October 21, 2017
Spanish Wine Meetup @ ATAULA!!! - Portland Best’s Restaurant?
1. 1999 Montes Alpha Santa Cruz Rapel Valley (Chile)
Racy and pure red, with cassis, suave smoke, mineral and bittersweet chocolate notes, this glides along to an impressively lengthy and stylish finish. Should strut its stuff for some time to come. Clearly part of Chile's elite right now. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Rated 92 Wine Spectator
2. 2015 Triton Toro (Spain)
"The 2015 Triton Tinta De Toro is a stunning wine from this relatively modest appellation and vineyard owned by Jorge Ordoñez and his partners. The wine, 100% Tinto de Toro, spent eight months sur lie in Burgundy and Bordeaux barrels. It is a killer example of Toro, which produces relatively full-throttle, intense wines from ungrafted vines. This beauty, inky purple in color, offers up notes of graphite, forest floor, blackberry and cassis in a full-bodied, pedal-to-the-metal, long, rich and concentrated style. At $20.00 it is a remarkable value and probably capable of lasting up to a decade, although there is no reason to defer your gratification.~ Rated 94 by Robert M. Parker Jr. The Wine Advocate
3. 2012 El Enemigo Malbec Mendoza (Argentina)
Alejandro Vigil's El Enemigo wines are worth jumping on if you like full-bodied, robust Argentinean reds. This is typically smoky and dark up front, with molasses, marzipan and blackberry aromas. The palate clamps down with tannic grip, while flavors of oak, blackberry, tobacco, vanilla and spices end briary and with subtlety, which is what makes this powerful wine so good. Rated 93 Wine Enthusiast Magazine
4. 2007 House of Morande Maipo Valley (Chile)
Stewed, medicinal cherry and plum aromas come with a note of rubber. It feels tight, narrow and tannic, with superdark flavors of blackberry and bitter chocolate. Licorice, cola and herb flavors work the long, grabby finish. More cellar time won't hurt this Cabernet-led blend; drink now–2017. Wine Enthusiast Magazine
5. 2013 Casar Bierzo Casar de Burbia (Spain)
The 2013 Casar is Mencía (which in the old vineyards is always mixed with around 3% Garnacha Tintorera, aka Alicante Bouschet) from clay soils that provide round wines and fruit. The wine matured in French oak barrels for one year. There is a strong vegetal strike in the nose of this 2013, a cold, late vintage, a characteristic that seems to be a constant in this bottling. The palate is medium-bodied and the herbal character is also noticeable here. It gives the wine freshness, but it might not please everybody. The character is accentuated in a vintage like this. The Wine Advocate
6. 2011 Casa Lapostolle Carmenere "Cuvee Alexandre" Apalta Vineyard Colchagua Valley (Chile)
Aromas of blackberry and cassis are spicy and a touch herbal. A tannic, firm palate suggests that aging will help this along; flavors of blackberry and cassis are lightly herbal, while the finish is dense, fruity, earthy and generous. Wine Enthusiast Magazine
6. 2013 Calcareo Malbec Rio de Los Chacayes (Argentina)
The 2013 Calcáreo Río de los Chacayes is sourced from the Chacayes zone of Tunuyán on top of Vista Flores towards the mountains. It has a riper, spicier, floral, and aromatic profile with notes of thyme and rosemary. It is the most extroverted of the three, and also feels quite polished. The palate, however, is more serious, with the austerity of the rocks, a very fine thread of subtle acidity and a long, long, long finish with sweeter tannins. Its a rolling stone covered in chalk and surrounded by thyme. Awesome! Rated 93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
8. 2013 Montes Purple Angel (Chile)
The transparency is incredible to this year of Purple Angel. Aromatic and bright with blueberry, fresh herbs and spice. Full body, silky and perfectly polished tannins. Fabulous length and layers. Superb. Blend made from 46% Carmenere from Marchigue, 46% from Apalta and 8% Petit Verdot. Rated 97 James Sucking