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What We Say 2007 The Med Red Wine
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Mission Codename: ‘The Med’ has Cred
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Respond to operative requests and acquire the latest release of Mitch Cosentino’s ‘The Med’ red blend.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Cosentino Winery
Wine Subject: 2006 The Med Red Blend
Winemaker: Mitch Cosentino
Winery Backgrounder: Last Fall we featured Cosentino’s ‘The Med’ red blend and ever since, our operatives have been requesting us to re-feature the wine. We’ll while we don’t generally re-feature wines, we did get our hands on the latest vintage of this fun and super unique red blend for our operatives.
The Med is a a Mediterranean style blend of Tempranillo, Dolcetto, Alicante, Barbera, Carignane, Tannat, Valdiguié, Mouvedre, Tintacao, and Souzao.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Dark and dense purple with ruby red streaks through its dark but clear heart. Deep color remains to the very edge with tightly spaced thin legs of varying speeds descending to the wine below.
Smell – Rich in intensity with an array of red and black fruit flavors shining though including a tangy fruit component. Well balanced with plenty of character you’ll notice herbal and vegital notes, spice, wood and a meaty character too.
Feel – This full-bodied dry red is smooth and dry with an almost chewy and expansive mouth-feel. Rich and well developed tannins that balance the bright acidity and dark minerality.
Taste – Concentrated dark red and black fruit including plum, red and black cherry, blackberry and tangy fruit meld with earthy notes, spice and wood as well as herbal hints. its fruit and other flavors, it is fun to pick out each varietal’s contribution to the blend. A unique blend of varietals adds surprising complexity and depth.
Finish – Medium-long in length and clean with a lingering rich and creamy mouth-feel that supports flavors of this wine’s ripe red and black cherry and plum fruit.
Conclusion – The 2007 Cosentino The Med is the kind of wine that is perfect for any easy going occasion. Rich and warm, with plenty of ripe fruit makes this a wine that ends up being drunk in large gulps. Generous in its aromas and flavors, this fun and easy wine is definitely a crowd pleaser.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
WINEMAKER: Mitch Cosentino
AGENT RED: Greetings, Mitch. We are thrilled to be showing your 2007 The Med today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
MITCH: Sure, I will answer what I can, although there might be some confidential info that has restrictions.
RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
MITCH: Yes, watching my grandfather make wine for the family in the back of the “summerhouse” in the early 60’s when I was a little kid.
RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
MITCH: No one winemaker, but many. Winemaking legends from the old historical wineries like John Daniel of Inglenook, Andre Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyards, and Louis P. Martini, taught me thru their wines. Others like John Parducci, Edmund Rossi of the old Itaian Swiss Colony, Myron Nightingale of Beringer’s comeback in the late 70’s, Ed Sbragia (Myron’s protégé), George Bursick, Michael
Martini, John Turner were a wealth of information and help to me, personally.
RED: Who do you make wine for?
MITCH: I make wine for me and those who enjoy it, but I will not pander to those who want something out of balance. I won’t make something to fit a specific writer or publication.
RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.
MITCH: The Med Red Wine is California wine, made completely from Mediterranean varietals grown in Lodi. Most of these grapes are relatively unknown to many wine consumers. The original cuttings of these grapes came from Italy, Southern France, Spain and Portugal.
RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
MITCH: It’s a very versatile wine, from pizzas to complex sauces. Ideal with lighter meats like pork, chicken or veal.
RED: In your opinion, what makes Lodi so special?
MITCH: Lodi has a Mediterranean climate which is ideal for all Mediterranean varietals and Zinfandels. This is mostly due to the age of vines and the old clones that exist there. The warmth of the region during the day and the cooler nights also play a part.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
MITCH: Getting Ready for Harvest and looking at vineyards
RED: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?
MITCH: With the idea of enjoying and enhancing your meals – and your life!
RED: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
MITCH: Have fun, share the pleasure and don’t overdo it.
RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of Cosentino Winery can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Cosentino Winery
About This Wine:
THE MED is a blend of Mediterranean grape varieties grown in California with origins from Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Southern France.
Vibrant and dense in color; rich and concentrated, yet brightly balanced. A mélange of red and black fruits. Full-bodied and well-structured with ripe tannins and a long, smooth finish featuring pomegranate, cherries and tamarind.
COMPOSITION: A Mediterranean style blend of Tempranillo, Dolcetto, Alicante, Barbera, Carignane, Tannat, Valdiguié, Mouvedre, Tintacao, and Souzao
WINEMAKING: Each lot was made separately and barrel aged for over 2 years prior to blending. The wine is unfined.
About The Winery:
Lead by the spirit of creativity and innovation, Cosentino Winery was founded nearly 30 years ago with a commitment to making only the highest quality wines from California’s greatest vineyards.Because these same ideals ring as true today as they did in the beginning, Cosentino wines have steadily grown in quality and reputation over the years and are considered among many to be some of the finest wines made in the world.
The history of Cosentino Winery began when Mitch Cosentino started making his first wines in the corner of a Wine Distribution warehouse in 1980, in Modesto, California. By 1981, his first vintage was released under the labels of “The Cosentino Wine Company”and “Crystal Valley Cellars”. The first several wines produced and released by Cosentino in the early 1980s were made from small lots of grapes that Mitch acquired from some of the leading growers of California’s North Coast counties such as Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Sacramento Counties.
Cosentino rapidly gained recognition for his innovative winemaking abilities and uniquely crafted wines. Mitch was a pioneer in introducing new varietals into the California wine market and a leader in creating new wine blends that would eventually become commonplace in the industry. In fact, Cosentino Winery is widely recognized for its role in the development of California’s “Meritage” style wine, a Bordeaux – inspired blend that is now a staple throughout the Napa Valley when in 1989, Cosentino’s release of “The Poet” (1986 vintage), was America’s first designated and licensed “Meritage” wine. (Today, there are over 200 other wineries producing “Meritage” style wines.)
By 1989, Mitch was producing 4,000 cases per year and moved the “Cosentino Wine Company”/“Crystal Valley Cellars” to its current facility location in Yountville, California…situated in the heart of The Napa Valley. When the “Cosentino Winery” brand was established in the Napa Valley, Mitch began to negotiate and secure additional estate contracts and agreements with some of Napa’s top vineyards. These contracts and commitments allowed Mitch the ability to control the farming and harvesting of the grapes used to craft his wines. Today, Mitch still maintains contracts with many of these same growers which provide consistent quality to the wines.
In 1991, as Cosentino continued to produce multiple award winning and internationally recognized wines, he met a young couple from Chicago who had just enjoyed a bottle of Cosentino wine that would soon change all three of their lives forever.
Edie and Larry Soldinger were introduced to Cosentino Winery on a trip to Napa Valley in 1991 when they shared a bottle of Cosentino Winery’s “1986 Cabernet Franc”. They were so impressed with the wine that they sought out to find Mitch the very next day and to learn more about his winery.
Both Edie and Larry immediately recognized the potential of Cosentino Winery and they believed that they could provide an element that would help Cosentino Winery grow to keep up with its increasing demand and reputation.
By 1992, a deep relationship had evolved and Mitch Cosentino became partners with Edie and Larry, and together they began to take Cosentino Winery to its next level.
Throughout the 1990s, Cosentino Winery grew in quality and reputation, and as the demand for more wines continued, the Winery decided to purchase additional properties in the Napa Valley and Lodi regions of California.
In August 1999, the Winery purchased 160 acres in Pope Valley, a prime grape growing region nestled in the hills of Napa Valley, just north and east of the Yountville and Oakville appellations.
Additionally in August 2000, the Winery acquired a 20 acre vineyard in Lockeford, California, as well as 40 acres of virgin farmland in Clements, California…both located in the “Lodi” appellation.
The Company completed construction of its second ultra-premium winery, “Crystal Valley Cellars” on the Lockeford property in June 2004 and immediately began plans for an additional wine making facility on the Clements property, which was completed in 2006 and is now the new home of “Crystal Valley Cellars”.
The Pope Valley estate became home to Cosentino’s third ultra-premium winery, “CE2V Estate Winery”, which released its first vintage in 2001 with a 1999 “Estate” Red Meritage, and recently began producing on site with its new facility right on time for California’s 2007 Harvest.
Cosentino Wineries now operate from four “state of the art” facilities located in their vineyards throughout the heart and hills of Napa Valley, as well as in the flats and rolling hills of Lodi that rest near the base of the Sierra Mountains.
These multiple vineyard and facility locations allow Cosentino to comfortably meet the continual demand for its wines while having simultaneous control over the quality of production.
Cosentino Wineries maintain the role as a pioneer in the wine industry by continually creating new blends as well as finding and introducing relatively obscure varietals into the market place. The Company’s versatility allows it the creativity and freedom to develop new labels and add new brands to the stellar portfolio, of Cosentino Wineries, which also includes “Legends” (a joint venture with Larry Bird, the legendary basketball player), as well as the hand crafted boutique wines of the Napa Valley based “Blockheadia Winery”, both joining the family of wines in 2006.
Cosentino Signature Wineries proudly consists of five ultra premium wineries, currently offering over 50 different varietals between all their brands. Whether you’ve just fallen in love with a Cosentino wine for the first time or if you’ve been enjoying them for years, there’s always something new to discover.
The Cosentino Winery motto “Never Enough Wines” is as strong today as it has ever been!
Enjoy!
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: A Mediterranean style blend of Tempranillo, Dolcetto, Alicante, Barbera, Carignane, Tannat, Valdiguié, Mouvedre, Tintacao, and Souzao
Alcohol: 14.5%
Appellation: Lodi, California
Production: 564 Cases
