What's in our glass? Here are three recent wines we tasted at Vino-Sphere international headquarters. They range from ho-hum to magnificent. Which is which? To find out, read on...
Les Indigènes "Cultivar" 2023 Grenache Blanc, France
This French white hails from the Languedoc region. While red Grenache is most widely known, and we love it, white Grenache has great charm. It is a juicy wine, fresh with ripe green pear and made with organic grapes. It has a medium body, so it stands apart from the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc you might typically buy.
We purchased this at Total Wine for $18. I consider it a great value. It's also at the low end of the ABV spectrum (12.5%), making it a great food pairing wine. It works well with turkey, fish, pasta, or other light entrees.
Element Winery 2015 F.L.X. Cuvée, Finger Lakes
Element Winery is the brainchild of Christopher Bates, who promotes the virtues of the Finger Lakes cool-climate wine with an evangelistic zeal. With wines like the 2015 Cuvée, it's easy to grasp his enthusiasm.
This is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir, with a dash of Blaufränkisch. It's a limited production with only 281 cases produced. This bottle demonstrates just how beautifully Finger Lakes wines can age.
The three grapes sing in perfect harmony, with tart cranberry to open with rich berry notes and light spice to follow. The lower alcohol level and higher acidity provide the balance that makes this an exceptional experience. SRP $33.
Ego Bodegas 2021 El Goru Gold, Jumillia
Maybe it was the crazy character on the label -- or perhaps the discounted $9 price -- but this bottle from Spain attracted my attention. The label translates El Goru to mean "mad hairy fella." If only for the brilliant portrait on the bottle, I decided to give it a go.
The label proclaimed a 93-point rating by Wine Enthusiast. However, ratings, and pretty labels, can be misleading. It may have benefitted from some decanting because the high ABV (14.5%) nearly bowled me over. Jumillia is known for its Monastrell (Mourvedre) wines, which I've found to be smooth and fruit-forward. This hairy old man wasn't so easygoing. The wine had oak, plum, and leather notes with some mint along for the ride, but it remained closed and unrewarding.
This wine didn't make the cut, but as Meatloaf said, "Two out of three ain't bad."
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