Mirador Shiraz, Argentina 2010

I've been really looking forward to writing this review as I have been able to legitimately use different descriptive words on this wine.  Even though I have only been writing and reviewing for a short period, I have become conscious of using the same old verbs and nouns to articulate what I smell and taste.  All of a sudden, I feel the need to over-describe in order to keep my reviews interesting.  This would, of course, be at the cost of you, my wonderful readers.

There is a finite list of ingredients one can use to communicate qualities of wine and while this reservoir is undoubtedly massive, certain words will always feature more heavily than others, especially in wine at the lower end of the price bracket as these are either too young to have developed more complex flavours or are specifically blended to please the generic taste of the masses.  The job of the affordable wine critic gradually gets harder and harder as they try more inventive ways to stand out of the crowd and catch your attention without sounding over pretentious.  

So, without further ado, I give you my 'down to earth but imaginatively chronicled' view of a Shiraz (Syrah) from the Finca Mirador Seleccion from Mendoza, Argentina.  Bought from the Co-Operative at £5.50 (off promotion, £6.50), this wine is a little gem and I would still buy it at twice the price. 

On the nose is an immediate, deep and strong smell of cracked black pepper and cinnamon.  Raw wood smoke nicely bridges the gap to oaky tannins that all but mask the single identity of well ripened red fruits.  The taste brings equal measures of punchy and robust flavours which remain consistent throughout and into the lengthy aftertaste.  Very full bodied, the cheek pinching tannins flex their muscles from the very beginning but give way when it matters, making it surprisingly smooth and palatable.  Peppery spice is omnipresent with a faint nod towards sweet liquorice.  This surprises me in a wine so relatively young but is most welcome.  For me, the fruit really stays in the background and while other reviews suggest cherries, blackberries and the like, this wine is all about the spice, the smoke and the tannins.  These are huge flavours for such a little price tag and for the first time I am not recommending a bottle, I am recommending a bulk purchase.

If I can get my message across to you without sounding too flowery then there may be hope for me as a writer and this makes me happy.  In the words of Blackadder, "I am anaspeptic, phrasmotic, even compunctious to have caused you such periconbobulations." Or words to that effect.

Concha Y Toro Carmenere 2010 Chile

During my early years as a budding wine enthusiast, I became captivated by the Carmenere grape because of the wonderful back story it tells.  The story is not a secret and those of you familiar with the grape will probably also be familiar with the tale.  The story of this grape precipitated many purchases and a deep fondness for the wine, which I still retain.  

In order to share this story with you, I needed the right bottle to come along.  My wait is now over.

I chose this particular bottle because it is a fine example of what is great about Carmenere.  Yes, there is higher quality Carmenere to be had however, this bottle provides the perfect opportunity to appreciate the taste for yourself at an affordable price.  This example comes from a great Portland Wine outlet that I recently discovered near me, at the price of £8.

The word Carmenere may sound French and you would be right to think so.  It was originally grown around Bordeaux and enjoyed a long and sustained existence in Europe, having originated in Iberia.  At the time, Carmenere was well seated and was arguably considered as one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux.  All was well until around 1867 when a plague of Phylloxera swept Europe, devastating many grape varieties but dealing Carmenere a particularly vicious blow.  Despite attempts to revive the vine, growers had little success because it was more difficult to grow than other grape varieties and so attention turned to nurturing higher yielding crops.  For years the grape was considered extinct. 

Shortly before the Phylloxera outbreak, Chilean wine growers had imported vines from France and mistaking them for Merlot grapes, had not only preserved Carmenere but had positively increased its coverage to a size far greater than what it had ever been in France.  It would seem that Carmenere didn't just survive in Chile, it preferred it.  Carmenere was officially recognised as a separate variety to Merlot and the Chileans opened their hearts and embraced it as one of their own.  Carmenere found its true home and in return, gave Chileans a signature grape that is almost entirely exclusive to them.

On the nose, distinctive spices of black pepper and cloves compete for attention alongside a strong but pleasant earthen smell.  Quick to follow are rich red fruits which play off fading wood notes.  The first mouthful comes as quite a shock as it delivers a powerful punch.  Smooth damson and blackberry play second fiddle to high tannins and a rich wooden taste but they combine well to form a solid texture which feels well balanced and smooth.  I expected a small nod towards spice during the aftertaste but couldn't detect any with this particular bottle.

 

For me, Carmenere is a strong world player but because of the new world origin, the price enables it to compete easily with higher priced Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or even Malbec from countries that automatically seem to command a higher price.  I have had previous Carmeneres that play more towards the fruit and spice and are perfectly delicious however, this wine goes one step further and reveals a glimpse of the raw power that makes this Chilean grape so great.