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Rock Solid Bargain: Bodegas El Chantre Ramos-Paul Ronda Proprietary Red 2004

Don't be surprised if a few bargains pop up in this recession. Here's a terrific wine that I found on sale here in Nashville. At its release price of around $50 and up, it was beyond my reach. But at $20, I took it home.

This is the kind of high-end wine I like, and wouldn't be disappointed if I had to pay the regular price. This is a very firm wine with a unique sensibility, a wine with longevity; some would say terroir. Some high-end wines are designed to appeal to people in higher income brackets. Ramos-Paul is something more rare than that, more genuine.

Ramos-Paul 2004 originates from southern Spain in Andalusia, near Ronda. This is a rocky area, very rocky. Bodegas El Chantre is owned by José Manuel Ramos-Paul, hence the namesake for this wine. The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Tempranillo, 15% Syrah, and 10% Merlot.

There's plenty of debate about whether you can smell rocks, or other pure terroir characteristics in wine, but that was the first thing I picked up on in this wine. Then the perfumed fruit, spice and roasted notes materialized. Those aromas include blackberry liqueur, cedar, framboise and even dark chocolate and tobacco shop. On the tongue, this is a very young, big, bold wine. If you have one of those ingenious decanting devices, here is a wine to test it on. I like the very firm, gravelly, perhaps even chalky tannins. The fruit is liqueur-like, but bone dry of course. By liqueur-like, I mean intense and pure, not at all sweet. The finish demonstrates this wine's longevity.

Price: $20 (Nashville, Sale). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Out in the West Texas Town of El Paso: Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja 2006

It's a long way across Texas, even by air. But, in an attempt to turn over a new leaf and get going early, I made it from Nashville to El Paso, via San Antonio, by high noon. After an afternoon of work and squeezing my jump rope session in to the late afternoon blazing sun, it was time to go in search of something local to eat. Out on the west side of El Paso, near the mall and my hotel suite, I decided on The Greenery Cafe and Market. The reviews on Trip Advisor, once all thumbs up, appear to be slipping, but convenience won out and there I went for a take out and a bottle of wine.

Yuppie was the word that came to mind as I browsed the bottles and other goods at the Greenery Market. The Tuesday night staff was hoping I would choose something so they could get on with their closing routine. I did. I ordered Tacos Al Carbon over at the cafe, to go of course. After all, why not take advantage of that funky cool two level suite the I got upgraded to over at the Holiday Inn? After some deliberation, I went with a Rioja as my bottle of wine - to last me my two nights' stay. Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja 2006 turned out to be a really nice choice for the mood and food.

You know the story of Rioja because that's the name everyone is familiar with when it comes to Spanish reds. Rioja is northern Spain, and Tempranillo is really popular there. Rioja can be really fresh, fruity, and sort of light, like La Vendimia, or it can be really heavy, oaky and some say, leathery, if you choose a higher priced Reserva that saw years of aging in the barrel.

Alvario Palacios is the brash young perfectionist who took over Palacios Remondo in Rioja after his father died. He since has modernized and La Vendimia is one of his products aimed at the new world. Based on the promise of excellent local low-yield vines, it is styled for drinking right away. Vendimia translates to "harvest", and this is Alvario's statement of the versatile potential of young Rioja.

The blend is 50/50 Tempranillo and Garnacha. Aging in oak is brief, just 4 months in 70% French oak, the remainder American. The wine was fined but not filtered.

You will pick up on the ripe red fruit here, a lot of cherry and perhaps strawberry. That sounds like a Pinot Noir, and you might substitute La Vendimia for a Pinot Noir. You could chill it a bit, but I was in too much of a hurry to wait. There is also a "garrigue" character to it, a combined sense of unbridled herbs and rocks. The oak comes across in the nose as a slight expresso note. On the tongue, the wine is a bit spicier and not as silky smooth as many Pinot Noirs, which I mention as a positive. It's not a Pinot Noir, it's a Rioja, and it has its own personality, regardless of the temptation to pigeon-hole it. The finish kicks out just a bit of vanilla.

Price: $15 (El Paso). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

As for The Greenery, I would rate it a thumbs up. The take-out order from the Cafe, consisting of Tacos Al Carbon, was overly generous, and it stood the test of time - the time it took to get back to my hotel room and go get the wine opened at the hotel bar. The beef was truly prime quality, tender and tasty. The trimmings were a cut above expectations. The establishment itself is impressively clean and uncluttered for a mall location. The Greenery Market is next door to the Cafe. I can't deny my roots as a Yuppie, having gotten my MBA in the 1980's, and I still own a 1987 BMW 3-series. This market might appeal to everyone, but a Yup will find it irresistable. Expect a nicely chosen wine selection, lots of chocolate, coffee, tea, nuts, dried fruits, sandwiches to go, olive oils, and all the things we can't leave home without. To whom it may concern, they even had Orin Swift's Prisoner and Grateful Palate's Bitch in stock. Who knew El Paso is so civilized?

Looking for Pepper and Butter? Try This Red and White: Las Rocas Calatayud Garnacha 2005 and Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay 2006

Pepper and butter seem to be the two most requested flavor influences among red and white wine shoppers. When it comes to butter, I think the American Chardonnay section of a retail store could be arranged on the basis of a butter scale. When it comes to pepper, most people think Zinfandel, but sometimes that elusive spice shows up in Grenache (Garnacha) or Mourvedre (Monastrell).

Here are a couple of bargains that remind me of more expensive wines, and they deliver a fresh grind of black pepper and a nice pat of butter. As you can imagine, they make great accessories to savory dishes.

Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha 2005
Pass by the Zinfandel and turn over this rock for pepper. This is the entry level Las Rocas Garnacha, made in the unoaked style. Still, it reminds me of a Chateauneuf Du Pape, albeit on a more accessible level, and at 1/5 the price. Here you will find pepper a plenty, not to mention cherry liqueur, a savory characteristic not unlike roast meat, plus a certain gravelly earthy sensibility. Made for food, capable of carrying a slow cooked roasted dish, you might also find it to be a superb match for a well made pepperoni pizza.

Fruit for Las Rocas is sourced from 70-100 year-old vines located in Calatayud, between Madrid and Barcelona. The modern day Spanish importer/legend Eric Solomon is responsible for bringing Las Rocas to market. Wine Advocate gave Las Rocas 2005 90 points, and they say it's time to drink up. The 2006 is on the market, but there is still some 2005 to be bought in and around Nashville.

Price (Nashville): $11. Closure: Plastic cork. Alcohol content: 14.5%.

Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay 2006
Columbia Crest gives a lot for a little, like this wonderful example of a Columbia Valley Chardonnay. Here you are getting something that delivers the elegance of a mildly oaked Burgundy at a bargain price. If it's what's in the bottle that counts, you might just want to pass by the top shelf Chardonnay and grab this one.

Expect lemon drops, lovely pear, light smoke, ginger, plus a moderate pat of that much in demand buttery character. This is a creamy white that would do very well with grilled chicken, roast chicken, or even a rich fish dish along the lines of Pompano en Papillote.

The creamy buttery character is developed through secondary fermentation, and the light smoke and spice owes itself to judicious oak aging (about 9 months in a variety of new and old barrels).

Price: $11 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Bodegas Alto Almanzora Este 2005

Este, or 090 degrees on the compass, is a sleeper. After tasting from 3 or 4 bottles of the 2005 vintage, I continue to be impressed with the intense aromatics and the fireworks display of fruit in the mouth.

Bodegas Alto Almanzora Este 2005 can boast an 89 point rating from Wine Advocate and the good wine-keeping seal of approval that is implied with any wine imported by Eric Soloman. It's beyond me why Este isn't a swifter seller here in Nashville. Perhaps it's our desire to know the grape variety, which is conspicuously missing from Este's label. The blend is proprietary but is believed to contain 60% Monastrell (Mourvedre), 10% Garnacha and 10% Tempranillo, plus smaller amounts of 3 other grapes we all know (Cab, Merlot and Shiraz). Describing the synonyms of Monastrell is enough to put some people off a wine that's not Cabernet, Merlot or Shiraz. Yes, maybe it's a grape identity crisis. Or it could be we don't know where Valle del Almanzora is. (It's located in southeastern Spain.) It's not on our radar of impressive places of origin.

Whatever the reason, there is still 2005 Este to be bought for under $10. (The 2006 is perhaps even better according to Wine Advocate, as reviewer Jay Miller gave it 90 points.) The 2005 is drinking superbly right now. Think about anything off the summer grill, from hot dogs to burgers to chicken to sausages and wash those thoughts down with a glass of Este. If you're a bear of a wild salmon eater, take a break from Pinot Noir. Here's a great quaff for wild Coho, especially if you like to do the cedar plank technique.

The aroma is intense, slightly perfumed, with lots of red fruit and seductive undertones of vanilla and wood spice. There's a purity to the aroma that can't be described singularly. You might pick up cherry cola when you taste it, but with lots of backbone and assertiveness. The finish is dusty dry and sticks around nicely. This is definitely a more elegant wine, with lots more going on, than you expect. Especially if you aren't sure what to expect.

The label features a simple, stylized drawing of an Andalusian mare. Also known as the purebred Spanish horse, the Andalusian dates back 20,000 years in this area of Spain. These are an intense, agile and elegant breed, an thus an appropriate symbol for this wine. If you see Este at a good price, don't hesitate. It's an exceptional red blend.

Price: $10 (Nashville). Closure: Plastic cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005

There are more and more Spanish wine buyers out there every day, and as a result Spanish wines have been on the increase in price. But you can still find a surreal deal if you know where to look. If you haven't gotten involved with a Spaniard yet, don't be timid. Now is the time. Man, oh man, this Mano A Mano es muy bueno, comprende?

El genio importador Jorge Ordonez serves up a boat load of exciting wines every year, and it is with bated breath that many of us wait for each ship's booty. I don't get to taste them all, but of the ones I've tasted recently, Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005 is the Dali. Casual as a Zin, but it's not a Zin, and it's not a Shiraz, even with its spice and perfectly subtle yet passionately smoky undertones; it's well, a Tempranillo, from the very macho and carefree sounding area La Mancha, the home of Don Quixote. With just a half a year in French oak, this Tempranillo doesn't take itself too seriously. Hold the bottle up to your ear and you might hear Flamenco. You are present as Charo is shredding a guitar to a disco beat.

The color is deep purple ruby, inviting you to smell it. The aromas are fruit filled, tilting to the red and exotic, intoxicating, and surrounded by those perfectly subtle smoky undertones I mentioned. The overall message is more complex than you expect, powerful yet graceful, fast paced yet well coordinated and harmonious. If you've never gotten to know Tempranillo, let this be your example of what a young one can be. There's a lot of body here and a lot of soul. "Meaty, dense and chewy", Robert Parker said, and you would agree. The finish is dusty, dry, but doesn't kick you as hard as you might expect. That's a good thing. That means you can drink more of it!

Price (Nashville): $11. Closure: Nomacorc (LDPE synthetic cork). Alcohol content: 13.5%.

The Hunt for October Red

Click for a larger picture of these bottles.

The hunt for October red has turned up a whole lot of alternatives. Here are four to get the week off on the right track. I love them all and have repeated them in search of my favorite. I can't say which is best because they're all top notch, each perfect for the season, and each priced at about $15 or under per bottle. Two are from Spain, continuing on my October theme; one is French and one from Washington State. Perhaps the balance of the month will turn up something from California.

Eric Soloman's European Cellars is an importer many people trust. It's like a seal of approval for any Spanish wine in the eyes of many value conscious Americans. Eric brings us Capçanes Mas Donís Montsant Red 2004 ($15) and Mas Que Vinos Ercavio Tempranillo Roble 2005 ($13). Both are deep purple in the glass, but the Ercavio has more of an unfiltered appearance, showing some haziness under a halogen beam.

Mas Donís 2004 is mostly old-vine Grenache (80% Grenache with 20% Syrah) and has a perfumed black cherry nose with teaberry and hints of pencil lead. The body is medium, the flavor's tart and the mouth feel is moderately tannic. The cherry fruit along with some vanilla flavors come together nicely in the dusty dry finish. The only thing I don't like is the plastic cork. Why must anyone use that blasted plastic cork? Alcohol content: 14%.

Ercavio Tempranillo 2005 spent 5 months in French American oak and has a lovely aroma of black raspberry, loganberry and apple pie spice, plus the scent of a tobacco shop. Lush and fruit forward, this is what I would describe as a masculine comfort wine, and it would pair perfectly with a cheeseburger. The closure is a Nomacork*. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Jean-Philippe Bourgeois was the General Manager for Eric Solomon for 6 years, and now he is bringing French values to the American market. Château Capion 1C Rouge 2005 (Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, $13) is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot and was barrel aged for 14 months. That sounds like a recipe for a great Bordeaux but this gem of a red comes from further south. Still you get the deep purple color and aromas of black currants, dark berries and hints of vanilla. The rich blackberry cobbler flavors envelop the mouth in a far reaching luscious dry finish.

The Magnificent Wine Company is the mass-production wing of K Vintners of Walla Walla, Washington. KV is the project of Charles Smith who brings us such magnificent wines as "The Creator". You might walk right past House Wine 2005 ($11) due to the rather "in your face" and non-standard graphics on the label. You might mistake it for a generic red blend but it's anything but. The blend is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Here's another ideal Bordeaux blend, and the latitiude is virtually the same as Bordeaux. The resulting aromas and flavors are much better than the average house wine, with dark berry flavors and aromas, resolving nicely in to a lush dry finish that echoes the virtues of barrel aging. The closure is a real cork. Alcohol content: 13.9%.

*The Nomacork is a composite resin artificial cork that is similar to the Neocork, but the Nomacork brand is much more popular in terms of units sold.

Pannotia Vineyards La Tierra De Castilla Garnacha 2006

Pannotia Vineyards is a virtual winery whose name was chosen to signify bringing together the wine world ("all the world is a single continent" = Pannotia). The founders describe Pannotia as "a new concept in wine, offering American wine lovers a portfolio of emblematic wines from around the world". Begun in the Spring of 2006, Pannotia managed to sell 10,000 cases in year 1 and their goal is 20,000 this year. They have put together a nice portfolio of what I would call "alternative wines", including Spanish Grenache, Argentine Malbec, Torrontes, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mendocino Zinfandel.

Pannotia brought on board Master Sommelier and Master of Wine Doug Frost as their consultant. I say he's a good choice. After all, who better to help break through the vast wine landscape than probably the only person with his level of wine expertise who also has a vast collection of punk rock and weird music records. Pannotia obviously does not want their wines to be confused with "your father's Oldsmobile".

Pannotia's labels currently all feature paintings by Cedar Falls, Iowa artist Gary Kelley. Gary has been hard at it producing works and perfecting his vibrant style for 35 years. It was Kelley's artwork that first made me take notice of Pannotia's line. Kelley's works range in scale from wine labels to 80-foot murals. You may have seen his murals in Barnes & Noble or his illustrations in Rolling Stone magazine.

Pannotia Garnacha 2006 is sourced from "the limestone hills south of Madrid".

In the glass the color is vibrant, deep candy apple red with bright purple edges and translucent. Sour cherry and framboise fruitiness is surrounded by black pepper and nuanced with a little bit of ash. Youthful bones and a medium body carry the dried cherry and pepper flavors well.

Excellent value ($12). Closure: Plastic cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Yep, this is an emblematic Spanish Garnacha (Grenache).

Marqués de Griñón Dominio De Valdepusa Caliza 2004

My travels never take me across the pond, but if they did I would chart a course to Spain and stay a while, seeing as much as possible. Therefore lately when I haven't been on the road, I've been charting a course through lots of Spanish wines. There are wine values to be had from every geography but this must be Spanish wine season because they are very popular in my glass right now.

Marqués de Griñón's central Spain estate Dominio De Valdepusa was the first to be granted its own appellation in 2003, in recognition of its unique terroir. The label reflects the shape of this geographic place of origin, near Toledo and Madrid. The name Caliza translates to limestone in Spanish, the sub soil that is credited with contributing to the texture of this wine.

Carlos Falcó is the visionary behind the estate. Having studied at U.C.-Davis, he returned to his estate near the ancestral home of the Marqués de Griñón to put in place modern approaches to producing wine. He enlisted the help of heavyweight consultants Dr. Richard Smart in the vineyard and Michel Rolland in the winery and he tapped Julio López Mourelle to become his lead winemaker.

Caliza 2004 is 65% Syrah and 35% Graciano, an indigenous Spanish grape I've not knowingly tasted in wines previous to this one. The appearance is deep purple eggplant with an opaque unfiltered appearance. (Michel Rolland typically discourages filtering from being practiced at wineries he consults with.) The aromas range from fine bourbon, dried tart cherry and forest/earth. The tannins are substantial yet polished providing an encore finish.

Excellent value ($22). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Sensational, and easier to get to than Madrid.

Dominio De Tares Baltos Bierzo Mencia 2005

Bordering Galacia in northwest Spain, Bierzo is considered by some to be the next Priorat, maybe better, thanks to the Mencía grape. An early to ripen grape, Mencía produces concentrated flavors without overly high in alcohol.

I really love Baltos because it packs a punch in terms of flavor and mouth feel without approaching let alone exceeding the 30 proof level and the price is well under $20 a bottle price point.

Dominio De Tares harvests Mencía grapes 25 to 40-year-old vines and ages the wine in new to 3 year-old French and American barrels for 4 to 7 months.

Baltos is deep purple and nearly opaque in the glass, and complex, dark and earthy as the aromas reach your nose. I picked up a hint of bacon from the oak aging to complement the cassis and cherry fruit and floral notes. Very solidly tannic, some would say overly so but I like the tactile nature. Concentrated and intense flavors lead to that feeling of chewing on walnuts in the finish. I had to look in the mirror to see if this wine stained my teeth.

Outstanding value ($16). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Forget about others' over-priced "reserve" wines, Baltos goes the extra mile to deliver. What more can you ask for?

Mad Dogs & Englishmen Jumilla Monastrell 2005

It was Noel Coward who penned the lampoon tune in 1932 what shares the name of this wine. The irreverant wit Coward was adept at poking fun at the snobbery of British aristocracy.

"At twelve noon the natives swoon and no further work is done, But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun."

Mad Dogs & Englishmen the wine is another of the "wine-antisnob" Peter Click's imports, this one from Jumilla Spain. Jumilla is hot and dry, the kind of place where at midday one would be well advised to retreat and take a siesta. There Monastrell is the thing, a grape also known as Mourvedre. The 2005 vintage of Mad Dogs is half Monastrell (from 30-year-old un-grafted vines), plus 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Shiraz, barrel-aged.

Excellent value ($9). Closure: Neocork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Style: Fruit-forward, youthful and boldly seasoned, minerally.

Tasting Notes: Appearance: Deep ruby, translucent. Aromas: Cassis, loganberry and chocolate. Medium-bodied with moderate young tannins, the plethora of raspy fruit layers nicely over cocoa, white pepper and gravel. The finish is warm and dry as Noel Coward's wit.

Comment: Here's a no fuss way to hot the nail on the head with a Spanish red. Juxtapose it with filet mignon, medium rare.