I sometimes wonder what inspired the first Veneto winemaker who mused, “Hmmm. What if we dried all these grapes before we make them into wine?”
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A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% of the local red Veneto grape Corvina, “Gran Passione” Veneto Rosso is made in the style of the Veneto’s iconic Amarone, but it builds intensity by leaving the grapes on the vines to air-dry before pressing. Then, as with the region’s Ripasso wines, they leave the pressed skins in the juice after fermentation to yield still more concentration.
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Check prices and find vendors for Gran Passione on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Northeastern Italy’s Veneto region at this Wine-Searcher link.
This Wine-Searcher link offers more information about Casa Vinicola Botter, producer of Gran Passione. Read article.
The Tuscan red I picked up the other day listed 15% alcohol. Whoa! That, as the saying goes, “ain’t natural.” But does this potent dose hurt the wine?
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“Virtue signaling,” boasting of your good works to brag or to show an example, is controversial. Is it good or bad? Can it happen on a wine label?
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Ripe with the scents of peaches, honeydew melons, and lemon zest, Lubanzi Swartland Chenin Blanc shows an attractive greenish-gold brass color in the glass. Its fresh and bright aromas carry over on the palate in a medium-bodied flavor with juicy fruit and zippy acidity adding appealing hints of stony minerality in a very long finish.
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Check prices and find vendors for Lubanzi Swartland Chenin Blanc on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about South Africa’s Swartland wine region and find a selection of its wines at this Wine-Searcher link.
Go to this Wine-Searcher link for a broad overview of the Chenin Blanc grape and its styles around the world.
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“Ingredients: wine grapes & potassium metabisulfite.” These aren’t words we often see on a wine label. Do you think wine ingredient labeling is a good idea?
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After months of uproar, the case that halted President Trump’s broad-based tariffs, at least for now, was led by a small New York importer of wine.
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Avignonesi Cantaloro Toscana is dark ruby-purple in color. Typical Tuscan cherries and dried cherries dance in a subtle but complex aroma that adds blackberries and leather. Ripe cherry-berry flavors are framed with bright acidity and soft tannins, with hints of dried herbs joining in a long finish. 14% alcohol remains in balance without harshness or heat.
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Check prices and find vendors for Avignonesi Cantaloro Toscana on Wine-Searcher.com.
Read about Italy’s Toscana designation and find links to wines and vendors at this Wine-Searcher link.
This Wine-Searcher link opens up a page about Avignonesi and its wines. Read article.
How much of what we taste in wine comes through our nose and palate, and how much of our tasting experience do you think sneaks in through our active minds?
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Some people can’t stand bitter tastes. But for those who love black coffee or a hoppy India Pale Ale, a subtle bitter note may inspire a compliment.
And how about wine?
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