What I Tasted on My Spring Break - SPEC's Liquors

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Achaval-Ferrer is a small red-wine-only producer in Mendoza Argentina focusing exclusively on estate grown old-vine fruit. Partners
Santiago Achaval and Manuel Ferrer Minetti have purchased four vineyards in differ
ferent ent areas of Mendoza with old vines on them
producing Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah. The estate's average yield is 1.3-tons-per-acre (as opposed
to over 3-tons-per-acr
-acre for many boutique California producers). Santiago Achaval says that the vineyards make the wines and that the
winemaker's job is to express ess the character of their old vine fruit into the bottle. If Achaval-Ferrer's er's "Quimera" may be thought of as an
ultimate expression ession of the whole of Mendoza terroir, the single vineyard Altamira Malbec is the expression ession of one very old vineyard.
ACHAVAL-FERRER Quimera, Mendoza, 2001
$33.50 btl $186.56 case 6x750ml
Quimera is a blend of 54% old vine Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% old
vine Malbec, and 22% Merlot (most of the grapes are from the estate
but some come from vineyards under long term lease) aged in 90%
French and 10% American oak barrels (1/3 new). The result is a
dusty, rich, balanced red offering ample black fruit with notes of
tobacco, dust, pencil-shavings, and Malbec spice. Deeply flavorful, it
lingers in the mouth with fruit and dust to the end. In the glass, it
slowly opens to reveal its perfume. Elegant, medium weight,
balanced and complete. Excellent. Bear's Score: 94 points.
ACHAVAL-FERRER Altamira Malbec, Mendoza, 2001
$72.31 btl $402.88 case 6x750ml
Made from 100% Malbec produced by 80+ year old vines grown
on their own roots (ungrafted) in the famous la Consulta area
aged in all new oak barrels (95% French and 5% American), this
is a serious, perfumed, juicy-ripe Malbec. Beautifully integrated
and absolutely complete, it is succulent with grapey black fruit
balanced by notes of tobacco, dust, and pencil shavings with a
perfume that rises through it offering cedar, vanilla, and
potpourri. It lasts and lasts with a lovely feel in the mouth. Truly
delicious. Outstanding. Bear's Score: 96+ points.
After a few years of up-and-down quality, it seems that, with the 2002 vintage, Bouchaine has once again become
a reliable producer of fine quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their vineyard on Buchli Station Road in Carneros.
Part of that renaissance is due to the introduction of a value-priced second wine—Buchli Station—with a colorful
"lettuce box art" label that lets Bouchaine blend some of the better (and still very good) juice that doesn't make the
cut to be in the Bouchaine labeled wines.
BOUCHAINE Chardonnay, Carneros, 2002
$15.13 btl $166.50 case 12x750ml
100% Chardonnay fermented and aged in a mix of mostly French oak barrels (33% new), this is a minerally, well-focused,
nicely balanced Chardonnay with good cool climate fruit showing notes of pineapple, sweet lemon, tropical lime, and
pomegranate. It is very clean with a minerally terroir character. Almost Puligny-like. Excellent. Bear's Score: 91 points.
BOUCHAINE Pinot Noir, Carneros, 2002
$15.75 btl $175.50 case 12x750ml
100% Pinot Noir aged 12 months in French oak barrels (approximately 40% new) results in a medium-weight Pinot
featuring ripe red cherry fruit with notes of cocoa and earth and a hint of bitter cola nut. Very nicely balanced with a fine
fresh feel. The fine fruit and perfume linger on. Excellent. Bear's Score: 91 points.
BUCHLI STATION Chardonnay, California, 2002
$10.15 btl $111.75 case 12x750ml
A blend of grapes from Bouchaine's estate and from vineyards in Monterey and Edna Valley fermented
in oak barrels (30% new) with a partial malolactic fermentation, this wine is flavorful,
even rich, but in balance and well-focused with notes of tropical fruit, lime, and green
pear. It is alive in the mouth with a long, clean finish. Fine. Bear's Score: 89+ points.
BUCHLI STATION Pinot Noir, California, 2002
$10.15 btl $111.75 case 12x750ml
100% Pinot Noir fermented in small open top fermenters and aged eight months in a mix of French,
US, and Hungarian oak barrels yields this mix of red and black cherry fruit with notes of cola, earth,
and spice. Hints at raspberry and cranberry. Medium-weight and in balance.
Lasts nicely with a bit of chewiness at the end. Fine. Bear's Score: 88+ points.