Argyle Black Brut 2008

Seems like Florida’s summer began in early April but this week, we’ve had a reprise of early spring. Temps in the 70’s and low humidity mean wine time by the Koi pond is back! On top of this lovely and refreshing weather, I have some big things going on that I’m just bursting at the seams to tell you about. But, still waiting for things to be finalized, so until then I’ll just have to keep you on the edge of your seats and tell you about some of the great wines I’ve had recently. Oh and just in case anyone is thinking it, no, my big news does not involve children.

This week my husband and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary and we did it in style. We cracked up the third and final bottle of Argyle Black Brut 2008 which we shipped back from our honeymoon in Portland, OR.

Color is an amazing deep purple/garnet color. Looks like Pinot Noir but with bubbles. Aromas of black cherry bounce out of the glass. Flavors bursting of currant and blackberry are a delight. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, the grapes are sourced from Knudsen Vineyards located in Willamette Valley AVA, Willamette Valley, OR.

Brian Croser and Rollin Soles saw the benefits the Willamette Valley could provide to their wines with its cooler temps. The region is known for outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and in 1987 the duo began using these grapes to produce methode champenoise sparkling wine. Grapes are hand harvested and chilled overnight to 35F before crushing. Chilling the grapes helps to retain the fruit characteristics and limits oxidation.

While the Black Brut is not available nationwide in-store, it is available on the Argyle website for $30, and completely worth it. You can find Argyle Blanc de Blancs a 100% Dijon clone Chardonnay nationally at Total Wine priced at $27.

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2011© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

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2008 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Perusing my local big box club store, I stumbled across a bottle of 2008 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir. Normally priced around $17, this was just $13, feeling there must be some mistake in pricing I immediately snatched this little gem up before they realized the error.

Cherry and plum aromas carry over to the flavors, followed by a zesty spice. Mid-palate brings red currant and vanilla to the party. Tannins are bold and need a little refining in my opinion. The finish is a little lackluster for me but the wine is still nice. It tends to have the typical Pinot Noir feel to me, very up front and not very complex. I would appreciate this one more if it had a little more body.

Region –Oregon Willamette Valley

Total Acidity – 0.6gm/100ml

pH – 3.64
Alcohol – 13.2%

The 2008 harvest throughout Oregon was a late one. Berry development was about two weeks behind schedule due to cooler than normal temps. Luckily October was not plagued by the usual torrential rainfall but was dry and mild and harvest was completed by October 27.

While in the Portland area, my husband and I purchased a few bottles of Erath’s Estate Selection, direct from the winery. The wine sells for around $35. I can tell a huge difference between the Oregon wines and the Estate. But since my budget doesn’t allow me to buy $35 bottles of wine on a regular basis I’ll have to settle for the affordable and still very drinkable Oregon label.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

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Kiwi Cuvee Pinot Noir is it Northwestern or New Zealand? Neither, it’s French

When I see Pinot Noir by default I think Oregon, Washington or California. When I see Kiwi, I think New Zealand or maybe Australian. So when I saw 2008 Kiwi Cuvee Pinot Noir was a French wine, I didn’t know what to think.

Colors in the glass are a deep Garnet; aromas are lightly filled with berries and a hint of cherry. The flavor is thin like so many inexpensive Pinot Noirs but it is well balanced with a hint of sweetness hitting mid-palate and light but lingering tannins on the finish.

Kiwi Cuvee is bottled by Lacheteau in France’s Loire Valley and derives its Kiwi Cuvee name as it's produced in a modern style based on New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Lacheteau owns and monitors over one hundred estates in the Loire Valley. The wine was produced under the 2007 classification Vin de pays Vignobles de France. In 2007 France’s national organization for fruit, vegetables wine and horticulture voted for a new wine category allowing the blending of varietals to be classified as more than table wine. This ruling met with some objection and was annulled in 2009.

One of my New Years resolutions was to find more inexpensive wines outside of the US. I found this wine for $8.99 and it’s not bad for an everyday wine.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir 2008

I can’t seem to get used to how dark it gets before 6:30 P.M. even rolls around. It really is putting a damper on my ability to sit by the Koi pond and drink some wine and just when the temps are getting tolerable. It’s time to grab the cat and head inside for tonight’s wine offering a bottle of Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir.

The aromas are very fruity and a little on the grapey side. Flavors feel thin, dry and I’m picking up a hint of metallic. May just be my taste buds are off tonight as Wine Hubby seems to really enjoy his glass.

Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir is produced by Les Vignerons du Val d'Orbieu, one of the largest wine producers in the world. The winery located in France plants over 37,050 acres has 17 cooperative cellars and produces 3.5m cases. After the grapes are harvested they are crushed but not de-stalked. They are then fermented in temperature controlled vats for 12 days.

Grape Varieties : 100% Pinot Noir
Finished Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 4 g/L
Acidity: 3.25 g/L
pH: 3.66

Looks like the early darkness and this wine have something in common, both leave me wanting a little more sunshine and brightness. I will give this wine another try just to see if it was me that was off tonight versus the wine.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/