Wine Tastings Week April 15 and Grape Varietal Blog Entry featuring Sangiovese

Name: Black Box Merlot

Variety:Merlot

Region: California

Year: 2011

Country:USA

Price: $4.99 (2 standard glasses in small box)

Wine critic review: This wine's lavish red fruit aromas introduce a rich palate of plum and black cherry flavors tinged with smoky vanilla and cinnamon-spiced oak nuances. It finishes long and warm with resolved tannins and sweet red currant notes. (http://www.blackboxwines.com)

Personal Review: Smells of cherry and cassis. Great deep color (but I think thats because it has a hint of Petit Syrah in it). Awesome tannin structure once the box is already opened. Mild acidity and decent finish. Pretty standard Merlot. Great table wine and no trace of detectible residual sugar. This wine would probably go great with pasta dishes and grilled meats.No food was taken during this tasting.

Name: Black Box Cabernet Sauvignon

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region:California

Year:2011

Country: USA

Price:4.99 (2 standard glasses in small box)

Wine critic review:Offering a lush h display of dark berries, our Cabernet Sauvignon’s smooth tannins create a soft, lingering finish. Spicy cinnamon and vibrant black currant aromas accompany warm notes of vanilla and toasty oak for an irresistible, approachable glass of wine (http://www.blackboxwines.com)

Personal Review: No traceable floral notes. Fairly fruit forward with some hints of bell pepper and sandalwood. No oaked flavors- decent balanced acidity. I prefer the Merlot since it has a little bit more spice and body. This would probably go swell with filet mignon, roast duck, pork tenderloin or mushroom ravioli. No food was taken with this wine!

Name:Turning Leaf

Variety: Riesling

Region:California

Year:2009

Country: USA

Price:$9.99

Wine critic review: Soft and pretty, featuring apricot and peach fruit with light floral notes. Not much in the way of acidity- finishes soft. (Shop Merwins)

Personal Review: Notes of apricot, apple, pear, and a little hint of pine apple. Fairly citrus and definitely some detectible residual sugar. Lighter bodied wine with great grassy hay color. Blonde color for sure. Riesling wines are dynamic, food-favoring wines and so this would probably go swell with chicken or fish. I'd be daring enough to pair it with a nice California burger on a hot day. No food was taken with this wine.

Name:Wilson Daniels Sauvignon Blanc

Variety: Sauvignon Blanc

Region:Central Coast

Year:2010

Country: USA

Price:$7.95

Wine critic review: Orange blossom and citrus permeate the aromas. Alluring flavors of orange and grapefruit dominate the palate. Bright acidity balances the plush mouthfeel, resulting in a clean finish.(Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: Not crazy about it. Not a very strong aroma and didn't share the unique fruits that were used in its description (more tropical, grapefruit scents). Great palate cleanser (really! for me at least). I'd bet that this wine paired with some Tapas would really bring out the citrus tastes its described with. Light bodied and nice blonde color. Weak alcohol and could have had a better balance of acidity. Would probably pair nice with wasabi cheese. No food was taken with this wine.

Name:Ksana

Variety: Bonarda

Region:Mendoza

Year:2008

Country: Argentina

Price:$9.95

Wine critic review: The bouquet is floral and lightly jammy, with berry aromas and a savory note or two. To the uninitiated, this is a great introduction to Bonarda. Finishes solid. Very sweet, berry smell with some rooty undertones. Kind of dry, makes your lips pucker. (Vintage Cellar, Blacksburg VA)

Personal Review: I love Argentinian wines. This tastes like cherries rolled around on the bottom of my shoe. But I like it. Fruit forward, so maybe throw in some plums and blackberries. Yeah- like jammy dirt. That's the jam. Would probably be great as a Sangria with some apples, oranges, and pineapple. Solid jammy, fruity, plummy flavors with a little peppery spice on top. Delish with chicken even though I don't eat chicken. Would probably pair well with a lighter casserole dish or vegetable medley. No food was taken with this wine.

Grape Varietal Blog Entry #3: Sangiovese

  Sangiovese is grown notably in places such as Montalcino, Emilia-Romagna, Sicily, Abruzzo and Marche regions. Argentina has also been found to grow Sangiovese in the Mendoza region. However, the principal region where Sangiovese is grown is Tuscany. Sangiovese is the defining grape of Italy. Archeological theory suggests that this varietal originated in Romagna in the Town of Santarcangelo. This is where the Romans supposedly would store the wine in Grotte Tufacee (or really awesome grotto caves) inside the Mons Jovis. (1) Including the major regions that grow Sangiovese, the total worldwide acreage is about ~175,000 acres. (2) Sangiovese occupies more vineyard acres than any other variety in Italy, totaling 155,000 acres under vine. (2) It is the most widely grown grape in Italy, comprising about 10% of the vineyard area. (7) Some versions of Sangiovese and Barbera pop up in California and elsewhere.(4) The Cal-Ital movement in California has also led to growing plantings of Sangiovese. By 2011, Sangiovese was the 17th most planted red variety in California. (12) Sangiovese mutates easily, and therefore has many clones. The most notable being Brunello, of Brunello di Montalcino fame. (5)

Some common descriptors of tart cherry, red plum, strawberry, fig, roasted pepper, tomato, leather, clay, brick, tobacco, smoke, oregano, thyme, dried roses, and potpourri. (3) It has high acidity and a thicker skin. While being a thick skinned grape, Sangiovese has a slightly higher tannin content but this is usually because it is barrel aged in oak. Oaked Sangiovese has these higher tannin qualities.  They are known for their high acidity and smooth texture. It is these characteristics that make a Sangiovese-based wine very food friendly. Not unexpectedly, they pair well with tomato sauce based pastas, pizzas, and dishes and can also go well with roasted chicken and grilled meats. (8) Foods that are often paired with Sangiovese are mild to strong to very strong cheeses, seafood in heavier cream sauces, particularly if they are red or brown. Salmon, poultry, game bird, heartier pastas, beef dishes, barbecues, duck, goose, grilled pork, Italian sausage, pork roast, lamb, cold cuts, and a solid good pizza are also good matches for this varietal. (4)

Sangiovese Grape; Source: http://images.quickblogcast.com

Sangiovese is savory. Because of its ability to be a chameleon, Sangiovese wines offer a wide range of tastes from very earthy and rustic. This is the case with many Chianti Classico as well. Sangiovese can also have round and fruit-forward tastes as well. As said before, Sangiovese is a versatile grape that spans the entire length of the quality spectrum, from low-end Chianti to top-shelf Chianti Classico. (6) If not cared for correctly, the grape will produce a wine overly acidic with unripe fruit flavors. (5) It requires a long growing season, as it's early to bud and late to ripen. In cooler years, these tendencies can lead to high acidities and harsh, unripe tannins. (7) Not very pleasing to the palate to say the least. Regardless of where it’s grown, it always exhibits cherry flavors with more subtle notes of tomato. (2)  These are two of my favorite things so naturally, Sangiovese is typically a good choice for my palate.

There is a tendency to want to “improve” Sangiovese by adding small components of other grapes. So many wine makers do this and its not just with the Sangiovese grape. Cabernet Sauvignon, for example, adds rich saturation and structure to Sangiovese’s thinner appearance. (6) Merlot can add "lushness" and softness to Sangiovese's sometimes acidic, "thorny" traits. (6) The problem is, winemakers are not always legally allowed to blend other grapes, depending on laws determined by local authorities. For example, in Chianti Classico it is legal to do so; its wines are defined as being minimum 80% Sangiovese. (6)

Sangiovese also plays a major role in the huge category of wines known as Super Tuscans. These were the beloved varietals of the wine world from the 90s through the early 2000s, produced by some of Italy's historically significant wineries.(7) Since late last year a prosecutor has been investigating whether some of the major producers of the wine,  brunello di Montalcino, have been violating the laws that determine whether their product can bear that name, the most prestigious among all Tuscan wines. (11) The prosecutor has impounded more than a million bottles from some of the most prominent Italian winemakers. This includes Antinori and Frescobaldi. They will remain impounded until he determines whether they used unapproved techniques or grapes other than brunello, the local name for sangiovese, supposedly to give their idiosyncratic wine a broader international appeal. (11) Hot dang- who would have thought?

Some have said that the ultimate expression of Sangiovese is the 100% Sangiovese from the Montalcino area in Tuscany, known as Brunello di Montalcino. Montalcino is a relatively warm and dry micro climate where the Sangiovese grape can experience a longer growing period than virtually anywhere else in Italy. (7) Brunello di Montalcino must be at least 70% Sangiovese. Brunello DOCG regulations require that the wines be made exclusively from this Brunello clone, and that the wines be aged a minimum of two years in barrel (modernists tend to use more French barriques, while more traditional producers mainly use the old Slovinian botti), and four years in total before going to market. (7)

The hilly soil and the weather conditions of Tuscany are ideal for grape growing and, with the passing centuries, the numerous types of grapes grown gave rise to some rare and much loved varieties. Nowadays, the most grown variety is the noble Sangiovese, which is often combined with small amounts of locally grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and other grapes into  blends such as the Brunello di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano, Carmignano and the signature Tuscan wines, the Chianti and Chianti Classico. These are probably are the best known Italian wines in the world. Other grapes grown here are the Mammolo, Malvasia, Colorino, Raspirosso, Gamay, Grand Noir, Barbera, Moscatello, Aleatico and Vernaccia, among others.(9)

 

Tuscany accounts for over thirty DOC and half a dozen of DOCG wines. In addition to the great, well-known and appreciated reds, the local production includes a few distinguishable whites, the most notable among them being, without doubt, the Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Other delicious whites include the Bianco d'Elba, from the Elba Island, Bianco di Bolgheri, Vermentino, Bianco di Pitigliano and Bianco di Val di Nievole. (Bianco in Italian means, "white"). (9) Tuscan whites are largely indifferent. Most are made from the lackluster trebbiano grape. Trebbiano is valued for use in cheap table wine and as part of the traditional Chianti blend. One Tuscan white worth noting is Vernaccia (wine and grape) from the San Gimignano region. At least it’s better than trebbiano. (10) 

Sources:

(1)http://finewinesource.net/tag/blend/

(2) http://winefolly.com/review/guide-to-sangiovese-wine/

(3) http://www.thewinedoctor.com/advisory/tasteclassicgrapesred.shtml

(4) Boyer, John (2010-01-07). Drink This Now!: Step by step lessons for the aspiring wine connoisseur (Kindle Locations 3373-3374).  . Kindle Edition.

(5) http://winestore.strykersonoma.com/sangiovese-c31.aspx

(6) http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/March-2011/Sangiovese/

(7) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-jennings/sangiovese-italys-most-ub_b_1343854.html

(8) http://www.wine-road.com/education/grape-varieties/sangiovese-grape.php

(9) http://www.winecountry.it/regions/tuscany/

(10) http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/w/wines/tuscany/index.html