WTN: 2004 La Posta Bonarda (Thank you Brian Miller)

2004 La Posta Bonarda, Mendoza Argentina

Brian Miller’s posting about the 2006 La Posta Bonarda reminded me that I had some of the 2004 on hand, so I decided to open a bottle tonight.

My previous experience was out with a group of friends, and it was the chef’s recommended wine that evening. We ordered a variety of wines, but the La Posta went well with every entrée we ordered, from beef stroganoff to lamb stew. We all liked it. I ordered half a case and tucked it away until tonight.

I had my first glass with dinner. I grilled a whole butterflied chicken marinated with garlic, olive oil, parsley, rosemary and lemon. Sides were fresh pea risotto and kalamata olives sautéed with red onions.

The color of the wine was a deep ruby, almost black-red in the glass. At first whiff I was struck by raspberry, then a pleasant smokiness. The smokiness paired nicely with the slowly grilled chicken. I wasn’t sure how it would pair with the pea risotto, but it was smooth enough not to overpower, yet stood up to the olives and onions. It was well-structured and felt somewhat luxurious and thick across my palate. A nice strong finish is a pleasant end to each sip.

It’s suggested you drink it young, which is fine, but I think waiting a few years can’t hurt either.

Glad you had such a good experience! Not all that many California wines provide such good QPR at that price point (there are some, I know!) In addition to the pleasantly surprising earthyness and smokyness was the reasonable alcohol (13.5% nominal).

We also tasted some Crios wines from Susan Balbo's entry level line, and while the fruit was good and the oak treatment was modest and not intrusive , the alcohol levels were, as Oswaldo found in his Balbo tasting, much more noticeable.

I am going to look for this, as I am on a mini quest to find a special Bonarda because it's so cool when a grape that is an underdog in the old country becomes a swan in the new.