One year ago I tasted an Italian white wine made from a grape so rare that it almost went extinct. Naturally I had to try this year’s vintage too. This week’s column is free to the entire community, but my tasting report requires a paid-tier subscription. Subscribe here!
Archives | Subscribe | Previous article: Carbonic maceration. Say what? Read article.
You know you’ve stumbled into a nest of wine nerds when you encounter an argument about carbonic maceration and whether it’s a good or bad thing.
Say what? How can a technical issue about a simple, established wine making technique turn into a controversy?
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El Mozo Herrigoia Rioja Alavesa breathes fresh cherry, plum, and rose aromas and a pleasant earthy back note. Fresh red-fruit flavors are shaped by brisk acidity and soft tannins, with a perceptible but not annoying touch of alcoholic heat. Mostly Tempranillo with a splash of white Viura and Malvasia, it is organic, made with carbonic maceration in concrete vats with no oak.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Herrigoia Rioja Alavesa on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Rioja Alavesa and browse wines and vendors from this Spanish wine region.
For more about the Rioja red varietal blend and a list of wines of this type, see this Wine-Searcher link,
Find other wines in the El Mozo Rioja portfolio ad browse vendors at this Wine-Searcher link. Read article.
It’s spring, and I find the changing times of the spring and autumn seasons just right for a glass (or two) of Beaujolais. Who’s with me on this?
Archives | Subscribe | Previous article: What’s a piquette? Read article.
If you hang out in trendy spots where sommeliers whisper excitedly about orange wine, pet nat, and natural wines, you may already know about piquette. If you’re sitting there feeling a bit perplexed, hang on …
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A lightly sparkling red blend of Blaufrankisch, Zweigelt, and Pinot Noir grapes, Sanctum “Stix & Bugs” Piquette bears a beer-bottle style crown cap. Hazy rosy-orange in color, it pours with a thick pinkish foam. Served cold, it seems simple and fresh, strawberry scents with a touch of damp clay. As it warms in the glass it becomes much more complex, adding notes of yeast and dairy and a leafy, vegetal whiff of the forest floor. A good pick for summer sipping.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Sanctum “Stix & Bugs” Piquette on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read more about piquette and browse a variety of offerings at this Wine-Searcher link.
Follow this Wine-Searcher link to learn about Stajerska Slovenia and its wines.
Browse Sanctum Wine’s portfolio and vendor sources on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
The Slow Wine Exposition is a traveling show that visits various U. S. cities for a one-day showing of some of the wines produced by various small Italian wineries. Fortunately for Neil Duarte, one of the cities selected this year was Austin,TX, where Neil lives. Here’s his report of the wines he and his wife were able to sample. Read article.
Humans have made wine since the dawn of civilization, and wine is consumed worldwide. But only a few countries make wine. One of the leaders is Spain.
Archives | Subscribe | Previous article: Mendoza, not Malbec
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Mention Argentina’s scenic Mendoza wine region, and Malbec will likely come to your mind. But today we have a good Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon for you.
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Art of Earth Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon’s dark purple color shades to an attractive garnet edge. Ripe currants, cherry, and plum scents lead into a bright, freshly acidic flavor that follows the nose. Juicy red cherries and mixed fruit carry through with soft tannins that linger in an appealing, oak-free flavor.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Mack & Schühle’s Art of Earth series on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read more about Mendoza and browse a collection of wines from this region at this Wine-Searcher link,Read article.
