Wine of the week: Los Paulos Malbec 2008 from Dallas Journalist Jeff Siegel

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Source: The Wine Curmudgeon
Author:Jeff Siegel

Over at the Dallas Morning News, Tina Danze and the Wine Panel recommend the 2008 Doña Paula Estate Malbec:

“If you price shop, you can afford to pour this smooth, juicy wine on weeknights…” more here…

In other news, organic Chardonnay from France ( with a Stelvin Screw top) is one of the hot wines of the season:

Wine of the Week: Thierry & Pascale Matrot, Bourgogne, Chardonnay 2007

Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Source: Dallas Morning News
Author: Rebecca Murphy

“There’s a lot of wine for the money in this chardonnay from the Burgundy region of France. Although it is the most modest of the Matrot wines, it gets a lot of attention from winemaker Thierry Matrot. It is fermented in barrels (20 percent new), so the oak and fruit are beautifully integrated and harmonious. After fermentation, the wine spends 11 months on its lees (the dead yeasts from fermentation). An occasional stirring gives the wine a creamy texture in the mouth. The full effect is an elegant, focused and crisp wine. It has apple, pear and citrus aromas, and flavors with mineral notes and an intriguing interplay of racy acidity and creamy mouthfeel. It will complement creamy pasta and provide zesty contrast to a delicate white fish.”

“The Matrot estate is based in the village of Meursault and owns vineyards in many of the finest areas of Burgundy. Thierry Matrot obtained a degree in grape-growing and winemaking in Beaune, and began working at his family’s winery in 1978. He started working toward reducing chemicals in the vineyards and as of 2000, farms their vineyards organically.”

And the ever vigorous blogger from Austin, Dr. Jeremy Parzen, has a confession. He loves Barolo with Pizza:

Barolo confessions
Friday, August 28, 2010
Source: DoBianchi
Author: Jeremy Parzen, PhD

“Forgive me, readers, for I have sinned. I can already hear the E-Bobs and WineBerserkers wailing, “infanticide!” It was a very lonely evening for me in the heart of winter in Piedmont: the Barbera 7 had abandoned me in my hotel, just as Jeremiah’s lovers had “forgotten him.”

My only companion was a bottle of 2005 Barolo Ravera given to me by Valter Fissore of Elvio Cogno. I was cold, I was hungry, I was tired. So I ordered takeout pizza, popped the cork, and watched TV.” more…

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Parzen, PhD.

Sounds like we all have some weekend homework and catching up to do in the wine dept. Happy weekend, wine lovers!

Come and enjoy a tasting of summer whites with Master Sommelier, Guy Stout, at the beautiful Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop, TX on Wednesday, Aug 25th at 5pm. For reservations please call 512 308 3882, only $20 per person.

Photo by 1 Wine Dude, Joe Roberts, CSW

At the recent Texsom, one of the best seminars was the one Brian Cronin MS and Laura Williamson MS presented on Greek Wines.  The darling grape of the summer is Assyrtiko, evidenced by numerous blog posts, print articles and general media buzz. I admit to liking this wine immensely, so I can understand the draw. The following posts from three of the top bloggers in the business, 1 Wine Dude, Do Bianchi and Brooklyn Guy, show the ascendant popularity of this attractive wine from one of the most beautiful spots on earth.

Endangered Species: Santorini Wine Fights For Its Survival

George Koutsoyannopoulos has a round, friendly face that belies the seriousness of what he is telling me, one arm on the steering wheel of his “Volcan Wines mobile,” the other gesturing over me towards the passenger side window as we ride up the twisting, winding passage towards one of Santorini’s higher points.  We’re on our way to lunch at the local taverna; a Greek lunch, mind you – the kind that is of Homeric epic proportions even by European standards.  It’s the kind of lunch that will last hours and showcase the best local cuisine that the island has to offer, the kind of lunch where you might just forget how to walk by the time it finally concludes.

Typical day at the office, right?…more

from 1 Wine Dude - July 21, 2010

Two favorite white wines for summer (and the ultimate sushi wine?)

A Load of Santorini Assyrtiko Wines

In other feeds after the jump, The Wine Curmudgeon, Jeff Siegel, plunks down big bucks for bubbly and Becky Murphy points us to another darling of the sommelier set, Grüner Veltliner. Happy weekend!

Expensive wine 17: Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV

Source: The Wine Curmudgeon
August 20, 2010
Jeff Siegel

The Wine Curmudgeon held out as long as he could. But the most important special occasion of the year was coming up, and the fact that Ruinart’s price, thanks to the weak dollar and the shortsighted Champagne business, had increased by 16 percent in 18 months was no excuse.

Sometimes, even I have to admit that spending a lot of money for a bottle of wine is worth it. The Ruinart ($84, purchased) was everything it has always been, and even a little more. The bottle was gone in 45 minutes, despite our best efforts to make it last. And I swear that the wine changed at least three times during that period. It was bit tight but still excellent when we opened it, becoming more caramel after 20 minutes or so. And then, when there was but two glasses left, it delivered bright and amazing pear fruit followed by some kind of lemon something or other.

This is sparkling wine to celebrate with, even at this price. Highly recommended. And the food pairing? Popeye’s fried chicken, actually. It worked quite well (as I always told my students it would). And if Popeye’s isn’t what it once was, it’s still worth reckoning with.

Wine of the Week: Weingut Fred Loimer, Niederösterreich, Lois Grüner Veltliner 2008

Source: Dallas Morning News
August 18, 2010
Rebecca Murphy

Weingut Fred Loimer, Interrelationship,Lois Grüner Veltliner 2008, $12.99

This just may be the best price for quality grüner in the market. It’s made by Fred Loimer, who makes incredibly intense single-vineyard grüners, so he knows his way around this Austrian grape. He also understands that wine labels can be confusing, so all you see on the front label is Lois, which is also the name of his oldest son.

It’s just the kind of wine you want at the end of a hot summer day: refreshing and invigorating. Aromas of white peaches and apples with a whisper of flowers are followed by spicy tropical fruits in the mouth. It finishes with a zesty acidity to keep the mouth watering for more. Enjoy by the pool or with a seafood salad.

Loimer is the second generation to make wine the family’s sole business. Like many of the younger winemaking generation, he got a formal wine education, then worked at wineries in different countries, including Schug Winery in Sonoma. He took home new ideas to improve the wine quality. This grüner is fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel to highlight the luscious fruit.

Photo by Kevin Marple

Glazer’s Corporate Mixologist, Caterina Miltenberger had her cool and spicy margarita chosen by D Magazine as the best in Dallas!  Congratulations, Cat!  Here’s an excerpt:

Maxim (O) Heat
Sometimes you need a spike of heat to cool down properly. That’s the sensation you’ll get from sipping a Maximo Heat margarita. The soothing seafoam green cocktail is freshly squeezed lime juice mixed with sweet agave nectar, Sauza Silver (or your choice of tequila from the list), triple sec, and muddled raw jalapeños. Your brow breaks a sweat as tiny bites of pepper jolt your brain, but your body temperature plummets as the cold liquid obliterates the aggravation of another hot Dallas day. 5301 Alpha Rd., Ste. 80. 972-233-5656.

Recipe:

2.0z Silver Tequila (Original is Don Julio or any Silver or Plata will work just fine!)
1.0z lime juice fresh squeezed preferably THE KEY is Key limes or Mexican limes
1.0z Agave Light Nectar (Madhava light is my favorite)
1 bar spoon freshly chunky blended jalapeno (or three strips of jalapeno about 1/4 x 1/2 in length) depends on heat
Mix together and strain over fresh ice
Garnish with Kosher salt and lime Wheel

Get the rest of the best here!

Gary P. Nunn and Jerry Jeff Walker still want to go home with the Armadillo, and it is hotter than blazes in Texas and America at large in August. Dallas journalist Jeff Siegel features an Italian white -Arancio Grillo 2009 as his Wine of the Week on his popular Wine Curmudgeon blog. Jeff has been following the action out in Lubbock with the auction of Cap* Rock and Gruet and the deal that fell through.

Russ Kane of Vintage Texas and Ben Simons of Vintology are bloggers, yes, bloggers who dare who broke the story of Gruet and Cap*Rock. Welcome to the new world of where we get our breaking news. By the way, Russ and Ben are up-and-coming-Twitterers who follow the news and share it through Twitter, as does old newshound Jeff. Get with it, folks, we are getting news from any number of places these days, including the newspaper.

Russ Kane and his  Vintage Texas has really done a great job of bringing news about the Texas wine trail to the blogosphere. Check out his latest post, Write Off the Vine: Texas Wine News

Austin is a hot-bed of activity. The Banfi Italian estate wines are selling like hotcakes in places like Siena Ristorante Toscano , nestled in a little hillside in Austin. If you didn’t know better you might think you fell asleep and woke up in a castle in Tuscany. Chef Harvey of Siena has his blog up and running now with all the news from his kitchen and beautiful dining room. Check it out along with the recent Sold-Out Banfi wine dinner,  which was moderated by all-around Italian expert (he has a Ph.D. in it for goodness sakes, he better be good), Dr. Jeremy Parzen who cranks out  Do Bianchi posts like a mad man. Lest you think Jeremy is some newcomer to the wine scene, none other than the highly influential journalist and wine blogger, Eric Asimov has this to say about him in his New York Times blog, The Pour : “One of the most idiosyncratic and interesting blogs around is Do Bianchi by Jeremy Parzen, one of those annoyingly talented individuals who speaks multiple languages, writes music, plays in a band, and also writes about wine and food.”

Our very own Guy Stout is preparing for his hill country harvest at Stout Vineyards, as reported by Kim Pierce on the Dallas Morning News Eats blog. Next weekend he will be running between his Syrah vineyard in Blanco, Texas and the Texsom conference in Dallas, August 15 and 16.  By the way, Texsom is celebrating its 6th year. Bravo to Drew Hendricks and James Tidwell, master sommeliers, as well as the up-and-coming Devon Broglie and Craig Collins, for showing youthful and energetic leadership in this venture. Devon and Craig are part of a trio dream team Super Texan tasters, along with June Rodil of Uchi and the newly born Uchiko, two of the hottest tickets in hot-as-a-firecracker Austin.

The "New" Drew with son Hayes and lovely wife Meredith

A special shout out to Drew Hendricks, who in the last year has taken the same energy he used to get his master sommelier certification to his body. Drew, recently profiled in the Wine Spectator, has shed many, many pounds, and is in the best shape of his life. We couldn’t be prouder of any accomplishment than the one he made to become healthier and fit. Along with that he is now a certified stud and we share in his happiness when we see his determination and will power.

Our very own home-grown Wine Blogger, Alfonso Cevola, had a near mishap this week. “All in a days work,” was all we could drag out of him.  Read about it here: Here Today, Gone Tonnato.

Take it easy, Italian wine guy, it’s August and hotter than hell.

Texas Sommelier Conference – Don’t Miss the best Wine Educational programs offered in Texas.

It is hard to imagine that the Texas Sommelier Conference is in its 6^th year. It is being held at the Four Seasons Hotel and Resort in Las Colinas, Texas (nearby Dallas). Go to TexSom.com to register for the seminars being held Sunday August 15^th and Monday August 16^th and also for the Grand Tasting Monday evening, where The Top Sommelier in Texas will be recognized at the tasting.

I have been a supporter of the conference since it started and encourage everyone with a passion for wine to attend as many sessions as possible. Proceeds benefit the scholarships for professional certification courses, to support wine education.

The seminars this year are outstanding. Get to know Chardonnay a little better. This session will cover the variety of styles produced in the major regions of the world. It is one of the first classes at the conference on Sunday, so get there early. Seriously, its starts early.

Masterclass – Chardonnay Around the World, conducted by:

Fred Dame MS, one of the first Master Sommelier in America and a Texan in his heart, he’s really from Monterey California, but you wouldn’t know it by the boots and belt buckle

Jay Fletcher MS, one of the greatest sommelier in the country and Little Nell fame and he is also the Current President of the Master Sommelier

Joe Spellman MS, the previous President of the Master Sommelier’s and director of sales for Justin Vineyards in Paso Robles

Jay James MS, one of the dynamic sommelier’s to build the Bellagio Hotel wine program into one of the great wine destinations in the country and now works with Southern Wine and Spirits

Following the Chardonnay session up with a look at the wines of southern Italy.

Emerging Regions: Southern Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia , conducted by :

Laura DePasquale MS, with Palm Bay Imports and one of the leading Italian wine educators in the country
Charles Curtis MW, shows his passion for Italian wines and also works with private collectors on developing their wine cellars

Monday has a couple of outstanding seminars as well.

Terroir Focus: Geographical Influences on Northwest Wines, conducted by:

Kevin Pogue, Shayn Bjornholm MS, and Greg Harrington MS. These guys live in one of the fastest growing premium wine areas in America and what makes the geologically distinct..

Emerging Region: South America, conducted by:

Josh Raynolds and Keith Goldston MS

If you want to know the latest update on the damage to the wine regions from the earthquake in Chile and the new developing regions of Argentina and beyond, this is your class. Evan Goldstein is one of the greatest wine educators in the world and absolutely bursting with energy. Josh has one of the greatest knowledge of the wines of South America and excellent palate. If he can only slow Evan down a bit……..

Do not miss the Grand Tasting on Monday evening at 7:00pm.

The sponsors of the Texas Sommelier conference will be there pouring their wines and meet all of the owners and wine making from around the world. We will announce the winner of the Texas Sommelier Competition> Candidates are taken thru service, tasting and theoretical examinations in the one day exam. The winner is announced Monday evening and that person will be The Top Sommelier in Texas. ……….. Guy

Go to: TexSom.com, to register for the seminars

Wall Street Journalist Lettie Teague waxes on the glories of Bastille Day with a bucket of Cristal. Nice work if you can get it. Read all about it here:  Celebrating Cristal

Meanwhile Dallas Journalist Jeff Siegel brings us back to earth with his poignant  recollection of a takeout lunch with a little help from the Gallo folks here: My lunch with Turning Leaf

Dr. Jeremy Parzen, lying low in Austin, clarifies the Aldo Vaccas’  position from Produttori del Barbaersco on the 2006 vintage in piedmont here: 06 Barbaresco: a final (?) clarification from Aldo Vacca, Produttori del Barbaresco

And Mixologist Extraordinaire Caterina Miltenberger’s stunning Skinny Mjito recipe tops the QuickDFW.com list of the 10 hot Summer drinks. Read all about it here: Summer splash: 10 great drinks you need to try

What is the single largest challenge to grape growing in the Texas Hill Country?

I was recently asked that question by a local restaurant director who is writing an article on Texas wine and grape growing.

It is hard to identify any one single greatest challenge, it’s a string of events that culminate with what you hope is a crop.

It starts in the spring with the late freeze which is almost always after bud break, killing the tender young shoots. Then comes the high winds during flowering to prevent consistent fruit set, followed by tornadic hail conditions.

We discovered a little moth a few years ago that has spread thru the USA wine regions called the grape berry moth, or GBM.

It doesn’t look like much, but when the eggs they lay in the young clusters hatch and eat their way out, they do some damage. We were organic growers until the GBM hit us. The bait traps were not enough to lower the population, so we had to spray a pesticide.

Another insect that can do much more lasting damage is the glassy winged sharp shooter. It carries deadly bacteria in its saliva that kills the vine. There is no cure once a vine is infected. The disease it carries is called Pierce’s Disease, or PD.

We have had several vines that were affected and we pulled them up as soon as the lab report confirmed its presence. PD is under control and not as wide spread as it was a few years ago. There have been outbreaks and several wineries lost their vineyards in the Hill Country and out in west Texas. To prevent widespread damage you use a very expensive systemic pesticide twice a season. The bugs still eat on the leaves, but die shortly after.

Once you make it past the freeze and hail storms, then comes the fun part of bird netting to keep the birds out. The game fence keeps the deer out and there is not much you can do to control the raccoons. Just hope they don’t eat too much. They should at least put the clips back on the nets so the birds don’t get in.

Grape growers in Texas are like prize fighters that keep coming up off the mat to fight another round, rumble in the jungle….

Last year the heat stressed the vines and the late freeze further reduced what everyone was hoping would be the end of 3 years of short crops. No such luck. What was harvested came in at higher than normal brix levels and should produce excellent wine.

The rains that had avoided us for so long finally came in the fall. Too late for the crop, but needed to fill the Blanco River and all the reservoirs in the area. It finally got us out of the Exceptional Drought that Central Texas has been in for the past 2 years.  It rained most of September thru December and almost caught up to the 34 inches of normal annual rainfall for Blanco County.

It got cold in December and January. At one point we recorded a low temperature of 16 degrees for 36 hours. It burst pipes in our pump houses and apartment on the property.

The good news is that it killed a bunch of bugs and we are finally out of the exceptional drought that has had a hold on us.

This spring has been exceptional in a good way.

I lost a bet with an ag agent about us the usual late March early April freeze.

The next bottle of wine is on me. Money well spent.

The mood is one of optimism. I attended a grower’s work shop at Flat Creek Winery up on Lake Travis last month and everyone has their fingers crossed. You can feel the excitement among the other growers, not just grape growers, peach, strawberry, corn and pecan growers. This is the best crop of peaches since 05 or 06 for most of the growers. Vogel peaches in Stonewall in the Hill Country picked some of the finest white peaches I have ever tasted. I just needed a bottle of Prosecco to put it over the top.

Peach folks from Parker County, Stonewall and Fredericksburg are finally getting a break. We made peach salsa last week that was soo good it was scary…..

I am afraid to say anymore. We made it thru flowering and fruit set and we are looking to get a larger than usually crop, maybe 4-5 tons this year if the birds and raccoons leave them alone. The bird nets are up and verasion is well under way.

Now if that tropical storm just stays south of us…………. Guy

In Frankfurt the Bulls and the Bears are both bullish on Riesling

A perky blond walks into my cubicle. “Do you have a moment? There’s someone you might like to meet.”

I duck into a large, grey meeting room, darkened for a slide presentation. I cannot make out the presenter. I really have many other things to do back in my cubicle. A pile of Supertuscans to taste. Some important Barberas bucking for my attention. A gaggle of Gaglioppos lumbering in the corner. Oak+acid+alcohol=lots of pressure. Really. But I am a team player, I go along. This better be good, I tell myself.

The presenter turns out to be Ernst Loosen, one of a small handful of German wine ambassadors. He looks a little like Ozzy Osborne, with a shock of hair, a well-nourished paunch, and a rock star ease about him. Here is a man who immediately present himself as one who is comfortable in Dallas, Singapore or Bernkastel. A true citizen of the world and ultimately an emissary of Bacchus.

“Welcome to the Rocky Horror Riesling Show.” Who begins a seminar with a line like that? Ernst, who admits his love for Pinot Noir ( he casually throws out to us that he has 7,000 bottles of Grand Cru Burgundy in his cellar, loves Rousseau, and it sounds like he has an annual buying budget of $30-50,000). Note to self: Visit Ernst (and his cellar) in Germany.

He starts us out with his Pfalz Pinot Noir from the Wolf Estate (tasting notes follow post if anyone really cares).

“So how was the 2007 vintage?” someone in the room asks. 2007 – Excellent vintage (not hot), long hang time, early bud break. In 2007 160 days of hang time (Ernie says the average in the US is 100) without over ripeness.

Who knew Germany was the 3rd largest grower of Pinot Noir in the world?

Wow!

Ernst talks about food and wine pairings – something he is very passionate about. When an Italian recognizes passion in one of his German colleagues, let me tell you, that is some passion.

He loves certain Asian pairings, noting his joy with the counterpoint between the acidity and fruit of a Riesling and the saltiness of soy, the pleasure of pairing with pork on the pleasingly plump side.

In his home town Bernkastel where the Loosen estate is based, Ernst says the best restaurant is Indian and the wines work so well with the spicy curry, especially old Rieslings (as they dry out a little). Looks like on the wine trail in Italy might need to try a little on the wine trail in Germany for un’ po divertimento.

My takeaway from all of it concentrates down to this (and this is very good news for Riesling):

Sweet balances out:
► Salty
► Bitter
► Sour
► Spicy (as long as the alcohol is lower, not hot)

“If there’s anybody happy about global warming, it’s the Mosel.” – Ernst Loosen

He thinks like a Burgundian, in fact thinks Pinot Noir and Riesling are similar in a philosophical way, compares the sensation of old Burgundies with old Rieslings. Different flavors but similar emotions.

“At the end of the day, I drink what I like, and great wine always works” – Ernst Loosen

He speaks of a recent celebration at a Wehlener Sonnenuhr celebration (Peter Liem was there and blogged about it) with the Prüm brothers where they drank vintages of ’37,’47,’47,’53’,’59,’66,’69 and went for the ’71 – Jos. Prüm said, “Ernst, the ’71, that’s far too young.”

A great story teller, a passion for great wines, and a history of family and engagement in protecting the patrimony of some of the great cru’s of Germany. Right now as well, working to prevent a bridge from being built right upon these historical hills. Check out this site, get involved. Dr. Loosen’s blog also has an update here.

Let’s see, Dallas to Frankfurt on Lufthansa? Do I have a moment? Anytime, Dr. Loosen, anytime.

My (lame) TN’s – Hey they’re just really for me, if you want knocked out tasting notes read Karen MacNeil. Karen is a great teacher- she taught me that I dont know how to write a decent tasting note. So I leave that tattered kingdom in her care.

The Wolf Estate wines

1) 2007 Wolf Pinot Noir -Peppery cherry, soft flavors, reminds me of the Alto Adige PN’s in Italy.
2) 2007Wolf Pinot Gris – Acidic, lovely
3) 2008 Wolf Pinot Gris – Riper than the 2007, soft, lovely.
4) 2008 Wolf Gewurztraminer – Dry restrained, great fruit, nice quaff.
5) 2007 Wolf Gewurztraminer – Bright acidity, spicier than the 2008, richer, riper, luscious

6) 2008 J.L. Wolf “Pechstein” Riesling Spatlese – Considered a first-growth vineyard in the Pfalz, Pechstein is a grand cru from the village of Forst (Forster Jesuitgarten is famous) Most vineyard driven wine in the area.
Beautiful glorious nose – floral – gorgeous; Rich Unctuous goose bumps 200-300 cases made

Mosel wines – Dr. Loosen

7) 2009 “Dr L” Riesling -Bright fruity good spice

8 ) 2008 “Dr L” Riesling – Acid fruit, great balance wonderful sipper
Dr L wines are sourced from the slopes

9) 2008 Estate “Blue Slate” Riesling Kabinett 7.5%
Great acidity, wine just rolls across the ridges of the palate, smooth but with power. Quite a nice interplay, like a polyphonic Bach piece.

10) 2008 Dr. Loosen Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett
Mouthfilling explosion – richness – apricot – rich rich (red slate) exotic – voluptuous – naughty
Wow! Ernst says a perfect match is gravlox with mustard sauce

11) 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese
Slightly salty, citric, apricot- Rush of fruit – like a fired apricot pie-Creamy – mellow

12) 2006 Dr. Loosen Estate “BA” – Massive harvest 40,000 bottles (1975=5,000 bottles, most years maybe 500-1000 bottles, maybe) – Rich flavors, not cloying, nice mellow finish.

Originally posted here

Campodelsole, which means “field of sun”, sits on a hill with the mountains behind it and the sea in front of it. If anyone could make a more beautiful spot for vines or humans, they’d have to work hard to match Campodelsole. If fact, this area has been farmed and inhabited since before the Roman times. On a recent replanting of one vineyards, the workers had to stop numerous times to pick the Roman pottery and amphoras out of the field.

Roman pottery fragment from 2000 years ago

Bertinoro is the town that the winery is attached to, sitting on top of the hill. On the summit, one imagines a landscape like Montalcino.

Here, as well, Sangiovese is King.

Campodelsole’s strength is Sangiovese – pure, fresh, fruit that is bright and wine that is rich, dry and delicious.

Another strength of this estate is the family multigenerational commitment to the future. An enviable state-of-the-art gravity-fed winery that will withstand the ages has been lovingly placed to receive the bounty of the fields of sun.

Lovely wines from an under-appreciated part of Italy, famous for their food and their cooking. Now the wines enter the arena.

The Wines

“Selva” Albana Di Romagna DOCG – One of the original 6 wines to receive the DOCG status a generation ago, this white wine is crisp, fresh, fruity and dry. Perfect for warm weather and casual salads and pasta dishes with light cream sauces, or seafood like calamari or shrimp. (Selling retail for under $13.)

“San Pascasio” Pagadebit Di Romagna – From the indigenous Bombino Bianco grape, Pagedebit (which means “pay the debt” as harvesting this prodigious producer was always a source of income for the farmers in the region) is also a typical white from the Adriatic coast. Again, the white wine is dominated by crisp acidity, delicate fruit and lack of manipulation – no oak or malolactic. A great quaffing wine to go with many of the same dishes as the Albana.(Selling retail for under $14.)

“Durano” Sangiovese Di Romagna – A perfect “entry level” Sangiovese from the winery. Perfect as a by-the-glass offering with moderate alcohol, no oak and a healthy dose of pure, rich Sangiovese character – cherries, nutty and easy to drink. Dry.(Selling retail for under $13.)

“San Maglorio” Sangiovese Di Romagna Superiore – Superiore denotes a little higher alcohol (½%) from estate vineyards that have had a deeper selection for fruit and depth. Still very affordable, and again no oak, no technological manipulation to dress the wine up. Thankfully, the wine, in its natural state has terrific attributes for concentrated fruit and vigor. Really one of the stars in the portfolio, reflecting great quality and value. (Selling retail for under $15.)

“Palpedrigo” Sangiovese/Cabernet/Merlot – One of the racehorses in the stable, this red is a blend of Sangiovese with the stylish global travelers, Cabernet and Merlot. One admirer remarked that it reminded them of a famous Alexander Valley Cabernet made famous in the 1980’s. More power, more oak, but in the balanced way only an Italian wine can pull off. (Selling retail for under $20.)

“Vertice” Sangiovese Di Romagna Superiore Riserva – This is the tour-de-force of the estate, 100% Sangiovese made in the style one finds over the mountain range in Montalcino. Gorgeous full-throttle red with plenty of stuffing, horsepower and confident appeal. This is the heart stopper of the estate and worth every penny. (Selling retail for about $35.)

Gathering vinestock to replant a field