Archive for the ‘$20-$30’ Category
Spotlight on Southern Italy: Di Majo Norante Falanghina del Molise DOC 2006
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Excellent, Falanghina, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine, Southern Italy, Spotlights on January 11th, 2010
In this last post of my Spotlight on Southern Italy series I will be looking at both a rare white grape and a very tiny region. The wine region, Molise, is nestled between Abruzzo and Puglia on the east coast of Italy, and it is far enough north to almost be out of what many would consider to be Southern Italy. Molise is a mountainous and heavily wooded region and there are many wines being made in the mountains, although none currently are being imported into the North American market. In fact, most wines made here aren’t sold commercially at all, but made for and drunk by locals. This region is quite poor and so in order for the wines to start improving and being bottled, there will need to be some sort of investment from elsewhere. This producer is an exception to that general rule, and is actually making some pretty good stuff.
The three DOCs in Molise are Pentro d’Isernia, Biferno and Del Molise (which encompasses the entire area). The coastal regions have a very mild climate, with little rainfall in the summer, although this region is cooler than the other, more southerly, regions I have already profiled.
White wines are far less common in Southern Italy than the reds, but Falanghina is one of the more important white varieties. Mostly grown in the Campania region, it produces fragrant and juicy wines and does well in coastal areas. While this grape is blended most of the time with other indigenous grapes, it does come in a 100% form in varietally labeled wines like this one.
Di Majo Norante has its own estate vineyards near the ocean and the town of Campomarino. Even though it is situated in Molise, it makes its wines in a more Campanian style, and so they have Southern Italy at their heart. Di Majo Norante has been bottling wines since 1968 and makes several reds and whites, including some interesting sounding blends.
The nose on this wine was big and promised warm climate flavours with its aromas of ripe apple, tropical mango and guava. The palate was bigger and denser than the nose, with guava, burnt coconut, banana, and honeyed wildflowers. Despite the opulent flavours, the wine finishes very clean, and while this is a lower acid white, it has good structure and a significant and dry finish. The nose and fruit flavours are similar to an Alsatian Gewurztraminer but the opulence and richness of the wine is cut by a line of acidity and a very dry finish. In my mind, this is an extremely well made warm-climate white wine that is also an outstanding value.
Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$23 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars
And so concludes my first theme in the “Spotlight” series. In conclusion, Southern Italy is producing many great values, although it still has a long way to go before it gets full respect. More investment, modernization, but also attention to detail and proper wine making practices will be necessary to catapult the regions of Southern Italy into the purview of the consumer of high quality wine and beyond the house wine at the local Italian trattoria. Sicily has probably come furthest and closest to this goal. Of course, several of the wines in this spotlight have shown the tremendous value that can be had from Souther Italy, and I think that over the next decade we will continue to see quality improve but prices stay reasonable, making the regions of Southern Italy worth watching.
I hope you enjoyed reading this spotlight as much as I did researching and writing it. If you have any suggestions for what you would like to see change or what future topics would be of interest, drop me a line in the comments.
Spotlight on Southern Italy: Cantele Salice Salentino Riserva 2004
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Italian Wine, Negroamaro, Southern Italy, Spotlights, Very Good on January 5th, 2010
Yesterday I introduced the Spotlight on Southern Italy series with a look at the Apulia region (in the southeast), and specifically at the primitivo grape. Primitivo, however, is a relatively new development when it comes high quality wine in Apulia. The main grape for such wines has always been negroamaro, which technically means bitter black, but I don’t think that name is particularly useful in describing these wines.
The negroamaro grape produces pretty dense wines, known for their dark colour and rustic earthiness, and is perhaps one of the oldest varieties in Italy. The Salento peninsula (the heel of the boot) was a cross-roads between many ancient cultures, including Phoenician, Greek, and Roman. In fact, the original Greek settlers brought a special cultivation method known as “alberello speronato”, which sees grapes grown on low bush vines. This avoids the need for trellising, and is made possible by negroamaro’s unique physiology of sturdy shoots with short internodes. The Salento region, which is the best and most important region for negroamaro, has very little surface water, which, given the very hot climate I discussed in my last post, requires constant tilling of the soil in order to avoid the need for irrigation. All that said, this traditional method of growing negroamaro is becoming less and less common with the introduction of machinery and irrigation. My hope is that the best producers will keep this unique method alive.
While one can find 100% negroamaro, it is pretty hard to do so in North America. Most of the time one will find blends, as is the case with this Salice Salentino wine. Such blends usually have a required minimum of the grape, but also add varieties such as sangiovese or malvasia nera to round out the wine. Salice Salentino is a DOC designation and as such requires a minimum of 85% negroamaro.
This particular wine is a blend of 85% negroamaro and 15% malvasia nera, a variety known for its intense fragrance. Aged for 6 months in old oak, the oak characteristics are barely perceptible in this wine, which allows the fruit to speak for itself. There is a lot of pleasure to be had here, even if the wine is straightforward. On the nose I got dark cherry, earth, flowers, and metal. The nose is a bit shut down when you first pop the cork, so make sure to give this a good decant. The palate continues the dark cherry and adds meat and spice in the mid palate. The finish grabs hold with hints of chocolate, herbs and earth. While some criticize negroamaro for being a bit backward, this particular wine is not ‘rustic’ in a bad way at all. Instead, it’s got old world finesse and understatedness, but great smoothness and is a very clean wine. While I could not find out that much about this producer, they seem to be making modern wines with good density and structure, but also great balance. Add in the spicy earth characteristics, a pizza or pasta, and the very reasonable price tag, and you have a winner.
Very Good
$22 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar
Spotlight on Southern Italy: Apollonio Primitivo NV
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Excellent, Italian Wine, Primitivo, Southern Italy, Spotlights on January 4th, 2010
In order to give my blog some more focus and increase both the educational dimension and the simple fun of blogging I’ve decided to create a weekly focus for the blog, whether it be a region, a grape, or a concept in wine-making. Each post in a given week will focus on a different aspect of the weekly theme, and I hope to prompt discovery of the lesser known, the unnoticed and the misconceived. This week’s focus is on the wines of Southern Italy, a large area with several regions that often get neglected by wine drinkers. And, this is a shame given both the quality and the values to be had in the region. In this week’s posts I will be focusing on wines from Apulia (the heel of Italy’s boot), Campagnia (near Naples), and Sicily, starting with a primitivo from Apulia.
The sheer bulk of wine produced in Apulia is surprising – its annual production makes up around 17% of the national total. For a country that is the largest wine producing nation in the world, that’s a considerable volume of juice. The tradition here for some time was to ship grapes north to Turin in Italy where it was made into Vermouth, or to ship wine to France as a fortification for the French stuff when vintages were bad. This has changed recently, and more and more producers are looking to make and bottle high quality wines within the region. This shift from large production and boring wines to wines made from lower-yielding vines and better agriculture practices is starting to show tremendous promise for the region. The relatively superb value of the wines is a good reason to explore.
Apulia sees sun nearly the entire year round and has an extremely temperate climate. There is almost no rain there either – so we’re talking a climate that is considerably different from the famous regions in Northern Italy. This type of heat means that grapes will ripen more easily and will tend to produce wines with higher brix (or sugar levels). Despite this intense climate, Apulia is not producing wines that are similar to California, instead producing wines with more old world panache.
There are actually 25 DOC wines (the mid-level Italian quality rating) within Apulia, including Primitivo di Manduria. While this wine is labelled as a Salento Rosso IGT ”primitivo”, it is made 100% from that grape. There are debates about primitivo’s origins, with some sources claiming it was brought into Apulia by Phoenician settlers thousands of years ago, and other claiming that it was brought to Italy as late as the 1700’s. In any case, primitivo is a fascinating grape and, although the two are not completely genetically identical, it was recently discovered that it is the likely origin of California’s zinfandel – a wine that has become synonymous with the state. Unlike California zin, however, Italian primitivo tends to be earthier and a bit more rustic, even as its fruit power is undeniable. The dense concentration of Italian primitivos is a relatively recent development. As I mentioned above, the improved vineyard and wine-making practices are to thank for the dramatic increase in quality wines from the region. In fact, the large producer Antinori has moved into the region and is starting to produce wines from the primitivo grape.
Luckily, for now the clout and recognition of this region is small, though growing. This tends to mean that the wines are tremendous values and very fairly priced. I should mention that the great power of Italian primitivo also does not sacrifice natural acidity like California versions often do. The higher levels of natural acidity in Italian primitivo make it more successful at pairing with food. Too often California zinfandel’s high alcohol and low acid make it extremely difficult to fit with anything other than the most robust foods.
The producer Apollonio – who make this wine – is located on the Salento peninsula of Apulia, which even with the hot climate sees incredibly cold nights, which preserves acidity in the grapes and retards the ripening of the grape to allow for more even development. Production sits around 50 000 cases, so this is not a super small producer, although also by no means a huge one. It’s actually quite amazing the quality Apollonio consistently manages even with this relatively large production. Clearly the wine-maker knows what he is doing.
The nose on this wine was big and deep with plum, cedar, earth, sage, spice and some black cherry. The palate is equally big, but also has nicely balanced natural acidity and brings great fruit with cherry, plum, and peach, laced with chocolate. The palate is smooth and not at all hot, and the wine finishes with some length and a sage-like herbal quality. This wine has amazing fullness, but balanced alcohol and acidity. Real wine for a real price – a fantastic start for this week’s spotlight.
Excellent
$30 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar
La Peira Les Obriers 2005
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Carignan, Cinsault, Excellent, French Wine, Highly Recommended Values on December 22nd, 2009
La Peira is a relatively new producer in the Languedoc region of France, which is situated south west of the Rhone on the Mediterranean coast. La Peira was started in 2004 by three individuals who believed that the undiscovered Terrasses du Larzac region in the hills of the Coteaux du Languedoc held great potential for grape growing, despite having no history of ‘greatness’ to support that theory. The first wines were bottled as recently as 2008 and were first tasted by U.S. “press” by none other than Gary Veynerchuck of all people – who by the way, loved them. Based on this bottle, I have to completely agree with him here.
To put this producer in perspective, there have been over the last several years as much as four million hectolitres of unsold wine in the Langedoc produced from clumsily machine harvested grapes cropped at high yields. For every Chateau Negly, there are 100’s of innocuous wines produced by wineries or co-ops. The Coteaux du Languedoc is also a massive AOC and much of the region contains sub-regions that, at some point, could become their own AOCs, such is the potential for distinctiveness. If La Peira is any evidence, the Terrasses du Larzac may deserve such an elevation in the future.
I need to put this frankly: this wine is the best red I’ve tasted under $30 in the BC market. It is insanely good for the price. Sure it got some good scores, but forget all that. Think about a wine with power and fruit, but also incredible finesse. If stone could be suave and sultry, then this wine would be stone’s ambassador. Made from a blend of Cinsault and Carignan, this reminds me much of the (much more expensive) top old vine cuvée from Domaine Gauby. The nose has stone, granite, earth, black cherry, and plum. But all those flavours are meaningless, really, since they don’t accurately capture why this wine is great. Moreso than the flavours – which are lovely – it is elegance, balance, and, real personality. That’s right, power (and lots of it) with personality. I cannot believe this is La Peira’s entry level wine. Wow. Oh, and please, don’t go buying all this before I do.
Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$29 at Marquis ($20 USD at various stores, including K&L Wine Merchants)
North Coast Old Rasputin 12th Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, American Beer, Excellent, Stouts on December 4th, 2009
In an exciting development, I am writing up this beer procured not on a trip to the United States, but rather on a trip two blocks away from my work at a local beer speciality shop. That’s right, a true blue bourbon barrel aged stout has made it across the border and into our stores. I’ve been ranting about the beauty of wood aged beers ever since I lived down in California where such things are not strange oddities but much loved companions. If the recent shipment of this rare beer from North Coast is any indication, we may be able to begin moderate rejoicing here in British Columbia.
Not only is this a proper wood aged stout, it’s an absolutely fantastic one, made using the standard Old Rasputin IRS, an outstanding ’standard’ version of the style, as the base. The Old Rasputin has been available in this market for at least a year, and that was exciting enough in itself for BC beer lovers. The 12th anniversary, however, takes the joy to the next level.
This beer smells like goodness: vanilla, biscuit, nuts – all very clear bourbon notes. However, you can also smell the nice roasty elements of the malt through all this. And, unlike some beers made in this style, the Old Rasputin 12th Anniversary is balanced and does not hide the stout beneath the wood. The palate is out of this world yummy: hazlenuts, candied almonds, vanilla, biscuits, and roasted coffee and dark chocolate from the malts. While this will definitely get better with age, it’s also drinking great right now and is smooth and creamy and hides its 11% booze very well. An impeccably balanced beer and one of the best barrel aged stouts I’ve had the fortune of tasting.
The one downside here is the price of this beer in this market which is more than double what you would pay for this in the U.S. – of course due to the high markups and taxes from our ludicrous liquor distribution and regulation system. However, even at the crazy inflated price, this beer is a must buy for any beer lover in the province. Get it for a christmas gift if you have to, but do yourself a favour and drink this beer. There is a reason I’m giving it my highest rating.
Excellent+
$26 at Viti and Brewery Creek
NB: I have to apologize for all the superlatives, but this is truly both an exciting beer and an exciting moment for the BC craft beer community. I plan to help support this movement by attending tomorrow’s Winter Caskival at DIX in downtown Vancouver. I hope some of you can join me.
Cameron Pinot Bianco 2008
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Oregon Wine, Pinot Blanc, Very Good on November 3rd, 2009
Another entry from the Oregonian cult producer Cameron – this time a much more affordable and good value wine. While this isn’t a wine for the cellar or something that will blow your mind, it is a very well made wine at a good price that is extremely likeable.
The nose had big orchard fruit, pear, and a nice floral component. This is almost like a southern Rhone white with a hint of licorice. The palate is all apple, pear and flowers. There is a ton of fruit here, but also good acidity, slight effervescence and a viognier-like honeysuckle edge. Full and round, but balanced. You may be waiting for the next summer to pick up a white, but personally I like to have a few now and then even in the drab months, particularly for pairing with asian foods.
Very Good+
$24 at Marquis
Grosset Watervale Riesling 2006
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Australian Wine, Excellent, Riesling on October 2nd, 2009
Grosset is perhaps my favourite New World producer of riesling. Whereas German rieslings tend to be off-dry (even many of the trockens) and Austrian rieslings, while dry, are more mineral focused, Grosset makes massively explosive citrus based rieslings like no one else.
Accordingly, the nose here had fresh citrus, stone, petrol, white chocolate and a little toast. What tremendous depth on the nose – it’s more aromatic than most whites around, let alone rieslings. The palate on this wine was very intense: lemon, tart apple, pear, stone and mineral – this is both pure riesling and purely Australian. No other country makes riesling quite like this, and Grosset is perhaps the greatest example. Bright, clear, layered and smooth this is an extremely impressive white wine that every wine lover should sip at some point in their life.
Excellent
$40 ($28 on sale) at Marquis
Brancaia Tre 2006
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Good, Italian Wine, Super Tuscan on August 30th, 2009
Brancaia is a Tuscan producer with an interesting array of proprietary blends including the illustrious “blu”. The Tre – a blend of sangiovese, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon – is their entry level wine and I suppose could be equated to a Rosso or a basic Chianti with its nose of herbs, forward spicy underbrush, cherry fruit and a bit of earth. This wine is surely made for easy drinking with its very soft, almost plush, palate of cherry, blackberry, earth and spice. Overall, simple, pleasant, balanced, but boring – very boring. Unfortunately, in the end I think this is not worth the money and doesn’t taste like much more than a decent Chianti Classico.
Good+
$30 ($23 on sale) at BCLDB
Apollonio Copertino 2001
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Italian Wine, Negroamaro, Very Good on August 23rd, 2009
Having recently tried and loved the Apollonio Valle Cupa, it was a simple decision to pick up this Negroamaro based wine from the Copertino DOC in Italy. With earth and highly extracted red fruit on the nose, this wine reminded me somewhat of 2003 southern Rhone wines, especially Gigondas, because of the heat combined with the rich red fruits and scorched earth notes.
While this wine has a rustic charm, it is also superbly concentrated and fruit driven with a nice soft texture. My biggest complaint here was the amount of heat on the back end of the wine, which made it somewhat fatiguing over time. Nonetheless it’s still tasty for the price, although not quite the same quality as the Valle Cupa.
Very Good
$24 at BCLDB (note that this sells for as low as $11 in the US)
Arrocal Seleccion 2004
Posted by Shea in $20-$30, Highly Recommended Values, Spanish Wine, Tempranillo, Very Good on June 29th, 2009
With its minimalist design, the Arrocal is another excellent value red from Spain’s Ribera del Duero. If you like big robust reds at affordable prices look no further. It strikes me that Spanish wine tends to fly a little under the radar here in BC, and perhaps in North America generally. I’m not quite sure why as most of Spain is offering not only better value than France and California but also many extremely ‘terroir’ driven wines.
This particular Tempranillo had a nose of baked raspberry, strawberry pie, graphite and dust. The palate was big on baked fruit, but had wonderful undertones of herbs and dried out underbrush. This is a large red with edge and fruit without sweetness that will kill most BBQ’s and braised meats.
Very Good+ and Highly Recommended
$24 at BCLDB
NB: I’ve started a new ‘category’ for this blog for ‘Highly Recommended Values’, which are all wines that both far exceed their price point and offer something particularly unique to the drinker.
