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As you may have guessed from previous posts, I am a big fan of Argentine wines. I have sampled many wines from this country including Bodega Trivento wines located in Mendoza. Trivento wines have oodles of flavor and personality and their price to value ratio is a bonus. So I was quite happy when bottles of Trivento Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec arrived.   For those of you who may not have read my previous posts on Mendoza or Bodega Trivento, here is a quick recap. Mendoza is considered the “heart of wine growing” in Argentina, with over 70% of all Argentine wine produced here. Of that amount, 85% of it is Malbec. Bodega Trivento is located in Mendoza, Argentina against the backdrop of the Andes. In the mid-1990s Concha y Toro, Chile’s leading wine producer, purchased this collection of eight vineyards spreading across the Maipu, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Luján de Cuyo, San Martin and Rivadavia districts, making it one of the largest wine estates in Mendoza with 3,185 acres.  The name Trivento means “three winds”, referring to the Polar, Zonda and Sudestada winds that blow across the sun-drenched and arid land of Mendoza. These winds are an integral part in the growth and unique character of the grapes. The frigid Polar winds of winter forces the sap deep into the vines. Next, the Zonda winds hurtle down from the Andes out of the West, awakening dormant sap to generate new spring growth. And finally, in the summer months, the Sudestada winds drawing from the East provides a cool breeze from the scorching sun, giving the grapes relief and aid in ripening. Trivento’s high-altitude and huge swings in day and night temperatures help influence and enhance the wines’ aromatic quality. In addition, rainfall averages only 8 inches a year. However, Mother Nature lends a hand by irrigating the vineyards with the spring snowmelt that cascades from the mountains nearby. All eight vineyards of Trivento are equipped with state of the art technology, drip irrigation systems and a dedicated team of winemakers and technicians. The Trivento Reserve Collection wines are made by Maximiliano Ortiz, a native of Mendoza, who apprenticed with internationally renowned Italian consulting enologist, Alberto Antonini, who still consults for Trivento. The grapes for the Reserve line are harvested by hand and aged for about six months in French oak barrels, followed by six months in bottle. The Trivento Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon harvested from the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo districts. The color is dark ruby with aromas of red berries, pepper and sage. The palate presented bitterness at first, which immediately segued into layers of cherry, tobacco, spices and a hint of cocoa with a pleasing finish. This is a full-bodied wine with medium tannins. Alcohol: 13.3% SRP: $11  The Trivento Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec 2016 is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Malbec. Grapes are harvested from the Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo districts. The color is deep garnet with aromas of fresh cherry, plum spice and pepper. The palate offers fresh red and black berries, chocolate, spices and a hint of herbs with soft tannins and a lingering finish. Alcohol: 13.30% SRP: $11  With the rain coming down and the winds howling outside, I can’t think of a better time spent, than sipping wines from Argentina!  Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com
 When one thinks of the tango, Argentina immediately comes to mind. And that can be said for Malbec as well. Mendoza is considered the “heart of wine growing” in this country. Over 70% of all Argentine wine is produced in Mendoza. Of that amount, 85% of it is Malbec. I recently received a few bottles of Trivento Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina that were amazing. So let’s start with a little background information before I share my tasting thoughts with you.   Bodega Trivento is located in Mendoza, Argentina against the backdrop of the Andes. In the mid-1990s Concha y Toro, Chile’s leading wine producer, purchased this collection of eight vineyards spreading across the Maipu, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Luján de Cuyo, San Martin and Rivadavia districts, making it one of the largest wine estates in Mendoza with 3,185 acres.  The name Trivento means “three winds”, referring to the Polar, Zonda and Sudestada winds that blow across the sun drenched and arid land of Mendoza. These winds are an integral part in the growth and unique character of the grapes. The frigid Polar winds of winter forces the sap deep into the vines. Next, the Zonda winds hurtle down from the Andes out of the West, awakening dormant sap to generate new spring growth. And finally, in the summer months, the Sudestada winds drawing from the East provides a cool breeze from the scorching sun, giving the grapes relief and aid in ripening. Trivento’s high-altitude and huge swings in day and night temperatures help influence and enhance the wines’ aromatic quality. In addition, rainfall averages only 8 inches a year. However, Mother Nature lends a hand by irrigating the vineyards with the spring snowmelt that cascades from the mountains nearby. All eight vineyards of Trivento are equipped with state of the art technology, drip irrigation systems and a dedicated team of winemakers and technicians. The Trivento Reserve Collection wines are made by Maximiliano Ortiz, a native of Mendoza, who apprenticed with internationally renowned Italian consulting enologist, Alberto Antonini, who still consults for Trivento. The grapes for the Reserve line are harvested by hand and aged for about six months in French oak barrels, followed by six months in bottle.  The Trivento 2015 Malbec Reserve is 100% Malbec. It is dark red bordering on violet. Mouthwatering aromas of fresh berries, plum, spice and sweet cocoa, segue onto the palate with more dark fruit, spice, pepper and vanilla added in. Soft tannins and a long finish make this a very approachable price to value ratio. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $11 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec grapes are grown in the higher altitudes of the Luján de Cuyo zone of Mendoza. The higher altitudes contribute to greater concentration of fruit, density and a higher ratio of natural acidity that promotes the wine’s ability to age. The Lujan de Cuyo vineyard was planted more than a century ago in 1912. The grapes are harvested by hand and go through further hand selection at the winery. The wine is vinified and aged at a separate winemaking facility under the watchful eye of winemaker Germán Di Césare. The wine is aged for about twelve months in French oak, followed by varying aging times in the bottle, but usually twelve months.  The 2014 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec is 100% Malbec. The color is purple with enticing aromas of dark berries, plum, spice and pepper. The palate offers an explosion of berries in the mouth with plum, a hint of tobacco, spice, pepper and silky tannins. This is a beautifully balanced wine that is full of surprises.
Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $21 These are affordable and very drinkable wines that will complement just about any type of food. I’m impressed! Have a great Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Even though it’s only 11:00 am and already 75 degrees outside, I’m being lured into the excitement of autumn. I just bought my first pumpkin of the season. And, I’m baking up a batch of pumpkin muffins this weekend.  While at the Wines of Burgundy tasting a few days ago, I met Luis Pannunzio, Director of Las Piedras Pura VID of Mendoza, Argentina. This family run business began with his father, Giovanni Vincenzo Pannunzio who emigrated to Argentina from Italy in 1952. His sons José and Luis now continue the tradition of winemaking that their father began. The vineyard is located in Barrancas, Maipu where attention and respect is paid to honoring the environment.  I tasted two 100% Malbecs. The first was his entry-level wine, a 2014 GV Pannunzio Malbec. Aromas of dark fruit segued nicely onto the palate. The tannins were soft with a nice finish of berries. This is not available in the US yet, but keep your eye out for it! SRP About $9 The 2014 GV Pannunzio Malbec Grand Reserva was very aromatic with lots of red fruit and a touch of floral. The palate offered dark berries, spice and licorice. Medium tannins and well balanced, this is an easy wine to serve with a variety of food. SRP About $20 http://www.laspiedraspuravid.com More reviews to follow soon!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina It was a “red” wine weekend. In addition to tasting some wonderful wines such as Hess Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, I had a delicious Malbec on Sunday evening. It was one of those spur of the moment throw together meals. Fortunately, I had enough food on hand and a lot of imagination. Sautéed shrimp, veggies and tortellini made for a satisfying one dish meal.   The 2013 Catena Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina was the perfect complement to dinner. Concentrated aromas of raisins, dark cherries, earth and a hint of cocoa grabbed our attention. The palate offered blackberries, plum, spice and floral notes. Soft tannins and a silky mouth-feel added to the richness of the wine. The lengthy finish with spicy notes was perfect. Alcohol: 14% I will definitely have to explore more of this winery’s selections. http://www.catenawines.com  I have a few wine seminars and tastings to attend this week in NYC. I’m looking forward to learning about some interesting grapes and sharing it all with you! Have a great Monday!
Cheers! Penina  Last week I attended the Descorchados (uncorked in Spanish) Wine Tasting in NY. Seventy-three wineries were represented from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. In addition to tasting some outstanding wines, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with many of the winemakers one on one. There were stories to be told and wines to be shared. Many of the wine labels were quite whimsical, capturing the history and stories of the wineries. So…let me start with Argentina and one winemaker. When one thinks of wine from Argentina, Malbec is usually the first wine that comes to mind. Mendoza, Argentina is considered the “heart of wine growing” in this country. Over 70% of all Argentine wine comes from Mendoza, which includes about 85% of its Malbec! In addition, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Syrah and a small amount of Cabernet Franc are among the grapes that are grown there. The Chardonnays and Sauvignon Blanc are eye openers, as well as the recent comeback of Semillón.  At the wine tasting, I “toured” around Argentina from north to south and in between. The most significant wine valleys of Argentina are The Calchaquies Valleys, La Famatina Valleys, San Juan and of course, Mendoza. Each wine valley produces a particular grape, style and flavor. Depending on the terroir, a grape can have completely different or distinct characteristics when grown in just a slightly higher or lower elevation. Matias Riccitelli is the proprietor and winemaker of Riccitelli Wines, located in Mendoza. Born and raised in Argentina, he is the son of renowned Norton winemaker Jorge Riccatelli. Using traditional techniques as well as the newest technology, Matias has created some exceptional wines.  Matias Riccitelli He poured four unique wines for me, starting with “Hey Malbec!” a 100% Malbec grown in Luján de Cuyo. It was soft, juicy and pure. He then poured “The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree”, another 100% Malbec harvested from three different vineyards. This was more complex, yielding a richer palate and more pronounced tannins. And I quote from his website “Just as an apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, a wine cannot be made without a story. My winemaking reflects what I was taught by my family and reflects the passion that characterizes each one of us”. The third 100% Malbec he poured was República Del Malbec. The grapes were grown in Vistabula and Luján de Cuyo. The wine was concentrated and smooth with lush berries and spices. “We made this wine in honor of all those immigrants who planted, worked and taught us, gave us the blessing of our flagship varietal who for over 100 years lives in this land, which has taken a unique identity in the world.” The last wine Matias poured was a 2015 Old Vines Semillón that is a new addition to his portfolio. The vineyards are located in Rio Negro and are said to be around seventy years old, which is key to the quality and natural balance of the wines. The wine was lively, fresh and had just the right amount of “sweet”. It was a treat to taste it. Matias’s enthusiasm and passion for his wines is contagious! I look forward to trying more of his wines soon! http://www.matiasriccitelli.com  As I was leaving the event, I was given a copy of “Descorchados 2016 Guide to the Wines of Argentina, Brazil, Chile & Uruguay”. Written by Patricio Tapia a noted wine critic, this comprehensive 960-page book (weighing 4 pounds) is the 17th edition. I will write about more of the Argentine winemakers I met in future posts. There is also more to come with regard to Chile, Brazil and Uruguay!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina |
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