Happy New Year: 2006
Happy New Year from Gypsy Scholar.To the right, you'll see what my wife and I have been sipping all week, from Christmas Eve till last night: the Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, a wine produced by the Montes Winery from grapes grown in the Colchagua Valley, Chile, by the Apalta Vineyard.
I hope that I've got that right.
Anyway, according to James Molesworth, quoted in The Wine Buyer, from where I've borrowed the image, this wine "delivers a solid beam of raspberry fruit, along with suave vanilla, toast and mineral notes."
Maybe that's so, and it certainly is a full-bodied wine with an aroma of fruit, though I'd also like to ask the opinion of my old friend Bruce Cochran if I thought that he had much time to spare -- but he's a busy man.
Drink some and judge for yourself.
posted by Horace Jeffery Hodges @ 5:39 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
I, too, am a fan of Montes in general, and their Alpha line in particular. While discerning a particular fruit flavor in any wine is subjective, berry-like flavors are often described in red wines. The vanilla flavor is usually attributed to aging in oak barrels, especially those whose interiors have been 'toasted', or charred. This is a common practice today in the wine world, especially in what is described as 'New World' wines (which generally emphasize fruit and oak over elegance and terroir, or flavors from the soil). Many wines from Montes and other highly regarded Chilean and Argentine producers are increasingly made in this style. (Please excuse the long comment, Jeff.)
Thanks, Bruce, for the comment, which was not long at all but informative, concise, and to the point.
I hope that it didn't require too much of your time, for I know that you're quite busy.
Jeffery Hodges
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To the left? How much have you been drinking? :)
Not that much! What a blunder. The bottle itself was to my left, which may account for my error.
Thanks for pointing that out. I'll fix it.
Jeffery Hodges
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Cheers! I normally stick to New Zealand wines here. We make excellent wine and it's good to support the locals. I strongly recommend ours (especially Hawkes Bay varieties - Mission, Te Mata, Villa Maria etc if you ever come across them)
Happy New Year
Bonne Nouvelle Année, Herr Doktor!
Alles Gutes für 2006!
Kevin
Yikes-- I think I meant "Alles Gute." or is that "Alles gute," without capitalization?
Kevin
Gruetzi, Kevin!
Alles Gute für 2006!
Jeffery Hodges
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Happy New Year to you as well. I'll have to try this one since I tend to really enjoy the S. American wines.
James, I'll probably be getting more familiar with South American wines in the next few years, especially those from Chile, which has a free-trade agreement with South Korea and is flooding the market here with good wines.
One of the good effects of globalization, I suppose.
Steph, I'll try to get more familiar with New Zealand wines as well. I've tried a number of Australian wines and liked them, so I ought to be sampling all of the wines from the downunderlands.
Jeffery Hodges
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Late, but I hope not too.....I agree wholeheartedly about New Zealand wines. My favorites are the white wines from the sauvignon blanc grape when grown in Marlborough (north end of South Island), and pinot noir from there and south of Marlborough in Canterbury.
Bruce, it's never too late. I get automatic emails alerting me to the new posting of a comment.
Jeffery Hodges
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music to my ears! thanks for that.... a proud kiwi!
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