Vintage Troy

Cheap Wine - #1 Vina Borgia Granacha 2010

I know the polite way to classify this category would be to say inexpensive, value or “everyday”, but cheap is appropriate.  I’ll save those other descriptors for better wine.  I figure there is a time and place for the cheap stuff.  Desperation is top of the list. A close second would be a late night, “we’re already bombed but we should actually have a night cap before we consummate this relationship scenario (just kidding Mom).  A bottle of wine, no matter the quality, usually trumps beer or whiskey in the latter situation.  With a value in mind I have 2010 Vina Borgia Granacha and as the label says it is “from the heart od Aragon” Campo de Borja, Spain.  This should be fun and quick:

Color:  Bright Magenta

Nose:Fruity, in an over the top juicy way.  There is a big fruit juice/ boxed drink nose.  It reminds me of Sangria.  Yeah, after all the additives.  The nose is big and pops out of the glass.

Palate:  The nose follows into the palate.  Big fruit.  This is perplexing my palate as it leaves me searching for the cello-phane wrapped straw that should be attached to the bottle.   Cherry and ripe raspberry mingle to form a dominate flavor profile.  No oak, since this is fermented and aged in stainless steel.  In the finish I get a vague hint of spice. 

This wine is not for the snob or connoisseur.  This is Tuesday night with take out or an intro to red wine for the white zinfandel crowd.  The “sweet” feel to this will have many a wine newbie praising the delicious quality of this wine.  This is a great example of fresh wine being produced for the $4.99 price point.  I would definitely buy this again and leave it for the impromptu late night visitor, a relaxed night at home,  a base for sangria or for the last call bottle when the cellar is locked.  My real negative about this wine is the disservice it does to Grenache.  This is not typical of the varietal.  With that being said, cheers to getting through a work week and being able to enjoy a little bit of wine on the cheap.  With Vina Borgia just keep your expectations low and you’ll be satisfied.  

Domaine de Gournier Merlot:

Back in a groove for wine.  After an extended hiatus I feel it’s fitting to bring back a recently malinged but classic varietal, Merlot.  Ok it’s not Pomerol, hecks it’s not even Napa or Bordeaux.  I’m rocking 2008 Domaine Gournier Merlot- Vin de Pays Cevennes.  Today is a week day and I’m going value pricing.

Color:  This is a 2008 and the brightness is fading.  Subtle bricking is starting to meld with the purple hues of this wine’s youth.  It’s a lot clearer then I anticipated and look a bit “thin”.  

Nose:  Wow white pepper! A total surprise but mixed nicely with black fruits.  Distinct rocky powder scent coming through on a big prolonged sniff.   Real fresh and no oak to mask the fruit.  There is a touch of musky cologne that adds to the spicy vibe.

Palate:  The body is light to medium and the flavor echoes the nose bursting with pepper, spice and sour blackberries.  The tannins are medium and the acid is tight and mouth watering.  Stainless steel vinification maintains the freshness.  It’s a touch hot and there’s a vague soapy taste on the mid-palate that’s evading a pinpoint description.  

In the end this is a serious value Merlot that will help re-introduce this grape to the “Sideways” Pinot Noir crowd.  With so much plonk at this price point you would be crazy not to try this wine.  As a PSA keep your eyes on Vin de Pays wine, there are a ton of great, inexpensive wines to explore.  If you drink Bordeaux Superieur this fits right in. In your local shop you are looking at about a $9 investment.  For a food pairing I think I want a pulled pork sandwich. This is suited to food and now I want a Hobgobbler sandwich too.  Cheers!

Villa Des Anges Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I’m stoked to try a true value play. No bones about it, this $9-$10 (7.98 from our friends at Wine Library) bottle of Cab could turn my wine world on it’s ear if it lives up to the 89pt rating it recieved from critic David Schildknecht, of the Wine Advocate.  A Cab at this price of any real quality is very hard to come by, most are very fake tasting or extremely unbalanced, especially when it comes to oak integration. Let’s see what we get with this bottle from Languedoc.

Pop and pour and this wine is a dark purple and the after an initial tilt-and-swirl the nose takes center stage.  I find the nose to be worth the price of admission.  Very complex offering red fruit, cocoa, and a herbaceous/cologne thing going on.  I catch a blending of old school Polo cologne (you know the green bottle kind) and rosemary. This is cool for me and gives hope to this tasting session.  

Time for a pass over the palate.  On the attack the tannins grab hold and introduce the acid and alcohol but the mid-palate and finish are astonishing.  Fresh red fruits sprinkled with black pepper and cedar comes to mind. Much more complex then I expected.  The oak is present but it definitely plays a background role.  The finish is long and expressive.

 This is “real” wine at this price point.  It feels a little young.  Do I think it has 5 years in the bottle? No.  But I feel 6 months from now this will be a very well balanced and polished wine.  What wrinkles there are will definitely be smoothed out.  The structure just feels setup to do a little more.  If you like your wines a little on the lean side, this is for you.  If you are looking for a inexpensive Cab this is for you.  Bring it to a blind tasting and see what people say.  I bet $17-$20 comes out of their mouths.  I would drink this again and right now I feel like this would be great with a Ribeye cheesesteak.  Good QPR and IMHO 89pts is on the money.  Break out of the ho-hum usual suspects and give this a try.