Historic Undurraga Family Back in Chile Wine Making
The notorious Undurraga family is back in the wine making business. This is another reason the world needs to take notice of Chile's ever growing international wine presence.
Cheers!
- Brandon
Wine: Chile's Undurraga family back in wine business
By FRED TASKER — McClatchy Newspapers
Chile's pioneering Undurraga family has been in the wine business since Francisco Undurraga planted his first vines in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in 1885. By the 1980s, it was one of Chile's biggest producers and most popular exporters to the United States. By 2005 it was making 1.5 million cases a year.
But when the fifth generation came along in the 2000s, there were 12 brothers and sisters, only four of whom were really interested in the grape. So the family board voted to sell the business in 2005. It left family patriarch Alfonso Undurraga and sons Alfonso, Max and Cristobal with pockets full of money and great wine reputations but nothing to do.
"For the first time in our lives we were out of wine," says the younger Alfonso Undurraga, co-owner. "We were lost."
So they started not one, but two new wineries, both in Chile's cool Colchagua area, both now entering the U.S. market.
One of them is Terrapura, making value-priced wines in the $10 range, aiming at 300,000 cases within five years.
The second is Vina Koyle, making premium to super-premium wines in the modest $17-to-$25 range, aiming for 30,000 cases.
Terrapura's wines are made in the international "fruit-forward" style with little oak aging, focusing on tasting like the grapes from which they are made, Undurraga says.
Vina Koyle's wines aim for greater elegance and complexity, with aging in French oak barrels, giving the terroir - the area in which they are made - its chance to influence the flavors.
Both wines are made in the Colchauga, Curico and Maipo areas of Chile, about 100 miles south of Santiago in the low foothills of the Andes at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,600 feet, seeking the cooler weather and more powerful sun at relatively high altitudes.
Both wines aim at crisp acids, light-to-medium body and restrained levels of alcohol, making them easy to drink with food, more likely to persuade the diner to order a second glass.
"It's better to sell three bottles than one," Undurraga says.
Highly recommended:
2007 Koyle Cabernet Sauvignon Royale, Alto Colchauga, Chile (85 percent cabernet sauvignon, 13 percent malbec, 2 percent carmenere): a classic bordeaux-style red wine with complex flavors of cassis, black plum and bitter chocolate, full body and bright acids; a great steak wine; $26.
2007 Koyle Syrah, Maipo and Colchauga, Chile (87 percent syrah, 13 percent carmenere): opaque purple color, hint of oak, flavors of black raspberries and spice, hearty, creamy, long finish; $17.
Recommended:
2007 Koyle Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo and Colchauga, Chile (88 percent cabernet sauvignon, 12 percent carmenere): hint of oak, flavors of black raspberries and milk chocolate, soft tannins, long finish; $17.
2010 Terrapura Sauvignon Blanc, Central Valley, Chile: light and crisp, with tart pear and green melon flavors; $10.
2009 Terrapura Merlot, Central Valley, Chile: light body, very dry, black raspberry flavors, firm tannins; $10.
2009 Terrapura Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Valley: classical cab flavors of cassis and licorice, light and fruity, spicy finish; $10.
Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2011/08/08/2871760/wine-chiles-undurraga-family-back.html#ixzz1UUu208xx
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Who Else Knows About Cab Franc?
Great article from Steven Kolpan about one of my favorite grapes, cabernet franc.
Enjoy!
-Kevin
++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.salon.com/food/feature/2010/06/16/cabernet_franc_guide_ext2010
Cabernet Franc: A grape goes from workhorse to show pony
Usually grown just for blending, it's time to come around to this varietal's own charms
Still, as Americans are becoming ever more wine-savvy, other varietals get to play -- Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling for whites, for instance, and Pinot Noir and Syrah / Shiraz for reds -- and the wine world lies in constant wait for the Next Big Grape. I'm a wine lover, not a psychic, but I wouldn't be shocked if Cabernet Franc emerges from the shadows to wear that title soon.
It's a grape that's hiding in plain sight. In much of the modern wine world, Cabernet Franc is considered a humble blender to augment wines that more prominently feature its relatives Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but its charms as the featured grape in a wine -- balance between fruitiness and austerity, approachability and complexity -- are finding more and more adherents. As a blending grape, though, you may have sipped its nectar but never knew what you were tasting because the wine label did not mention the varietal. As is traditional (and, in many cases, the law) in France, the bottle probably instead boasted the name of a village in the Loire Valley or the proprietary name of a Bordeaux château.
In Bordeaux, judicious amounts of Cabernet Franc and Merlot (and sometimes others) are used to tweak the esteemed Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines of the "Left Bank" of Bordeaux, adding strawberry-like qualities. But realistically, in this region it is often easy to tell the difference between wines produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and those produced from Cabernet Franc. "Franc"-based wines have lower acidity, less pronounced tannins, lighter color extraction, and greener, more herbaceous aromatics. It rarely achieves the complexity that wines made from ripe Cabernet Sauvignon can achieve. In the best vintages of Bordeaux's Left Bank, Cabernet Franc is used in tiny amounts, and its character is --intentionally -- barely noticeable.
The "Right Bank" of Bordeaux is a different story, especially cool-climate St.-Emilion. Cabernet Sauvignon rarely ripens successfully in St.-Emilion, and so the wines rely on their lush, sexy Merlot coupled with a healthy dose of the angular, restrained structure of Cabernet Franc. (Here -- and the district called Pomerol -- is the home of those exceptional Merlots I alluded to earlier.) Most wines in St.-Emilion contain somewhat more Merlot than Franc, but quite a few wines use more Franc. The best example is one of the world's finest red wines, Château Cheval Blanc (the 2000 vintage, if you can find it, is currently selling for close to $2,000 per bottle). You can find fine St.-Emilion from a myriad of châteaux starting at under $20 per bottle, with quite a few under $35.
For the wine grower, the appeal of "Franc" is that it thrives in colder weather than Cabernet Sauvignon, and so in Bordeaux's cooler vintages, Cabernet Franc stands a better chance of fully ripening than its more highly-regarded but warmer-weather loving sibling. The smart Left Bank vignerons plant Franc as an insurance policy against cold weather, raising the percentage of the cool climate ripener whenever necessary.
No doubt Cabernet Franc has performed its blending duties well, but it has also established itself as an increasingly important varietal in both the old and new worlds. This workhorse, so capable of producing extraordinarily elegant red wines on its own, is poised to become the Seabiscuit of vitis vinifera. Imagine a young Cabernet Sauvignon, but without the arch tannins. Cabernet Franc is all about balance. The tannins are noticeable, which will help the wine to age, but the black fruit/berry flavors make a good Cabernet Franc accessible both when young and with some more age. Also, in a world where high alcohol is the order of the day in so many Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wines, Cabernet Franc achieves its balance of fruit, tannin, and refreshing acidity without becoming an oak and alcohol bomb.
France's Loire Valley, best known for its white wines, is home to wonderful-but-not-much-heralded Cabernet Franc-based wines. The three mid-Loire villages of Chinon, Bourgeuil, and Saumur-Champigny comprise the epicenter for these medium-bodied, luscious reds. In Chinon and Bourgeuil, the wines can be powerfully complex and age-worthy, and from Saumur-Champigny, the wine has a certain gaiety, full of raspberries and strawberries. Chinon, the traditional "house red" of Paris bistros and brasseries, is perhaps the easiest to find in the American market, but all three are worth seeking out. Prices should be around $18-$25. These Franc-based reds show the grape to great advantage, ramping up its acidity and fruit; Loire is considerably cooler than Bordeaux.
Over the last five or six years, California has begun to embrace Cabernet Franc as a varietal. Well-known producers, many of them in Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, who not long ago used Franc strictly as a blender with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, have begun to produce varietal-labeled Cabernet Franc. Fine wines are produced by Pride Mountain, Rubicon Estate, Steele, Lang &Reed, Peju, Imagery, Geyser Peak, Conn Creek, Chappellet, and Alexander Valley Vineyards, among many others. Prices start in the mid teens and top out at about $50, with most wines selling in the $20-$28 range.
New York State is a helluva lot colder than most of California, and cool-climate Cabernet Franc shines in both the Finger Lakes region and on Long Island. Really impressive wines are produced by Konstantin Frank, Red Newt, Glenora, Standing Stone, Lucas, Anthony Road, Fox Run, and Knapp in the Finger Lakes, while Wölffer Estate, Schneider, Castello di Borghese, Paumanok, Palmer, and Macari are some of the better producers on Long Island. Also, in the Hudson Valley region, Millbrook almost always produces a very fine estate-bottled Cabernet Franc. Prices for the New York wines run from the low teens to about $40, with most wines under $20. These gems are certainly worth a search.
Sales of Cabernet Franc continue to grow, but mostly in niche markets and among red wine cognoscenti who have come to appreciate the wine over time. Cabernet Franc doesn’t grow everywhere and it’s not a wine for everyone, but it is wonderful when served with hearty red meat dishes, game, and aged cheeses. Planting of Cabernet Franc continues to rise, but slowly, as traditional wine regions in the Old World, taking "advantage" of global warming, are able to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, a more popular grape that needs more heat in the vineyard.
But there is more to life than vanilla and chocolate, so we often must challenge ourselves to explore the world, to make the discoveries that might just redefine the way we think and feel. Such exploration can become an exciting journey, a lifelong quest, and the same holds true in wine. And sometimes the most rewarding discoveries are the ones right under our noses.
Steven Kolpan is Professor and Chair of Wine Studies at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. He is the author of "WineWise," a consumer-friendly guide to the wines of the world.
++++++++++++++++++++
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com.
Ultimate New Jersey Wine Tour
Thank you so much Stephanie for your enjoyable read regarding a lesser know wine growing area. A definate highlight of this story is the listing of different wineries, restaurants, etc.. Enjoy!
Cheers!
- Brandon
By STEPHANIE AUTERI
When I first set off to discover New Jersey wine culture, I didn’t expect to find a whole lot. Within my immediate geographic area (I live in Clifton) are several wine bars and discount wine shops that sometimes offer free tastings, but there are no vineyards — no place where I can track a wine’s humble origins, the process of vine to grape to barrel to bottle.
In the past, my husband and I always drove to upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region to get our wine fix. I didn’t think we had any other choice. But once I started researching wine spots across New Jersey, I discovered that we really had been missing out. I shouldn’t have been surprised.
This is, after all, the Garden State.
Through the course of three frantic months, we spent every single weekend traveling across all of New Jersey. We drove to the tippy-top — where small family vineyards like that of the Ventimiglias operated — and all the way down to Cape May (which had four of its own wineries, all well worth visiting). In a blur of vineyard after vineyard, our palates slowly changed.
At Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards in Colts Neck, we salivated over chocolate sauce made with chambourcin, a French-American hybrid grape that is popular in New Jersey. At California WineWorks in Ramsey, we destemmed grapes, crushed them and added yeast, enjoying the hands-on process of making our own cabernet.
At La Griglia in Kenilworth, a restaurant recognized by Wine Spectator magazine, I fell in love with an incredibly light sparkling dessert wine.
At Plagido’s Winery in Hammonton, I couldn’t help gushing over the sangria.
When we visited Sylvin Farms Winery in Germania — a one-man operation — we had to run through the fields in order to find owner Franklin Salek. It was well worth it, as he then treated us to a history of the New Jersey wine business while we sampled bottle after bottle.
At Turdo Vineyards in North Cape May, we reveled in the unseasonal warmth of late last September by sipping from generous glasses of pinot noir on its outdoor patio. And at Ventimiglia Vineyard in Wantage, we tasted zinfandel straight from the barrel before sitting down to an intimate barbecue with the entire family.
By the time we made it to Hopewell Valley Vineyards in Pennington, we had to invest in a wine journal. The bottles cluttering the floor of our one-bedroom condo were all favorites, and we didn’t want to risk forgetting any of them.
Over the course of it all, we learned what we loved (and we also learned that seven wineries in one day is too much). The wine spots listed here — a mix of wineries, restaurants, shops and wine bars — aren’t everything New Jersey has to offer. In fact, the state has at least 33 wineries alone registered with the Garden State Wine Growers Association, and you can follow the entire trail by picking up one of their free “passports” (newjerseywines.com). Rather, these spots are the ones I felt had the most to offer not only the taste buds, but the soul.
Does that sound cheesy? Thankfully, wine and cheese go well together.
* Four JG’s & Vineyards
127 Hillsdale Road,
Colts Neck
(908) 930-8066
4jgswinery.com
Owner: John and Janet Giunco
Acreage: 60-acre farm, with 35 acres of planted vines
Wines: 10
Best-sellers: chambourcin riserva, Cayuga white, Vignole, cabernet Franc
Tastings: Weekends, 1 to 5 p.m., October through December
Price: $5
* Alba Vineyard & Winery
269 Route 627, Village of Finesville, Milford
(908) 995-7800
albavineyard.com
Owner: Tom Sharko
Acreage: 93.5-acre farm, with 42 acres of planted vines
Wines: 19
Best-sellers: pinot noir, dry Riesling, chardonnay
Tastings: Sunday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: $10 for a cheese and cracker plate, and a taste of anything you’d like
* Amazing Grapes
23 Wanaque Ave., Pompton Lakes
(973) 831-5700
amazing-grapes.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Bonus: There is a bar in the back featuring live music on weekends
Owners: Donna Garvey, Bill Lowe Jr. and Tony Greco
Bottles: 12 by the glass, and around 100 bottles
Best-sellers: pinot grigio (especially bottles under $15), malbec wines from Argentina, tempranillo from Spain
Tastings: Free, every Saturday afternoon
* Bacchus
Winemaking Club
1540 Route 37 west, Toms River
(732) 505-6930
bacchusnj.com
Attend winemaking sessions and other classes and events throughout the year
* Bellview Winery
150 Atlantic St., Landisville
(856) 697-7172
BellviewWinery.com
Owner: Jim and Nancy Quarella
Acreage: 32
Wines: 27
Best-sellers: fiesta/cranberry sangria, 2007 petit verdot
Tastings: Daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
* California WineWorks
476 Route 17 North, Ramsey
(201) 785-9463
cawineworks.com
Participate in grape crushing and other aspects of the winemaking process. End up with your own barrel
* Cape May
Winery & Vineyard
711 Townbank Road, Cape May
(609) 884-1169
capemaywinery.com
Owner: Darren Hesington and Toby Craig
Acreage: 15
Wines: 19
Best-sellers: 2008 riesling, 2007 Cape May cabernet ranc, Isaac Smith cabernet sauvignon, Cape May merlot, Cape May chardonnay
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: $5 for your choice of 6 wines, plus a souvenir wine glass to take home
* Endless Vine
823 Franklin Lake Road,
Franklin Lakes
(201) 891-3669
endlessvine.com
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owner: Simonyan family Bottles: 15 wines by the glass and close to 5,000 bottles
Best-sellers: Patz & Hall pinot noir Sonoma Coast 2006, Gnarley Head old vine zinfandel 2006, Bruno Giacosa Barolo “Le Rocche del Falletto” 1999, cheval blanc 1996, Caymus cabernet sauvignon Napa Valley 2002
Tastings: Check for tastings and other events on the website
* The Grape Escape
12 Stults Road, Suite 101, Dayton
(609) 409-9463
thegrapeescape.net
Make your own wine, starting at $355 for of a barrel
* La Griglia
740 Boulevard, Kenilworth
(908) 241-0031
lagriglia.com
Hours: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.to 3 p.m. Dinner: Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m.
Owner: Chris and John Tocci
Bottles: 600
Best-sellers: Bisol, “Crede” Prosecco Di Valdobbiadene (Veneto), Cantalupo “Il Mimo” Rosato 2005 (Piemont), Ocone, Taburno Falanghina, 2005 (Campania), Fatascia, “Almanera” nero d’Avola, 2003 (Sicily), Marenco, Brachetto D’Acqui, 2005 (Piemont)
* Hopewell Valley
Vineyards
46 Yard Road, Pennington
(609) 737-4465
hopewellvalleyvineyards.com
Owner: Sergio Neri
Acreage: 75-acre farm, with 20 acres of planted vines
Wines: 16
Best-sellers: chambourcin, pinot grigio
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m., except for Friday and Wednesday 12 to 8 p.m. because of happy hour
Price: $5
Events: Weekly. Find out about everything from harvest and wine festivals to music nights by signing up for its e-mail list
* Knife & Fork
3600 Atlantic Ave., Atlantic City
(609) 344-1133
knifeandforkinn.com
Hours: Lunch: Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and-Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Owner: Frank Dougherty
Bottles: 1,000-plus
Best-sellers: Mason Cellars sauvignon blanc 2005, Orogeny pinot noir Green Valley RRV 2006, BR Cohn cabernet sauvignon north coast 2007
* Park & Orchard
240 Hackensack St.,
East Rutherford
(201) 939-9292
parkandorchard.com
Hours: Lunch: Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. Dinner: Monday through Friday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 4:45 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m.
Owner: Kenny and Buddy Gebhardt
Bottles: 2,000
Best-sellers: I Terrieri Corvina Passita 2006 Verona, Italy, Macon- Villages Les Pierres Dorees Domaine Barraud 2008, Purple Mountain chardonnay 2005, Stag’s Leap Hawk Crest cabernet sauvignon
Events: Scheduled wine tastings can be found on the website
* Plagido’s Winery
570 N. First Road,
Hammonton
(609) 567-4633
plagidoswinery.com
Owner: Ollie Tomasello
Acreage: 15
Wine: 27
Best-Sellers: chambourcin, Plagido’s Choice, merlot blend
Tastings: Daily, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: Free
* Rosie’s Wine Bar
514 North Ave., Garwood
(908) 518-9463
rosieswinebar.com
Hours: Dinner: Monday through Wednesday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 4 to 9 p.m. Bar: open past 1 a.m.
Owner: Josh Rosenberg
Bottles: 250
Best-sellers: Covey Run riesling, Crosby cabernet sauvignon, Sonoma-Cutrer chardonnay, Faust Events: The website lists live music events, tastings, parties, education and more
* Sylvin Farms Winery
24 N. Vienna Ave., Germania
(609) 965-1548
sylvinfarmswinery.com
Owner: Franklin Salek
Acreage: 40-acre farm, with 11 acres of vines
Wines: 15
Best-sellers: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, sauvignon blanc, sparkling blanc de noir, chardonnay Tastings: Call ahead to schedule a tasting. This is a one-man operation, but it’s worth the effort to go.
Price: Free
* Tomasello Winery Inc.
225 N. White Horse Pike,
Hammonton
(800) 666-9463
tomasellowinery.com
Owners: Charlie and Jack Tomasello
Acreage: 70
Wines: 43
Best-Sellers: 2006 Tomasello American white zinfandel, Tomasello American Ranier rosé, Tomasello Atlantic County Nevers Oak chardonnay, Rainier white, Tomasello Epilogue Atlantic County riesling ice wine 2007, Tomasello American Almonique, Tomasello mulled spice wine, sparkling blueberry
Tastings: Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Price: Free
* Turdo Vineyards & Winery
3911 Bayshore Road, North Cape May
(609) 884-5591
turdovineyards.com
Owner: Sal Turdo
Acreage: 6-acre farm, with 4.5 acres of planted vines
Wines: 15
Best-sellers: The Italian reds: barbera, dolcetto, nebbiolo, sangiovese, and nero d’Avola
Tastings: Thursday through Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m., Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m.
Price: $5 for choice of 6 wines and a souvenir wine glass to take home
* Undici Taverna Rustica
11 West River Road, Rumson
(732) 842-3880
undicirestaurant.com
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Wednesday-Sunday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Owners: Victor Rollo (general manager) and Giovanni Atzori (executive chef)
Bottles: 640
Best-sellers: Chiantis
Events: Follow twitter.com/undici11 on Twitter to keep up-to-date on all of its upcoming events
* Ventimiglia Vineyard
101 Layton Road, Wantage
(973) 875-4333
ventivines.com
Owner: Gene Ventimiglia, with his family
Acreage: 50 acres
Wines: 16
Best-sellers: Buon Giorno, Rocky Ridge red, chambourcin, carignane
Tastings: Saturdays and Sundays. now through Sept. 30, 1 to 6 p.m.; Oct. 1 through April 30, 12 to 5 p.m.
Price: $5 for a tasting and, if you’re lucky, you’ll also be offered a tour
* Wine List of Summit
417 Springfield Ave., Summit
(908) 277-6565
winelistsummit.com/wine/classes.php
class@winelistsummit.com
Become a wine connoisseur in three easy lessons
* The WineMakers Cellar
1050 Goffle Road, Hawthorne
(973) 238-1400
thewinemakerscellar.com
info@thewinemakerscellar.com
Make your own wine, starting at $425 for ⅛ barrel of wine
* Wine Ventures
7 Washington St., Tenafly
(201) 568-4341
wineventures.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 12 to 6 p.m.
Owner: Craig McManus
Bottles: 1,000-plus
Best-sellers: New Zealand sauvignon blancs, Rhone Châteauneuf-du-Papes
Tastings: Friday, 5 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 1 to 8 p.m.
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
Espelt Saulo 2008 – Wine Review
I have have seen this wine numerous times at my local liquor store tied to my Costco so I thought I would give it a try.
Espelt Sauló is a deliteful blend of 50% garnacha and 50% cariñena that delivers well beyond its $10.00 price. You will first notice that this wine has a lovely deep ruby color. I found hints of raspberry, cherry, pepper and an earthy quality that blends nicely together. This is without a doubt a great every day wine that will not break the budget.
Above: Anna Espelt, Winemaker
Cheers!
- Brandon
Winery Notes
Although the Espelt family has been growing grapes for quite some time, it was not until 2000 that they began to produce wine. With over 500 acres of vineyards planted to a multitude of varieties, Espelt’s ultra modern winery is responsible for some of the greatest values in the region with a whimsical sensibility. Located Inside two National Parks in the ends of the Pyrenees, the land is characterized by strong northern winds, poor soils of slate and granite and very old vineyards planted as long ago as 1900.
About Corx Wine Bags
Corx Wine Bags was founded in 2005 by two friends who had passion for wine. One of them being a self proclaimed klutz and the other a self proclaimed sewing master, they sought to create the ultimate wine bag. After several prototypes the “Tre” 3-bottle wine bag was born. A wine bag of the highest quality that prevents bottles from breaking in transit for those klutz’s out there, while keeping your wines at proper storing temperatures during your trip to your favorite BYOB restaurant, picnic location or bringing bottles home from your favorite winery. For more information about all of our wine bags please visit us at www.corxwinebags.com
