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The countdown is on...
It's only about 10
days until we roll out the red carpets for
the wine world...
I have compiled some
recent reviews, specifically from wineries
who will be in attendance at this 31st annual
wine festival.
And just after the
fabulous California wine fair that travelled
across Canada last week I've started to write
about my January trip to Sonoma - more to
come on that...
This week - check out my wine
reviews in the new Spring Vines Magazine,
and I'm talking about the wines of Tommasi
from Veneto as well as a few California wine reviews
on The Tasting Room
Radio this weekend...
Cheers,
Daenna
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Sonoma County
Sonoma
County is a series of unique terroirs. From
the Sonoma coastline to the Mayacamas
Mountains and south to the border of Napa
Valley. In total it's home to 13 different
AVAs (Approved Viticultural Areas); Alexander
Valley, Bennett Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry
Creek, Green Valley, Knights Valley, Marin
County, Rockpile, Russian River Valley,
Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma
Mountain and Sonoma Valley.
These unique appellations produce a range of
varietals from cool-climate coastal Pinot
Noirs and Chardonnays to Alexander Valley
Cabernets and Zinfandels from its newest AVA
- Rockpile...
photo: Seghesio old-vine
vineyard in Dry Creek Valley
Read about it on WineScores.ca...
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Fresh off my palate
Baron
Francesco Ricasoli was in town this
week spreading the word on his Tuscan estate
and wines. The story he tells is compelling
and very impressive - 200 years of Ricasoli
family history with a small glitch. With
overwhelming financial difficulties, the
family estate was sold in the 1970s and over
the next twenty years changed hands several
times eventually running the estate into
disrepair. Francesco, a photographer, with no
vinous knowledge bought back the family
estate and within less than ten years had
transformed it - beyond its former glory - to
being the Italian winery of the year in 2000
according to Gambero Rosso.
The Baron
Ricasoli wines are clean with bright fruit,
elegance and finesse...
My top
picks...
The Camo Ceni IGT is a great
Tuscan Sangiovese value at $19.99 - fine,
easy drinking and juicy - a perfect wine for
tomato based dishes or rustic pizzas.
The
Brolio Chianti Classico, DOCG I've reviewed in
the spring Vines Magazine (on shelves now)
has cherries, spice, leather and crushed
floral tones and good structure - delicious
at $30.00.
I tasted two vintages of the
Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva
DOCG, $35, the 2005 has come together nicely,
rustic and earthy with juicy red fruit and
saddle leather. The 2006 has youthful
vibrancy and vigor with loads of juicy fruit
and should come together nicely in the next
year.
The Castello di Brolio Chianti
Classico DOCG has loads of blueberry and
raspberry aromas on the 2005 and the 2006 but
the 2005 has a little more elegance from the
extra age - complexity and elegance
$67.
And finally the the IGT Casalferro
made from Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet is
a powerful but supple wine with leather,
earth, plums, cherries and chocolate and
hazelnut aromas $59...
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Coming next: more of the Vancouver
Playhouse International Wine
Fest, Sonoma and Napa Valleys and in April
I'll be in-
depth on Oz...
Don't
forget to visit
winescores.ca
and winediva.ca for new wine reviews
every
day!
Pink and Cheeky...
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