Cecchi Chianti Classico 2014 DOCG

It's been 10 years since I've been to Tuscany, but I can close my eyes and be transported there anytime I want. I can close my eyes and breath in the verdant aromas of the countryside, the citrus scent of lemon groves, the purple fields of lavender, the smell of freshly dug, earthy truffles. Last night though, I didn't have to close my eyes. Last night I opened a bottle of quintessential Italy... Cecchi (pronounced Check-ee) Chianti Classico.

Made from 90% Sangiovese grapes, aged in wooden casks for 12 months, then 2 months in bottle before release. Ruby red colors with a nose of intense red fruit, forest floor and tobacco. The weight is of medium body with smooth tannins while strawberry, raspberry and white pepper are displayed on the palate. The finish is long and playful reflecting fruit and earth... in a glass.

A perfect food wine, I paired it with pasta and red sauce, but will work well with roast turkey, chicken or red meat.

It's worth a try, so take a virtual trip to Tuscany... for $22.

Three Italians to Bring to Thanksgiving Dinner. Sofia Loren, Robert DeNiro and Mario Balotelli?!?!?!

Well, you could try, but here are three Italians that might be easier to find... and will definitely work with your next Thanksgiving Dinner.

'IL' Spr!z... it's an Apertivo modeled after the Venetian Spritz recipe blending semi-sparkling wine with blood orange. The flavors and aromas are natural bold blood orange with herbal hints. This will pair perfectly at the beginning of the day with cured meats and cheeses.


Castello Di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Estate grown blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino & Canaiolo hand picked, stainless steel fermentation, aged in French oak barriques for 18 months followed by three months in bottle. Nice acidity and tannins, ruby colors in glass, with exotic aromas of cherry and spice, wood and dark fruits. Full body with tobacco notes and black cherry flavors, and a good long finish, this will work well with Turkey Dinner along with the following Rocca.

Rocca Sveva Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC
70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara blend is "re-passed" for 11 to 14 days over the freshly fermented grapes that have made the Amarone, giving it added structure, depth and roundness. 30% of the wine is aged in oak barrels while 70% is also aged separately in large oak botti for 12-18 months before bottle aging for 6 months. Dark ruby colors with deep aromas of vanilla, black cherry and cassis, Dark fruits on the palate and floral notes and a smooth long finish.

Vinkara Kalecik Karasi 2011 Turkey

Kalecik is a small village in Central Anatolia Turkey, where Kalecik Karasi grapes (pronounced Kah-le-djic Kah-ra-ser) are used to produce this Pinot Noir like red wine. Ruby red colors in the glass, while vibrant floral and ripe fruity aromas appear with raspberry, vanilla and hints of sour cherries.  Dry on the palate but the ripeness of strawberries, waves of rosewater and strangely enough hints of banana (usually a white wine trait), make this a really interesting flavor profile. Soft tannins are  set against a fresh acidity and nice lingering finish. My first Turkish wine, I found it lively and fresh with a pleasant balance. SRP $15.

Thanksgiving Pick: Tangley Oaks Merlot 2010

Excellent Thanksgiving Pick!

It seems that the producers use a team philosophy in selecting the best Merlot grapes from the Napa, Sonoma and Central Coast area. They strive to stay true to the tradition of the particular varietal, separate them into lots, and choose the best.

Stainless steel tank fermented, red fruits, dark cherry, summer fruit, plum, blackberry, mocha, coffee, herbal, umami, nicely balanced. This would match very well with a Turkey dinner.

I discovered this gem at my favorite place to shop for wine, Pop's Wines & Spirits in Island Park for $14. I looked around and average price is just under $20, and IMHO Tangley Oaks Merlot drinks like a $40 bottle.

Vina Ventisquero Pinot Noir Reserva 2011, Chile

This very nice Pinot Noir is from the Vina Ventisquero Vineyards of Casablanca Valley in Chile where it's fermented in open tanks, then 70% of the juice is aged in French oak while 30% in stainless steel tanks for ten months.

Colors in the glass are a cool ruby tone, aromas are fresh strawberry and cherries with vanilla and mild minerality. Spices appear on the palate along with vanilla bean and bing cherry and a really good finish. The $12.99 price tag makes it a smart but inexpensive choice to accompany a Christmas dinner, and would pair well with roast pork or turkey.

Tenuta Rapitala Campo Reale Nero D'Avola 2009 IGT Sicily

Nero D'Avola is one of my favorite Sicilian grapes because of its power and typical in-your-face attitude. Dark ruby red clean colors, fragrant aromas of raspberry pie, ripe fruit, with floral notes, flavors of ripe cherries with good balance and finish. $11/bottle.

Winemaker notes:
The Nero d'Avola vinified on its own gives this wine an exciting red colour, an aroma of ripe fruit and a typical, deep, balanced flavour. Campo Reale comes from vineyards at the heart of the Tenuta Rapitalà, on gentle hills at 400 metres altitude which, because of their history, terrain and climate, endow wines with a special character.

The grapes: 100% Nero d'Avola.

The vineyard: selected parcels of vines in the Tenuta Rapitalà at 400 metres above sea level trained by the Guyot system on clay soil with limited yields of grapes per hectare.

The vinification: the grapes reach full ripeness during the last ten days of September. They are vinified by the red wine method with long macerations to extract the required phenolic substances and tannins. This produces a structured, soft and balanced wine.

The maturation: the maturation takes place in steel and, for a small part in barriques, to enhance the characteristics of balance and complexity which this grape expresses.

The wine: deep ruby colour, and full bouquet which heralds a firm and powerful structure, a distinct but not intrusive amount of tannin and a delicate acidity.

Analytical details: 13,5% alcohol; 5.63 g/l total acidity; 3.60 pH; 4.60 g/l residual sugar; 28.3 g/l dry extract.

Food matches: poultry of all kinds (guinea fowl, duck, turkey), white meat roasts and mature cheeses.

More Wines for Thanksgiving

I'd like to thank Kristen and her good friends for helping me taste this flight of wine picks for Thanksgiving. The wines were from California, Italy, France and New Zealand. (Also thank you to Kristen for photo above.)

Chateau Julien Gewurztraminer 2010 Carmel Valley, California
Light golden colors, clean citrus notes of grapefruit, flowers, honey and jolly rancher green apple, the mild and simple palate shows spice and nice acidity. Gewurztraminer is versatile and will pair well with Turkey dinner, especially if your stuffing is spicy, also may be used before dinner with cheese or after dinner with dessert.

Winemaker notes:
Cold fermented using Steinberger Yeast, known for its slow fermentation, allows the winemaker the ability to maintain natural varietal flavor and a slight residual sugar. While semi-dry in flavor, this wines slightly higher acidity balances the residual sugar for a refreshing, lighter style of wine.

Rasciatano Rose, Puglia Italy
Made with 100% Montepulciano grapes pressed softly then fermented partly in stainless steel vats at a temperature of 13-15° (C) and partly in second and third passage barriques, followed by aging in stainless steel vats for 4-6 months and 4 months in bottle. Rose petal colors, aromas of sour cherry, and peach, on the palate dry, slightly metallic with good acidity.

Dino Torti Forza Inter Pino Nero Oltrepo Pavese 2008 Italy
Also soft pressed, complex aromas of almonds, fruits and flowers, flavors of nutty, apple and pear, dry but satisfying.

Maison Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages, 2009 France
The grapes (Gamay) are gently crushed, an extended maceration of 12-20 days gets you the extraction of color and tannins, then aged in French oak for 8 to 10 months. On the nose notes of tar and forest floor, fruit forward on the palate of black sour cherry, pepper, an attractive minerality and holiday spice, good finish. Great deal at $10.

Te Muna Road Vineyard Craggy Range Pinot Noir, 2009, New Zealand
From the region of Martinborough, 100% Pinot Noir grapes are fermented in open-top tanks followed by aging in 33% new French oak barriques for 10 months. Rose red, medium weight but at the same time velvety, tree bark, smoky earth and violets, dry but sweet, beautiful balancing act, plums. Nice long layered finish. SRP $40. A majority of the tasters really enjoyed this one.

St. Francis Winery Sonoma County Old Vines Zinfandel, 2008 California
The average age of the vines here are 80-100 years old, and actually is 89% Zin, and the rest a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Mourverdre, Carignane, Syrah and Petite Sirah. The grapes are fermented then aged in new American oak for 12-15 months. Complex, underbrush, cigar box, cherry vanilla, raspberry, plums, pepper and spice. For the price ($17) very nice.

Luccarelli Pazzia Primitivo di Manduria Old Vines 2007 Puglia, Italy
Deep rich purple ruby colors show such an opacity as to preview what's to come, namely rich cherries with prunes and spices on top of vanilla and chocolate nuances. Very fruit forward but with an Italian flair. Beautiful. $40.

Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni 2005 DOCG Montefalco Italy
Made with the best grapes of 100% Sagrantino, aged 2 years in French Oak Barrique and a minimum of 6 months in bottle. What is immediately apparent is the very deep dark opaque colors, with strong and vibrant vanilla concentrates on the nose, laid over violets, earth and spices. Flavors of ripe fruit woven with spices and vanilla, great aging potential.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Pick: Stoller Vineyards SV Estate Pinot Noir 2007

It's that time of the year again. Over the next few days I'll be featuring wines that will work for you this coming holiday season. Here is the first, Stoller Vineyards SV Estate Pinot Noir 2007.

Located in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley in the Dundee Hills AVA, Stoller brings this Pinot Noir to the Thanksgiving table with a blast. Colors of dusty rose and intense aromas of funky strawberry, moist earth and smoked bacon, with a palate of chocolate, coffee, raspberry and spice, followed by hints of licorice, violet and caramel and a fairly long finish. Complex and balanced and perfectly paired with a turkey dinner. Enjoy this gem with family or friends at around $40.

6 Rosé Wines for Thanksgiving

Picking a wine that will work with a turkey dinner can be tricky, here are six Rosés that will do the job without overpowering the dish:

Carpineto Rosato 2007
Bouquet: floral characteristics, particularly rose, acacia and grape flowers; fruity fragrances like apple, currant and sour cherry are evident.
Flavor: broad and fresh; the characteristic fruity aromas of the bouquet come through with complexity and end with a clean finish.

Domain de Mourchon Seguret Loubie (Rose) 2007
Having a Cote du Rhone designation, this Loubie Rose blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah comes from 40 year old estate grown vines.
Tasting notes:
First up is a bouquet of summer fruits; peaches and nectarines with a tangy grapefruit accent. Next, the bright, crisp flavors of strawberries mingled with a floral undertone and long, fresh fruit finish.

Cantele Rosato Negroamaro 2007 IGT Puglia
Pinkish rose with hints of copper paints this Rosato from Puglia, while sour cherry gummy bears and strawberries express the aromas. The crisp palate shows a tart freshness that sings with the essence of rose water and cherries.

Gassier Sables d'Azur Rose 2009
From Cotes de Provence in France, this Rose comes in an hourglass shaped bottle and is a Grenache blend loaded with flowery aromas, waves of grapefruit, apricot and orange peel, with flavors of cherries and roses. $11


Rosaenovae Irpinia Terradora DiPaolo DOC 2009
Paolo Mastroberardino owns this winery formerly shared by brothers. Actually labeled as a red wine (because it's made from red Aglianico grapes), but looking like a rose and showing salmon coloring in the glass, see photo. Aromas of ripe summer fruits mingling with fresh flowers and slight minerality, then enhanced by flavors of sour cherries bringing a nice acidity to the table.

Macari Vineyards Rose 2008
Made from a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Pinot Noir, and 4% Malbec, this rose from the North Fork of Long Island shows colors of pale pink copper with fresh aromas of grapefruit, watermelon and some floral notes of hibiscus. The flavors range from white peach and sour apricot to orange zest, a hint of eucalyptus and a spot of papaya.

Make Wine With Us

My friends Justin and Lauren invited me to a barrel tasting and tour in Wallington, New Jersey this weekend at "Make Wine With Us", a place where you can, well, make your own wine... start to finish. Owners John Gizzi and Diane Greco along with John, Michelle and Nicholas Gizzi hosted the event and gave us the tour.

It works like this... you can choose to do as much or as little as you want in the winemaking process, but if you lean toward the active path, you can choose your varietal grape (or blend), do the crushing/destemming, pressing, rent or buy your American oak barrel, racking, bottling & labeling.

The huge facility is packed with rows of barrels most of which are available for tasting using a turkey baster and plastic cup (provided, but many regulars brought their own wine goblets). We got to sample about 20 different California blends along with another 7 or 8 Chilean (most of the grapes are sourced from California and the remainder from Chile). I was really impressed by how good some of these wines tasted, and most were not aged to full maturity.



We also had a wonderful demonstration of hand-made mozzarella done by William Pompeo from Annabella's Salumeria Groceria Italiana. At the end of the demo as the mozzarella cooled a bit, we got to sample some and it was unbelievably fresh, moist and buttery.

So, we have about a month to decide what blend to use, and how many people will participate in our barrel. It should make for at least a year's worth of interesting posts on this blog. I can't wait to start!