Wine Review

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08
Jul 14

Quick Sips: Abecela Reserve Tempranillo “South East Block” 2009

The Back Story: This is one of 10 wines that found its way to me so that I could become better acquainted with Oregon Wines thanks to Trellis Growing Partners. It is produced by Earl & Hilda Jones in Southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley. This couple has a a passion for bringing spanish varietals to America. I am 90% sure that I met Earl a few years ago when I was tasting wines for Eno Wine Room in the Intercontinental in Chicago, and he was showing his Alberino at the time… I remember loving it, so naturally I was excited to taste and share my thoughts on their Tempranillo for you.

THE FACTS: Abacela Temp

Winery: Abacela abacela.com

Wine: Reserve Tempranillo “South East Block”

Grape: Tempranillo

Region: Umpqua Valley AVA, Southern Oregon

Vintage: 2009

Harvest Date:  October 6,  2009

Bottling Date: August 11,  2011

Release Date: October 1, 2013

Cooperage: French (100%); 17% New, 79% 2-­yr old, 4% neutral oak

Alcohol: 13.9%

MY EXPERIENCE: 

Sight: Clear/ Transparent/ Shiny/ Rich Color Saturation/ Granite Core to Pink Rim/ No Gas or Sediment

Nose: No Faults/ Leads with: Dark Chocolate/ Black Cherry/ Dried Strawberry Followed by: Vanilla/Cinnamon/Leather/ Hibiscus Jam

Palate:  Medium Plus Body/ Medium Tannin/ Medium Acid/ Medium Plus Alcohol/Medium Plus Complexity/ High Quality Leads with: Jammy Cherries/ Strawberry Fruit Rollup/ Chocolate Powder Followed by: Gauloises Tobacco/ Saddle Leather/ Vanilla/ Hazelnut

Final Thoughts: This wine was truly a tasty treat that I feel is worth every penny of its suggested retail price of $50. I do think however right now it is young and gushingly fruit forward and it will only benefit from bottle aging another 5-10 years, at that point I think it can surely hold it’s own next to its Spanish Brethren. I enjoyed this wine with some spicy black bean and veggie chili, and it made my palate smile, I could also see it as a perfect match for aged gouda and dark chocolate, or seared pork belly.  This was a very exciting off the beaten path treat for Oregon, and I highly recommend sharing it with your most adventurous friends.

 

Wine Review — No Comments
01
Dec 12

Belated Beaujolais Thursday 2012

I’m a very festive person in general, so I get especially excited about wine holidays! One of my favorites is Beaujolais Thursday, which is the third Thursday in November when each year’s vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau is released.

This is a fun wine tradition that started in 1935 and has been tweaked, official, unofficial, but always recognized. This is one of the few wines that is meant to drink ASAP! (Do not think that this is true for all Beaujolais — once you get to the village level and beyond they can be quite age worthy.) Basically everywhere that Beaujolais goes importers agree not to release it until the third Thursday of November, and then its brightly colored labels hit the shelves around the world making for a super tasty, fun, easy, cost-effective, holiday wine… and a FABULOUS reason to drink!

This year the release day  was November 15, 2012, but sadly there was NONE to be found in Harlingen, Texas. I stopped at the three wine stores that are available to me and no one had heard of the holiday or this wine, and so I went home sad and defeated. But my husband being the wonderful man that he is kept up the search and one of the stores must have listened to my cries, because last night Mr. Godot came home with a nice shiny bottle of 2012 Georges Dubeuf Beaujolais Nouveau for me to review for you!

Producer: Geaorges Dubeuf (One of the key players in the Beaujolais Nouveau game)

http://www.facebook.com/georgesduboeuf

Region: Beaujolais, France  (Burgundy)

Grape: Gamay

Vintage: 2012

Sight: 

  • Color: A purple core to a magenta rim
  • Youthful
  • Brilliant
  • No Gas
  • No Sediment
  • Med + Viscosity

Nose: 

  • Youthful & Healthy
  • Primary Notes: Candied raspberry, blueberry bubble gum, plum skin, & petunias
  • Secondary notes: Cucumber, fresh-cut grass, & rubber balls
  • Minerality: Wet Slate

Pallet: 

  • Dry
  • Medium Plus Body
  • Medium Acid
  • Low Tannin
  • Signs of Carbonic Maceration
  • Super fruity & juicy
  • Medium Alcohol (12%)
  • All of the fruit and minerality carries through to the palate
  • Fun start and quick finish

Would Pair Best With : 

  • Turkey
  • Movie Night
  • Burgers

Final Thoughts: I am very impressed with this year’s offering. I feel like the fruit and floral notes are in the forefront, which make this a fun and inviting wine. I feel like 2010 & 2011 were lacking in the ripeness. That being said I would drink this a quickly as you can, because once this fruit starts to fade there is not much to be found.

Other Links to Check Out: 
You can see my thoughts oo the 2009 offering at:

And if you want to learn more about Beaujolais as a region check out this video:

I hope you all have an easy, tasty holiday… and as always feel free to share your Beaujolais stories with me.

Salute!