Behind the Cork™ - Esporao Bico Amarelo

2021 Bico Amarelo ($12)

Herdade do Esporão is part of the Alentejo’s montado ecosystem (cork oak forests), in Portugal. With approximately 700 hectares of vineyards and around 40 grape varieties, they grow using organic methods and integrated production.

Quinta do Ameal, in the region of Vinho Verde, is a historic property cradled in the Lima sub-region that has been registered since 1710.

The main grape varieties used to produce this wine are Loureiro, Alvarinho and Avesso which are all common to the Vinho Verde region.

It was fermented at a controlled temperature (10-15ºC) for 12 to 15 days then aged in contact with the lees for about 4 to 6 months in stainless steel vats.

This Bico Amarelo is medium gold in color with some subtle green tones. It has delicate aromas of citrus and floral notes. On the palate it is dry (1.5 g/l RS) and light-bodied with flavors of citrus and nectarine and finishes with refreshing acidity.

This Bico Amarelo from Vinho Verde Portugal is a great value which makes it a perfect fit as this week’s
Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Esporão and Now Wine Imports via Creative Palate

Get to Know the Pinots -- Pinot Noir

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the least known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. Now let’s look at the most notable of the Pinots - Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir’s name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine refers to the shape of the tightly clustered, pinecone–shaped bunches of fruit, while noir (black) comes from the dark colored grapes.

Pinot Noir is probably best known as the “red” wine in Burgundy and least known as one of the three primary varietals in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine that is low in tannin. It’s also a favorite for the production of rosé wines and can also be found as a white wine!

Cluster of Pinot Noir Grapes

The most common flavors of Pinot Noir include cherry, cranberry and raspberry. But, its flavors tend to be highly dependent on terroir (i.e., where it is grown). Pinot is grown around the world and most notably in France, USA (California and Oregon), Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Because Pinot Noir has such delicate aromas, it is generally recommended that it be served in a large round bell-shaped glass. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Quinta do Ameal Loureiro

2021 Quinta do Ameal Loureiro ($18)

The Quinta do Ameal is a historic estate in the Vinho Verde, a well-known wine region in the northwest Portugal. The quality of the wines made there are so fresh and light that they earned the nickname verde which means ‘green.’

This wine is produced from the Loureiro (lou-REH-row) grape which dates back to the late 18th Century. The name Loureiro means "laurel" and refers to the distinctive aroma of the berries.

The grapes for this wine were manually harvested and then pressed. Fermentation was temperature controlled (50-59 F) for 12 to 15 days in stainless steel vats. It then spent seven months on lees also in stainless steel tanks.

This Ameal Loureiro is pale straw in color with aromas of citrus and herbs. On the palate it has mouth-watering acidity, medium flavors of citrus and green apple, some minerality and a lingering finish.

This wine has been receiving 90+ point rating from Wine Enthusiast, Robert Parker, Wine&Spirits and Decanter and gets a big thumbs-up here as a delicious and affordable Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Now Wine Imports via Creative Palate

Get to Know the Pinots -- Pinot Gris

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the least known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier. Now, let’s take a look at Pinot Gris.

A member of the extended Pinot family of grape varieties, Pinot Gris (PEE-no GREE) is a mutation of Pinot Noir that has skins that are not green like other white grape. And, in the vineyard, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir varieties look identical right up until veraison (when the grapes begin to ripen and change color). This is when Pinot Gris berries take on colors from orange-pink to pale, dusty purple. In fact, the word gris is French for "gray" and refers to the dusty, light-gray sheen the grapes usually take on.

Pinot Gris Grapes

And, by the way, Pinot Gris is simply the French name for the grape that Italian’s refer to as Pinot Grigio. So, they are both the same but, as with all wines, they can taste different based their terrior (i.e., soil, climate, topography).

Pinot Gris wine is typically pale gold in color with aromas and flavors of citrus, pear, green apple, white peach and nectarine. There can also be herbal and spice notes along with floral and honey. It tends to be high in acidity.

So, next time we’ll look at yet another Pinot - Pinot Blanc. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Beronia Rioja Crianza

2018 Beronia Rioja Crianza ($15)

This wine is imported by González Byass which is headquartered in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. It is a family-­owned collection of wineries that was founded in 1835 and spans across Spain’s most important wine producing regions.

This Beronia Crianza, from the Rioja region of Spain, is made from 96% Tempranillo, 3% Garnacha and 1% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan). By Rioja regulations, a Crianza (“kree-ahn-tha”) wine must be aged for a total of two years with at least one year in oak barrels. In the case of this wine, its one year of barrel aging was done in barrels made of American oak staves and French oak ends. It was then bottled and left to rest for three months prior to its release.

This wine is medium ruby in color and has nice aromatics including red fruits (cherry and raspberry) and herbal notes. On the palate this Beronia Crianza has big red fruit flavors, medium tannin and a really nice lingering finish with a bit of crisp acidity.

This Beronia Crianza Rioja is imported by González Byass USA and nicely fits as an affordable and attainable Behind the Cork™ wine of the week! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by González Byass via Donna White Communications