Sweet Wine Club - June 2012
Learn the finer points to many of the wines we offer each month. 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:
Oddero - Italy
2010 Cascina Fiori Moscato d’Asti DOCG
The Odderos have been making wine for 6 generations. A traditionalist, maintaining age-old techniques as exemplified in the modest use of oak (big Slavonian oak barrels) and long maceration times, combined with modern-day equipment and cleanliness, Oddero’s perfume and fruit manage to shine through strong tannic structure at a relatively young age (5 years+). Oddero owns a total surface area of vineyards of around 35 hectares, of which 16.5 hectares are planted with Nebbiolo grapes for Barolo. The family also still owns a peach orchard of about 1.5 hectares, planted with heirloom varieties; a plum orchard; and 2.6 hectares of hazelnut trees of the prized IGP (protected geographical indication) tonda gentile Langhe variety. The winery also owns the Cascina Fiori in Trezzo Tinella, where Moscato d’Asti is grown, and Barbera d’Asti Nizza vineyards in Vinchio, in the province of Asti, a historic area for this variety. Oddero's Moscato d'Asti is made from 100% Moscato Bianco; it is a grape variety with ancient origins, appreciated even by the ancient Romans. The clusters have beautiful round berries with a golden color, shading to a warm amber when ripe. Beautifully intense yellow color, fragrant and aromatic bouquet with light floral hints, of sage, tangerine and yellow peach, and fresh, sweet and aromatic on the palate. A young, fresh, light and perfumed wine, well-matched with the best Italian desserts. Many believe that Moscato is well-matched also with intense flavors such as fresh cheeses, salami and figs and salty anchovies. Some dare to pair it also with oysters. The Odderos recall that in the past years a typical snack at their estate was: bread, toma cheese and Moscato d’Asti.
Weingut Becker Landraf - Germany
2009 Riesling Spätlese Ölberg
The history of the Becker Landgraf winery goes back to the 17th century with the Oelhof family. In the early 19th century Georg Becker married the Oelhof family’s only daughter. Becker was a senior teacher in Mainz and ran the winery as a hobby. At the time, the wine was sold in small wooden barrels and supplied by rail. After the Second World War the family was forced out of Mainz, moving to their secondary residence in Gau-Odernheim. With Georg Becker languishing as a prisoner-of-war, it fell upon his son Georg-Heinz Becker to feed the family. He began to reclaim arable land that had been leased out and to manage the vineyards himself. In 1962, he and his wife built a new winery outside Gau-Odernheim, calling it the Felsenkeller winery. Since 2006, Julia and Johannes Landgraf have been managing the winery, the fourth generation of the Becker family. With the 2005 vintage, they made a new start under the new name of “BECKER LANDGRAF.” The source of the distinctive character of the Becker Landgraf wines is found in their vineyards and starts with quality-oriented vine-pruning focused on the harvest. This is followed by intensive attention to the foliage, which has a major bearing on the harvest. The culmination is selective hand-picking in several stages. The 2009 Riesling Spätlese shows passion fruit and lemon candy on the nose. More smoke and slate than pineapple and lime on the palate, but eminently refreshing. Nicely concentrated wine, but still light and elegant on the appealing finish. Pair with rich food with sweetness and or spiciness in the preparation (i.e. pork tenderloin with caramelized onions reduction, raspberry and blue cheese), spicy Asian dishes and hard cheeses.
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