What did I Miss?
When new wine arrives I try to put myself in your place and consider what your perspective when you notice new bottles. Now, it’s not often that I look at our shelves without recognizing a label, but because I was away last week, a few things arrived that I haven’t yet tasted. So, read along as I play ‘customer’ again and judge some of our newest wines with my eyes instead of my palate. In the interest of full disclosure, I have tasted one or two. However, my first-rate imagination and colander-like memory will enable me to act like I haven’t, please enjoy.
Cantina Sociale Di Gattinara, Gattinara
Region: Gattinara DOCG - Piedmont, Italy
Grape: Nebbiolo
Now, if I were only to read the label I would know that this wine is almost certainly 100% Nebbiolo. But would you? Perhaps if you were another Piedmont fanatic. This is where customers fall prey to exclusion by European labelling.
How would you know that this wine comes from one of Italy’s oldest classified wine regions? How would you know that, by law, it needs to be aged for a minimum of 35 months?
How would you know that it’s a lighter expression of Nebbiolo with (more than likely) higher levels of acidity than Barolo? Would you know that it is actually quite age-worthy or an excellent value compared to its cousin?
Shame on Italian labelling laws.
Since this is one that I have tasted, I’ll share my thoughts… It has a soft nose full of fennel; glides over the palate like brand new suede; it’s subtle, delicate, graceful.
That’s what I have in my notes. Factor in that high acidity I mentioned as well as supportive yet perfectly integrated tannins, and you have a beautiful wine.
Subject To Change, Lune Juice
Region: Mendocino County, CA
Grape: Zinfandel
If someone were to offer me a sip of Zinfandel from California, I would have to ask some questions before I acquiesced. However, if I saw this label I would whip out my glass as quickly as I could. Not because it’s colorful, but because I know that Subject to Change is one of the most responsible and sustainable producers of wine in California.
Not only this, but they are committed to fostering new winemakers who are equally interested in producing wine without the use of additives, strictly from grapes that have been farmed organically or biodynamically.
And because I was lucky enough to taste this wine alongside its fabulous producer, I can tell you that it comes from sixty year old vines that were dry-farmed (farmed without the use of irrigation), and a third of the grapes used went through carbonic maceration.
Bottom line, this is a light, chillable, delightfully dry wine that is definitely worth your time.
Jacques Lassaigne, Les Vignes de Montgueux, Blanc de Blancs, extra brut
Region: Champagne AOC - Champagne, France
Grape: Chardonnay
Here is a wine that I have not tasted, but certainly need to. Permanent status update: bubbles before everything.
So what can I surmise from the label? Champagne, obvious. Blanc de blancs, 100% Chardonnay. Chardonnay, likely high-ish acidity, possibly more fruit that toast (because I don’t yet know how long it was aged). Extra Brut, incredibly dry.
My mouth is watering and I don’t even know what’s in the bottle. If I were a customer I’d be flagging down the nearest staff member for more details. Aaaaronnn!!
Subject To Change, Sauvignon Blanc Disco!
Region: Yorkville Highlands AVA - Mendocino County, CA
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon
Back to Mendocino!
While I long ago reached my orange wine quota, I will occasionally find myself smiling over a little skin-contact. This is exactly what happened with Disco! And with Sauvignon Blanc of all grapes, such a surprise.
This wine is so sunny, it just makes you happy. The right amount of skin-contact and so many apricots. This wine represents everything I enjoyed about orange wine before the market became saturated with them.
Find your way to a bottle, chill it down, and drink, don’t think.
Envínate, Benje Tinto
Region: Ycoden-Daute-Isora DO - Canary Islands, Spain
Grapes: Listán Negro and Tintilla
Okay from here on, I know nothing but what’s on the label. And unless you speak Spanish, the only thing you’d be able to tell about this wine is that it’s red.
But using the region and grapes as my guide, I predict that this wine is likely medium-bodied, perhaps a little peppery, with mostly earthy, mineral-driven flavors instead of fruit-forward ones, and the tannins probably aren’t out of control.
Because I know a little about this obscure region of the Canary Islands, I predict higher acidity, as vineyards from here are generally found at higher elevation planted in volcanic soils.
Stay tuned to see if I came close!
Azienda Agricola Denavolo, Catavela
Region: Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Grapes: Malvasia, Ortrugo, and Marsanne
While this wine is new to me, its sibling, the Dinavolino, is an old favorite.
Wine from Emilia-Romagna always surprises me. Maybe because my highest expectations of the region have always been reserved for Parmigiano-Reggiano and Balsamico. But wine from this part of Italy should not go overlooked.
So, what do we have? Malvasia. This isn’t necessarily helpful because there are fifteen varieties of this grape grown in Italy. But because I’m familiar with the producer, my money is on Malvasia di Candia. So maybe I think this wine is going to be slightly floral.
From the bottle I can tell that this wine is slightly opaque. So we have some skin-contact detected. Ortrugo doesn’t really help because it’s one of those neutral whites (if you want a lovely example though, check out this sparkling expression from La Tollara).
Now, Marsanne is one of those weighty Rhône whites that also tends to be fragrant. I’m guessing it’s here for body and added aromatics. But the alcohol is low (10%), so maybe this warm-weather grape is going to give us a little residual sugar?
I can only hope!
