Wine Last Sold on: October 30, 2012
Marimar Estate Vineyards & Winery
Featured Wine:
2009 'Acero' Chardonnay
| Varietal: | Chardonnay |
| Vineyard: | Don Miguel Vineyard |
| Region: | California: Russian River Valley (Sonoma) |
| Avg. Price: | $29.99 |
| Wine Spies: | $19.99 |
website
SUPERIOR WINE ALERT:
We only showcase wines that we love. While our emphasis is on quality first, every now and again we come across a real standout wine that rises above. When we do, we issue alerts like this one.
SUPER QPR ALERT:
At today’s special Wine Spies price, this wine delivers tremendous value - and a drinking experience that exceeds expectations, easily earning it this special QPR (Quality to Price Ratio) Alert.
Mission Codename: Galleon de Don Miguel
- Operative
- Agent Red
- Objective
- Send Agent Red back to Marimar Estate Winery, a new Operative favorite, to acquire their delicious, no-oak, stainless steel fermented, Don Miguel Vineyard “Acero” Chardonnay.
- Mission Status
- Accomplished!
- Winemaker
- Marimar Torres
Final Assessment
The 2009 Don Miguel Vineyard ‘Acero’ Chardonnay is a sweet, elegant, soft, approachable – fun wine. It is so easy to drink that we found ourselves refilling our glasses frequently. Fruit, on the nose as on the palate, are authentic, delivering aromas and flavors that were very similar to the actual fruits that we were reminded of as we sniffed and sipped.
Today’s wine is a perfect holiday sipper that won’t overpower the palate with oak or heavy handed fruit. Instead, this wine is elegant, fun and easy to keep on sipping and sipping and sipping…
Tasting Profile
Lightest golden straw from heart to edge, this wine leave behind tall, branching legs that meander downward from high up on the glass wall.
Bright and light, with fresh with soft, sweet citrus, green apple, Asian pear and soft white flower. As the wine warms slightly (let it!), it really opens up and reveals aromas of soft pineapple, half-dried hay, honey and a hint of white spice.
Light-weight and cool, up front, with a soft and supple roundness at the mid-palate. Bright and fresh, with a soft acidity that telegraphs bright fruit flavors out to the corners of the palate.
Delicious and fresh with citrus, apple, pear and tropical notes. Flavors are sweet, light and authentic, reminding us of the actual fruits that we are tasting in this wine. Again, allow the wine to warm a bit and you will be rewarded with better, fuller and more realistic fruit flavors. As the wine approached something a little cooler than room-temperature, we detected hints of vanilla, honeysuckle, soft slate and a hint of creamed honey.
Long, bright and sweet, flavors are driven to the far reaches of the palate before they fade off, slowly. As the fruit fade, a soft slate minerality remains.
What the Winery Says
About This Wine:
This is a stellar bottling of Acero, with bright fruit in the nose reminiscent of key lime and tangerine harmonizing with mineral and floral notes. On the palate it is fresh and vibrant, with great balance, full flavors and a dry, long finish. It is easy to drink and perfect with foods like tapas and light dishes. We would recommend serving it at 46-48° F.
The Organic Don Miguel Vineyard
Named after the late patriarch of the Torres family, this organic vineyard is located in the Green Valley — the coolest, foggiest region of the Russian River, only ten miles from the Pacifi c. The European-style high density of over 2,000 vines per acre provides low yields and requires intensive labor; but the vines live longer and the grapes acquire greater concentration and fi nesse, more elegant aromas, and be er balance than with the traditional low density. Planted in the European-style high density of over 2,000 vines/acre, the yields are low and labor is intensive; but the vines live longer and the grapes acquire greater concentration and finesse, more elegant aromas, and better balance.
The Vinification
The grapes were harvested September 14 - 24, gently whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented together in stainless steel tanks at 55 degrees F. After completing the primary fermentation, the wine went through 100% malolactic in the same tank. It was bottled in June 2010.
The Clones
The blend of clones in the 2009 Acero is 70% See and 30% Rued.
Alcohol
13.5%
About the Winery
Nestled in the rolling hills of western Sonoma County, the Russian River/Green Valley appellation is a perfect microclimate for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Only 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and 50 miles north of San Francisco, the site is influenced by the sea’s cooling breezes and drifting fog. That is why Marimar Torres selected this privileged location to “export” the Torres family legacy of fine wines to California.
Marimar Torres has been involved in the wine business all her life. Born in 1945 in Barcelona, Spain, she is fluent in six languages and holds a degree in Business and Economics from the University of Barcelona. She is also a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program, and studied Enology and Viticulture for a year at the University of California in Davis.
At Marimar Estate, she directs the activities at the winery and its two vineyards: Don Miguel, named for her late father, in Sonoma County’s Russian River/Green Valley; and Doña Margarita, after her mother, in the Sonoma Coast Appellation.
