Wiley Whites

Since it's summer I can "officially" wear white, and I feel the need to drink them (and pink) too. Unfortunatley I've had a few tucked away that just didn't withstand the test of time and have had to dump more than drink lately. Sad.

I fell in love with the Cadaretta SBS during a Wine Wednesday interview a couple of years ago, and stocked up on a case of the sauvignon blanc/semillion blend. Digging around for some weekend wines, I FOUND ONE, but my excitement was quickly tempered when I read the fine print....2011.

Not because it was a precarious year for some growers (mostly in California, this is from Washington) but because it's four years old. While some reds aren't even released for four years, whites are a different story....aging potential is generally more limited.

When first opened, my fears were supported....disappointment. It was a bit astringent, however, I tasted tropical fruit even mango, so I put a cork on it and tried it again the next day. Guess what? It worked itself out.

Moral of the story....if there is a HINT of potential....let it sit and try it again, you never know if magic can happen with a little infusion of oxygen.

Don't Cry For Me Argentina

My next wine tasting trip is going to be Argentina! I just attended a Malbec seminar at Austin’s Wine Cellar with adorable winemaker Santiago Mayorga of Mendel Wines. Malbec is the signature red wine of Argentina. All of the red we tried were 100% Malbec with one exception.

We actually started with the Mendel 2010 Semillion. It was a bit surprising since Torrontes is the signature white grape of Argentina. The first things I smelled were pineapple and white flowers. I tasted them too along with a hint of spice. It’s a great wine for Southwest Florida.

The reds were outstanding! We started with a juicy 2008 Lunta that had plum, spice and lots of tannins. Next up was the vineyard's flagship Mendel Malbec (2007). Robert Parker gave it 90 points. It had big ripe fruit and was smoother than the Lunta. The ’06 Unus was next. This Malbec was blended with 30% Cabernet. It had hints of mint and vanilla and when I closed my eyes I envisioned it with lamb.

The best is almost always the last: a 2007 Finca Remota. This wine is not even available yet and was given 94 points just after it was bottled. The grapes came from a single vineyard and there are only 1800 bottles! It smelled like sweet raisins. It tasted like velvet! What a treat!

These reds ranged in price from $22-$110. They were all well worth the money and I would buy any of them! See Frank at Austin’s to get yours!