Malbec – Alamos

Our wine tonight is the 2018 Argentine Malbec from Alamos.

We just love Malbec from Argentina.

Cultivated of the Mendoza, Argentina Vineyards. These vineyards are among the highest elevations of any of the world’s vineyards.

Vintage 2018

100% Malbec

The most respected James Suckling rated at 91 points.

Decanted for 60 minutes.

Deep inky purple color.

Nose very expressive of black cherries, plum, cocoa, fresh violets, cedar and a pronounced smokiness.

Dry, medium bodied, with low to medium tannins.

Flavor notes of black cherry, blackberry, red plum, and a distinctive mid-palate of vanilla, black currants, black pepper, and spice, while the lingering finish is reminiscent of a freshly baked hot out of the oven blueberry pie.

An excellent traditional Argentine Malbec.

9 months aged in 60% French oak and 40% American oak.

13.5% ABV

At the price, often under $10, this is a great drinking wine.

Jen-Nis Marketing scaring at 90 points.

Bearly Sweet Red – Serenity Cellars

Our wine tonight is the Bearly Sweet Red from Serenity Cellers in Cleveland, Georgia.

Red White blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Traminette.

The Cabernet Sauvignon and the Sangiovese are Estate grown. The Traminette is local to North Georgia.

Non-vintage, but this is a young wine. We aerated but did not decant. Served very slightly chilled.

Labeled as Georgia table wine, no ABV is listed. We estimate the alcohol level at about 11-12%.

Bright ruby in color. Medium bodied mouthfeel with moderate tannins.

Expressive fruit forward nose and balanced bouquet. Sweet on the tongue, more so than barely yet not cloyingly sweet. Flavor profile of ripe dark fruits, with prominent notes of blueberries and black plums. Lingering finish with peppery and subtle nutty tones.

$20 a bottle.

Owner and winemaker Joe Smith is an icon in the North Georgia wine region. He’s the guy everyone turns to for assistance and Joe is currently mentoring other upcoming winemakers in the region.

The winemakers descriptor suggest this wine pears well with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We’ll just take his word for that.

Reserve Cabernet Franc – Parker-Binns Vineyard

Our second wine for #NCWineNight is the 2015 Reserve Cabernet Franc from Parker-Binns Vineyard.

Vintage 2015

Estate grown Cabernet Franc

Tryon Foothills wine region of Western North Carolina

Winemaker Justin Taylor

Aerated for 60 minutes to open

Dark plum in color with a dark garnet rim.

Nose of wild cherry, pomegranate, blueberry, a subtle smokiness, black pepper, and spice

Full bodied with medium plus tannins and wide cascading legs

Complex and dry showing bold notes of spice, black pepper, pomegranate, cranberries, and cherry cola. Lingering finish with more herbal tones while showing a bit of oak, vanilla, and green bell pepper

13% ABV

This wine just drinks beautifully.

Exceptional vintage of single vineyard estate grown Cabernet Franc

WineryEscapades scores 93 points.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Piccione Vineyards

Our wine tonight is the 2014 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon from Piccione Vineyards in North Carolina.

We opened this bottle in celebration of OTBN North Carolina.

Vintage 2014

Estate Grown

Swan Creek AVA

Decanted 60 minutes.

Gorgeous dark ruby color with a bright purple rim

Expressive bouquet of dark fruits, blackberries Black Cherries, Caramel, Truffles, and Mint.

Full bodied with strong tannins and showing beautiful long legs

Dry on the palate with complex flavor notes of Black Currents, Black Cherries, Dark Roasted Coffee, Chocolate Covered Cherries, Vanilla Latte, Pipe Tobacco and Mint, with a lingering finish of Eucalyptus and Burgundy Truffles.

13% ABV

This vintage is sold out. However, Piccione ships to most states via VinoShipper.

We paired with a grilled steak!

This wine is exceptional!

WineryEscapades scores 95 points!

#NCWineNight #NCWine #SwanCreek #Piccoine

Loco Lulu – Parker-Binns Vineyard

Our wine tonight is the Loco Lulu from Parker-Binns Vineyard in the Tryon Foothills wine region of Western North Carolina.

Loco Lulu – Soft Red Blend

Non-vintage on the bottle, though we believe this to be of the 2018 harvest.

Classic Bordeaux blend of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Dark purple in color with a bright garnet rim.

Nose expressive of fresh Bing cherries, think of a freshly baked hot out of the oven cherry pie, cocoa, soft florals, cinnamon, vanilla, and smoke.

We aerated for 60 minutes.

Medium bodied, medium tannins, with beautiful cascading long legs.

Flavor notes of black currants, blackberries, cherries, red plums, and spice, finishing toward more subtle notes of cedar, vanilla, black pepper, and pipe tobacco.

$12.8% ABV

Winemaker: Justin Taylor

$20 a bottle.

Lulu’s paw of approval is stamped on the cork.

Ships most states via VinoShipper. Check the website for ordering.

Named for Lulu the winery rescue dog. $1 from every bottle sold is donated to her favorite local pet adoption organization.

Lulu

Parker-Binns Vineyard is close to our home and therefore we visit often. We hope to see you visiting one day soon!

From the Tasting Room looking out over the vineyard

Twenty-Fifteen BDX – Mountain Brook Vineyards

Our wine tonight is the Twenty-Fifteen BDX from Mountain Brook Vineyards in the Tryon Foothills of North Carolina.

Vintage 2015

Bordeaux blend of North Carolina grown fruit.

We aerated for 90 minutes.

Aged in a combination of French and American oak.

Dark ruby in color with a bright ruby rim.

Consistent uniform cascading full legs.

Expressive bouquet of blackberries, plums, prunes, fig preserves and dark chocolate.

Dry, medium-full bodied with medium tannins.

Black currant is forefront on the tongue, with subtle hints of blackberries, raisins, black licorice, and graphite, finishing with lingering notes of pipe tobacco and oak.

13.5% ABV

$38 a bottle.

Ships most states via VinoShipper.

Mountain Brook Vineyards is a beautiful venue should you ever be in Western North Carolina.

Below are a few iPhone shots from a recent visit.

#NCWine. #TryonFoothills #MountainBrook

Cheers!

Check out our other blog at WineryEscapades .Com

Bordeaux Blend Tasting

Our wine tonight was a Bordeaux Blend tasting at our favorite local wine bar, Bond Street Wines in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

First was 2016 Margaux from Château Mongravey.

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc.

Average age of the vines 25 years!

Aged 14 months in French Oak.

13% ABV.

Red berries on the nose, Earthy on the tongue with notes of charred oak and black licorice.

Rated 92 points by James Suckling.

$40 a bottle.

Second was 2016 Pessac-Leognan from Château Picque,

50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot.

13.5% ABV

Fruit forward nose with flavor notes of black currants, oak, and smoke.

My favorite of the three Bordeaux blends tasted tonight.

$40 a bottle.

92 points.

Final of the night was the 2011 Saint-Estèphe from La Chapelle de Meyney.

Tannic woodsy nose with flavor notes of leather, black licorice, and peppery spice.

Cabernet Sauvignon is dominate in this blend with Merlot.

13.5% ABV.

$40 a bottle.

90 Points.

Cheers!

Check out our other blog @ WineryEscapades.Com

Wines of 2019

While scrolling back through our pictures of 2019, found some really interesting wines which we never wrote about. Our goal remains to promote locally produced, yet certainly that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy other wines from around the world. In fact, we feel tasting other wines from around the globe helps us to understand, judge, and appreciate locally produced wines.

We go regularly to our local wine bar, Bond Street Wines in Spartanburg, South Carolina where proprietor Jeff House shares and teaches about unique wines from around the word. Jeff is one of the most knowledgeable wine people we have encountered. He has a penchant for sharing unique, small batch, affordable and amazing wines with interesting back stories.A tasting at the wine bar generally consist of whites and reds which normally share a general characteristic, such region, varietal, or wine maker.

This one, vinhas Atlas, while a nice fruit forward flavor, was crystal clear, not sure that’s a good thing though….it’s wine not water.

This mead we tried at Savannah Bee Company in Myrtle Beach. Our niece gifted us this rosé in a lighthouse shaped bottle.

The tastings often include Whites and Rosé

Yet Big Bold Reds are Prevalent!

Pinot Nero

Pinot Nero is Jenni’s “regular” at our favorite local Italian restaurant, Renato’s downtown Spartanburg. Pinot Noir fermented without skin contact to produce a full bodied white!

A nicely aged bold red likewise makes us smile!

Wine is such a great field to study. There exist so many different varietals and different wine regions along with different wine making techniques. There is really only one way to learn, and that is to drink it! Cheers!

2008 Chambourcin – Misty Creek Vineyards

Tonight we dusted off a bottle of 2008 estate Chambourcin from Misty Creek Vineyards in Mocksville, North Carolina.

100% produced of estate grown Chambourcin in North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley AVA.

Lightly aged in Hungarian oak.

Beautiful color of violet.

Nose of chocolate covered cherries, pluff mud, and sarsaparilla.

Light residual sugar. Off dry.

Mild tannins with flavor notes of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, tart raspberries, blueberries, currants, finishing with lingering hints of graphite and smokiness.

12.5% ABV.

$23 a bottle.

This is a really nice drinking #NCWine. We aerated it lightly prior to enjoying.

#NCWineMonth #YadkinValley #FrenchAmericanHybrid

Cuveé Richeaume – Domaine Richeaume

Our wine tonight is the 2016 Cuvée Richeaume from Domaine Richeaume in France.

Dark ruby in color with a purple rim.

Red Provence wine.

Expressive nose of cedar, damp forest leaves, tobacco, black tea, black licorice, and earthy spices.

Blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Syrah, 8% Merlot, 3% Carignan.

Richeaume Vineyard on the red flanks of Cézanne’s beloved Mt. Saints Victoire.

Dry on the palate.

Flavor notes of black currents, cloves, black cherries, plums, espresso, vanilla flavoring, coffee liqueur, and finishing bold with hints of leather, chewing tobacco, bitter herbs and earthy spices.

Decanting recommended.

14.5% ABV.

$30 a bottle.

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