Travel Tuesday: Bodegas Hermanos Peciña S.L.

"Drinking good wine with good food, in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures." - Michael Broadbent #Wine

And meeting these three last year was one of highlights from my trip to Rioja last year. Their passion, their dedication and their desire was evident in everything they told us, everything I seen while I was there and each wine I sniffed, spilled, swirled and eventually slurped down with reckless abandon. 

If you ever wanted abundant authenticity in a bottle, this is the place to find it. There's no clever or slick marketing going on here, no cutesy animals on the label, and no failed attempts to be overly clever with the label verbiage. Is authenticity a big deal to you when it comes to wine? If not, maybe you're not far enough along the path to notice, but if keep going one I think it will be.

Some on the cynical side of the equation may just scoff at my pursuit for authenticity in regards to wine. Perhaps you’re thinking; "oh it has just become another brand to be sold and packed to an unsuspecting group of slack-jawed vino-sapiens who wouldn't know better anyway".

Wait a minute folks, just slow your roll for second, I’m just as skeptical and cynical as the next guy; the rose colored glasses had been slapped off my face by the hard-cold realities of life long ago. Nay I say, the wines of Rioja offer the customer something far more than a vain spectral performance, attempting to hold its self up as the paragon of wine virtue.

Did I have to go all the way to Rioja to find this kind of authenticity? The quick answer is no, it can be found here domestically. But in my opinion there's something far more "real" here than what meets the eye, something generations old, pumping the blood [Tempranillo] in the heart of tradition.  

I'm not sure my words can adequately describe the sense of place I found during my visit, not only in the wines, but also in the folks behind the label, the people who call Rioja home. In the picture above you can see the Peciña's, three generations with Pedro Senior in the middle and Junior, on the left. 

Okay I hope I've some how tempted you to stick around for part two of this Travel Tuesday tale, where I'll get into the tasting notes and the great food, [the cook I wanted to take back with me to the U.S.] so stick around the next installment will appear here tomorrow cheers!

The stair-way to heaven? Hmmm, perhaps? 

See what happens when wine-bloggers think they've seen it all? 

Shhhh, be very, very quiet the t Gran Reserva wines are sleeping. 

Bubbly, Sparkling Wine or Champagne?

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right" Mark Twain

"In victory, you deserve Champagne, in defeat, you need it." -- Napoleon Bonaparte.

"Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it." -- Madame De Pompadour

"Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully." -- Graham Greene

Father’s Day Ideas: 2009 Castello Banfi "Cum Laude"

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me." ~ Jim Valvano

As we all know Father's day is right around the corner, as for me I plan to just hang out with my dad in the afternoon, take him out to lunch for some Philly-Steak sandwiches. I'll be tuning out my phone, looking, listening and smiling as he tells me the same stories over and over. But for that afternoon the stage will be all his and he'll have my wrapped attention, because in that moment there will be no other place I want to be. And to my Son, I want to say for the whole world to know, even though you're not near-by, I'm very proud of the man you've become. Rock-on!

Okay so the bottle of wine you see pictured above arrived early yesterday morning, all the way from Connecticut of all places to my door step here in San Diego. It did rest comfortably up until about 7PM, when I popped its cork, oh-my. If the wine had arrived earlier [like last week] maybe it would have shown better in the review, who knows really. For everyone looking to check the environmental-sensitivity box Banfi has it covered, cheers to that!

As you may have guessed already, yes this is a sample. It comes from one of my favorite producers Castello Banfi, known for their readily approachable, yet authentic Italian wines. A producer who makes everything from value-oriented Chianti to highly sought after Brunello Riservas. Now I was hoping to receive the Brunello for this review, but as I've learned on more than one occasion you have to roll with the punches [or even punch-downs] in the wine-biz. 

In the bottle is a blend of four different grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. Each individually vinified and then blended together before bottling, where the wine rested for six months before being released.  In my opinion this highly-honored cuvee, could have gone in a slight more authentic direction with Sangiovese playing a larger role. 

I also say that because as the back-label indicates this wine spent 12 months in French oak barriques, this is not traditional. It's a wine made for the California palate and I get that. Now that said, this is a wine which I would highly recommend decanting for an hour or more to help it loosen up a bit. It's the style of wine which should pair nicely with this weekend's possible back-yard barbecue plans and especially so if those plans include one of your favorite cuts of steak. 

It's the perfect Father's day style of wine, broad shouldered and definitely masculine in style. A bit of a diamond in the rough tho, you have to give this wine a chance to open up to see its full potential unfold. It's not a wine to be gulped down, like your sons and/or daughters in the school-yard during lunch, sucking down those juice boxes like there's no tomorrow. So no put away those straws, this a wine to be slowly sipped and enjoyed with a fat-prime-time T-Bone or maybe even a Porter House, maybe even a fat Philly Steak Sub? 

Okay folks the moment you've all been waiting for, the tasting notes: In the glass, you'll find a beaming crimson core inviting the first splash across the gums. The aromas attempting to escape from the glass are more like bunglers attempting to escape the loony-bin, none-the-less you still get a vibrant black/blue-berry compote wrapped around some cedar and a faint whiff of wet-earth. 

The tannin structure is immediately stiff [right from the bottle] but after some decanting, they mellow considerably and meld into the background. This wine shows off its balance with vibrant acidity and while the red/dark fruits are abundant, they don't over-stay their welcome. This wine weighs in at 14.5% on the ABV scale, sells for a SRP of $35 and is widely available. Score 89. 

That's all I've got for you today folks, I hope you all enjoy your weekend. And for crying-out-loud go spend some time with your Father, quit all the navel-gazing belly-aching I hear going on so much. Give him a hug, tell him you know he's not perfect be neither are you. Pop some corks, share a meal and try to remember all the good times. Until next time folks remember life is short, we have few chances/opportunities to get things right, so as always sip long and prosper cheers!

Wine of the Week: 2010 Hawks View Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon

"We are geographically agnostic, just because we can't grow it doesn't mean we shouldn't produce it" ~ AJ Kemp Hawks View Cellars. 

One of the best indicators I have when confirming what I think is a superb bottle of wine; is having a bit of tussle with Mrs. Cuvee over who gets the last pour from the bottle, she often wins that contest. Her and I pop the cork on more than a few bottles each week [not disclosing the actual number] and this one was a special treat. 

This is the second or third time [sorry I've lost count] I've encountered this wine. I grabbed [and when I say "grabbed" I mean paid cold-hard cash] a couple of these beauties before departing from last year's Wine Blogger Conference, I'm so glad I did.  

While staying with the great folks at Youngberg Hill [what, you haven't booked a stay there yet?] a grape-wine-destination found just 10-15 minutes outside of fun-in-the Oregon-Sun McMinnville. I took that opportunity to catch-up with them again last year, to see how things our shaping for the coming harvest. And yes because I do this little blogger thang here, they waived the normal tasting fees associated with sharing their wines with fellow vino-sapiens. 

Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed, that this coming year's harvest will arrive early, like the first part of September and I hope [dear reader] you'll will do the same on my behalf. The reason has a bit of a selfish-motive, I'd like to take them up [Hawks View Cellar] on their generous offer to work as part of this years 'Harvest' crew. I know it's back-breaking hard-work but that has never scared me off, I think it's great idea for bloggers/writers to refresh their sense of wonder every now and then and this is the perfect opportunity to do just that. 

Now that said, it's time to dive back into the nitty-gritty details of the review, the reason you all [talking like five people] stopped by here today right? So here we go.

2010 Washington Cabernet-Sauvignon: The grapes were harvested from the Double Canyon vineyard found just across the Oregon border, [see above] an 88 acre site located in Alderdale, Washington. It's quite an amazing vineyard site, one which falls within the Horse Heaven Hills American Viticulture Area [AVA]. I hear the vine rows are two miles longs and hang precariously above the Columbia Gorge. 

At the time of purchase [yes, I put my money where my mouth is] this wine had not been released, but they were generous enough to sell me a bottle [or two] at the tasting room SRP of $40. The first time I tasted this wine it had only been in the bottle for just 75 days. In the glass, you'll find it's big, bold, and brooding, leaning toward a [petit sirah] PS in color.

I knew back then, [yes, boasting] this wine was going to be a freaking monster of finesse, flavor and fun to uncork at a later time. I recommended it immediately to anyone who would hear me, but sadly my praise [which may have sounded more like adulation] fell upon deaf-ears [crickets]. 

So once more here I am again beating the drum, attempting to bring attention to what I know you'll find is an amazing bottle of wine. Soon as you pop the cork, you'll find truck-loads of blackberry, dark rich-ripe plum; crème de cassis [not kidding either] which pulsates on the palate, making you wish you had another bottle or two on stand-by. The plush, well integrated tannin and the judicious use of oak combine their wonder-twin powers for a silky long finish.

It does still have a bit more Washington-State Merlot style to me, a bit sweeter and softer then a Napa Valley Cab-Sauv. But for the average vino-sapien, this wine is every bit as approachable as you'd hope any domestic wine would/could be. Grab some for yourself that is if there is any left, I stand by previous score of 92 points and highly recommend it to you. So until next time folks remember life is short, sip long and prosper cheers!

Travel Tuesday: Bodega Miguel Merino [Part Two]

We shall not cease from exploration and, at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. - T.S. Elliot

Good morning everyone, another mid-week Wine Wednesday is upon us, but what will you pop the cork on today? I hope it will be something new and novel, something as yet unexplored.

Explorers, where have they all gone? It's a thought on my mind these days; as I quietly sit behind this computer screen recalling the fond memories of last summer's travel adventure to Rioja. Just think about it with me for a second; our history is replete with explorers [some of fame and others of infamy]. But instead of looking outward, many are focused within, what some call navel-gazing. It dose beg the question tho, where has the spirit of exploration gone? Have we all given in collectively to subtle clamor of our routines, careers and the demands of daily life? 

Coco Chanel is quoted to have once said, "There is no time for cut-and-dried monotony!" She is right, frankly I couldn't agree more, life is too short to settle for less. Which is why it’s important [IMO] to continuing exploring, even if that exploration comes via the purchase of a bottle of wine you've never tried before. Yes, yes you agree to this notion, but you may be asking yourself what is left to explore? 

Before I started writing this wine-blog, sadly I didn't give much thought to travel or exploration of any kind. I was caught up in the monotony of daily life, which is easy to do. But as I began to discover new wines from different regions of world, I was not content to just pop the cork and enjoy its contents. No I wanted to visit these regions directly and see for myself where the grapes are grown, and meet the great folks behind the label. One of whom I will be introducing to you very soon.

To answer the question I posed above; c'mon really? There’s a whole world just waiting for us all to explore and it’s my hope that some-how my story may inspire you to do the same.

As you can see from the picture above [no not the Guggenheim doggie] that is the beautiful plaza which I could see from the window of my room, right outside the Hotel Carlton. Located in a beautiful Spanish city called Bilbao. If I had to choose a city to retire in, it would be this one. It’s so close to many exciting regions and fun destinations, but at the same time has a small town look and feel. I never felt like a tourist here, I just one of many welcomed and appreciated visitors traipsing through the city. 

I told you this was going to be a long post, now you see why I've broken it up in parts. It's going to be like the old adage about, "How to eat an Elephant" blah-blah. So after a wonderful 24 hours in Bilbao [eating, drinking, merriment] it was time for our journey to begin. We had the opportunity to visit many wineries, while we were there, a week long odyssey on the Rioja wine trail. 

One of the visits which really grabbed my attention was the time we spent with Miguel Merino [see below], who met us outside his Bodega situated in the small town of Briones, Rioja Alta. He had just come from the vineyards, still clutching his pruning shears, his shirt rumpled and yet beaming with gracious hospitality. 

If a man could be described of not just having a dream; but actually pursuing it with passion, it would be Miguel Merino. After spending what some would call a "career" as export director for several wineries in the area, instead of taking a break [retirement] he decided it was time to make wines with soul. 

If you've ever run into someone who has a knack for throwing together amazing results, but looking at how it was done perplexes you by the apparent lack of modern top-of-the-line equipment/facilities then prepare to be amazed, because these wines are block-busters of true Riojan style.  

Their vineyard sites can be found in Briones in the heart of the Rioja Alta, chock full of old-vine Tempranillo grapes just waiting to have their potential unlocked. It's an area renown for its chalky soil and ideal climate marked by an Atlantic influence, one which leaves a stamp of authentic Riojan style on each of the wines bottled at their less than modern facility. 

I know this story could have been so much more exciting if only our group of purple-stained-grinned writers had been doing a 30-day Yoga-challenge [navel gazing] whilst on this trip to palate-provoking Rioja, but we did have our moments of intrigue at the wine-fortress of Ben-ja-min Romero [but that's another story and yes knives were involved].

The tasting room built into the bottom floor of a newly restored 19th century castle, was quite intimate as was the table crowded with the many different wines we encountered that afternoon. Did I have a favorite? Of course I did, and we were generously offered to take one of our favorites back home with us. My choice, the 2004 Miguel Merino Gran Reserva, a wine you can still acquire from the folks at K&L, who are selling this gem for a stupid-low price of $40. 

What you experience after uncorking wine from Miguel Merino is a unique, traditional Riojan wine experience; one which can not simply be duplicated by planting a few cuttings here domestically. Miguel's use of wild-yeast in the fermentation process, his use of new American, French and even Hungarian oak and farming practices keep the wines true and may I even say wildly authentic. If you'd like to know more about the process, you can read more here.

Okay here comes the tasting note and scoring part of the article. If you're anti-score just imagine the numerical scores are words like good, very good and yummy. For everyone else who's not going to wince over seeing a 'score' associated with a wine review, then please take note. These wines scored some high praise from me, enjoy. My general impressions of his wines ranged from very good to great and I recommend that you grab a few to fill your cellar.

2004 Miguel Merino Rioja Reserva Vitola: In the glass, a brilliant garnet color beams from the glass. Initial tart, tight, chewy tannins. A rustic wine, still boasting of nearly ripe strawberry, cherry, plums and herbals, licorice. A wine I’d lay down to approach later. Dried herbal notes on the nose and bright earth. SRP $40 Score: 91

2004 Miguel Merino Rioja Gran Reserva: A wine with a big-bright future. At the time, I thought that this wine will need more time to develop. I was right, but the time frame for its maturation was less than a year. Back then, I wrote "very tight, but tasty tart cherry/plum flavors, herbal [cigars] tobacco, leather and dark mocha looming in the background. Today, this wine is a block-buster of flavor and finesse. My score 95 points and ready to rock! SRP $40

2005 Miguel Merino Rioja Reserva: Elegant smoothness on the palate, plush plum, black-berry and leather. The nose is very inviting and enticing. A wine brimming with complexity and polish. The finish is very pleasing, sports good grip and I'm loving the finally integrated tannins. SPR $30 Score: 92

2008 Miguel Merino Rioja Unnum: This wine is a project Miguel's son has put together using 100% French oak, and is a wine which sports a new world vibe right out of the gate. Finely ground espresso, spicy tobacco, licorice and tightly wound dried dark fruits. This wine had the silkiest mouth feel, still drying tannins on end. Boat loads of red and dark fruits, brighter and definitely much flashier. Much better if you lay it down for the long term before approaching. SRP of $45 Score: 91

My visit to Rioja was an amazing adventure, one I will never forget. It still makes an impact on my wine point of view with each and every wine I encounter today. I know some wine-blogs want you to believe you can get that same exact experience from bottles of wine which sell for far less [have the same place names], but the truth is that advice is simply misguided. 

Most us understand you get what you pay for, but some vino-sapiens unfortunately still don't subscribe to that idea, thinking all wines are created equal. If you have a chance/opportunity to experience authentic wine culture for yourself, go for the gusto and never look back. Until next time folks remember life is short, so sip long and prosper cheers!