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Is
anybody thirsty? We're back and we have some wines for you to
consume. Our format has changed for this particular shipment
only because we are sending you twelve wines instead of six.
This is in lieu of the missed July shipment. So get your stemware
out and get ready to drink.
Once again, thank you for your patience through the summer months
as we waited out the heat of the summer. We didn't want our members
to receive a box full of cooked wine with corks popping out of
the bottles. However, we do want our members to drink some incredible
value wines from around the world.
In this shipment, which is dominated by Italian wines, we've
found more '97's from Italy, upscale Rioja from Spain, incredible
bargains from France, a sleeper from Australia and even a high
- end wine from Baja. Yes, that is Baja as in Baja California,
Mexico.
In the last newsletter, we discussed the difference between New
World and Old World styles in winemaking. A direct correlation
to these two styles is the use or non - use of oak barrel fermentation.
Whether it's the sweetness of American oak or the softness of
French oak, the overuse of wood in so-called New World winemaking
circles is prevalent. When the average consumer says they like
a wine that is "smooth," what does that mean? Basically
it means they like wines with little acid, big forward fruit
and heavy oak accents. We see that firsthand in warmer wine growing
regions like Australia, Argentina or even Napa valley where big
fruit forward wines are dominated by French or American oak.
In contrast, you see a more balanced approach in the great wines
of the world, whether it's Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Rioja
or Brunello di Montalcino. Oak is used as an accent to the fruit,
terroir and acid in the wine creating a perfect balance. It almost
seems as though the wine is made with food in mind.
I'd like to share a story, which exemplifies the difference in
use of oak from region to region. Recently, I had a French businessman
in the wine industry explain to me how his Chateau (winery) would
put its world class White Burgundy (Chardonnay) in new French
oak barrels for a maximum of six months. They then would export
the used barrels to North America where an upscale California
winery would purchase them and put Chardonnay in the same oak
barrels for up to three years!! Talk about two contrasting styles
of winemaking, French White Burgundy to pair with food versus
California Chardonnay for sipping at a cocktail party. Whether
you prefer the former or the latter style, with Enoteca Della
Santina we hope to expose our members to all types of wine and
wine making.
As always, we welcome and look forward to your comments and questions.
Please feel free to contact us at 707-529-0159 or via email at
ndellasantina@mindspring.com. We try to keep everyone updated
on the club through email, so if you haven't given us your email
address yet, please email it to us at the address above. And
don't worry, we'll be sending one more shipment to everyone before
the holidays so you'll have some tasty wines to drink at all
of those holidays gatherings.
Salute!
Robert & Nicole Della Santina and J. Thaddeus Brennan
Brentino,
Maculan, Veneto 2000 - $14
Let the value games begin! I recently met Fausto Maculun, the
proprietor and winemaker at Maculan. He has become increasingly
acknowledged as one of the world's greatest winemakers. The winery
is located in Breganze, a little village situated in hills north
of Venice. The surrounding mountains protect the area from cold
winds creating the perfect climate for the cultivation of vineyards.
This winery is simply a hot commodity and was first recognized
for its dessert wines.
Brentino is a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon.
After the wine is fermented in open stainless steel tanks, it
is aged in barrique (oak) for sixteen months and left unfiltered.
It has a complex bouquet of ripe berry fruit and black licorice.
This wine is definitely full - bodied and dry, yet it has perfectly
balanced acidity, which is a nice match with some beef or wild
game like venison.
Nebbiolo
Della Langhe, Bera, Piedmont 1997 - $16
This one is such a steal, it's as if we're giving it away. Once
again, we found more Italian wine from the great '97 vintage.
Fortunately for us, Alessandro Bera's beautiful hillside vineyards
are on the wrong side of the tracks. Bera's winery is situated
on the south side of the town of Barbaresco. Because of this,
his wine cannot be classified as a Barbaresco by the Italian
governing body or D.O.C.G. Instead, the wine is simply labeled
as a Nebbiolo, even though it sits across the valley from the
world-renowned master of Italian wines, Angelo Gaja.
This wine is the definition of class. Beautifully balanced, this
Nebbiolo exudes cherries and raspberries along with hints of
spice and pepper. The oak is definitely downplayed allowing the
consumer to taste the terroir. Drink this with heavy pastas,
poultry or a nice veal roast. Open this wine thirty minutes before
drinking.
Pinot
Bianco, Torre Rosazza, Veneto - $18
And you thought you couldn't get rid of that terrible habit of
drinking California Chardonnay. This wine is one hundred percent
single vineyard Pinot Bianco or Pinot Blanc for you Francophiles.
Definitely new world in style, this Pinot Bianco clearly shows
the present and future potential of the Italian white wine scene.
The wine undergoes Malolactic fermentation or a secondary fermentation
in stainless steel followed by six to eight months in new barriques.
Lastly, it is refined in the bottle for another eight to ten
months. This Pinot Blanc is a velvety enveloping wine, straw
yellow in color, balanced and full yet easy to drink. The wood
definitely shows in the wine along with ripe melon and apples.
For a nice pairing, drink this wine with seafood, poultry or
a nice risotto.
Ribera
Del Duero, Bodegas y Vinedos Valderiz, Spain 1998 - $22
Ay! Que caliente!! I forgot to tell you that I am tri - lingual.
All kidding aside, I'm only telling the truth. This wine is hot.
Even though we don't like to believe all those scores, our friends
at The Spectator rated this wine ninety-two points. This is young
Telmo Rodriguez's second release from Ribera del Duero, the exciting
new wine-growing region in north - central Spain, where some
of the country's top red wines are being produced.
The fruit for this wine is sourced from twenty - five year old
Tempranillo vines. Moreover, using modern vinification methods
and new French oak, Rodriguez has created a beautifully balanced
new world style wine. The wine shows a dense, plush texture with
ripe plum and blackberry flavors combined with coffee and spicy
oak accents. This wine definitely has structure to age. Remember
to open this wine thirty minutes before drinking. Drink it with
roasted meats, beef or even veal.
Pinot
Grigio, Montresor, "La Colombaia" Valdadige, Verona
2001 - $11
What has made Pinot Grigio the top imported white wine in the
United States? Perhaps, it is the perfect balance of fruit and
acid in a food friendly wine combined with attractive pricing.
This single vineyard Pinot Grigio from Montresor is definitely
a winner, combining both quality and value. At Della Santina's
Trattoria, the popularity of this particular Pinot Grigio has
been unmatched.
The history of this winery is also very interesting. With the
return of the papacy from France, the Montresor family settled
in Verona. Since this time, the family has perpetuated the production
of Pinot Grigio. Three years ago, they became a global leader
in vineyard management by using satellite imaging to grow and
harvest grapes.
This Pinot Grigio is loaded with hints of ripe melon and apples.
The balance of ripe fruit, acid and low alcohol is the key to
this wine. Pair it with salad courses or seafood dishes with
citrus.
Cotes
De Bordeaux, Domain Du Barrail, "La Charmille," France
1999 - $8
I do not recall … I have no recollection ... All kidding
aside, I know nothing about this wine. I stumbled upon it solely
by chance. However, I do know that any wine of this quality and
price from Bordeaux is most definitely a steal.
As with most Cotes de Bordeaux, the wine is dominated by Merlot.
However, don't forget that Bordeaux wines are a blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.
In this particular wine, the fruit is pronounced with strong
hints of Cabernet Franc in the finish. It is not a highly complex
wine but paired with the right foods, it will hold its own. Open
this wine and drink immediately with roasted meats, chicken or
even a heavy pasta dish.
Villa
Pillo, Merlot, Tuscany 1997 - $14
I know what your saying, "another Merlot and from Italy."
Well, you haven't tasted anything like this one from the great
'97 Italian vintage. A vintage that has propelled Villa Pillo
into the spotlight just as it did for Stefano Farina and his
Barolo.
This wine exhibits the fruit forward characteristics of a ripe
Merlot combined with the dustiness of traditional Italian red
wine. It has an interesting spice quality combined with just
a hint of oak. Moreover, the wine has enough acid to stand up
to food and not become flabby. Open this wine thirty minutes
before drinking and serve with beef or roasted lamb.
Vino
Tinto, Chateau Camou, Baja, Mexico 1998 - $32
We mentioned in the introductory newsletter that we would find
some esoteric wines. Well, here is one that you won't find every
day. This Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Cabernet Franc comes from the Valle de Guadalupe, a valley
just east of Ensenada. Even more fascinating is the fact that
Bordeaux native Michelle Rolland, one of the world's leading
enologists, consults at Chateau Camou. We're extremely excited
to present this wine, which exemplifies everything that Enoteca
Della Santina is striving for: exposure of the club members to
great wines wherever they may be.
This Vino Tinto is truly elegant and Bordeaux in style. However,
the wine definitely has distinct flavors, which we believe come
from the terroir or dirt of Baja California. In particular, we
noticed immediately a subtle smoky, mesquite quality to the wine.
Furthermore, it has a beautiful balance of forward fruit combined
with enough acid to hold up beautifully with food. Enjoy this
wine with braised meats or a beautiful grilled cut of beef. Open
this wine one-hour before serving, share it with friends and
let us know what you think.
Dolcetto
D'Alba, "Coste & Fossati," G.D. Vajra, Barolo 2000
- $16
This wine is somewhat of a gamble. In its traditional form, Dolcetto
is truly an acquired taste, as people tend to love it or hate
it. It's normally loaded with lots of acid accompanied by fruit
that tends to be somewhat astringent. However, this particular
Dolcetto from Vajra has broken the mold. With New World winemaking
methods, it is left to ferment longer in the skins, thus giving
it a deeper, darker color, more extracted fruit and far less
acid.
I think the wine has an interesting flavor profile. It is loaded
with hints of raspberries and cherries along with spices and
an herbal quality. This wine is perfect with a nice spicy tomato
based pasta dish. Enjoy and Salute!
Cote
Du Rhone Villages, Domaine De La Renjarde, France 2000 - $11
We just can't stay away. Here's another Rhone wine from France
with a little pedigree behind it. Robert Parker recently gave
this wine a score in the high eighties and called it an excellent
value play.
This Cote Du Rhone is a blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, and Grenache.
The wine is beautifully balanced but simple and straightforward.
Hints of spice and black pepper are paired with blueberries and
raspberries. You're able to taste and smell the terroir. Open
this wine and enjoy it immediately. Pair it with hearty pasta
dishes or braised meats.
Chianti
Classico Riserva, Carpineto, Tuscany 1997 - $19
We've found more Italian wine from the incredible 97' vintage.
Interestingly, wine drinkers who never cared much for Chianti
before this vintage are now finding room for them in their cellars.
Plus, this incredible vintage was fully exploited in Chianti
as it came after many wineries had made upgrades to their equipment
and techniques.
This is definitely an Old World style Chianti made in a banner
year. It is a medium bodied wine, which needs a full hour to
open up. Cherry fruit, plums, cassis and telltale Chianti spices
dominate the wine. This is not a blockbuster but a seductive
traditional Italian wine. Drink it with pastas, poultry or roasted
meat. At Della Santina's, it was paired through the winter months
with handmade ravioli in brown butter, sage and pancetta sauce.
Salitage,
"The Pemberton," Australia 1999 - $17
We've finally gone back down under!! Recently, we have been kept
away by skyrocketing wine prices in Australia and New Zealand.
However, this Aussie red is exactly what we're looking for, a
blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon combined with Merlot, Cabernet
Franc and Petit Verdot. Moreover, the fruit is one hundred percent
estate grown.
This unique Meritage blend has an interesting flavor profile.
It has big fleshy fruit flavors of plum combined with subtle
note of chocolate and toasted sweet American oak. It also combines
the herbaceous scents and complexity of a Bordeaux with the big
ripe fruit of a "down under" Cabernet Sauvignon. Open
and enjoy this wine immediately. Match it with lamb or beef.
It's a carnivore's favorite.
Re - Order Form
Wine
4 bottles 6 bottles case
Now
Available
Brentino, Maculan, Veneto 2000 - $14
Nebbiolo, Bera, Piedmont 1997 - $16
Pinot Bianco, Torre Rosazza, Veneto - $18
Ribera Del Duero, Valderiz, Spain 1998 - $22
Pinot Grigio, Montresor, Verona 2001 - $11
Bordeaux, La Charmille, France 1999 - $8
Merlot, Villa Pillo, Tuscany 1997 - $14
Chateau Camou, Baja, Mexico 1998 - $32
Dolcetto, G.D. Vajra, Barolo 2000 - $16
Cote Du Rhone, Renjarde, France 2000 - $11
Chianti Riserva, Carpineto, Tuscany 1997 - $19
Salitage, Australia, 1999 - $17
Available
from Third Shipment
Tormaresca, Antinori, Puglia 2000 $10
Rasteau, Mistral, France 1998 $14
Chianti, Agripeccioli, 2000 $7
Malbec, Santa Julia, Argentina 2000 $10
Barolo, Stefano Farina, Piedmont 1997 $26
Mapemma, Argentina 2000 $31
Available
from Second Shipment:
Gemola, Vignalta,"Colli Euganei," 1997 $28
Cabernet Sauvignon, Greystone, Australia 1999 $17
Sauvignon Blanc, Brampton, South Africa 2000 $9
Vacqueyras, Cailloux, France 1999 $18
Palazzo Della Torre, Allegrini, 1998 $16
Rioja, Sierra Cantabria, Spain 1999 $9
Available
from First Shipment:
Vina Alarba Grenache 2001 $8
Omaka Springs Sauvignon Blanc 2000 $15
Rully, Red Burgundy, France 1998 $18
Ben Marco Malbec 1999 $20
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