Red Trio 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.
Saintpaulia Vintners – Woodinville, Washington
2007 Merlot Yakima Valley
Saintpaulia Vintners was built in 1993 on land adjacent to an 80,000 square foot commercial greenhouse known as Shinoda Floral, Inc. The winery's name was taken from the botanical name for African violets, Saintpaulia, which was the floral's specialty from 1970 to 2002. Winemaker Paul Y. Shinoda, Jr. has held many roles in both private industry and in the public sector, yet his main passion has always been wine. After touring vineyards and refining ideas from some of the finest and most well-respected wineries in Washington, Oregon, California, and the Burgundy and Champagne regions of France, Paul began commercially producing Cabernet Sauvignon in 1994. Saintpaulia Vintners' mission is to produce age-worthy Old World Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery's first vintage, a 1994 Cabernet (released Fall 1998), was produced from Blackwood Canyon Vineyard's grapes that were grown on Red Mountain near Benton City, WA. This site is considered by many to be among the best in the state for Cabernet Sauvignon. To insure the continued success of its mission, Saintpaulia entered into a venture with Blackwood Canyon Vineyards and Cellars to plant both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes on land "to die for" on Red Mountain. Once again this further solidifies the axiom that great wines are started in the vineyard. Saintpaulia's 2007 Merlot is quite typical for Yakima Valley Merlot with its sweet cherry, berry flavors and complex aromas that include plum, mint, cigar box, and sweet spices. Round, supple tannins make this wine immediately enticing and food friendly. Pair with a wide variety of foods such as pizza, burgers and pot roast.
Bodega Norton – Argentina
2010 Merlot Mendoza
Bodega Norton was founded by Edmund James Palmer Norton, an English engineer, in 1895. Norton bought the estate and land in Perdriel, Lujan de Cuyo, and planted vines creating a winery soon thereafter. Bodega Norton is the first winery in Argentina south of the Mendoza River. In 1989, Austrian businessman Gernot Langes-Swarovski (of the famed crystal-making family) acquired the winery convinced of the high potential of Argentina. Today, thanks to the top-notch technology and the passion of the people who work there, international accolades abound and uphold Bodega Norton's place as one of the leading and oldest wineries in Argentina. The wine is sourced from 100% Merlot from the Luján de Cuyo region of Mendoza. It pours a ruby-red color in the glass with intense cherry and raspberries aromas. With a few swirls one may pick up hints of violets and eucalyptus as well. Red fruits come through in the taste with an elegant body of well-balanced 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.
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