The Amazing WAPISA Wines from Patagonia from the Atlantic Coast of Argentina by Philip S. Kampe

From the first taste of the WAPISA Malbec, I knew that my tastebuds were in for a treat. You see, this Malbec was not the usual desirable unique flavor of Malbec, but, a much softer, elegant version that seduced your inner wine desires. 

It was like there was a new Malbec in town.

The reason why this version of Malbec was so special is because the vineyard is close to the maritime coast and the result is unlike any Malbec I have ever tasted before.

The Wapisa vineyard experiments with aging wines underwater, as well, which is considered optimum for aging wine due to its  pressurized atmosphere that provides constant temperature and maximum conditions for aging wines. 

Years ago, I visited winemaker Raul Perez in Spain,  who was experimenting with the underwater aging process. His results were exceptional. 

Not only was the 2017 Wapisa Malbec a big surprise to my palate, but, also the Pinot Noir and the Sauvignon Blsnc were just as life changing.

If you want to experiment with wines from Patagonia, these are the first wines I would try. Why? Because, they are unlike all others and are extremely affordable (Under twenty) and available. 

Wapisa Malbec 2017 Mature tannins, excellent structure, balanced acidity, quiet intensity, expressive aromatics, flavors of plum, blackberry, oak, chocolate, vanilla, smoke, leather and earth dominate the layers of flavors.

Wapisa Pinot Noir 2018 Dry, medium intensity, body and acidity with outstanding aromas of cherry and rose petals followed by flavors on your palate of strawberry, raspberry, vanilla, oak and clove. The wine is fresh, silky and delicate 

Wapisa Sauvignon Blanc 2019 is amazingly expressive with lightning intense  flavors of citrus, lime, pink grapefruit, ginger and sassafras. Its full body, juicy and ready to impress your palate.

The tasting of the three wines from Wapisa immediately has made me a true fan and can’t wait to order more bottles online so I can impress my wine buddies at our monthly blind wine tastings, as well as our pandemic friends. 

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

Think Sherry: Harvey’s Bristol Cream, Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso and Think Halloween Candy by Philip S. Kampe

 

Back in the ‘good old days’ when I was a kid growing up in New Orleans, my parents, avid wine drinkers,  would always serve a glass of ‘Harvey’s Bristol Cream’ sherry to their guests with a scoop of Angelo Brocao’s, a local legend, famous Spumoni ice cream. 

Since those days, as an adult, I follow what my parents did, plus I have added a couple of other sherries to the mix because they inspire me to pair them with interesting  foods. 

Friends, who never have thought of purchasing sherry, use my example and imitate my tastes.

Since Halloween is upcoming and chances are everyone will be home with the kids, either zooming their friends or just celebrating at home, I suggest to drink your favorite sherry that evening. I’ll recommend three different styles of sherry to pair Halloween candy. Its a novel way to celebrate.

As mentioned earlier, Harvey’s Bristol Cream is a great starting point. Its a unique, seven year aged sherry that is made with a blend of  Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado and Pedro Ximenez grapes. At 17.5% alcohol and bottled in the sherry capital of the world (Jerez, Spain), it is the leading sherry in sales in the world. The dark brown hue opens up to a bouquet of caramel leading to a creamy, sweet fruit finish. I would recommend pairing it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with ground whoppers and a broken up Kit Kat bar.

The second sherry, using the dried, sweet white grape, Pedro Ximenez, tastes like the ‘ nectar of the gods.’ The sun dried grape is dried in the sun for a couple of weeks, evaporation takes over causing sugar concentration. Fermentation is followed by fortification. The next eight years the sherry follows the traditional‘Solera method.’ After that, the intense, syrupy wine transforms into a nectar reminiscent of figs, dates, raisins and honey. Nectar, the name of the wine from Gonzalez Byass is great poured over vanilla ice cream mixed dark chocolate candy bars.

The third recommendation is Alfonso, an Oloroso sherry made with 100% Palomino Fino grapes. Its aged eight years in American oak, using the solera system. Its 18% alcohol yields a very pronounced vanilla taste mixed with complex sweet notes.  The nose yields oak, leather and earthy truffle fragrances. Like the other two wines, this wine should be served chilled  and would pair with a peanut laden Payday candy bar. 

Halloween is on the horizon. 

Think Sherry and Halloween candy.

2020 is the year to mix it up!

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

Searching Argentina for a Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon Blend? Well, I found the answer: AMANCAYA by Philip S. Kampe

 

After a weeks worth of my beloved Argentine Malbec, ARUMA, I decided to see what else is on the horizon from the partnership of Nicolas Catena and Barons de Rothschild Lafite. ARUMA, one of their wines, was so wonderful and affordable and was a great escape from European wines. 

What else do they make that is in or under the twenty dollar range? ARUMA was under fifteen.

A wine friend of mine from San Francisco suggested a Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, called AMANCAYA. Its 72% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. She suggested that I try the 2017 because it’s classified as an exceptional vintage. 

The wines from Rothschild are well known for their lightly toasted barrels, which helps to preserve the aromatics. The oak integrates with the fruit, producing a well balanced, harmonious wine in the Bordeaux style. 

After finding AMANCAYA online,  it was apparent that the 2017 is a perfectly balanced blend of both the Bordeaux and Argentinian styles, resulting into an evolution of Malbec’s fruity side paired with the elegance  of Cabernet Sauvignon. The high altitude of Mendoza seems to be the perfect setting for the 2017 AMANCAYA Reserve Red Blend. 

The taste profile of this wine darts from dry to fairly acidic, a bit tannic, yet bold in style. The wine is an example of the meeting of the minds of Nicolas Catena and Barons de Rothschild Lafite.

Notes of vanilla, chocolate, plum, blackberry, leather, earth and smoke intermingle to make this a seamless wine. 

And a wine you should try.

Argentina is a land of wine bargains, especially those made by this partnership. I can only imagine what a high end wine might taste like. If the two under twenty dollar wines I have sampled were this good, there’s no telling what is in store in the premium category.

Stay tuned for my next installment.

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

ARUMA, an Affordable Argentinian Malbec You Should Have by Philip S. Kampe

 

What could be better than sampling wines online with a master instructor.

Thank you Philippe Rolet for leading an interactive tasting of recently released wines from Mendoza (Argentina). I’m still amazed how someone, in this case, Mr. Rolet, can come into my house via the internet (Webinar) and make such a compelling presentation about the wines he represents from Argentina.  

Immediately after the presentation, I  purchased a case of this amazing Malbec for my personal use. 

The wine I am talking about is a 2018 Cantena ARUMA Malbec, made from a partnership between two giants in the industry, Nicolas Catena Zapata, who put Argentina on the map, and Baron de Rothschild. 

Together, they crafted this Bordeaux style Malbec, using no oak and made to drink young,

Sampling this pedigree wine found great balance between the 14.5% alcohol level, smooth tannins and remarkably long finish. Malbec, originally a French clone, has found a permanent home in Argentina, where the powerful grape exudes concentrated fruit into a sea of unending smooth flavors. 

Several years ago I visited Mendoza and realized the hot days and cool nights were a perfect blend for the Malbec grape. The result, at least in this case is a remarkable wine that has elegant balance, lots of juice and a hint of spice. 

Try it!

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

Mosketto-The Last Fizz of the Season by Philip S. Kampe

 Its been a great summer, at least weather wise. With the pandemic taking center stage, its been difficult to entertain. Well, that still may be the case, but, with proper distancing and some fun wines to enjoy, possibly the next few weeks when the weather may be agreeable for the last time until next year ( depending where you live), an outdoor get together makes sense. 

Last week, we had our second socially spaced get together in six months. It was outdoors and well spaced for three guests. Knowing that this was an experiment, I chose to serve wines that were fun, vibrant and effervescent.

 Bubbles, with low alcoholic content was the way to go on a day when temperatures hit the 80’s. Crisp, fruity and lively wine was the answer.  Who needs a 15% red?

The plan was intact. We would start off with an Americano Negroni, then switch over to Moscato afterwards. 

Choosing the Moscato was easy. I was introduced to Mosketto, red, white and rose, awhile ago. The wine is from Piedmont (Italy) and is naturally fermented, low alcohol (5.5%) and addictive.

When our guests arrived, I served them the Americano version of a Negroni, made the traditional way with white Mosketto, sweet Vermouth, Campari, ice cubes and a slice of orange. 

After cocktails, we ate Andalusian gazpacho paired with pink Mosketto, then pulled pork with red Mosketto, followed by my favorite Italian pastry, sfogliatelle with white Mosketto.

The wines from Asti, the home of Moscato, really set the tone of the evening. 

Enjoy your outings before old man winter sets in.

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com 

Malvazija-The Versatile White Wine of Istria by Philip S. Kampe

 

The title says it all. Malvazija from Istria is truly versatile.

Istria, a peninsula, was once in the hands of Italy, Yugoslavia and Austro-Hungary. 

It is now part of Croatia and a region I visited on my travels. Istria is a fairy tale land abutting the sea and dotted with beautiful green hillsides, castles, vines, herbs, small seaside communities and world class truffles. 

Most natives have vines and produce wine for themselves. Croatia has begun to make an inroads into the international wine scene. Istria is no exception, but, has limitations with a little more than 10,000 acres to harvest. 

Don’t let that fool you, as many of the bottles are exported to America.

Malvazija has many flavors from this peninsula, depending where the vineyards are located. The vines can grow near the Adriatic or can grow on the mountainside, which reaches above 3,500 feet. 

I thought it would be best to sample a Malvazija from each area. I chose a 2018 Ritosa Vina Malvazija from near Porec, close to the Adriatic and a 2019 Fakin Vina Malvazija from the inland, near Motovun. Both wines are available in the U.S.

The two styles were completely different, as the 2018 Ritosa, from the seaside was refreshing, acidic and made for seafood. Its light straw color had a faint greenish overtone. There is a presence of orchard fruit, almonds and saline on the palate. It is a clean and fresh wine and the style of Malvazija for easy drinking.

Contrast the 2018 Ritosa to the 2019 Fakin Malvazija and you will see the versatility of the grape. The inland location with different soil and altitude, minus sea breezes and the reflective sun, made this wine a completely different animal. The 2019 Fakin was full of depth, very earthy, rich, dry, bitter, nutty, honeyed and a food friendly wine. Fortunately, I sampled the wine with Croatian friends who ran to their refrigerator with a couple ounces of truffles to pair with this wine. It was a match made in heaven because where the vines grow, so do the truffles. 

In summary, it is my recommendation to try both styles of Malvazija Istarska. It is like Malvazija 101, an easy course to understand the obvious differences that location, soil and altitude make. 

Philip S. Kampe 

Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com  

St. Bartholomew and ... Klopotec? A Croatian Wine Story

It is not known when Saint Bartholomew was born or when he died, so in Western Christianity he is celebrated on August 24. In addition to religious observations, this red martyr became known in folk customs as a protector of many trades, including the winegrowers.

Caption: Luiz Alberto, wine judge - founder of #winelover community - in Međimurje, Croatia, with “klopotec” in the background.  

While in some cultures the feast St. Bartholomew in August has been marked for centuries with various fairs, in Croatia, specifically in the Croatian uplands, St. Bartholomew or Sveti Bartol, is celebrated traditionally as a day when winemakers check the ripeness of grapes. 

Caption:  Tatjana Hažić checking Traminac 8/23/2020

Just today, Tatjana Hažić, the winemaker and producer at Vinska Kuca Hažić, checked the grapes and is optimistic about this year: “Looking good!,” she says, “healthy grapes and leaves on this Traminac!”

In fact, there is a saying in Međimurje: 

“Ako Bartol zrelo grožđe kuša, dobra je za muža.”

(If Bartol tastes ripe grapes, it is a good year for the husband.) 

This clearly is an old saying - the assumption is that the winemaker is a man. Well, if one fast forwards to 21^st century, Croatia has many women winemakers (which is an entirely different story). 

In this story, the two women that play a big role are sisters Tatjana and Valentina Hažić, who are not only winemakers and producers of natural juices in this family estate, but are also organizing many events gathering people from afar to celebrate Međimurje traditions. Enter raising of Klopotec on St. Bartholomew’s celebration.

 

Caption:  Tatjana and Valentina Hažić at Vinska Kuća Hažić

 

What is “Klopotec”?

The literal translation is rattle, but this is a rather big one. Klopotec consists of a large pole with sort of a mill on top, that has been built from various types of wood to create the most possible noise. The oak branches are also added for easier flow, as their leaves don’t fall after they dry. Why is the noise needed? Well, if the grapes are ripe, the birds will come for a feast and the winemakers will have none of that. 

So, on St. Bartholomew, it is a tradition to gather everyone to check the grapes, raise klopotec and wish for the best possible weather for the last few weeks for the grapes. This year, there was no wind so Dean Radanović, cyclist from Zagreb, climbed up to start the rattling.

Then, of course, everyone starts to drink wine. 

Živjeli!

 

Where to Get Wines from Međimurje 

With these kinds of stories of people, traditions and the attention given to the grapes, the wines of course taste great. To taste Croatian wines, including the ones made in the shadows of klopotec, you can find them for a home delivery to most US States at: www.CroatianPremiumWine.com/shop-online  

Živjeli!

 Author: Mirena Bagur, Co-Founder and VP/Brand Management, of the USA-based and -operated Croatian Premium Wine Imports, Inc., www.croatianpremiumwine.com, was born and educated in Croatia.  Always up for adventure, after college years in Zagreb, Croatia, Mirena traveled around the world and settled in Boston, Massachusetts, where she had a career in technology marketing.  She is thankful for her parents who instilled in her appreciation for the Croatian community, history and culture, for her children who love the Croatian culture, but lovingly mock her accent, and her husband who is her partner in crime.