Kiss the Ground and Wash it Down with Veramonte Wines - Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Today, we celebrate Earth and all the wonderful things the earth gives us. But, we take a lot from it. Do we ever think about giving back to earth, becoming more sustainable and ways we can protect our planet?

Veramonte Wines takes this task very seriously. Veramonte is located in Chile. Their vineyards in Casablanca is planted with their white and cool climate grapes, while the reds are planted in Colchagua.

All their vineyards are 100% organic. Their organic practices consist of the following:

• Quality Compost - they use their own compost to maximize the soil and promote balance and self-regulation of the ecosystem.
• Inter-Row Cultivation - To improve the structure and vitality of their soils, cover crops are planted in between rows. This minimizes erosion, improves soil structure and provides nutrients to the soil.
• Incorporation of Animals - Sheep and other animals act as natural fertilizer in addition, cut(eat) grass in the spring and aerate the soil (with their feet)
• Conservation of Biological Corridors - by preserving biodiversity ensures a self-regulating ecosystem, thus having healthy vines
• Pruning & Canopy Management - Ensure proper ventilation and the right amount of foliage to avoid diseases.
• Weed Control - They cultivate the land under the vines. This loosens the soil and generates structure for the vines and enhances the life and microfauna of the soil. The goal is to have healthier soils rich in micro-organisms.

Veramonte has partnered with the non-profit organization Kiss the Ground, which was created to focus its efforts on healthy soils and creating a symbiotic relationship with the earth. Their mission is to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration.

With every purchase of Veramonte wines, they will contribute to Kiss the Ground and its mission.

Veramonte Wines is priced at $11.99

Veramonte Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2021 - An impressive Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of white grapefruit and lemon zest. The palate is soft with bright acidity and nuisances of white grapefruit, lemon and lime zest. A great summer white! (Found it at Total Wine for $7.99)

Veramonte Organic Chardonnay 2020 - Aged for eight months in oak, this Chardonnay is very easy drinking. Aromas show a hint of vanilla with honeydew melon pear and green apple. The palate is creamy with notes of pear, lemon and green apple.

Veramonte Organic Carmenere 2020 - Aged in French oak for eight months, the 2020 Carmenere is full of red and black fruit. The palate is smooth and balanced and has a nice even finish.

Winephabet Street C is for Carménère

If you missed our August Winephabet Street C is for Carménère here's your chance to learn a little about the lost grape of Bordeaux.  Carménère was originally part of the Bordeaux blend.  But when phylloxera wiped out the grape vines in 1867 they replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

French ampelographer (grape botany expert) Jean-Michael Bouriquot noticed in Chile that the Merlot vine took much longer to ripen than they should. Through research he found that 50% of the vines were actually Carménère. In this video you'll learn about Carménère and some food to pair with it.

I apologize in advance as I was in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee to watch the solar eclipse so the internet was not to good.  We'll blame the eclipse.

Please join us for our next edition of Winephabet Street, Monday September 18 where we learn about Dolcetto.  To register, click here 




Boutique Wines & Spirits is the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess's wine store for Winephabet Street.

Wine Word Wednesday: Carmenere

Finally Found a Carmenere Wine I Like!

Carmenere is a grape that originated in Bordeaux, however it's rarely found in France and is the signature grape of Chile. I've tasted many wines made with the Carmenere grape and have never found one that I truly liked.  Many times they have a green pepper aroma and taste to them and personally that turns me off.  I've seen lots of debates over the "green pepper" and everyone is entitled to their opinions, as their palate dictates, but it's just something that isn't for me.

Until I tasted these Carmenere wines and I was excited after the first taste, I really like them. The Cabernet was a pleasure on the palate as well.  I immediately called in my husband to taste, telling him to keep an open mind. We both had the same favorite (you'll see which one below) and he was very impressed.  It didn't stop there. We were having dinner guests that evening, we smoked a leg of lamb and invited them for the taste test before pairing with the lamb.  We didn't tell them anything except a little about the grapes and the wine was from Chile.  After tasting all three, their favorite was the same as ours.

Now a little about the wine region.  Rios de Chile's philosophy is to achieve maximum balance in each vine, always looking for the quality and identity of the wines.  It is a true reflection of the Cachapoal Valley's diverse terrior which is home to most of their estate vineyards.  The Cachapoal region is primarily known for red grapes.  It stretches eastward into the Andean foothills and produces elegant well balanced Cabernets and red blends.

Rios de Chile 2011 Carmenere D.O. Central Valley, Chile - Aromas of plum, red berries and spice. Beautiful smooth mouth feel with flavors of cherry, plum and fresh blackberry with a beautiful black spice finish. No oak on this wine as it was aged in stainless steel.  SRP $9.95

Rios de Chile 2009 Reserva Carmenere D.O. Cachapoal Valley Chile - Aromas of plum, vanilla, cloves, pepper with a slight hint of green pepper. Aged in oak for 8 months the wine shows expressions of plum, black cherry, vanilla and black spice on the palate with soft tannins. I would suggest to drink this wine now.  SRP $14.95

Rios de Chile 2010 Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon D.O. Cachapoal  - Nice red color with a touch of brick on the edges.  Aromas of black fruit with hints of tobacco and some dried herbs. This wine was also aged 8 months in oak which lends itself to firm but soft tannins on the palate.  Accompanied by flavors of black cherry, tobacco, hint of green pepper and soft black spice on the finish.  SRP $14

I served all three of these wines with a smoked leg of lamb. While all three of these wines paired well with the lamb our favorite wine of the evening was the Rios de Chile 2011 Carmenere.

**These wines were a sample sent to me by their PR agancy.

Wines of Chile: Carmenere - What I learned, What I Tasted

I recently took part in a 'Wines of Chile' Carmenere Wine tasting. (for the blog police, the wines were samples provided by Wines of Chile.)

This wine tasting was executed via the web and we all logged in and got to chat with the 8 winemakers. The tasting was moderated by wine and spirits consultant Michael Green.

The Carmenere grape is known as "the lost grape of Bordeaux." Originally planted in the Medoc region of Bordeaux until a Phylloxera epidemic wiped it out in the 1870's.  Before the outbreak, Bordeaux rootstock, Carmenere among them were brought to Chile.  They thought Carmenere was Merlot and planted it accordingly.  It wasn't until 1993 that they discovered the Merlot was actually Carmenere when renowened viticulturist Professon Jean-Michael Boursiquit of Ensa de Montepellier did a DNA screening on the grape.

I have tasted the Carmenere before and it was very spicy, spiced with black pepper, some stronger than others.  With this particular wine tasting, I found many of the wines to have a green bell pepper taste.  I am unclear if that is the grape, or they harvested it to early, over cropped it, or didn't leaf pull properly.

The wines we tasted ranged in price from $10 to $44.  Of course I found the $44 wine the most enjoyable.

Here is a brief critique of what we tasted:

1. Santa Carolina Reserva Carmenere 2007, 100% Carmenere, $10 bottle - Black pepper on nose, green pepper on taste.
2. Odfjel Armador Carmenere 2007, 100% Carmenere, $13 bottle - eathy, herbaceous.  I didn't like the way this wine finished.  Had a taste of cedar on the finish.
   
3. Viu Manent Carmenere Reserva 2007, 100% Carmenere, $14 bottle - Alcohol on the nose with bell pepper.  I got a taste of sugar cube on the front of my tongue.
4. Cono Sur Vision Crmenere 2007, 85% Carmenere, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Syrah, $15 bottle - nose of pine, Eucalyptus and menthol.  Also very earthy.
5. Vina La Rosa LaCapitana Carmenere 2008, 100% Carmenere, $18 bottle - very nice.  I didn't find an green pepper on this wine.  Had black pepper on the long finish.
6. Ventisquero Grey Carmenere 2007, 100% Carmenere, $25 bottle - nice ruby red color.  I actually smelled buffalo chicken on the nose.  Strange, I know. 
   
7. Terra Andina Altos Carmenere-Carignan 2007, 70% Carmenere, 30% Carignan, $18.99 bottle - I didn't like the nose on this wine at all.  Kind of mustyness and sawdust.  Taste of cherry and blueberry with black pepper on the finish.
8. Carmen Wine Maker's Reserve Red 2004, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Carmenere, 25% Petit Syrah, $44 bottle - This was the favorite, figures the most expensive wine.  It had little nutmeg on the nose, smooth, nice cherry color, nicely balanced.

I would like to thank Andrea for including me in the tasting.  

Oops..the Secreto of the Cheeky little white with a Spicy Splendor

The title sounds like a good soap to watch. But all those phrases are names of wines I recently tasted. Mistakes and Secrets. The story of someones life wrapped up in a couple of wine bottles. In the Hudson Valley?

Oops...the wrong wine showed on the table, or so I thought. Did someone make a mistake and thought it would be funny to label their wine oops? Would you purchase a wine called oops. Well, oops ended up in my wine cellar. I brought it over to friends house for dinner and they were questioning my selection. oops? That's a winemakers mistake. Or maybe NOT.

We opened the Spicy Splendor Carmenere 2007 and what a spicy wine it is. Before we let it breath, we all took a sip. WOW! What serious black pepper! The spice on the finish illuminates the sides of you tongue like wild fire. Hence, the Carmenere grape is known for the black pepper, and this is 100% Carmenere. It will definetly light a fire under your seat.

As we let this wine open the hints of plum started to appear. The spice on the nose begins to disappear to a more earthy aroma. The wine does get softer as it breathes. I would recommend decanting this wine before drinking it. As it breathes spice is still there,but not as strong and the plum and coffee flavors come out.

The oops 2007 Spicy Splendor retails for about $12. It's orgin is the Central Valley in Chile.

oops Spicy Splendor has a sister..yup oops Cheeky little white also from the Central Valley of Chile. Obnoxious as can be, Cheey little white is a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% of Carmenere. I was quite surprised to see the Carmenere in this blend. The color is vey pale. On the nose I smelled a blend of pink grapefruit and lime. Those are the flavors that stood out as I tasted. I enjoyed this wine, there wasn't a lot of acid causing me to pucker with a grapefruit finish. The wine was smooth with just the right amount of acidity. Was very enjoyable, especially on a nice spring day on the deck.

oops Cheeky little white retails for about $12.

Now the secret is out. 2008 Viu Manent Secreto Sauvignon Blanc. Nice sexy seductive label. This Sauvignon Blanc is 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% other. This is from the Casablanca Valley region of Chile.

On the nose there was melon. Slightly minerally, it showed a lingering of grapefruit. On the finish, the grapefruit was subtle which gave the wine a nice smooth finish. This was a very nice Sauvignon Blanc. It would pair very well with Scallops. It sells for approximately $14.

I am really liking these Chilean Sauvignon Blancs!

Don't judge a wine by it's label. The label doesn't have to be sophisticated to be good.

Disclaimer: I receive these wines as a sample from the folks at Wines of Chile. Did you know that Chile is the forth largest importer of table wines.