Delicious Reds
Semaphore 7
the place
Alentejo POR
the grapes
Alicante Bouschet, Tinto Aragones, Trincadeira
the process
Semaphore 7 is made in the Alentejo region of southern Portugal. The winery is committed
to environmentally responsible practices. Their land is divided between vineyards, cork
forests and areas used for the breeding and conservation of native species. One such
species is the Merino sheep, which graze among the vines during the winter months,
replacing herbicide.
Aged for 3 months in American Oak after a traditional fermentation.
the price
Bottle: $15 | Glass: $7
Domaine du Crampilh
the place
Madiran FR
the grapes
Tannat
the process
Natural viticulturalist Bruno Oulie creates a classic yet approachable Madiran out of his 30+ year-old Tannat vines. While still a traditional inky black color, Cuvée l’Originel has bright red and purple flecks that give it a warming glow. Fragrant blueberries and blackberries dominate the intense nose, with shades of soft dark and brown spices. On the palate, it is round and rich with soft, velvety tannins that more deeply express the flavors carried on the nose. The finish is long, fruity, with soft spices and chocolate notes. Pair with heartier dishes and cheeses.
the price
Bottle: $27 | Glass: $12
Vina Sastre
the place
Rioja ESP
the grapes
Tempranillo
the process
Following a manual harvest, the wine is fermented with native yeasts and undergoes a long maceration on the skins. The wines are cold stabilized naturally by moving the wine from the barrel room to separate tanks in a part of the winery whose temperature is naturally regulated by the outdoor winter temperatures. It’s then racked into one, two, and three-year-old French and American oak barrels and aged eight months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
the price
Bottle: $25 | Glass: $12
Rasa Vineyards ‘Occam’s Razor’
the place
Columbia Valley WA
the grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Cab Franc, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, and Petit Verdot
the process
William of Ockham was a 14th century Franciscan Friar and philosopher. There is a heuristic, or rule of thumb, attributed to him (though he never specifically sites the heuristic in his work, he was a proponent of it). The heuristic is called lex parsimoniae (law of parsimony): given that all things are equal, the simplest answer tends to be the correct answer. Lex parsimoniae is better known today as Occam’s Razor, in honor of William of Ockham.
Forward, seductive and plush, this opens with a bouquet of blackberry jam, black tea, mint and boysenberry jam. This leads to ripe flavors of black cherry, eucalyptus, red raspberry and coffee grounds. This has the stuffing and structure to cellar well into the next decade as this is a truly outstanding value at this price point.
the price
Bottle: $25 | Glass: $11