The Cellar: Three Crowd-Pleasers for Under $20
Friday, December 17, 2010
Last week we explored three red wines from the "New World." This week I have decided to go classic, and bring you three different types of wines from the "Old World" powerhouse countries of Germany, Italy and Spain. A semi-sweet Riesling, a smooth Prosecco and a spicy Grenache are on the table, so get your corkscrew ready.
2007 Starling Castle Riesling - $12
The backstory: For years, Chardonnay has dominated the white wine marked in the United States. In my opinion, many great white varietals are being neglected, foremost among them Riesling, which many wine experts considers to be the most noble of them all. If you have yet to try a Riesling, or even worse, if you have only tried a California Riesling, you haven’t experienced the real deal. A good Riesling should be light-bodied and low in alcohol, but at the same time intensely flavorful and stuffed with soaring acidity. Among other regions, the cool climate of Mosel, Germany provides the ideal conditions for making mouthwatering Rieslings. The following is one great example.
The wine: Both the 2007 and 2008 vintage of Starling Castle Riesling are on the shelves this holiday season. I prefer the ’07 vintage, but should you only be able to find the ’08, grab it anyways. You will not be disappointed. German Riesling can be sweet, semi-sweet, and all the way to very dry. This one is semi-sweet and a great entry-level Riesling for someone who is looking to expand his or her palate. It smells sweet, filled with honey and fresh fruits. On the palate I want you to imagine sweet pears smothered in lemon juice. Delish! Long and smooth finish. Enjoy it lightly chilled.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRiondo Prosecco (non-vintage) - $13
The backstory: The Prosecco grape is primarily grown in the northeastern Italian region of Veneto, where it is the backbone of the delicious sparkling wine that carries its name. Prosecco is made by the "Charmat process’ in which the wine gets its sparkles by undergoing a second fermentation in large pressurized tanks, and not in individual bottles, which is the case for Champagne. Because of this difference in second fermentation Prosecco is usually softer, less fizzy and a hair sweeter than your traditional French Champagne.
The wine: Riondo Prosecco has received 90 points by Robert Parker and has been a hot seller around the country. This wine has beautiful golden color, but comes across a little reserved on the nose. This sparkling wine has great mouth feel – not overly fizzy. There is a hair of sweetness on the initial attack, which goes into a balanced midpalate and clean finish filled with fresh flowers, granny smith apples, green pears with a squirt of lime juice. A great alternative to Champagne.
2007 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha - $17
The backstory: Native to Spain, Garnacha (or Grenache as it is known in France) is the most widely planted grape, even surpassing its more famous brother Tempranillo. While an important blending grape in many of Spain’s finest wines, including those of Rioja, Priorato and Navarra, Garnacha often stands alone and makes delicious medium- to full-bodied wines filled with jammy spices.
The wine: The label of the 2007 Tres Picos Garnacha credits the intense color and aromas of this wine to the low yields of less than two tons per acre. I wish all wines were made like this one, because low yields simply make better and more concentrated wines! This wine has it all. Great multilayered aromas with hints of thick dark fruity. It has great mouth feel, but also tannins that grip the inside of your mouth with the typical long spicy finish.
Enjoy!
Besides from writing about wine Steffen Rasch also consults, hosts lessons, tastings and other types of wine events privately, as well as for businesses. If you are interested in knowing more please contact [email protected]
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