Wine With Wanda

Live from Mendoza: Marcelo Pelleriti of Bodega Monteviejo Is a Real Wine Rock Star

"Wine, just as a guitar, requires discipline and care, and above all a sensitive soul to interpret them.”
Marcelo Pelleriti, winemaker, Bodega Monteviejo

I suspected that my Instagram Live chat with Marcelo Pelleriti would be no ordinary virtual wine tasting, but I certainly didn't expect it to end with a live guitar and vocal performance. He's going to be a tough act to follow. I'm still smiling. 

A true renaissance man, Marcelo is not only one of Argentina's most celebrated winemakers, he's made a name for himself in France too. Marcelo makes wine in both countries, and his 2010 Château La Violette Pomerol earned him an astounding accolade -- the first Latin American winemaker awarded 100 points from influential wine critic Robert Parker. Marcelo is also a talented musician and the creator & driving force behind Mendoza’s annual Wine Rock music festival. 

Watch our conversation and tasting by clicking the video above, or visiting IGTV or YouTube. Stay to the very end, and you'll be awarded with live guitar and vocal performances from Marcelo (Hurt by Johnny Cash) and his bandmate Matias Torres (Is This Love That I'm Feeling by Whitesnake). 

Marcelo has many roles in the wine world and can transition from a Ramones t-shirt to a dapper suit with ease. During our conversation, we focused on Marcelo's position as winemaker with Bodega Monteviejo in Mendoza. Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains in the Uco Valley, construction of Bodega Monteviejo began in early 2001 and the first harvest took place in 2002. Yes, Malbec is Argentina's flagship wine, but Marcelo wants the world to appreciate Malbec's full range of expression, its capacity to convey terroir, and long-aging ability. 

During our chat, we tasted Monteviejo Petite Fleur Malbec 2016 ($24.99) and Monteviejo Petite Fleur Blend 2016 ($24.99). Both wines were fresh, full without being bulky, fruit-forward but not jammy, with impressive vitality and balance. The Malbec sings clearly of the old vines and the terroir of the high-altitude Uco Valley vineyard from where the grapes were sourced. The Petite Fleur blend of 52% Malbec, 33% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon pays homage to Marcelo's Bordeaux influences, without sacrificing the essence of Mendoza. And even the name Petite Fleur has a musical connection - Marcelo told me that it was inspired by the song of the same name by jazz musician Sidney Bechet. 

My conversation with Marcelo reminded me that even in tough times, wine and music can lift our spirits. Pour a glass, play some tunes, and count your blessings. And rock out when the mood hits you! 

Say Hola to Somontano, Spain with the Wines of ENATE

Jesús Artajona Serrano has been the winemaker at ENATE since it was founded in 1992. 

Traveling by trains, planes, and automobiles may be a risky proposition in this age of social distancing, but you can still explore the world through wine. I recently took a joyful journey to Somontano, Spain, with ENATE winemaker Jesús Artajona Serrano on Instagram Live.

image courtesy of Bodega ENATE

Somontano is located in northeastern Spain, south of the Pyrenees, on the natural border with France. I first visited Somontano in 2017 and have been there three times; I fell in love with the wines, the landscapes, and the people. Somontano has a rich winemaking history, and unlike many Spanish regions that are closely associated with a specific indigenous variety, Somontano has gained acclaim for their prowess with international varieties.

Click the video above, or watch my conversation with Jesús on IGTV or YouTube. Founded in 1992, ENATE is a modern and environmentally friendly winery, and celebrating art is an integral part of ENATE's vision; they describe themselves as the place "Where Art and Wine Become One." ENATE's wine bottles are adorned with labels designed by well-known contemporary artists, and the winery has an impressive art gallery. During my chat with Jesús, we tasted the 2019 vintage of ENATE Chardonnay 234 ($13.99) and 2015 ENATE Crianza Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon ($15).

When asked what foods to pair with the wines, Jesùs said that the most important thing is "a good partner in front of you, in a good ambiance, and conviviality." We also discussed ENATE's commitment to environmentally-friendly winemaking, and Jesús stated that "sustainability is not a virtue, it is a duty." And what inspired Jesús to become a winemaker? Jesús had planned on a career in chemistry, but when he was twenty-years-old, he fell in love with a beautiful young French woman and decided to study enology in Bordeaux. Chemistry of a different sort!

Tasting Notes


2019 ENATE Chardonnay 234 ($13.99) 
Label by artist Pepe Cerdá

Very aromatic with notes of green apple, ripe peach, and a hint of tropical pineapple, and guava. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, it is impressively rich and round without sacrificing crispness. Bright acidity and a hint of salinity. A delicious and well-balanced Chardonnay.



2015 ENATE Crianza Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) 
Label by artist Victór Mira
Ripe red fruit flavors on the nose and palate with a hint of smoke and spice. Full and juicy with a touch of warm toast. The blend is 70% Tempranillo, which was aged in American oak for nine months, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, which was aged in French oak for nine months before being blended together. 

Gary Farrell Single-Vineyard Pinot Noir Is Intriguing and Precise

image courtesy of Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

"I strongly believe in the Russian River Valley's capacity to consistently produce world class wines. The key is cool breezes and fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean blanket."
-Theresa Heredia, Winemaker, Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

When does a wine cross the threshold from being good to very good, or even great? I don't seek perfection in wines because I'm not certain it exists. And let's be honest, barring technical flaws that render a wine undrinkable, perfect wines, just like self-righteous people, can be a bit boring. For me, a wine goes beyond the ordinary when it is intriguing. I'm not sure if the art of intrigue is taught at winemaking school, but intriguing wines don't just taste good; they captivate you. Each sip sparks an emotion, a question, a revelation. Winemaker Theresa Heredia, of Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, certainly knows a thing or two about crafting intriguing wines.

When Gary Farrell founded his eponymous winery in 1982, Sonoma's Russian River Valley was not officially an AVA. He was indeed a pioneer in crafting small-lot single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Theresa Heredia has been at the helm of winemaking at Gary Farrell Winery since 2012 and carries on this legacy.

Theresa's studies honed her scientific approach to winemaking: she earned a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and was a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry, with an emphasis in enology, at the University of California, Davis. However, she opted out of the Ph.D. program to pursue hands-on experience as a winemaker.

image courtesy of Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery

I recently tasted several Gary Farrell single-vineyard Pinot Noir wines in a Zoom webinar led by Theresa. Her scientific prowess and commitment to precision were apparent, but Theresa also understands that there's an ineffable dimension to winemaking that adds a bit of magic.

I believe that when crafting single-vineyard wines, a cookie-cutter approach must be avoided. For the single-vineyard designation to mean something beyond a mere geographical description, the wine must convey that terroir's unique qualities. It should capture the essence of the variety as it manifests itself in that vineyard. Gary Farrell's single-vineyard Pinot Noir meets that criteria.

Gary Farrell has an impressive selection of single-vineyard Pinot Noir, and I've highlighted three that I found particularly intriguing. One of the reasons why winemakers worldwide are enamored with Pinot Noir is its capacity to express terroir transparently. Tasting these Gary Farrell wines side-by-side is a priceless master class in better understanding how a well-crafted Pinot Noir stays true to the variety's character and conveys a unique sense of place and time. My tasting focused on 2016 vintages, but the Gary Farrell website features many 2017 vintages.

Tasting notes courtesy of Gary Farrell Winery

2016 Gary Farrell Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir ($70) is a fantastic introduction to the Gary Farrell style. “This Bien Nacido Pinot Noir is like an elixir of exotic red fruit, exuding aromas of Açaí, Goji, pomegranate, dried stems, cardamom, powdered ginger and star anise, all balanced by an earthy under layer of dried stems, toasted cedar and sandalwood. The array of palate flavors is simultaneously fruit-driven and savory, exploding with hints of wild strawberry, raspberry, Mangosteen and crushed herbs, all wrapped up in a blanket of velvety grape tannins. The juicy acidity creates a persistent, tangy sensation, while the spicy oak and wood tannins add a polishing finish to this beautiful wine.”


If you really want to geek out, taste 2016 Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir ($55) and 2016 Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard-Dijon Clones Pinot Noir ($60) side-by-side to see how different clones respond to the same terroir. The Hallberg is described as “Lush aromas of dark cherry, currants, and cola naturally follow the deep ruby hue of this wine in glass. Dried mushrooms, black tea, and an array of fresh violets, rose petals, and a hint of peppermint provide complexity and intrigue. Exceptional palate weight coupled with a tremendous concentration of fruit flavors and zesty acidity deliver a balanced package of power and finesse.”

And my favorite of the three, the Hallberg Vineyard-Dijon Clones is described as “A captivating bouquet of savory herbs and spice introduce this complex offering from the Hallberg Vineyard. Generous notes of white pepper, black tea, cloves and tobacco leaf are in the forefront but slowly give way to the classic red fruit aromas of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Flavors of dried cranberries and fresh raspberries entice the palate while subtle tannins from lightly toasted French oak barrels lend finesse. Exceptionally soft and approachable, this is wine is impeccably balanced from start to finish.”

Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Is a Consistently Elegant Taste of Chile

Enrique Tirado, Winemaker, Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon
image courtesy of Viña Don Melchor

With so much turmoil in the world, I am grateful that I get to escape for a bit and travel virtually through wine. I don't take it for granted. I recently had the pleasure of tasting on Instagram Live with the esteemed and extremely talented Enrique Tirado, winemaker for Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon (Puente Alto Vineyard, Chile).

When I met Enrique last year, the world was a very different place. Thank goodness for the elegant consistency of Don Melchor. First created in 1987, the second vintage of Don Melchor (1988) was the first Chilean wine to be named to Wine Spectator's Top 100. It has since placed nine times on this prestigious ranking of wines from around the world, including three placements in the Top 10.

image courtesy of Viña Don Melchor

Don Melchor’s historic Puente Alto Vineyard at the foot of the Andes Mountains is grouped into seven blocks that are further divided into more than 150 parcels. Each parcel offers a unique expression that varies from year to year. Enrique methodically selects from these parcels to create a complex but harmonious tapestry of wine. As Enrique said, “Don Melchor is not a single Cabernet Sauvignon, but multiple expressions.” 

During my chat with Enrique, we tasted the 30th vintage release Don Melchor 2017 and the 2016 vintage – both retail for about $120. You can watch our conversation by clicking the video above, on IGTV, or YouTube. 

Beautiful red fruit flavors, soft tannins, and impressive balance are Don Melchor trademarks. 2017 is a bigger wine with riper fruit flavors and some hints of black fruit, espresso, and spice. 2016 is not as bold, but its precision and purity of expression make it absolutely spectacular – it sings in the glass. 

My Trip Back in Time with Trapiche Malbec

Daniel Pi, Chief Winemaker, Trapiche
image courtesy of Trapiche 

Whenever someone asks what sparked my interest in wine and led me on my current path as a chronicler and enthusiastic student of fermented grapes, I confess that I struggle to offer a short and simple answer. Like many of us, a collection of past experiences shaped my current reality. But if I have to pinpoint one moment that gave me a firm push towards wine, it was meeting winemaker Daniel Pi of Trapiche in 2009.

That fateful day marked the first time I sat with a winemaker and tasted wines they had created. I was captivated as I listened to Daniel speak passionately about Trapiche's vineyards in Mendoza (Argentina), the influence of the Andes on the Malbec grapes, and how barrels shape the flavor profile of the wines. At that moment, I realized how much I didn't know about wine, and I left that meeting with Daniel, inspired to learn more.

It's hard to believe that eleven years have passed since that meeting, but a few months ago, I finally had the chance to tell Daniel the impact he had made in my life. Trapiche's USA-based public relations agency reconnected us for a tasting over Zoom. Founded in 1883, Trapiche is a household name in Argentina, and Daniel has been their chief winemaker for almost 18 years. Yes, he's a big deal, but Daniel was as down-to-earth and engaging as I remembered.

image courtesy of Trapiche 

During our conversation, we tasted two of Trapiche's single-vineyard Malbec wines -- Finca Coletto 2017 and Finca Ambrosia 2017. Created to honor Trapiche's grape growers, these special bottles retail for about $50 each. The Coletto and Ambrosia vineyards are only five miles apart, but because of differences in soil types and micro-climates, the grapes produce two very different expressions of Malbec.


The Malbec vines for Coletto are about 50 years old. Juicy with soft tannins and a hint of spice, Daniel recommends Coletto as a great match with pasta.


The Malbec vines for Ambrosia were planted about 18 years ago. More mineral and chalky with a hint of herbs, this Malbec pairs perfectly with a juicy steak.

For people who mistakenly think that Malbec is a one-dimensional wine, these terroir-driven wines are important reminders of Malbec's capacity for many different expressions. Daniel says that when people ask him what's next for Argentina after Malbec, he says, "More Malbec!"

Trapiche will always be a sentimental favorite, but there's a reason why they are one of Argentina's most esteemed producers -- they make great wine! If you want to better understand the full range of Malbec, Trapiche's extensive portfolio features well-crafted wines in a range of styles and price points. And I look forward to the day that I can visit their winery in Mendoza and share a bottle of Trapiche Malbec with Daniel.