Premium Wine Club - November 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:
Senso - Italy
2011 Sangiovese IGT Rubicone
Emilia-Romagna is the hyphenated name for the two provinces which meet at the capital Bologna in northern Italy. It’s a long, narrow region surrounded by the Marche, Toscano, Liguria, Lombardy and the Veneto. It’s one of Italy’s oldest regions, dating back to the time of the Etruscans in the 7th century BC. Once the Romans settled here, they took things a step further and built the Via Aemilia (hence the name) to transport wine between cities. Although Lambrusco planted here by these ancient cultures are the signature grapes of the Emilia section of the region, Sangiovese is now leading the export market. For a quaffable wine this Sangiovese from Senso delivers. Produced as an IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) Rubicone in Emilia Romagna, this is a basic wine made from 100% Sangiovese grapes (the same grapes that go into making Chianti in the neighboring Tuscany and even some Super Tuscans). It's a nice ruby color, medium bodied dry but fruity wine. It has a powerful nose of bitter cherries and a lively palate, with good depth of cherry fruit, crisp acidity and decent structure. The wine may be light on weight but it is long on flavor. If you don't expect miracles from an entry level wine this is a good Italian red to start with until you climb higher to Chianti, Riservas and the expensive Super Tuscans . It is wine to be appreciated young (within the next 2 years). With its well-rounded acidity and mild tannins, Senso is extremely versatile and pairs well with a wide range of poultry, meat and pasta dishes.
El Supremo - Argentina
2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Vino Tinto
In the year 1959, Rufino Pablo Baggio (RPB) established his winery in the city of Maipú, province of Mendoza. Maipú is where most of the early immigrants were settled, some arriving as far back as 1878 and it is here that their parcel of free land was located. Many of these new and welcome arrivals were from Italy. Consequently Maipú boasts as many Olive trees as vines. With altitudes at 750 to 1,060 meters, and an abundance of minerals deposited from the Andes river, conditions for growing grapes are ideal. Presently RPB is creating Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Torrontes, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. RPB pays homage to Argentine's War of Independence hero Pancho Ramirez with his El Supremo line of wines. Born in 1786, Francisco "Pancho" Ramirez was an Argentine governor during the Argentine's war with forces loyal to the Spanish crown. He died in 1821 while trying to rescue his wife who was captured by an opposing faction of the Argentine government. Homenaje a Pancho Ramirez translates to "Homage to Pancho Ramirez." Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an eminently quaffable wine with a frankly appealing bouquet dominated by bright red fruit flavors (plums, cherries, and raspberries) backed up by a hint of spice. It’s medium weight and dry on the palate with agreeable soft subtle tannins. This friendly wine is perfect for pizza night. Try it with lighter meats like veal or pork chops or marinated and grilled vegetable kebabs.
Sensual - Argentina
2011 Torrontés Mendoza
From the mysterious South American continent comes a grape grown primarily in Argentina. It has pizazz and liveliness just like the Argentineans themselves. The Torrontés grape has for generations been blended with other white grapes, yet on its own, Torrontés grapes – in this case from the Tupungato region in Mendoza – result in a wine that is very aromatic and full of fruit, giving the sensation of biting into a fresh grape. This wine is un-oaked, allowing the full characteristics of the grape to come through. Maipu Mendoza is truly a grape growing and wine making paradise, one of the richest and oldest traditions on the continent. Located in Tupungato, Mendoza with an altitude of 1,100 masl, wine making relies on a large diversity of strains, climate and gravely soil. This 2011 offering is made from 100% Torrontes. It pours a yellow color of straw with flashes of green in the glass. In the nose it has vibrant and intense aromas of peach and pear with an orange citrus fruit background. It has a very drinkable palate that is voluminous and carries citrus with a tropical fruit finish. Drink now through 2014. Pair with all white meats and light sauces.
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