This Chilean white wine is made from a blend of roughly equal parts of viognier, riesling and chardonnay. Now that may seem like a blend that is unlikely to produce anything interesting, but the folks at Anakena knew what they were doing. The back label says it received French oak ageing, but it probably did not see much if any new oak as the wood notes are very subtle. This is a relatively full-bodied white with very interesting aroma and flavor nuances, followed by a satisfyingly long finish.
I purchased this wine at Total Wine & More in Tucson, AZ. The cost was $15 and I think that is a reasonable price for the quality it delivers. This does not seem to be a wine that would improve with time in your cellar, but it certainly would make prime drinking the rest of 2010.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
2006 Clos del Rey Cotes du Roussillon Villages
Cotes du Roussillon is a French appellation sandwiched between the Languedoc and the Spanish border. For most of the 20th century this area of southern France was notorious for the huge quantities of low-quality red "plonk" that flooded the markets. But this area is currently enjoying a renaissance in wine making and the producer of this wine, Jacques Montagne, is one of its quality leaders. This red wine is produced from old vine grenache and small quantities of carignan and syrah, all cropped to produce very low yields per acre.
The wine, almost black in color, is intensely aromatic with complex aromas and flavors that develop beautifully as the wine airs in the glass. The ripe tannins and high extract are perfectly balanced by the superb fruit. This wine is delicious to drink now, but it has the stuffing and balance needed to develop further complexity in a cool cellar for at least 10 years.
I bought this wine at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA at a cost of $40. Now that may seem out of line for a wine from this region, but this wine can hold its own with any top wine from the more prestigious (and more expensive) Rhone Valley appellations. The Wine Advocate gives it a 95.
The wine, almost black in color, is intensely aromatic with complex aromas and flavors that develop beautifully as the wine airs in the glass. The ripe tannins and high extract are perfectly balanced by the superb fruit. This wine is delicious to drink now, but it has the stuffing and balance needed to develop further complexity in a cool cellar for at least 10 years.
I bought this wine at the Wine Exchange in Orange, CA at a cost of $40. Now that may seem out of line for a wine from this region, but this wine can hold its own with any top wine from the more prestigious (and more expensive) Rhone Valley appellations. The Wine Advocate gives it a 95.
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