International Wine Club - July 2012
Learn the finer points to many of our Wine of the Month Club. Our club wines are expertly researched and selected for quality, value and uniqueness and every one has an interesting history. Here are some of the wines we are offering this month:
Tintara - Australia
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale
Founded in 1862, Tintara remains a testament to quality winemaking, combining age-old methods with new-age technology. The first vines were planted by Dr. Alexander Kelly, and in 1863 the first Tintara winery was established at "Upper Tintara". Built against the rolling hills that foot the Mount Lofty Ranges, its ingenious sloping design allowed the labor intensive work to be achieved with the assistance of gravity, which also meant gentler handling of the juice. In 1878, the Tintara winery and its gravity flow techniques moved to the Old Mortlock Flour Mill in the heart of McLaren Vale, where it remains today. In fact, to this day they use the very same rare basket presses and original slate open fermenting tanks as used in the 19th century. Tintara is a rarity in every sense. The 2007 vintage produced fragrant Cabernet Sauvignon with ripe tannins, a function of the long, dry spring and early summer. The result from the Tintara vineyards was a vintage with relatively low yields leading to an early ripening year achieving a full-bodied lifted Cabernet with balanced structure. Visually it pours a deep garnet with a bright red rim. The nose is vibrant and engaging; displaying lifted varietal fruit characters of blackcurrant and red fruits, with savory hints and overtones of cocoa and spice. The palate Is rich but stylish, being of medium to full body with ripe elegantly structured tannins providing a fine balance between the varietal fruit characters and the subtle Integration of French oak. The palate is long with good depth of flavor leading into a fresh, savory structural finish. This wine is drinking well now and should continue through 2015. Decant at least one hour prior to use and serve with prime rib, crown of lamb, roast duck and well-aged cheeses.
Doña Paula - Argentina
2009 Estate Chardonnay Mendoza
Argentina is regarded as one of the most dynamic wine-producing nations in the world, and possibly the most important wine-producing region in South America. Only four countries in the world produce more wine than Argentina. Considerable investments (much of which has come from famous French, Italian and California wine producers) have been made in new vineyards and winemaking technology in the past several years, which along with recent plantings of more premium varieties of grapes, has made Argentina much more competitive internationally. The Mendoza region is the most important region in Argentina's wine industry and Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay grown there, reigns supreme. In Finca Alluvia, Gualtallary, Doña Paula Estate Chardonnay is planted on soils that are sandy on the surface and have calcareous and alluvial stones in their depth. The Doña Paula vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agriculture practices. Manual harvest is carried out in the first week of March. The grapes are pressed and then fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks. 50% of the must ends the fermentation process in new French oak barriques. Ageing takes place in new French oak barriques for a period of 6 to 8 months. The finished wine pours a golden yellow color. It carries citric and mineral aromas with notes of spices and tropical fruits. In the mouth, it is fresh, lively, with more tropical fruits, subtle oak, along with good acidity and balance. Drink now through 2014 and pair with roasted chicken and crispy salads.
Marchese de' Petri - Italy
2010 Villa Luisa Chianti DOCG
Tuscany is a region in central Italy. It is often regarded as among the most beautiful parts of Italy. Tuscany was essentially the birthplace of Italian Renaissance, and its artistic heritage includes architecture, painting and sculpture. Tuscany is known for its wines, the most famous of which is Chianti which is made in an area between Florence to the North and Slena to the south. The gentle rolling hills also produce elegant grapes, olive oil, and many other fruits and vegetables. Villa Luisa is made from 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo. This ruby-red wine has a refined nose with cherry fruit aromas. Dry, slightly spicy with balanced tannins. Medium-bodied, velvety, and elegant with notes of rich plum and cherries on the palate that linger in the mouth. The wine is ready to be used now and will age gracefully for another two to three years with proper care. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled this summer. It is ideal with suckling pig on the spit, roast turkey, veal chops, trinette (thin ribbon pasta) with boar sauce, and Tuscan bean soup.
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