South America (DCAOC)

Our wine club met last Friday for our November "Wines from South America" gathering. Unfortunately I was remiss in my notetaking, so some of the (minimal) comments below are from information gleaned from the internet. I'm posting this for the benefit of those in attendance who may remember or like something about a particular wine we tasted but did not write down the name of the wine.

Also, I'm going to go back and try to code all previous posts from our meetings with the DCAOC above (stands for DC - Another Oenophile Club) so that attendees can search old notes more easily.

First, the sauvignon blanc from Touraine that I accidentally grabbed out of the fridge instead of the torrontes - I don't recall the exact wine, but for those who liked it, you can find very similar wines at very reasonable prices. Just ask your store clerk to show you some sauvignon blancs from Touraine. I have yet to be dissappointed by one.

Quara Tannat: This may be the first tannat many of us have tasted, and it had the characteristic high tannins that I understand this grape puts forth, as well as a concentrated fruitiness. If I recall, this was blended with another red grape but can't remember if it was cab sauv. or malbec. $7

2004 Privada Luzan de Cuto, Bodega Norton: A blend of cab sauvignon, merlot and malbec, my notes say that this is the smoothest wine we had that night. It received a 90 from Wine Spectator. Retails for about $19.99.

2002 Don Melcher Cabernet Sauvignon Concha y Toro 92 points from Wine Spectator, this was very concentrated and was drinking quite nicely now but could age. I remember being surprised because I'm only used to the cheap grocery store variety of Conch y Toro, but this was defintely not that. Retails for around $47.

2005 Bodega Lurton Malbec Reserva: My notes say green and round, which I'm interpreting to mean that it may have been picked slightly underripe but it had a very round mouthfeel. I recall liking this very much, but I tend to like slightly vegetal characteristics in my reds. Retails for around $11.

Warres Heritage Ruby Port: It was fitting I suppose that we also end the evening with a wine that was not from South America. As someone pointed out though...it is from Portugal, and the Portuguese colonized Brasil, so close enough Retails for $8.

I think there was another wine in there somewhere that I neglected to write down on the napkin I was using as paper. Apologies to whoever brought that one! And I promise better notes next time...