Miguel Torres Tormenta 2007 Cabernet Chile

RATING: Good Enough for Uncle Dave

Amazing how small things can really complicate your plans.  The cork, a Chilean cork. Tough cork!  Frustrating cork!  I will burn it when I get it out.

Chile looks like a rugged place.  The country runs 2700 miles down the western coast of South America.  Defined by it’s Andean mountainous border on the east, sloping into the cold Pacific on the west, an astonishing 150 miles wide at it’s fullest point running from dessert to glaciers (like in Patagonia  – the wilderness not the fleece jacket), Chile is a mystical place with fog, mist, sunshine and, much to our joy, vineyards. 

Is it any surprise then that my first encounter with a wine from the rugged part of the hemisphere began with a struggle?  Just as the native to Chile Araucanians stubbornly fought off the Incas and the Spanish in defense of their land, this cork did not want to let me into the wine.  I was moments away from taking an electric saw to the bottle neck (I know that would have ruined the wine but I would have tasted victory!) when just then the cork, exhausted from the struggle, surrendered.  Finally! The battle won, I began my Wine Quest.

What Others Say: Wineflorida.com

Ruby red with fiery glints. Exquisite varietal aroma on a rich base of leather and licorice with typically silky tannins on the palate and an elegant finish.   

What I Thought: Really enjoyable organically grown grapes wine but probably enjoyed it too young.  (I’m just so impatient!)  A little too acidic but a thoroughly top-of-the-tongue Cab taste.  I so totally dig the description from WineFlorida, “leather and licorice”  wasn’t that a Stevie song??  What the heck does that mean!  Anyway.  I’d go back Jack and do it again.  A Steely song?  Maybe hold onto the bottle for more than a weekend next time. 

Cheers from the Wine Oaf!

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Greener Planet Shiraz-Merlot- Cabernet Sauvingon 2006 $11.00

RATING: SERVE TO GUESTS 

Bought this wine simply because of the “organic” handle and of course…it was cheap.  Oh yeah, almost forgot, it was also a cabernet blend from France.   How bad could that be?   Truly deserving of a Wine Quest!  We all know that “green is good” right?  We also are all pretty wary  though of”green for good” vs “green for market share” right?  At the highest level we can appreciate the thought that returning earth’s product back into earth is just common sense. Not abusing or poisoning the planet…Ok, I get that too though I really am 100% sure that this means different things to different people.  With all that confusion in my head …I needed to open a bottle of wine.  So with some wariness in mind I opened up the Greener Planet wine we bought while Sams Diving the other day.  Let it breathe for about 20 minutes (I got thirsty…sorry!)  and broke out a nice open tumbler to give it a try.  (Thought: Organic wine being served in crystal didn’t feel right and a paper cup was way too college… though I do still eat cold pizza for breakfast.)  At the same time I opened the website listed on the bottle and checked it out.  On the bottle is listed: www.prestigewinegroup.com.  Hmmm..a search for “Greener Planet” came up blank and these other offerings don’t look very green.  Suspicion slowly began to enter in.  Then I Googled (got to love it when your company becomes a verb…unless it’s something like being “Enron’ed” I guess.) the name on the bottle greener planet.  What came up was pretty much what I expected to see.  Earthy tones, simple parchment paper as a background to simple fonts, single URL (flash?).  The site has no SEO effort  underway which in today’s world is unique in itself (title reads: ”Untitled Document” as an example),  “maybe this winery really is organic” I thought.  As I read on it was apparent that the founders, Olivier Azan and his wife Floriane, and their winery have gone to great lengths to deliver upon that promise.  Listed was certification from: http://www.ecocert.com   After three forgotten years of high school French (though the teacher was HOT and I am sure she very impressed with me at 14) I was encouraged to accept their credentials.  Let’s get on with the Quest though.

WHAT OTHERS SAY:   From the Maker

“The wine is a blend of organically grown Shiraz (40%), Merlot (40%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) grapes grown near the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and the Montagne Noire – the black mountain – at the western end of the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc.  Bringing these three grape varieties together is far from traditional in this part of France or elsewhere, but it creates a harmonious wine that combines peppery spice and flavours of wild berries. It would go perfectly with flavoursome red meat or vegetarian dishes. ”

WHAT I THOUGHT: I was very impressed with the round slightly fruity flavor of this wine. The taste had cab written all over it, top of the tongue, roof of the mouth, great aroma.  I will admit that I did enjoy this wine with a vegetarian-like meal, Lays Barbecued Potato Chips.  (no meat in those right)  Nothing but first class for the Wine Oaf.  Next time though I will probably go with the plain Lays so as no to overpower the wine.  Seriously though, this was a great Quest.  I would really recommend this wine not only for the taste but also the added conversation bonus.  If you are entertaining really boring people, you can discuss everything about organic wines I have included for your reading pleasure on the associated links. Guaranteed to make the evening just speed on by.

In this post I tried to include several links that might be informative to those interested in organic wines.  Because in the words of our friend Kermit, “It’s not easy being green!” Have fun.

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