|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
|
With frigid temperatures and bone-chilling winds last evening, it seemed like a perfect time to light a fire and open a bottle of red wine.  What to open? My selection of red wines is extensive but after 10 minutes of quickly perusing labels, I finally chose a bottle of Trivento Malbec, a sample sent to me a few months ago.  In case you are new to my site and haven’t read my previous stories on Bodega Trivento, here is a quick summary. Bodega Trivento is located in Mendoza, Argentina at the foothills of the dramatic Andes Mountains that extend along the entire length of the country, separating it from Chile.  In the mid-1990s Concha y Toro, Chile’s leading wine producer, purchased a collection of eight vineyards spreading across the Maipu, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Luján de Cuyo, San Martin and Rivadavia districts of Mendoza, making it one of the largest wine estates in Mendoza with over 3,185 acres of vines planted. All eight vineyards of Trivento are equipped with state of the art technology, drip irrigation systems and a dedicated team of winemakers and technicians. Winemaker Germán di Cesare oversees the production of Trivento’s premium ranges such as Amado Sur, Brisa de Abril and Golden Reserve wine collection. The name “Amado Sur” loosely translated means “Southern Love”. The name refers to the harmony between Malbec and the unique growing conditions in Mendoza that are so well suited to producing quality Malbec. Trivento Amado Sur Malbec 2016 The grapes for Amado Sur are sourced from the vineyards of Luján de Cuyo, Maipu and Tupungato. The blend is 70% Malbec, 20% Bonarda and 10% Syrah.  Each varietal is vinified separately and aged for 8 months in French oak barrels before blending. The wine is then aged for an additional 6 months in stainless steel tanks and then bottle aged for 5 months. The color is deep ruby with alluring aromas of ripe red fruit, dark berries, cherry, dark plum, spice, vanilla and hints of floral. These aromas segue onto the palate with added anise and pepper. Dark cherry and spice linger on a long finish. The wine is full-bodied with smooth tannins, perfectly balanced and beautifully blended. It is interesting to note that Trivento was one of the first Argentine wineries to experiment with Malbec-based blends. Serve with meat, poultry, pasta, chili and hearty soup. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $15  For a more in-depth look at Trivento, their wines, climate and growing conditions, please read my stories which can be found by clicking on “Trivento” in the categories menu at right.
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com My last story took us to Argentina and I’m not quite ready to leave there yet. I’m on a Malbec roll and so I popped open a bottle of Trivento Golden Reserve 2015.  Bodega Trivento is located in Mendoza, Argentina against the backdrop of the Andes.  Photo courtesy of Trivento 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 force 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 winemaker for Trivento Golden Reserve is Germán di Cesare who also oversees the production of Trivento’s other premium ranges, Amado Sur and Brisa de Abril.  Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2015 is 100% Malbec. The grapes are hand harvested from the Luján de Cuyo vineyard where the climate is dry and continental with excellent sun exposure. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 12 months, then bottled and stored for 12 months. The color is deep purple with juicy aromas of red and dark berries, spice and hints of oak and floral. The palate is layered with juicy blackberries, dark plum, spice, fennel and hints of chocolate, raspberry and sour cherry on the finish. This is a beautifully balanced, full-bodied wine. Enjoy this wine with stews, spicy sauces, grilled meats and cheese. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $21 The wines being produced in South America are impressive. And the price to value ratio never ceases to amaze me!  Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Around this time last year, I reviewed two 2016 vintage wines from South America. Remembering how impressed I was with the price to value ratio of these wines, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to taste the 2017 vintages.  Reserva Casillero del Diablo Rosé 2017 is produced by winemaker Marcelo Papa. The grapes come from Chile’s Central Valley and are grown in riverbench and benchland associated soils.  The wine is a blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Cinsault and 10% Carmenere. The color of the wine is light pink-salmon with aromas of juicy berries, citrus, floral and spice. The palate is layered with red berries and a touch of spice that lingers on the finish. This is a crisp rosé with just the right balance of dryness. I love the design of the bottle as well as the wine inside it! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $12  Trivento White Orchid Reserve 2017 is produced by winemaker Maximiliano Ortíz The grapes are harvested from the Uco Valley, Mendoza where the vines grow in alluvial soil.  The wine is a blend of 85% Torrontés and 15% Pinot Gris. The color is pale yellow with intoxicating floral aromas mingled with tropical fruit, pineapple and honeysuckle. A burst of floral floods the palate followed by tropical fruit, apricots, honeydew and hints of citrus. Refreshing acidity and lingering notes of floral and citrus on the finish add to the perfect balance of this delicious wine. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $11  Both of these wines can be enjoyed with a wide range of summer fare or as an aperitif.  To read more in-depth stories about Chile, Argentina, Concha y Toro, Casillero del Diablo and Trivento, please visit the menu on the right and click on the categories you’d like to learn about.
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com 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
In anticipation of attending a South American wine tasting this week, I recently opened a bottle of Chilean and Argentinian wine to whet my palate! Both wines are perfect to serve as aperitifs or as an accompaniment to a summer meal. These are very food friendly wines and the price to value ratio can’t be beat!  The Casillero del Diablo Rosé 2016 is from Chile’s Central Valley. The wine is mostly Shiraz grapes with a touch of Cinsault and Carmenere blended in. The color is pink salmon with lovely aromas of strawberry, cherry and melon. The palate offers juicy blackberry with hints of spice and vanilla. This is a dry and refreshing rosé with a touch of citrus zest on the finish. The bottle is pretty and festive. SRP $11 If you would like to learn more about Casillero del Diablo and the winemaker, please read my story at: Day 518 "The Devils Locker" http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/09/day-518.html  Skipping over to the other side of the Andes, I opened a bottle of Trivento White Orchid Reserve Torrontés 2016 from Mendoza’s Uco Valley in Argentina. Torrontés is one of the country’s most widely planted white grape varieties. This is an interesting blend of 85% Torrontés and 15% Pinot Grigio. The color is pale straw. It is a slightly dry wine with a rich bouquet of flowers and tropical fruit. The palate is layered with pineapple, apple and subtle notes of citrus. The wine has a long finish and is crisp and refreshing. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $11 If you would like to learn more about Trivento wine and the winemaker, please read my story at: Day 564 http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2017/03/day-564-triventos-malbec.html  I have many countries to visit this week and lots of wine to taste. I’ll be back soon to share my adventures. Happy Monday!
Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed