Two big wines
Samuel Checker
different directions to give much the same impression.
Wine #1: Cims de Porrera Solanes Priorat 2003. Priorat, for them that
don't know, is a small region inside Spain's Catalonia area, justly
famous for producing remarkable wines. And Cims de Porrera is a
collective effort that sources 60 to 100 year-old grapes from
vineyards high on the hillsides (cims = summits) to make this good
stuff. I was amused to read that there are only five red grapes grown
in Priorat, and this wine is a blend of all five of them: Carineña,
Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
So what is it like? Deep, dark and dense, like a very rich chocolate
with plum and blackberry underneath. It has enough tannin to coat your
mouth but isn't astringent or leathery. We had it with Thai food (at
Devon's very good Mayuree restaurant) and enjoyed it both before and
with our dinner. I picked up the bottle at the Berwyn state store for
around $21. That seems to be a bargain compared with online and
out-of-state sources.
You can search for it at your local state store here:
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/Product_Management/psi_ProductLocation_Inter.asp?from_Chairman=true&cdeNo=25958&sortBy=PNAME&filterBy=
or
http://tinyurl.com/234uaa
Wine #2 was an impulse buy, placed on the checkout counter at that
same Berwyn store. It's a 375ml bottle of California's 2003 Mount
Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Like the Priorat, this wine was impressive
from the first taste, with a very rich velvety texture and a lot of
fruit. Where it differed was in the underlying structure. The Priorat
was more of a traditional wine, with a lot of backbone and subtle
flavors. The Mount Veeder was high in alcohol, if I guess right, and
very forceful at the first sip, presenting some very strong black
cherry and tannins, then finishing long. It's indicative, I think, of
the direction that California Cabs have moved - and that is intended
to be an observation, not a criticism.
One more thing about the Mount Veeder is that this is also a
relatively high-altitude wine, growing on (guess which?) mountainside.
For both wines I think the rough terrain and poor soil of their
vineyards bring flavor and intensity to the grapes and can be thanked
for what were two very enjoyable experiences.
The Mount Veeder was, as I said, a 375 ml bottle, half the size of a
normal bottle - but half the price as well, at $12.99. It's a good way
to find out if you are going to enjoy the wine without any commitment.
Search for it at
http://www.lcb.state.pa.us/webapp/Product_Management/psi_ProductLocation_Inter.asp?from_Chairman=true&cdeNo=11878&sortBy=PNAME&filterBy=
or
http://tinyurl.com/38ut4h