Alberti 154 and Ca de Calle get noticed!

Hi All:

As many of you know, I took over the management of Bodega Elvira Calle 3 years ago. In that time, we have improved the management and the wines. I am attaching two brand new pieces of press on our operation.

The first regards the 08 Ca de Calle Blend, which just took “best wine in the Argentine category” at the Houston Rodeo. Remember the 07 Ca de Calle got 90 pts. from Wine Spectator. The Houston Rodeo features a big wine competition of over 2000 wines.

Houston Chronical Article

Secondly, I have attached Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth’s brand new 1 page summary of his favorite Malbecs from Argentina, (Dec. 15, 2009). Guess what? 08 Alberti 154 Malbec was chosen to be in this exclusive group of “TOP VALUES” of only 16 wines!!

It is very rewarding to see that our efforts are going noticed.

Thanks for your continued support.

Kirk

SWG Adds Uruguyan and Mexican Wine Leaders

Hello all:

After much hard work we are pleased and honored to announce that we have pioneered again in creating the first premium book of top suppliers of fine wine from Uruguay and Mexico.

Also, due to thier limited nature, some wines will be exclusively sold on our web site.

In the case of Mexico, we have added Baron Balche, Vinisterra, and Quinta Monastario. The wines are of different styles and from different winemakers. Each reflect a passionate drive for achievement where they have striven to honestly interpret Baja’s terroir. Each wine has layered, rich fruit flavors, true integrity and are what I would consider “serious” wines.

However, because wholesale importing is 95% of what we do, we will always add items where we can secure well priced buys of greater quantity for our wholesale network. In the case of Mexico, we have purchased 300 cases from Villa Montefiori. The wine is a delicious 07 Cab/Sangiovese ‘Mexican-Super Tuscan’ blend. Beautifully packaged and in perfect condition, this should be a hit. Ask for it at your better wine outlets. Also available online at www.southernwinegroup.com.

From Uruguay, we have added Viñedo de los Vientos and Bodega Carrau for online sales and Bodega Bouza for our wholesale network. Bouza is widely touted as Uruguay’s best boutique winery. Among their other wines, they make luscious, black velvet Tannat, fine mineral rich Chardonnay and citrusy, smooth Albarino. All of these will be available in a mere few weeks.

I wish to encourage you to try these wonderful wines soon. With the addition of these fine producers, we are now truly pan-American! Thank you.

Carmelo Patti 2005 Malbec Has Arrived

If you are looking for a gutsy, traditional style, terroir-driven Malbec bottling (something we come across less and less in these days of heavy extraction and new oak), you will be thrilled. While the wine shows plenty of the delicious boysenberry and plum fruit that make this varietal so popular, it is the wine’s beguiling earthy, mushroomy notes and slippery texture that make it memorable. The timing cannot be better, as Carmelo’s Malbec is perfect with fall foods – think roast chicken with fresh chantrelles or pumpkin risotto with guanciale.

Alberti 154 08 Malbec W.S. Daily Wine Pick

http://www.winespectator.com/dailypicks/category/catid/1

90 Points For Durigutti 2007 Malbec (WS)

“Quite ripe and toasty, with a hefty dose of mocha and coffee laid over the fleshy dark plum, currant and blackberry fruit. This stays toasty through the finish, but it’s well-integrated, with the fruit an equal match. Drink now through 2010.” 5,800 cases made. –JM

Tabali 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Now In Stock!

After much anticipation, the 2008 vintage of Tabali Sauvignon Blanc Reserva is here. Load up the station wagon, as you will want to have this around all summer!

“The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Reserva is a great value. It exhibits a fragrant bouquet of mineral, passion fruit, and citrus. This leads to a mouth-watering, vibrant, lengthy Sauvignon that way over-delivers for its humble price. Tabali is producing high quality wines from the newly developing cool-climate region of Limari. 90 Points.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Issue 182

Wine Spectator gives 90 Points to Ca de Calle 2007 Gran Reserva

“Very polished, with a suave mocha note weaving through the crushed red plum, raspberry and boysenberry fruit, backed by a spicy note on the velvety finish. Drink now. 500 cases made.” –JM

Mendoza Harvest 2009

2009 harvest in Mendoza, Argentina is looking good so far. Flower set had some issolated issues with frost and winds earlier in the year, but it hasn’t made much of a difference except for lowering final harvest yields. A hot February pushed sugars to early heights, but things have thus far mellowed and overall tannic ripeness is coming along quickly now. In some cases, some vineyards are about a week early compared to average, in other cases, harvest dates will be about even with average. Colors are showing in the winery to be intense and dark, early on in the ferments. With yields down, we are hoping that concentrations in fruit flavors will be even more intense than last year. Luckily, the harvest has been great with no rain and with warm days and cool nights.  Higher altitudes may prove to be the winners this year as they were less affected by the warm summer.

Tanzer gives 91 Points to 05 Durigutti Malbec Reserva!

2005 Durigutti Malbec Reserva, Mendoza
“Bright ruby-red. Complex, soil-driven aromas of blackberry, spices, licorice and fresh herbs; perfumed and enticing. Then juicy and intense in the mouth, with a crushed cassis flavor complicated by licorice and violet. A densely packed wine that’s long on personality. Finishes with big, broad, dusty tannins and impressive lingering sweetness. An outstanding value.” (International Wine Cellar, Jan 2009)

Ca de Calle 2007 Gran Reserva

By now you have likely tasted through the 2007 vintage Albert 154 wines. If sales are any indication, they are by far the best wines we have ever produced in our small Lujan de Cuyo based winery. In early 2007 we separated out and fermented a small selection of our best grapes from that harvest, aging the microcuvees with a combination of new and used French oak. Luis Barraud (of Vina Cobos fame) went on to finish the project, assembling the final blend this summer. Now that the wine has had some time to settle in bottle, this blend of 32% Malbec, 23% Bonarda, 21% Syrah, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot is drinking fabulously, filled with the dense rustic flavors of dark fruits and berries that typify this region.

We named the wine Ca’ de Calle (Calle’s Place), in honor of Elivra Calle, the woman who shared our vision of remodeling this historic winery and helped turn it into reality.

Production is limited to 550 cases.

- Jeff