Water into Wino

Movia Vila Marija Merlot 2005

Movia Vila Marija 2005
Brda, Slovenia ($15)

Shortly after Long Island turned me on to merlot, a friend mentioned a bottle he had had while dining at Felidia restaurant in NYC. The sommelier recommended a merlot from the Friuli region of northern Italy. Having been blown away by the wine, he managed to salvage the label and pass along the good word to me. I have since-found a couple other producers from that area which make merlot in the same minerally, lightly tannic, and vibrant style.

These wines aren't easy to locate as even wine boutiques that only carry Italian wines may only have one such bottle to choose from if any, with retail prices in the mid twenty dollar range. Movia, the Slovenian producer of this bottle is situated on the border of Friuli and Slovenia. They practice organic and biodynamic winemaking while producing only about 13,000 cases a year. This bottle was on sale for $11 (from $15) at my favorite local wine store. This 2005 bottling is a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and pinot noir, surprising since it is labeled as merlot.

Ruby red color and bursting with cherry and raspberry aromas. This wine jumps out of the glass and greets you with a big hello. It has a silky mouth-feel that dances on the tongue while gaining the attention of every taste bud on my palate. What makes this wine so memorable is a streak of minerality that quickens the pulse and sharpens the senses. The finish is clean and satisfying albeit not all that long. It leaves me thirsting for another sip and wondering what a case discount would come to. My Grade: A-

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004

Rafael Cambra Dos 2004
Valencia, Spain ($20)

Even though I haven't been updating this site recently, I haven't been a stranger to the other wine blogs I've come to appreciate. A recent Wine Chicks posting mentioned a Spanish Cabernet Sauv/Franc blend from Valencia called "Dos" by Rafael Cambra. It would only be a short matter of time after reading that before I found a bottle to try myself. I'm learning that I much prefer wine blog reviews to those of a magazine.

First of all, it has a kick arse bright orange label with a simple yet elegant scribble of grapes. Dark violet color, practically opaque wine. Aromas of plum and blackberry. Well balanced and supple, very pleasing on the palate. Very full flavored but ultimately not a very long finish. It could probably benefit from some more time in the bottle as the tannins weren't integrated enough. I'm gonna buy a couple more bottles and see how it ages. My grade: B+

Wines for Winos

When you're walking the streets of New York with $5 burning a hole in your pocket, there are only a few places you can go to get a buzz. The frappuccino at Starbucks is a refreshing buzz. You can buy a couple Pabst Blue Ribbons for a five spot. I suppose if you're really desperate you can buy two cans of Ready Whip and inhale the nitrous, but that's not for everyone.

Last week Trader Joe's opened up its wine shop on 14th Street in Manhattan. There are dozens and dozens of bottles under $5. With all the buzz surrounding Two-Buck Chuck, I had to indulge in a bottle or two of the Cab Sav. I've tried the Shiraz before but it really had a barnyard scent to it and tasted totally flat. For two bucks though, you can't complain. I also found a Malbec for $4 there that seemed worth a try. So after I schlepped them back to Queens, I decided to open one bottle right away.

Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
California, Napa ($3)

I opted for the infamous Three-Buck Chuck (it is New York after all). This Cab Sav is not all that bad. Very juicy with a tannic quality of a rose. There seemed to be nothing inherently bad about the taste. It just tasted like really good box wine. I had a bottle with a pizza and had no complaints. My girlfriend kept mentioning that she didn't feel any of the alcohol after polishing off a bottle in record time. It's as if I just downed a bottle of grape juice. Since it's actually cheaper than the Welch's stuff, I can't complain. My grade: C+

La Boca Malbec 2004
Argentina, Mendoza ($4)

The second bottle was a totally girly bottle of Malbec. The label has too many bright colors for me. This watered down Malbec had thin tannins and lacked any complexity. It tasted very flat and the finish brought some heat. On the bright side the alcohol was buzz inducing, but Malbec in general is usually a bargain buy, so I should have spent the extra $3 on the Septima Malbec they offered. The Charles Shaw was my favorite of the two, hands down. My grade: C-

Snoqualmie Cabernet Merlot 2000

Snoqualmie Cabernet Merlot 2000
Washington, Columbia Valley ($12)

Let me first mention how proud I am to be listed as #69 on the wineblog ratings chart that was posted at alawine.com. To even be listed is flattering, but to be #69, wow...I must be doing something right, lol. Yesterday during my marathon blog entry I opened a bottle hijacked from the many gifts my mother receives every Christmas. It's not something I'd buy or even stop to look at, but if it's free, I'll try it happily.

This Columbia Valley blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot is from Snoqualmie Vinyards in Washington State. Dark red color and full bodied. Mouth drying tannins smoothed out some with time after opening. Nothing fancy or memorable. Dark blackberry and currant fuit with some chocolate notes. Some spice on the finish yet not as complex as I would have liked. My grade: B-

Altos de Luzon 2002

Altos de Luzon 2002 Spain, Jumilla ($20)

It only took one glass of this to get me hooked on Spanish wines. While munching on some manchego cheese and serrano ham at Bar Jamon here in New York, and after a bottle of some impressive a spanish rose wine, the waiter suggested a wine of 50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Tempranillo. A few sips later I had the first feeling of guilt while drinking wine. It was sinfully good. I noted the name and vintage and went on a treasure hunt to buy my own bottle. I found one at Union Square Wine and Spirits and promised myself I would open it on a special occasion.

It wasn't long after that I was drinking at my place with friends and looking into my stash for a third bottle to open that night. Since this is a big wine, I figured it would be the perfect closer to a night of indulgence. We finished it quickly without any patience or any critical analysis. The next day I woke up guilty again. I barely remembered what I liked so much about that wine. The alcohol from a night of drinking had diluted any memories of the bottle. So the next day, knowing that I picked up one of the last bottles at the store, I ordered a bottle from wine.com, and once again saved it for another day.

That other day turned out to be last friday night. While decorating the Christmas tree, my girlfriend and I opened it up and let it breath for an hour. Dark ruby red color. Very toasty on the nose with ripe cherry and dark berry notes. Extremely full in tannins and alcohol. As time went by it balanced out well as it's flavor rounded out to a smooth combination of fruit and toasted oak leading to a long lasting finish. I compared the experience of this wine to "drinking the blood of a virgin." Felt like I was extending my life as a vampire would with a taste of blood. Sumptuous, velvety, and invigorating. My grade: A-

Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet NV

Dr. Konstantin Frank Cabernet NV
New York, Finger Lakes, Keuka Lake ($17)

If you live outside of New York state, you may not have ever heard of Dr. Konstantin Frank. That's alright because he probably hasn't heard of you either. Apparently he was truly a pioneer in making Vitis Vinifera (European grapes) possible in the Finger Lakes region. Long story short, he believed that a lack of proper rootstocks, not the cold climate, was the reason for failure of Vitis Vinifera in this area. He and winemaker Charles Fournier found a "hardy" rootstock onto which they grafted Vinifera grapes and started a revolution. He quickly earned a reputation for his quality Rieslings, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewurstraminer, and even Cabernet Sauvignon. A few hundred medals later, Dr. Frank was inducted into the Wine Spectator "Hall of Fame".

My love of reds and interest in trying the wines of my home state led me to pick up this non vintage bottle of Cabernet consisting of 54% Merlot, 26% Cab Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is light-medium bodied, well balanced, and a great food wine. Subtle flavors of blackberry and chocolate are evident, with a touch of pepper. Clean finish that is not as long as I would want for the price, but perfect for the dinner table. This bottle is of limited release, and isn't the best example of the quality wine winning critics over from this winery. My grade: B-