This is a 2008, 100% tempranillo wine that I picked up on sale for $9.98. There are a variety of bright red fruits on the nose with some spice and a hint of anise. The palate has a subtle earthiness but it is the fruit that really stands out. With all the red cherry flavor the wine tastes younger to me than a 2008, but just because it’s surprising doesn’t make it unpleasant! The finish is smooth and lingering, helping the wine stand up to a variety of foods. We paired it with spicy scallion and ginger turkey burgers with curried sweet potato fries and it held up very well. This is another Rioja that doesn’t strike me at first as a typical Rioja but that I enjoyed very much. Maybe I need to reevaluate my idea of Rioja, are the winemakers of the region steering away from the older style earthy wines in favor of these younger, fruit forward styles? Well, I say bring it on, as long as I can still get some of my “damp forrest floor” favorites every once and a while… For under $10 I will be picking this wine up again for sure. Rioja month is going well so far, 2 for 2, yay! Hasta la semana que viene!

The wine usually goes for $12.99 but was on sale for $9.98. Yes, please! I let it sit for about 30 minutes before sampling (read it takes about 30 minutes from the time the baby comes out of the tub for her to fall asleep in her crib, so the hubs heads downstairs to finish dinner and open the vino while I spend this time rocking in the nursery. We have developed quite an efficient system…). The wine has a subtle earthy nose typical of wines from the region. Even after breathing for half an hour you really had to get in there and smell to get the aromas, this is a key indicator of an old world wine. Old worlds have more subtle noses, new worlds have noses that jump up out of the glass. In case you’re ever blind tasting nd need to guess country/region/varietal, this is a good place to start… But back to Rioja – a common description of Rioja wines (which are made from the Tempranillo grape) is the scent of “damp forest floor.” While I love wines the meet this description, some may be a bit out off. Riojas generally are not super fruit forward as a result, having vegetal or mineral favors instead. This is why I was surprised by the palate of the Montebuena with its fruity flavors dominated by black cherry notes and a hint of anise. It still maintains an earthy quality, but the earthiness is on the mild side, a perfect wine for someone who wants to get into Riojas but is intimidated by the idea of drinking something with a nose likened to the ROUS’s scene from “The Princess Bride.”. That’s rodents of unusual size, for those of you who may need some brushing up… Dark, dreary forrest. Mmm… The finish is smooth and pleasant. This wine would be great on its own as long as you don’t mind a bit of tannin. It paired very well with the roasted pork, apples and mushrooms I prepared for dinner. I think it would be great with tapas, cheeses, pizza or pasta, any number of dishes. It is not super full bodied so I’d stay away from grilled meats or anything too rich, for fear of the food overpowering the wine. I would buy this wine again, with or without the sale. A great first pick for the month! If you try Montebuena I’d love to hear your thoughts. In the meantime, salud!

This 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah blend is exactly what I think of when I imagine the Rhone Valley. Smooth, fruity, well balanced, it is a real home run. The winemaker describes the wine as having, “red and black fruit scents (blackberry, plum),” with a hint of liquorish in the palate. This description is right on, plus there is a real sweetness on the nose and even a hint of vanilla. Very pleasant all around. You could pair this with pretty much anything, and you can totally drink it on its own, too. Don’t you love wines like that? Powerful yet soft, like the perfect man… For $11.99 a bottle at Whole Foods I will buy this wine again, maybe even by the case, I love it that much. Hurrah, I LOVE projects like this focus on the Rhone because they force me to make more creative wine choices and find new favorites! Not that Rhones aren’t a part of my normal wine-buys, but I would pick up a bottle here or there, not 4 at once to then compare all within a few weeks…

So, to wrap up Rhone month, here are the four wines we tried in order of how much we loved them:
*Pierre Amadieu “Roulepierre”
*M. Chapoutier Belleruche
*Brotte Le Griveliere
*Le Vieille Ferme

Four great selections to get a feel for the region! I hope this little project helps you get a better understanding of Rhone wines and that the next time you’re out and want to try a nice red that’s not too big but not too light that you’ll remember to check out this region instead of just picking another California Pinot. Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with California Pinots, but it’s good to branch out and try new things! If you have any questions about these wines or about the Rhone valley in general please do not hesitate to contact me. Excited to tell you about our project for May next week! In the meantime I’ll be celebrating my 9 year anniversary of legal wine tasting this weekend. Sounds better than saying I’m turning 30, don’t you think? Wish me luck…

I picked this bottle up at Whole Foods for $10.99, on sale from $15.99.  Wonderful deal for a wonderful wine!  The nose was full of stone fruit, most notably red cherry, with a pleasant hint of vanilla.  The cherry comes from the Grenache in the blend which makes up 80% of the wine, the remaining 20% was comprised of Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan.  The wine was full bodied, fuller than I would have expected for something predominately Grenache, but even just that 10% of Syrah really adds depth (and tannin) to the blend.  I think the wine was nicely balanced and very dynamic, I could pair it with a number of different meals.  We enjoyed it with a spicy chicken sausage and pasta dish loaded with sautéed zucchini and mushrooms.  It held up well to the spice but wasn’t too heavy for the warmed spring weather.  For $10.99 I would absolutely buy this wine again.  For $15.99, however, I may opt for one of the other great Rhones I’ve tried recently.  Not that I wouldn’t recommend the wine, but it wasn’t SO special that I’d go above my normal $10-$12 price range for a weeknight bottle.  So there are my two cents, I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve tried this one!

This red blend does contain the primary Rhone varietals Grenache and Syrah, but it is made primarily of two lesser blending varietals, Carignan and Cinsault. This blend gives the wine good body but not the normal Rhone profile I have come to expect (fruit forward, medium bodied and soft, smooth finish). I actually think it is more reminiscent of a Bordeaux style table wine, if I tasted the wine blind that is definitely what I would have guessed… So let’s break down the flavor profile!

First of all, I let the wine breath for about 20 minutes before trying. Even at that we had some trouble identifying too much until it breathed for another half hour or so (which wasn’t a long wait as it was occupied with rocking baby back to sleep, how times have changed…). I got a lot of spice notes on the nose with a hint of sweetness. The palate was a bit muddled at first, but eventually I was able to pull out some blackberry and a slight blueberry. The blueberry most likely what accounted for the sweetness on the nose. The tannins created a lingering finish, not the best in the world but not horrible. Overall, for the price, I think this wine is just fine. It would make for great sangria, bold enough to still make the drink taste like wine and not sweet fruity wine-style beverage. If you’re drinking it on its own I’d suggest pairing it with some sort of food to take the edge off, or let it breath for a while first. I will note that I have had the white blend by the same label and enjoyed it, they are both good wines to have on hand for dinner parties when your meal is over and people have had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner but want something to keep sipping on afterwards…

If you have tried Le Vieille Ferme I’d love to hear your thoughts! Until next time, cheers!

To kick off our Cotes-du-Rhone adventure we have M. Chapoutier Belleruche, a 2010 Grenache/Syrah blend. With a bright cherry nose this wine is inviting right from the start (note, I did let the wine breath for a good 30 minutes before tasting…). The palate was soft with hints of pepper but not overly spicy. I found the finish to be super smooth, you get a nice alcohol but it doesn’t linger. This was a bit less fruity than what I normally expect from Rhone wines but I enjoyed it all the same. We paired the wine with brown rice, chicken and sautéed peppers and it was a great compliment. Not sure how it would do against a bolder meal like a steak or a stew, but this time of year we don’t tend to eat those heavy dishes so I think you’ll find this wine will match what you’re eating now. Which is just the point of reviewing wines from the Rhone, right?

I purchased the bottle for $10.99 from my local Whole Foods and absolutely plan to purchase it again. This is a great wine to have around the house as it will pair well with many casual meals and is also great to sip on its own (or out of a plastic bottle the next day at the movie theater while watching “Hunger Games” if you are this inclined.. Not that I would EVER do something like that.). I think this wine would be great to bring to a party or to Easter dinner. Wine people will love its versatility and a casual drinker will love its softness and smooth finish. If you’ve tried it I’d love to hear your thoughts as well!

Cheers!

SO excited for next week, thanks for sticking by during my leave!!