Sacred Stone Wine Review

Red blends are a wonder of wine. Most, if not all of the most famous red wines are not single varietal (or single grape variety), but a blend of various grapes that all bring different flavors to the party. French Bordeaux and Italian Chianti and "Super Tuscans" come to mind immediately. But for whatever reason, it seems that most domestic wines are not blends. The rise of "Cabs", "Merlots" and "Pinots" from California, Oregon and Washington State seem to dominate the conversation when talking American wines. (Note: Although I have been drinking wine for years, nay decades, I am far from an expert, and the opinions I express are only my own. So if I'm way of base with your experiences, well, so be it.)

Since opening Leavitt & Sons last year, Marie and I have had the opportunity, if not the obligation, to drink lots and lots of wine. As SoPo Wines (a small distributor who brings lots of great wines into Maine) puts it, "we drink alot of bad wine so you don't have to". As we have expanded our repetoir from our traditional comfort zone of wine, that being Cabs, Pinots, Chardonnays, we have re-discovered the delight of great blends.

Aside from the obvious European blends mentioned above, there have been a few standouts that really caught my attention. The first was the Wolftrapp blend from South Africa. This wine was big, bold and delicious. We told everyone who came into the store about this wine, and sold a fair amount of it. It was even part of the the review Todd Richard wrote for the Portland Pheonix (you can read that review here). Unfortunately, as soon as the review came out, the wine supply dried up. The 2005 vintage was gone, and the 2006 vintage had not yet arrived (we're STILL waiting for it to get here!). Fortunately for us, along came Mariner Beverages and The Sacred Stone from Petra Santa Vineyards.

Tim, the owner of Mariner Beverage (who, like SoPo brings great small winery wines into Maine) told me about this wine last week. Even from the description I had a good feeling about this one. An even blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, with some Cab, Syrah and a little Granache, it sounded delicious. When my first case came in, I immediately took a bottle for home that night.

Sacred Stone is a domestic blend from the California coast, about 25 miles from Monterray. The owners of the Peitra Santa vineyard write: "Warm, sunny days here are moderated by cool ocean breezes creating an ideal climate for grape growing. The Valley is crisscrossed by the San Andreas Fault whose subterranean movements over the years filled the soils with limestone and granite deposits. These rocky soils stress the vines and add interesting and unique flavors to the wines. The estate was first developed in the 1850s, and the wines benefit from the estate's granite and limestone soils, much like soils found in the best vineyards in the world. The winery is named Pietra Santa or "Sacred Stone" in honor of these unique soils."

With a great pasta dinner of Al Dente pasta and Pembertons sauce, this wine is my newest addition to the $10 favorites list.

The vineyards tasting notes are very accurate, and do better justice to describing this wine than I could!

"Dark ruby in color, with warm, plummy aromas, a hint of raisins and a dash of spice; floral and peppery notes on the nose carry over to the palate with a burst of fragrant pepper and bright red fruit. Full bodied, tart and somewhat tannic, with an intriguing minerality lurking behind the forward fruit and peppery spice. Powerful alcohol (14.8%) leaves a distinct warmth in the finish. Made by a California producer and bearing no regional appellation or vintage, it's described as a "Rhone-style blend," with Syrah, Carignan, Grenache and the less characteristically Rhonish Sangiovese and Zinfandel."

We have lots of this wine available, for only $9.99.

Wine Tasting March 20 Wine Descriptions

Rive Della Chiesa Prosecco Frizzante - $14.99
Light straw,yellow color with a nose offering hints of golden apples and ripe peaches. On the palate, a fine persistent effervescense that gives the wine a creamy texture with just the barest suggestion of ripe fruit in the finish.
A to Z Pinot Noir -$18.99
Clear and vibrant, this wine has a beautiful dark color and aromas of mixed berries, earth, smoke, violets, Asian spices and minerals. In the mouth, the wine mirrors the aromatics with a succulent texture and good acidity. As the finish unfolds, the individual characteristics of the wine unify and augment one another. Beautifully balanced between richness and power, the wine possesses amazing depth and purity. Classically proportioned while being built with long term potential.
Mas de Guiot Grenache/Syrah - $12.99
This small château is is owned and operated by the Cornut family. Sylvia is the oenologist, with François tending to the vineyards, using no synthetic herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers on any of his vineyards or crops. The fruit is always picked late, ensuring very deep, profound wines, with amazingly soft tannins. The blend for this bottling is 40% Grenache and 60% Syrah, both grown at very low yields and hand-harvested. This is a very sexy wine with strong concentration. Bottled unfiltered.
Prima Toro - $19.99
Youthful purple. Spicy cherry and dark chocolate aromas are underscored by zesty minerals and orange zest. Sweet raspberry and kirsch flavors are impressively pure and deep, showing an energetic personality. Gains sweetness on the long, spicy finish. This outstanding value offers the complexity of wines costing much more.
Razor's Edge Shiraz - $12.99
Smooth and round, with ripe plum, blackberry and dusky spice flavors that just don't quit, lingering on the open-textured finish.
Niepoort Tawny Port - $17.99
Medium amber color, followed by notes of roasted nuts, sweet black cherries and strawberries, and hints of maple syrup as well as maple syrup.

Leavitt & Sons Sandwich Menu

The L & S 7.99
Boar's Head Roast Beef, Irish Tipperary Cheddar Cheese, Shaved Red Onion
The Stimson 8.29
Boar's Head Honey Maple Turkey, Nueske's Applewood Smoked Bacon, Swiss Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato
The Menario 7.99
Boar's Head Genoa Salami, Citterio Hot Capicolla, provolone cheese, roasted tomatoes, lettuce, drizzled with oil
The Sidelinger 7.99
Boar's Head Black Forest Ham, Tallegio Cheese, Roasted Pears and honey mustard
Sierra 6.99
Your choice of Chevre, Feta or fresh Mozzarella with all the veggies you want, even pickles and olives!

Hot and Cold Lunch Specials change weekly! Be sure to check your weekly e-mail, or go to www.LeavittAndSons.com to sign up.

TerraGens Sangiovese 2005

Sangiovese is a red grape variety originating in Italy whose name derives from sanguis Jovis, "the blood of Jupiter". The traditional home of Sangiovese is in Tuscany, although it has spread to other regions of Italy. It can be found as a varietal, in single-variety wine such as Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, or Sangiovese di Romagna, although Sangiovese is most often found as the major component of blends such as Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Morellino di Scansano.

The fruit is slow to mature and late-ripening. With relatively thin skins, it has a tendency to rot in dampness and does not mature well if planted above an elevation of 1,500 feet. Sangiovese is strongly influenced by terroir, with much variation from one area to the next. Sangiovese vineyards with limestone soil seem to produce wines with more forceful aromas.

The hot, dry climate, such as Tuscany provides, is where sangiovese thrives. Because these climatic criteria generally enhance quantity, rather than quality, it takes careful cultivation and winemaking techniques to produce really excellent wine from this grape.

The flavor profile of Sangiovese is fruity, with moderate to high natural acidity and generally a medium-body ranging from firm and elegant to assertive and robust and a finish that can tend towards bitterness. The aroma is generally not as assertive and easily identifiable as Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, but can have a strawberry, blueberry, faintly floral, violet or plummy character.

Sangiovese-based wines vary in texture from light and crispy to heavy and slightly oily. The lighter versions pair well with cured meats, some fuller grilled fish, poultry and veal. A heavy Sangiovese, such as a Brunello or Chianti Classico, is a successful accompaniment to meats like steak, wild boar or even aged, pungent cheeses.

TERRAGENS SANGIOVESE DI ROMAGNA D.O.C. SUPERIORE, 2005
Ruby-red color, strong fruity perfume with hints of cherry, violet and fruit jam, all balanced by vanilla and cacao flavors; harmonious, dry and velvety taste, warm and full on the palate with a long aftertaste.

Marie very aptly summed it up with “Tastes like Italy”.

Favorite Family Recipes

Do you have a family recipe that has been passed down for generations? I don't, my mom threw them all away! So, can I borrow some of yours?

Dona Paula 2006 Malbec Estate

Ahhh, Malbec.
Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, this grape is among the "big six" for red wine grapes. However, its fame and fortune often end there. In France it is generally a grape used for blending, with very little vine being devoted to its improvement or success.

The story in Argentina is quite the opposite. Malbec has found renewed acclaim and initial glory in the sun-drenched climate of Argentina. This is Argentina's signature grape and it is quickly making a new name for itself with red wine lovers. The Malbec grape is a thin skinned grape and needs more sun and heat than either Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot to mature. The prolonged growing season for the grapes in this high desert, which can have 50 percent more growing days than cool Bordeaux, makes the tannins in the Malbecs from Mendoza sweet and approachable. In Mendoza, under the shadow of the Andes Mountains, the grape enjoys its vacation from the more moderate climate of the Medoc. Here, there are hot summer temperatures and the grape is left hanging long into the growing season to ripen and soften its rough tannins. It ripens "midseason" and it can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to Claret blends. The wines are rich, dark and juicy. As a varietal it creates a rather inky red (or violet), intense wine, so it is also commonly used in blends, such as with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create the renowned red French Bordeaux blend.

Malbec has characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Malbec is typically a medium to full-bodied red wine. Ripe fruit flavors of plums and blackberry give it a jammy characteristic. The tannins are typically a bit tight and the earthy, wood-like appeal makes for a fairly rustic wine.

Today's Review
Producer : Doña Paula
Method of Production : Handpicked grapes from 35-year-old vines were destemmed, partially crushed (20% were left as whole berries and went through carbonic maceration) and cold soaked for 48 hours. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks for eight days at 25°C, with the wine left in tank for a further six days to undergo malolactic conversion. The wine was then pressed from the skins and 20% was aged in new French and American oak barrels for six months. It was bottled without being fined or filtered
Characteristics: Intense red color with violet hues. Complex aromas with ripe plums, blackberry, blueberry, sweet tar, licorice, black pepper, mint, truffle with a hint of mocha flavors, giving an expressive and typical Argentinean character. It has sweet and smooth tannins, nice body with supple and long finish.

From Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2006 Malbec Estate was aged in new French and American oak for 12 months. Deep crimson in color, the wine has a slightly muted nose of cedar, spice box, black cherry and cassis. This leads to a medium-bodied, elegant Malbec with a silky texture and light tannins. It should evolve for 1-2 years and drink well through 2016. It is a good value." (Dec. 2007)

From Wine Spectator: "Solid, with a juicy core of red plum, raspberry and red licorice flavors backed by alluring spice and floral notes on the finish. Drink now through 2008." (Oct. 31. 2007)
From Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Aromas of dark raspberry, licorice, minerals and spicy oak, lifted by a violet topnote. Sweet but firm on entry, then a supple fruit bomb in the middle palate, offering juicy flavors of dark raspberry, blackberry and violet. Perhaps a bit youthfully bound-up, but this clean, intensely flavored wine finishes with seamless tannins and very good length."

Pete's Notes: before dinner—more spice, tar and tobacco than fruit and berries, solid tannins on the side of tongue
With steak dinner, perfect compliment, protein/fat smooths out ‘rough’ notes, brings out more of the ripe berry and juiciness…better with food than without