If you think all Cava is fruity, perfectly enjoyable, but not too interesting--think again. (image from the great LA Food blog, Food She Thought, where you can also read another review of this wine)
I had a great bottle of Cava lately, and it made me realize I just don't know that much about the stuff other than it's from Spain, has bubbles, and is usually affordable.
The wine was the German Gilabert Brut Nature Reserva (domaineLA, $14.99; available elsewhere for $14-$15). This interesting Cava had a price point under $15 and an aromatic profile like Champagne: yeast, lemon pith, and mineral notes. It is dry--and I do mean dry--with no sugar added (the technical term is dosage). Bright, intense lemon and bread dough flavors are accented by a bit of stoniness in the aftertaste. Fine, abundant, active bubbles make for a very fresh, brisk feeling in the mouth, although the overall impression is rather creamy despite the dryness.
If tasted blind, I think that most would think it was a French sparkler, perhaps an inexpensive Champagne. And if you like very dry sparkling wine but have steered clear of Cava in the past fearing it might be too fruit-forward for your tastes, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by this.
Showing posts with label wine under $20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine under $20. Show all posts
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Looking for Affordable Pinot Noir?
The idea of affordable Pinot Noir is a guaranteed attention-grabber. Blame it on the movies, the delicacy of the grape, or its status as a fashionable tipple. No matter what you blame it on, there's one thing for sure: Pinot Noir is pricey.
And, in my opinion, deservedly so. When Pinot Noir is well made, it is a joy to drink. It's juicy, fresh, and silky. It pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods. And there is something elegant about the grapes that are made with this wine that always leaves me wanting more: more of it on my dinner table, more in my glass, more in my cellar.
Many of the things I love best about Pinot Noir, however, can be hard to find in less expensive bottlings. Which is why these two selections are such finds--and both cost $20 or less.
2008 Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Reserve Selection (suggested retail, $18; a new release so ask your local merchant about whether they will be stocking it). Very characteristic of the Central Coast appellation where the grapes were grown, this wine had juicy black raspberry and elegant floral aromas with hints of chalk and limestone around the edges. Its fruit-forward core reminded me of homemade raspberry jam and fresh blackberries. It had the hallmark smoothness in the mouth, and left behind a satiny feeling that is hard to find in inexpensive Pinot Noir. Excellent QPR.
2008 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir (suggested retail, $20; available $14-23). The grapes in this Pinot come from the Russian River Valley which makes for a spicier, earthier wine. Expect notes of raspberry and earth in the aromas, which are echoed in the flavors. There is lots of allspice and clove in the aftertaste. At this early stage of its life, the wine's initial impression is disjointed and awkward but as it gets air (give it a vigorous swirl!) the flavors start to deepen and knit together. This wine is suitable for short-term aging, and will continue to improve until around 2012. Perhaps buy a few bottles if you find it, and set some aside in a cool, dark place for your 2010 Thanksgiving dinner. Excellent QPR.
And, in my opinion, deservedly so. When Pinot Noir is well made, it is a joy to drink. It's juicy, fresh, and silky. It pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods. And there is something elegant about the grapes that are made with this wine that always leaves me wanting more: more of it on my dinner table, more in my glass, more in my cellar.
Many of the things I love best about Pinot Noir, however, can be hard to find in less expensive bottlings. Which is why these two selections are such finds--and both cost $20 or less.
2008 Hayman & Hill Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Reserve Selection (suggested retail, $18; a new release so ask your local merchant about whether they will be stocking it). Very characteristic of the Central Coast appellation where the grapes were grown, this wine had juicy black raspberry and elegant floral aromas with hints of chalk and limestone around the edges. Its fruit-forward core reminded me of homemade raspberry jam and fresh blackberries. It had the hallmark smoothness in the mouth, and left behind a satiny feeling that is hard to find in inexpensive Pinot Noir. Excellent QPR.
2008 Rodney Strong Estate Vineyards Pinot Noir (suggested retail, $20; available $14-23). The grapes in this Pinot come from the Russian River Valley which makes for a spicier, earthier wine. Expect notes of raspberry and earth in the aromas, which are echoed in the flavors. There is lots of allspice and clove in the aftertaste. At this early stage of its life, the wine's initial impression is disjointed and awkward but as it gets air (give it a vigorous swirl!) the flavors start to deepen and knit together. This wine is suitable for short-term aging, and will continue to improve until around 2012. Perhaps buy a few bottles if you find it, and set some aside in a cool, dark place for your 2010 Thanksgiving dinner. Excellent QPR.
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