Behind the Cork™ - LO CA Organic Wines

LO-CA organic Chardonnay and Malbec, from Domaine Bousquet in Uco Valley Argentina, are feel-good, taste-good wines with more altitude, attitude, and fewer calories.

The name, LO-CA, is a play on “low-calorie,” but Loca also means “crazy” in Spanish. So, these LO-CA wines are low-calorie, low-alcohol, low-sugar, vegan, gluten-free, USDA-certified organic, Regenerative Organic Certified™, and Eco cert-approved – how crazy is that!

2023 Domaine Bousquet LO-CA Organic Chardonnay ($14)

This LO-CA wine is produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes that were harvested about two months earlier than for standard bottlings. It was then fermented in stainless steel tanks for 12-17 days. Bottling followed shortly after to ensure peak freshness.

It is medium gold in color with medium aromas of tropical fruit. On the palate it has flavors of green apple and lime with crisp acidity. Alcohol: 9.5% Acidity: 7.72 gm/L, pH: 3.21, Residual Sugar: 1.21 gm/L, Calories:75 per 5 oz serving

2023 Domaine Bousquet LO-CA Organic Malbec ($14)

This LO-CA wine is produced from 100% Malbec. The grapes were harvested about two months earlier than for standard bottlings. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks for 12-17 days. Bottling followed shortly after to ensure peak freshness.

It is medium ruby in color with aromas of red fruits. On the palate, this Malbec has bright red fruit flavors including cranberry. It has medium tannin and acidity and finishes bright with some tartness. Alcohol: 9.5% Acidity: 5.62 gm/L, pH: 3.62, Residual Sugar: 1.21 gm/L, Calories:79 per 5 oz serving

These LO-CA wines from Domaine Bousquet are easy to drink, light and refreshing wines that can be enjoyed at any time. And, at the price, they fit right in as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week! Cheers!

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

Media Samples Provided by Domaine Bousquet

How Low-Alcohol and Non-Alcoholic Wines are Made

Photo by Marek Mucha on Unsplash

Low and non-alcoholic wines have been around for years. But, you may have wondered:

  • “What exactly is a low-alcohol or a non-alcoholic wine?”

  • “How are they made?”

  • “Are they any good?”

Low-Alcohol Wine

Low-alcohol wines are produced just as any other wine. Usually, winemakers want the grapes to have high levels of sugar for a full fermentation to take place. All of this sugar is then converted to alcohol during fermentation, resulting in wines with 11-15% alcohol levels. In the case of low alcohol wines, the grapes are harvested up to two months earlier than normal with lower sugar levels. This way, the fermentation goes until the lower levels of sugar are completely fermented, resulting in reduced levels of alcohol. They are still '‘dry’ wines (i.e., very low residual sugar) with full flavors to have sufficient body and structure.

Non-Alcoholic Wine

Non-alcoholic wines are actually ‘real’ wine that’s been made from fermented grapes. It then goes through one of two processes to remove the alcohol. One method is called vacuum distillation where the wine is heated to temperatures where the alcohol begins to evaporate. This temperature is below the boiling point of the wine but, because the boiling point of alcohol is lower than water, the alcohol ‘boils’ off and is pulled away in a vacuum chamber.

The other method is reverse osmosis. This process uses an extremely fine filter that only allows the water and the alcohol to pass through. The filter catches all the fine grape particles that give the wine its color, its tannin and its flavors. The mixture of water and alcohol is then distilled to remove the alcohol. The left-over water is then recombined with the grape solids to form a non-alcoholic wine.

The Bottom Line

Now, there’s that final question “Are these low-alcohol and non-alcoholic wines any good?” The simple answer is “Yes!” These white wines can be bright and refreshing while the reds can have great depth of fruit flavor and balance.

So, stay tuned for the next Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week that will feature two quality low-alcohol wines, a Chardonnay and a Malbec. Until then, cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Danaus Red Wine

Danaus Red Blend ($13)

Danaus originates from the Costers del Segre DO in the Lleida province of Catalunya in northeast Spain.

It gets its name, Danaus Plexippus (i.e., “sleepy transformation” in ancient Greek), from the scientific name for the monarch butterfly named for the monarch King William III of England.

It is produced from organic grapes: 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha Tinta (Grenache) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

It underwent cold maceration before being fermented for 15 days. It was then aged for 4 months in 300 liter French oak barrels.

Danaus red wine is medium purple in color with aromas of red fruit (cherry, plum, berry) along with floral notes and sweet tobacco leaf. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has bright red fruit flavors of cherry and cranberry while the Cabernet Sauvignon adds some extra depth and character. Its tannins are medium as is its acidity. It finishes lean with fresh fruit flavors. [ABV: 14%]

Danaus red wine is widely available (Distributed in AR, AZ, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, KS, LA, MD, ME, MI, NJ, NY, OR, VT, WA) and at this very affordable price, 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 Domaine Bousquet

Give Red Wine Blends a Try!

Photo by Mauro Lima on Unsplash

In years past in the U.S., red wine blends were sold by the jug as "Red Wine" or "Table Wine."  These were inexpensive wines that were blends of grapes, vineyards or even vintages. So, today, blends are often disregarded as being of lower quality.

We only need to look to France, home of some of the world’s best wines, to see that wine blends are nothing to turn your nose up at.  France's famous region of Bordeaux produces red blends almost exclusively.  Depending on which bank the wine is from in Bordeaux, it will be a different blend. The Left Bank is known for its blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon while the Right Bank blends are Merlot based. These blends may also include Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

Other famous regions known for their blends include the Rhône Valley that uses Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre and the so-called Super Tuscans from Italy that may include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and others.

The main reason that winemakers produce blends is to make the best wine possible. Blending different grape varieties is useful in accentuating a particular grape's virtues. Winemakers have learned never to blend an inferior wine with a good wine because the result is usually an inferior wine. Again, the goal is to produce a wine that is actually better than the sum of its parts. And by blending wines, a winemaker can produce wines that are well balanced and complex in their aromas, flavors, colors and textures. The blended grapes can add layers of flavor that will change through the process of taking the first sip, letting it sit on your tongue and then as you swallow.

Another thing you may not realize is that many wines labeled in the U.S. as single varietals are actually blends.  The laws state that for a wine to be labeled as a single varietal, it must contain at least 75% of the noted grape. But that leaves the other 25% for the winemaker to be creative and generally to blend in other grape-types that results in their best possible wine.

So don't shy away from red wine blends.  These can actually be some of the best wines in the world. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Domaine Bousquet Cameleon Signature Organic Cabernet Sauvignon

2021 Domaine Bousquet Cameleon Signature Organic Cabernet Sauvignon ($20)

Like its namesake, Cameleon is the embodiment of adaptation to the environment. The label symbolizes the story of the Bousquet family, a fourth-generation family that left their native France after a long worldwide search for an idyllic wine growing region. Their search came to a natural conclusion in Tupungato where the Bousquet family tailored their extensive winemaking knowledge to the carefully chosen land. The European grapes such as Chardonnay, also adapted to the characteristics of the fertile Argentinean soil, creating the distinctive wine the family had sought.

This Cameleon Signature Organic Cabernet Sauvignon was produced form 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Malbec. They were hand harvested from organic vineyards and underwent cold maceration for 48 hours. It was then fermented with selected yeast for 10 days followed by 10 days of additional maceration. It underwent 100% malolactic conversion and was aged in contact with French oak for 6 to 8 months.

This wine is deep purple in color. On the nose it has medium-intensity notes of black fruit with herbal notes, some spiciness and a bit of dried tobacco. On the palate, this is a full-bodied Cab with flavors of black berry, black cherry and a hint of blueberry. This young Cab has bold tannin right out of bottle that settles down nicely after 1+ hours of decanting. It finishes smooth with just a bit of tartness. [ABV: 14.5%, Acidity: 5.55 gm/L, pH:3.67, Residual Sugar: 2.36 g/L]

This Cameleon Signature Organic Cabernet Sauvignon from Domaine Bousquet is big and bold and pairs well with grilled beef. And, at this great price, it’s 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 Domaine Bousquet