What's Worth Drinking

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the reason that I have not been posting as frequently as usual is that I have been working on designing a wine list for a restaurant that is soon to open. I have been considering a vast array of unique, and at times unfamiliar, wines from around the world, searching for that perfect combination of quality and individuality. This has led me to some very intriguing options, some I’ve talked about on the site and others I have yet to cover. One of the varietals that has impressed me the most lately that I have never talked about before is the Sicilian grape, Frappato.

Found almost exclusively in Sicily, Frappato produces some wonderfully elegant reds with concentrated flavors delivered in a light bodied frame. Almost similar to Pinot Noir or Gamay, this grape can be found on its own or blended with the bold, concentrated varietal, Nero d’Avola in the wines of Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Nero d’Avola is a hearty, full flavored varietal that has become one of Sicily’s best known grapes and it is commonly found bottled alone,  but when combined with the softer, more delicate Frappato the end result strikes a perfect synergy of balance and complexity.

Although Nero d’Avola is by no means a household name, it is still a varietal that is somewhat well known and easy to find in well stocked wine stores. So today I wanted to focus on Frappato instead, showing off what this little known varietal is capable of when bottled on its own (today’s first wine) and when blended with its more famous sibling Nero d’Avola (our second wine).

Wine #1: Azienda Agricola Cos 2009 Sicilia Frappato IGT

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Concord grape, soft tones of juicy raspberries, and figs show at first on the nose. Delicate kitchen spices, floral tones, and almost a candied citrus note also emerge with hints of violet and lavender in the background.

Fresh, vibrant, floral and juicy on the palate, this wine has a mild acidity, highlighted by notes of strawberry and raspberry, and a pleasant undertone of spice. Extremely delicate, dusty tannins give its light body dimension and structure. Showing impressive complexity, depth, and finesse, this is a multi-layered and very clean wine that packs tons of flavor into a delicate and feminine frame.

Worth Buying. 91 points.

Wine #2: Valle Dell’Acate 2008 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico DOCG

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Concentrated cherry tones appear initially on the nose with a woodsy quality showing just as strongly. Notes of potpourri, dried hibiscus, chocolate, and coffee grounds also make an appearance, mingling with a foresty herbal quality. Extremely multidimensional and complex, this wine is very enticing.

The palate is ripe and bright with fresh cherry and red berry tones, hints of dried potpourri, and forest floor. Herbal tones and notes of dried orange peel also appear before giving way to a woodsy finish. Fresh and vibrant with a delicate tannin structure, this is an excellently balanced wine that impresses all around.

Worth Buying. 92 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s your experience with Sicilian wine?

Over the last few weeks I’ve been busily working on research for a wine list that I am designing. While that has kept me away from writing new articles, it has also reminded me of some great material to talk about when I get back to my normal schedule.

One such wine is the Californian red, Charbono. Also known as Bonarda in Argentina, this grape originates from the generally unheard of region of Savoie in France. Fans of big, dense reds like Petite Sirah and Australian Shiraz will love this wine for its concentration and heft. Last year I featured two of them (click here for the link), and today I have two more lined up. The grape tends to pop up in a variety of locations, with the previous two I covered coming from Napa Valley and Temecula, and the two that we are about to discuss coming from Lodi and Mendocino. Wherever you may find it, the search will most likely be well rewarded.

Wine #1: River Bluff Cellars 2005 Lodi Charbono

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Chocolate covered blueberries and black cherry tones introduce the nose of this wine. Soft notes of sassafras, vanilla, and coffee beans mix with hints of English toffee and oak-based caramel.

Dusty, dense, and very rich, the palate is incredibly smooth and plush from the first sip. Welling with complexity, notes of blueberries, chocolate, caramel, and toffee dominate the core, while a subtle earthiness appears in the background. Deliciously balanced and multi-dimensional with a lasting finish, this is easily a wine…

Worth Buying. 91 points.

Wine #2: Milano 2005 Mendocino “Hidden Hawk Ranch” Charbono

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Fig, poached plums, and mixed berry reduction introduce the nose with lots of mixed spice tones showing in the background. Allspice, cinnamon, burnt anise, black peppercorns, and a smoky note of burnt caramel and stone unfold with some further exploration. A spin in the glass reveals yet another layer of complexity with a hint of dried floral tones. Extremely complex, rich, and deliciously enticing, this is a very inviting wine.

Deep, ripe, and complex on the palate, notes of spice, juicy berry tones, caramel and mocha tones show initially. Hints of vanilla and dried flowers then unfold in the background. This is an incredibly rich wine, but its bright acidity cuts through its weight and gives it great balance. Almost like a dry Portuguese red, this is an awesome wine with pleasantly dusty tannins, bold flavors, and awesome complexity.

Worth Buying. 93 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s your favorite “under the radar” red?

Update: Hello everyone. Just wanted to let you know that even though I haven’t posted anything new recently, I’ll be back next week with some great discoveries. Hope all is well. Catch you then. – Tyler (3/30/12)

Sip of the Day: Weingut Geil 2009 Rheinhessen Huxelrebe Spätlese

Last month I covered a Pinot Noir and two Scheurebes from Germany, and today my quest to explore the often uncharted world of German wine beyond Riesling continues.

Huxelrebe, our Sip of the Day, is an oddity that is just as intriguing as it is rare. The grape is a cross between a member of the Muscat family and a lesser known, cool climate grape called Gutedel (also known as Chasselas in France and Fendant in Switzerland). The result is a wine with drinking characteristics similar to Riesling, but with a fuller body and a more pronounced floral quality.

The one that we will be talking about today is estate produced and bottled (the meaning of the German identifier “Gutsabfüllung” found on the label). The grapes were harvested at the Spätlese level of the Prädikat ripeness measuring system (literally meaning “late harvest”), ensuring full ripeness and development of flavors. It was finished off-dry (as is common with this varietal), leaving some residual sugar in the final wine, giving it a pleasant sweetness.

Almost reminiscent of Sauternes, the nose of this wine is an enticing blend of clover honey, candied lemon and apricot with a stony undertone and hints of honeysuckle.

Sweet and honey toned with a lively undertone of acidity, this is a sunny wine with lots of dried apricot, honeysuckle, and stone flavors. Easy to enjoy and unique, this is a great pour to match with salads, fruit and custard desserts, or just as an after dinner treat.

Worth Buying. 91 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s your favorite sweet wine?

If you’re not drinking wines from Galicia you’re missing out. Defined by a cool, rainy climate influenced by the Atlantic ocean, this region in north western Spain is perfectly situated to produce some explosively fresh white wines. The grape that is the most well known, and largely responsible for the emerging popularity of the region, is Albariño. Light, incredibly crisp and vibrant, and extremely easy to pair with anything seafood, this varietal is a hit that can typically be picked up for around $20 or under, making it a great wine to just have on hand. But as awesome as Albariño is, today’s focus is in a slightly different direction.

The grape that we’re talking about today is Godello (pronounced go-day-oh). Just as fresh, crisp, and easy to pair as Albariño, Godello typically also brings to the table a bit more body, an intense, ripping acidity, and some interesting fruit tones. Matching incredible freshness with a solid weight, a well made Godello is an incredibly versatile wine to match with just about anything other than heavy meat dishes and desserts. They can be a bit of a challenge to find, as Albariño has largely taken the region’s center stage, but when one does come your way, there should be no question whether or not to add it to your cart. The following two wines are great examples of what you can expect.

Wine #1: Vina Godeval 2010 Valdeorras Godello

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The aroma of this wine is restrained but well composed with notes of crushed stone, Meyer lemon pith, and citrus flowers unfolding throughout.

Ripe but also extremely crisp and fresh on the palate, it’s loaded with minerals, lemon tones, and a subtle floral quality. Like sunshine on beach rocks, this wine is explosive with its acidity and crushed stone notes. Fresh, vibrant, and exciting, this is a great wine for the price.

91 points. Worth Buying.

Wine #2: Terra do Lobo 2009 Monterrei Godello

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White floral tones mix with peach and lemon zest on the nose with a distinct mineral tone of crushed beach stone also showing through in the background.

Ripe but balanced and fresh this wine opens with almost a roundness that immediately gives way to a very fresh, crisp acidity. Tones of peach, tangerine, and sliced green apples mix with mineral notes to create a very nicely balanced wine with great approachability and matching potential for food.

Worth Buying. 91 points.

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The Grapvevine: What’s your experience with Spanish white wines?

Sip of the Day: Marc Roman 2010 Languedoc Terret

A few nights ago I was at one of my favorite wine stores (Total Wine) browsing the miscellaneous French section, when I found today’s Sip of the Day, for the low price of $5.99. I’m well aware of how ridiculous it sounds that I would really be featuring a wine that cheap, and honestly I expect some skepticism. That said, price isn’t always an indicator of quality.

As I’ve talked about in many of my previous posts, one almost flawless way to find great wine at a great price is to go for the obscure. Lesser known regions and varietals can deliver incredible value if you’re brave enough to give them a try.

Even though the Languedoc-Rousillon region in southern France is the largest wine growing region in the world, and the white wine varietal, Terret Gris, ranks among some of its most planted grapes, neither the place or the wine would be considered a common household name. So even though today’s Sip of the Day, a Terret Gris from the Languedoc, has a respectable pedigree, the general unfamiliarity of its origin and varietal make this wine a tremendous value and a true hidden gem.

White peach and crushed stone introduce this wine’s aroma, while orange pith, seashells, and a subtle hint of mango open up with a spin in the glass.

Crisp but ripe and well balanced, the palate impresses right away with notes of crushed stone, floral tones, and white peaches and apricots. Fresh and juicy, this wine would be perfectly paired with a salad, a variety of seafood dishes, or just a sunny afternoon.

Worth Buying. 89 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s the least you’ve paid for a great bottle of wine?

When price is not an issue of concern it’s not difficult to find a decent wine. Everyone loves that feeling of getting a great deal for what they paid for, and quite frankly, there simply is no challenge in finding a high quality, expensive wine. If you’re shelling out $100 or more for a bottle, it had better be good, simple as that. The real fun, and the part that I enjoy the most, of wine shopping is when you find something with an approachable price that performs right as well as its more expensive counterparts. That’s a win win situation and you get to prove that sometimes you actually do get more than you pay for.

That’s why I like to challenge myself when I go wine shopping. I love to find things from lesser known regions and varietals, as I frequently feature (see Tuesday’s article on Tannat), which often sell for less because of their obscurity. However, I also like to seek out wines from classic regions made with iconic grapes that cost a fraction of what is usually expected while still bringing tons of quality for the price.

One of the varietals that can be the most challenging to find at a decent price is Nebbiolo. The grape behind the iconic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco in northern Italy’s Piemonte region, Nebbiolo not only has a reputation for being prohibitively expensive but also for requiring extensive cellar aging before becoming ready to drink. Although both can be true in some cases, there are affordable Nebbiolos from Piemonte that can be drank immediately after purchase or with a bit of cellaring. You just need to know where to look.

A low price is not always a bargain, and if you go for the cheapest Nebbiolo on the shelf you may end up with just what you paid for, or maybe even less. One thing that I like to look for is that the wine is estate produced and/or bottled, showing that the grapes have been handled from start to finish by the producer, usually ensuring a higher degree of quality. Today I’ve found four Nebbiolos from Piemonte, two from Asti and two from the famed Barbaresco region, all of them estate bottled and selling for under or around $30.

Wine #1: Rivetto 2006 “Lirano” Nebbiolo d’Alba

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This wine’s aroma is surprisingly interesting, perfumed with red rose petal, dark chocolate covered cherries, and cigar wrapper. A spin in the glass opens up a subtle earthiness as well hinting of vineyard dust, barn tones, and a lightly herbal quality.

Lots of bright, red fruit-like acidity introduces the palate. Cherries and red currants show at the core, with cacao powder, suede, and dried rose petals emerging on the edges. Very clean, precise, and dusty with firm tannins this is a nicely balanced wine that brings a surprising amount of quality for the price.

Worth Buying. 88 points.

Wine #2: Rocca Felice 2009 Nebbiolo d’Alba

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Cherry, strawberry, and pomegranate drive the nose of this wine with notes of vanilla, coffee beans, and burnt caramel showing in the background. A spin in the glass also reveals a light menthol and floral tone as well.

Ripe and driven by red fruit, this is a very approachable, easy to enjoy Nebbiolo, soft, and generally free of the traditional tannic grip of this varietal. Strawberry and cherry mix with vanilla, light coffee and caramel notes show at the core with a subtle floral quality lingering in the background. This is not one of the big, bold powerhouse Nebbiolo wines of Barolo or Barbaresco, but its intense red fruit, bright acidity, and exceptional balance make it a wine that should absolutely not be missed for the price.

Worth Buying. 90 points.

Wine #3: Rivetto 2005 “Ce Vanin” Barbaresco

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Raspberry and mocha notes with soft potpourri and kitchen spice tones show initially on the nose. Plump red cherry and a very faintly mossy quality hinting of forest floor and mushrooms shows in the background.

Ripe red cherry and raspberry with plenty of kitchen spice introduce the palate. Very subtle tar undertones and hints of earth and moss give the fruit some additional depth. Ripe and fresh with very pure juicy acidity and a soft spiciness, this is a somewhat downplayed, but pretty and enjoyable Barbaresco.

Worth Trying. 88 points.

Wine #4: Produttori del Barbaresco 2006 Barbaresco

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Cherries, crushed red berries, and dark flower petals define this wine’s nose. A spin in the glass opens up some interesting notes of rose bush and a delicate menthol quality.

Soft, supple, velvety and dusty all at once, this wine shows a nice integration from the very start. An almost juicy acidity is countered nicely by faintly tacky tannins giving it a well balanced mouthfeel. Dried berries, cherries, and dried flower petals mix with cacao power and earth to create a fairly interesting and enjoyable Barbaresco for the price.

Worth Trying. 89 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s your favorite “got more than you paid for” wine?

Since my last three articles all featured white wines, I’ve been in the mood to talk about some reds. So today I’ve chosen some all around unique wines made with an obscure grape grown in some equally unheard of places.

The grape is Tannat and the regions are Madiran, in the south west of France, and Uruguay. Madiran is the best known traditional homeland of Tannat, while Uruguay is one of the few countries with significant plantings and exports of the varietal, adopting the grape in much the same way that Argentina has done with Malbec and Chile has with Carmenere.

The Tannat grape is known for its intensity and powerful earthiness. Almost something like a cross between the rustic flavors and aromas of a Spanish Tempranillo and the inky depth of Petit Verdot, this varietal brings a very unique drinking experience that can be hard to pin down. Tannic and bold with an unbridled wild side, no matter whether you go with the classic, leaner wines of Madiran or the bigger, more fruit forward wines of Uruguay, you’re in for something different when you pick up a Tannat.

Wine #1: Domaine du Moulie 2005 Madiran

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Gamey and earthy on the nose, this wine shows notes of saddle leather, vineyard dust, and black pepper with dried pomegranate and dried black currant.

Red fruit drives the palate, showing notes of red currants and dried pomegranate combined with leather and a very clear stone and soil quality. Dusty with plenty of gripping tannins, this is a very food friendly wine that would be a great match for a steak on the grill.

Worth Trying. 87 points.

Wine #2: Pizzorno Family Estates 2004 “Don Prospero” Canelones Tannat

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Dark notes of ripe cherry and berry give way to a yeastiness on the nose. A streak of green tea, dark stone, and rose bush also make an appearance with some tar and asphalt coming through with a spin in the glass.

Initially ripe but dusty, this wine is loaded with dark stone and asphalt tones. Blackberry, not entirely ripe black plum, and vanilla also show on the palate. A somewhat unusual wine, with lots of earthiness and an almost green acidity, if you’re looking for something different, this could be a wine…

Worth Trying. 87 points.

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The Grapevine: What’s your go to wine for grilled dishes?