Reposo, Falcata, and Squared Three

Here is a report of our most recent tasting event with Rene Busque of RMB Associates.

Reposo (rest) is a young vine red and white from the Pago Casa Gran winemaking company of Valencia, Spain. The red is fruity and forward and fun. It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Monastrell, and Syrah. The white is a medium body dry white with a fruity character. The grapes here are Gewurztraminer (50%) and Moscatel (50%). Both wines are 2008 vintage and retail for $12.99/btl.

Here is what's interesting. I tasted these wines a year ago and found the white to be the better of the two. It was forward, floral, fruity, and a show stopper for those who like that kind of wine. The red was good a year ago too. Now, fifteen months later the white has become much tamer and less brash without the frontal fruit assault and the red is as good or better than before.

Falcata is the higher tier product from Pago Casa Gran. The 2006 Falcata Casa Gran is composed of equal parts Monastrell, Garnacha Tintorera, and Syrah. It is a luscious mouth-filling Rhone-style red with ample fruit and and spice. The 2006 Falcata Arenal is a Garnacha/Monastrell blend using fruit from 40 year old selected vineyards with a resulting darker, richer, and less fruity red than Casa Gran.

Both Falcatas are organically farmed and fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with yeasts native to their respective grape types. Casa Gran retails for $19.99/btl; Arenal, $29.99/btl.

Squared Three is from Rodinia Wines, the parent company of V&C favorite, Casas del Bosque of Chile. The 2006 vintage S3 differs greatly from the other four wines tasted yesterday. It sees fourteen months in oak with malolactic fermentation resulting in an elegant, bright cherry and spice, muscular yet fine red. It is a complete bordeaux-style effort from nose through long lasting finish. The grape composition is 50% Garnacha, 30% Merlot, and 20% Tempranillo. Ribera del Queiles is its DOC and it retails for $19.99/btl.

The envelope, please... All wines sold well Friday with Casa Gran lagging the others by a little. S3, Arenal, and Reposo Red were sellouts and all will be back in stock next week. In my opinion all of the reds were exceptional and the white was decent.

In conversation Rene and I agreed that these are the kind of wines that excite us and ecourage us in this industry. The more exposure alternative selections receive, the better we grow as an industry because the consumer becomes more aware of what is available here at retail. Try these wines at the store this month mentioning this blog and get 10% off the regular price.

Don