MONTE ANTICO ROSSO 2012, TUSCANY, ITALY

It isn't true what someone once said about me, that I would drink Tuscan dishwater, and say that it was delicious. That was said, I guess, because I have nothing but praise for all things Tuscan: the landscapes, monuments, people, food, and especially for the wines.Wine Spectator, the bible of wine aficionados, rated Monte Antico Rosso 2012 at 89 points. A wine scoring 86 points and above in Wine Spectator is well worth our attention; it's sure to be good.A couple of vintages ago there was a flavor in Monte Antico that I couldn't identify. It was so pronounced that it made the wine, in my opinion, imbalanced and unpleasant. This 2012 vintage has hints of that same flavor. In reading reviews of this wine, one reviewer, in describing the aromas and flavors, said chilli pepper. That was the flavor that I couldn't identify! But in this vintage it is well-integrated so as not to call attention to itself. Besides the  pleasant hint of chilli pepper, Monte Antico, a blend of Sangiovese (85%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), has aromas and flavors of black cherries, plums, leather, licorice, chocolate, and earth. Medium- to full-bodied, it has soft tannins and a silky texture.Taste and see!

LOUIS JADOT MACON-VILLAGES CHARDONNAY MACONNAISE DISTRICT, BURGUNDY, FRANCE

The Macon-Villages area is located in the southern part of Burgundy, France, close to the Beaujolais area. Only white wines are produced there. If you desire a 100% Chardonnay that is clean, fresh, fruity, dry, light- to medium-bodied, look for the word MACON on the label.

There is a modern trend in the United States toward unoaked Chardonnay. Wines that are fermented and aged in oak, which is a reactive container, as opposed to stainless steel, a non-reactive container, take on characteristics of vanilla, butter, cream, and toast; oak influences the taste, texture, mouthfeel, and the weight of a wine. The newer the oak, the more it imparts to the wine. I enjoy both styles, oaked and unoaked, depending on the weather and what I am eating.

 

This unoaked, stainless steel fermented Louis Jadot Chardonnay exhibits aromas and flavors of apple, melon, citrus, and mineral notes. It pairs well with salads, chicken, and fish dishes. Drink young and chilled.

Taste and see!

STARBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND

Many years ago, New Zealand took plantings of the Sauvignon Blanc grape vine from France - just as Argentina took plantings of Malbec, California of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile of Carmenere; we owe much to France, at least in its knowledge and skill of wine - and, because of the difference, mainly, of climate and soil (terroir), has produced Sauvignon Blanc wines that are unique in the world of wine. For the past several years, these wines from New Zealand have been among Harney's best sellers.

Starborough has everything that you expect from a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. It is fruit-forward, with a plump mouthfeel and refreshing acidity, exhibiting aromas and flavors of lemongrass, grapefruit, and lime. The aromas and flavors are much more pronounced than those of a French Sauvignon Blanc or a Chilean (which I have been enjoying for over 25 years) or those from California. But, chacon a son gout (to each his own). One style is not bad, the other good, it's just a matter of taste.

Taste and see!

WILD OATS SHIRAZ MUDGEE, CENTRAL RANGES NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

Shiraz and Syrah are the same grape - just as Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same grape. If anything, the wines produced from this grape differ in style. Shiraz, the preferred name in Australia, is typically a sumptuous, fruit-forward, jammy wine; Syrah, the preferred name in France, varies greatly. Shiraz is the signature grape of Australia, just as Sauvignon Blanc is the signature grape of New Zealand, and Malbec of Argentina. Shiraz from Australia became very popular in this country in the 80s and 90s, but is less so now. Tastes change: not too long ago Chardonnay and Merlot were the preferred white and red wines in the United States; now it is Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir (with Red Blends a close second).

Wild Oats is, in the tradition of Australian Shiraz, fruit-forward and jammy. It is a dark wine (the grape itself is very dark-skinned), balanced, with a velvety mouthfeel, exhibiting aromas and flavors of dark berries, plums, mocha, and black pepper; it pairs well with barbecued foods and similar dishes. 

Taste and see!

QUERCETO CHIANTI GREVE IN CHIANTI TUSCANY, ITALY

(QUERCETO: comes from the Latin word for oak tree:quercus; the vineyard is located near an oak forest)

Ah, Tuscany! Why did I ever leave you? I had the opportunity to spend a year in Tuscany on an award-winning vineyard, and  learn firsthand what was only book knowledge to me: pruning in the winter; bud-break in early spring;flowering; berry formation; veraison: color change (only when a certain level of sugar is reached) from green berries to a deep purple, if they’re red grapes, or to a golden green, if they’re white; and, finally, harvest, between late August and early November. But, alas, I left you! It will forever be a loss and a regret.

The red grape Sangiovese is the most widely-planted grape in Tuscany. It is the basis for the wines: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and the Super Tuscans. Querceto is mostly Sangiovese, with very little amounts of Canaiolo (a red grape) and Trebbiano (a white grape) to soften the finished wine. For an entry level Chianti - the vineyard also produces the higher ends Classico and Reserva - it is a very good Chianti with typical aromas and flavors: black cherry, plum, raspberry, earthiness, an herbal component (thyme? oregano? bay leaf?); it is medium-bodied, balanced (no single component dominates), with soft tannins.

Serve with tomato-based sauces, steak, burger.

Taste and see!

BONTERRA CABERNET SAUVIGNON MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Your taste buds may not be able to distinguish between a wine made from organically grown grapes  - as this Cabernet Sauvignon is - and a wine made from typical farming practices that use herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides (that's a lot of -cides!) in the vineyards, but your mind and body will appreciate the difference.

Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits aromas and flavors of cherry, currant, raspberry, vanilla, cedar, and tomato leaf (I think that is a good and apt description; a combination of oak and tannins is responsible for that aroma). The wine is medium-bodied, with smooth, unobtrusive tannins, balanced acidity, and a lingering finish.

Taste and see!

Thursday January 19, from 5:15 to 6:00, marks the first of eight (8) wine talks by Ed the Wine Guy. The format will be: a brief presentation followed by a wine tasting, illustrating points made in the presentation. A full schedule may be had in the Marketplace's January Newsletter.