Photo credit: www.tuarita.it/en

Dinner in Vancouver last week with Paola Banchi Branch Manager for Tua Rita (www.tuarita.it/en) made me reflect on the geographic expansion of Tuscany. Used to think only in terms of Chianti and those wines focused on the savoury sangiovese grape variety. Then came the IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) wines and Bolgheri “Bordeaux in Italy” with Sassicaia, Ornellaia and those other Super Tuscans. Now we can enjoy many wines from Maremma on the coast 30-40 kilometres south of Bolgheri and their sub-regions including Suvereto (Province of Livorno) again using cabernet and merlot to advantage. However there is still really top values from there with riper Morellina (local name for sangiovese) di Scansano. Look for them.

A leader of this region is definitely Tua Rita established in 1984 who released their first vintage in 1992. They have densely replanted with up to 8500 vines/hectare. They have clay soil parcels mid slope suited to the Bordeaux varieties and particularly merlot for their classy Redigaffi. However they can also be successful with sangiovese which usually doesn’t like excessive heat because of the moderating strong winds there and the very cool nights. Current winemaker Luca D’Attoma is having success with these Tua Rita wines:

1. LODANO: Small production (3000 bottles) white blend of gewürztraminer, riesling, and chardonnay. Also PERLATO white trebbiano, ansonica, and vermentino.

2. ROSSO DEI NOTRI IGT TOSCANA: Entry level red with sangiovese (usually 50% of the blend with no new wood to keep it fresh), merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and syrah all for drinking young. Tried the similar conditions of 2008 & 2011 and the denser 2012 benefiting from 86 days of no rain till harvest.

3. PERLATO DEL BOSCO IGT TOSCANA: 100% sangiovese (blended with cabernet sauvignon till 2011) using big casks (35-52 hl) for this delicate sensitive to oak variety. Young flowery nose of 2011 with more balsamic cherry notes than usual violets of sangiovese. Wonderful food wine.

4. GUISTO DI NOTRI IGT TOSCANA: Named for where the cellar is situated their 2012 is their 20th anniversary with a specially designed label. Best cabernet suavignon, merlot and 7-8% cabernet franc. Tried open dramatic fragrant complex 2008 and the more closed balanced 2011. Not filtered and is made to age 20 years.

5. SYRAH IGT TOSCANA: Planted in the 90s but first single variety vintage was 2001. Impressed by the great incredible fruit bouquet of 2008 (97 points in Wine Advocate). Using less new oak now for each vintage. Small production (even less in difficult years) with less than 1000 bottles in 2010 increasing to 3300 in masculine 2013.

6. REDIGAFFI IGT TOSCANA: This 100% merlot initiated in 1994 is named after a small stream running through the estate and is one of the world’s greatest wines. Paola appropriately calls it “an elegant lady with a long neck”. Wine Spectator gave the 1997 100 points & 2000 got 100 from Parker. I have tried most vintages and though 1997 & 2000 were outstanding I vote 1999 the best with 2001 a close second. I also put a vote in for 2006, 2009 and 2012 as well. Tried the delicious 2008 drinking forwardly and the more classical 2010. A treasure.

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By Joseph Temple

With spring just a few months away, engaged couples everywhere are eagerly planning their dream weddings.  And at the top of every list (other than the dress): the perfect venue.  Of course, what better place to exchange vows than a vineyard?  Having acre after acre of picturesque scenery, every photo is destined to be extra special.  Below are just ten examples of how to create a memorable vineyard wedding from beginning to end.  If you’re looking for some more ideas, visit our board on Pinterest.  Enjoy!

1. The Ring

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2. The Proposal

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3. Remember to “Save the Date”

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4. The Bridal Shower

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5. That Special Touch

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6. The Wedding Cake

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7. First Meal as Mr. & Mrs.

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8. “I Do”

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9. “You May Kiss the Bride”

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10. Next: The Honeymoon…

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Question: When grocery shopping I often find it difficult to determine whether I am buying yams or sweet potato. How do I distinguish between them?

Answer: Yes this can be tricky and sometimes they are even mislabelled in the stores.  I use the simple guide that a sweet potato has a smooth thin skin with quite noticeable tapered ends compared to the rougher often larger and hairy yam. There is a fun quick quiz you can try to answer here.

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I am a long time big fan of Olivier Bernard the owner of Domaine de Chevalier, Grand Cru Classe de Graves in Bordeaux. Their white is always outstanding in every vintage and the reds recently much more approachable for earlier consumption. Fortunate to have attended many times his “who’s who of the wine world” Tour de France dinner on the Monday night each Vinexpo and always amazed by how well their reds from the 1940s and older in grand format have developed so well with cellar age. Olivier is also a keen student of the other quality wines of the world and is an outstanding taster. Since 2012 he also has the responsibility of being President of the Bordeaux Union of Grand Crus. Don’t know how he has found the time but now Olivier has co-authored with Thierry Dussard and 26+ other well known “witnesses” a new exciting wine book by Editions Feret in both French & English “The Magic of the 45th Parallel” called the Ideal Latitude for the World’s Great Wines.  Check out the site for it here.

Grew up drinking Jaboulet’s Cotes du Rhone blend of Grenache & Syrah called Parallele 45 so already knew the significance of that latitude. Also there is a new top winery in the Okanagan, British Columbia named 50th Parallel Estate Winery (www.50thparallel.com) with talented winemaker Grant Stanley to watch out for future pinot noirs. However this book goes further and suggests “A magic band surrounds our planet between the 40th and 50th parallels of the northern hemisphere” with “The 45th latitude, mid-way between the North Pole and the Equator, is the dividing line for wine, most white grapes being grown north of it and red grapes south of it”. They raise the question of whether “it is just as applicable to the same latitude in the southern hemisphere?” Highly recommend you check it out!  Your thoughts?

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(Photo: wineravela.com)

By Joseph Temple

Do you know someone who enjoys wine but is too overwhelmed by all the terminology and formalities to attend a formal tasting?  For many, especially Millennials who are just starting to appreciate wine, it can be a daunting task trying to figure out what “a mineral-driven, plummy finish” actually means.  And is there really a difference between a score of 96 points versus a score of 97?  “Wine is intimidating,” writes Alison Stevenson for Munchies.  “I don’t want my alcohol to feel like a homework assignment.”

But what if people could sample different vintages in a more casual environment where no one has to worry about their knowledge – or lack of knowledge – on the subject?

Welcome to the world of wine raves – quite possibly the next big thing.

With vino cocktails that glow in the dark and a DJ providing the evening’s soundtrack, these raves are the complete antithesis to the traditional notion of tasting wine on a white tablecloth with a spittoon.  Of course, that’s exactly what the organizers of these events are aiming for.  “We’re talking about wine too seriously,” said Maxwell Leer, a rave promoter.  “We want to make people feel more comfortable with it.”

Footage from an outdoor wine rave in Europe

Since 2011 when the first American wine rave debuted in San Diego, these gatherings have grown in size and are now starting to attract mainstream publicity.  And a big plus is the price, which is very reasonable by L.A. standards.  “For $30, I could have received bottle service; a full bottle of a Wine Rave cocktail.  That is the most affordable bottle service in existence, I think,” writes Stevenson who recently attended a rave in Los Angeles.

Sipping different vintages from shot glasses usually reserved for B-52s and Kamikazes while dancing to the sounds of Lady Gaga and 2Pac, traditionalists would probably scoff at these types of events for various reasons.  If anybody is smoking and/or wearing cologne or perfume at this rave, it becomes extremely difficult to smell the wine – a key factor in judging its merits.  Additionally, with fluorescent lighting and swirling glow sticks as the backdrop, determining the wine’s color is next to impossible.

All of that of course doesn’t matter to the partiers in attendance.  They are enjoying wine in a relaxed and fun setting where all the stereotypes associated with the culture get checked at the door.   An important bridge has been created at these raves, connecting the novice drinker who is curious about wine with experienced oenophiles, who under normal circumstances probably wouldn’t have ever crossed paths.  Barriers created by scorecards and terms like terroir and bouquet have been removed.  In the end, that’s all that matters to these wine drinkers.

“Wine can be a conversation or it can just be a drink,” says Lear.  “In which case, just drink it.”

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