|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
|
There are many eye catching and whimsical wine labels that make one want to reach for the bottle regardless of style or origin of wine. I must admit that I have on very rare occasions bought a bottle just for the label! What can I say about these particular labels and wines? A lot! When I opened the shipping box delivered to me by the importers, I immediately thought that this was going to be a fun review!   Paolo Masi, who is a third-generation winemaker at Renzo Masi winery, makes both of these wines. Fattoria di Basciano is the estate owned by the Masi family since the start of the 1900s. Located in the south of Florence, in Tuscany’s Rufina district, the estate sits on a hill overlooking the Argomenna Valley on one side and the right bank of the Sieve river on the other. The Renzo Masi winery produces a broad spectrum of wines from entry-level to fine and is considered one of the best areas for Sangiovese grapes after the “Classico” region. Renzo Masi’s motto is “Big enough to be broad-minded. Small enough to care about the details”. Affectionately called “Rubio and “Blanca”, Il Bastardo Sangiovese di Toscana IGT 2015 and La Bastarda Pinot Grigio di Siciliana 2015 tell their own story the minute the wine is opened. La Bastarda is 100% Pinot Grigio from Sicily. Grapes are picked before they lose their natural acidity and become too sweet. The color is a soft golden yellow with fruity aromas including citrus and honey. The palate is crisp with inviting notes of mild citrus, pear and apple. This is not your typical Pinot Grigio, exhibiting more character and structure than most I’ve tasted. One can only imagine what “Blanca” must be thinking as she poses with not a care in the world while sipping wine! Alcohol: 12.5% Price: About $9  Il Bastardo is 100% Sangiovese mostly picked from Tuscany’s Rufina district. The color is dark ruby with hints of purple. The nose offers dark berry and ripe cherry that segue onto the palate. Fennel, a hint of pepper and soft to medium tannins give this medium-bodied wine a smooth finish. So where is “Rubio” going on his motorbike? Is he off to find “Blanca” or is he running away with this delicious wine? Alcohol: 13% Price: About $9  Both wines are well priced and sold throughout the US. And in addition to being a conversation piece, the wines will complement a variety of dishes. Have some fun and enjoy the adventures of “Rubio” and “Blanca”!
Cheers! Penina
0 Comments
 With the much-needed rain pouring down, it’s a perfect time to catch up on writing and sample a few wines. Let’s travel to Italy. Astoria Wines is located 50 miles north of Venice in one of the most beautiful wine-growing regions, the Veneto. This northeastern region of Italy stretches from the Dolomite Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. The Alps and the sea protect the region from harsh northern winds which in turn provide ideal conditions for growing grapes and producing wine. Astoria Wines is owned by the Polegato family and represents four generations of winemaking. The first winery, Vinicola Polegato, was established in the 1950s. Several decades later, Vittorino Polegato found an ideal location in the heart of the DOCG area to launch the next stage of the family business, the Val De Brun estate in Refrontolo. In 1987 Vittorino renovated an old 18th century home and converted it into Astoria’s headquarters. Giorgio and Paolo Polegato, (Vittorino’s sons) along with the next generation of Polegatos, led by Filippo, Carlotta and Giorgia, uphold the family name and winemaking tradition.  Photo courtesy of Astoria Wines Although Astoria Wines is noted for being the largest private producer of Prosecco DOCG in Italy, their portfolio includes Pinot Grigio, Moscatos (both red and white), Pinot Noir and a Red Blend.  The first thing I noticed when unpacking the wines was the unusual shape of the bottles. The packaging is eye-catching and original. The 2014 Alisia Pinot Grigio I.G.T is light yellow in color with intriguing aromas of fruit, floral and stone fruit. This 100% Pinot Grigio surprises the palate with fruit, peach and lemon. It is medium-bodied and dry but still fruity and nicely balanced. The long lemon zest finish is a treat! This wine would pair well with pasta, cheese & fruit, grilled vegetables and light fish. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $11  The 2012 Primo Rosso Red Blend I.G.T is made with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Merlot. The color is dark ruby. It is quite aromatic with berries, herbs and spice tickling the nose. The palate offers red berries, fennel, pepper and hints of plum. The finish has hints of cocoa and dark cherry. Medium-bodied with soft tannins make this an easy wine to pair with most foods. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $11  The wines are priced well and would make great little gifts to give out at holiday time. Keep a few bottles around for that spur of the moment party as well!
Next stop might be New Zealand. Stay tuned! Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  Yesterday was structured around taking a much-needed swim in the late afternoon. As luck would have it, clouds made their entrance and the rain poured down. I made the best of it and instead lined up all the wines I have yet to review! As you might (or might not) recall from previous posts, I am not a big fan of Pinot Grigio. However, the other evening we opened a 2014 Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio, Vigneti Delle Dolomiti IGT. Located in the Italian Alps, this winery is surrounded by the Adige River and has been crafting estate grown wines since 1904. This Pinot Grigio was a delightful surprise that had more body and texture than I anticipated. Aromas of floral, citrus and pear carried through to the palate. Mid-palate offered tart apple with light mineral notes. This is a fresh and clean wine that I would not hesitate to drink again! Alcohol: 12.5% http://www.mezzacorona.it   It seems that Tropical Storm Colin is wreaking havoc in the Southeast and will be causing more rain for us today. I guess I’ll have to put off swimming for yet another day! In the meantime…
Happy Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Tuesday was a beautiful day and what better way to spend it than touring Italy. Our kick off point was the trendy Bowery Hotel in NYC. This small boutique hotel located in the East Village was the perfect setting for the Kobrand Tour d’ Italia 2015 wine event.  The first stop on this eight-city tour was Risano and Spessa di Capriva in the Friuli Grave and Collio Goriziano D.O.C. zones. I met with Roberto Pighin, the owner of Fernando Pighin & Figli. He has been part of the family winery since he was a child. He is passionate about his wine and took great pride in discussing the production of the Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. The Pinot Grigio Friuli Grave was sweet with fruit and quite lively, as compared to the Pinot Grigio Collio that was more intense with citrus and less fruit. The Sauvignon Blanc Friuli Grave was grassy, mild and very pleasant. http://www.pighin.com  My next stop was the estate of Tenuta San Guido located in the D.O.C. Bolgheri in Tuscany. Colleen McKettrick, the Brand Ambassador, greeted me. It is no secret that Sassicaia is a favorite of mine. And, it is also the first Super Tuscan to be released in 1968. So it was with great pleasure that I tasted some excellent wines. The 2012 Sassicaia was rich with dark fruit, spices and was quite robust. Colleen poured me a special taste of the 2004 Guidalberto and 2006 Sassicaia that were pure velvet! The 2013 Guidalberto Toscana IGT is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was well-balanced with dark fruit and a velvet texture. The 2013 Le Difese Toscana IGT is a mini Super Tuscan made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, sharing a pedigree with Sassicaia. The fruit is picked from younger vines and is easy to drink. http://www.tenutasanguido.com Agricola Punica, founded in 2002, is located in Sardinia, a large island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sebastiano Rosa (Principle) and his son led me on a guided tour of their wines. We started with the Samas, made with Vermentino and Chardonnay grapes. It was quite refreshing and light with lots of citrus. I also tried Montessu, 2013 and Barrua, 2012, both made with the Carignano grape which is one of three main grapes planted in Sardinia. The Montessu was layered with fruit & spices and called “Super Sardinian” The Barrua was more robust and full-bodied. I’ll have to come back to this island! http://www.agripunica.it/ I found myself back in Tuscany again tasting wines from Tenuta Sette Ponti owned by Giovanna Moretti and her brother Antonio Moretti who also own Feudo Maccari in Sicily. Their Tuscan wines are eclectic and there were many to sample. The newest wine is Vigna del Impero made with 100% Sangiovese. Planted in 1935, Imperno is one of Tuscany’s oldest vineyards. The wine was rich with fruit, spice and medium tannins. I made a quick stop in Sicily to taste Grillo, Sicilia IGP 2014. Aged in steel tanks, this full-bodied wine was floral scented, with citrus and stone fruit on the palate. Did you know that the Grillo grape is most famous for its role in making Marsala wines? http://www.tenutasetteponti.it Tenute Silvio Nardi, located in Tuscany is owned and operated by Emilia Nardi. They are one of the founding families of the Brunello Consortium. The wines are made with 100% Sangiovese. I tasted the 2005 and 2010 Brunello. The 2005 Brunello was high in tannins and more “chewy”. I preferred the 2010 Brunello having softer tannins that allowed the fruit, licorice and spices to dominate. I then tried the 2006 and 2010 Manachiara Brunello. Although the 2006 was bright and robust, the 2010 was smoother and more complex. http://www.tenutenardi.com So, this is where the first leg of my trip ends. Tomorrow I will continue on to Veneto, Piedmont and then back to Tuscany. Until then…  Saluti!
Penina  It was another “indoor “ day on Tuesday as thunder, lightning and powerful winds paid us a visit. Trees came down, hail smacked against the roof, but I continued on with my work.  Although I’m not a fan of Pinot Grigio, I must give a thumbs up to the one I tasted last night. A friend brought me a perfectly chilled bottle of 2013 Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio Trentino that we immediately opened.  The color was pale straw with aromas of pear, pineapple and citrus. The palate offered pear, grapefruit, vanilla and lemon zest. It was smooth with a very nice citrus finish. It was a cool and refreshing wine to drink on a sultry summer’s night! http://www.cupcakevineyards.com I’m off to an early appointment and then really looking forward to a long awaited swim.
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed