Wine of the Month
Wine-of-the-Month
2003 Cave Spring Riesling Off Dry VQA
Cave Spring Cellars
Jordan, Ontario, CANADA
Cave Spring Winery and Wine Shop
Tom Pennachetti discussing his Riesling vineyard with QuBic Lam,
renowned British Columbia wine writer
2003 Cave Spring Riesling Off Dry VQA
An outstanding Riesling, clean and crisp with the typical citrus and tropical fruit flavors, this is an off dry wine with a fine balanced acidity that will rival any Riesling in the Kabinett quality category. Great as an aperitif and companion to most light dishes.
| Grape Variety: | Riesling |
| Soil: | Clay, crushed limestone |
| Region: | Beamsville Bench, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada |
| Availability: | Canada, USA and selected markets in Europe |
| Price: | $12.10 CAN |
When Giuseppe Pennachetti left his native
Marche Region of Central Italy in 1920 to work as a mason on the Welland
Canal in Canada, nothing was further from his mind than growing grapes. It
was not long however before he became interested in the local area and saw
its potential for growing grapes, something that came quite naturally in his
native Italy.
Today, three generations later, the Pennachetti’s are still growing grapes in the same area. Established in 1986, Cave Springs Cellar produces outstanding VQA wines on the 75 ha estate that is nestled on a narrow shelf between the Niagara Escarpment and the flat plain that stretches to the shores of Lake Ontario.
FONSECA WHITE PORT
Vila Nova de Gaia
PORTUGAL
House at Quinta do Panascal
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Panorama of the Quinta do Panascal Vineyard
 Colours of Port |  Cork Trees |
 Port awaiting transportation on a Rabelo |
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Slate and solid rock that is crushed |
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Worldwide
including Canada |
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Fonseca White Port
Port wine is a wine that has been fortified (alcohol is added to the young wine) with spirits to bring the alcohol level up to average of 20%.
About a hundred years ago, Ernest Cockburn, a pioneer in Port Wine, remarked that the "first duty of Port is to be red" but today many white grapes are used in the production of white Port. While a deep red and well-aged red Port may warm the heart and soul especially on a cool day, the white Port is an exceptional drink to lift our spirits. Equally high in alcohol, at times up to 22%, it would be difficult to find a better drink than a white Port over ice or, as I have learned in the Douro, blended 50/50 with tonic water and a slice of lime added. Drink that along with some roasted almonds and you will see why Port is one of my favorite wines and why I consider the Fonseca White Port one of the best.
VINHO VERDE - Alianca
Alianca
Sangalhos Codex, PORTUGAL
Alianca Vineyard
Alianca Winery
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Grape Variety: |
Azal, Loureido and Pederna |
| Soil: |
Poor granite soil |
| Region: |
Vinho Verde, Northwestern Portugal |
| Availability: |
Worldwide, including USA and Canada |
| Price: |
Approximately $7.90 CDN |
Vinho Verde literally means green wine. This does not indicate the colour of the wine, although some take on a greenish tint. It means it is a young wine and should be consumed within its first year.
Vinho Verde is also an old wine as far as tradition is concerned. Produced from a variety of local grapes, the Alianca Vinho Verde is a fresh, clean and crisp wine that takes on a slight "spritziness." Slightly off-dry, this is a great aperitif wine for warm days, yet in the kitchen it is equally at home with seafood.
On cool days, if you need something to take the chill away, heat a bottle of Vinho Verde (don't boil) and add some honey or sugar to taste along with a sliced apple and a stick of cinnamon. Sit back and dream of the gently rolling hills of the Vinho Verde Region. By the time you pour the second bottle into the saucepan, you will be tempted to make travel arrangements to Portugal!
I highly recommend the Vinho Verde Alianca as a summer wine.
2002 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Bodegas Trapiche
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Trapiche Winery, Mendoza
The beginning of a good wine
Typical Mendoza Vineyard
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Variety: | Cabernet
Sauvignon |
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Soil: | Mostly sand but interspersed
with gravel, limestone
and clay |
| Region: |
Mendoza |
| Availability: |
Canada, USA and 20 other countries |
| Price: |
Approximately $7.95 Cdn. |
The wine industry in Argentina can be traced back to the year 1566. It was 1883 when Trapiche was founded by Don Tiburcio Bengas, one of the three founders of the American viticulture along with Silvester Ochagavia of Chile and Agoston Hraszthy of California.
Perhaps the early wines are better left within a shroud of history but when Italian immigrants discovered Argentina about a hundred years ago, viticulture took on a new importance. When I visited Argentina about 15 years ago, the wines still lacked woefully behind many other South American wines, both in quality and value. Today the wines of Argentina are well on their way, not only of overtaking other countries in South America, but of establishing themselves as true quality wines at a reasonable price. The vineyards and winery of Trapiche of Maipu in the Mendoza Region are most certainly responsible for the increasing popularity of Argentinean wines.
Umani Ronchi
Osimo, Marche, ITALY
The
Entrance to Villa Bianchi
Umani Ronchi Estate
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Grape Variety: |
85% Montepulciano, 18% Sangiovese |
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Soil: |
Sandy clay |
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Region: |
Central Marche, Coastal Region |
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Availability: |
Worldwine |
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Price: |
Approximately $9.95 Cdn. |
In a world that is practically awash in unsold wine, two grape varieties native to Italy are enjoying an unequaled popularity worldwide. Both of these varieties create some very good red wines on their own, the Montepulciano grape as a solid everyday drinking wine, and the Sangiovese that can produce such outstanding red wines as the Chianti and the Super Tuscan. Imagine what wines can be created if the best of the two are blended into one, masterful creation.
The 2000 Serrano Rosso Canero from Umani Ronchi definitely falls into that category. Ruby red, with the intense cherry aroma that can only come from perfectly ripened Sangiovese, the wine has a full and smooth body with a lingering pleasant finish on the palate. I recommend this wine as a companion to most pasta dishes, red meats and cheeses. It is also one of the most drinkable, sipping wines you can buy for this reasonable price.
2000 JEAN-BAPTISTE RIESLING KABINETT
Weingut Gunderloch
Nackenheim,
Germany
Gunderloch Estate Winery
| Grape Variety: |
100% Riesling |
| Soil: | Red Slate Soil |
| Region: |
Rheinhessen, Germany |
| Availability: |
Canada, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Australia |
| Price: |
Approximately $15.00 CDN. |
If I had to choose one Riesling in a world that now produces this noble white variety in just about every corner, I would not hesitate to select one of the classic Rieslings produced by the Gunderloch Estate Winery.
Although the entry level wine is the excellent BALBACH RIVERSIDE RIESLING from the same estate for approximately $10.00, the JEAN-BAPTISTE RIESLING KABINETT is a very classic and elegant Riesling. The off-dry style makes it not only a good sipping wine, but also a perfect companion to a great variety of foods from seafood and lightly seasoned dishes to oriental fare. The slight sweetness is perfectly balanced with a crisp, steely acidity that can be found only along the River Rhein. The aroma and taste are a complex variety of citrus and tropical fruits.
The red slate soil in which the vines of the JEAN-BAPTISTE are grown, is truly unique to all of Germany. The Rothenberg (Red Mountain) gives the wine its mineral tastes and an exclusiveness that is sought after by those who love fine German wines.
Inquiries: Alex at winecop.com
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