Valdinera Rose

Valdinera Nebbiolo Rose

 

Valdinera Nebbiolo Rose

Spring is here which is the prefect time to start drinking those beautiful roses! The Valdinera Rose is made from 100% Nebbiolo grape grown in the Langhe region of Piedmont, Italy.  Piedmont is located in the northwestern portion of the country and it is known for red wines made of Nebbiolo and Barbera.  This wine is sealed with a screw cap and has an alcohol level of 13.5%.

The Valdinera Rose is a pale pink color.  On the nose are aromas of bright red cherry, raspberry, banana peel, banana runt candy, wet stone minerality, sweet orange blossom, fresh strawberry, and white stone.  On the palate are notes of ruby red grapefruit, sweet orange, ripe mango, banana peel, dried cherry, unripe raspberry, fresh lavender, and minerality for days! This wine was a VERY pleasant surprise and one that I hope you all will enjoy throughout the upcoming spring months. 

Some great food pairing ideas for roses are:

• Seafood items of grilled tuna, fresh salmon, and shrimp with a creamy aioli

• Charcuterie such as salami, mortadella, prosciutto, and chorizo

• Cold salads or vegetables such as tuna nicoise, asparagus, and green beans

• Grilled cheese sandwiches made with rich, creamy cheese!

Contadi Castaldi Sparkling Rose

Contadi Castaldi Sparkling Rose

 

What can I say?! I am a sucker for a pink sparkling wine!  The opportunity presented itself to take home a bottle of the limited edition (only 1,700 cases were made) Contadi Castaldi Brut Rose.  The NV (non vintage) Contadi Castaldi Sparkling Rose is produced in Lombardy, Italy located in the northeastern portion of the country.  The exact type of sparkling wine is known as Franciacorta DOCG which is an Italian sparkling wine made in the traditional champagne style with secondary fermentation occurring in the bottle.  This wine is fermented for a minimum of 18 months, but may not be released until 25 months after harvest.  Only Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc grapes are allowed in this sparkler.  Castaldi has an alcohol level of 12.5% and is sealed with a natural cork.  

The Contadi Castaldi Sparkling Rose is surprisingly not as rose in color as expected, but is a pale peach color with golden hues.  On the nose are hints of fresh straw, sweet honeysuckle, sweet orange zest, ripe raspberry, toasted almond, unripe peach, tart blackberry, and minerality.  On the palate are flavors of cassis, white pepper, mandarin orange, pink flowers, strawberry, fresh baked bread, slight cream, unripe apricot, lemon zest, and wet stone minerality.  This sparkling wine finished with bright acidity and a soft fullness.      

Giacosa Fratelli Roero Arneis

As spring approaches I can't help, but want a dry white wine to celebrate the seasons.  The 2010 Giacosa Fratelli Roero Arneis is produced in the northern Italy region of Piedmont.  This wine is made from 100% Arneis (a grape native to the region) which means little rascal.  This wine was sealed with a natural cork and has an alcohol content of 12.5%.   

The Giacosa Fratelli is a bright yellow color.  On the nose were aromas of orange blossom, white flower, mandarin orange, Meyer lemon, wet stone minerality, perfume, mint, key lime, and ruby red grapefruit.  On the palate were hints of ripe lemon, mint leaf, navel orange, wet river stone, peach flower, apricot, lime rind, and fresh cut rosemary.  This white wine finished crisp with ample acidity.  Overall, a delicious wine to drink on the porch while embracing the changing of the seasons. 

Stemmari Nero d'Avola

For those of you who follow my wine blog, you know my wine choices are influenced by recent travels or vacations to come.  Therefore, with day dreams of Southern Italy floating through my head I was inspired to buy the Stemmari Nero d'Avola.  The 2009 Stemmari Nero d'Avola IGT is from the Southern Italian island of Sicily which I hope to be visiting soon!  The Stemmari is a red wine made from Nero d'Avola grape, a native grape to Sicily.  This wine was sealed with an artificial cork and has a 13.5% alcohol level.  

The Stemmari Nero d'Avola is a rich garnet color.  On the nose are aromas of unripe blackberry, currant, anise, cranberry, crushed red berry, red plum, violet, dried earth, fall leafs, and fresh cut cedar.  On the palate are hints of unripe purple plum, cranberry, violet, forest floor, dried earth, red cherry, red licorice, and tart raspberry.  This wine finished dry with tons of acidity and tannin.  Overall, the perfect wine to inspire travels abroad.

The Stemmari Nero d'Avola would pair well with food items such as risotto, red sauce pasta dishes, ragu, venison, veal, lamb, pork, beef, and strong flavored cheese.                

The Mysteries of Chianti! 2.15.2012

Chianti
 

Watch almost any romantic movie or go to any Italian restaurant and you will hear the word Chianti associated with a common, average red wine from Italy.  However, in reality Chianti is anything but common.  To prove it here are a few fun facts about the region and wine. 

• All Chianti is produced in Tuscany, Italy 

• 70% of Tuscan vineyards are devoted to the production of red wines

• Sangiovese is the principal red grape of Chianti 

• Chianti is actually a DOCG.  DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita which represents the best of Italian wine

• The general recipe for Chianti DOCG requires 70-100% Sangiovese

• The addition of the white grapes Trebbiano and Malvasia is now optional rather than mandatory

• Riserva refers to how long the wine has been aged    

• Chianti has eight subzones: Classico, Rùfina, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini, Montalbano, and Montespertoli (each with their own allowed percentages of Sangiovese)  

And the rules go on and on.  So the next time you hear or see the word Chianti just remember it is anything but average.    

Guerrieri Rizzardi Soave Classico

The other night, the miracle of miracles happened. I was done with work by 9:30 pm, and this has NEVER happened! Therefore, what better way to celebrate the event of the year then by enjoying a great bottle of wine along with a delicious cheese board. The 2009 Guerrieri Rizzardi Soave Classico DOC is produced in Veneto, Italy (northern Italy) from garganega grape (as well as alittle Chardonnay and Trebbiano di Soave grapes). This white wine was aged for 3 to 6 months on lees in vitrified cement vats. This wine was sealed with an artificial cork and had an alcohol level of 12.5%.

The Soave was a rich, golden color with green hues. On the nose were hints of apple, white peach, honeysuckle, honeycomb, wet stone minerality, white flower, sweet nectarine, and almond. On the palate were notes of lime zest, tangerine marmalade, sweet cream, honey, honeysuckle, wet stone, white peach skin, almond, and citrus. Overall, the Guerrieri Rizzardi Soave was dry and crisp with ample acidity, and was a great wine to celebrate the evening with.

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico

I was searching for a great representation of an Italian red wine for my upcoming study group, and decided on the Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico Famiglia Zingarelli from Tuscany, Italy. This 2007 Chianti is predominantly made from the Sangiovese grape grown in the heart of Chianti Classico, Italy. This wine has a 13.5% alcohol level and is sealed with a natural cork.

The Rocca delle Macie Chianti was a ruby red color with a lighter red rim. On the palate were hints of red plum, dried flowers, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sour cherries, violets, black pepper, tart red fruit, and band-aid. On the palate were notes of red plum skin, blackberries, licorice, forest floor, dry earth, cloves, cinnamon, crushed red cherries, and dried flower potpourri. This wine had high acidity with a long, fresh finish. Overall, a great Chianti that I will be drinking again!

Azelia Nebbiolo

On rare occasions, I walk around the wine section of the store and search for a reasonably priced, but delicious Nebbiolo from Italy. The 2008 estate bottled Azelia Nebbiolo fulfilled everyone of my desires! Azelia Winery is located in the DOC of Langhe, Piedmont, Italy...the heartland of the Nebbiolo grape. This wine had a 13.5% alcohol level and was sealed with a natural cork.

Azelia Nebbiolo was an opaque maroon color. On the nose were notes of sugared plums, brown sugar, figs, raisins, dried dark fruit, leather, spice, and mulberries. The palate was similar to the nose with hints of prunes, cooked dark fruit, brown sugar, blackberries, tree bark, above ground earth, sugared dark plums, and figs. This wine had ample acidity and tanins that are characteristic of the Nebbiolo grape. Overall, a delightful Nebbiolo.

Colterenzio Pinot Grigio

This past weekend it was my responsibility to bring an Italian Pinot Grigio to a wine tasting study group, and I arrived with the 2009 Schreckbichl Colterenzio Pinot Grigio. Colterenzio Winery is located in the DOC of Trentino Alto-Adige in north eastern Italy. The Trentino Alto-Adige DOC is a unique region that has dual cultural influences of Italy and Germany (notice the dual names of Schreckbichl Colterenzio on the label). This wine has an alcohol level of 13.5% and is sealed with a cork.

Colterenzio Pinot Grigio was a light yellow color. The strong nose had hints of green apple, white pear, fresh granny smith green apple, lemon peel, orange, and slate. On the palate were notes of citrus fruit skins, smooth granite, slate, lemon zest, pear skins, green apple, and dry river stone. This Pinot Grigio had zesty acidity with citrus fruit and a long finish. Overall, a great Pinot Grigio that represented the region of Trentino Alto-Adige, Italy.

Caccia Grande Viognier

The other night I was pleasantly surprised when I came home to a bottle of wine after a long day's work. I was even more surprised to found out that Caccia Grande Viognier is a delicious white wine from the Caccia Grande Winery located near the sea-side town of Castiglione della Pescaia in the beautiful region of Tuscany, Italy. This viognier was sealed with a cork and had an alcohol content of 13.5%. As a result of the viognier grape being classified as an international grape according to Italian wine laws, Caccia Grande Viognier was given an I.G.T. (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) status.

Caccia Granda Viognier was medium straw colored white wine with viscosity. On the nose were notes of tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapples as well as peaches, white blossoms, honey, and apricots. On the palate were hints of bright well balanced fruits, such as peaches and citrus with slight stone minerality. This wine was slightly sweet with a wonderfully acidity finish. Truly, a pleasant surprise!