Behind the Cork™ - LAN Rioja Reserva

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2012 LAN Rioja Reserva

Recently I featured LAN Rioja Crianza as the Behind the Cork™ wine of the week. Now we step it up to the LAN Rioja Reserva.

This Rioja is from vineyards in the Rioja Alta and Alavesa subzones with an average age of vines
being more than 25 years.

This LAN Rioja is produced from 92% Tempranillo and 8% Mazuelo grapes. It is fermented in stainless steel tanks, and undergoes three weeks of maceration with frequent pumping-over to ensure a good color extraction. It is then aged for 18 months in hybrid barrels of French and American oak. LAN Reserva then remains another 20 months in the bottle to complete its rounding off.

The LAN Rioja Reserva is a medium ruby red in color with black cherry, black berry and raisin on the nose. It’s big on the front end with bright fruit flavors, jammy cherry, low acid and a hint of chocolate on the delicate finish.

Chill this LAN Rioja Reserva to 63 - 66 degrees F and enjoy with bold cheeses, grilled meats or just by the glass. 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 Stefanie Schwalb, Gregory+Vine

Behind the Cork™ - Beronia Rosé

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2019 Beronia Rosé ($12.99)

Here’s another returning star to Behind the Cork™. This Beronia Rosé is from the Rioja region of Spain. It is produced from 70% Tempranillo and 30% Garnacha.

Both the Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes underwent cold pre-fermentation maceration for several hours to extract as much of the primary aromas as possible.

Next, they underwent static debourbage at 41 degrees F. This is a process in which the must of a wine is allowed to settle before racking off the wine, thus reducing the need later for filtration or fining.

Finally, alcoholic fermentation took place and the wine rested in the bottle for at least two months before being released to market.

The resulting wine is bright pink-orange in color, has bright floral aromas of rose petals. On the palate it’s light and refreshing with flavors of candied cherries and citrus. This is a dry rosé that’s perfect as the days get warmer and outside activities are in full swing.

Enjoy this Beronia Rosé with or without foods. 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 Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications


Behind the Cork™ - Bodegas LAN Crianza

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2016 Bodegas LAN Crianza

This Bodegas LAN Crianza is from Spain’s famous Rioja region that is best known for its Tempranillo that is a full-bodied wine that is typically high in tannin.

The winery’s name LAN represents the initials of the DOCa provinces Logroño (which today is Rioja), Álava and Navarra.

This LAN Crianza is produced from 95% Tempranillo and 5% Mazuelo that were selected from 10 to 20-year-old vines.

The de-stemmed grapes were lightly crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks. Maceration occurred in contact with the grape skins for 15 days along with pumping the juice over the cap of grape skins daily for develop maximum color and aromatic extraction.

This Bodegas LAN Rioja wine is labeled as “Crianza.” One of the translations of the word “Crianza” is ‘aging.’ And, indeed, this style of Rioja is required to be aged for one year in oak. This LAN Crianza was aged for 14 months in combined American and French oak barrels followed by 9 months of rounding in the bottle prior to release.

On the nose this wine has notes of black cherry and plum along with floral notes and spice. On the palate it’s fully-bodied with big dark fruit flavors, mild acidity and highly tannic.

Chill this one to 60-64 degrees F and give it plenty of time in a decanter to help soften the tannins. Then, enjoy this big red LAN Rioja with pasta, pizza, poultry, or grilled red meat. 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 Stefanie Schwalb, Gregory+Vine

Behind the Cork™ - The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon

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2017 The Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon ($25)

In the spirit of American craftsmanship, this unique Cabernet Sauvignon from The Federalist represents the bold American tradition of aging in charred bourbon barrels.

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is from Lodi California.

On the nose it has bold aromas of berries, black cherry and plum. And, you can’t miss the smoky aroma imparted by bourbon barrels.

On the palate this Cab has bold flavors of fig, coco and spices. Its tannins are mellow and finishes with sweet caramel. Oh, and did I mention the bourbon barrel aging? The six months this Cabernet spends aging in the bourbon barrels really adds bold notes.

If you love a full-bodied wine this one goes beyond with its bourbon barrel aging. This big one was excellent with a juicy steak and mushrooms. And, it fits right in with the Behind the Cork™ theme of being affordable and attainable. 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 Will Rogers, Donna White Communications



Behind the Cork™ - The Federalist Chardonnay

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2018 The Federalist Chardonnay ($23)

The Federalist Chardonnay pays homage to the work of our Federalist Founding Fathers fighting for our country’s liberty. And, the Status of Liberty was the best symbol of their accomplishment.

This wine is 100% Chardonnay from Mendocino County California. Following primary fermentation it undergoes Malolactic fermentation with the lees being stirred throughout. The wine is aged surlies until blending.

The Federalist Chardonnay is aged in 35% new oak that is primarily American and Hungarian oak with a little bit of French oak. The Hungarian oak mimics French with spicy character and the American oak rounds it out with a sweeter finish.

The Federalist Chardonnay is medium gold in color with notes of pear, green apple and apple spice. On the palate it’s big in flavors of buttery baked apple and spices with moderate acidity.

The Federalist Chardonnay is “The perfect wine for light fare, deep conversations and declaring your independence.” This is a really good one and fits perfectly with the Behind the Cork™ theme of being affordable and attainable. Enjoy. 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 Will Rogers, Donna White Communications