As was typical of 2020, the days ran together with the result that I totally missed a very important wine holiday that occurs about the third week of November: Beaujolais Nouveau Day.

Wait, what does all of that have to do with Noisy Water’s Nuevo Nouveau? Well, Nuevo Nouveau IS Noisy Water’s proprietary Beaujolais Nouveau, which is typically the first wine of the harvest, meant to be drunk immediately after production. This is because, back in the old days of wine making, by the time harvest season rolled around, the wine from the year before had already run out… and folks like to have wine! So around the middle of November, after the first fruits of the harvest had been crushed and fermented, the red wine made from Gamay grapes in the Beaujolais region of France were ready to grace the tables and keep people happy until the other wines had time to age and be ready for drinking.

Noisy Water’s 2019 Nuevo Nouveau has special meaning for our winemaker: after taking on a neglected vineyard in what appeared to be an inhospitable region of New Mexico and breathing new life into dying vines, the first fruits of what came to be known as the Forbidden Desert vineyard became our first proprietary wine. Instead of Gamay, Pinot Noir grapes were used to create what we affectionately referred to as our “Thanksgiving wine”—released in time to celebrate Thanksgiving and Beaujolais Nouveau day, with a bright burst of ripe berries on the palate, medium bodied and low on tannins but with a spark of acidity reminiscent of cranberries.

Though it’s been a few months since our “new” wine was released, it has mellowed a bit but still calls to mind ripe fruit on a sunny day and can make any meal a reason to give thanks!

“For everyday, we like Beaujolais, Grenache or Syrah, and we like a lot of it! It's a family tradition: We would never consider having a meal without wine”
— Jacques Pepin, French chef

Notes from the Winemaker!

Wine Of The Week - Sweet Temptation by Amy Bennett

Of all temptations, what could be more compelling than to skip dinner and go straight to dessert?

Sweet Temptation is Noisy Water Winery’s classic port-style wine. Created from a blend of Barbera and Dolcetto grapes with an infusion of brandy, this dark, rich dessert wine boasts of a fruitiness reminiscent of cherries and raisins on the nose and ends with a decadent vanilla finish and a hint of chocolate. 

Port-style wines are typically served with desserts because of their sweetness and higher alcohol content. However, Sweet Temptation makes an excellent wine to serve with a cheese course or appetizer as well; it's full-bodied, but not overpowering sweetness, makes it an excellent pairing for a Brie and walnut tart or a variety of rich, pungent cheeses and smoked, salted nuts. It also makes a wonderful “stand-alone” dessert course, with only fresh strawberries or raspberries and some dark chocolate, to finish up a sumptuous meal.

Sweet Temptation won a Double Gold medal at Fingerlakes International Wine Competition! So in this case, be led to temptation… it’s well worth the trip!

“I can resist everything except temptation”
— Oscar Wilde

Notes from the Winemaker!

Wine Of The Week - 2018 Montepulciano by Amy Bennett

Montepulciano… few grape varietals evoke the romance of Italian wines, or inspire one to create a rich, poetic meal to share with friends and family. Well, feel free to tap your inner chef, we’ve got you covered on the wine!

Grown in southern New Mexico, Montepulciano is a harmonious balance of modern winemaking techniques with an overarching Old World theme. While many associate the name “Montepulciano” with a certain region in Italy and the wines that are produced there, Noisy Water has taken the namesake varietal and created a wine with a medium body (so as not to overwhelm the food with which it is served) and an explosive bouquet of sweet cherries, tobacco, and rich plum. Soft tannins and complex acidic notes make this wine as easy to drink on its own as with a meal.

Pair it with an Italian seafood dinner swimming in a rich tomato sauce or serve it with a lighter, grilled meal in the warmer months. It’s an excellent dry red for warmer weather as well as cool evenings, not to heavy on tannins and with a bright, almost cranberry finish. Whenever you decide to open a bottle of Noisy Water’s 2018 Montepulciano, I guarantee it will make the moment memorable!

“Anni e bicchieri di vino non si contano mai
(Age and glasses of wine should never be counted).”
— Italian proverb
 

Notes from the Winemaker!

Two years ago, Noisy Water Winery ventured into new territory… after nearly ten years of creating wines from grapes from other vineyards and growers, our winemaker acquired one of the largest vineyards in the state and started growing his own fruit. Despite the fact it was sadly neglected and in need of a lot of TLC, he took it, named it “Forbidden Desert Vineyard”, put it under the care of a master grower, and coaxed a harvest from 30-year-old vines. 

2019 Double Barrel Reserve Chardonnay, the fruit of that first harvest, was fermented in oak and aged in French oak barrels, giving it a definite oak profile that is characteristic of Chardonnays. A hint of fruit on the nose leads into a balanced, buttery finish of vanilla that calls to mind rich, baked Golden Delicious apples. 

Chardonnays are commonly thought of being the quintessential Thanksgiving Day wine, but our  Double Barrel Reserve Chardonnay will not be confined to a particular season or holiday. The buttery finish matches that of rich seafood dishes like crab, halibut, and linguine with clams or a decadent pork tenderloin with apples. Raise a glass and see the light shine through its clear, golden depths and bask in the glow of a truly fabulous wine!

“…a big voluptuous chardonnay is like Marilyn Monroe -round, bosomy - you can remember that chardonnay…”
— Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible”

Notes from the Winemaker!

A wine varietal closely identified with Italy has found a welcoming home in New Mexico’s vineyards.

Sangiovese is an Italian varietal that is typically medium-bodied and dry. Noisy Water has taken it in a lighter-bodied yet still Old World direction, with subtle nuances of oak and a finish of wild cherry. Earthy, with medium tannins and acidity, it’s a dry red wine that can carry the richness of burrata and other Italian cheeses yet complement hearty tomato-based dishes, whether served in a warm summer vineyard or on a chilly winter night.

The word “sangiovese” is believed to have come from “sanguis Jovis”, Latin for “blood of Jupiter”, the god of sky and thunder and the king of the gods in Roman mythology. The name was given to the wine by monks who lived near Monte Giove (Mount of Jupiter) in Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. It is the grape used primarily in blending Chianti but Noisy Water’s winemaker decided to let this varietal stand on its own.

Striking a balance between traditionally rustic and fruit-forward, like blending a Currier and Ives Christmas with a Trans-Siberian Orchestra soundtrack, our 2017 Sangiovese is waiting for a place at your holiday table!

“Il vino fa buon sangue (good wine makes good blood)”
— Italian proverb

Notes from the Winemaker!

We have taken to referring to our 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as the “Michael Phelps” of our wine catalog. Looking at the bottle on our tasting room shelf is reminiscent of seeing Phelps standing on the pedestal with a stunning array of medals around his neck. You can’t even see our label! But what is the hoopla all about?

Well, let’s start with the fact that our Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded a 92 point rating (outstanding) on the prestigious James Suckling list, in addition to numerous awards from the New Mexico state fair competition, Fingerlakes International Wine Competition, and the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition. Then let’s see WHY it rates so highly among critics and wine lovers of all kinds.

Taking 100% Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly free run juice, and aging it in mixed French, Hungarian, and American oak for 18 months, our winemaker created a Cabernet with dark, rich colors, tannins that burst onto the palate, and a backbone of complex berries and plums. Bone dry and full-bodied, this wine is a perfect reflection of who we are as winemakers and showcases the best of what New Mexico has to offer.

Is this the culmination of over ten years of creating wines solely from New Mexico grapes in the little mountain resort area of Ruidoso? Not yet. There are still many grapes to harvest and wines to produce in years to come.

But we’re heading in a good direction!
 

“If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.”
— Michael Phelps, former competitive swimmer and most decorated Olympian of all time