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Chilean Wines Making Impression on U.S. Consumers

Filed under: Wine

wineArgentina and Australia have both widened our national palates and expanded our wine vocabulary. As they have grown in prestige and density the U.S. has embraced their unique qualities and beamed with pride at the continued diversity of personal wine knowledge.

Another country home to the Southern Hemisphere is also prompting increased interest among oenophiles -- Chile. Although known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends exports for Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Carmenere and Syrah have increased in spite of the American recession. To capitalize on consumers' continued interest in the range of wines from Chile the 'Wines of Chile' is to open a new U.S. office in NYC.

If you're unfamiliar with Chilean wines I suggest you start with the Carmenere -- typically they are full-bodied and hold a deeply colored essence plus it sounds sensual when it rolls of the tongue.

JAQK Cellars

Filed under: Wine


There's a new arrival on the wine scene bound to whet your appetite and stir your inner gambler. JAQK Cellars, a playful take on the Jack, Ace, Queen and King of cards, is offering eight distinctive limited production wines this season. From the High Roller 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon to the Charmed 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, this creative and alluring brand pairs a healthy dose of frivolity with the enticing draw of a smoky, high-end casino. Completing the selection are Black Clover 2006 Merlot, Soldiers of Fortune 2006 Shiraz, Pearl Handle 2007 Chardonnay, 22 Black 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bone Dance 2006 Merlot, and Her Majesty 2007 Chardonnay. The bottle will cost between $23 and $70 but their four-bottle gift boxes offered for the holidays range between $120 and $220. I'd be willing to bet this California-based wine will increase your odds of enjoyment.

Signaterra Wine

Filed under: Wine

Benzinger's Signaterra wine is a new wine label that seeks to join the best of three forces, earth, nature, and man for excellent wine. They have produced two wines, the 2006 Bella Luna Pinot Noir Russian River Valley and the 2006 Sauvignon Blanc Shone Farm Vineyard Russian River Valley. The Signaterra wine notes are divided into Earth, Nature and Man categories which describe the location of the vineyard and how it is formed, the climate and how the grapes are tended (often using organic, biodynamic and sustainable farming methods) and the way the grapes were harvested and how the wine was produced. At $24, the Sauvignon Blanc is on the pricier end of that varietal. The San Francisco Chronicle recently named it tops in their tasting of Sonoma County Sauvignon Blancs finding it rich and well-balanced with notes of jasmine and mango cream aside the citrus and grassy flavors traditionally associated with Sauvignon Blanc.

French Maid Wine

Filed under: Wine


In keeping with White Rocket Wine Company's niche of bringing new brands of high quality, affordable wines to the new generation of wine drinkers comes French Maid Wine. Each of the five varietals from the French 'Old World' Languedoc region is given a 'New World' spirit. Offering a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc, each French Maid Wine brings French terroir to the newbies of the wine world on a smaller budget of only $12 per bottle. For the connoisseur who prefers more luxury priced wines this may not be the bottle of choice but as an introduction to wine it just may fit the bill.

Blue Monster Reserve, A Wine Just For Microsoft

Filed under: Wine

Bill Gates can afford any wine he wants but now there is a special wine made just for Microsoft. The Blue Monster Reserve Sauvignon Blanc was created by South African winery Stormhoek for Microsoft and its employees. Hugh MacLeod, the talented cartoonist and blogger behind GapingVoid and the marketing strategist for Stormhoek, created the Blue Monster image after meeting many of the Microsoft employees after sponsoring dinners for those in the tech community. His cartoon of a fanged blue monster along with the tagline: "Microsoft – change the world or go home", has become an unofficial mascot for some people in the company. The Blue Monster bottles are only available only to Microsoft and people who belong to the "Friends of Blue Monster" Facebook group or who attend the geek dinners that Stormhoek sponsors or attends.

Groth Vineyards

Filed under: Wine

The Miami Herald has a piece on Groth Vineyards in Napa. Originally, Dennis Groth was an accountant and later the CFO for Atari. He and his wife Judi got into winemaking as a tax shelter idea and bought 121 acres in 1981 near Oakville, near such legends as Screaming Eagle and Opus One. Now they have a thriving winery that makes well-respected Chardonnay, Sauvignon  Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Current releases include the  2003 Groth Vineyards Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon which sells for $55.

Sauvignon Republic Wine

Filed under: Wine

We've seen California wineries that specialize in just Red Zinfandel, now let's take a look at a group of guys who focus only on Sauvignon Blanc. The Sauvignon Republic chose this particular grape because they say it expresses the  "terroir" of its growing  place. Their goal is to produce a wine in each of the areas that it grows best ( California, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and France). This month they are releasing their first South African Sauvignon. There are 800 cases of this wine, the third Sauvignon Blanc they have created. The 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Stellenbosch Sauvignon Blanc sells for $18 and has citrus and tropical fruit notes with a hint of nettles. This month they are also releasing the 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc  and the 2005 Sauvignon Republic Cellars Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc which both also sell for $18.


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