Pinot Nero Sanct Valentin By San Michele Appiano - the gentleness power!

Dear Wine Lovers,

How are you doing?

Today I have to raise the level of the reviews a bit and I'm wondering how to do that... perhaps by presenting one of the nicest wines in the world, reverred by few people but with a huge network of fans (I'm one of them), yes, I'm talking about the amazing and gourgeous "Pinot Noir".

Pinot Noir is used in a lot of blends and the most famous is the historical "Champagne"; with Pinot Noir, sometimes mixed with the popular "Chardonnay" or "Pinot Meunier" grapes, are produced the best "Champagne" of the world but also the best "Franciacorta" and many other white and sparkling wines.

Some friends of mine will say: "but the Champagne is a white wine and the Pinot Noir is a black grape", oh yes, this is correct, but (small oenologist lesson) the red colour is given by the tannins present in the grapes skin and not by the juice.

Pinot Noir is a grape for master-wine-makers and this is not only my humble opinion; to cultivated and vinify this kind of grape is very challenging due to Pinot Noir's berry which has a fundamental characteristic that makes it unique: "the thin skin".

Yes, thin skin, you understood well, so Pinot Noir grape need a lot of care growing-up, they need to avoid hot temperatures and require a good temperature range between day and night. The most famous soil for the "Pinot Noir" is the Bourgogne, French, but I'm really happy to say that in Italy we have some wine-producers that are achieving some important milestones in the Pinot Noir production and one of my favourite is the San Michele Appiano winery with his:

Pinot Noir Sanct Valentin

Oh-My-God this is a spectacular wine, fruity, fresh, elegant and with the above mentioned gentle power!

You know (if you have read my past reviews) that I love the muscle and powerful wine with a deep red colour but I have to make an exception for this "prince" cause the colour of Pinot Noir wines can't be dark due to the celebrated "thin skin" and for it's gentle and soft tannins; in spite of that, I absolutely assure you that when you'll try this Pinot Noir you'll find in this nectar all the crispness of the fresh red fruit like cherry, straberry, raspberry and with a really exclusive sweet tast on the long and persistent final.

So, I suggest you to try a bottle of Pinot Noir during your next "restaurant excursion" or during your next "aperitif" with friends and then write me your opinion about it.

I'm so sure that you'll turn into a Pinot Noir fan, like me and like all the people who love the terrific world of wine.

Besides that, I'll suggest a really nice movie named "Sideways" a Californian "wine tasting road trip" to salute Jack’s (Thomas Haden Church) final days as a bachelor who careens woefully sideways as he and Miles (Paul Giamatti) hit the gas en route to mid-life crises. A funny commedy that talk about wines with humor and lightness... also for the abstemious.

Well, now I have to give you my warm embrace and I hope to find you here for my next Wine review.

I'm really pleased to have met you today dude :)

Take care,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Some Supermarket cute REDs under 15 euros - to drink responsibly!

I know, I really really know...

a lot of times I write about expensive wines and maybe it's time now to reserve some words for some cheaper wines, some bottles for every day use, for any occasion (Right, Stefania?).

Though I'm of the opinion that we have should celebrate every day of our lives, and we should open our best bottle anytime without waiting for that "the special occasion" to open it.

But this is only "an opinion" and I'm not Paolo Coelho :).

Obviously, I can't drink a 1991's Sassicaia every day or even every week, but I'd like to become a good friend of whoever can! Ok Angelo, get serious now.

I think it could be fun and very useful, to try to make a list of some good red wines which are easy to find and whose price is under 15 euros.

We're talking about wines without a really long ageing potential, of course, and we have to drink them "fast" and by 3-4 years maximum starting from the date of purchase. You can't forget a "Chianti Classico" of 10 euros in your cellar and drink it after 10 years, it's not a Barolo or a Brunello di Montalcino, It's a cute, young and classic Chianti and it's ready to be drink right then and there....

I'll try to make my best cheap-red-wines selection (voting with * "stars") from the most popular supermarket shelving and I hope you'll have fun with them:

CHIANTI CLASSICO PEPPOLI by ANTINORI (12-14€) ****

Sangiovese 90%, Merlot and Syrah grapes, aged in Slavonia Oak barrels and some American wood barrels for 9 months. A wine with a great body and one of my favourite "cheap" Chianti Classico that I've ever tasted.

CHIANTI CLASSICO by VOLPAIA (10-12€) ***

Sangiovese 90%, Merlot and Syrah grapes. Another really good "Chianti Classico", from the poetic "Castello di Volpaia", this wine is produced with a malolactic fermentation started in January and on February, then the wine is moved to 400 to 950 gallons Slavonia Oak barrels, to be aged for 14 months. A really funny wine, try it.

CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA SER LAPO by MAZZEI (14-15€) *****

Sangiovese 90% and Merlot grapes, aged for 12 months in small French Oak barrels (50% new barriques), I think one of the best Chianti Classico at this price, a great great deal from Mazzei family from the marvellous "Castello di Fonterutoli" (1435).

TAURASI by FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO *****

Pay attention cause in many supermarkets the price has decreased about 40% from 18€ to 12€, a great opportunity to drink a really good wine while spending little money. See my review at: http://wineloverscorner.blogspot.com/2009/11/taurasi-feudi-di-san-gregorio-terrific_5919.html

RUBRATO by FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO (6-8€) ***

Aglianico 100% grapes, younger brother of the muscle Taurasi with its 8 months in French Oak used barriques; this is one of the best quality-price ratio wines that you can find. Really fruity and spicy with a a good structure, and really enjoyable. Taste it at your next BBQ with your friends.

MONTEFALCO ROSSO by ARNALDO CAPRAI (10-12€) ***

Sangiovese 70%, Sagrantino 15% and Merlot 15% grapes, aged in large Oak barrels for 12 months. Younger cousin of the Montefalco's Emperor described on this review: http://wineloverscorner.blogspot.com/2009/11/sagrantino-di-montefalco-arnaldo-caprai.html

LANGHE ROSSO BACCANERA by CASCINA ZOCCOLAIO (10-11€) ***

Barbera, Cabernet and Nebbiolo grapes, aged 18 months in Oak barrels. It reminds me of the typical taste of Piedimont's soil and I think that this is another really good and simple wine also to gargle :).

LAGREIN SELEZIONE by ROTTENSTEINER (11-12€) ****

Lagrein 100%, aged 12 months in Oak, another one of the best quality-price ratio wines that you can find at the supermarket, really fresh, fruity, great body and all the inkling of the Dolomite's vineyards.

This above mentioned is my little selection of red wines under of 15 euros, now I'm waiting to know which is your favourite red wine under 15 euros.

Enjoy life and tks a lot for your affection,

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com

Turriga by Argiolas - the island tycoon!

Dear Wine Lovers,

How are you today? I'm very excited about my next little write-up, today is a big deal for me.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Wine-Captain speaking and we're going to have a soft landing on the fabulous and famous Sardinia.

Sardinia and its Costa Smeralda, celebrated for its beaches, its emerald green waters and its fashion and exclusive night and day life... and also celebrated all around the world for another thing, maybe one of the best and most authentic wines in the world and I'm so so glad to introduce you the only and unbelievable:

Turriga by Argiolas (taaadaaaaaam)

(Picture this: I'm standing up right now and I'm clapping my hands alone in a room all by myself, in great great respect)

The Argiola's Family are winemaker dating back to 1918. A lot of success in many years of activity and many of that stem from a magic day, "the great event!", when a man visited the island and not just any man, but Mr. Giacomo Tachis in person, the oenologist, the master, the founding father of mythical Sassicaia, no other words are needed, I rest my case.

Mr. Tachis, together with the Argiola's family, started to produce the Turriga, a muscle blend of Cannonau, Carignano, Bovale Sardo, Malvasia Nera grapes (what kind of grapes man!!!).

Produced with a vinification method that's extremely rare, they dote on their grapes like babies at harvest time, plucked by hand in the early morning, they are brought to the cellar for manual selection and the first fermentation which is strictly controlled. After a maceration of about 20 days the wine relaxes for 2 years in new French oak barrels and finally Turriga refines himself in the bottle for a further 20 days.

With a black-ruby-red Turriga will have you at first sight, really. I love this wine and my enthusiasm is so great that I can't help but write about it on my blog.

With a strong and balanced structure, lovely red fruity taste, plum-like and sugary, with licorice, vanilla and enjoyable sensations it makes your mouth black and your heart satisfied.

Turriga, in my opinion, is an Italian masterpiece and I'm really proud of it.

I suggest you to taste "The King" as soon as possible, preferably before the summer, 2001 or 2004 vintage, both perfect.

Suggested retail price (in a wine-shop) is about 50 euros. Not cheap but I absolutely have Turriga one time per year, "Happy Birthday to me".

I bow my head to Mr. Tachis and to Argiola's Family for this fantastic product and I think that everyone of us must have a friend like "Turriga" in our home-cellar.

Enjoy the soil of Sardinia, enjoy life.

Angelo D'Alessandro

thedeliciousworld@gmail.com