2005 Cantina Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino

Sagrantino is a grape indigenous to the area around the town of Montefalco in Umbria, Italy. There are only about 250 acres of  Sagrantino planted and only a handful of growers producing this wine. Sagrantino makes a full bodied, very tannic wine. The Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino is aged for 16 months in new French oak barrels. The alcohol content is 14%.

The color is inky black in the center with strawberry red around the edges. A touch of mushroom along with blackberry and blueberry, creme brulee and a whiff of alcohol. Nicely balanced, dark berry fruit, a bit of creamy milk chocolate, cherry cola and plum. The tannins are definitely there, but integrated into flavors, a very nice balancing act. A long cola and berry finish.

This is a big boy, with all the tannins and the 16 months of new French oak, you can probably lay this wine down for 15 years. The Novelli Montefalco Sagrantino cries out for an aged steak at one of those old school Steakhouses.

2008 Trebbiano Spoletino

Trebbiano Spoletino is a grape that was grown in Umbria in the Middle Ages, but over the centuries the grape got lost in the mix. Well, now the grape has returned and this wine is produced from 100 year old ungrafted grapevines. Aged on-lees in stainless steel vats. Alcohol content is 13%.

The color is fresh pineapple juice. The nose is apple orchard, limes and orange zest. Honeyed citrus, tangerines, and a touch of minerals, slightly sweet, but not too sweet, citrus is the main flavor.The finish is tart pineapple. Light acidity, the mouth feel is on the syrupy side.

Does thee want some wine? Cool, a taste of the Middle Ages. The Tebbianno Spoletino is a terrific summer wine, light bodied, a touch of sweetness along with a tasty dose of citrus. I would pair it with cold pasta salad or any summer salad, it also has enough sweetness to work with dessert.

2008 RossoCube Umbria

A red wine blend from the Montefalco, Giano dell’Umbria and Spoleto growing regions of Umbria in Italy. The three grapes used in the blend, Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo and Canaiolo are aged separately in steel vats and then blended. Alcohol content 12.5%.

Liquid strawberry jelly red. The nose is stewed prune, menthol, maraschino cherry after it’s been floating in a Manhattan for a awhile, along with ripe red plums, a funky but cool aroma. Cherries and strawberries upfront, not fresh fruit more like unsweetened cooked fruit, light Altoids spice and a late splash of blueberry. A nice, soft  blueberry finish. Soft tannins, light bodied but full flavored.

A light, versatile, tasty wine. A red wine that would be refreshing on a hot summer’s day, but would also pair well with a thick juicy steak.

2008 Bianco Cube

A white wine blend from Spoleto in Umbria, Italy. A combination of 3 Italian grape varietals, Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto and Pecorino. An I.G.T. designated wine, that means the grapes were grown outside the main government regulated growing areas ( DOC or DOCG), and subject to less regulation. No oak and 12.5 % alcohol content.

Very clear, light wheat yellow in color. The nose is pineapple, a dusty floral note and sliced peaches. Fresh juicy fruit up-front, peach, pineapple, a light touch of apricot and then a good balanced dose of minerality. There is a solid splash of acidity on the mid-palate, but it is softened by the vibrant fruit. The lengthy finish is apricot with a touch of citrus

An excellent summer wine, a light body, delicious fresh fruit on the palate, well balanced. The Bianco Cube would be a good choice at your local wine bar and will pair well with Mediterranean style food.

2007 Vallarom Vadum Caesaris $12

Guest Wine Review By Bob

A single vineyard White Blend sourced from the Vallagarina area of Italy. The wine is aged for 8 months in stainless steel vats, then another 6 months in the bottle. 50% Pinot Blanco, 30% Chardonnay, 10 % Riesling and 10% Sauvignon Blanc.

Great body and mouth feel with nice acidity and great fruit. Nice refreshing white for summer.

Picking out a wine for Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s a good time to brush up on your wine knowledge.

Wine comes in three general types: red, white, and blush. Generally, reds are the heaviest, and they are usually reserved for colder weather and heavier fare, such as red meats. Whites and blushes are lighter and are consumed more frequently in the warmer weather and with lighter fare, such as fish and salads.

“Cabernets are great this time of year with a nice steak dinner,” said Ryan O’Malley, manager of Ralph’s Derby Street Wine & Spirits at the Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham.

A good bottle of wine doesn’t have to be expensive, and it can pay to shop around for unusual or lesser known brands, O’Malley said.

“The biggest mistake they (customers) make is staying with something that’s tried and true instead of experimenting,” said Jim Pircio, the wine manager of Blanchard’s Wine and Spirits in Marshfield.

For Valentine’s day, Pircio suggests Prosecco, a sparkling wine from Italy that is hailed as a cheaper – but just as delicious – alternative to champagne.

Bottles from nations such as Africa, New Zealand, and Spain all are good and can be had for $20 or less, Pircio said.

“For the most part, Old World wine-producing regions like France … have been making wine for 300 years,” said John Hafferty, owner of Bin Ends wine in Braintree.

“New World” wine regions (those outside of Europe) are more innovative to changes in the market and make wine that can stand without food, while “Old World” wine regions (primarily in Europe) make wine traditionally that pairs well with dinners, according to Hafferty.

“They’re both relevant,” Hafferty said. “It just depends what your preferences are.”

SERVE IT RIGHT

While most people know that white wines should be chilled while reds should be served at room temperature, wines are at their best when served at more precise temperatures. For sparkling wine, 48 degrees Fahrenheit is best, while white wine can be served at 53 degrees. A rose wine’s best temperature is 51 degrees, while red wines should be kept at 62 degrees.

If a bottle hasn’t been opened, store wine in a cool place away from direct sunlight. Wines should also be stored on their sides so their corks remain moist and therefore airtight.

(Courtesy of The Patriot Ledger)

2008 Bibi Graetz Casamatta Rosso – $14

The name means “crazy house”, but it’s Italian finesse in a bottle. Hard to find a better value wine out of Tuscany, an exceptional territory.  This Sangiovese-driven wine has raspberry aromas that lead to medium bodied dark fruit flavors and fruity, tangy finish. Drink it with some Beef Ravioli!

A Little Something About Italian Wines

Cheapwinefinder recently attended the Vinitaly Wine Tasting at it’s Chicago stop of the tour. We sampled a dizzying array of fine wines from Tuscany, Piedmont, Amarone, Vento, Marches, Abruzzo, Campania and Basilicata, along with wonderful wines from Sicily. We were a little dizzy after we tasted all these wines, but that’s another story!

Wines from the (DOC), Denominazione di Origine Controllata, basically the government defined boundaries of a specific growing region and the (DOCG) Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garanita, which is the government guaranteed “sweet spot” of that region, can be a little pricey. Well worth it, they are very tasty wines, but out of our every day price range.

So look to Sicily and wines from areas outside the DOC and DOCG it find wines that give a pretty good “bang for the buck”. In Sicily, it seems every village has a wine made from their own indigenous grape. These villages take great pride the their wine, which translates in to quality wines at affordable prices. One that stood out for me was the Fourplay Rosso No.1, which was a blend of 4 Traditional Sicilian Grape Varietals, very delicious.

With the Holidays coming up, I paid special attention to the Italian sparkling wines, Prosecco and Spumante:

(Wine Tip #1: The cheap Spumante is made under high pressure in large vats, if you notice Asti Spumante is now just Asti, they didn’t want consumers confusing the cheap process with the more traditional process. The better stuff is made under low pressure to more naturally add the fizz.)

(Wine Tip #2: Spumante is the Italian word for sparkling wine, no matter what grapes are used to make the wine. Prosecco is sparkling wine made from the Prosecco grape.)

(Wine Tip #3: The French get the bubles from adding a little sugar to each bottle, so there is a second fermantation in each individual bottle. The Italians can make sparkling this way, but usually do the second fermantion in large vats. This make the bubbles a little less intense and makes for a softer and slightly sweeter wine.)

Standouts from the tasting were:  Ribolla Gialla Spumante and Prosecco Spumante, Valdo Spumante Prosecco Cuvee di Boj and Vinea Proecco Spumante. Spumante/Prosecco is more affordably priced than French bubbly, now is the time to experiment with different Italian Sparklers, so when the holidays arrive you can turn your guests on to an awesome wine, and who does not like bubbly at a party?

2007 Voga Pinot Grigio – $9

Have you ever seen this bottle of wine before and wondered, what the HELL is that? I passed it by for the last couple Read more