Posted on Thu, Aug 12, 2010
‘Tis the season for pretty pinks! While the weather is warm, there is no better time to experience the incredible thirst-quenching ability of the world’s dry Rosé wines.
Rosés are probably some of the most misunderstood wines on the shelves. For most Americans, our first taste of pink came in a sweet style by the name of White Zinfandel. Still one of the biggest selling wines in the U.S. today, “White Zin” is actually an exception to the rule. However, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. So, most people who prefer dry wines tend to shy away from anything pink.
The reality is that some of the driest and most sought after wines of Europe are pink in color, and they can make perfect accompaniments to a wide variety of foods. The traditional way of making a Rosé wine is to crush red grapes, and just allow the red skins a short time to sit with the juice so they absorb just a small amount of color. These wines are fruit-driven, but very dry on the palate. Loaded with crisp acidity, they can be mouthwatering and juicy. They can also come in every shade of pink you can imagine, from chartreuse to salmon to copper.
The region of Provence, France, is considered by many to be “Rosé heaven”. With the ideal Mediterranean climate, they produce a style of pink that the rest of the world continues to try to emulate. For a nice taste of Provence, look for Chateau Montaud Côtes de Provence ($11). Blended from three different red grapes (grenache, cinsault and syrah), this wine is loaded with red berry fruit and floral flavors. It is a great match to summer foods, and the decorative bottle shape makes for a lovely re-usable flower vase!
Outside of Provence, the French have a few other hidden gems in pink attire. The Loire Valley (further north), makes the famous Rosé d’Anjou wines from the red cabernet franc and gamay grapes. Try
La Clotiere Rosé d’Anjou ($10) or Remy Pannier Rosé d’Anjou ($12) for a slightly more fruit driven and easy-drinking style. Excellent wines to take on a picnic, or serve with grilled fish dishes.
Even the famous region of Bordeaux (best known for its complex reds), has a signature pink.
Chateau Penin Bordeaux Rosé ($13) is a blend of 50% merlot and 50% cabernet sauvignon grapes. This is truly an elegant pink with superb food-pairing abilities.
In Italy, pinks are called Rosatos.
Falesco Vitiano Rosato ($12) from the province of Umbria is a total winner. Made from a unique blend of red grapes (merlot, sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and aleatico), this is ideal to serve with a summer caprese salad of tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil!
You can even find some stellar Rosé wines on American soil. Folie a Deux Menage a Trois Rosé ($14) from California, and
Dr. Frank Dry Rosé ($14) from New York are both made in the drier European style. I find these wines to pair quite well with a sunny day, a lounge chair, and a nice pool.
Posted on Mon, Jun 28, 2010
Out of all the 20 Italian regions, the one that almost always misses mention in the wine books is the region of Lazio. (Lazio in Italian, but called Latium in English). It always surprises me too, because Lazio is one of the oldest wine making regions of Italy. And it happens to be famous for something else. It is home to the capital of Italy - ROME!
I guess every region has its specific claim to fame. Rome (and Lazio along with it), is extremely well known to tourists for its history, art, cuisine, architecture, archaeology, religion and cultural influence on Italy as a whole. And who goes to Italy without visiting Rome? It's like a European traveling to Florida and not visiting Disney World.
You could spend weeks in Rome, discovering every nook and cranny of Italian heritage, and probably not taste a wine from Lazio. Unless you are looking for one that is. You are more likely to see restaurant wine lists including wines from neighboring Tuscany (to the north), Umbria (to the northeast), Abruzzo (to the east), and Campania (to the south). It is not that Lazio doesn't make good wine. It is just that it is not as well-known internationally as some of Italy's other treasures.
The hills around Rome make some delicious white wines, the most popular of which is Frascati. Frascati is a simple, easy-drinking white that is made from the grapes malvasia and trebbiano. Not exactly everyday grapes around the world, but in Italy, they reign supreme.
However, one of my favorite "Lazio" whites is made a few miles further north of Rome, in a little town called Montefiascone. Say that five times fast...
The wine is called EST! EST!! EST!!! di Montefiascone. It is made from the same grapes as Frascati (malvasia and trebbiano), and there is actually a story that explains its catchy name. It goes something like this. In the year 1111, Henry V of England and company were on his way to see Pope Pascal II in Rome. Henry (as we know) was quite particular about his food and drink, so he sent a servant ahead to taste the wine en route, and report as to which Inns served the best. If the wine was worthy, the servant would write "EST" on the door of the Inn. "EST" means "This is it!" in Latin.
Apparently, the servant was quite impressed with the wine in Montefiascone. He wanted to convey to Henry how good the wine was compared to all of the other "EST's" along the way. So he wrote "EST! EST!! EST!!!" to make sure he caught his attention. And it did. The rest, the rest is ESTory. I mean history.
You can pick up a taste of this mouth-watering wine for a mere $9.99 a bottle. Yes - the winery Falesco makes an outstanding EST! EST!! EST!!! of Montefiascone that is fruity and floral, and a simply outstanding sipper for summer evenings. Try it with appetizers, vegetable dishes, pasta and seafood. After all, when in Rochester, but you WANT to be in Rome, then just do what the Romans would do
Posted on Tue, May 18, 2010
Statistics say that Sicily produces more wine than New Zealand, Austria and Hungary combined. So it's pretty surprising that the world is just starting to take notice of them! Well, Sicily has been making great wine for centuries. But it is just in recent years that the table wines of this region have been taking the wine world by storm.
Probably the best known wine of Sicily is a fortified wine called Marsala. Often misunderstood for being just a cooking wine (Chicken Marsala, Veal Marsala, etc), the truth is that Marsala can be an absolutely beautifully wine at the table. The dry versions make perfect aperitifs, and the sweeter versions are great for dessert. The grapes used for Marsala are grillo, inzolia, and catarratto. These three grapes are also used to make their own wines.
Cantina Calatrasi Catarratto Terre di Gin ($9) will give you a nice introduction to the citrus flavors and clean minerality of this grape. You'll find that catarratto is also used quite frequently in white blends with chardonnay. These can be wonderful wines with lighter summer picnic fare and seafood dishes. Corbello Inzolia ($10) is a friendly way to meet inzolia - a grape that makes a fruity, floral dry wine that is a shoe-in for shellfish dishes.
In the red arena, one grape in particular has taken its place as a Sicilian hero - and that's nero! Nero d'Avola that is. This grape has been called the "little Syrah of Sicily" when describing the wine's rich, dark fruit aromas (blackberry, black cherry, blueberry, plum, etc.), and a smoky, tarry quality. That is why it is often compared with the Syrah grape, which makes the gamey wines of the Northern Rhone in France, and also the spicy Shiraz wines of Australia.
Nero d'Avola wines are becoming much easier to find today than they were years ago. Don't let these wines pass you by! They are excellent matches to sharp Italian cheeses, BBQ ribs, and steaks off the grill. Look for Buon Appetito Nero d'Avola ($8), Corvo Rosso ($8), and Corbello Nero d'Avola ($11) just to name a few. For a worthwhile splurge, look for the Planeta wines that are often red blends with nero d'avola leading the pack. Planeta La Segreta Rosso Sicilia ($13) and Planeta Cerasuolo ($20) are a total bang for your buck. And the Planeta Santa Cecilia ($33) is a top-of-the-line quaff that is pure Nero d'Avola heaven!
Sicily is not to be ignored. There are definitely some offers that you just can't refuse. Tune in next time for more OTBP (off-the-beaten-path) Italy...
Holly Howell
"UNCORKED"
Posted on Wed, May 05, 2010
I have always been a fan of Italian wines. Not only can you find great values, but these wines are ultimately the best food wines you can buy. After all, an Italian winemaker MAKES wine to go with food. In Italy, to drink wine without food is the equivalent of murder!
For years, my Italian repertoire was limited to the white Pinot Grigio and the red Chianti. And between the two, there is a sea of good wine out there to choose from. But more recently, I have been searching to go off the beaten path to find some of Italian's best kept secrets, and I am happy to report that you can now find more and more of them appearing on American wine shelves today.
Italy's top three wine regions are considered to be Piedmont, Veneto and Tuscany. These regions are home to some of Italy's classiest and most sought-after wines. Piedmont lies in the northwestern corner of the country and stakes claim to the famous wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, both made from the worshipped nebbiolo grape. Veneto, in the northeastern corner is best known for its red blends like Valpolicella and Amarone. And Tuscany, smack dab center of Italy, is the land of Chianti and Brunello, where the grape sangiovese is king. These are the wines that stud the Italian shelves across the country.
But Italy is home to over 1100 grapes! As hard as it is to believe, there are great quality wines being made in every one of Italy's 20 provinces. And the fun part is heading out into the countryside to taste them all.
First and foremost, the southern part of the country is HOT right now. Literally. Warmer climates, lots of sun, and strategically placed vineyards are cranking out some incredible stuff. Just like the cuisine, each province has its own specialties in wine.
Puglia (or Apulia in English) has intrigued me for years. Fondly referred to as "the heel of the Italian boot", Puglia has an incredible history of winemaking. Although they produce more wine than any other province, there are not as highly touted as the northern regions. For that reason, this is the place to find some hidden high quality wines at very reasonable prices.
The two big red grapes are negroamaro and primitivo. You'll find negroamaro in many of the blends from the sub-region of Salice Salento. The primitivo grape has been linked genetically to the red zinfandel grape of California.
Last night I opened a Natale Verga Primitivo 2008 ($10) with some friends. It was the epitome of a rustic, delicious Italian red. With flavors of dark cherries and chocolate, it was balanced with just the right amount of acidity to make your mouth water. Of course, it screamed for food, and food is what it got. A Mediterranean cheese platter and a bowl of freshly made hummus brought out the inherent earthiness of the Primitivo. Absolutely yummy and a great bargain!
Interestingly, we opened it next to a California Napa Valley Zinfandel, and it was amazing how different the two cousins were. The Zinfandel was more fruit-laden, concentrated and higher in alcohol, though delicious in its own right. It was unanimously decided that the Primitivo was much more food-friendly (not to mention wallet-friendly).
Tune in next time for more "Off The Beaten Path Italy".
Holly Howell
"UNCORKED!"