January Staff Picks

Patrice: ’00 Allegrini Veneto “Palazzo della Torre” $14.97 Established in 1854, the Allegrini family estate extends over 173 acres in the Veneto region of Italy. Known for their passion for using raw materials of only the highest quality, the Allegrini family has been one of the key wineries in the recent renaissance of Valpolicella wines. The estate which has been on a serious roll for several vintages now offers an array of wines to fit many budgets and tastes. Classic Amarones as well as their bargain priced blends have received applause from many of the world's top wine critics demonstrating this winery's commitment to quality regardless of price. The 2000 Palazzo della Torre is a modestly priced wine that offers the consumer a lot of taste and pleasure for their money. It is a luscious, full-bodied wine that is a blend of several grape varietals (Corvina Veronese 70%, Rondinella 25%, and Sangiovese 5%). On the palate there are a lot of black jammy fruits along with violets, tastes of cherry cola and hints of licorice. Moderate acidty and a lingering finish complete the warm and rich profile. The 2000 Palazzo della Torre would be a wonderful accompaniment to grilled red meats, risotto or hearty roasts. A great wine to pour during one of the blustery winter nights ahead. Cheers! Justin: ’02 Giacomo Mori Colli Senesi Chianti $13.49 The clean, stylish and classic looking label of the Giacomo Mori Chianti reflects the quality in the bottle and is the first sign that this is much more than your ordinary Chianti. It comes from Palazzone in the Colli Senesi (hills of Siena) subzone of Chianti from the recently revived estate once known as Azienda Agricola Mori. In the 1830s it was one of the first to market and export wines throughout Europe and to America and did so into the 1920s. After World War II the wines were sold in bulk until the mid 1990s when Giacomo Mori took over management. With the goal of a new, quality-oriented direction Giacomo oversaw extensive work in the winery as well as replanting of vineyards. The first results of the renamed and rejuvinated Giacomo Mori estate came with the 1998 vintage. The 2002 Giacomo Mori Chianti is a classy and elegant Chianti showing fresh, ripe cherry fruit, balance and plenty of Tuscan character. A deft hand was clearly at work crafting this wine. It is a deep ruby color, but still with a tinge of youthful purple. The nose is laced with bright primary, red cherry notes enhanced by hints of raspberry, truffle, oak, pepper, meaty earth and minerality. Vigorous decanting is recommended to help coax forth the more deep set aromas of honeysuckle, nutmeg, dark chocolate and still deeper notes of Tuscan earth. Although tight on the palate at first, the full, fresh cherry flavors expand in silky fashion. Raspberry and strawberry notes add to the clean and focused effect. The balance is impeccable with juicy, fresh acidity adding lift to the mid-palate and length to the cherry/raspberry finish. Lingering notes of truffled cherry, dried tobacco leaf, earth and spice add to the appeal. It's delicious now, but will benefit from a few more years in the cellar. This well-made Chianti is well worth the relatively low entry price and is perfect for any modest pasta or meat dish needing a touch of sophistocation. Cin Cin. José: ’03 Prado Rey Ribera del Duero Crianza $14.97 This wine is cultivated and created by the Real Sitio de Ventosilla Winery (The Royal Country House of Ventosilla). The estate is located in Burgos, Spain among sunny slopes and the River Duero. The winery cultivates grapes from its own vineyards, which are made up of seven distinct terrains. The harvest is carried out entirely by hand and all of the wines produced from the winery are of Ribera del Duero Denominación de Origin. The Prado Rey Crianza ages for 12 months in Missouri oak, with an additional 3 months in French oak. The 2001 Prado Rey Crianza is a product of the excellent 2001 vintage and is ruby red with intense purple nuances. The aromas are complex with floral fruit, earthy and vanilla notes. The taste has plenty of red and black fruit with toasted oak flavors. Medium to full-bodied, the finish is velvety, extending the aftertaste.

Dominique: ’01 Di Majo Norante IGT Molise, Italy, Aglianico “Contado” $11.97 Presented as a wine of the week last October, this wine caught my eyes many times but I did not decide to buy it. Was it the price? At less than $15.00, I do not think so. I think it was more because of the area (Molise) and the grape: Aglianico. How many Aglianicos have most people tasted in their life? Hmm? That is what I was thinking…not many. Trust me; it is quite difficult to find such concentration and purity of fruit in this price range for a Molise wine. Molise is located east of Naples on the opposite side of Italy along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, in the southeastern part of Italy. It is smaller both in land size and production than neighboring Abruzzo (to the north), Apulia (or Puglia, to the south) and Campania (to the West). While production is relatively small, the obscurity of the locale and the grape variety provide downward pressure on the bottle pricing. Owned by Alessio Di Majo Norante, one of the best producers in Molise, this winery has 128.5 acres of vines and produces 600,000 bottles annually. The first vintage of the winery was bottled in 1968. Since then with the help of Riccardo Cotarella, one of the greatest consultant winemakers of Italy (owner of Cantina Falesco in Lazio), Alessio has maintained his leading position in Molise and a the high level of quality of his wines. This winery, as a leader, is raising the status of this region's wines. They produce other great red wines near the Sciabolone and Madonna Grande valleys. One of them is Ramitello, blended from Montepulciano 80% and Aglianico 20%. You should try it. Nevertheless, let us concentrate on the “Contado” IGT. The Montepulciano grape dominates as the region’s most planted red variety and most production is via Cooperatives (association of producers). Di Majo Norante’s “Contado”, however, is made from 100% Aglianico (Ali-an-ico) variety from 30-year-old vines and organic practices are employed in its production. The first vintage of “Contado” was bottled in 1972, since then 18,000 bottles are produced annually. The 30 acres vineyard, planted in 1968, is located in the valley of Madonna Grande, near Ramitello. The vines are planted between 165-328 ft. above sea level, with a southeastern exposure to the sun, on clay and chalky soil composition. After a maceration of 20-30 days, with periodic punching down to allow a better extraction, the must is fermented in stainless steel temperature controlled tanks for 10 days. The wine is then aged in large oak barrels and 225-liter barriques for 2-3 years followed by an additional several months in bottles prior to release from the winery. The result is a beautiful wine with good depth and a nice fruity earthy texture and mouth-feel. It is still young and deserves a good hour of decanting, but isvery promising for those who will wait a few years. Wild game or roasted meats for the main course or an after-dinner cheese course will provide tasty pairings. In addition, if you are still not convinced Robert Parker gave it 90pts, if that can help you make a decision. Good discovery! Chris: ’01 San Giorgio a Lapi Colli Senesi Chianti $11.99 Over the past decade Tuscany has gained increased prominence as one of the major quality wine producing regions in Italy. Four of Italy's nine DOCG regions are located in Tuscany (Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti and Carmignano), which is about four hours northwest of Rome. The DOCG official designation (Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita) is a certification of authenticity similar to less tightly controlled DOC and even less tightly controlled IGT designations, which denote the geographical origin of the wine's vineyards as well as other restrictions on each designation. Within the Chianti DOCG are seven subzones (Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Ruffina) and these have been producing notable wines that are helping each subzone establish an identity for itself. The Simoni family from Trento purchased the 100 hectare San Giorgio a Lapi property comprised of old-vine vineyards and a little chapel with beautiful frescoes. The images of the frescoes are used on the labels for two of San Giorgio’s wines, "Leremo" and "Bandecca." The winemaking methods utilized are a blend of traditional viticulture and modern vinification with the use of new oak barrels for aging kept to a minimum. The 2001 San Giorgio a Lapi Chianti Colli Senesi is a remarkably fine Chianti wine, and the quality it displays is normally found in wines costing many times its bottle price. With crisp blueberry and Bing cherry aromas, the wine has a juicy, densely packed character on the palate. With many Chiantis the Sangiovese grape’s acidity is too high and not integrated, creating hard edges that stick out in the mouth, but the 2001 San Giorgio a Lapi Chianti Colli Senesi is balanced and elegant, with soft tannins on the finish. Bravo to the team at San Giorgio a Lapi! Good food pairings are pasta puttanesca, small plates of cured meats and cheeses and roast chicken with thyme.