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

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

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

Behind the Cork™ - Caldora Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

2020 Caldora Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($15)

Caldora is located in Abruzzo on the Adriatic coast in East-central Italy.

Caldora has a special arrangement with the many growers who own over 1,500 hectares of land in the two coastal provinces of Teramo to the north and Chieti to the south. The award-winning winemaking team carefully selects the best portions of each vineyard depending on clones, position in the vineyard and age of vines. They then direct the farming of these vineyard rows including reducing the yield per vine, to ensure the highest quality grapes. This arrangement means they are not actually buying grapes, but rather renting vineyards or portions of vineyards.

This wine from Caldora is produced from 100% Montepulciano grapes that are hand harvested and undergo de-stemming, delicate crushing and pre-fermentation maceration to extract color and some tannin.

This Caldora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is medium ruby in color with aromas of red fruits and spices. On the palate it has rich blackberry and plum flavors, soft tannin, low acidity and a long easy finish.

If you are not already familiar with Montepulciano wines, please checkout this Caldora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It’s a good one! 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

Behind the Cork™ - Ritual Pinot Noir

2019 Ritual Pinot Noir ($21)

The Ritual estate is situated in the extreme eastern end of Chile’s Casablanca Valley that is heavily influenced by the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean — ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir. Following organic practices, the winemaking team uses compost to feed the soils to promote a balanced and self-regulated ecosystem, cover cropping and seeding for revitalizing the soils and sheep to help mow the grass and act as a natural fertilizers.

The vineyards are surrounded by 6000 acres of native forest, creating a balanced, bio-diverse landscape for healthy vines to thrive alongside natural wildlife corridors and native vegetation.

The Ritual Pinot Noir is produced from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that are hand-picked in small batches and carefully double-sorted. A portion of the fruit is whole-cluster fermented to promote structure and complexity. It is fermented with wild yeasts and aged 11 months in 20% new French oak barrels.

This Ritual Pinot Noir is pale ruby in color with the distinctive red fruit aromas and some earthiness. On the palate, it is delicate with the classic cherry and cranberry flavors, balanced acidity and a light finish.

This Ritual Pinot Noir, from the Casablanca Valley in Chile, stands up to those being produced in California and Oregon and, at the price, makes this wine a nice fit as the 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