Tag Archives: Uruguayan wine

Mini-reviews 175: Black Friday edition 2023

Black Friday at the mall
“I hope we can find that verdicchio the WC has in this review.”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the fourth Friday of each month. This month: a red, two whites, and a sparkler for Black Friday 2023

• Famille Bougrier Anjou 2021 ($10, purchased, 12%): French white is Hall of Fame quality; the catch is that it’s a Total Wine private label. Otherwise, impeccable chenin blanc from the Loire — a bit of stoniness, a bit of green apple, well balanced, not tart, and refreshing. Imported by Saranty Imports

• Excelsior Syrah 2020 ($10, purchased, 14%): This is the most ordinary of the Excelsior South African wines, which are otherwise terrific values. It’s mostly a supermarket effort, with tar instead of bacon fat and very simple. Imported by Cape Classics

• Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): This Italian white is sort of available — big surprise, huh? Surprisingly creamy for verdicchio; more green apple than citrus, with some almond and lots of minerality. Nicely done. Imported by Palm Bay International

• Wycliff Sparkling Rose NV ($6, purchased, 10.5%): Once more, the WC takes one for the team. This California sparkler is flat, sweet,and flabby, and I’m not sure I’d buy it again even if I wanted a flat, sweet, and flabby sparkler.

Photo: “Black Friday at the mall” by Lars Plougmann is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Mini-reviews 163: Black Friday edition 2022

People waiting in line for Black Friday
“Why does the WC keep reviewing wines that are hard to find?”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the fourth Friday of each month. This month: four whites for Black Friday 2022

• Bodega Marichal Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($12, sample, 12.7%): Uruguayan sauvignon blanc that is spot on and resembles the old Chilean style (some lemon, maybe some minerality). Simple and not stupid. Availability may be a problem. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

• Adega de Portalegre Conventual Reserva Branco 2018 ($11, sample, 12%): Why would I get a sample for a wine that isn’t available in the U.S.? Your guess is as good as mine. Too bad it isn’t: this Portuguese white blend is subtle and interesting, with some stone fruit and spice.  Imported by Wines of Portugal

• Bodegas Godelia Blanco 2020 ($12, purchased, 13.5%): One more label with little U.S. distribution, but find it for $15 or less and you have a terrific buy. Spanish white is subtle — almost stone fruit, but more crisp than viognier and not as rich as chardonnay. A fine food wine. Imported by Europvin USA

• Pavette Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($12, purchased, 12.2%): The California white (though the link says it’s from Washington state) gets points for effort. Not many are still bothering to make quality wine at this price in California. It’s a bit too tart, though, and needs a little more fruit other than the grassy aroma.

Mini-reviews 156: The geeking out edition

drinking wine
“Yes, the WC is eight. These are geeky wines.”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. This month, four wines that remind us how geeky wine can be

• Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan Großes Gewächs Riesling 2016 ($85, sample, 12%): This German white, which is apparently one of the country’s great wines, showed by magically and mysteriously — maybe a sample from a German wine trade group? It certainly is stunning wine, complex and layered (stone fruit, minerality); frankly, much more than I’m used to tasting. And it should age for years and years. Imported by Banville Wine Merchants

• Gillmore País Mariposa 2019 ($17, sample, 13%): The pais grape — known as mission in the U.S. — is about as trendy as these things get. Having said that, this red wasn’t very interesting. It tasted more like supermarket Beaujolais — some cherry fruit, too tart, yet thin and watery. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

• Bodega Marichal Tannat 2019 ($16, sample, 13%): This Uruguayan red is adequate tannat — rough-ish and heavy-ish, but not heavy or rough, with some almost cherry fruit and surprising acidity. If you like tannat, you’ll like this. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

• Tercos Bonarda 2020 ($14, sample, 13.5%): Fine example of bonardo, a little known red grape from Argentina. It’s a little earthy, with some spice and dark fruit, but not heavy. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

Photo:”Deya Drinking Wine at Four Point Winery” by nan palmero is marked with CC BY 2.0.

Mini-reviews 153: Tannat, Rioja, and two sauvignon blancs

wine demandReviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. This month, cleaning out the wine closet to start the new year.

• Marichal Tannat Reserve Collection 2018 ($20, sample, 13%): Well made tannat from Uruguay — softer, which with tannat is a good thing; more dark fruit and less tannic. Price is problematical. Imported by Global Vineyard Importers

• Bilbao Rioja Crianza 2017 ($20, sample, 14.5%): There’s nothing really wrong with this Spanish tempranillo, though it’s a bit less subtle than classic Rioja. There’s nothing to make it stand out, either – and $20? Imported by Zamora Company

• The Goose Sauvignon Blanc 2017 ($12, purchased, 13%): This is a stunning South African sauvignon blanc that has just enough French style — almost flinty — to go with New World citrus fruit. How it aged this well is beyond me – highly recommended. So what’s the catch? It will be almost impossible to find, which seems to be how the wine world works, isn’t it? Imported by IM Premium Imports

• Castle Rock Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($10, sample, 13%): Supermarket sauvignon blanc, made to hit the $10 price and not necessarily because it tastes like California sauvignon blanc. Almost bitter, some lemongrass, some minerality.

Expensive wine 148: Marichal Tannat Grand Reserve “A” 2018

Marichal Tannat Grand Reserve "A" 2018
Marichal Tannat Grand Reserve “A” 2018/$53-$60

The Marichal Grand Reserve “A” takes tannat to a place where many of us thought it couldn’t go

Tannat is a red grape that causes almost as much controversy as pinotage – and we know how much controversy pinotage causes.

That’s because tannat can be difficult to work with, what with inky juice, thick skin, and very high tannins. I’ve had some that were so astringent that it was all I could do to taste them, let alone swallow. One Dallas wine bar used to sell this kind of tannat because it was so undrinkable – “try this and see how how much of a man you are!”

Having said that, some tannats from Uruguay are well-regarded. Which, mostly, is why I opened the Marichal Tannat Grand Reserve “A” 2018 ($53, sample, 14%). The grape has found a home in the South American country, far from its native France.

And I’m glad I did. The Marichal is a stunning wine. The tannins and intensity are under control, so that it’s much rounder and richer than I expected. In fact, the tannins are tucked firmly in the back, complementing the wine but not getting in the way. Yet the Marichal still shows the grape’s character – plum fruit, with maybe a smidge of dark berries; some smoke and earth, though not necessarily obvious; and a long, almost chalky finish.

In this, it tastes much like a fine red Bordeaux. Which given the grape’s pedigree, isn’t surprising. The only catch here? The wine’s price. Yes, it’s delicious, but that’s a lot of money to pay for something most of us haven’t heard of. Still, if you do, you’ll be more than pleased.

Imported by Global Wine Imports