sit. sip. savour.: Tuscan innovation + Aussie & NZ Pinot + Thanksgiving deconstructed

September 29, 2012 - VINTAGES

In this release, VINTAGES features:

Tuscan Tradition - a venerable region brims with innovation
Pinpointing Place - Australian & New Zealand Pinot Noir
Thanksgiving deconstructed

You know me, I would choose every bottle just to try it ... after all, sommeliers need lots of practice! Alas, I must whittle my list to the affordable. You may notice that I do not choose many if any bottles much over $20. I would rather get more bang for my buck. But there are some bottles, no matter the price, that I need to experience.

As per usual, I have highlighted and sharpied my VINTAGES catalogue ...

YELLOW highlights what caught my eye.
➔ RED ARROW points to unique feature.
* RED SHARPIE STAR selections are those most likely to make it into my bag.

here I go with markers in hand ...

"Szamorodni" means "as it is grown" in Hungarian. Sweet Tokaji means "yummy" to me!

"simply stunning" but $52.95 is not my idea of reasonable. ack.

"a lot of oomph for this price"

"hard to find this level of quality in Napa Valley cabernet at this price" ... now this is more reasonable to me.

"just one word for this Zin: delicious. ... great price for Zin this good" (too much for me)

"dark fruit in the mouth leaps out of the wine ... but it is not a fruit bomb."

"maybe it was an off day" for Wine Spectator ... ha!

"unencumbered by oak ... wine is au natural .. so the full beauties of this wine come from the grapes and only from the grapes." I look forward to sipping "one of the world's most interesting wine varieties".

"an incredibly ripe wine"

I'm not a fan of over-the-top SB but I'm attracted to "strong tropical-fruit-flavours in a very non-herbaceous style"

I love minerality & salinity: "crushed seashells and fleur de sel"

so much strikes my fancy: vines 20-55 yrs of age, planted exclusively with Chenin Blanc, "simply fab value", ...

"unique & pure wine experience that gives a window into superior Cab Franc"

"utterly infectious ... saliva-inducing salinity"

"very high quality & deserve readers' attention"

GSM or in this case GMS: 50% Grenache +35% Mourvedre + 15% Syrah "from 12-50 year old vines ... bottled unfiltered"

"most structured, dense & concentrated ... terrific fruit purity ... deep multi-layered 2010"

"new EU appelation becoming more common AP (Appellation d'Origine Protégé) is rapidly replacing AC on many French wines ... more Grenache in the blend ... intermixed with garrigue"

"one of the most respected & famous vineyards in all of the Mosel ... cultivated since Roman times"

"mineral (slate mostly, from the legendary Mosel slate soil) ... fresh ginger ... real elegance here to suggest it could age"

"growers got their act together & now produce a unique, standout wine with a cult-like following ... from volcanic soils near Mount Vesuvius ... delicate honeysuckle ... sleek mineral finish"

I don't usually purchase much Pinot Grigio but this seems like a standout expressing its terroir: "ultimate expression of the best fruit from the most suitable vineyards, setting the yields at a fraction allowable for the region ... intrude into the winemaking process as little as possible ... true reflection of the place where it was grown.