The Cellar: Tasty Euro-Blends for $15
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
Steffen Rasch, GoLocal Wine Critic
This week we are traveling to Southwestern France and Northwestern Italy in search of two blended wines; a white Gaillac and a light Tuscan red. Both are around $15 and great finds for those of you who like to try something different. If you have a thirst for more and would like to expand your knowledge about wine in a fun and relaxing atmosphere, you should consider attending one of my ‘Evening with Wine’ events. The next such event, featuring Rosés and the classic varietal Syrah, is scheduled for Thursday May 24th, 2012. For more information visit
www.ProvidenceWineAcademy.com
2009 Domaine Sarrabelle, "Croix Blanche", Gaillac, France
Domaine Sarrabelle has been in the Causse family for more than 8 generations. Today’s operations are headed by brothers Laurent and Fabian who do everything the old fashioned way. I was unable to find a link to their Web site (they probably don’t have one), but I was able to dig out this cool video, which shows us the harvest and a little bit of the winemaking process. This truly is a family run affair.
The Domaine’s main vineyard is located on the right bank of the River Tarn in the scenic Southwestern France, where the soils are characterized by chalk, sand, and sandstone. The Domaine produces a range of red and white wines, all produced in accordance with the rules of the appellation in which the winery is located, Gaillac. Indigenous grapes, such as Duras, Braucol, Len de L'el and Mausac make up the majority of their plantings however they also grow international varietals such as Syrah and Chardonnay. Their 2009 “Croix Blanche”, a blend of 35% Mauzac, 35% Loin de L’Oeil and 30% Muscadelle, is an awesome medium-bodied wine—enticingly aromatic and delicious with honeysuckle and citrus, with tropical fruit notes lingering on the finish.
From Southwestern France we travel to Northwestern Italy, more specifically to the hilly sub-region of Langhe located around the Piedmont town of Asti. Since its introduction in 1994, the Langhe wine growing region has gained a solid reputation for its innovative viticulture and use of indigenous, as well as international varieties. Besides from being the area where the slightly sweet and sparkling Moscato d’Asti is made, Langhe is also the home to some of the most prestigious red wines in Italy, including Barolo and Barbaresco, both made exclusively from the powerful Nebbiolo grape.
Viberti Giovanni is primarily known as a Barolo producer but he also grows Dolcetto and Barbera, which makes up his wine named Dolbà. A far cry from the robust and tannic Nebbiolo based wines, which need years if not decades to mature, the Dolbà is straight-forward and ready to go. I tried the 2010 Dolbà, which I highly recommend you seek out. This wine was not exposed to any oak during production as fermentation, maceration and maturation all took place in stainless steel. This makes for a wine that is fresh, fruity (mostly red fruits) and has kept a lot of its acidity, making it a great food wine.
Enjoy!
Steffen Rasch CSW is ready to answer any wine-related questions, comments or concerns you may have. Feel free to email him at [email protected]. And as always, don’t forget to follow GoLocalProv’s Wine Cellar on Facebook and sign up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.
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