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A Wine A Day

A Wine A Day – Chartogne Taillet Champagne Brut Cuvee Ste. Anne

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Chartogne Taillet Champagne.

Because it’s Champagne, you know…

Champagne, or as I like to call it:

“The reason why even Italian started to like the french!”

Let’s face it, we all love Champagne. With a crisp, bright feeling and the flavors of a bakery in the morning.

For those who don’t know where this unique wine is made; well, it’s made in Champagne ( duh!) , a French region north-east of Paris. Very close to Belgium, this region is the northernmost limit of French viticulture.

Usually, a so-called assemblage (literally: assembling, but mix seems more appropriate to me) of different vintages and varieties ( Pinot Noir, Meunieur and Chardonnay) are blended to reach the consistent flavor the wine maker aims to achieve.

Enough with the teaching, let’s get to the reason why you are here, this wine!

This 40% Pinot Noir, 60% Chardonnay is an assemblage of a 2014 base, with reserve from 2013 and 2012. The vines are 32 years old on average, giving a vigorous juice.

A great introductory Champagne, it is chalky and has DRINK ME WITH OYSTERS written all over. The hints of ginger, red apple, cherry blossom, almond, and lemon make it bright and elegant.

The mousse (the ‘foam’ for those of you who don’t speak French) is pretty aggressive but not unpleasant at all; it’s just a wine with some character, and I loved it!  All in all a great wine and for less than $50, just perfect.

Drink it now or age it, but for sure have one of these bottles handy at all times, you never know when you might need some bubbles in your life!

A Wine A Day

A Wine A Day – The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana Sauvignon Blanc 2011

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What a name…UH?!?!

Australia, the land that has given us Kangaroos, is now also giving us wines; and they are WILD!

This botrytized wine is interesting for the price, and surely something different form the usual Sauternes and Tokaji.

If you are wondering, botrytized wines are:
Wines affected by Botrysis Cinerea (a rare and special fungal infection that under certain climatic circumstances can develop into a “noble” gray rot). The fungus attacks some of the grapes randomly, while still on the vines, and drys them. This causes the grape sugars to concentrate and produce wines with lower alcohol levels and higher sweetness.  

While surely missing the finesse of its two “big brothers” (Sauternes and Tokaji), this lusciously sweet wine is great to sip while eating gelato or when looking for a casual late evening treat pairing it with some medium body cheeses.

Low in alcohol (just over 10%), this late harvest sweet (VERY sweet –  194.5 g/L sugar content) wine is packed with flavors.

Tropical fruits (especially passion fruit), orange marmelade and an unfortunately not so high acidity to keep up with the minerality and herbacious hints are what you should expect from this wine. I find Botryotinia Fuckeliana overwelming when drinked by itself, but absolutely pleasant when paired with Asiago or Parmesan Cheese (36 months).

Overall a good wine definetely worth a shot considering its price point of around 20$.
Cheers!

A Wine A Day

A Wine A Day – Oddero Barbera d’Alba 2013

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We all need a Barbera

Picture courtesy of a great night enjoying wines!

Italian wines are “difficult” – I get that a lot!

With generally high acidity and tannins, full body and not many tropical fruits that many love, Italian wines are the next step in a wine lover development.

Don’t be scared though, they can be easy to enjoy and an absolute blast, especially if paired with winter food.

The Barbera, a dark-skinned wine grape, is among the best of the best in Piedmont and a key D.O.C that will become one of your best friends.

Diffused all over Italy, Barbera is a vine that can produce astonishing wines. Most of the times it is best to enjoy wines from this grape while they are still young. You will appreciate the tartness, brightness and complexity that this relatively inexepensive wine can offer.

There are many different Barbera D.O.C.s all over the Piedmontese region. A few of the most popular are: Barbera d’Alba DOC, Barbera d’Asti DOCG , Barbera del Monferrato DOC, Piemonte Barbera DOC…you got the idea!

I consider Barbera the middle child between Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, with the relatively easy drinking vibe typical of Dolcetto and the complexity of Nebbiolo.

This grape variety is great when enjoyed during the winter thanks to all the available food pairings – from roasted beef to stew and mushrooms just to name the most common.

Let’s get to the real protagonist now: Oddero Barbera d’Alba 2013.

Grown from 40 years old vine in the south of the Piedmontese region and macerated for 15 days, this wine is as good as 15$ dollars can get!

As a generous woman, this wine is seductive and needs to be enjoyed while young and adventerous. 

It should not come as a surprise that Barbera is a feminine noun in Italian!

A full body wine with an intense ruby colour. The tannins are vibrant and sustain and elevate the fully mature, yet not over ripe, fruits like blackberries, blueberries, cherries, and strawberries. The light pepperedness and minerality complete the flavor structure with a note of freshness.

The balanced tartness makes it a long lasting wine with a soft and elegant finish.  An amazing pairing with mushrooms, duck, game birds, and many other favorites of the Piedmontese cuisine. I personally tried it in multiple occasions with big games and it really keeps the pace.

Even if meaty and hearty flavors are an easy pairing with this wine, it can be great with pasta dishes (hey, I am Italian after all!), especially ones with eggplants.

Essentially, a no brainer to drink everytime you are enjoying a meal with friends, especially if your friends are not too funny!

Cheers!