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The World of Wines
from Chef Giacomo’s Wine Journal
by Giacomo Dresseno
Current Entry
May5th
The World of wines: With Giacomo Dresseno
California Pinot Noir
I am back after a forced quick vacation with the nasty flu (the good ol' homegrown version, and not the fancy Chinese import type known as SARS) not only crippled my taste buds but my legs, so I had no choice but to skip my article on the last issue. I was tempted to do a review of cough syrups, since most of them have enough alcohol to compete with wines, but wisely decided to keep the cough syrup tasting as a private event.
My review of South American wines has been also postponed to a later date, I had few bottles stashed away for the article, but I felt like I was in need of few more.
California Pinot Noir is the subject of this article, and I will mention only wines I was able to personally enjoy and taste, and in the future I will explore again this wine and pay a tribute to Oregon, another great producer of domestic Pinot Noir.
From my tasting experience, in recent years I have seen an impressive increase on the quality
of California Pinot Noir, a very difficult task considering how delicate Pinot Noir is, a very
sensitive grape, and very unforgiven when not handled properly during the viticulture and vinemaking process. I have noticed a very big difference from different growing regions, in California itself , and also from the winemakers styles. One of the most consistent producers of Pinot Noir is Merry Edwards, from Russian River valley, they make only Pinot Noir and it shows, from the moment I have tasted this wine for the first time four years ago, every vintage has always been great. And this wine is now my benchmark for California Pinot Noir.
The wine is very deep and rich, with very balanced flavors, a great bottle of wine, with a very good concentration and nice ripe fruit, and although the wine is the most powerful pinot noir I have ever tasted it represent everything Pinot Noir should be. From my personal experience this is, probably the only wine I would sell to lovers of much more powerful wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, and lovers of Pinot Noir with the capability of making both very happy!
The wine is a bit expensive but worth every penny, at around $40 per bottle, if I remember correctly the vinery does sell to the public trough a Florida outlet, in case you decide to buy a case of vine Merry Edwards Vinery phone number is 1-888-388-9050. And if they cannot help you, try the Wine Watch in Fort Lauderdale, Andrew the owner is very well connected and able to get almost any wine for his clients. Some of my other favorite Pinot Noir are:
Byron from Santa Maria Valley, totally different from Merry Edwards, but a very nice Pinot Noir,
I have sampled the 1999 vintage and liked the nice balance of flavors, the price should be on the $ 20 range. La Crema, Sonoma Coast, is one of the most popular Pinot Noir, and with the 2000 release they have improved very much their wine, it was probably the best so far I have tried in recent years, I have specially liked the much richer body, and is a very good bargain for less of $20, and sometimes close to $15 retail during special sales. Hartford, Sonoma Coast is another
of my favorites pinot. Buena Vista, Carneros, 1999, a very good pinot, considering the rich concentration and balance, and the $20 (Approx.) price. And last a lackluster performer, Laetitia Estate Pinot Noir, a very good wine in the 1999 vintage, and disappointing in the 2000 release, having lost most of body and concentration caracteristics of previous vintages, while the price was maintained at over $25 retail.
Time to go! I am not sure what my next featured wine will be, but I am sure it will be good!!!
Until Next Time
April 8th,
American Red Meritage and other red blends.
Although Meritage is a French word, it is actually an American trademark designation, used by the California Meritage Association.
Meritage is the name used to identify wines made with the blend of grapes used in Bordeaux style wines. For Red Meritage the grapes are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. A White Meritage would be a blend of Sauvignon blanc and Semillon. Meritage wines are usually expensive and are often given fancy proprietary names.
Such wines as Opus One, Rubicon would each qualify as Meritage if their producers chose to have them so designated. Producers may choose not to use the term Meritage even if their wine meets the qualifications, and as I think about it, I have seldom seen a label with the name Meritage on it. Some of my favorite Meritage and some other wines considered Meritage, although they might not carry the name and with slightly different blends are recent vintages. Most tasted from my cellar are on the expensive side and if you find them in retail stores expect to pay probably $150 or more per bottle.
I will begin with my most favorite wine blends, Montebello by Ridge(1997 vintage) an incredible and well crafted wine, powerful but also very well balanced. Dominus by Christian Moueix, 1997 vintage. Another one of my favorites is the Viader By Viader, in the 1999 vintage. A blend of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, an incredible wine, not as highly rated as the 1998 vintage, but still one of the top 100 wines in the world at least for the Wine Spectator 2002 top 100 list, (The 1998 vintage, was rated # 3 on the best 100 wines list, 2001 issue). I also like that the Viader which is available in half bottles making the wine a bit more ready to drink considering the quicker aging of smaller size bottles. Insigna by Joseph Phelps, 1999 vintage, a blend mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with small percentages of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Cardinale by Cardinale, 1997 vintage a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, very elegant and well balance but not as powerful as the other wines.
A bit less expensive is the Elevage by Chimney Rock, 1996 vintage and ready to drink, probably available in stores for less of $100 in more recent vintages. For less then $50 one of my favorites blend is Treana By Treana, 1998 vintage a very good wine with the blend recipe changing yearly and based on six grapes varietal: Syrah, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marlot, Petit Sirah and Grenache. Treana is also available in half bottles. Another very good Meritage is the Generations by Charles Krug, the 1994 and 1996 vintages are quite impressive for the price range. And a winner considering the price range of less than $20, is the Bearitage by Gunlach Bundschu, I have sampled recently the lot no.9, (If I remember correctly it is a 1999 release), I have always enjoyed this wine. A blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel with small parts of Tempranillo, Gamay, Cabernet Franc with a recipe changing with different vintages or lots.
Time to wrap up the article, I need to get in the kitchen and start cooking or I am going to be in trouble tonight! In my next article I will review some wines from Argentina and Chile representing
great values.
Chef Giacomo
March 25th,
Medium Priced, California Cabernet Sauvignon
This issue is dedicated to medium priced range Cabernet Sauvignon (Approximately Below $30 retail). Premium level Cabernet can easily reach one hundred dollars per bottle.
As many California Cabernet lovers have discovered is very hard to find a high quality wine with good concentration in the $30 retail price or less. I will base my selections on wines I was able to sample recently, and most of them are on my wine list. They probably have many more good Cabernet Sauvignon out there, but I was unable to sample them recently. Some of my favorites medium priced Cabernet Sauvignon are starting from the top:
Chateau St. Michelle, Reserve, Columbia Valley 1997, a great bottle of wine, with a very good concentration and nice ripe fruit, particularly enjoyable and reminiscent of more expensive wines
Flora Springs, Napa Valley, I have sampled the 1998 and 1999 and liked both of them, but the 1998 was ready to drink, while the 1999 could benefit from a bit more bottle aging.
Sequoia Grove, Napa, 1998, very smooth Cabernet very well balanced with ripe cherry and oak undertones.
Stonestreet, Alexander Valley, 1998, drier then most other Cabernet from the area, reflecting the more European style of wine making of Stonestreet also the use of French oak barrels for aging, the result is a California Cabernet different then most other but very good with its own style.
Sterling Vineyards with their Napa Valley, 2000 vintage Cabernet is once again on the mark. The wine is been steadily going up on price, but at least the quality has remained the same and still a very good buy in the $ 30 or less price range. Dense and rich with blackberry and vanilla notes and very smooth ready to drink wine.
Couple of very good buys for a bit less expensive Cabernet (Approximately $20 retail) is the Geyser Peak, Sonoma County, 1999, a wine very good and with a good concentration for the relatively low price range and the final wine Estancia, California, 1999 not as rich as the Geyser Peak but still a very nice step up from the low end Cabernet in the $10 range.
In my next article, I will feature Meritage wines.
March 10th,
The World of wines:
With Giacomo Dresseno
CHIANTI RISERVA and More
Chianti is produced only in a small part of Tuscany in Italy, and made mainly of Sangiovese grapes mixed with a small part of Cabernet grapes or Cannaiolo.
In my previous article Chianti Classico was the center of the story with the growing regions in Tuscany and a bit of History of Chianti. I will focus today on Chianti Classico Riserva.
Riserva Chianti, by law are aged a minimum of two years in wood, and at least 3 months in bottle, before release. Most of the Riserva Chianti are aged in small new French oak barrels, adding to the richness of the wine, and since most Riserva (From the best producers ) are from the best grapes in selected vineyards sites, and made only in the best years, the resulting wines are quite amazing and very above the good ol'straw bottle
Chianti. I had the great fortune to sample a very good Riserva Chianti recently and some of my favorite producers are: Fattoria Di Felsina, Castello Di Ama, Fontodi, Monsanto, Fonterutoli, Dievole, Villa Cafaggio, Antinori, Ruffino.
Sometimes Riserva Chianti are quite different from each producers, mainly due to the executive winemaker decisions and outlook of the product, in recent years I have noticed Some Chianti Riserva and Classico push the envelope a little more, a good example is Fontodi with Vigna Del Sorbo, a premium single vineyard Riserva Chianti, very impressive and well worth a premium price, another very good Chianti (But not a Riserva) at the same level is the Dievole Novecento, 1997 vintage, a full flavored and concentrated Chianti, very well made and in very attractive packaging (Although normally packaging is the last of my concern when it comes to wine, quality of the juice is my main concern).
Also quite interesting is the effort made by Kendall Jackson with their Villa Arceno property in Tuscany, I have sampled the 1998 release and enjoyed it, and looking forward to the 1999, probably more interesting. Also Ruffino Riserva Ducale Gold, still available in the 1997 vintage, a very popular choice from my wine list and still one of the best selling Chianti out of the many I carry.
For the regular Chianti D.O.C.G., Felsina delivers a very intense bottle of wine, for a moderate price, I was very impressed with the 1998 Classico, very ripe and juicy with a
good concentration, I was very disappointed to have missed the 1997 release, but I will grab as much 1998 as I can. These wines will be available only in small specialty shops and sadly not available in supermarkets due to the limited production. And thinking of supermarkets! my usual trip the local grocery store resulted in my purchase of: Chianti Classico Ruffino "Aziano" in the 2001 vintage and the boldest of the three, nice considering the price point $12 retail, Castello di Gabbiano 1999, was okay considering the $10 price point, and the least expensive on the $8 range the Melini, Chianti (Not Classico) Borghi D'Elsa was light but very smooth and enjoyable.
Once again a proof of how much Chianti has actually improved. In my next issue I will review middle range California Cabernet Sauvignon,and I will keep you posted on the Black Roster Chianti promotion coming to the Fort Lauderdale area in the next couple of months.
Chef Giacomo of Primavera Restaurant
February 25th,
CHIANTI CLEARLY NOT ONLY A "FIASCO"
Tuscany is the birthplace of one of Italy's most popular red wines, Chianti. Made mostly from the Sangiovese grape, a finicky demanding grape, it has begotten many genetic variations of itself. Over time these variations have taken on a distinct flavor and characteristics.
Another cause for the differences among Chianti is the climate in Italy. Tuscany, for example, is a virtual kingdom of microclimates. These are created by an endless succession of twisting, turning and undulating hills exposed to sunshine during long warm summers days and cool nights.
Chianti has been considered romantic, earthy, "European," and fitting anyone's budget. With the help of new Wine Laws in Italy, the Tuscan wine industry has expanded its 'simple' Chianti and now produces many superior Chianti that continues to lead the wine industry world-wide.
By law the Chianti Classico can be a blend of a minimum of 75% Sangiovese with a maximum of 15% Cannaiolo and up to 15 % other red grapes, in most cases Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and a maximum of 6% of white grapes such as Malvasia or Trebbiano. Some Chianti Classico are made only of Sangiovese grapes.
The Chianti industry in recent years has worked very hard to make the consumer forget the famous straw bottle of Chianti or "Fiasco" in Italian, (In Italy fare un fiasco is meaning a complete failure or disaster) in the past, probably the synonymous of Chianti.
In recent years, the quality of Chianti has ben steadily improving associated with better wine making techniques and blending, and with added help of some great weather across Tuscany producing vintages such as 1997, 1999, 2000 with most producers able to release
Chianti with quality above average. Of course you can always find exceptions especially in the low price range or below $10, where the wines are just too light and lacking depth
.
I guess I am a little spoiled by some of the Chiantis I have recently been tasting. I will again just quickly review the types of Chianti:
Chianti Classico from a small region centrally located in the heart of Tuscany and a D.O.C.G. (Denomination of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed) area and where the most famous Chianti Classico Riserva are produced. (I will explore the Riserva Chianti in my next article)
Other Chianti regions beside the Classico are:
Colli Senesi, Chianti Rufina,
(Those two after the Classico and Classico Riserva are the most available and in some cases producing excellent Chianti) and Colli Firentini, Chianti Montalbano, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, and Colli Aretini. But as usual I am running out of space, I will write about the results of my tasting in the next two (2) articles, and I will cover the Black Rooster Consortium, sponsoring a promotion in the Fort Lauderdale and South Palm Beach area in the next couple of months.
February 11th,
Alternative Italian Whites
NOT ONLY PINOT GRIGIO.
In this article I will feature some white wines almost unknown to the majority of American wine lovers.
Wine lovers do not know what they are missing when purchasing only Pinot Grigio.
Italy offers many other wonderful wines such as: Gavi, Vernaccia, Verdicchio, Pigato, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Tocai, Arneis, Riesling, Malvasia Bianca, Ribolla Gialla, Soave, Fiano, and many more grapes varietal which sadly will never make it to the U.S., because of very limited productions and the Italian market absorbing the bulk of it. I might also add to my unusual list, Italian Chardonnay because, for the largest part they are very crisp and clean tasting, with many more similarities to a Pinot Grigio and very different from the buttery rich taste of most California Chardonnay (This is specially true for the low to middle level Chardonnay from Italy, but not for high end producers such as Planeta in Sicily or Angelo Gaja in Piedmont producing Chardonnay with nothing to envy to the best California has to offer for richness and prices).
Many of the wines I mention are not available in grocery stores, but can be found in specialty wine shops and in liquor stores with a good wine selection. Many of the wine shops will order wines for you on request, for example the Wine Watch in Fort Lauderdale.
As for the wines the quality will be based mainly on the producer/winemaker influence and not as much on the grape varietal. Starting with the Gavi, a very nice Gavi di Gavi, la Meirana, by Broglia. A wine with a wonderful bouquet of aromas, a nice complexity, a very delicate citrus notes, and a great value retailing around $15. My favorite Gavi, from the many I have sampled, and another very good Gavi, although very different from the Broglia is Terre Di Tufi, by Terruzzi and Puthod, I have always enjoyed this wine which has a very dry finish, clean and crisp taste.
Another Gavi I should mention is La Scolca, Black Label, very nice but a bit overpriced at approximately $40 retail.
Verdicchio is another wine ranging from the very mediocre Pescevino, (The bottle fish shaped) to an excellent one called Casal Di Serra, Verdicchio Classico Superiore by Umani Ronchi, I am sampling a bottle of the 2000 vintage at this very moment and the wine is just wonderful for the price range (Probably retailing upwards of $15), a wine with a very nice rich nose with notes of oak, rose petals and lemon, made from ripe grapes and very powerful for a Verdicchio.
A great Pinot Grigio alternative, is the Vernaccia, a grape grown in Tuscany in the Siena County, I am sampling the Vernaccia Di San Gimignano, Mormoraia 2001, a wine I have always enjoyed in previous vintages, medium dry with nice delicate flavors of spring flowers, and a finish of ripe fruit, mixed in stainless steel tanks to preserve the natural delicate characteristic of this very interesting grape. And to wrap up the article two wines I have purchased in a local grocery store, in my quest to find unusual Italian white wines in a retail outlet.
The first wine is a Frascati, Fontana Candida 2001 vintage approximately $7. The wine has a very delicate bouquet with buttery creamy notes, but on the palate, pretty flat and short lived, nothing exciting about it. I will sample a few more Frascati to see if I can find a better one.
The final wine is a Trebbiano D' Abruzzo, By Citra, 2001, approximately $6. A bit flat on the nose and finish, just okay for the price range.
In the next issue I will sample some Chianti.
Have a great Valentine's Day and a relaxing Presidents Day!!
January 28th,
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio, is the Italian name for a grape called Pinot Gris in France, and known under both names in the U.S.A. A very light, crisp wine in most cases with a nice acidity grade, and with the acidity changing based on the growing region.
Normally wines from North Italy or North USA have a higher acidity of wines from California or Tuscany due to the colder climate.
Pinot Grigio is a wine gaining quickly in popularity. In the U.S. after Shiraz, Pinot Grigio (Or Pinot Gris) was the second grape varietal enjoying a 50% increase in sales in 2002. Probably because Pinot Grigio, is just different for the omnipresent Chardonnay, by being a lot crisper and lighter, and by far more enjoyable as an aperitif and as a complement to a much more wide variety of foods. Some Pinot Grigio I have tasted recently used wood barrels instead of the stainless steel tanks normally used, and so far I still like the clean crisp taste of Pinot Grigio, done in Stainless steel, too many times wood overpowers this very nice and delicate grape.
Not all Pinot Grigio are good, I have tasted some awful Pinot Grigios in the past, some cooked (Wine exposed to high temperature or old, and for most Pinot Grigio old is only couple of years) and some very light (You probably could drink some nice mineral water and would taste as good) I will mention just some of my favorites Pinot Grigio, I try to forget horrible wines as fast as I can, and I will also mention some nice alternatives too often forgotten just because they are not as popular.
Starting from the top: (all the wines mentioned sell retail for approximately $15.00 or less) Ecco Domani, from Trento, Italy. A very good wine with a clean crisp feel and very well balanced, and with his twin upscale brother single vineyard Maso Canali, in one of my cooking classes the students fell in love over this Pinot Grigio, all asking where they could find the wine for sale.
Tommasi, Le Rosse Single Vineyard 2001, from the Veneto region in Italy is one of my favorites a very balanced Pinot Grigio and with a great price point for a wine of such quality.
Pighin Estate is a also a very good Pinot Grigio for the price range and always a good performer in the recent years. San Angelo by Castello Banfi a very good pint grigio from Tuscany not as acidic as the Northern Italy Pinot Grigio but still very enjoyable. Ca Bolani, from Friuli in North Italy is also a very enjoyable Pinot Grigio.
And last for the Italian Pinot Grigio the always famous Santa Margherita, a bit overpriced but still very popular, crisp and a bit simple but still the only Pinot Grigio by many of my guests at the restaurant. And finally for domestic Pinot Grigio some of the best ones I have tasted:
La Famiglia of Robert Mondavi, Gallo Of Sonoma, King Estate, all very good Pinot Grigio although different from their Italian counterparts.
And finally some alternatives to Pinot Grigio, very interesting and the subject of one my future articles: Vernaccia and Gavi di Gavi, two very interesting Italian grapes and great values in the relation quality price.
January 6th,
Shiraz:
Shiraz consumption in the United States durring the past year has increased approximately 70 percent (70%), a very impressive growth for a grape varietal holding a very small part of the wine market compared to the best selling red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Shiraz is the hot wine of the moment along with Pinot Grigio (The subject of my next article).
Just a few years ago Shiraz from Australia and the United States were scarcely found in retail stores, now it is more common to find many different Shiraz and Syrah on Supermarkets shelves and in restaurant wine lists.
Shiraz is a grape varietal mainly from the Northern Rhone Valley
of France. In France it is called Syrah. Australia is the largest producer of Shiraz, the same grape with a different name, Australia's most popular red wine.
Other wine producing countries are increasing their production of this very interesting grape varietal. In the United States many wineries are adding Shiraz to their wine portfolios, and many of the new Shiraz in the market place have a very good quality and price relationship.
The success of the Shiraz as wine, is due to its main stream appeal. The wine is pleasantly fruity and can be enjoyed while young and able in most cases, to withstand aging. Normally the more expensive Shiraz will benefit from aging, while some of the entry level wines are more pleasant while young.
The wine also changes with the different growing regions.
Australian Shiraz are normally more intense and slightly more fruity than their American counterparts, most Shiraz have a medium to strong Oak finish.
Starting with the low prince range of $10, my favorite Shiraz from Australia is the Rosemount Estate, and a very good buy. Lindeman Bin 50, is another Shiraz quite pleasant, but not as complex as the Rosemount Estate, justified by a lower selling price. The American Shiraz has a lot to offer in the middle/low price range, and my favorite from the one I have sampled was the Chateau Ste. Michelle, from the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Another good choice, is R.H. Phillips, EXP Dunningan Hills. It also has a few more good choices in the same price range:
Beringer Founders Estate, Clos Du Bois Alexander Valley Reserve, Anapamu, Central Coast Paso Robles.
For Italian Shiraz the only one in the same price range I have sampled is the Villa Pillo, nice but just a bit too light. In the higher price range Munari, a small producer from the Victoria Region in Australia does an excellent job in producing a very nice complex wine.
I have sampled three (3) different vintages (1998/1999/2000) of his wines and enjoyed all three, each had a very distinctive personality. I could mention many more wines but as usual I am running out of space. I just need to mention Dead Arm Shiraz, by Daremberg, an impressive bottle of wine I have sampled in the 1998 and 1999 vintage (Retail price is over $100.) and the famous Penfolds Grange hard to find wonderful Shiraz, (I have sampled the 1996 vintage, great bottle of wine!) although a bit pricey in the almost $200 bottle retail price.
In the next issue my focus will be on Pinot Grigio an increasingly popular wine in the U.S.
Sparkling Wines!
I wish to all the readers of  a very happy and prosperous New Year ! Chef Giacomo
And now we need something to cheer with! Sparkling Wine is a little too broad a definition. We can go from the classical Asti Spumante (not one of my favorites) to the Cristal Champagne, pretty much from $10 to almost $300 and more. From my experience of tasting a very large quantity of wines, some of the inexpensive labels are quite pleasant for the amount of money spent.
Starting with the Italian sparkling wines, in the low end: Rotari a label part of the Mezza Corona Family of wines in Italy, does an excellent job in producing a very nice sparkling wine for close or less than $10, retail. Rotari call the wine Brut, Metodo Classico, with in-bottle fermentation, and for the price range a good buy with a light nice dry feel and very little aftertaste.
Villa Banfi also produces a nice brut with the same technique and is also a non-vintage or N.V., the wine is also very nice with a touch of more complexity and the retail price is in the $20 price range. For the Italian sparkling wines my favorite is the Bellavista Franciacorta Cuvee Brut, very elegant and light and considered one of the best Italian Sparkling wines by many, and as a a final note a mention of one of the old golden boys of the Italian Sparkling wine industry the still available: Berlucchi Bianco Imperiale. I still remember the days when in Italy it was the trendy sparkling wine and a festive (at least in Italy) alternative to the French Champagne. The wine is still available in the U.S. but has lost the appeal it once had in the 80's.
I am planning to sample a bottle in the next few weeks and see if it has maintained the character of the old days. As a final note for the Italian sparkling wines, I would like to mention the Prosecco family of wines. On the Internet I located a very interesting Italian website www.prosecco.it If you have mastered the language you will thoroughly enjoy it. It has a great deal of information about Prosecco Wine, a very nice and inexpensive alternative to many other sparkling wines from the Veneto Region.
The best about the Prosecco is the very light feel and the lack of the yeast notes found in many other sparkling wines combined with very low prices. In Italy the famous Prosecchino, nothing more than a split of Prosecco but still very popular and available in many Italian Bars or restaurants.
For the French end of the Sparkling wines or as the French prefer to say, "Champagne". My favorite from the top down is Krug with the Grand Cuvee Brut, a great bottle of Champagne! and after all! a bargain in the over $100 range.
Louis Roeder "Cristal" also one of my favorites but a little harder to find in retail and wholesale outlets (from gossips I have heard that Japan is gobbling up a large chunk of the production). Taittinger has also some very nice Champagne but with a high price tag. (about 3 years ago when an order of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne was delivered its wholesale cost at that time was over $200 per bottle).
In the middle and lower range Perrier Jouet, Moet Chandon, Laurent Perrier, Veuve Clicquot, have always been very nice and widely available producers. I would like to go over some of the domestic and South America sparkling wines but I am running out of space. In a future issue I will write about some of those very interesting wines.
My next Issue will be on Shiraz Wines.
My best wishes for the New Year to all the readers of
Take a moment to drop by the website at http://www.trueitalian.com
Chef Giacomo Dresseno
Inexpensive California Cabernet Sauvignon:
This issue is dedicated to inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon (Below $10 retail). I purchased all my wines in a very popular grocery chain where a lot of people buy their wines for everyday consumption.
Walking up and down the wine isle, looking at the bottles on the shelves I noticed the marketing effort to make the labels more and more appealing. I chose six (6) bottles of Cabernet in order to compare the wines fairly.all from California region.
My selections were based solely on the price, also selecting a few wines that were not familiar to me. Once home, and as I prepared for the tasting I added to my selection a bottle of Meridian Cabernet, always a good performer in the low price category.
Just a note regarding these wines, although moderately complex and well balanced they all had a light feel to it, none of these wines were close to the Cabernet I normally like to enjoy (In a price range 2 or 3 times higher), but they were all good enough to enjoy during a meal.
Going back to my tasting. After opening all seven bottles I poured equal amounts in glasses of the same type, and sipping along here is my favorites out of the six (6) bottles of wine:
Beringer Founder Estate, 1999 approximately $8.99, with cherry and berry notes, dark oaky notes, and very smooth finish.
In second position the Meridian 1998, normally selling for approximately $9.00 For the strong finish and the intensity, plum notes, not very well balanced but a good buy and with a little more aging, Meridian is released later the most other inexpensive Cabernet.
The number three was Stone Creek Special Select 1999, lighter but pleasant to drink, very light oak and berry notes.
Number four was awarded to the Camelot 1999 paid $7.49, ripe fruit and strawberry notes, intense bouquet and finish.
Number five was a tie for all the other 3 wines, the Vendange 2000, just $5.19 was the lighter of the bunch but a good choice if considering the price range.
Woodbrige 2000 by Rober Mondavi at $6.49, was also light but enjoyable with a very young fruit and red currants notes.
And the Corbett Canyon 2000 reserve, paid $6.99 with a pretty light complexity for a "Reserve" denomination but once again very enjoyable with Cherry and Oak as the predominant characters.
The positive side of this tasting was surprisingly all those wines were actually enjoyable, and some of them might shine more or less depending on the food pairing, normally Cabernet is not a wine easy to enjoy on an empty stomach and is not very appropriate as an aperitif.
Merlot Wines:
11/25/2002
Merlot has always been one of my favorite grapes varietal, and recently I have noticed a remarkable improvement of the quality in the low price range, (Below or close to $10 retail) .
I was very impressed with the Canyon Road Merlot, California 2001 vintage, a Merlot with a very rich finish, and a complexity impressive for a bottle in the very low price range, (One of the leading grocery chains is selling Canyon Road Merlot for below six dollars).
 Rawson's Retreat, a new release from Penfolds, of Southeastern Australia, was also very impressive for the relation quality price, I found it to be a bit sweeter than the Canyon Road Merlot, with a plum and cherry notes and smooth characteristics. The most impressive quality about those two wines is the very low price. I like also to mention the Camelot Vineyards California Merlot, another good Merlot in the low price category.
 Yet another very good buy, Bogle Vineyards Merlot. Bogle has been selected as one of the best values by the leading wine magazine in the country. I particularly like the Merlot for the spicy finish and the fruity notes, another very good buy in the $10 range. For few dollars more ($20/25 range) you can step up to a delicious Raymond Reserve, Napa Valley Merlot. The 1999 vintage is very impressive with a nice full body, berry notes and very smooth. If you like a Merlot on the dry side a good choice is the Stonestreet Alexander  Valley 1998. A fine example of a California Merlot with an European Flair, in the $25 range and up, Chateau St. Michelle, Reserve Merlot, Washington State, a very good pick if you like your Merlot a bit dry, a great bottle of wine in this price range. And finally Italian Merlot very American in style, in the same price range.
Le Vigne Di Zamo, Colli Orientali del Friuli, 1998 vintage, an unusually rich deep Merlot considering it's from Northern Italy. Vvery good berry notes and a silky finish one of very few Italian Merlot rich enough to fair well with domestic producers.
In the next installment I will feature a review of widely available inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon.
Thanksgiving issue:
11/01/2002
Remembering my first first experience with wine, takes me back many many years as a boy of seven in the backyard of my home in Lake Como, Italy.
 As a youngster, I remember picking up grapes in my family home backyard, located in the Veneto region of Italy. I remember we crushed the grapes with our feet to make homemade wine for home consumption and gifts. It was a lot of work but also a lot of fun.
Working in the restaurant industry for over 25 years has exposed me to many different wines. As the Executive Chef of Primavera Restaurant, I am responsible for purchasing the proper wine for the meals I plan to prepare. The choice of wine is an essential part of any Italian cuisine. Fortunately I am able to sample a large number of good wines every week, from the very expensive to some of the less expensive wines which can still be an enhancement for a fine dinner.
I would like to introduce you to a few wines I have recently sampled, offering a great value comparing quality and price. Each of these wines would be an excellent choice with a Thanksgiving meal.
I would suggest Red Zinfandel, because the peppery finish, and berry notes of most Zinfandel is a wine that goes extremely well with grilled meats and roasted turkey.
 Two of my favorites Zinfandel in the $10 price range are the:
Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel (Available in with different labels, with the single vineyards more expensive) and
Belvedere Dry Creek Valley.
Two other Zinfandels which are just a few dollars more are the Francis Coppola, Diamond Series Zinfandel Red Label (1998 is the vintage I have sampled) available in most wine shops for around $20. If you are willing to spend around $30, the Jessup Cellars, Sonoma County Dry Creek Valley is an excellent choice very good berries and spice flavors with a mellow oak influence. Shiraz are also very good wines for a Thanksgiving feast.
Some of my favorites Shiraz, for the quality value relationship, are the Rosemount Estates from Australia selling for approximately $11, with less oak, and a very nice complexity.
Rosemount Balmoral Syrah 1999 “Wine Spectator says "A bit more aristocratic than most Aussie Shiraz, this one strikes a beautiful chord of rich blackberry and currant fruit, hinting at anise and pepper. Has a fleshy frame, with sweet spicy notes darting in and out through the long, harmonious finish."
Next, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley Shiraz (Washington State) retails for approximately $15, very well balanced with a nice oaky finish, spicy fruit characteristics. Another wine you might like to consider, is Primitivo, the Italian Zinfandel grown mainly in Puglia in the southern tip of Italy for hundreds of years, and finally emerging to the worldwide markets. I have enjoyed most of the Primitivos I have tasted, from the very inexpensive to my favorite of the bunch Don Nicola Primitivo, expensive but very intense and concentrated.
to be continued...
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