The recipe for a smokin’ Memorial Day: four for the ‘grillmeister’

Start your engines. This weekend is the official kick-off to grilling season. Many in our office have just finished their annual detox fast this week. Their fasts ended just in time as it would be a shame for them to miss the Memorial Day BBQ. Hope their systems will be back in form as this is not the weekend for brown rice and vegetable broth.

Memorial Day is worthy of a serious red wine or two. Let’s look at ‘four fab’ wines from four different countries that are ‘worthy.'

USA-California: From the home-front, Joey Tensley went to France as a young man to experience his first love; soccer. This trip to France launched Joey's interest in wine with his focus now shifting away from the stadium and into the cellar.

Tensley’s approach to making all of his wines is straightforward; he makes the best possible Syrah he can while letting the vineyard do the talking. Tensley doesn’t like new oak, he doesn’t like to fine or filter, and he doesn’t try to fit his wines into any specific profile.

The current line-up at Tensley includes 3 single vineyard Syrahs from Santa Barbara County vineyards – Colson Canyon, Purisima Mountain, and Thompson. The Colson Canyon vineyard was carved out of a hillside east of Santa Maria and it produces the most expressive wine in the line-up. The Colson Canyon is the only Tensley wine that sports any new oak (25%). Any fan of California Syrah will need to give this wine a try.

Please be aware that this is The Wine Advocate’s review for the 2004 Tensley. By the time the 2005 review is out this wine will be long gone. Have a little faith. We’ve tried it. The 2005 is killer! Small production Syrah…BBQ anyone? The stunning, 800-case 2004 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is the only cuvee to receive a 20-30% new French oak treatment. The Colson Canyon offers an inky/blue/purple color as well as aromas of graphite, blackberries, blueberries, and acacia flowers. Full-bodied, unctuously textured, rich, pure, and dense, this superb Syrah should drink well for a decade or more. 93pts Wine Advocate

Tensley ‘Colson Canyon’ Syrah 2005, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $29.99

Australia: From Padthway, Parson’s Flat is a blend of 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from the same team that runs Henry’s Drive. The wine is aged in 100% American oak, of which 80% is new. The vines average 12 years of age and are harvested at perfect ripeness. This is just one of many Grateful Palate Selections that makes one stand up and take notice.

It is an in-your-face, exuberant, flamboyant Aussie red boasting loads of espresso roast, toasty oak, blackberries, cassis, and licorice. Full-bodied, opulent, and voluptuous, with oodles of glycerin and depth, this hussy requires drinking during its first 7-8 years of life, although it may last even longer. 93pts Wine Advocate

Parson’s Flat Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $34.99

Spain: Ribera del Duero can often seem like a Rioja on steroids. Ribera del Duero is home of famous wineries such as Vega Sicilia and Pesquera. There is a new guard coming into Ribera on these winery's coattails and are making a splash in the pool of highly sought after wines. Mariano Garcia who was the former winemaker of Vega Sicilia, and Javier Zaccagnini, former President of the governing body of the Ribera del Duero AOC met and decided to give birth to Aalto in 1998. The first wine from the estate was from the 1999 vintage.

The Aalto property has vines in three different sub-zones of Ribera del Duero with a total of 32 hectares (1ha=2.48 acres) scattered between Valladolid and Burgos. The parcels are planted to old clones of Tinto Fino. Aalto continues to buy exceptional parcels of old Tinto Fino, most recently a 10 hectare plot in Quemada of 60+ year old vines of exceptional quality. Some people believe that Tinto Fino is not far removed from Tempranillo, however many experts based in Ribera del Duero believe that there are significant differences between Tempranillo and Tinto Fino, particularly when you find old-vine Tinto Fino with over 50 years of age on it. As stated in my last blog, Spain is and continues to be ‘en fuego.’ Old vine Tinto Fino can make some serious wine.

The 2003 Aalto is a purple-colored wine offering a stylish nose of smoke, toast, graphite, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied, ripe, but slightly compact and the finish is firm. 92pts Wine Advocate

Aalto’Aalto’ Ribera del Duero 2003, Retail $54.99 Warehouse $39.99

France: Farmed organically,Vieux Telegraphe is one of the best known estates of the Southern Rhône. Vieux Télégraphe has 45 hectares of red grapevines planted, with an average age of around 55 years. Blessed with one of the finest locations in CDP, the mesoclimate enables the Bruniers to be able to harvest as much as a week ahead of their neighbours. Vieux Télégraphe's blend is a typical one in CDP, with Grenache accounting for around two thirds of the cuvee, with the remainder being made up of Syrah and Mourvèdre in roughly equal proportions, with a tiny bit of Cinsault thrown in for good measure.

Pure and silky, with raspberry, cocoa, truffle and mineral notes that glide along the fresh acidity. The long, silky finish lets the fruit and minerality hang nicely, with garrigue in the background. Should blossom in the cellar. Best from 2008 through 2025. 94pts Wine Spectator

Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape 2004, Retail $51.99 Warehouse $44.99

I send out a personal salute to all troops both past and present. We’ll be toasting them with a formidable red this weekend. Hope you have a nice Memorial Day. Cheers!