Excellent quality also comes in a box

Cuvee de Pena is a "Vin De Pays" (country wine), a step in the French wine classification which is above table wine, produced in Pyrénées-Orientales in the South of France near the border of Spain.

It is imported by Hand Picked Selections, who Robert Parker says is "Perhaps the top importer in the United States for specializing in wines that sell for less than $10."

Wine critics call this a very "friendly" wine. I tend to agree. Usually I have been disapointed by inexpensive French wines, but this one was an exception. Friends that tasted it were pleased as well.

Made with Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvedre - "Not only friendly, maybe the world’s most versatile wine. Just try to find a food it doesn’t work with! Cuvee de Peña happily accompanies hot dogs, tuna casserole, gourmet burgers, roast prime rib of beef, fish sticks, chinese carry-out, pizza... You get the picture.

In warm weather stick it in the fridge for half an hour - it won’t lose aromas or flavors. Keep it on hand!

The world’s friendliest red wine. “World’s Best Wine Values”
Robert M. Parker, Jr.’s The Wine Advocate

"The Wine Spectator Ripe, dark fruit flavors dominate this medium- to full-bodied red, with lovely chocolate pudding notes and smoky elements on the finish. Drink now through 2007. 20,000 cases made." Score: 87. —Kim Marcus, August 31, 2005.

"The Wine Advocate Available in a 3-liter bag-in-a-box, the 2003 Cuvee de Pena reveals plum and blackberry aromas. Light to medium-bodied and silky-textured, this excellent value (3 liters for $20 comes out to $5 a bottle!) displays spicy dark fruits intermingled with hints of cedar in its expressive character. Drink it over the next year." Score: 86. —Pierre Rovani, June 2005.

Willamette Valley Harvest 2010--Thus Far

by Maggie Bernat Smith

We love wine because it tells us a story. A tale of where it was grown, different varietal expressions, what the winemaker did to it when it was picked, and how the weather was that year. Wine is a delicious voice of all these things. It’s what makes us listen to it, analyze it, debate about it, and keep going back for more.

The red wine voice of Willamette Valley Oregon is Pinot Noir. It just happens to be one of the most expressive red wines in the world. Its delicate nature and thin skin has this grape wearing its heart on its sleeve and for those of us with a love for Pinot accept it and will love her no matter what. I am here in Willamette Valley Oregon right now working this 2010 harvest where the grapes are still hanging on the vines (typically they would have been picked 2-3 weeks ago). I sought the advice of Van Duzer Vineyards winemaker Jerry Murray to help me understand and what to predict this vintage.

Despite the tough start to the year, and the rocky mid-season, the end of the season is giving us the sunshine which mother nature does not normally provide this time of year. Traditionally in Oregon, it’s a race to pick the grapes before the rainy season hits. Mother nature is being very kind to Willamette Valley right now so there’s hope to pull this vintage off yet. Jerry Murray, winemaker at Van Duzer Vineyards (one of my personal favorites) said “the problem with this season is that to get to the point of physiological maturity (100-110 days) we need to hang the grapes during a window that is typically not conducive to clean and concentrated fruit; rain and cold. We are incredibly lucky that the season has played out the way it has.” He picks exclusively on the flavor of the grapes, he says that if you relied on sugar ripeness alone, you may not get there this year but if the flavors and complexity are there then the wine will be good.

It’s extremely difficult to predict what the wines will ultimately taste like until they are maturing, most of the valley has not picked their fruit yet, but I asked Jerry what we can expect as a comparison to the 2007 and 2008 vintages which are on the shelves now. He says “these wines will obviously be low alcohol making them similar to 2007 and 2008. Unlike 2007, the wines should show good concentration because, as of yet and knock on wood, the rain hasn’t caused any dilution. I suspect that acids will be higher than the 2008’s, this season has been much cooler and the grapes are holding on to their acids. Expect classic Pinot; elegance, focus, layers. Expect these wines be rest on smaller, tighter, more compact frames than most vintages. This vintage is going to be one for TRUE Pinot Lovers, not those who prefer their Pinot’s to resemble Sumo Wrestlers in a dress.”

Sounds great to this classic Pinot Noir lover!

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

by Maggie Bernat Smith

Since Noble Grape had to hire an entirely new staff due to all of the current employees running off to Oregon to work this years wine harvest, we thought it only proper to talk about Oregon wines for a spell and see why these wine enthusiasts would travel 2200 miles to help create wine there.

As you probably know (and probably drank), the Willamette Valley is famous for its Pinot Noir. As highly regarded as it is today, that was not always the case. Once upon a time (in the late 1960’s) a couple of smart, curious, optimistic UC Davis rebels came up to the hills of Oregon (and into what is now the Willamette Valley) to find a place to plant their beloved grape Pinot Noir. Their alma mater said it was impossible to grow vinifera (the wine grapes that we know today) vines in this state. However their spirit, instinct and smarts took them there anyway. This fairy tale blossoms in 1979 when David Lett (one of the rebels and the founder of Eyrie Vineyards) entered his Pinot Noir in the 1979 Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades and won top Pinot noir honors against France's best labels. The world stood up and took notice and the Willamette Valley became an official AVA in 1984. Even though it is mostly recognized for Pinot noir, it also consistently earns top honors for other such cool-climate varieties as Pinot gris, Dijon clone Chardonnay and Pinot blanc as well.

To put the Willamette Valley region in perspective--since Napa wins the prize for most visited wine area in the U.S.-- this region is approximately 150-miles long and 60-miles wide! I want to stress how large this AVA is because before coming here, It’s difficult to understand the scope and the “feel” that this wine country has compared to Napa Valley. If you’ve visited Napa-- which odds are you have if you love wine-- it epitomizes “wine country tourism.” There are wineries and vineyards everywhere you look. There are world renowned restaurants, shopping, picnic areas, B&B’s, five star resorts, spas, anything that you want or need to make a vacation complete. This is not the Willamette Valley. Along the main highways that run through it you will see; grass farms, straw farms, Christmas tree farms, apple and pear orchards, raspberry and blackberry fields. When you enter one of the many small towns in the area you will maybe find a humble B&B, a coffee shop, antique stores or a local pizza parlor. There are no resorts to cater to our wine-loving demographic, just humble beginnings and people that clearly care about the land on which their crops grow. (Note this is written in 2010 anyone reading this in 2020 things may have changed).

Oregon takes its pioneering spirit very seriously and has made considerable contributions to the modern success of Pinot Noir and wine in general. The winemakers here created strict labeling laws in the state which require any wine labeled Pinot Noir to be 90% Pinot Noir (California only need be 75%). The LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology Program) certification program begun in 1997 by Ted Casteel of Bethel Heights, requires designated wineries to use minimal chemical additives, no off-farm chemicals and fertilizers, and strive for maximal biodiversity.

Benton-Lane winery for instance is not only is certified by LIVE but practice, sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming as well. They not only make award-winning wines but also truly care about the land and grapes they cultivate so the vineyard land will sustain itself when passed on.

The featured Oregon Pinot Noir of the week is Benton-Lane Winery. Benton-Lane Pinot Noir recently won The San Francisco International Wine Competition which is the largest wine competition in the world, evaluating wines from 27 countries and 28 states, a total of 3,897 entries. Benton Lane was the only Oregon winery entry to win a Gold Medal for its 2008 Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir and 2008 Williamette Valley First Class Pinot Noir! They have also made it to Wine Spectators top 100 wines of the year 3 times in the past 5 years alone, what a truly outstanding accomplishment! You can find their Pinot at The Noble Grape which is located at 802 N. Bishop St, in the West town neighborhood.

Here's a Cheers to Autumn Beers!

Temperatures are(slowly) dropping. The days are growing shorter. And in case you haven’t noticed, a flood of autumnal colors has begun filling the shelves of your favorite beer shop. Fall beers are here, so it’s time to prepare your palate for brews that have a little extra extra malt, sugar, and spice. Typical seasonals like malty Oktoberfests and spicy Pumpkin Ales are easy to find at Noble Grape. Their orange and rust-colored packaging is synonymous with falling leaves and gourd-filled cornucopias. Although IPA’s can be found year round, they’re so much fun to drink in the Fall with those exotic mulled spices! Come September and October, these beers get all the attention, so we’d like to take a moment to highlight some of these seasonal beers for you this week.

Often released as a fall seasonal, Pumpkin Ales are quite varied. Some brewers opt to add hand-cut pumpkins and drop them in the mash, while others use puree or pumpkin flavoring. These beers also tend to be spiced with pumpkin pie spices, like: ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Pumpkin Ales are typically mild, with little to no bitterness, a malty backbone, with some spice often taking the lead. Many will contain a starchy, slightly thick-ish, mouthfeel too. In our opinion, best versions use real pumpkin, while roasting the pumpkin can also add tremendous depth of character for even better results, though both methods are time-consuming and tend to drive brewmasters insane. We are offering the Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale and the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale just to name a few.

In March 1872, over 60 years after the first Oktoberfest, Spaten brewer Josef Sedlmayr attempted to brew a beer similar to the then popular Vienna style lager. His creation, called Maerzen by some for the month it is brewed and Oktoberfest by others for the festival when it is tapped, was a hit. The overall impression left by a good Oktoberfest/Maerzen should be malt but not in the nutty, bready way of a British Brown; after all this is still a German lager. The Vienna or Munich malts lay down a broad but light malt character. With only enough hops to balance, the malty character is dominant in the aroma and flavor without being overwhelming. The body should be light brown with a white head.. A hop lovers dream. Our latest and
greatest Oktoberfest beers new to Noble Grape is Three Floyds Munsterfest and Brooklyn Brewery Oktoberfest.

If you haven't tried the seasonal beers or if you're a seasoned pro, stop in, tis the season!

by Maggie Bernat Smith

Chile has definitely had its share of hardships the past year with the devastating earthquake earlier this year and now those brave souls that are trapped in the copper mine. Why don’t we honor the people of Chile and their country by drinking their wine and contributing to their economy this week?

With Chile's enormously long coastline occupying a 2,610 mile tract of South America's western seaboard, Chile has a terrific diversity of climate and geography. With the Atacama Desert to the north and the desolate ice-fields of Patagonia to the south, the scope for winemaking is confined to a small central belt of the country with a more moderate climate. Wine has been made in Chile for centuries. Indeed, there was a European heyday for its wines in the late 19th century as the phylloxera louse (this insect destroyed European vineyards in the late 19th century and reeked havoc on California vineyards in the 20th). ravaged the vineyards of the Old World and consumers and merchants turned to Chile for a reliable supply of good wine. But it was a century later in the 1990's that Chile stepped up a gear in terms of both international recognition and quality.

A large part of Chile's fascination with the big four grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc – revolves around its targeting of the American market. During the late 80's and early 90's when the Chilean wine boom really came into full swing, the American market was devouring wines that were not only made from recognizable grapes like Cabernet and Chardonnay, but also were sold at a reasonable price. To this day, the United States remains the premier importer of Chilean wine. One of the most interesting names to look out for on a Chilean label is Carmenère, a variety once believed to be Merlot, but now discovered to be a forgotten Bordeaux grape which has been living happily in Chile all along. It makes a vibrantly fruity and deeply flavored wine.

No More Merlot-Hating!

by Maggie Bernat Smith

Merlot once ruled the wine scene as the go-to red in the 90's, everyone loved it whether it be from California, Bordeaux, or the wonderful Chilean Merlot. Its soft tannins and lush fruit driven characteristics made it an easy choice for your red wine drinking experience. However when a little movie came out by the name of Sideways, the wine world changed. Pinot Noir was discovered and Merlot was dumped. Pinot Noir sales have drastically risen steadily even still today and Merlot sales have fallen consistently.

There are clubs, blogs, and facebook fan pages about hating Merlot and at least once a day we hear "I'll drink anything but Merlot." It just goes to show when someone in Hollywood says what we should be drinking a certain beverage or Oprah says we should be reading certain books, the masses will follow and agree. It's your palate and it's your sense of what you like so how can Hollywood make that decision for you?

Ask Château Petrus what there opinion of Merlot is. Château Petrus is one of the most expensive and sought after wines in the world from Bordeaux France (and it's 95% Merlot), their current release price, if you can buy futures on it, is $3,000 per bottle. The Cheval Blanc (which is what Miles most prized wine was and drank at the end of his miserable journey) the blend is more then half Merlot and is currently $1,200 for the 2009 release. Few film reviewers have commented that Cheval Blanc is a blend of mostly Merlot and it's what made the movie so ironic.

The fact is when consumer demand is so high for a certain grape varietal, the quality goes down the tubes for wine. It's what happened to Merlot, it is what's now happening to Pinot Noir and happens for every other grape varietal as well. Grapes need to be tended to, cut back, only planted in certain climates where it will reach its full potential and when these huge corporations are pumping out wine the cheapest way they know how, quality suffers. If you buy wine at small shops like The Noble Grape, they take care to taste each wine, and yes taste a lot of Merlot, and everything else to make sure we get good quality, not the simple tuity-fruity ones that saturate the market.

Every Merlot tastes different just like every Pinot tastes different (some you like, some you don't). Try Washington State as a go-to Merlot, give it another shot, it has a completely different flavor profile then California. The Columbia Valley shares virtually the same latitude line as Bordeaux France and you get a more elegant and complex style of reds, especially Merlot. If you doubt me or you have Merlot-hating friends, try blind tasting them. Buy a bottle of Merlot, Pinot and Cabernet, all at similar price points, brown bag them and have them rate the wines and even see if they can guess the grape types. We do this in the wine industry all the time to sharpen up our palates and it's great fun too!

Austrian Wine 101

by Maggie Bernat Smith

Austria is a country with some of the most exciting white wines around; of course if you've come across them at a wine shop or on a wine list anywhere, you may have avoided them due to the strange grape varietal names or assumed that Austria being next to Germany that they were probably sweet. Within the wine world we know these grapes very well and once you try Austria's Gruner Veltliners you're surely hooked. Gruner Veltliner is Austria's premier grape variety. It's the most planted grape in the country and not grown anywhere else in the world. Gruner Veltliner is a perfect food pairing wine, it's crisp, clean, fresh and delicious. It has very subtle flavors of green apple, citrus, its signature white pepper note, and a never-ending minerality that dances gracefully across your palate. It pairs particularly well with Sushi and also with starters and veggies (which are particularly difficult to pair).

Another misconception about Austria is their Rieslings. Their Rieslings are bone dry, mineral-laden, wines that truly express the soil from which they're grown. They have such subtle complexities with their whispers of peach, flowers and citrus; and with its high acidity, are very racy wines. They are built to last so you can age them for a long time and will just get better and better. Their white wines in general are not cheap (although you can find cheapish options) they are high quality wines and their prices tend to match.

The reds are not as ubiquitous as the whites are but still carry on the tradition of "unique" grape varietals. The red varietal that is most widely planted over yonder is a grape called Zweigelt. This fun-loving grape has a bright and vivid red fruit flavor profile with often exotic spices. They have a world-wide appeal of oak aging and are perfect in the summer since it's light to medium in body. If you tend to like Chianti or earthier Pinot Noirs, chances are you'll dig on Zweigelt's swagger.

Austria has always been famous for producing their late-harvest dessert wines made from either botrytised (a "noble rot" that shrivels grapes and concentrates flavors with often a honeyed or apricot creme brulee character to them) or late harvest grapes. They are similar to Bordeaux's Sauternes and taste like liquid heaven. Try them with foie gras or with after dinner with a delicious cheesecake.