Brutocao Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

I am not a huge fan of California Cabernet Sauvignon, I tend to think that they have a tendency to be a bit unbalanced and a bit overpriced at times (*cough* Caymus *cough*). At the same time I can't fault California, especially Napa Valley, for making Cabernet their own and every now and then I come across a bottle that I really enjoy and adore, like Heitz (one of the best producers out there as far as quality and price are concerned) or, more recently, Brutocao Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendocino County.

Cabernet Sauvignon came into being due to a crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc. It is one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world and though California has embraced it, it was originally well known for being one of the six red grapes allowed in France's Bordeaux wines. It's also fascinating how differently this varietal can taste depending on where it was grown and produced. In France (usually blended with other varietals, like Merlot and Cabernet Franc) it exhibits more earth and tobacco notes, Australia and Chile tend to highlight it's herbal (especially eucalyptus) flavors and California focuses on the jammy fruit notes (and high alcohol) it can display.

Brutocao Cabernet was different from what I'd come to expect from Cali Cabernet. While it still accentuated the fruitiness, it didn't overdo it, like other wines of its ilk. It was medium-plus bodied with notes jammy fruit on the nose accompanied by a hint of clove. Black cherry, cranberry and raspberry came through first on the palate but were quickly followed by dusty, herbal earthiness. This single vineyard Cabernet finished with pleasantly smooth tannins and a touch of acidity.

This wine went a long way in changing my mind about buying California Cabernet and it definitely helped that it was under $20.

Apollonio Primitivo 2011

I recently had a disagreement with someone about Zinfandel and Primitivo being the same grape. It wasn’t much of an argument since his only response to any proof I presented that they weren’t the same was “Yes they are” and eventually I just gave up and bowed to his obviously “superior” knowledge. It did cause me to try and research the topic and what I found were a lot of conflicting facts. Some people claimed they were the same, others that they weren’t identical, but clones of the Croation grape Crljenak. The latter theory is the one I agree the most with since while the Zinfandels and Primitivos I’ve had are similar in some ways, I’ve also found them to be quite different in others. In my opinion Primitivos tend to display spicier, earthier notes with red fruit flavors whereas Zinfandels are smoother with notes of darker fruits.

I personally tend to prefer Primitivos because I find them to be more complex and interesting. Kye is probably sick of me bringing them home, but the ones that I do I can’t seem to stop buying. My favorite by far has been the 2011 Apollonio Primitivo from the Salice Salentino DOC in Apulia/Puglia, the heel of Italy. Aged for 12 months in American oak and cherry-wood barriques, which comes through on the palate. It’s full-bodied and rich with notes of stewed blueberries, figs and plums. There’s hints of clove and anise on the finish followed by a slight acidity and smooth tannins.

It’s been one of my favorite finds this year and reminded me how much I love Italian wines.

Le Monde Refosco 2014

The best and worst thing about working in wine sales is dealing with the customers. Experience and a bit of psychology have taught me to gauge how people will treat my offer of help when they’re looking for wine, though sometimes they still manage to surprise me (but not often). Possibly my favorite interaction in the last year was a middle-aged guy who was looking for Napa Cabernet and questioned every single thing I told him about the wines I suggested in an almost combative manner. It turned out he’d lost his sense of smell and that’s why he was so adamant about questioning my descriptors on every wine I suggested. It was both intimidating and galvanizing because his questions made me really delve deep into my memories about certain wines so I could give him a more complete idea about the wines I suggested rather than the half-assed BS that I sometimes spout when I can tell people won’t care. I wound up talking him into a 2012 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet and it turned out to be a new favorite for him. When I next encountered him, he had two bottles of the same wine in his hands and actually apologized for, in his words, being rather unpleasant before (to which I assured him I’d actually really enjoyed talking to him and he’d been my favorite customer in a while).

Anyway, what I’m getting at is that even though I might deal with several unpleasant people in an eight hour shift, all it takes is one awesome interaction to make it all worth it. If I can make just one customer trust that I won’t steer them wrong and buy what they might view as a potentially weird wine that they know nothing about, then my night is made. Lately that “weird” wine has been 2014 Le Monde Refosco from Fruili.

Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso is a red grape indigenous to Northern Italy. The wines it produced were praised by the Roman writer Pliny the Elde and though he never got to try this particular wine, I’m sure it would have lived up to his standards. I’d had bottles with this grape blended with other varietals, like Merlot, but this was the first time I’d tried a wine that was 100% Refosco. It was full-bodied with rich notes of baked raspberry, blackberry and black olives. Bold tannins and a hint of acidity led to medium, yet satisfying finish. It was fun wine for under $20 and one I was glad I’d taken home.

Jean-Lous Trocard Crémant de Bordeaux NV

Apparently talking about my best friend, Kye, never gets old for me (because, and I can’t stress this enough, he is awesome and has always been there for me when I needed him, even when we weren’t exactly on speaking terms). Thanks to him, when I was first really starting to get into wine, we were invited into a study group that really did me a lot of good. The first meeting had me a bit skeptical based on the number of people who showed up, but as time went on it dwindled down to just six or so of us who were really focused on furthering our knowledge rather than just showing up for the free-ish booze. I still miss it sometimes, mostly because it forced me to study (mainly so I didn’t come across as a complete idiot to these people who were way more knowledgeable than me) and with my Certified Specialist of Wine exam coming up on the 30^th of this month, I could use a little coercion as far as studying goes.

I hadn’t really thought about the group too much since we all got too busy to keep up with it over a year ago until I realized my store had a Crémant de Bordeaux randomly hidden among its selection of sparkling wine, Jean-Louis Trocard to be exact. I remembered, during an evening spent studying Bordeaux, Laura, the fantastic Advanced Sommelier of the group (and one of the people I credit the most with helping me pass my certified), telling us that Crémants are made in Bordeaux, but hard to find (at least in San Antonio). She told us if we ever found one to definitely pick it up for the group, and seeing this on the shelf made me nostalgic for nights spent blind tasting and studying. For those who don’t know the term Crémant is used to refer to French sparkling wine made using the méthode champenoise and not from the Champagne region.

Since I don’t drink bubbly super often it took me a little while to pick up a bottle for Kye and me to share, but we were both very glad when I finally did. The blend is mostly Semillon with some Sauvignon Blanc, pale gold in color with notes of green apple, lime zest and wet rocks on the nose. The palate is dry and crisp with flavors of golden pear, citrus and a hint of lemongrass. There’s a little bit of funk halfway through (which I personally enjoy), but the bright acidity at the end leaves a refreshing, lingering mouthfeel. It’s very affordable and incredibly enjoyable.