~$20US, 100% Shiraz, Eden Valley, Australia

I’ve been eager to try more new(er) world wines that are less spoofalated, and was recommended this boutique Shiraz from the Eden Valley. Torzi Matthews does a good job of keeping things natural - hands-on in the vineyards and hands-off in the winery - Relying on low watering, composting,  natural ground cover,  some whole bunches in the fermentation, and natural yeasts.  I personally appreciate these aspects of wine-growing - this kind of care tends to connect the growers more closely to their craft.

The Schist Rock poured a rich royal purple. The nose lept from the glass with mulling spices - cinnamon, clove, with green olives and blackberries. Plums and prunes.  Very perfumed - almost noxiously so at first. A quick sip displayed some serious power here - and a slightly soft, but well-balanced structure to support the fruit and spice.

I let it decant for a few hours and came back to it with some braised short ribs.  It had settled down beautifully - and showed much more integration and harmony. The perfume and fruit had subsided just a hair, bringing in some secondary leather and subtle ham-smoke flavors. The fruit here is quite ripe - and played into my sweet tooth with a serious yum factor - but the alcohol (reported @14%ABV) was kept very well contained - and I tend to be more sensitive there.  The wine kept improving with air and began showing off a great minerality with thyme and bay leaf in the finish. Schisty indeed.

The highlight was the chewey last sip, and checking out the decanter afterward - I swear there was enough sediment to rebuild an entire cluster of grapes. I saw an actual stem. Awesome.

This is a bunch of wine for the money - big, brutish and powerful -  a little rusticity but there is an air of elegance (the proverbial football player taking the ballet classes).  Not over the top, a la Molleydooker but right at the top. There is enough stuff here to please the geekiest wine geeks - but the accessibility makes this a real winner and big value at the top end of the value Shirazi.

~$30US, 100% Aglianico del Vulture, Basilacata, Italy

This wine was a revelation in 2 ways - 1. There is no substitute for age, and 2. “Bad” vintages are actually awesome sometimes.

Aglianico is probably Southern Italy’s most serious varietal, often referred to (with Gaglioppo) as the “Barolo of the South”. It has a reputation for being tannic, rustic, and inaccessible in it’s youth - and while modern techniques have helped smooth some of its edges, it can still be a little gnarly.

This 2002 is not crazy old, but it was born in a  pretty poor year - so the net effect is a wine that is drinking just right, now.  The nose gave layers of roses, cocoa, and blackberries.  The palate was where the maturity really shined -  seamless and nicely integrated - It just flowed across the palate adding liquorice, leather and a mouthwatering meatiness. Acidic lift and a long, spiced finish close the deal. This is outstanding wine - probably the most enjoyable red yet this year. No doubt, I will continue to track down and lay down Aglianico - from “good” and “bad” vintages.

~$12US, Negroamaro, Copertino, Puglia, Italy

9 years old and just getting started - this is pretty serious juice for under $15.  Popped, poured, and got trampled by goat-funk. 2-3 hours later, it was nosing and drinking beautifully - with 2 parts red cherries, 1 part blackberries, and a dash of tamari soy and a whiff of the barn. Savory and sinewy, but with a bright balance and good length. Tasted again, on day 3 and it continued to evolve with weaker fruit, but meatier texture. Definitely for those inclined to snack on beef jerky instead of candybars. A fantastic value at least on par in terms of quality with anything from artisinal French and Spanish producers at this price-point. Give it another 3-5 years…

~$15US 51% Merlot 49% Malbec, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Without warning, this wine blew my freakin’ mind - A kinda-Bordeaux blend from Hawkes Bay New Zealand, that was a bin-end impulse buy. It starts with a complex nose, earthy (sheep? wet wooly socks?), rhubarb, bing cherries and spice cabinet. The palate is juicy, poised and medium bodied - with a beam of liquid-dried-cherries and punchy acidity. There is primal umami / soy sauce / savory edge to the flavors (especially on the 2nd day) that is like catnip to me. A fleeting flavor that also reminds me of mahogany and pipe tobacco, whatever that means. I can’t put my finger on it, the whole wine is a moving target of brilliant red fruit and strange savory goodness. The finish is chock full of stones, saline, and strawberry seeds. Fowl, pork, even pasta could team up nicely.

I called my retailer, and they are sold out. I’m crushed.  Must. Have. More. Anyone have a tip?

Anyway…I had no idea that is what Merlot and Malbec can do in NZ.  I wanna taste a Syrah next?!

I think ‘09 may be the year of the Kiwi. Brilliant wine.

~$23US, 100% Syrah, Santa Barbera, California

A jammy-jam-fruit-monster done right. This is goodtime wine. Pop this, kick back, watch some Family Guy, eat some snacks and enjoy life. Don’t overthink it, like I did:

Black with magenta leggings, and explosively aromatic with smokey black and blue fruits with a little bay leaf and coconut. Thick velvety palate, chewey and sweet. Very long herby finish. Definitely Shiraz-like and very extracted. On the second day, the fruitiness was reigned in and a little acidic lift help balance. Fine-grained and sweet tannins. Some alcoholic heat and spiciness, but alltogether well-contained within the framework of the wine.  I had no luck pairing this with food - it’s just didn’t have the freshness and complimentary nature to really set anything off. Maybe Rochefort?

These two beautiful off-the-path wines kept us warm and cozy through the first snowy weekend of the season. Both of them kicked their game up when paired with foods - becoming like an ingredient or component to the dishes.

Etxegaraya, Cuvée Lehengoa 2006, Irouleguy, France

This dark and rich Tannat blend (from 150 yr old vines!?) offered aromas of black cherries with a dollup of savory goodness (peppers, meatiness, tomato?) - almost Chinon-like, but bolder. The palate was large-scaled, but wonderfully fresh - the tannins present, but much more integrated that I’d expected. An interesting orange-zest and clove note came through on the finish. With time, this wine rounded out and softened - just a joy to drink. This just rocked the house with a rustic beef stew and boiled parsley potatoes.

Domaine du Clos d’Alari, Grand Clos 2004, Cotes du Provence, France

This Syrah/Grenache blend exhibited a gemlike deep ruby color, and a mix of ripe plums, red cherries and peppery-herby aromas. Medium bodied and drinking just-right now -  there was some honest structure and soul to this bottle. Black pepper and a rustic meatiness came through on the palate. Towards the finish, some Cabernet notes emerged (currant and peppers, with a dusty tannic edge) bringing some complexity to this Southern-Rhone ringer. It was maybe a tad too hefty for the pasta dish, but from a flavor standpoint, it married so well with the proscuitto, basil, and oregano flavors.

~$12US, 100% Nero D’Avola, Sicilia, Italy

This Sicilian producer’s whole line is represented at a local retailer, and I’ve only heard great things about the quality. I can’t remember the last Nero I’ve had, but it’s been a good 5 years and I’m always on the lookout for good weeknight wines to pair with pasta. This Nero seemed to fit the bill.

I popped and poured this garnet wine, and let it get a few minute of air in the glass. On the nose, ripe red strawberry fruit was clean and clear, along with a touch of tomato skin and thatchy-patchy bramble aromas - probably the midpoint between opulence and restraint in terms of intensity. The palate was nicely polished, round and balanced - tannins, acidity and fruit all noticeable but well integrated. Medium-full bodied. The finish was surprisingly elegant with a nice vein of minerality. No sappy-sweet oak, thankfully.

Towards the end of the last glass, it clicked in my brain—this wine was drinking like a quality, broad-shouldered California Pinot Noir with some old-world flair. And it loved red sauce. In that context, this is a steal and an would make a very stong winelist buy.

~$9US, Mostly Garnacha, Almansa, Spain

This is one of those wines I had to take a chance with: Nothing on the label was familiar whatsoever, no varietal, an unknown DO,  a few curious and almost unpronounceable words, and RED SPANISH WINE in all caps.  At 8 or 9 bucks and the shop’s recommendation (with the headline “Sweet Tarts”), I gave it a try.

I’ll start by saying that this is just an unusual wine, and I love it’s honesty. The nose offers lots of stoney minerality, dried cherries, some blackberry and sun-dried tomatoes.  Surprising complexity at this price and absolutely free from obliteration via  the oak monster. On the palate there is just a searing beam of brightness and acidity, which contains the fresh bing cherry fruits, that does not let up. The finish is telling of solid winemaking and vitaculture - long and slowly tapering chalky and floral notes, and indeed, Sweet Tarts.

This acidity here almost pushes the limits of pleasurability, but when paired with fattier foods like charcuterie, cheeses, etc - it comes off like an elegant Southern Rhone with the palate of a fine Barbera d’Asti or a lean Cru Beaujolais. In a perfect world, this could use a touch more fattness in the midpalate, but I can’t complain - the overall purity and drive of this wine is rarely matched at 2-3x the asking price.

~$18US, 100% Barbera d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy

I’ve become really excited about the Barbera grape and one of its biggest proponents - Piedmont producer Vietti. Listen to the great Grape Radio interview to hear Luca Currado’s dedication to the grape and his passion for his family’s choice to plant it in Grand Cru Nebbiolo territory.

The Tre Vigne from Asti is a beautiful Barbera. There is a subtle elegance to the wine across the nose, palate and finish that gives it a feminine, alluring quality. A touch of oak barrique spice, a pair of bing cherries, and some violets in fresh soil. The palate was super zingy and bright- the acidity here is ON and meant to be married with food - and I loved it. So fresh and vital on the palate, and the tannins were fine and well integrated. Medium-bodied, with a gravelly Sweet-Tart finish. A perfect pasta wine. After this wine, I’d be very comfortable shelling out the bucks for this and any of the higher-end Barberas and Barolos from Vietti.

Volver Tempranillo 2005, La Mancha, Spain $US14: Monolithic cherry fruits. High-alcohol, overtly oaky and syrupy. Acidity came into focus on day 3, but with the lumber and alcohol, it couldn’t quite pull itself together. Not undelicous, but food unfriendly. Personally - I’d reach for the amazing Prima (offering more complexity and character) over the Volver any day.

Sella Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Reserva 2005 $US9: Who turned on the Funk Machine? Barnyard leaping from the class, with mineral oil and red cherries. Violets and dried herbs with air time. Transparent, Pinot-like color. Round palate with medium-weight - excellent acid freshness and balance. If you run with the funkand have some red-sauce and/or game, this is your wine.