Four generations of the Savini family have contributed to the growth and success of the Santa Liberata winery, which is now wholly organic. Neil Duarte visits the younger generation now running the business and reports on the wines he tasted. Read article.
Twenty years or so ago, a lot of people were still deeply suspicious of wine in a bottle with a metal screw cap. Now most of us recognize the benefits of this sturdy and clean closure even on pricey wines.
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Alloy Wine Works (Field Recordings) 2015 Central Coast Chardonnay ($8.99/500ml can)
Clear straw color. Fresh scents of pears and green apples and yeasty rising bread dough lead into a tart and tangy and very slightly sweet flavor highlighting lemony citrus and, yes, pie crust, with meyer lemon hanging on in a very long, acidic finish with warm 14% alcohol. I would never have expected a wine this balanced and well-made to come from a can. It’s not my favorite style of Chardonnay, but I’d score it well on points in wine judging. (June 29, 2017)
Alloy Wine Works (Field Recordings) 2016 “Hans Grüner” Edna Valley Grüner Veltliner ($8.99/375ml can)
This wine surprises me on two levels: It’s a much better wine than I would have ever expected to find in a can, and it’s a much better Grüner Veltliner than I would have ever expected to taste from a vineyard that’s far from Austria. It’s a clear, light brass-color wine, with fresh white-fruit and green herbal aromas that I expect from a good GV. The same goes for the flavor, which shows clean, crisp white fruit, snappy citrus and a distinct touch of stony minerality with a light 12.1% alcohol. Zippy lemon-lime persists in a very long finish.
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Click here to review vendors and prices for all of Field Recordings’ wines including the Alloy Wine Works cans.
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Summer arrived in the northern hemisphere just after midnight Wednesday, and I can tell you it’s hot around here. This has implications for my wine choices, and I expect it does for you, too. For one thing, I’m drinking a lot more rosé wine.
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Clear, bright salmon pink, a very pretty blend of Grenache Noir (40%), Mourvèdre (40%), and Syrah (20%). Strawberries and raspberries and fresh green herbs on the nose; red berries and a whiff of watermelon on the palate, nicely balanced by crisp, fresh acidity. It’s nearly dry, with 13% alcohol and a touch of fresh-fruit sweetness that could be a hint of sugar or just fresh, ripe fruit.
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Check prices and find vendors for Le Cirque Côtes Cata;lanes Rosé on Wine-Searcher.com.
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This is a clear, straw-color wine with glints of gold. Its ripe aromas center on musky melons, honeydew and ripe cantaloupe, a hint of juicy peach and a touch of tangerine. These mixed-fruit aromas carry over in a palate impression that’s medium-bodied, quite dry, and shaped by zippy fresh-fruit acidity that lingers into a very long finish. It carries its 14 percent alcohol well.
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Find vendors and check prices for Mulderbosch Western Cape Chenin Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
During his recent trip to the Anteprima Amarone trade event in Verona, Neil tasted many many Amarone wines. In this final article of his Amarone series, he reports on wines from 8 other wineries he visited. Read article.
Pulling the cork from a wine bottle the other day, I suddenly realized with surprise that I was actually pulling a cork.
A real cork, that is. In that “Eureka” moment, I suddenly realized that it had been a long time since I encountered a whole, natural cork, as opposed to a metal screw cap, synthetic (plastic) stopper, or “technical” cork made of reassembled cork granules treated to deter “cork taint.”
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Dark reddish-purple, almost black at the core, with bright ruby glints against the light. Delicious scents of black plums, blackberries and raspberries add just a subtle hint of warm spice in the aroma. Ripe, juicy plums dominate an appetizing flavor shaped by food-friendly acidity and a significant edge of soft but perceptible tannins, with a bit of heat showing from its 14.5% alcohol. Mixed berries and a fresh, citric snap linger in a very long finish. A blend of 50% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 13% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignan, 8% Grenache, and 6% Tannat.
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Check prices and find vendors for Spice Route “Chakalaka” Western Cape red on Wine-Searcher.com. Read article.
Did you notice? Yesterday was National Wine Day! Suddenly, just like that, my news feed started filling up with exhortations to get out and drink wine. … But wait! Doesn’t every day have potential to be a wine day? Let’s open a bottle tonight!
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