Chilean value abounds with Natura

Credit: Natura Wines

If you’re looking for some quality and value from Chile, the label Natura has a lot to offer.

This Chilean lineup is owned by Italian powerhouse Banfi and produced by Emiliana Organic Vineyards. So, they’re able to source a lot of good quality grapes and take advantage of the economies of scale.

Made from all organic grapes, Natura wines are sourced from vineyards in appellations like Casablanca, Colchagua, and Rapel Valleys. While sourcing all these grapes and making all these wines must be logistically complex, the varietal wines, and their label and aesthetic, are pleasantly simple in the best way for the consumer. The grape varieties or style are right there, with screw caps, and the wines are fun, fresh, and accessible. However, the quality is legit across-the-board, making these a great value and an easy purchase for parties and patio sipping.

In addition to the wines I tasted (Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon), the lineup is rounded out by the classic Chilean staples Carmenere and Malbec, along with Chardonnay and Merlot.

In addition to the easy purchase price at a time when everything seems ridiculously expensive, you can also feel good about these wines. In addition to the organic grapes, Banfi has partnered with 1% for the Planet and donates 1% of the profits of these wines to help increase regenerative organic farming in the U.S. Win-win-win.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2022 Emiliana Sauvignon Blanc Natura - Chile, Central Valley
SRP: $15
Light straw color. Lively and spritely on the nose with green apples, kiwi, along with flinty-saline vibes, and tones of dandelion, white pepper, and some celery seed and daisies. Zesty and fun on the palate with a light frame and fresh acid, with flavors of crunchy green pears, kiwi, and cantaloupe. Notes of dried pineapple, white and yellow flowers, and welcomed tones of white pepper and sliced bell pepper. Finishes with some peach nectar and mint. Fun, crowd-pleasing stuff. (87 points)

2023 Emiliana Rosé Natura - Chile, Central Valley
SRP: $15
Pale copper color. Aromas invite all sorts of white flowers, dandelion, perfume, over red apple peel and watermelon. Crisp and refreshing on the palate with plush texture and zippy acidity, with flavors of strawberries and red apples. Nuances of white pepper, dandelion, honeysuckle, and mint add complexity. Lively, punchy, and lots of flavor and depth for a great price. A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. (88 points)

2022 Emiliana Pinot Noir Natura - Chile, Central Valley
SRP: $15
Light ruby color. Bright strawberry and cherry aromas, with come cranberry relish, cola, rhubarb, and roses. The palate has refreshingly bright acid on a frame of soft tannins. Crunchy cranberry and red apples, fresh strawberries, with a spritely blend of non-fruit notes: dried rose petals, rhubarb, with herbal tea and hints of white pepper and some clay/earthy elements. An accessible, vibrant style, but well-balanced and fun flavor and complexity for the price. (88 points)

2022 Emiliana Cabernet Sauvignon Natura - Chile, Central Valley
SRP: $15
Light purple color. The nose pops with cranberries, red and black currants, with notes of menthol, sage, spiced tea, and anise. The palate shows smooth tannins classic Chilean crisp acidity. A fun and crunchy appeal but nice depth and texture, with a blend of red and black currants and cherries. Notes of spiced tea, tobacco, some black pepper, and some earthy and graphite elements. Spicy and floral with a lot of complexity. (89 points) 

Wines for Mother's Day and beyond

Credit: Halter Ranch

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and Summer is on the way, too. So, I wanted to share some bright and joy-giving selections I think would fit perfectly for this season.

I’ll start off with Halter Ranch, a California producer that came in hot on my radar, consistently providing deliciousness and excitement. From the Adelaida district of Paso Robles, which has been home to some of my personal favorite wines from the region. Their new 2023 rosés would be great Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, or to open at an upcoming party around such a date. Both of these wines are made from Grenache with a bit of Picpoul Blanc and Mourvedre. And with Summer coming up quickly, these wines (especially the sparkler) will be wise choices through all the coming heat.

If you’re looking for very high-quality Riesling, and like saving money, Smith-Madrone’s new release (the 2019) continues with their streak of excellence. It’s one of the best, not just from California, but from anywhere in the U.S. – my humble opinion, of course. It drinks great now since it’s been aged a bit, but don’t hesitate to lay some down for five to eight years, as this will improve in the long run.

If you are, know, or love someone from Texas, I’ve a wine for you this week, a fascinating blend from the Hill Country’s William Chris Vineyards. One of the cooler Texas white wines I’ve tasted, and one that makes me want to explore more wines from this appellation.

For grill-out or summer-friendly reds, I’ve got two fun options A delightful red blend from Cormorant Cellars, and some Santa Cruz Mountain fruit that I shared with friends and we all thoroughly enjoyed. Also, if you’re looking for quality but want a bargain, I have a nice Rioja Crianza for you that would be an easy multi-bottle purchase.

I hope everyone has some nice wines (like these) on deck for the last days of Spring. Please let me know in the comments what you’re drinking lately.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

White

2023 William Chris Vineyards Mary Ruth - USA, Texas, Texas Hill Country
SRP: $36
Light yellow color. Super floral and peachy on the nose, with all sorts of tropical flowers and dandelion, with lime, pineapple, white peach, even some chalk dust and notes of flint and perfume. Ripe but fresh on the palate, brisk but pleasant juiciness, with white peach and ruby red grapefruit dominating. Lots of herbs and white pepper, wildflowers, some stony, mineral vibes. Totally delicious and a lot more complex than I was expecting. A fun blend of 25% Malvasia Bianca, 22% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Muscat Canelli, 16% Muscat Blanc, 11% Semillon, and 6% Blanc du Bois. (90 points)

2019 Smith-Madrone Riesling - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
SRP: $40

Medium yellow color. The nose is so vibrant and sings with these harmonies of white peach, lime, papaya, backed up with white flowers, honey, almond skin, and hints of white pepper and celery seed. On the palate, this is racy and tangy but sports significant depth, and the balance is on-point. The papaya, white peach, banana, and lime fruit blend well with elements of chalk dust, limestone, honey, sea salt, and these deep nuances that need years to develop. Beautiful to drink now (due to it’s later release), and this will age for so many years. Another win for Smith-Madrone team! (93 points)

Rosé

2023 Halter Ranch Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Adelaida District
SRP: $37
Beautiful watermelon color. The nose gushes with strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, along with salty, seashell tones, and plenty of breezy meadow, wildflowers, hay, and basil. Deep texture on the palate with brisk acidity and pure fruit flavors (strawberries, raspberries, white cherries). The non-fruit complexities really make this wine sing, and I get notes of mint, wildflowers, chalk dust, limestone, some green tea. Complex and rich but crushably delicious, too. (91 points)

2023 Halter Ranch Effervescent Rosé - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles Adelaida District
SRP: $50
Pale rose color with a light spritz. The aromas sport tangy red cherries, red apple peel, wild raspberries, mixed with complex tones of dandelion, white pepper, celery seed, some orange zest in there as well. Crisp and punchy on the palate with zesty acidity, fine bubbles, and a nice textural depth. The flavors of crunchy red apples, raspberries, and cherries blend well with notes of minerals, talc, white pepper, dried roses. Pure fun but also packed with complexity. Crowd-pleasing and should be a hit with wine nerd crowds, too. Don’t let the twist cap fool you, this is good stuff. (91 points)

Red

2021 Cormorant Cellars Red Black Ridge Vineyard - USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
SRP: $47
Vibrant deep purple on the nose. Aromas of saucy plums, tangy black cherries, with deep violets, leather, clove, spicy-herbal tones – a lot to unpack. So smooth and juicy on the palate, with vibrant acidity and suave tannins. An interesting mix of red currant, wild blueberry, and saucy black cherry fruit. A lot of complexities in terms of pepper, leather, earth, paprika, sage, but it stays so elevated and vibrant. I’d love to see this in five years, or give it a nice decant and let it sing. 73% Merlot, 24% Cab Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot from a dry-farmed, cool climate vineyard. (93 points)

2019 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
SRP: $14
Bright purple color. The nose sports ripe plum, tangy red currants, black cherry jam, supported by tobacco, leather, anise, and clove tones, and some cool graphite. Ripe and juicy on the palate with dusty-light tannins and fresh acidity. The fruit is saucy but tangy (red currants, red and black cherries) and mixed with nuances of earth, tobacco, charcoal, graphite, dried violet petals. Stays balanced and elegant, and shows a lot of complexity and class for a wine at this price point. (88 points)

Malbec for the win this May

Credit: Kaiken Wines

I missed “World Malbec Day” on April 17, as I was travelling in France. Granted, I also wasn’t thinking about Malbec. I was touring Paris with my partner and daughter and digging deep into the Champagne region.

But when I returned to Washington, DC, the tree canopy had deepened significantly in its green color, and the weather was much warmer. And I’m starting to think more about grilling, gardening, and getting some sun. For these days, Malbec from Argentina is perfect.

I’ve written about Argentina Malbec for years and will continue to do so. Why? Well:

·       Argentina Malbec played a big part in getting me into wine as a 20-something.

·       Since then, I’ve watched the diversity and amount of quality options available continue to increase.

·       Americans love the stuff.

·       The value out there is awesome.

I recently tasted two Argentina Malbecs from the Mendoza region, a massive player in the global Malbec world, of course. And these wines from Tapiz and Kaiken reiterated these points clearly, and deliciously.

Both of these wines come in at under $25 a pop, are packed with style and realness, and balanced wonderfully. And they’d be great for an upcoming Memorial Day grill-out session, or just forgetting a few in the cellar and letting them improve. You can’t go wrong with either one.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2020 Tapiz Malbec Alta Colección - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tunuyan
SRP: $20
Deep purple color. The aromas show a dark, earthy, enticing vibe with roasted figs, plum sauce, along with a complex mix of black pepper, charcoal, sage, leather, some herbal tea, along with dried violets and dark chocolate shavings. The palate sports nice grip and zesty acidity, and the balance is on point. Flavors of black currants, plum cake, roasted figs, and I get tones of paprika, sage, black pepper. Also add in potting soil, clay, charcoal, some graphite, and minerals. Delicious, earthy, lovely spicy complexity, and this should age well, too. Made from a single vineyard from a vineyard at 4,430 feet, aged 10 months in 85% new French and American oak. I could see this being an excellent by-the-glass list as a burger place. Awesome value. (91+ points)

2020 Kaiken Malbec Ultra - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Vista Flores
SRP: $22
Dark purple. Deep aromas but they smell inviting, with ripe blackberries, tangy plums, currants, laced with anise, coffee grounds, graphite, minerals, magic marker, some rose petals. The palate is suave with structured but chewy tannins and crisp acidity – just so alive. The fruit is a mélange of black cherries, tangy blueberries, black currants, accented with nuances of earth, rocks, graphite, and minerals. Tones of sage, tobacco, eucalyptus, and dark chocolate add complexity, too. Deep but woven together really well. This will also age nicely, and I’d like to revisit in five years. Or just grill a steak and enjoy soon. (90 points)