Concha y Toro's Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

Starting each new year, I begin a major wine research project of focus. In the past I've started projects on new world Pinot Noir, Champagne, Alsace whites, and this year I kick off 2017 as my year of New World Cabernet Sauvignon. This year I will focus my red wine tastings on Cab Sauvs from Chile, California, Washington State, Australia and Canada (can't forget the home wine region, of course!) The first project kicked off during the holiday season, where my husband, father-in-law and I tasted 4 of the Cabernet Sauvignons crafted by Chilean wine powerhouse Concha y Toro.

Founded in 1883, Concha y Toro is regarded as one of the oldest and most well-known wineries in Chile. With a wide variety of experienced winemakers at the helm, Concha y Toro is making waves in the wine world, most notably with Cabernet Sauvignon. Click here to learn more about the winery in detail.

So what makes Chile such a great hotbed for growing remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon?
The DO Puente Alto is located very close to the foothills of the Andes mountains, containing a variety of soil types including alluvial, stony, and a gravel sub-soil. Just like in Bordeaux, the vines have to struggle for their nutrients, which in turn creates wines with solid structure and surprising complexity.

 

The first wine we tasted in the series was Casillero de Diablo. The grapes are grown in the Central Valley region of Chile. Concentrated and straightforward, the Casillero de Diablo Cab Sauv 2015 offers red currant and blueberry flavours in a plush body of lively acidity and ripe tannins. There's a slight musky hint on the finish, adding a touch of complexity. This is an ideal wine for newbies to start on Cab Sauv, and a great wine to bring to a Halloween party, if you're punny like me!

Next we tasted the revered Marques de Casa Concha, 2012 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon is some of the best value you can find for under $20 CDN, and one of my go-to favourites. The grapes are grown in the DO Puente Alto, and with both a climate and soil similar to Bordeaux, this wine delivers on all fronts! Complex flavours of ripe blueberries, red and black currants surround a body brimming with silky soft tannins, lively acidity and a hint of charcoal and leather on the finish. This beauty is drinking well now, but shows aging potential of another 3-5 years.


Concha y Toro also produces a more rustic, unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon with it's 2008 Terrunyo Las Terrazas. With fruit from one of their oldest vineyards, they crafted a bold wine containing flavours of dried cherries and black currants, alongside a hint of dried tobacco leaf mid-palate. Earthy tannins and mouthwatering acidity create a full body that follows through the long, persistent finish. Newer vintages will hold well in cellar for approximately 5 years, but the 2008 is dangerously close to past prime. Strong meats and hard cheeses will pair best with this gallant gem!


Finally, we come to the pinnacle Cabernet, the esteemed, highly rated 2010 Don Melchor. Wine Spectator ranked it as the #9 wine of the year in 2014, and Concha y Toro earned their spot with a finessed body full of black currant, tomato leaf and a sultry hint of smoke. The silky tannins are well integrated and linger through the smooth finish. Decant for 1-2 hours before enjoying, and pair this with a Ribeye or Filet Mignon!

It is easy to see why Concha y Toro is a benchmark winery for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. By using the best quality grapes from their esteemed vineyards, each sub-brand of their wines are consistent in body and flavour, allowing them to produce a house style of quality that will be hard to replicate by others. Enjoy the fruits of Concha y Toro's labour, whether you are new to red wines, a wine geek, or a wine conoisseur-they have a wine for you. Cheers!

My Top Wines Tasted in 2016

Most people will be happy to see 2016 go-after all, if we could have one drink for each celebrity who passed away or other bad news story aired on the news, we'd all be blasted drunk. But for me, 2016 was one of my best years as an adult. On the family front, I spent the year at home with my 2 young daughters. I watched my baby girl grow into a curious, active toddler, and saw my oldest daughter start kindergarten at school. I will be sad to see 2016 go as I return to my non-wine day job in 2017. Back to reality...

I also had a good year in the world of wine. I considered 2016 as "my year of Champagne", and I tasted my way through a variety of non-vintage bruts from some of the well known houses of Reims and Epernay. Red and white wines from France also dominated my palate, along with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Bordeaux blends from the Okanagan. You will see plenty of wines from all of these regions on my top wine list for 2016, along with a few surprises! And with that said, let's get down to business.

Top Red Wines

I tasted so many great red wines this year, it was hard to narrow down this list to just a top 5. Prices range from $20-$35 CDN for all wines except for the top wine, which is $70 +.

1. Les Hauts de Smith by Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2005 - Pessac-Leognan AOC, France

2. Tedeschi Corasco Appassimento 2010 - Venezie IGT, Italy

3. Domaine Lafage Tessellae Old Vines GSM 2013 - Cotes du Roussillon AOC, France

4. Black Sage Vineyards Zinfandel 2012 - Okanagan, British Columbia

5. Blasted Church Syrah 2014 - Okanagan, British Columbia

Top White Wines

As per usual, France takes the #1 spot for my white wine of the year - and unlike previous years, almost swept the category! A New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc takes the final spot. Prices range from $22-$35 CDN.

1. Joseph Drouhin Vaudon Chablis 2012 - Chablis AOC, France

2. Chateau Miraval Blanc Coteaux Varois 2014 - Cotes du Provence AOC, France

3. Domaine Francois Lichtle Pfersigberg Grand Cru 2008 - Alsace AOC, France

4. Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2015 - Marlborough, New Zealand

Top Champagne & Sparkling Wines

This year's focus was on Brut Champagne, so the list is dedicated accordingly. You are looking to spend $45-$70 CDN on these bottles, but definitely worth the splurge for a special occasion!

1. Pol Roger Brut Reserve N/V - Epernay, France

2. Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut N/V - Epernay, France

3. Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut N/V - Epernay, France

4. Taittinger Brut N/V - Reims, France

Top Sweet Wines

Since my husband is a Port aficionado, Port is the go-to for fortified wines in our house. However, Canada dominates this year's list, with the remaining 3 spots. As most of the wines on this part of the list were gifts, I can't officially comment on price, with the exception of Cave Springs' Late Harvest Riesling; the price in CDN is $30.

1. Quinta do Vesuvio Port 1994 - Portugal

2. Kalala Chardonnay Icewine 2013 - Okanagan, British Columbia

3. Cave Springs "Indian Summer" Late Harvest Riesling 2010 - Niagara, Ontario

4. Black Sage Vineyards "Pipe" 2007 - Okanagan, British Columbia

Top Value Wines

This is where white wine really shone this year. I wasn't expecting that I would like these (with the exception of Wynn's CSM-I drink at least one bottle of it every year) but they did not disappoint! As per usual, these wines retail for under $20 CDN.

1. Batasiolo Moscato d'Asti Bosc d'La Rei 2015 - Moscato d'Asti DOCG, Italy

2. Wynn's Coonawarra Cabernet-Shiraz-Merlot 2010 - South Australia

3. Colinas de Uruguay Albarino 2015 - Garzon, Uruguay

4. Mission Hills 5 Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2013 - Okanagan, British Columbia

5. Pelee Island Gewurztraminer 2014 - Pelee Island, Ontario

Best Pairing

Italy takes the top 2 spots as Italian wines are made to be extremely food friendly. Blasted Church's Syrah grabs another spot on my list, as a divine pairing for Filet Mignon. The Porca de Murca Portuguese red is priced under $20 CDN, making it the best value in this category. All other wines listed here are priced between $24-$65 CDN, worth the splurge!  

1. Brigaldara Soave 2015 with Brioche Lobster Roll

2. Folonari Campo al Mare Bolgheri 2007 with Zuppa di Fungi

3. Blasted Church Syrah 2014 with Filet Mignon

4. Porca de Murca Tinto Douro 2013 with Cauliflower-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

5. Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne N/V with Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Winery of the Year

This is the first year I have awarded this category on the blog. There are 2 criteria I use in order to select the winery:

-Their wines must be listed in at least one category above
-They must be interactive with their followers on social media.

When deciding whether or not to use this category in years past, winners would have included producers such as Donnafugata, Tommasi, and Concha y Toro.

Therefore, the winery of the year is...Blasted Church Winery, located in Okanagan, BC!
Honourable mention goes to Champagne House Taittinger in Reims, France!

Thank you both so much for sharing your passion for your wines & champagnes with all your winelover fans!

So what's coming up for me in 2017? It's looking to be a busy one!

-Return to wine school in April to become a Canadian Wine Scholar
-Potential travel to the Okanagan and Washington State for wine touring & tasting,
-My Year of...New World Cabernet Sauvignon. Including regions of Chile, California, Washington State, Okanagan, BC, and possibly Australia and South Africa.
-Other projects include white wines from smaller Old World countries like Greece & Austria, and producer-focused blog posts

Hopefully you find this post useful when looking for recommendations, and maybe try a wine you haven't had before on this list or see a pairing idea you like. Cheers to a successful 2016, and I look forward to sharing more of my passion and thirst knowledge quest in 2017!

More Than Middle Class: The Cru Bourgeois of Bordeaux

Bourgeois Defined: Of or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes. - Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Once upon a time in 1855, the organizers of the Paris Universal Exhibition requested a selection of Bordeaux's best wines to be put on display. A frantic list of the most expensive wines at the time was put together and submitted, along with bottles from the Chateaux that were fortunate enough to make the list. And so the famous -or infamous- 1855 classification was set. A total of 5 tiers were created, from the five renowned Chateaux of the First Growth, to Chateau Cantemerle, the final addition to the Fifth Growth. But what about the rest of the Chateaux not included in the classification? They banded together and created their own tier: The Cru Bourgeois of Bordeaux.

I was first introduced to the Cru Bourgeois tier back in 2013, while I was taking WSET Level 3.  It just so happened that the wine I liked most that evening was a Cru Bourgeois. When my teacher asked what we thought of the wines overall at the end of the tasting, I mentioned I was enamored with the Cru Bourgeois. She basically laughed at me and dismissed my opinion that a Cru Bourgeois could show well.

But wine doesn't have to be all stuffy and upper-class expensive. In today's economy, many Albertans can hardly afford to drink high priced wine. This is a great opportunity for the Cru Bourgeois to shine, reflecting the qualities of Bordeaux terroir and flavours at less than half the price. Here are some Cru Bourgeois recommendations for your enjoyment, all priced around $30-$35 CDN!

Located in the Haut-Medoc region of Bordeaux, Chateau Beaumont is considered to be one of the top wines in the Cru Bourgeois tier and multiple vintages are highly rated by Wine Spectator each year. The 2008 vintage boasts a fruit-forward bouquet of strawberries and cherries, following through to a palate inclusive of dried cranberries & a hint of tobacco leaf. Racy acidity and silky tannins bring refinement to the well-structured body. An excellent wine to bring to a holiday party or to cozy up with on a cold, wintry night!

Also located in the Haut-Medoc, Chateau La Lauzette Declercq 2010 boasts a more intense flavour profile of cassis, cigar box and an intriguing hint of eucalyptus. An intense body with firm tannins and razor sharp acidity that carries through the mouthwatering finish. Pairs extremely well with game meats like venison and elk tenderloin.

Across the Gironde river lies the lesser-known region of the Cotes de Bourg. Although the Crus Bourgeois moniker primarily is used on the Left Bank (Haut-Medoc, etc), Chateau Rousselle is labelled as a Premier Bourgeois, which is the highest classification level of its appellation. The 2012 vintage shows the Merlot-dominant blend with notes of black cherries, plum and bittersweet chocolate. Juicy acidity and muscular tannins round out the firm, plush body. Worthy of cellaring another 5-7 years to settle the tannins, but still shows well now if you like powerful reds!

For more information on all the Chateaux included in the Cru Bourgeois, the history and current news, visit the official website here.

And finally, I'd like to thank all of you who read my blog for allowing me to share my passion of wine with you. I truly appreciate all of the support you have given me, even if I don't get to post blog entries as much as I'd like. On behalf of my little girls and my husband, I'd like to wish you all the happiest of holidays, and a wine-derful 2017!

Sincerely,

Sara M
The Wine Concubine