes are harvested from 75+-year-old vines. The color is deep garnet with a bouquet of cherry, sweet fruit, earth and spice. The palate is a concentration of black cherry, dark and juicy fruit, plum, pepper and licorice. The wine is full-bodied with smooth tannins and hints of dark chocolate and spice that linger on the palate for a very satisfying and long finish. This is an impressive wine and moderately priced! Alcohol: 14% SRP: $20 Languedoc also produces some wonderful white, rose, sparkling and sweet wines. Check out some of my stories and reviews of producers and wines in this region by clicking on the Category menu on the right-hand side of this page. I love the south of France…especially in the middle of a snowstorm! Cheers!
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