Water into Wino

Warwick First Lady 2008

Warwick The First Lady 2008
Western Cape, South Africa ($15)

There are a few producers in South Africa I have come to appreciate enough that I will pretty much buy anything they put their name on. Rustenberg is one. Rust En Vrede, and Warwick are two more. Among these producers Warwick is pretty much the easiest one I can find in the Buffalo area and I assume that goes for other small markets in the US.

This bottle of Warwick First Lady 2008 is available at Premium Wines & Spirits for about $15. Having had the delicious Three Cape Ladies Blend from Warwick, I was more than eager to give this 97% Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Petit Verdot wine a go. I have to admit that I generally stay away from Cabernet Sauvignon unless it’s from cooler climates but I figured this one would have enough character to keep my attention.

This nicely extracted Cab showed juicy aromas of black currant, blackberry and other sweet black fruits with layers of smoke and charcoal. I also picked up some savory cured meat notes, which I am always a fan of. The palate was generously smooth with delicate tannins allowing just enough grip to be noticeable.

Overall it was a very easy going Cabernet Sauvignon. The smoke and meat aromas gave it its distinctive South African personality, which was definitely what I was hoping for with this purchase. Next time you’re looking a mid priced Cabernet I’d skip California, ignore South America and head straight to the SA section of your store and look for this one.

Mauro Molino Nebbiolo 2005: An Italian Inspiration

Mauro Molino Nebbiolo 2005
Langhe, Piedmont, Italy ($16)

There are some foods that demand a thoughtful wine pairing to give them the recognition they have earned. Champagne and caviar comes to mind and so does Chablis and oysters, not to mention wine pairing at its simplest with Cabernet and steak. We often figure out the menu and then choose a wine to go with it.

In my wine philosophy it’s just as important to decide what you’re drinking first and decide what to cook based on that. More than not it’s an Italian wine that motivates my recipe searches for a compatible Italian inspired meal. If I’m not using the web as a reference my go to Italian recipe guide is Mario Batali’s Molto Mario cookbook.

Having already made a meat ragu the previous night, an unopened bottle of Mauro Molino Nebbiolo 2005 rallied my attention span long enough to make some homemade gnocchi to hold the aforementioned ragu. Since any time-intensive cooking needs wine for drinking I opened up this bottle while prepping the potatoes.

In the glass the wine immediately showed its Italian roots with dried cherry, chalk and tar aromas. While showing extremely ripe aromas it still revealed a lively strawberry fruit leather note along with some seductive dark chocolate and cinnamon notes. The nose just hit my sweet spot as its what I look for in Italian reds.

On the palate it didn’t miss a beat with its gravelly tannins and fresh acidity. There was just enough flesh to keep it mouth filling and full enough to play well with its rustic feel. The finish was surprisingly delicate with just enough fruit and fine tannic grip to keep it from being too thin.

Paired with my gnocchi the overall meal was dynamite. The delicate gnocchi with rich sauce was the perfect partner for this Nebbiolo. The combo was as good a meal as I’ve had in years and the wine itself made a case for me buying another bottle as soon as I can. For $16 I don’t even want to know what other people are drinking when they can find a wine like this for the same dough.

Statti Gaglioppo 2007: A Reason to Revisit the Italian Aisle

Statti Gaglioppo Rosso 2007
Calabria, Italy ($19)

Walking down the Italian red aisle at my local wine store with $20 in hand isn’t as exciting as it used to be. Let’s face it countries like Italy, France and Germany aren’t known for value. In the past my go to choices would have been Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Salice Salentino or a decent Dolcetto but these days I’m looking to try something new and these choices just won’t cut it.

Turns out a recent stop at Premium Wine & Spirits in Williamsville, NY turned up something inspiring from Calabria as Statti’s Gaglioppo 2007 was a label I hadn’t seen before. This 12.5% alcohol by volume wine from what I consider to be one of the warmer regions of Italy was accompanied by solid reviews from Tanzer and Spectator. Looking forward to my first taste of a Gaglioppo wine, I picked it up for $19.

First off the nose hit me over the head with black raspberry, which I found extremely reminiscent of Perry’s black raspberry ice cream. As it opened up it revealed some grapey notes along with more rustic aromas of tree bark and sour cherry. Its lively acidity and rustic tannins combined in the form of some slight astringency but nothing that a proper food pairing wouldn’t appreciate. The finish was strong with a lingering bittersweet chocolate flavor.

Overall a well made wine that certainly had its own style and flavor. The astringency dissipated on day two smoothing it out and making a case for this being a wine that can stand alone. Bottles like this remind me that Italian wine can never get boring even if you’re on a modest budget.