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.

Wine Five #1

About a month ago John and I randomly decided that making a video series where we drink and talk about wine (but mostly drink) would be ridiculous amounts of fun. That is how the first (and hopefully not last!) Wine Five came into creation. 

For the record we made this around 2am after several glasses of wine. The original cut was much longer and a ton more ridiculous.

Menguante Garnacha Blanca 2009

I don’t have a whole ton of friends, but the ones I do have are as close (if not closer than) family to me. I have no problem with that, I prefer having few close friends, who I can count on no matter what, to having several fair-weather ones I can’t rely on. Of course most of these friends are spread out all over this state (and Louisiana) at the moment, not surprising considering how badly we all wanted out of this city after High School... I'm just the only one so far to return. That just means I appreciate the times they get suckered into coming back to SA all the more and the last time it happened I celebrated by picking up Menguante Garnacha Blanca 2009 from Specs (totally blanking on the price, but will fix that shortly).

I’m not really sure why Grenache Blanc intrigues me so much (in blends or as 100% varietals), but I’m not complaining, it usually works out well for me. So far Spain and South Africa have impressed me the most with their wines made with Grenache Blanc, but a lot of that is due to the fact that you don’t see this varietal so often elsewhere.

This one was ripe with flavors of baked pear, orange peel, dried apricot and lemon zest. There was a bit of oiliness that reminded of the one (and only) Condrieu I’ve ever had. This was balanced out with crisp acidity and bright floral notes that led to a creamy, honey-butterish finish. Really glad I took a chance with this wine and even happier that I got to share it with good people (especially since those seem hard to find these days).

Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2012

 Chilean wines will always have a special place in my heart simply because they remind me of my grandmother (Chilean)  who was a huge part of my life until her death almost 13 years ago. To me she was an extremely graceful woman, cultured and sophisticated, not a single hair out of place. She drilled my sisters and me on proper etiquette and manners until she was satisfied we were perfect (for the record I don't think I ever managed that perfection). It was a bit ridiculous and not very useful in the world outside of her home, but she was determined that her granddaughters not be ill-mannered hooligans. I’m probably making her sound like a ridiculous tyrant, but really she wasn’t, she just had standards for everyone, especially her family, and she made damn sure that we met them. To me she was elegance incarnate and I find most Chilean wines to be that same way.

The Silva family pioneered grape growing in the Colchagua Valley in 1892 and have the oldest cellar in the valley. The Sauvignon Gris is unique in that you almost never find that varietal anywhere since almost going extinct following the phylloxera epidemic. Not much has been planted since it was rediscovered in the 1980s in the Loire Valley. The Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2012 is medium-bodied and with crisp citrus flavors of lime zest, orange peel and pink grapefruit.  Fresh floral notes, spice and medium acidity lead into a rich, vibrant finish. It is elegant and complex, a wine I’m sure my grandmother would have loved and not just because her maiden name was Silva.

The Wolftrap White 2012

Last summer I became quite enamored with South African blends. I think it all started when I picked up a bottle of Goats Do Roam White from work mainly because I thought the name was very clever and it was under $10.  After that I started looking for other wines from South Africa and found that most of the white blends I tried were quite lovely, but the absolute best was Wolftrap White.

The 2012 is a blend of 60% Viognier, 21% Chenin Blanc, and 19% Grenache Blanc. Refreshing, medium-bodied bursting with floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom coupled with flavors of green apple, lime zest and melon. Crisp minerality and bright acidity are balanced by a hint creaminess which leads to a rich, lingering finish.

The Wolftrap Red is also worth trying, though it’s a bit too heavy for me during hot weather. It’s mostly Syrah and Mouvedre with a tiny amount of Viognier (2%) added to soften the wine a bit. I’m Still hoping to track down their Rosé one of these days, but so far no luck with that.

Celler Piñol Portal Blanco 2011 and 2012

I randomly decided to buy two different vintages (with two different varietal blends) of the same wine from Terra Alta in Catalunya's Tarragona province located in northeastern Spain. Mainly I was curious to see how the two differed, if at all, thought it would be a fun experiment.

2011: 70% Garnacha Blanca, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Viognier and 5% Macabeo
-Stone fruit flavors (grapefruit, white peach and nectarine) and lemon zest with hints of wet limestone, jasmine, and chamomile. Medium acidity and a tinge of oiliness lead to a medium finish. Very crisp and refreshing, will be awesome for those miserable summer days that are coming our way.

2012: According to the label it’s 100% Garnacha Blanca, but their website has the blend as 85% Garnacha Blanca, 5% Sauv Blanc, 5% Viognier and 5% Macabeo, so we’re just going to assume that the website is right (and after tasting it I’m even more convinced that it’s not 100%)
 -Apricot, white peach, orange peel and lime followed by hints of fresh herbs, candied ginger, beeswax and wet grass. Medium-plus acidity leads into a crisp and slightly bitter finish. Definitely has more complexity than the ’11, but not quite as balanced.

In conclusion: both vintages were crisp and refreshing, perfect for summer. Between the two the ’11 was definitely more balanced, and though not quite as interesting as ’12, would probably be the more appealing palate-wise of the two. Really wish the ’12 had been 100% Garnacha Blanca, but that’s what I get for not researching these sorts of things before buying, oh well. 

Shaya Old Vine Verdejo 2011

When I was twelve years old my family spent a week in Spain over spring break, where I fell head over heels in love with the country. I simply couldn't imagine anywhere else in the world could be more beautiful and vibrant. So it only makes sense that nine years later I'd fall in love with Spanish wines. The bold, spicy reds and fresh, vivacious whites were just so much more alive and expressive than any other wine I'd experienced before. That first bottle of Spanish wine (a Rioja crianza) turned what had been a strictly platonic liking of wine into a full-blown infatuation and led me to where I am today. 

Since Spain is to blame for all of this I thought it only fitting to start this off with Shaya, an old vine Verdejo from Rueda and one of my favorite white wines of all time.

This medium-bodied white is 100% Verdejo with notes of mango, white peach, apricot and honey. Crisp minerality and vibrant acidity lead to a surprisingly creamy finish. It is an absolutely gorgeous wine, perfect for the miserably hot summer that's ahead!