In this Saturday’s VINTAGES release, we have four unique wines on offer. Just in time for Valentine’s Day –SEXY Sparkling Brut Rosé! For the first time in Ontario, after much success of their rosé and red wines, LCBO is featuring their sparkling as part of the pre-Valentine’s release. Only a small quantity was ordered and in visiting some stores this week, I’ve been told that a fair bit sold as soon as the bottles were put on the shelf! Delicious traditional method pink bubbly for a fair price.
Two fantastic reds from southern Italy, the Feudi Salentini range of wines deliver big fruit at incredible value. There are two wines, including a Negroamaro for only $14.95 and a Primitivo for only $17.95! Puglia is the birthplace of Zinfandel, where it is known as Primitivo. Wine writer Ian d’Agata notes, “when very good, Primitivo is creamy-rich and heady, usually not shy in alcohol (16 percent is common) and awash with aromas and flavours of ripe red cherry, strawberry jam, and plums macerated in alcohol.”
John Szabo, MS writes, “Like D’Agata’s description above, I often find primitivo to be overly sweet, alcoholic and raisined. This example, on the other hand, has rare balance and freshness. You might say it’s not “classic”, but I find it pleasant and highly drinkable. No fork and knife required.”
The fourth wine is one that may not glide off the tongue to pronounce, but will certainly glide across the tongue as you enjoy it. From one of Austria’s leading producers,Fritz Wieninger was the first winery to craft a field blend (Gemischter Satz) that once was the staple the region. Made from old vines from the Nussberg vineyard, this wine is rich and elegant, with gorgeous intensity and precision. As wine writer Michael Godel rated it 94 points on WineAlign.com and writes, “Here, the intensity of multi-varietal wine defined… the Gemischter Satz is granular but in liquid form, marbled and with a lovely wisp of oxidation. It exudes lemon custard and tonic in a wild yet beautiful breath of sauvage. It is your song.” Only 15 cases were purchased, to be spread across the province as an Flagship Exclusive, so please click below to see where to find it.
Some exciting wines in this release, I hope you enjoy them!
Sincerely,
Le Sommelier
416.603.7026
Twitter: @LeSommelierWine
Instagram: @LeSommelierWine
facebook.com/LeSommelierWine
TASTING NOTES
Feudi Salentini 125 Negroamaro del Salento IGP
Tasting Note: This wine is ruby-red with purple hints and it has intense fragrances of wild berries, in particular mulberries and blueberries. On the palate, persistent fruity notes stand out, with velvety and soft flavours. It matches with aged cheese, pasta and pizza.
Review: “Negroamaro is an excellent grape native to Puglia, but varied winemaker interpretation seems to have prevented it from landing a starring role. This is a fresh, soft quite simple red with fairly generous, with plummy/cherry fruit, leesy fruit. It is soft and easy. Good length. Tasted January 2015.” – Score: 86, David Lawrason, WineAlign.com, Jan 2015
Varietal: 100% Negroamaro
Region: Puglia, Italy
Price: $14.95 (per bottle)
LCBO#: 395350
Feudi Salentini Luporano Primitivo del Tarantino
Tasting Note: Ian D’Agata on Primitivo: “Puglia is Primitivo’s home in Italy, and at 11,133 hectares it is one of the country’s ten most planted red varieties… When very good, Primitivo is creamy-rich and heady, usually not shy in alcohol (16 percent is common) and awash with aromas and flavours of ripe red cherry, strawberry jam, and plums macerated in alcohol”.
John Szabo, MS writes, “Like D’Agata’s description above, I often find Primitivo to be overly sweet, alcoholic and raisined. This example, on the other hand, has rare balance and freshness. You might say it’s not “classic”, but I find it pleasant and highly drinkable. No fork and knife required.”
Review: “This is a fairly pretty, ripe and floral Primitivo that gets closer to California zinfandel (same grape) with nicely ripened cherry/plum fruit, oak sheen and subtle florality and herbs. It’s medium weight, fairly supple yet firm with fine tannin. Very good to excellent length. Decent value. Tasted January 2015.” – Score: 88, David Lawrason, WineAlign.com, Jan 2015
Varietal: 100% Primitivo
Region: Puglia, Italy
Price: $17.95 (per bottle)
LCBO#: 395368
SEXY Sparkling Rosé Brut NV
Inspired by the production methods of Champagne Rosé, this wine is a blend of four different vintages, fermented and aged in bottle. Made from only selectively hand-picked grapes, it has a beautiful balance between bright fruit, “pain-grillé” and cream!
Tasting Note: “The NV Sexy Espumante Brut Rosé is the newest release (the so-called 4th Edition, although that’s not on the label) of this electric-pink, attention-getting (others might say, garish) bottling. A blend of 50% Touriga Nacional and 50% Castelão, it comes in at 12.5% alcohol with 6 g/l of residual sugar. At times, it seems a bit older than a current release, which is somewhat deliberate as it contains a blend of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages. That helps it a lot. If there is little tension on the finish, however, it is neither particularly sweet nor cloying. On the plus side, too, it shows that surprisingly nice complexity from age on the finish that makes it stand out a bit. The mature, fruit nuances up front give it an earthy, somewhat sauvage aspect. Its gentle finish is tasty as well as interesting, though, and not at all what you’d expect from the flamboyant packaging. Drink it nicely chilled. It may hold a bit longer, but it is meant to be drunk now. N.B: Although a non-vintage wine, this particular bottling can be identified by the “LSSR114″ on the back label, near the bar code.” – Score: 88, Mark Squires, erobertparker.com, Oct 2014
Varietals: 50% Touriga Nacional & 50% Castelão
Region: Alentejo, Portugal
Price: $27.95 (per bottle)
LCBO#: 392795
Wieninger Gemischter Satz Nussberg Alte Reben 2012
Since 2008, this vineyard has been cultivated according to biodynamic guidelines, with the final conversion taking place with 2011 harvest. This Wiener Gemischter Satz consists of 9 grape varieties: Weissburgunder, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sylvaner, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Traminer and Riesling – which were picked by hand and processed together following the careful elimination of any botrytised grapes. A 3-hour maceration period was followed by gentle pressing with a pneumatic winepress. Fermentation took place in cooled steel tanks. After maturing for nearly 1 year on the fine lees, the wine was bottled in Sept 2012. Unfortunately, yields were small due to the damages caused by hailstorms and hungry wild boars.
Review: “Old vines from the Bisamberg Vineyard have produced a rich, beautifully ripe wine. Its white and yellow fruit flavors give richness, concentration and a great spicy character. With its density, structure and intense acidity, it’s likely to age well over 3-5 years. Glass stopper. Cellar Selection.” – Score: 93, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, Sept 1, 2013
Varietals: Blend of Weissburgunder, Neuburger, Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner, Sylvaner, Zierfandler, Rotgipfler, Traminer & Riesling
Region: Vienna, Austria
Price: $37.00 (per bottle)
LCBO#: 395640
Le Sommelier is a Good Food Fighter. please support the businesses and organizations that support Good Food Revolution.
