2008 Don Miguel Gascón Malbec review

I can tell in my short time of wine tasting that I am starting to recognize more flavors in wine.  With this wine, I really pondered what it was I was tasting. I look for descriptors that were predominant but also those flavors that were just hinted at. I will confess my tasting of Malbecs in general is very limited so I cannot give a good comparison to traditional Malbecs but I certainly was impressed that I tasted things that are generally associated with this wine. Now keep in mind I tasted this wine before I read what others had thought and I had not read what was on the label.  To begin with I immediately noticed this was one of the darkest red wines I have ever tasted, so immediately I thought this would be a bold, hearty wine.  After taking a look at the color I checked out the nose of the wine, taking in several deep smells, my thoughts were either I am too congested or this wine has little nose, it took some very deep smells to even get a scent of what I was about to taste.  Being a little surprised at the lack of a nose, I did not really have anything descriptive for the smell of this wine.   Now for the interesting part of this wine, the taste changed at least 5 times throughout the evening of consumption.  In the beginning my first tastes were of black cherry, but it took me awhile to place the second flavor, I finally came up with Semi-Sweet Chocolate.  After tasting those flavors I read the bottle which stated “Don Miguel Gascón Malbec is a full bodied wine with a deep violet color, showcasing flavors and aromas of blackberry, blueberry, plum, dark cherry, and a hint of mocha. The wine is elegant and rich in texture, with soft, round tannins and a long velvety finish. Gascón Malbec pairs well with grilled red meats, wild game, pasta dishes and chocolate molten dessert.”

So I was quite proud of myself for actually tasting what other experts in the field tasted in this wine. BUT…………………..15 minutes later the wine changed!  Gone were the predominant black cherry and chocolate flavors and in came blackberry and no chocolate, it was hearty, bold but did not leave an aftertaste… and 30 minutes to an hour later it tasted silky and earthy to me….   At this point in the tasting I get a little confused (buzzed) and just come away thinking this wine changes multiple times and some moments are better than others. So if you decide to try this wine, please take sips at 15 minute intervals and see if you experience the same thing.  This bottle can be found at the Utah Wine Store , and it just went on sale for $10.99.

Phil says….

This wine was like cybil without any evil personalities. I have never tasted such an odd wine…I believe it is simply overloaded and rich. The very deep dark wine overwhelms your ability to taste…sometimes you catch very positive flavors and notes…..and then a few moments later….you get nothing…and occasional flavors that were less than pleasant. Overpowering wines usually have heavy tannins…this wine is actually very mild with virtually NO tannins detectable.

Honestly, this wine is fun….play with it, and see what you think. There is nothing wrong or bad about it..I enjoyed this much more at $10.99 than the last wine I reviewed which cost twice as much.

I would not call this a fine wine…but if you have a tasting group…give it a try..and enjoy the reactions as others try to figure out the chameleon personality.

MacMurray Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Our first Pinot Noir review is for the MacMurray Ranch 2007 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($23.99 at the Utah Wine Store Updated price as of 11:21AM)  Available at the Utah Wine Store  and probably available at your local Utah Liquor Store.

This was paired with Stagg chili, honey bbq fritos and some wonderful brownie bites. Not exactly what you should pair with a Pinot Noir but hey it worked.

To me Pinot Noirs are usualy sweeter and have more fruit in them, this wine had a bit more zest and boldness to it.  Black cherry was predominant for me.  Also unusual for Pinot Noir, this had some mellow spicy and even some tart involved. I highly recommend this wine for those that are not big on Pinot Noirs. Give this one a try and see if your palette agrees.

Here is from the Winery itself

DESCRIPTION: This is a classic Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, with concentrated fruit flavors of red and black fruits. Deep black cherry notes are complimented by subtle oak to add richness and depth to the finish. This is an earthy wine with nuances of brown spice that will pair well with rack of lamb, grilled salmon and Shitake mushroom risotto.

Detailed Winemaker’s Notes WINEMAKING NOTES: The grapes were hand harvested, de-stemmed and cold soaked for approximately five days before primary fermentation began. We utilized a mix of natural and Burgundian yeasts selected to complement the terroir of the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Upon completion of primary fermentation, the wine went through malolactic fermentation and a percentage of the wine received up to 7 months of oak contact during maturation. A variety of new Burgundian oak barrels with medium to light toast levels and 1-3 year old French oak barrels were used in order to complement the delicate, elegant Pinot Noir aromas and flavors.

VITICULTURAL NOTES: The 2007 Sonoma harvest was smaller than normal, but produced excellent quality wine grapes. The low winter rainfall and mild spring affected the timing and overall size of the vintage. These climatic influences resulted in early budbreak and flowering, and also allowed the grapes to ripen evenly. The warm weather in mid-August initiated harvest and many varieties were being picked at the same time. As the tanks were filling up quickly, fog and cool weather arrived in early September and harvest slowed. The rest of harvest was characterized by sun and cooler than average temperatures which led to a long, drawn out harvest. Low humidity in the second half of harvest helped to prevent disease and allowed the growers to pick the grapes at ideal ripeness. The mild and even growing season, combined with the cooler weather toward the end of harvest, assisted the grapevines in producing small berries to deliver exceptionally concentrated fruit flavors.

TASTE PROFILE: The Russian River Valley is one of California’s most celebrated sources of world class Pinot Noir. The region is blessed with strong maritime influences, specifically, a cool climate defined by the fog that follows the river valley to blanket the vineyards. Warm days and cool nights encourage distinct varietal characters in the ripening grapes. Early winegrowers planted Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignane, to make hearty, simple wines. Since the 1960’s, however, the Russian River Valley has been home to the pioneers of New World Pinot Noir.

Another blogger in wine land said this….

The wine shows lovely flavors of cherry, cranberry and brown spice. It’s got that all-important earthy quality I look for in Pinot Noir. Coming in at just under 14% ABV, it’s fairly light and elegant on the palate. Oak is used judiciously with mostly light toast so the fruit components are not overpowered by the wood. It drinks well alone, and pairs well with grilled meats and fish.

Our First Blog. 2006 Dry Creek Vineyard’s Heritage Zinfandel Sonoma County

To further the experience of wine consumption in Utah, the club will be maintaining a blog. This will feature wines available in the state and various member reviews of said wines.  We will have main contributors and guest bloggers.  If you have a nice bottle or glass at a restaurant or find a bottle in the wine store and feel like writing about it, let’s get it published here.

2006 Dry Creek Vineyard’s Heritage Zinfandel Sonoma County

Phil, Ann and I (Jon) tried this wine with some take out orders from TGIF.  This wine was paired with Jack Daniels Chicken, Ribs and Shrimp.  True to it’s Zinfandel name, this had the hearty blackberry and plum flavors that are in the general description , what was absent to my pallet was the pepper. If you like classic Zins, you will enjoy this wine.    Some other reviews mention white pepper, chocolate, raspberry and vanilla flavors, none of those stood out to me but maybe they will for you. We also paired this wine with a Red Velvet Bundt cake from Nothing Bundt cakes.  I welcome any comments from those of you who venture out in search of this wine.

Here is what Phil had to say about this wine

This Zinfandel is a pleasant surprise, and a nice value.  It has every quality you expect from a Zin:  strong nose full of berry and fruit , full bodied taste with classic zinfandel flavors, and the abilty to stand up to strong flavored meats and foods.  Like most young zinfandels the flavors filled out, and mellowed with aeration.   Overall this wine is a nice find, it isn’t quite equal to my favorite Rombauer or Gerard Zinfandel….but is half the price.  On the other side…it has more balance and subtle flavor than the value priced Cline or 7 deadly Zins.  I would enjoy tasting this head to head with the Rosenbloom Cellars Zinfandel..another great wine at a similar price.

General Description (Not our review)
2006 Dry Creek Vineyard’s Heritage Zinfandel ($15.99 at the Utah Wine Store, 1605 S. 300 W) -The 2006 vintage of Heritage Zinfandel begins with a deep and inky purple-red color. At first swirl, up front fruit aromas of wild blackberry and plum are evident along with more subtle layers of white pepper and cardamom spice. On the palate, the flavors are rich and concentrated with additional blackberry characters that mingle with chocolate, allspice, and vanilla. The tannins are firm and supple, creating a balanced mouthfeel that seems to linger on and on. This is an elegant, sophisticated, and polished Zinfandel that displays Sonoma County fruit at its very best.

Grapes	88% Zinfandel and 12% Petite Sirah
Appellation:	Sonoma County
Harvest:	September 25 – October 11, 2005
Fermentation:	Fermented 18 days at 85°F;
Barrel Aging:	10 months in American and French oak
Alcohol:	14.5%
Total Acidity:	0.54
pH:	3.86
Residual Sugar:	0.10%
Aging Potential:	3 – 5 years