English wines

Here's an interesting article about English wines. I'm not sure how to try English wine, except if you go there, but it's some neat information.

Cheers!

Il Solissimo Toscana 2001

Wine Facts for Il Solissimo Toscana

Grape Varietal: This Super Tuscan is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Classification of Super Tuscan: IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica)

Vintage: 2001

Country: Italy

Region: Gaiole in Chianti

Producer: Castello di Lucignano

Price: We forget! (probably high $20 to low $30)

Place of Purchase: Vintage Wines, Harrisonburg, VA

Additional facts: We "found" this wine as we were reorganizing our wine collection after a move. We don't have that many bottles, but I think we bought this one and just forgot about it for a little bit. However, we looked up the wine online because we were surprised that we have a 2001 vintage lying around. Imagine our surprise when it turned out to be a highly regarded wine that some people were saying had just reached peak flavor. What luck! A D.C. restaurant was featuring this as a "Wine of the Week" and we were happy to go ahead and open this to enjoy it at the probable peak.

The maturation listed on this bottle is that it was left in French barriques for 15 months. According to my research, French barriques are made of highly regarded French oak and seems to be much more desired as opposed to American oak. So, this matured in the highest quality oak barrels before being bottled.

This is a Super Tuscan, which means that it is an Italian wine with a significant Sangiovese component that is combined with grapes not traditionally associated with Italy like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. This separates it from "Sangiovese blend" which is used for wines which are predominantly Sangiovese and combined with traditional Italian varieties. There is often confusion as many wines most famous associated with the term "Super Tuscan" like Sassicaia, Masseto and Ornellaia have no Sangiovese and are properly linked to 'Red Bordeaux Blend.' In fact, Super Tuscan was a term coined to refer specifically to wines such as Sassicaia and Tignanello. These were wines that "fell out" of the official DOCG classification of Italian wines because they either contained grapes not permitted (international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot) were aged differently (i.e. in barrique) or were 100% Sangiovese - which was not permitted at the time for Chianti (e.g. Fontodi Flaccianello.) Forced to be classified as simply "Vina di Tavola" these wines nontheless quickly found favour in international markets and comanded prices above the highest quality DOCG Chianti Classico & Brunello di Montalcino wines at the time. The wine industry and press began to refer to these wines as SuperTuscans because of their popularity and quality, but also because of the prices they commanded. Subsequently, the Italian authorities, under the Goria Law 1992, redrew the classifications, and included the category IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) to classify the SuperTuscans. This wine is an IGT.

 
Characteristics of Il Solissimo Toscana

Appearance: A rather thin, watery-looking wine with a brownish-red tinge; I had heard that some red wines look more brownish than anthing else but I had nver really seen such a wine. So very interesting to see!

Bouquet: A very rich port-like scent assails the nostrils when you first let this wine out of the bottle. As it aerates, the bouquet lightens and seems to become more sweet and juicy.

Adam's Overall Thoughts: The nose of this wine deceives the tongue a bit, not nearly as sweet and fruity as hinted at in the first whiff. The taste is full and robust, filling the mouth pretty quickly. As it settles, a bit of a bite traces from side to side and front to back. The tannins hang around for less of a time than expected, enough to leave me wondering how much I was enjoying the wine. It could be that I've been spoiled by the smoothness of recent Malbecs, but this Super Tuscan left me with mixed feelings towards it. For example, while it paired well with spaghetti, it did not work well with the brownie afterwards, which was surprised me.

Cathy's Overall Thoughts: The wine initially seems very plain during the first few drops on the tongue. However, as you keep the wine in your mouth, the tongue starts to tingle a bit and a tartness starts to slowly build toward the back of the mouth. The build is so very pleasurable because the wine seems so plain and almost sour at the beginning but has this great burst. It almost seems like a young, childish wine that grows to an adult in the blink of an eye. Yes, the "grown-up" quality might seem a bit boring to some, but it made me happy to see structure melding with surprise in the body of this wine. The tart bite though, at the end, can feel a bit overwhelming and the wine didn't seem to linger in my mouth as some other wines have. Those are small drawbacks for such a fine wine.
Overall, I give this a 9.32/10 on my scale.

We paired with: spaghetti one night and a medley of cheeses, fruit, and pizza rolls the next

We recommend this with: I think anything that has structure (Italian food, steaks, cheeses, etc) would really work well for this wine.

Cheers!

La Posta Malbec 2009

Wine Facts for La Posta Malbec

Grape Varietal: Malbec

Vintage: 2009

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

Producer: Angel Paulucci Vineyard

Price: $30

Place of Purchase: The Local Chop & Grill House, Harrisonburg, VA

Additional facts: Here's the description from the Wine Menu:

"Brooding aromas and flavors of plum and dark raspberry, with a whiff of pepper. Silky and seamless in texture, but with good energy and clarity giving the wine some inner-mouth complexity. Finishes with suave tannins and very good sneaky length."

Characteristics of La Posta Malbec

Appearance: deep purple, thin around the edges

Bouquet: sharp and tart twinges with a present scent of the alcohol

Adam's Overall Thoughts:

This Malbec  drifts from front to back with a long, stemmed smoothness. As it finishes, it curls upwards with a slight peppery burn, which made it a prized match for the cheeses we sampled as well as our steaks. There is just enough juice to the wine to leave a lingering note that beckons another sip. In a wine shop, this bottle would probably go for around $15 or so -- only the special occasion of our first night out since Latham came along afforded us the opportunity to splurge.

Cathy's Overall Thoughts:

The sour thinness of this wine is especially surprising, mainly because I usually don't enjoy sour or thin wines. However, the sourness only serves to perk up the juiciness of the Malbec. And, although most Malbecs seem to have more structure and are a bit thicker in composition, the thinness of this Malbec made it very drinkable and unique. Although not my favorite Malbec, it serves its vintage well and made for a very pleasing pair to our appetizer and dinner. 

On my scale, it's an 8.16.

We paired with: cheese plate, steak, mushroom risotto, asparagus, mac and cheese

We recommend this with: cheeses and steak

Cheers!

Traveling for wine? Go to Vienna!

An interesting article about wineries in Vienna! I'm jotting this down as a major place to visit, even though they seem to specialize in white wines. That's okay!   :)

Lucero Syrah 2008

Wine Facts for Lucero Syrah

Grape Varietal: Syrah

Vintage: 2008

Country: Chile

Region: Casablanca Valley

Producer: Kingston Family Vineyards

Price: $24.99

Place of Purchase: Vintage Wines, Harrisonburg, VA

Additional facts: Here's a quote from the maker as to how they make the syrah so smooth:

"One thing that I have learned about Syrah at Kingston Vineyard is that it does not like to be treated roughly. Although Syrah has the reputation as a sturdy grape that likes to be roughed up a bit, my experience suggests otherwise. My best results have been when I treat it gently—in fact, when I treat it like Pinot Noir. So each of the last two years we have been treating the Syrah more gently—fewer punch-downs and pump-overs, not quite so many stems in the fermentor, less new oak and a bit longer in barrel. We are trying to come up with a wine that is more about complexity and flavor than sheer power. I think we’ve made some strides in that direction with the 2008 Lucero, which although it likes some aeration upon first opening, is chock full of blackberry fruit and spice and is surprisingly fleshy and soft on the palate. It is still not for the timid, and it pairs well with hearty food and company."

Characteristics of Lucero Syrah

Appearance: deep maroon

Bouquet: rich, fruity, swift to the nose, plum and jammy notes

Adam's Overall Thoughts:

Incredibly smooth wine for one so rich and dark. It was perfect with a ribeye steak, as well as homemade pizza. The Syrah begins softly on the tongue, growing deeper and richer as it traverses towards the back of the throat. There's a fruit-forwardness to the wine, too. Sipping on it by itself is ok, but it works best paired with food.

Cathy's Overall Thoughts:
This wine impressed because of its smoothness. It is dark, rich, and heady and I certainly expect a big, dry red bite to ruin the overall impression. No bite! Yay! I do agree that it works bets with foods, but I found that deeper foods would be my preference. The pizza was slightly spicy and this wine didn't work as well with the spicy notes as it did the deeper heartiness of the ribeye. It's a fine wine and incredibly interesting for a syrah.

On my scale, it's a 8.89.

We paired with: steak, baked potatoes, and green beans//also with homemade pizza

We recommend this with: food (especially steak)

Cheers!

A Wine Contest!

Well, now, I saw this contest on the internet and thought I should share it. It's a Wine Spectator contest and anyone over 21 can enter a 3-minute educational and entertaining video about wine. Huzzah! I'm not sure what Adam and I can create together....but it's sure to be wacky. If we do end up submitting something, I'll also place it on here (as long as that doesn't disqualify us). But, I figure, it could be a fun project--involving two of my favorite things: wine and storytelling--so I hope my readers might consider (a) submitting something and telling me about what you submitted or (b) giving us some ideas so we can win this contest!

Cheers!

Petit Verdot 2009

Wine Facts for Petit Verdot

Grape Varietal: Petit Verdot

Vintage: 2009

Country: United States

Region: Virginia

Producer: CrossKeys Vineyards

Price: $24.00

Place of Purchase: CrossKeys Vineyards, Harrisonburg, VA

Additional facts: The Petit Verdot grape varietal is one of the smallest and darkest grapes. Traditionally, it has been used with other grape varieties, as in Meritages. A Meritage is any wine that mixes several French grape varietals together, and Petit Verdot has been used as one of the mixers for several hundreds of years. Interestingly, most European vineyards and wineries actively avoid using Petit Verdot by itself and specify that they only use a small amount of it in mixed wines. They say that it is because the Petit Verdot grape has powerful tannins (some compare the taste to pencil shavings or molasses) that can make a full-bodied Petit Verdot overwhelming or unrefined. I disagree with this assessment, as you'll see below, but it could be because this Petit Verdot grape varietal was grown on a young, Virginia vine and may have smoother tannins to calm the palate rather than overwhelm it.

I know this location and vineyard quite well. I was married at CrossKeys Vineyard on March 20, 2010.  :) In addition, I've studied the wines, seen the vineyard fields, and talked to the winemakers and owners. This Petit Verdot is a vineyard favorite. If you are ever near Harrisonburg, Virginia, this vineyard is a must-visit! It's GORGEOUS (and makes great wine)!

Characteristics of Petit Verdot

Appearance: very deep purple with only the slightest hint of red

Bouquet: simple yet fragrant; the slight spiciness livens up a deep berry aroma; the French and American oak barrels that stored this vintage for 10 months definitely bring a deep, strong woody structure to the bouquet

Adam's Overall Thoughts:

This wine quickly became one of our favorites. I enjoyed it with all the pairings mentioned below. In contrast to the 2008 vintage, this one did not have carry any trace of bitterness, which was a pleasant surprise. I expected hints of bitterness in the finish, like the '08, but instead, the spice of the wine hit the top of my palate and sweetened quietly in the end. I found the bouquet to be misleading; there was much more to this wine than its scent implied. That slight misdirection accounts for some of the surprise, but the diversity, fullness, and sheer tastiness of this petit verdot is the real story.

Cathy's Overall Thoughts:

You know the song "Smooth Operator" by Sade? For some reason, I always connect that song to Paula Abdul. My oddness in music aside, this wine is one smooth operator.  The bouquet teases with a delicacy that it doesn't have. And that's a good thing. Once in the mouth, it delivers a smooth deep berry fruit. I know that the petit verdot  grapes are super small, and you can feel the grapes just bursting with flavor inside your moth. It's not just a sweetness, for there is a hint of spicy earthiness that toughens this wine. This wine lingers and entices the tongue, infatuating with boldness while soothing with an intoxicating finish. Try it. This smooth operator wil leave you more than satisfied.  :)

On my scale, it's a 10.

We paired with: spaghetti, thai food, chocolate, and just sipping

We recommend this with: just about anything!

Cheers!