Category Archives: Italy

Tommasi introduces Amarone to many

08 Thursday Mar 2018

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Amarone is an under-appreciated fine wine that may be new to many wine drinkers. Amarone comes from northern Italy and is made in a process requiring the grapes be dried before pressed for their juice.

grape-sense-logoThis column is another in a series of interviews with winemakers, owners, and families about their passion for winemaking. Pierangelo Tommasi is a member of the fourth generation of Italians making Amarone wines. The Tommasi family owns several Italian estates and makes a variety of Italian wines. Pierangelo is something of a family spokesman. He works to market the Tommasi wines.

When a family business is rooted with such history, the passion is easy to understand.

Tommasi Famiglia

The current generation of the Tommasi family. Pierangelo is second from right.

“The time, labor and materials that go into crafting each bottle of Amarone della Valpolicella Classico set Amarone apart from other Italian wines, as few are as distinctive or precious as Amarone,” Tommasi began. “Our Amarone is produced from indigenous grape varietals Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta grapes, all of which have thick skins, allowing them to dry for 100 days on bamboo racks with constant air circulation.”

The process of aging is unique for Amarone. During that drying period the grapes lose about half of their weight but the juice is concentrating. The wine is fermented and gains the color from skin along with the tannins and structure needed for a great wine. After fermentation, the wine is aged for three years in large oak casks.

 

Amarone is known as a wine of great depth and richness. And, obviously, it’s wine made from grapes which most Americans have never heard of previously. It is unlike other wines.

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Pierangelo Tommasi

“Amarone is a complex wine, but it is one of the most historical and beautiful expressions of one of the most esteemed Italian wine regions,” Tommasi said.  “Consumers should not be intimidated by the blend of grapes that go into Amarone, they should instead focus on the long aging potential of the wine and the full-bodied yet smooth and elegant characteristics that make it a favorable wine to pair with food.”

“Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a wine one can proudly serve for special occasions, paired with red meats and ripe cheeses,” Tommasi said. “It is also a fantastic stand-alone wine, with the perfect balance of intense berries and soft tannins to make it easy to sip on its own. An ideal companion to enjoyable conversation.”

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Winemaking is always about farming

09 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Food & Travel, Italy, Newspaper Column 2018, Uncategorized

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Whether it’s the hills of Southern Indiana, the lush valleys of California, or limestone soils in Bordeaux, winemaking is farming. Most any winemaker will quickly share that great wine comes from great vineyards.

grape-sense-logoAdditionally, the best winemakers say they only get involved in a tiny portion of the winemaking process.

“A vineyard is by God,” said Italian winemaker Chiara Boschis, in Indianapolis to promote her Piedmont wines. “Winemaking is an art, such a long process from the grape to the harvest and then vinification. What is important is to be a good farmer. We have learned to be better and better farmers.”

Boschis is a bit of an icon. She started in the late 80s with her first vintage in the early 1990s. Her ‘old farm of Barolo’ had been worked for nine generations. “But being a girl, I was not really involved. Ah, a lost resource.”

So off she went to university to earn a degree in economics, which she hated. When her father purchased a nearby small winery in 1980, she jumped at the opportunity. “I wanted in, I wanted to have my hands in the wine. At that time Barolo was not as important as it is today. I was attracted to all the new ideas.

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Boschis talking Italian wine.

Pira & Gigli winery has been her workshop ever since. She believes in minimal interference. As a matter of fact, she calls her wines 99 percent vineyard and 1 percent winemaking.

She almost immediately started reducing the crop in her 10 hectares (about 24 acres) to improve grape quality. She became diligent in keeping her winery spotless. She called the 1990s the years winemakers learned what they needed to do to make the Barolo grape, Nebbiolo, a world-class wine.

“Back then the winemakers were called the Barolo boys,” she said. “I was the only girl. Women have always been the column of society, taking care of the kids, the budget, and the household. Now a lot of girls are taking up winemaking.”

That emergence in the 1990s was crafting Piedmont wines to be food-friendly and a bit lighter than previous tradition. “We wanted to reduce the crop to reduce the alcohol and sugars,” she explained. “We wanted to make wines of elegance, wine for food.”

Piedmont wines are for serious wine drinkers. The first step into Piedmont wine is Dolcetto. You’ll often find it labeled as Dolcetto d’Alba or Dolcetto d’Asti – that’s simply a geographic designation. It’s an earthy grape with bright fruit and can be found for around $20.

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Boschis explaining Piedmont’s winemaking regions.

Barbera is a real workhorse in the area and maybe the best value. The best Barbera wines are silky on the palate with lots of spicy notes. Barbera can range from $25-$50.

Nebbiolo is the rock star in northwest Italy. Wines labeled Nebbiolo are essentially ‘second wines.’ The wines are dry and tannic with a distinctive flavor of terroir and region. Nebbiolo can be found at a wide range of prices from upper teens to $50.

The very best Nebbiolo, in specified Piedmont regions not far from Turin, becomes Barolo. Barolo is considered by many wine critics and wine drinkers one of, and in some case, the best wine of Italy and even the world. The wine is made for food and to age. They are rich wines perfect for big food and Barolos usually have a pronounced finish.

Good Barolo is hard to find at less than $50 or $60. Boschis’ Barolo wines are generally $100-$120. So, Barolo isn’t going to be for everyone, its not easy to find unless you are in a larger city wine shop, but Barolo is a dynamite wine. Try a Piedmont in your price range with Italian beef or hearty sauces.

Bubbles don’t have to be expensive

30 Saturday Dec 2017

Posted by in France, Holidays, Italy, Newspaper Column 2017, Uncategorized

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The sale of sparkling wines and champagne has been booming. French Champagne, Italian Prosecco, and Spanish Cava have become year-round refreshing treats. And after years of predictions it could become a big player, England’s sparkling wines are finally turning up on shelves of U.S. wine stores.

grape-sense-logoGrape Sense has urged year-round enjoyment of bubbles, but everyone at least thinks of Champagne at the new year.

Let’s do a quick review of what’s available, something we haven’t done in a few years.

Italian Prosecco is one of the biggest booming wines in the world. The bubbles are lighter, and the wines are a little sweeter. Most Prosecco is made with Glera, native to northern Italy, but up to nine other grapes can be blended to make up to 15 percent of any Prosecco.

rubuliHere is an easy tip to make sure you’re buying quality Italian bubbles. Look for the region Valdobbiadene on the bottle. You don’t have to pronounce it, just remember it. Valdobbiadene is the premier region for the Glera grape.  You can find great Prosecco at most wine shops ranging from $15-$35. Rebuli and Bisol are good producers.

Spanish Cava is even more affordable. There are good bottles as low as $8-$10. Spain is the second largest producer of sparkling wine, second only to Champagne. Much of the Cava is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, though local grapes like Parellada get involved as well. Look for an easy-to-find bottling like Poema or Segura Viudas is an even better producer.

U.S. producers in California have been around a long time. A personal and affordable favorite is Sonoma County’s Gloria Ferrer. Several different bottlings are available but the entry level Sonoma Brut is a great wine for $20. If you want something special, try the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blanc for just a few dollars more. A bit of education, a blanc de blanc is made of 100 percent Chardonnay while a Blanc de Noir would be Pinot Noir bubbles.

Other top California bubble makers include Korbel, Gruet, Roederer, Schramsberg, and Mumm.

HebrartOf course, no discussion of bubbles can exclude Champagne. French bubbles remain the benchmark all sparkling wine producers seek to reproduce. The classic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir bubble blends set the world standard. Many producers near Reims, France, about 80 miles north of Paris, have been making Champagne for hundreds of years.

Like many things French, champagne doesn’t come cheap. There are good bottles around $40-$60 but most people are more familiar with names like Dom Perignon, Bollinger, Krug, Moet & Chandon, and many others. Visit a wine shop and you’ll learn the names you know also make less expensive bottles.

A somewhat newer trend in Champagne is the emergence, at least from a marketing perspective, of grower wines. These are usually small production houses really focused on growing their grapes and making wine with a focus on terroir. In Indiana, look for a producer like Marc Hebrart. The Hebrart Brut sells for around $35 and the Rose’ bubbles about $60.

May you enjoy good health and success in 2018.

 

Chianti Isn’t That Complicated

10 Friday Mar 2017

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The charm in the old Italian restaurant of a short, fat bottle of wine that’s covered in straw is undeniable for many Americans of a certain age. The wine inside of that iconic Italian imagery, unfortunately, didn’t do the great Chianti wines of today any favors.

grape-sense-logoChianti is the most-recognizable red wine of Italy. It’s a table wine and a fine wine but it has a checkered past. Chianti producers were making swill and taking liberties with their wine blends until the international explosion of wine sales started in the 1990s. It was about that time, along with a younger generation of winemakers, that Tuscany wines took a leap in quality. New Italian government regulations narrowed how the wines were to be made.

Chianti is a wine region largely encompassing Florence down through Siena, Italy. The heart of Chianti is a designated grape-growing region for the best wines, Chianti Classico. The grape of these wines is Sangiovese. Chianti Classico can be 100 percent of the varietal but must be at least 80 percent Sangiovese to be called a Classico. The Italian grapes Canaiolo and Colorino are often used in the blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also used to round out the flavor.

Chianti wines are most associated with red sauces. Or yes, pasta dishes and Chianti wines are the great pairing we know and often enjoy.

Chianti is not a sipping wine its best paired with food. Chianti often has bold acidity and can be quite tart but that’s why it pairs so nicely with red sauces.

Basic Chianti can always be found under $20. Chianti Classico has a bit of a higher price point but is worth the extra dollars. Classico usually has softer fruit and a more pleasing roundness to enjoy with your food.

Here are a couple of recent Chianti wines I’ve enjoyed:

Cecchi 2014 Chianti Classico – Tart cherry flavor and great balance. The Cecchi label is widely available. The wine can be found anywhere from $15 to $22. Cecchi Chianti Classico is a great value entry point for red Italian.

Castello di Albola  2013 Chianti Classico – Another entry level wine that is a bit softer on the palate but lighter on the fruit. The Albola was missing the typical pronounced acidity. I’d recommend this wine to folks trying Chianti for the first time. The wine can be purchased for around $16.

There are lots of Chianti choices in most wine shops, even liquor stores. There are too many for specific recommendations. A safe bet is to go with the Classico and enjoy Italy’s great Sangiovese grape with a good red sauce and pasta.

Buon Appetito!

 

Try Italian Bubbly for New Year’s Eve

30 Tuesday Dec 2014

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There are so many good choices for a glass of sparking wine or bubbly at New Years you can hardly go wrong.

Most of us probably won’t be buying Dom Perginon, Krug, or Cristal for the New Year’s toast Wednesday night. But there is plenty of time to grab a bottle of sparkling wine in the $10-$20 range that you and your guests can enjoy.

new_years_toastMy first instinct is to always send people to Italy’s Prosecco. The northern Italian region of Prosecco produces some of the most drinkable bubbly in the world. I quick primer starts with location. The Prosecco region in in the far northeastern corner of the boot surrounding Venice. Glera is the main grape of Proseeco, a native grape dating back to the time of the Romans. There are up to seven other grapes often blended in up to 15 percent.

Prosecco is usually a straw-yellow sparkler with a floral nose, hints of apple and pear with modest alcohol. It drinks fresh, smooth and even elegant.

The Italian bubbly is also growing in popularity as a year round drink. U.S. Prosecco exports. Imports increased 27 percent to the states in the first quarter of this year.

thBut what should go looking for? If you want to try Prosecco start with the widely available Riondo Spago Nero. The wine is really easy to drink, 100 percent Glera, and a cool 10.5 percent alcohol. I’ve probably seen this bottle in more wine shops than any other Italian Prosecco.

Another I enjoyed just as much or more was the Astoria “Lounge” Prosecco, an extra dry sparkling wine. This had really powerful pear and rich apple flavor. It’s in a distinctive squat bottle and just 11 percent alcohol.

astoria_prosecco__33659.1389809720.1280.1280The suggested price on these two Prosecco wines is $14 for the Riondo and $11 for the Astoria. Both were trade samples.

Bolla_Sparkling-Rose-bottle-135x450Let’s stay in northern Italy but take a look at the Banfi’s Bolla Sparkling Rose’. There is nothing like sparkling Rose’ for a toast or to start your morning tour when visiting old Europe.

The Bolla is made of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Raboso. It’s very floral, more pronounced fruit and a delightful sipper. It’s another wine that’s really easy to find. The Bolla is also a modest 11 percent alcohol. It’s normally priced around $12-$14.

The great thing about these wines are their affordability and wonderfully light taste. Buy several and enjoy them throughout the year. Sparkling wine makes a great summer sipper.

Fall is Great Brunello Weather

13 Monday Oct 2014

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I just don’t drink enough Brunello!

But, other than those living in the heart of Tuscany, who really drinks enough great Italian wine?

brunelloThere are plenty of so-so or down right unpalatable Chianti wines. There are some good ones as well, of course. But for the true expression of the Sangiovese grape and Tuscany’s finest, you have to drink Brunello.

Now there is a drawback and that’s price. Brunello isn’t cheap. A decent bottle of Tuscany’s best expression of the great Italian grape starts at about $50 – and that is the low end. A really good bottle will probably cost you between $60-$90.

I had a tough week juggling personal, professional and more the past seven days then on Friday closed on a nice bungalow I shall live in for a few years before retirement. I painted and worked today only to realize I didn’t celebrate the closing.

Mild sausage, ground turkey, seasoned tomatoes, crushed tomatos, garlic, onion, splash of red wine, beef broth and cook the heck out of it!

Mild sausage, ground turkey, seasoned tomatoes, crushed tomatos, garlic, onion, splash of red wine, beef broth and cook the heck out of it!

So after whipping up some pretty tasty pasta, I started sipping a killer Piccini Villa al Cortile 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. Full disclosure: This is an $80 bottle of wine in my wine rack as a trade sample.

The online ratings were all over the place but I liked it a lot. Picini is a very old name with more than 100 years of winemaking experience. The wine is aged in stainless steel and oak. It has a killer nose and wonderful dark fruit, chocolate, tobacco and earthiness.

Many will tell you not to touch a Brunello for 10 years. I’m not sure about that, but this bottle was doing some pretty great things at six years. It did improve with some decanting and time to open up.

Piccini is a brand that’s on many better wine shop shelves. But think about a Reserva and the price point when you want a great bottle of Italian Brunello.

Piccini Villa al Cortile 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, SRP $90, Trade Sample, Very Highly Recommended

Antinori Delivers in Glass, Plate

21 Saturday Jun 2014

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FLORENCE, ITALY – I’m always a little leary of people going outside their expertise. But there was nothing worrisome Saturday night at the historic Antinori Palace restaurant and wine bar.

appetizerThe iconic Italian wine family started a tasting room in the late 1950s – that would be about 600 years after they started making wine.

I had visited the Antinori bar about four years ago and found it very attractive, if not a bit stodgy or pretentious. It’s good to report that it was neither Saturday night with a group of 25 folks associated with Wabash College. It proved to be one of the best meals I’ve had in ages, and I’ve had some good ones lately.

We did shared appetizers and desserts with everyone ordering their own first (pasta, soup, or salad) and second (steak, veal, vegetable) course. The proscuitto wrapped melon, zucchini salade, and small crostini with several toppings got us off to a strong start with the affordable Antinori Tuscan white. The white wine is widely available in the U.S. I’d never had it before but found it delightful  and far about the usual  U.S.. price.

vealI had the fresh tomato soup, which had lots  of basil and oregano with great texture. The huge hit for me was the tender, juicy veal with perfectly roasted potatoes.

We had a dessert plate of cheesecake with fresh strawberries, biscotti, and a delightful pear cake in a cream sauce. A small sip of the Italian dessert wine Vin Santo and we all went home happy campers.

The photos do better than I do at this hour!

Bouna notte from Italia!

 

Tasting Oregon to Tuscany

21 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Italy, Oregon

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SIENA, ITALY – From the lush green countryside of Oregon’s Willamette Valley to the majesty and golden valleys of Tuscany, a common refrain connects wine lovers. There’s nothing better than good food and good wine.

Grape Sense LogoGrape Sense’s first private wine tour, a five-day exploration of Oregon, was followed by a 10-day excursion in Italy’s Siena, Florence, and Rome. The first trip was private and wine/food focused while the current trip is about education and paying-job related. But in Italy there is no escaping the wine and food. And, who would want to do that any way?

In Italy the gracious ristorante and trattoria owners offer smiles, warmth, and endless platters of great food. A mid-week drive through the heart of Tuscany was time for a short lesson on Italian wine. The travel group of 20 seems to enjoy wine but wanted to understand Tuscany for its wine as well as its art and history. The college professor leading the tour handed me the touring coach microphone for a quick lesson.

It occurred to me as we resumed the ride, it’s a lesson that needs repeated.

The not-so-difficult hurdle to understanding Italian, for that matter French, wine is to understand geography. The Old World wine countries identifiy wines by region and not grape. If you’re having steak and want a nice big California Cabernet, you head to the wine shop and buy a Cabernet. But in Italy you might buy a Super Tuscan or Brunello – neither of those wines are a grape. But each are made from Sangiovese – the grape most identified with Europe’s boot.

I shot this vineyard photo about 10 mi. from Montalcino

I shot this vineyard photo about 10 mi. from Montalcino

Sangiovese dominates Tuscany and makes the Chianti, Chianti Classico, and Brunello wines. Sangiovese is usually blended with Cabernet, and sometimes a bit of Merlot or even Syrah, in the Super Tuscan wines.

In Italy’s Trattorias (think small restaurant) to the nice ristorantes the Rosso flows freely from the jug or pitcher. A Rosso is essentially a table wine and almost always Sangiovese. It’s not fair to over generalize Sangiovese as bottom of the barrel wine production, but who ever said we’d be fair.

The Rosso wines are pleasant enough and usually lighter than a Chianti with less acidity and less of the full dark cherry flavor of most Chianti. The quality varies greatly but it’s satisfying enough for the average tourist palate.

Our travel group enjoyed an unique picnic in Montalcino, a hilltop town in the very heart of Brunello – Sangiovese’s shining-moment wine.

We had a huge spread of crusty bread, salami, and Italy’s wonderful prosciutto and smoked prosciutto. We bought three different Brunello wines and a white to show our friends the difference between Italy’s entry level Rosso and its biggest star.

It was a big hit. Many had come to Italy expecting great wine at each meal and were slightly disappointed they had not found that. But now they’re spoiled and my work is complete!

But on a more serious note, there is nothing better than exploring everything a new wine region – whether it’s a state or country – has to offer. And when the opportunity arises, explore that wine region from its least to its best.

Chianti wines are widely available from the supermarket to wine shops. I always suggest trying the Chianti Classico which offers softer tannins and richer fruit for just a few dollars more. Great Classicos can be found at under $25. Brunello is king of the Tuscan mountains but substantially more expensive, starting at twice the per bottle cost of a good Classico.

We’re off to Florence as this is written and then Rome – more great wild boar sauce, pasta, beef, veal and Sangiovese await.

Wine for Serious Wine Lovers

04 Tuesday Feb 2014

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It’s easy to buy a big, expensive California Cabernet, red Bordeaux, or Oregon Pinot Noir for an intimate dinner party or special gift. But to really surprise a serious wine lover or yourself why not something really different?

Grape Sense LogoOdds are even the biggest wine fans are going to scratch their heads when you present them with a bottle of Sagrantino. The grape grows primarily in just one region of the world. Sagrantino’s home is the hilltops around Montefalco, Italy. Its origins are largely unknown though it’s been suggested it arrived in Umbria from Greece. There is also a school of thought the Franciscans or St. Francis of Assisi brought the grape from the Middle East as a scacramental wine. The grape can be traced back 400 years in the Montefalco region.

Winemaker Marco Caprai

Winemaker Marco Caprai

What makes the wine special and rare is that there is only 250 acres of Sagrantino in the region. A bit of Sagrantino is planted elsewhere in Tuscany but not much. There are only a few producers specializing in the wine. The number is usually reported as about 25 wineries.

Sagrantino is often blended with a large percentage of the traditional Italian Sangiovese grape to make a Montefalco Rosso; Sagrantino Passito is made from partially dried grapes.

But let’s stick to the rare but exciting 100 percent Sagrantino.

What’s so special? It is big, rich, and dry wine. It probably will be the most dry wine even an experienced wine fan has ever tasted. It is extraordinarily complex wine worthy and demanding aging before drinking. Most recommendations range 5-10 years beyond vintage year before consumption.

The wine is aged at least 30 months before it can be released. It’s a full-bodied wine driven by muscular tannins, rich taste, and subtle floral hints.

Caprai with family estate in the background.

Caprai with family estate in the background.

Such an obscure and difficult grape requires a champion. Arnaldo Caprai is the little black grape’s biggest booster. For years Caprai made his substantial living as an Italian textile giant. He bought a winery in the 1970s near Montefalco. Caprai partnered with the University of Milan to study the grape and its background. Marco Caprai joined his father’s efforts in 1987 as they expanded vineyards and built a state-of-the-art winery. He continues as the winemaker and Sagrantino ambassador today.

The Caprai wines are the best among four to five labels I’ve tasted.The wines would pair well with Italian-seasoned beef, or meat in red sauces, this is not pasta wine! The latest Caprai Sagrantino release was a consistent 90-94 point wine

There are other labels available in the U.S. but you’ll only find Sagrantino in better wine shops.

I opened a bottle of Tenuta Alzatura Disente Uno 2004 Sagrantino for this column. It was a bit silkier than most with a strong sense of earthiness on the nose. Frankly, it was a little thin. It still had the huge tannic finish but wasn’t as rewarding as others.

The second bottle I tested was Tabarrini 2006 Colle Grimaldesco, aged 24 months in oak and 12 months in the bottle before release. This wine had the intense dark colors and a dense taste of blackberry and spices. It warms the palate and surprises a novice with its sheer power. Wine Advocate gave this wine 91 points.

Grape Sense has always focused on value wine. But the least expensive Sagrantino is around $30 and you can easily spend up to $150. So Sagrantino is not for everyone, but something really special to give a try if you see a bottle.

This piece is my most recent newspaper column. A similar and slightly longer piece appeared in the most recent issue of Madison Magazine, Anderson, In.

A Weekend of Wine Reviews

27 Friday Dec 2013

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In a land far away and definitely a long, long time ago, I did radio sports play-by-play for basketball and football. I thought I might take that approach through Tuesday for the two or three wines I taste over that time period.

Now before my friends get concerned about an intervention, I haven’t consumed wine in nearly a week because of the holidays. So with lots of time home for taking down the tree, house cleaning, laundry, and making a couple of massive pots of chili – a few bottles are likely to get popped open.

So here’s the format for the call:

Day 1, Friday Dec. 27

chteau-bonneau-2008-montagne-st-emilion-bordeaux-433-1Chateau Bonneau 2009 Montagne St. Emilion, Bordeaux – This is outstanding table wine. The bottle was a gift from a French national who was quick to note it was nothing special just really good table wine. And that tops any description I could give it.

A few notes though would call attention to its drinkability. There’s not much going on here but it’s very well-made wine. Bonneau is a very small operation near Montagne in the Saint Emilion region east of Bordeaux (the city).

The alcohol is a modest 13.5 percent. I picked up nice fruit from the Merlot and Cab Franc blend. It has a modest little finish that most would find pleasing. In doing a little research I found recommendation that the bottle would peak in 3-4 years. I’d say it’s there right now.

What’s wrong with a nice round and soft Bordeaux blend with a pot of chili? Nothing at all.

This wine is available through several outlets in the state for just under $20.

Chateau Bonneau 2009 Montagne St. Emilion, Bordeaux, $19.99, Recommended Bordeaux at this price point.

Day 2, Saturday, Dec. 28

Beringer 1999 Marston Vineyard, Spring Mountain, Cabernet – Wow! A little wow is needed when you open up a bottle of older wine and it lives up to expectations.

MeRiedelCab

Sipping the Cab from my new Riedel Vinum XL Cabernet glass! It’s HUGE!

But let’s set this up: It’s 50 unbelievable degrees in Indiana today. So this afternoon I decided I needed to grill out – when will that chance come again – April? So I bought a nice ribeye and pulled an older bottle from the wine storage fridge.

My grill would not fire up 😦 .. not sure what’s up with that. But I spiced up the ribeye with a thick coating of sea salt, Texas spice rub, and fresh ground pepper. I seared the steak in a frying pan then tossed it into a hot oven for just a few minutes. It came out perfectly medium rare.

beringerI had three bottles of ’99 Beringer Cab but the first two had gone bad. I suspect too much travel and bad corks. But this bottle of Cabernet had held up nicely. I jumped online to find reviews and found several 2013 tasting notes. I found those to be consistent with what I found in the glass — big tannins, big finish, big nose of oak and fading fruit. Now while that may sound negative it’s not – it was great wine for the steak and some sea salt chocolate that followed.

If you’re into wine and have not consumed older bottles, it’s really a step you need to take to expand your palate. This was a $50 bottle of wine when released. It’s was a nice change of pace and great ribeye companion.

Beringer 1999 Marston Vineyard, Spring Mountain, Cabernet, $50, Highly Recommend – if you can find it.

Day 3, Sunday, Dec. 29

chili

cantina-tudernum-fidenzio-Cantina Tudernum Fidenzio 2007 Montefalco Sagrantino – This is not your local grocery’s wine. My wine buddies and I call this “big boy” wine. So put on you’re big boy pants as we round third heading for home (thanks to the late Joe Nuxhall for that) and let’s talk Sagrantino.

I’ve written about this wonderful Umbrian wine before and decided it would be perfect for a day of making chili. Each winter I make two giant pots of chili and freeze it in single serving containers. I end up with chili for the rest of the winter season.

But I digress. Sagrantino is grown only in a small area of Italy – Umbria to be exact. There is a limited number of producers. The wine is probably best known for its scarcity and it’s big tannic characteristics.

This wine is aged 12 months in oak. It has a roasting spice characteristic .. think thyme or rosmary. It’s rich with a heavy but wonderful feel in the mouth. This is not wimpy wine.

It’s also not cheap. This bottle retails at $46. But Sagrantino is unique. You can find Sagrantino at better wine shops – but probably only in larger cities. It’s great wine and definitely something a bit different. I love it.

Caintina Tudernum Fidenzio 2007 Montefalco Sagrantino, $46, Very Highly Recommended.