Have You Met "BO?"

"I am the next big thing," declares "Bo," AKA the grape varietal Bonarda that is making a major splash in today's wine industry.

 

 

 

So without further adieu, let me introduce to you our new friend, Bo! Bonarda comes to us from the region of San Rafael, Argentina. It is originally from France, where it is referred to as Douce Noire. Bonarda is currently Argentina's second most planted variety after Malbec, and was once the #1 most widely planted. After a few years of allowing Malbec to take the spotlight and declare itself as Argentina's King, Bo is back and is returning for its throne!

 

 

 

So why did Bonarda take a break from the spotlight for so long? Well, the reason has to do a lot with marketing. Over the years, the plantings of Bo have gone from 500,000 to 47,000 acres. While Bonarda was still trying to find its niche in the market, Malbec's popularity was reaching all-time highs. However, unknown to many, for many years Bonarda has been the traditional table wine of Argentina. It is the last varietal harvested there and is aged for little or no time, and intended to drink young. Now Bonarda is hitting the Florida markets hard and can even be found in Publix locations at an extremely affordable price!

 

"Friends don't let friends drink Malbec," says Bo.



Bonarda has some very interesting profile characteristics. The very young, no oak-aging wines such as "EH19" are extremely perfumed and earthy on the nose. With younger vines, they tend to really capture the essence of the upper portion of the soils and rock. Late to ripen, this juice tends to have high sugars and high acids, and pairs very well with everyday foods.

Moving along, there is "Via Blanca," which is a softer version of EH19. This wine comes from vines which are a bit older so it's profile is more developed and mellow.

Ending with "Iccarini," a true master of the most elegant qualities captured in Bonarda. With only 6 to 8 months aged in oak, there is a subtle hint of oak that rounds out the entire wine. For those skeptical of this seemingly newcomer, Bo... try this wine and you will be a believer!

Bonarda is a fun, young, consumer-friendly wine meant for drinking now. The price point is reasonable, and the quality is high. Bo truly is the next big thing!

 

 

Don't forget to join FRIENDS OF WINE Wednesday, April 10th as we gather for our last tasting of the semester.

 

CHEERS!

Ferllen: A Taste of Argentina

Argentina's wine industry is the fifth largest wine producer in the world!

Historically, this country had been more concerned with quantity over quality when it came to production. However, in recent years there has been a shift with winemaking as Argentina is now placing a higher emphasis on quality in terms of their winemaking processes. And in referencing their shift to quality, Ferllen wines are at the top!

Ferllen Winery was founded in 1912, after a move to Mendoza, Argentina from Bordeaux, France.
For a long time, the presence of wines from the southern hemisphere was ignored by many winemakers. One may not think of Argentine wines without mention of Medoza, the leading producer of wine in Argentina. In recent years, Malbec has become this region's most popular planting. As Andres, the Wine Director of Ferllen explained, Mendoza is not the only region of Argentina producing such high quality wines. He recommended consumers keep their eye on wines coming from the region of Patagonia as well. The region is growing as producers plant more cool climate varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The tasting began with a Chardonnay. When most consumers think of Chardonnay, you may first recall those from California. While typical California Chardonnay may be considered heavy, full of oak characteristics like vanilla or butter, Ferllen Chardonnay is quite the opposite. It was both elegant and easy to drink. It was fermented on the lees, or as the French would say "sur lie." This process contributes a complexity to the wine and adds additional depth, especially on the finish.

Next we tasted a Torrentes which was very perfumed on the nose

and sweet over the tongue. This wine was composed of grapes from both Argentina as well as Rioja. The class was then lead through the Ferllen Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. At the end of the tasting, we were able to try Ferllen's Special Edition label which is composed of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an incredible wine, and if you have not been able to try it, it is definitely recommended you keep your eye out for it!

 

There are only two seminars left for this semester's FRIENDS OF WINE tastings! If you have not been able to join us yet, we hope you make it to one of our last!