Behind the Cork™ - Alto de la Ballena Reserva

2018 Alto de la Ballena Reserva Tannat-Viognier ($26)

Alto de la Ballena is a small winery founded by husband and wife Paula Pivel and Alvaro Lorenzo.

They began its plantations in 2001 with first harvest in 2005 and the first wines were presented to the market in 2007.

Located in the Sierra de la Ballena, 15 km (9.3 miles) from the coast, Alto de la Ballena combines oceanic air and mountain soils. There are just over 8 hectares (~20 acres) of Merlot, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Viognier, for a limited production of high quality wines.

This wine is produced from both Tannat (85%) and Viognier (15%) grapes. This blending of a red wine grape with a white wine grape has many benefits. Both grape-types are hand picked and crushed into the same vat where, after macerating at low temperature for three days, they co-ferment. Then, the wine is then aged for nine months in American oak barrels. (14% ABV, Total Acidity: 6.1 g/L, pH: 3.4, RS: 1.9 g/L)

This 2018 Alto de la Ballena wine is medium ruby in color with medium aromas of red fruit and floral notes. On the palate this medium-full bodied wine has nice flavors of black and red fruit. The typically big and bold Tannat profile is definitely softened by the addition of the Viognier. But, it softens even more in the decanter for an hour. It has a medium-long finish.

This 2018 Alto de la Ballena Reserva Tannat-Viognier blend presents Tannat uniquely and is a must-try for Tannat lovers. And, at this price, it’s a great 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.

Media Sample Provided by Alto de la Ballena Bodega Y Viñedos

Ever Wonder - What is Jug Wine?

While strolling through the wine section of my local grocery store, I was asked “Do you know what Jug Wine is?” My attention was drawn to a sign above the shelves that identified the section as “Jug Wine.”

My first reaction was to state that it’s cheap bulk wine. But, the immediate follow-on question that I got was “What type of wine is it?” I had to shrug my shoulders and say “I don’t really know. Probably some blend of grapes.” Turns out, both of my responses were correct.

You’ll find that these jug wines are commonly sold as “Burgundy” for the red ones or “Chablis” for the white ones. These are trademark name of their wine brands and definitely not French wines. In France, red wines from Burgundy are made from Pinot Noir and wines from Chablis are made from Chardonnay. Some makers of the jug wines go so far as to call them “Reserve” which is just a bit of a stretch since that term is not regulated in the U.S.

So I did a little digging and learned, for example, that Gallo's Hearty Burgundy is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Teroldego and Zinfandel, while Carlo Rossi Burgundy is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet and Syrah.

Another blending wine is Barbera. In California, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Barbera was one of the most successful grapes being grown in the Central Valley, where it became a major blending component in jug wines. Unfortunately, Barbera still gets a bad rap because of this. Yet, it’s one of my favorite varietal wines, especially from the Amador and El Dorado Counties of California.

So, yes, jug wine is inexpensive bulk wine that’s a blend of different grapes. And, it’s very popular as a table wine in the U.S. So, enjoy! Cheers!