Club Vino April 2020
Ciao a tutti!
Wow!! How times have quickly changed, as we are forced to shelter in place here in California as well as in most parts of the country. Fortunately, nature doesn’t stop as vineyards are in full bud break and this years fruit looks promising. Furthermore, consumption of wine is exploding during this pandemic as one of my regulars - the wine and liquor buyer for our local Safeway - described the first weekend of this shutdown as a combination of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New year’s and Fourth of July all wrapped up into a three day stretch of sales! While retail sales spike, on - premise or restaurant sales are non - existent for some higher name brands. That’s where online sites like ours have to think outside the box. Thus, we have been offering free shipping for all club members at this time on purchases of three bottles or more at dellasantinas.com or enotecadellasantina.com. The online cart has been loaded with over 40 wines from around the world, or email/call us directly and we can pull something from the wine wall or the reserve cabinet!
The Club theme escaped me for a while before this pandemic began and then as I watched the misery unfolding in northern Italy and talked with my family in Tuscany, I decided to financially support Italian producers located anywhere north of Rome. I always love picking wines from the most diverse growing region in the world with the most grape varieties and microclimates anywhere. So what did I find? Two wines, a Cannanou and a red new world blend from Sardinia with completely different stylings as well as a highly rated Barbera and a Gavi di Gavi (Cortese) from the Piedmont region. In addition, two wines from the Veneto including a Manzoni Bianco (white) and a Valpoicella from one of my all time favorite producers - Roccolo Grassi to round out the shipment.
My technology skills will be tested in the next couple of weeks as we prepare for a Zoom online tasting of this release with me as your host. Details coming soon - keep an eye out! Stay safe in these trying times & remember that wine is only as good as the company with whom it is shared.
Salute!
Rob Della Santina
Club d’Oro
2018 Le Rive Gavi di Gavi Cortese DOCG - Piedmont, Italy Gavi was given DOC status in 1974 and upgraded to DOCG in 1998. It is generally considered the finest white wine made in the Piedmont region. This region benefits from its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. The Gavi del Comune di Gavi is made entirely from grapes grown on the Picollo vineyards within the Rovereto zone. Lorenzo Picollo founded the winery in 1945. Today Lorenzo’s son Ernesto takes care of the winemaking and Ernesto’s son Gianlorenzo manages both the 22 acres of vineyard and the administrative end. Due to soil and climate, the zone around Rovereto is the most favored zone for the Cortese grape. As its name implies, the Cortese (courteous or courtly) grape produces a wine that has impressive structure and elegance and whose powerful acidity and mineral character makes it an excellent wine for seafood, especially shellfish. The grapes are hand harvested and manually sorted, then softly pressed and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 3 week. A part of the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation. The wine is then left to rest for an additional 4-6 weeks before being bottled and held in the winery’s cellar for an additional 4-6 months before release. Gavi di Gavi represents the sweet spot of the commune where the best grapes come from. It’s dry, crisp, floral and stony aromas lead to notes of snappy green apples, citrus and a nutty finish on the palate. Seafood platter anyone?
Retail: $19 Alcohol: 13%
2014 Roccolo Grassi Valpolicella Superiore - Veneto, Italy Valpolicella is one of Italy’s most famous wine regions located in the province of Verona in Northern Italy. Wine has been made here since the time of the ancient Greeks, though the term Valpolicella did not originate until the 12th century. In addition to its status as a viticulture area, a wine also known as Valpolicella is produced using the indigenous grapes of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, Molinara and/or Corvinone. The Valpolicella DOC has many stipulations that are required by law. Each wine must be made from 45-95% Corvina, which is the standard grape of the region, but up to 50% of this quota can be substituted with the related Corvinone. Additionally, Rondinella grapes must make up to 5-30% of the blend with any additional grape such as Molinara being used sparingly. Valpolicella Superiore must be aged for one year in oak, whereas there is no aging requirement for normal Valpolicella. In addition, the alcohol content of Superiore must reach 12%. Check, check and double check for the Roccolo Grassi winery that was established in 1996 by Bruno Sartori and his 2 children Marco and Francesca, who are now the proprietors and winemakers. This Valpolicella Superiore is a blend of 60% Corvina, 15% Corvinone, 20% Rondinella & 5% Croatina that is grown and produced biodynamically. As per tradition, this Valpolicella is made from a combination of fresh grapes and slightly dried grapes in equal percentage. The slight dehydration of the grapes lasts approximately 20 days in order to alter the skin/pulp ratio. This is followed by a 20 month aging in wood (large French barrels and some Slavonian oak casks) before 10 months in the bottle prior to release. Its color is deep ruby red. The spiciness of tobacco & white pepper with mineral notes of graphite, coffee, cherry and small red berries are noticeable on the nose. In the mouth it is fat, full-bodied and soft. Sweet tannins, yet great depth are appreciable. It is a very fine & complex wine, definitely an ambitious Valpolicella, full of character and personality which enhances with aging in bottle. It will pair nicely with classic Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta as well as poultry and salmon. It is also one of the few reds that can complement seafood or salads. Drink one now and buy more for later!!
Retail: $37 Alcohol: 14.5%
2017 Agricola Punica Montessu Isola Dei Nurghi Red Blend IGT - Sardinia, Italy Agripunica vineyards lie inland from the coast (southwest region of Sardinia) and are planted to just over 160 acres of counter espalier trained vines for the red blend + 12 acres of Vermintino and Chardonnay for the white. This is a joint venture between the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Group, Sardinian winery Cantina di Santadi’s President - Antonello Pilloni, and the legendary Tuscan consulting oenologist - Giacomo Tachis. A match between Tuscany + Sardinia = Agripunica. The mission of Agripunica was to produce the finest wines taking advantage of the local Sardinian varietal Carignano in blend with some other Bordeaux varietals, of which Tachis is a master winemaker. In 2002 the first red for Agripunica was Barrua. Three years later, the second label Montessu followed. This blend is comprised of 60% Carignano, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Syrah and 10% Merlot matured for 15 months in French oak barrels (10% new). It is intensely fruity with full bodied black fruit flavors, slight salinity with a long, silky, licorice finish. Dr. Tachis had the right vision and his wines, with a distinguished style and identity, will always tell a story anytime poured and savored in the glass! Serve with pasta and meat sauce or either roasted or grilled meats.
Retail: $29 Alcohol: 14.5%
Club Argento
2018 Cantina de Pra Manzoni Bianco IGT - Veneto, Italy Exploring the grapes of Italy could (and should) be a full-time job - especially since most of us may not have a lot to do while sheltering in place. According to a reliable source, an estimated 2.000 varieties can be found in the country’s vineyards, though only a few hundred of those are used for quality wine production today. A little history on the grape varietal used by Giuseppe de Pra to make his luscious Manzoni Bianco... Incrocio (means crossing in Italian) Manzoni (the name of the grape breeder - Professor Luigi Manzoni) 6.0.13 (the row, vine and vineyard of the original graft) was created in the 1930’s by selecting, crossing and grafting vines from the Renan Riesling and Pinot blanc varietals. According to Master of Wine Jancis Robinson, Manzoni Bianco is considered the most successful and highest quality crossing produced by Professor Manzoni. Thankfully, the northeastern corner of Italy is notably avant-garde in its approach to viticulture and winemaking, and embraces various crossings, particularly those created by Luigi Manzoni. Now, a little history on Cantina de Pra...After WWII Giuseppe de Pra (a young farmer) settled in the foothills of the Treviso province to give his family a fresh start. Together with his young children he planted a few vineyards to produce wine to enjoy in their new home. The success of their special vineyards and authentic winemaking turned his passion into the family business in the late 1950’s. Now, Giuseppe (known as Bepi) and his two daughters Severina & Deborah plus Deborah’s husband Luca run the De Pra Wine Cellar today. This hybrid cross takes the best of both varietals giving fruit that has an intense and rich nose of exotic and citrus fruits along with Mediterranean spice notes. On the palate it is well structured and persistent with pleasant mineral sensations and an aromatic finish. This wine will pair amazingly with Pasta with onion, anchovies and parsley, caramelized onion and goat cheese tart and nutty cheeses like Gruyère.
Retail: $14 Alcohol:13%
2017 Vigne Surrau Cannonau di Sardegna - Sardinia, Italy Vigne Surrau is located at the gates of the Costa Smeralda (not a typo), a symbol of the renowned Gallura area of Sardinia. Tucked among rugged hills, Vigne Surrau covers 125 acres of vineyards. A new winery with ancient roots, it is dedicated to interpreting the earth into premium wine. The winery is constructed entirely of wood, stone and glass to blend into the surrounding landscape. This is Surrau’s entry level Cannonau, its simplest expression of the grape from 100% estate Cannonau grapes sustainably farmed on soils of decomposed granite mixed with sand. All the work in the vineyard is strictly manual. The wines produced are of great personality, drinkability and extraordinary balance. The Spaniard among the Sardinians some people say since the Cannonau is identical to the Garnacha of Spain. For a long time, it was thought that the grape was imported by the Aragonese of Spain when they conquered the island in the 14th century, but recent research seems to point to the grape having originated right on the island. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Cannonau is its association with longevity. Sardinians tend to live long lives (COVID-19 aside), well into their 90’s. A key factor seems to be their diet (besides lifestyle and family bonds). Cannonau seems to have the highest levels of polyphenols of any wine - antioxidants linked to heart health, protecting from cardiovascular disease. It is also rich in anthocyanin, with antioxidant effects as well. This does not mean you need to get drunk on Cannonau - locals drink an average of 2 glasses a day ;-)
Retail: $16 Alcohol: 13.5%
2016 (Giacomo Bologna) Braida Montebruna Barbera d’Asti DOCG - Piedmont, Italy Fun facts: 85% of Barbera production worldwide is from Piedmont. Asti is recognized as the source of the best Barbera in all of Italy. The winery’s story begins with the nickname “Braida,” a name acquired by Giuseppe Bologna who played pallone elastico (fistball), a traditional Piedmont sport, on town and church squares. Giuseppe, a wheelwright by profession, owned a small Barbera vineyard in Rocchetta Tanaro and produced wine for himself, family and friends. He felt winemaking was a joy and his passion. His passion was not lost on his son, Giacomo. When he was old enough he traveled to France to study with some of the best vignerons. While in France he learned about barrique aging and more modern winemaking trends. Upon his return to inherit the family estate in 1961, he began utilizing his new-found knowledge and began experimenting with short pruning, thinning clusters to assure greater concentration, harvesting later than the typical time (to yield riper less acidic fruit) and aging in small oak barriques (which would help bring about sweeter tannins), combined with the lower acidity, for a very well balanced Barbera. He continued perfecting his techniques over the years until 1982 when he felt the vintage and the winemaking came together for his “perfect wine” as his inaugural release. Just under a decade later he passed away - leaving a legacy of innovation and forever changing the way Barbera is perceived. Now his children, Raffaella and Giuseppe (Beppe), both oenologists, are the third “Braida” generation, and along with their families, continue to elevate the Barbera grape to noble status. With a bright succulent style & vibrant acidity that drives the black cherry, blackberry and spice flavors, it offers a long, mouthwatering finish. Matches perfectly with a pasta-based first course, red or white meat main courses, and even a cheese and cured meat tray.
Retail: $25 Alcohol: 15%