Cuda Ridge Wines Releasing Three New 2021 Carménère Wines
The Winery
There is a lot to be said about Cuda Ridge Wines in Livermore, California. A key point is that they produce Bordeaux style wines. The Cuda Ridge winery and Tasting Room is located at 2400 Arroyo Road in Livermore, California. Cuda Ridge Wines current production is approximately 2100 cases. The winery produces the following Bordeaux varietals: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and most recently their addition of Carménère. Always experimenting, Larry Dino owner & winemaker will produce non-Bordeaux style wines which are designated under their Black label, these wines include Sangiovese, New-World style Cabernet Sauvignon and others. Each of the varietals produced are small lots ranging from 100 – 450 cases. Cuda Ridge does extensive blending of the varietals and strives for lower alcohol wines with intense complexity and character, traditional of the Bordeaux style wines.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
His 2019 Mélange d’ Amis blend which translates as “blended by friends” won Best of Show & Best of Class at the 4th Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition. Larry set out to make a Saint-Émilion style blend with enjoyable drinking characteristics. He has also won numerous other awards, much too long to enumerate here.
The History of Carménère
The history of the Carménère varietal is as fascinating as it is happenstance! It was once one of the grapes in the Médoc region of Bordeaux. It served a similar purpose as Petit Verdot does today – producing a deep red ink on wines. It was one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux. Carménère originates from the French word for crimson (carmin) which refers to the crimson color of the autumn foliage.
(Photo from Wikipedia of Carménère grapes)
When the Phylloxera plague hit in 1867 destroying most of the vineyards in Europe, many thought the Carménère grape was extinct. It wasn’t until 150 years later that it was discovered that Chile had preserved the Carménère grape thinking it was Merlot (from clippings planted from France). DNA confirmed that it was the missing 6th varietal of Bordeaux.
The Story Behind This Tasting
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Larry is about to release 3 new vintages of Carménère wines from 3 different vineyards. He asked if I could do a write up on these wines. An obvious easy task per se if one wine is from Napa, another from Central Coast and the third is from the Sierra Foothills. Each “terroir” would play significantly in the construction and flavor profile of each wine, making each unique. The difficulty in trying to dissect each was a bit enormous. By the way only 71 acres of Carménère are planted in California.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
So coming up with a way to compare and contrast each was the challenge. Larry’s Carménère, two are from Livermore and one from Pleasanton, the adjoining city. While differences in the vineyard management, soil, row orientation exist, it would most likely be “similar” in “terroir”. Adding to it was that Carménère being a strong varietal, really needs food to express its quintessential character.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The solution was to enlist the help of a few friends in the community. So six of us gathered Sunday evening to delve into the challenge. Fortunately, four of the invitees are not only good friends but wine judges and one is even a winemaker for a large winery with lots of experience. So part one was solved enlisting more “eyes and mouths”. The second issue was food with the wine.
Photos ©Michael Kelly
A detailed list was compiled on foods that would showcase the Carménère grape. It was sent to all and each couple (and us) were to bring one or two tapa plates to share with the group. The dishes included: marinated and seared Carne Asada on the BBQ served with lime and cilantro, BBQ’ed Portabella mushrooms with sauce, roasted garlic French bread, cucumber tomato onion and feta cheese salad with a light rosemary dressing, roasted red tomatoes, white beans and rosemary dish, and homemade white bean and kale soup topped with croutons, olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese.
One last issue was the glassware. To be as impartial as possible each couple brought six glasses of the same size and shape. So when each wine was poured the same aromas would waft into the senses being confined from the same wine glasses. The idea behind the small tapas was to taste each one with each wine to help formulate their conclusion. As a footnote, each bottle was brought out of the cellar (55 degrees) three hours before the event, decanted and poured back into the bottle and then sealed with a plug. Served at 65 degrees.
One last item still remained to make this as “objective” as possible. How to rate the tasting? This was not a blind tasting, but how much information was to be disseminated? So constructing a simple template focused on: visional, smell, taste and finish. Additionally any significant notes for each could be added. Barrel treatment was disclosed to provide context for wine tasting. Here is the wine barrel and alcohol levels for each being barrel aged for 18 months:
Casa de Vinas (Livermore)
33% new French oak
67% once used American oak
14% alcohol
Insel Family Vineyard (Pleasanton)
100% new French oak
13% alcohol
Little Dog Vineyard (Livermore)
50% new French oak
50% once used French oak
13.2% alcohol
Each person was allowed to taste individually or do a compare and contrast with the other two, it was up to each to decide their methodology. At the end of the session, we went around the table and shared our notes. So here is how each solidly produced wine did in this compare and contrast exercise.
First up was Casa de Vinas with unedited notes:
Eyes: the lightest of the three, with a little tone of brown, dark ruby coloring
Aromas: oak, earthy, cola, American oak, smoky
Taste: very dry, candied orange peel, balanced, flat, cranberry, strong acidity
Finish: slight sweetness, boring and too short, lackluster, needed food, food friendly
Other notes: Best with food to bring out the character, it became alive with food
Next up was Insel Family Vineyards with unedited notes:
Eyes: dark violet / ruby, medium, no ruby coloring, medium viscosity
Aromas: violets, floral, mint, black licorice, bell pepper, opens in the glass, caramel, vanilla, green pepper and spice.
Taste: minerality, oak, vanilla, not jammy, vanilla with a little acidity, spicy and fruit on secondary taste
Finish: flat, great w/mushrooms, tangy w/mushrooms, tasted higher in alcohol, good finish, long finish, well rounded
Other notes: well-rounded without food, could drink alone or with food
Last up was Little Dog Vineyard with unedited notes:
Eyes: darkest, inky, green/dingy, burgundy coloring deep red, dark ruby
Aromas: pepper, caramel, green beans, minty green, earthy, cola, green pepper with fruit
Taste: caramel, tannins, smoky, vanilla, caramel, pleasing good tannin balance, slight pepper
Finish: smooth, flat without food, best with beef appetizer, bitter on finish, smooth and lingering
Other notes: gripping tannins perfect with food
Definitely a lot to sort through, but it is like trying to choose your favorite child or best song ever heard, which cannot be done! All were essentially true to the varietal and no flaws exhibited. We did a vote at the end to see who would buy each one. The overall favorite was overwhelming Insel Family Vineyards, followed by Little Dog and then Casa de Vinas. You the reader can sort through the notes and depending on food or food choices, determine your favorite.
Never were the words truer from Andre Simon on this varietal that “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners”.
I want to thank Tana and Gregg Cole, Darlene and Steve Besst and Susan Kelly for their insights, food preparations and “hard work” for the evening. We did get to relax after the event with some other wines and Irish whiskeys for the grueling work!
Sláinte,
Michael
October 4, 2023 at 2:12 pm
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