Tasting Note #18 – discounter discoveries: Odfjell Vineyards (Chile, Maipo Valley)

Usually I buy wine in a wine store but sometimes I grab a bottle from a discounter. I never get tired searching for interesting wines and from time to time I discover real gems. In the well known German bio disocunter “DENN’S” I recently found some highly interesting Chilean wines from a producer called “Odfjell Vineyards”. Doesn’t sound very Chilean, right? Right. The vineyard is owned by Norwegians. 😉
At DENN’S they offer a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon, both of course organic wines, but in this case they are also vegan. I bought both (the cheaper Cabernet first), tried them and was very positively surprised.

Name: Las Abejas Cabernet Sauvignon / Armador Merlot
Producer: Odfjell Vineyards
Region: Chile, Maipo Valley
Type: red wine
Vintage: 2012 / 2011
Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon / 85% Merlot, 10% Carmenère, 5% Syrah
Vinification: steel tank / 4 months used barrique
Abv: 14% / 14%
Style: dry
Seal: Stelvin screw cap
Source: DENN’S bio market
Price 7€ / 9€

Tasting notes:
Las Abejas (“the bees”):
Clear ruby red colour, slow in the glass, medium big windows.
Nose: red bell pepper, cassis, cherry, liquorice, mint, fruity and juicy, intense. (11.5/15)
Palate: medium+ intense, spicy, juicy, cassis, full, round, herbal, medium tannins, soft, medium acidity, refreshing. (11.5/15)
Very well balanced, medium to full bodied. (7.5/10)
Long, dry and fruity finish, good concentration. Unoaked, very pure, very tasty. (7.5/10)
Excellent qpr, a super pick! Will definitely buy it again.
Overall 11.5+11.5+7.5+7.5(+50) = 88/100p. – Very good!
Armador (“the shipowner”):
Intense ruby red colour, big windows, oily.
Nose: red bell pepper, red & black currant, a touch of vanilla & minerals, medium+ intense, lush, fruity & juicy. (11.5/15)
Palate: lush red berry fruit, juicy, refreshing medium acidity, soft medium-low tannins. (11.5/15)
Very good balance, medium+ body, strong. (7.5/10)
Long, dry, juicy & fruity finish, super concentration. (8/10)
A very good wine, great qpr and my first Chilean Merlot ever. 😉
Overall 11.5+11.5+7.5+8(+50) = 88.5/100p. – Very good!

Conclusion:
The direct comparison does not show us a winner. Both wines are very good, both range in the below 10€ area. So both wines have a super qpr and are worth a try.

Pairing:
Cleary made for bbq! 🙂

Translated: Tasting Note #9 – two Italian bodybuilders: Zenato Amarone Classico 2006 & FdSM Negroamaro “F” 2009

Those two are real bodybuilders – the 2009 Feudi di San Marzano Negroamaro “F” and the 2006 Zenato Amarone Classico. With the Amarone I had my first “wow effect” ever, it was my icebreaker, my unforgettable first wine-love. The Negroamaro was a recommendation and it is said to be one of the best Italian wines and is – in addition – from an excellent vintage.

Name: Amarone della Valpolicella Classico / Negroamaro Salento “F”
Producer: Zenato / Feudi di San Marzano
Region: Italy, Veneto / Italy, Apulia
Type: red wine
Vintage: 2006 / 2009
Variety: 80% Corvina Veronese, 10% Rondinella, 5% Molinara, 5% Sangiovese / 100% Negroamaro
Vinification: 30 months barrique / 10 months barrique
Abv: 16.5% / 14%
Style: dry
Seal: natural cork / pressed cork
Source: 2006 sold out, 2009 @die-besten-weine-aus-italien.de /
2009 sold out, 2010 @vinoscout.de
Price 26-30€ / 17-20€

Tasting notes:
Amarone:
Dense dark ruby red colour with a touch of brown, extremely slow and oily, signs of aging.
Pop&pour instantly provides intense, essential, concentrated aromas of dried dark stone fruit, rum raisin, ripe plums, amarena cherry, vanilla, coffee & caramel, ripe and balsamic overall, almost no alcoholic heat. Pure seduction! (13/15)
The palate keeps what the nose promises: initially some ripe balsamic sweetness but then immediatley med acidity and ripe tannins kick in, both with pressure and high concentration. Not unpleasant at all, just so well, powerful, elegant, ripe, fresh, warm, complex. Fruity with lots of figs, plums and a touch of mint. A blast in the glass! (13/15)
Heavy, muscular body, almost perfect balance, very fine and complex. (8.5/10)
The finish is a dream: versatile, dry, fruity, persistent. (8.5/10)
Overall 13+13+8.5+8.5(+50) = 93/100p. – Excellent!
Negroamaro:
Almost black in the glass with very slow legs, oily, like syrup.
The bouquet is “only” med intense, I expexcted more here. Blueberry jam, cassis, ripe cherry, background aromas of soil, balsamic, almost no alcoholic heat. (11.5/15)
A little sticky on the palate, powerful, instantly hitting your tongue. Intense, grainy, full, balsamic, very fruity, warm, almost no acidity and low tannins. To me it lacks freshness but it is very tasty. (12/15)
The body is big and bold, well balanced, veeery easy to drink and tasty, but lacking depth. (8/10)
Persistent and long fruity finish, dry overall. (8/10)
Overall 11.5+12+8+8(+50) = 89.5/100p. – Very good

Conclusion:
The direct comparison seems unfair, the Amarone is a lot more expensive. On the other hand the “F” is said to be one of the best wines of Italy (Luca Maroni) and got a lot of medals and prices. To me the Amarone wins by far, it is just more my type of wine and offers a lot more than the Negroamaro, especially when it comes to depth, concentration and complexity.

Pairing:
Both are cleary made for hearty food. The Amarone is probably better with higher quality food, like roast meat dishes with dark sauces, dishes with truffle (risotto) and for ripe cheese. The Negroamaro matches spicy (South) Italian dishes, lasagna, pizza, bbq, antipasti, etc.