Tag Archives: Italy

Dec11

Tor Di Vento Barolo D.O.C.G 2008

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Tor Di Vento Barolo D.O.C.G 2008

The Tor di Vento Barolo DOCG 2008, from Nebbiolo grapes, comes from Terre da Vino in the Langhe region of Italy (although Terre da Vino no longer has the Tor di Vento on their website, so it has either been rebranded or something to that effect).

For a barolo, the Tor di Vento is surprisingly light in the glass.

On opening, a tight nose of sour cherries and maybe even cranberries, with some heat from alcohol.

Light on the palate. The sour berries follow through from the nose, and old-world earthiness.

There is a lively acidity almost reminiscent of a classic Pinot Noir. Tannins are moderate, and there’s a medium finish.

The Tor di Vento opens up slowly, with the heat cooling off and the fruitiness becoming more pronounced. It remains on the shy side, though with decanting, this wine goes from good to great, so make sure not to rush this one.

Like so many Italian wines, the Tor di Vento is a food lover. Spit-roasted chicken or a creamy pasta would go well.

At under 20 bucks at Wine Chateau, this Barolo has bang for the buck.

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Here’s some recommended reading on the wines and wine regions of Italy.

Oct23

Folonari Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2009

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Folonari Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2009

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The Folonari Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2009, is a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese from Veneto, one of the foremost wine-producing regions in Italy, both for quality and quantity.

The Folonari is medium bodied with a ruby complexion. I didn’t get a sense of the dry fruit – slash – raisin aromas that some have touted, but there was a discreet spiciness, plump cherries, and a soft touch of oak that compliments rather than dominates. The finish is on the shorter side. A nicely balanced wine with an old-world sensibility.

Pricewise, the Folonari offers great value, especially so when discounted a couple bucks.

Like most wines from Italy, this one is best served with grub. We paired it with some Italian cold cuts – what’s the Italian word for charcuterie? – though pasta, risotto and most meaty things Italian will do the trick.

NOTE: Also check out Steve Thurlow’s review of this vintage in Wine Access.

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Here’s some recommended reading on the wines and wine regions of Italy.

   

Oct15

Mini Reviews for the Week of Oct. 8

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Mini Reviews for the Week of Oct. 8

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Here’s a wrap up of last week’s tastings that we’re keeping brief:

La Loggia Barolo 2005 – Light as the summer breeze. Unlike traditionally intense Barolo, though makes for a solid pizza wine if only the price afforded more value. (Trader Joe’s)

Monte Del Frá Tenuta Lena Di Mezzo Valpollicella Classico Superiore 2008 – Smoke fruit with good tannins. Almost a great wine, but not quite. Takes a while to open up. (Wine Chateau)

Quinta Ferreira Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – A gorgeous tropical thunderstorm of the senses. Mango, melon, passion fruit wrapped in a pleasantly acidic grapefruit blanket. Brings back thoughts of summer to this grey Pacific northwest autumn.

Nk’mip Mer’r'iym Meritage 2008 – An intense and concentrated blend from the Okanagan Valley’s southern desert that feels like a hot California wine.

Also, do check out pics from out wine travels and these and other tasting notes at www.pinterest.com/wineshout.

Oct9

Rivera Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico 2005

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Rivera Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico 2005

 It’s a delight to get to taste a wine that carries you away. Rivera‘s 2005 vintage of the Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico did just that – it made us want to pack up our lives, leave it all behind, and move to Italy.

Rivera, the winery that also gave us Il Falcone (one of our other longtime favorites), is owned by the De Corato family whose history in the Castel del Monte area dates back to the early 1900′s. The De Corato family’s dedication to the land and the development of the wine-growing region are noteworthy as they have become one of the driving forces behind the region’s resurgence in Apulia (Puglia).

The Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico wine, named for cappellaccio (or gossan) the hard layer about 30-40 cm down in tufaceous soils formed over the centuries by water erosion of limestone, comes from the Castel del Monte D.O.C in Puglia. It is 100% Aglianico fruit matured for 12 months in French oak barrels of varying ages.

The color is a gorgeous, deep garnet.

On the nose, kirsch, old-fashioned liquorice, sweet plum, espresso. Toffee and spice develop after some time in the glass.

On the palate, cherry compote, black plum, blackberry, anise, thyme and cedar with a finish of tobacco leaves.

The lovely things about this wine is that it keeps changing in the glass. It won’t slowly wither away, but rather keeps bringing out new characteristics.

Like most true Italian wines, the Rivera Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico 2005 cries out for food to go with it. You can go without but there’s no magic. We paired it with rustic, grilled cuts of beef the butcher called Farmer’s Favorite, and some simple pan-fried potatoes. But go with anything from pasta with red sauce to hard cheeses.

The Rivera Cappellaccio Riserva Aglianico 2005 also provides excellent value. It’s ready to drink now and Rivera says that “stored correctly, Cappellaccio will continue to mature in the bottle for 7-8 years”.

And it looks like we’re not the only ones liking this beautiful wine. Decanter gave this vintage 4 stars and rated it as Highly Recommended, and the Wine Advocate gave it 91 points. Also check out these reviews of the 2005 vintage at:

Jul31

Canellino Prosecco

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Canellino Prosecco

Summer finally hit us with a bang, and the Canellino Prosecco was there to cool us off.

Bright straw-yellow in color, with perlage on the larger side. Dominant aromas of apricot, and a clean, crisp finish. The Canellino is less sugary than many Proseccos, which was a pleasant surprise on a hot day and with seafood, and makes it great sipping around your summer meals.

WineChateau says that… “This extremely versatile wine can be served as an aperitif, with traditional desserts like pastries and fruit tarts to antipasti and appetizers, or simply by itself after dinner.”, but we went in a different direction with the pairing, and it performed very well with Scallops w/ roasted tomatoes and cannellini beans from a Jamie Oliver recipe in The Naked Chef Takes Off.