Tasting Wines From South America

A tasting event staged by Ian Blackburn's WineLA.com gave Los Angeles wine tasters a chance to broaden their palates with some very nice wines from South America. Due a large number of South American wine events held in other US cities during that week, the turnout was smaller than usual for a Blackburn event. Those who made it to L.A. represented their continent well, though. Argentina and Chile were the mainstays, but I also had the chance to sample some Brazilian wines at this event.

Some of the highlights:

Carmen

Gran Reserva Carmenere, Maipo 2012 - There are some very tasty, savory notes among the cherry and strawberry flavors, with plenty of minerals on the side. Minerality was a recurring theme throughout the represented wineries.

Doña Paula

Estate Black Edition, Argentina 2013 - Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot star in this wine. The nose features a beautiful perfume of bright cherry with mineral-driven cherry on the palate.

Los Andes

This small production winery utilizing natural and biodynamic methods is run with an iron fist. Reps told me they have to "yell at the winemaker to make him use sulfur dioxide," which the sales folk like since the wines are shipped to Southern California.

Bucalemu Riesling, Chile 2013 - A great petrol note on the nose and palate, with a wonderful display of earthiness.

Mi Terruño Winery and Vineyards
Female winemaker Maria Eugenia Baigorria, one of several in the event, produces small lots of an incredible Malbec.

Mayacaba Malbec, Argentina 2009 - The grapes come from 100-year old vines, and they make an elegant mix of cherry and minerality.

Bonarda 2013 - There is a beautiful set of aromas here. Violets perfume the nose, bright cherry lifts the palate. Bonarda is my favorite Argentine grape.

Montes

Spring Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2015 - This is their effort at having the first release on the harvest. They think they accomplished that. It has a fresh, grassy nose and an extremely herbal palate with easy acidity.

Santa Carolina Winery

Reserva Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile 2014 - really complex, with leather on the nose and a great mellow mouthfeel. The wine is dark and delicious, full of the earth.

Reserva De Famiglia Carmenere, Valle de Rapel, Chile 2012 - Earth and tobacco notes on the nose all but cover the cherry fruit, while the palate is dark and mysterious.

Susana Balbo Winery

Susana Balbo Signature Barrel-Fermented Torrontés, Argentina 2014 - A lovely, sweet, floral nose and a palate that surprises with its mineral aspect.

Nosostros Malbec, Agrelo, Argentina 2010 - From 17 vineyard sites, this 100% Malbec was the best of that variety at the event, and there were plenty from which to choose. The nose comes on like a port, with a dark palate showing cherry and black cherry with a beautiful acidity.

Vinicola Perini

The Brazilian entry poured some tasty, if uncomplicated wines - a Moscato, a Merlot and a Tannat.

Macaw Tannat, Vale Trentino, Farroupilha, Brazil 2013 - This wine was much lighter than I would expect of Tannat. Ruby red color was abetted by a bright cherry nose and palate. Very young - would be great with a chill.

Looking for representation:

Lopez

2004 BDX blend - It's old world - they keep the wine in the winery ten years, seven in oak and three - at least - in the bottle. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot are the grapes. The wine has a brick color, a savory cherry nose and earthy fruit with great oak notes on the palate.

DiamAndes

Perlita Chardonnay 2013 - 100% Chardonnay grapes from the estate vineyard. The nose shows pear, peach and lime with a savory salinity on the palate. Argentina.

Costaflores

This Argentine winery is already on the East Coast, but is looking for west coast rep.

MTB Mike Tango Bravo Red 2012
Single vineyard: 55% Malbec, 35% Petit Verdot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Big fruity nose with a lively bright cherry palate.

MTB Mike Tango Bravo Torrontés 2014

100% Torrontés, from Mendoza - usually Torontés is from the north of the country. A sweet nose shows a grassy fruitiness, with savory citrus on the palate.


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Alto Adige Wine: Gewürtztraminer

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes and was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 


Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010


Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014 (Alto Adige, Italy) $23

This wine, from the Andriano area of Alto Adige, is fermented in stainless steel vats and aged there on the lees for six months. The alcohol hits 14% abv and retail is $23.

During the social media event, @KMacWine commented, "The way @KellereiAndrian jumps out of the glass, how can you not want to dance along with it? Peppery, gingery, not syrupy, bright and delicious. This is the Jackson Pollock of #Gewürztraminer."

I may not know art, but I know what I like. I like this Gewürtztraminer. It is one of the best examples of the variety that I have tried.

The Andrian Gewürtztraminer is a work of art. The floral, honeysuckle nose is right up front, with great fruit aromas - apricot, pear - following behind. The palate is a delight, with zesty acidity and spicy apricot and peach marrying for a full mouth experience.


Pair this wine with pasta - it's great with a cream sauce - or a plate of cheeses and meats. In fact, this wine will be quite versatile on the table, making it a fine choice for Thanksgiving.


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Alto Adige Wine: Social Media Tasters Love Old World Sauvignon

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes and was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 

You may know of Alto Adige by their white wines - aromatic, with wonderful minerality and acidity. Only sixty percent of the area’s wines are from white grapes, however. Pinot Grigio is the leading white grape, and they are probably a far sight better than the Pinot Grigio you may find in the grocery or on restaurant wine lists. Schiava is the most popular red grape, with Lagrein and Pinot Noir also showing well.


Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010



Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 (Alto Adige, Italy) $23

This very nice example of Sauvignon Blanc comes from Colterenzio. The company's website gives a bit of history: "The wines from the hamlet of Colterenzio were favourites of Archduke Sigismund when he resided at Firmiano Castle in the 15th century, though the area was producing fine wines much earlier. Around 15 B.C. a Roman country gentleman named Cornelius settled here and established his "Cornelianum" wine estate and the first wine culture in the area. The Roman name eventually evolved into "Cornaiano", the village Colterenzio calls home. The Colterenzio winegrowers' co-operative was founded by 28 vintners in 1960. Over the years other passionate viticulturalists from diversified micro-zones in the area joined the collective, and today nearly 300 members cultivate approximately 300 hectares of vineyards."

For Prail, fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks, with part of the wine fermented in large oak casks. Both new wines refine separately on their fine lees for six months and are blended before bottling. The alcohol level is only 13.5% abv, and the wine retails for $23.

During the social media event, comments were very positive. @thedailysip tweeted, "This #Colterenzio is a perfect example of Old and New World winemaking working together in harmony." @KMacWine noted, "Slightly bitter and green in the best possible way, the #Colterenzio Sauvignon has huge personality. Just the right acidity to #pair with goat cheese." @AltoAdigeWines advised, "Pair the 2013 Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon w/ asparagus dishes, scallops, and fish of all sorts."

This zippy white wine has an invigorating nose of green apples and grass, just like springtime. In the mouth, you notice the acidity first - it is powerful. Flavors of apples, a bit of nectarine and a slight soapy, savory edge adorn the palate. I would have this wine with any plate of oysters in the world. I actually had it with a pepperoni and Swiss sandwich, and it was great.


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A Blend By Any Other Name Is A Cuvée

On the heels of Cornerstone Cellars new line of single-vineyard bottlings on their white label, comes a cuvée. Cuvée is really a fancy word - well, a French word - for a blend.

"Essentially all wines are cuvée blends to one degree or the other," writes Cornerstone Cellars managing partner Craig Camp. "Unless a wine comes from a single barrel or tank that passed from fermenter to bottle with no additions, all wines are are blends. They’re either blends of barrels or vineyards or varieties or all of the above."

After kicking off the White Label series of single-vineyard wines - to allow those sites to "sing in their own voice" - Camp explains that, "sometimes even the finest singers love to sing with others, finding a new harmony and complexity in blending the textures of their voices."

From that notion, Cornerstone Cellars' Michael’s Cuvée was born. Camp states the wine is "a selection from our finest vineyards and varieties, a unique expression of the best of each vintage brought together in a new and distinctive harmony." The wine is named for Cornerstone's founder Dr. Michael Dragutsky.

The 2012 Cornerstone Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Michael’s Cuvée is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and nine percent Merlot. The grapes were taken from the Oakville Station Vineyard in To Kalon, Kairos Vineyard in Oak Knoll and Ink Grade Vineyard on Howell Mountain. The wine's alcohol tick 14.9% abv and less than 250 cases were made.

The '12 Michael's Cuvée offers an inky appearance and a beautiful set of aromas - blackberry, currant, pencil lead and a touch of violet. Expectations are high after one whiff. The sip delivers on the promise of the nose. Silky smooth and rich - and it's a young wine - it echoes the dark aromas and complexity of the nose. This wine, at $75, might be a luxury for you. Rest assured, you get that for which you pay. The wine is luxurious, the tannins are supple and the finish seems like forever.

Pair this wine with steaks - of course - beef stew and the roasted vegetables of the fall. I would not hesitate to place it on the Thanksgiving table. Be forewarned, your guests will expect you to have it next year, too.

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Eye-Opening White Wines From Italy's Collio Region

A vertical tasting of Zuani wines from Italy’s Collio region opened my eyes and palate to some great white wines.

Collio Goriziano is in the northeast Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, right across the border from Slovenia. Slovenia faces north, Collio south. Over 85% of the Collio production is white wine grape varieties. Reds are usually a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon while the whites utilize grapes like Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc. Oak not a big issue in Collio, the accent is on fruit.

Pouring the small lunch group through the Zuani wines were the company’s founder and president, Patrizia Felluga, and Antonio Zanon, who handles export marketing. The Fellugas are a fifth-generation winemaking family, turning grapes into Collio wine for over a century. The two styles of wine made by Zuani are both white blends of Friulano, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon and Chardonnay, 25% each. The styles are differentiated by their vinification and aging. Zuani Vigne is produced entirely in steel, while the Riserva line, Zuani Zuani, is aged for 20 months, but only nine in French oak barrels. The winery produces just under 6,000 cases per year. The Zuani Vigne sells for $24, while the Riserva goes for $37. All are 12.5% abv and are available in the US and Canada.

Here are the wines poured at the luncheon:

Zuani Collio Bianco 2014 - A wet, cooler vintage than usual. The wine has a fruity nose of pear and peach with a chalky note. The palate shows citrus with lovely savory notes.

Zuani Collio Bianco 2013 - This was a more balanced vintage, and the nose has the fruit more subdued, while the palate has a little less acidity than ‘14, but plenty of lime and flint.

Zuani Collio Bianco 2012 - A dry vintage, and it shows the best. There is great age showing in this wine. It’s very savory with a note that is almost like petrol. A more mineral driven palate than the other two, with great citrus and more flintiness.

Zuani Collio Bianco Riserva 2013 - The oak shows softly on the nose, with a bit of spice and muted peach aromas. The palate loads up on citrus and that lovely touch of oak.

Zuani Collio Bianco Riserva 2012 - This is a really great nose, again showing age, with petrol and savory olive notes. On the palate, beautiful oak, very well aged, and savory.

Overall the 2012s were my favorites, all savory and mineral-driven. The ‘13s were more muted, while the 2014 was big and fruity.

Felluga likes the wines served with frico, which is Montasio cheese fried in olive oil to a crisp. Of course, she can also go for some Prosciutto di San Daniele, fish and pasta with this wine.

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Sweet Bubbles Of Brachetto!

A sparkling wine brings enough fun to the table simply by turning on that bubble machine. If you throw in a nice, sweet flavor profile, you get a wine that is impossible to drink while frowning. The smile is as natural as the bubbles.

The southern Piemonte winery where Rosa Regale Acqui is made, has been around since 1860.  Castello Banfi bought the property in the 1970s. This is where the Brachetto grapes are grown, in the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme.

According to Banfi, cold maceration lasts 4 to 5 days, the grapes in contact with the skins for full color extraction. This also allows the wine to develop its characteristic aroma and complexity. "The wine is then filtered and stored at 0°C," they continue. "Refermentation follows in stainless steel tanks in the Strevi cellars, where this special wine achieves its final sweetness and sparkling character." Alcohol is extremely low - just seven percent - and the wine retails for around $17.

Rosa Regale's medium-dark red color carries a brick tint with it, giving the impression that this non-vintage wine is much older than it appears. Moderate bubbles provide a celebratory feel - it is spumante, not frizzante. On the nose, muted black cherry and raspberry aromas ride under a dominant earthy note. The palate displays some beautifully sweet cherry and pomegranate flavors. The taste of the earth presides again, with an undercurrent of toast. A nice acidity and a firm tannic structure complete what is a very attractive picture. The wine finishes sweet and delicious.

Banfi suggests pairing with fresh strawberries, fruit cakes, fruit salads, pastries and chocolates. It’s an ideal aperitif as well, so acquiring some for the holidays would be a great move for entertaining.


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The Many Names Of Pinot Noir

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes.  It was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 

The Alto Adige region is located in the far northern reaches of Italy, just below Austria. Italian and German are spoken in the region, and it is not uncommon to find German words on the labels of the region’s wines.

You may know of Alto Adige by their white wines - aromatic, with wonderful minerality and acidity. Only sixty percent of the area’s wines are from white grapes, however. Pinot Grigio is the leading white grape, and they are probably a far sight better than the Pinot Grigio you may find in the grocery or on restaurant wine lists. Schiava is the most popular red grape, with Lagrein and Pinot Noir also showing well.

@thedailysip commented during the event that, "Alto Adige can be the #GoldilocksWine between the light wines of summer and dense bold wines of winter." @KMacWine tweeted, "@AltoAdigeWines can often be overlooked. That can have an upside: great value." That is one of my favorite tricks when looking for a great wine deal - an overlooked wine region.

Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010

Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013 (Alto Adige, Italy) $20

Erste + Neue is a combination of two wine co-operatives, one established in 1900 and one started in 1925. The pair merged in 1986 to form an outfit that includes well over 400 growers. They take their South Tyrolean heritage seriously. The name Südtirol - South Tyrol - does make for a bit of confusion. It's actually Alto Adige, and it's pretty much north of everything else in Italy.

Mezzan is a red wine that hits 13.5% abv and $20 at the cash register, a real steal. During the social media event, @KMacWine tweeted,"This Pinot Nero is cold climate in style. Sharp and tannic, it has a lot of frame that keeps the wine tight." She continued, "Cold climate Pinot Nero like the Mezzan brings to mindskiing in the Alps. The glacial soils in #AltoAdige are not like Burgundy or California. The #PinotNoir from #AltoAdige is sleek, earthy, unique." @thedailysip offered that "Erste + Neue is a favorite among sommeliers. Tasting Mezzan, we’d have to say they chose well." @AltoAdigeWines let us know that  "Pinot Noir has been cultivated in Alto Adige for over a century." Erste+Neue winemaker Gerhard Sanin did a fine job on this one.

In Italy, Pinot Noir is known as Pinot Nero. In Austria it's Blauburgunder. This wine is Austrian on the front label and Italian on the back. Mezzan has the cool-climate aromas of raspberry and spice enveloping a tart flavor profile and robust acidity. It's the earthiness that reveals its true Italian roots, with that loamy darkness that is unique to Italian reds. Traces of allspice and nutmeg make this a great holiday wine.

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Alto Adige Wine: Lagrein From An Abbey

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes and was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 

The Alto Adige region is located in the far northern reaches of Italy, just below Austria. Italian and German are spoken in the region, and it is not uncommon to find German words on the labels of the region’s wines.

@thedailysip commented during the event that, "Alto Adige can be the #GoldilocksWine between the light wines of summer and dense bold wines of winter." @KMacWine tweeted, "@AltoAdigeWines can often be overlooked. That can have an upside: great value." That is one of my favorite tricks when looking for a great wine deal - an overlooked wine region.


Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010

Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010 (Alto Adige, Italy) $34

During the social media event, @AltoAdigeWines tweeted,"Get ready for a truly unique varietal that is native to Alto Adige: #Lagrein!" They added, "The first documented mention of #Lagrein in Alto Adige was in the year 1318."

The Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus is imported by Michael Skurnik Wines, and they offer a bit of history about the producer.

“Located in the sleepy little burg of Novacella, in the Isarco River Valley," they write, "Abbazia was founded in 1142 by the Augustinian Order of Canons Regular. The Augustians are not monks in the sense that you may be familiar with. They have taken vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to their superiors, but they also work to support themselves as a part of their community. To this end, the Abbey not only grows grapes for winemaking, but also farms apples and vegetables, and there is a small school devoted primarily to studies of viticulture. The abbey’s reputation as a winery is stellar and international.  In 2009, Italy’s influential Gambero Rosso named Celestino Lucin, the abbey’s enologist, winemaker of the year." 

Skurnik adds that while the winery has not done the bureaucratic legwork necessary to achieve Italy's organic certification, "the estate is practicing organic."

Fermentation for this Lagrein occurs in stainless steel tanks, with regular punchdowns for almost three weeks to maximize the skin contact. Malolactic fermentation is allowed to complete and the wine is aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, then nine months in the bottle. Alcohol is moderate at 13.5% abv.

On the social media front, @KMacWine tweeted, "#Lagrein is a wine that every serious wine lover should know. Definitely try to find one if you haven’t tried it before."

This red wine is very dark, both in appearance and in smell. The wine's nose offers lovely aromas of blackberry and blueberry draped in savory notes of spice, herb and black olives. The palate is just as complex, with black berries, anise, a little tar and a trace of espresso.

@AltoAdigeWines advises pairing the 2010 Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein with roasted meats & aged cheeses. @thedailysipsuggestspairing this Lagrein "with a Weinkase Lagrein (aka wine cheese), which is made by aging the cheese in #Lagrein wine." 

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Alto Adige Wine: Sciava And Lagrein Blend

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes and was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 

The Alto Adige region is located in the far northern reaches of Italy, just below Austria. Italian and German are spoken in the region, and it is not uncommon to find German words on the labels of the region’s wines.

You may know of Alto Adige by their white wines - aromatic, with wonderful minerality and acidity. Only sixty percent of the area’s wines are from white grapes, however. Pinot Grigio is the leading white grape, and they are probably a far sight better than the Pinot Grigio you may find in the grocery or on restaurant wine lists. Schiava is the most popular red grape, with Lagrein and Pinot Noir also showing well.

@thedailysip commented during the event that, "Alto Adige can be the #GoldilocksWine between the light wines of summer and dense bold wines of winter." @KMacWine tweeted, "@AltoAdigeWines can often be overlooked. That can have an upside: great value." That is one of my favorite tricks when looking for a great wine deal - an overlooked wine region.


Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010


Kellerei Kaltern-Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013 (Alto Adige, Italy) $15

The history of Kellerei Kaltern-Caldaro is described on their website as the result of two combined wineries.  "Today’s operation was formed by the 1992 merger of two long-established local cellars, the Bauernkellerei (Farmer’s Cellar) and the Jubiläumskellerei (Jubilee Cellar)." Both producers were established in the early 20th century.

Their historical sketch continues: "In 1919, after the First World War, Alto Adige became part of Italy. The subsequent outbreak of the Second World War radically transformed the region and its network of commercial relationships. It was only in the Fifties that Kaltern wines reasserted themselves as high-profile products for export markets."

The word Kalterersee on the label is German for Lake Kaltern. An Auslese wine, in German, means the grapes were picked as late harvest, although the botrytis that often comes with late picking does not generally dominate these wines. This one is certainly not a dessert wine. fermentation occurred on the skins for ten days, with malolactic fermentation to soften the mouthfeel and six months of aging on the lees - in contact with the spent yeast cells - which also adds to a full feel in the mouth. The aging took place in steel tanks as well as casks.

The Pharrhof Kelterersee is made from 95% Schiava and five percent Lagrein grapes, at 13% abv. @AltoAdigeWines pointed out that "the Schiava grape variety is native to Alto Adige," while @KMacWine tweeted, "Most people know the whites of Alto Adige but red wines like schiava and lagrein are a flavor trip!" From  @thedailysip: "The precision in this wine is like making the switch to HD TV for the first time."

The wine has a dark ruby hue, with almost no light admitted through it in the glass. Aromas are subtle and indicative of a cool vintage in a cool-climate region - raspberries and minerals with dark savory notes of black olives and roasted nuts. More fruit comes through on the palate, with strawberries lending some ripeness to the tart raspberry flavor. The level of acidity is a marvel and the ripest fruit is saved for the finish.

I liked the wine paired with a nice salami and a sharp cheddar. @AltoAdigeWines says, "Pair the 2014 Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee w/ light meats and mild cheeses." It makes a great apéritif, too.

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Alto Adige Wine: Pinot Bianco

A recent online tasting session featuring wines of Italy’s Alto Adige region was put on by Alto Adige Wines and Bottlenotes and was hosted by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and acting editor-in-chief of the daily email blast, The Daily Sip. Participants tasted the eight wines and chatted in virtual fashion about their swirling, smelling and sipping experiences. 

The Alto Adige region is located in the far northern reaches of Italy, just below Austria. Italian and German are spoken in the region, and it is not uncommon to find German words on the labels of the region’s wines.

You may know of Alto Adige by their white wines - aromatic, with wonderful minerality and acidity. Only sixty percent of the area’s wines are from white grapes, however. Pinot Grigio is the leading white grape, and they are probably a far sight better than the Pinot Grigio you may find in the grocery or on restaurant wine lists. Schiava is the most popular red grape, with Lagrein and Pinot Noir also showing well.

@thedailysip commented during the event that, "Alto Adige can be the #GoldilocksWine between the light wines of summer and dense bold wines of winter." @KMacWine tweeted, "@AltoAdigeWines can often be overlooked. That can have an upside: great value." That is one of my favorite tricks when looking for a great wine deal - an overlooked wine region.

Here are the Alto Adige wines featured during the virtual tasting event:

Castel Sallegg Pulvernai Pinot Grigio 2014 
Alois Lageder Porer Pinot Grigio 2013
Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 
Colterenzio Prail Sauvignon 2013 
Cantina Andrian Gewürztraminer 2014
Kellerei Kaltern Caldaro Pfarrhof Kalterersee Auslese 2013
Erste + Neue Mezzan Pinot Nero 2013
Abbazia di Novacella Praepositus Lagrein 2010

Cantina Terlano Vorberg Pinot Bianco 2012 (Alto Adige, Italy) $35

The Vorberg Pinot Bianco is from Terlano. It is made from 100% Pinot Bianco grapes, whole cluster pressed and slowly fermented in big oak barrels. The wine underwent full malolactic fermentation and was aged on the lees - spent yeast cells - for a period of 12 months. Both of these features help create a full, round mouthfeel. Alcohol is 14% abv, a tad higher than usually found in Italian whites. Cantina Terlano's first vintage of this wine was in 1993.

This Pinot Bianco shows brilliant yellow gold in the glass, a really gorgeous tint. One whiff gives you the lowdown on Italy's Alto Adige region - minerals aplenty. A plethora of minerals. More minerals than at which you can shake a stick. There is fruit on the nose, but that apricot aroma is there only because it was invited by the minerals. In the mouth, razor-sharp acidity tingles like a low-voltage current. Apricot pokes its head out the door again, but returns to the party in the company of the minerals.

Pairings? Oysters are a no-brainer. Salami is also a good choice, as is linguine with garlic and capers.

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