S American Wines w/dinner (menu)

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
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. . . . . Pete
 
I know very little about SA wine but, even in my ignorance, I’m pretty sure Late Harvest Malbec is not my cup of tea.
I’d be interested in trying the other wines though, especially with those dishes.
Enjoy, jim
 
Jim, from Fareham Wine Cellars...

Susana Balbo Late Harvest Malbec is a sweet red dessert wine. There has been a bit of interest in dessert wines made from Malbec and, although we have stocked one from Cahors, this is the first red dessert wine we have stocked from Argentina. Susana Balbo is an icon of the Argentinian wine industry, she has been working in the trade for over 30 years and finally founded her own winery, Dominio del Plata, in 1999. Today it is a family affair with her winemaker son, Joseph, and daughter, Ana, working on the business side of the business. The winery, with its modern technology and equipment, in combination with “precision” viticulture and sustainable agriculture produces very high quality wines. Each grape variety is harvested manually and vinified to show the full varietal expression but with unique and individual styles. The sweetness in the Susana Balbo Late Harvest Malbec is made, as the name suggests, by leaving the grapes on the vine for as long as possible so they can become as ripe as possible. Luckily the very dry climate and altitude (1000m) of the vineyards in Alto Agrelo, Lujan de Coyu, Mendoza mean that fungal infestations are not a problem. At harvest, the late harvest Malbec grapes are very ripe and raisined, they are hand harvested, destemmed, gently crushed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks. The fermenting wine undergoes daily pumping over as well as delastages three times a day. Delestages is a two-step rack-and-return process in which fermenting red wine juice is separated from the grape solids by racking and then returned to the fermenting vat to re-soak the solids. The wine is left on the skins for 35 days and undergoes malolactic fermentation. Finally the wine is aged for 18 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Residual sugar 80.53 g/L.
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This Late Harvest Malbec was an interesting divergence from the norm. I've seen some favorable reviews on some of the vintages; however, the 2019 is not a wine that I'm interested in going forward (and I can't imagine it being your "cup of tea").

. . . . . Pete
 
If anyone cares, the Carmelo Patti wines from Mendoza are well worth trying. Chambers St has them now and then. Carmelo immigrated to Argentina with his family from Italy as a child in the 1950s, his approach to winemaking is very Old World. Old casks, native yeast, no additives, long bottle aging. Structured wines with acid. He should be much more well known than he is.
 
With respect to interest in Malbec shown hereinabove, there is this...

Cheval des Andes 2016

Cheval des Andes is an Argentinian estate that is the joint effort of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de Los Andes. Cheval Blanc president Pierre Lurton found inspiration when he discovered the Las Compuertas vineyard in Mendoza. The extraordinary Malbec vineyard was planted in 1929. With a focus on the style of Cheval Blanc, Cheval des Andes is a blend of Malbec and Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Petit Verdot. Striving for the elegance and refinement of Cheval Blanc creating a wine that will age for many years.

Wine critic James Suckling rates the 2016 Cheval des Andes 99 points, describing the wine as -

“Super refined and beautiful with flowers, spices, dried fruit and hints of stones. Medium to full body with very fine tannins and a gorgeous finish. Shows great finesse and depth. Savory character, as always, but in check. Drink in 2022.”
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. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

With respect to interest in Malbec shown hereinabove, there is this...

Cheval des Andes 2016

Cheval des Andes is an Argentinian estate that is the joint effort of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de Los Andes. Cheval Blanc president Pierre Lurton found inspiration when he discovered the Las Compuertas vineyard in Mendoza. The extraordinary Malbec vineyard was planted in 1929. With a focus on the style of Cheval Blanc, Cheval des Andes is a blend of Malbec and Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Petit Verdot. Striving for the elegance and refinement of Cheval Blanc creating a wine that will age for many years.

Wine critic James Suckling rates the 2016 Cheval des Andes 99 points, describing the wine as -

“Super refined and beautiful with flowers, spices, dried fruit and hints of stones. Medium to full body with very fine tannins and a gorgeous finish. Shows great finesse and depth. Savory character, as always, but in check. Drink in 2022.”
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. . . . . Pete
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do you really think that raves by james suckling have any congruence or resonance with disorderly likes and dislikes? or do you quote him for his emetic value?
 
originally posted by Jim Hanlon:
If anyone cares, the Carmelo Patti wines from Mendoza are well worth trying. Chambers St has them now and then. Carmelo immigrated to Argentina with his family from Italy as a child in the 1950s, his approach to winemaking is very Old World. Old casks, native yeast, no additives, long bottle aging. Structured wines with acid. He should be much more well known than he is.
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agree 100%. i went through a case of som of his old cabernet a few year back.maybe 1996? the goo bottles were terrific.
 
Let's just say that I figured the Malbec comments would get a rise...and might lead to some more Malbec jokes.

. . . . . Pete
 
Mark,

Maturana Parellon Vinedos 1928 Vines Semillon Colchagua Costa 2019 -- Pale to moderate yellow with gold tones, honey, flinty fruit, citrus note, dry, good roundness that's in balance, ample acidity, a nice quaffable wine. [G - VG]

I enjoyed the wine, moreso than the Chardonnay.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Mark,

Maturana Parellon Vinedos 1928 Vines Semillon Colchagua Costa 2019 -- Pale to moderate yellow with gold tones, honey, flinty fruit, citrus note, dry, good roundness that's in balance, ample acidity, a nice quaffable wine. [G - VG]

I enjoyed the wine, moreso than the Chardonnay.

. . . . . Pete
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Thanks, Pete. My limited exposure to varietal Semillon has been with Hunter Valley examples from Australia*. Round is not a characteristic I look for in the grape; quite the contrary, actually.

Mark Lipton

* I have ordered a couple of bottles of Semillon made by Ch Climens, but they won’t arrive until the next shipping window
 
Mark, your comment makes me wonder if the "flinty" descriptor somehow doesn't adequately offset the "roundness" descriptor. Best I can recall now, the wine had a preciseness that was not the least bit flabby.

. . . . . Pete
 
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