wine review

Wine Review: Ponzi 2009 Pinot Noir Tavola‏

Filed under: Wine

Ponzi Vineyards celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. It's a thriving family operation founded by Dick and Nancy Ponzi back in 1970 when Oregon's wine culture was just getting started. Their philosophy centers around respectful stewardship as well as innovation and experimentation, and four decades later the vineyard is a successful leader in its industry.

Their latest release is a 2009 Pinot Noir, Tavola, which is a "blend from our Avellana, Abetina, Linda Vista, Madrona, Aurora, Buteo and Estate vineyards, as well as fruit from sustainably grown vineyards located in the Dundee Hills, Yamhill-Carlton and Eola Hills AVAs." I was able to try it myself and found it to be delightful and surprisingly refreshing for a red, with bright fruity overtones and a definite lean to the sweet side. It's smooth, well-balanced, and has a soft, lingering finish. Raspberries, strawberries, and spices are prominent on both the nose and the palate. I imagine it would go well with a variety of meals but we paired it with pan-seared salmon and a butternut/pork belly hash and it was great. Overall it gets a 7.5 out of 10.

Ponzi Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir, Tavola, Willamette Valley, $25.

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Tags: pinot noir, ponzi vineyards, review, wine, wine review

Cantina Novelli: A Young Winery in the Heart of Italy (Wine Review)

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The Cantina Novelli winery was founded only a decade ago in the history-rich "green heart of Italy," otherwise known as Umbria, by a young and passionate entrepreneur named Stefano Novelli. Drawing from the support of a large family and memories of his grandfather teaching him to make wine, his vision of a 'youthful winery directed by a young generation' finally became reality in the year 2000. "We do not have a long tradition of producing wine," Novelli says, " We are a new, modern winery, and we are all young."

A specific part of his vision, and a success which is helping Cantina Novelli to make a name for itself, is the resurrection of an old and at one time very prestigious grape cultivar called Trebbiano Spoletino. Dating back to the Middle Ages and at one time common in the region immediately surrounding the town of Spoleto, the vine had fallen by the wayside and become all but non-existent until Novelli began a research and viticultural project to bring it back.

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to sample several wines from the Cantina Novelli winery and found them as a whole absolutely delightful. See my individual review notes for each of the five wines that I sampled after the jump, or check out the winery website for more details.

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Tags: cantina novelli, review, wine, wine review

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Shafer Vineyards Releases 2007 One Point Five

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Napa Valley's Shafer Vineyards, recipients of the James Beard Foundation's 2010 "Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional" award, recently released their 2007 One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon.

Located in the Stag's Leap District of the region, Shafer has continuously produced top-rated Cabernets, Chardonnays and Merlots under the guidance of winemaker Elias Fernandez, and this release is no exception. Comprised of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Petite Verdot, the 2007 spent 20 months in 75% new French oak and 25% one-year-old French oak barrels.

Aggressively jammy notes greet the nose and are followed by plum and musty barnyard scents. A pleasantly dryer alternative to the much-maligned "fruit bombs" of the area, the palate receives gamy flavors and lots of clove. The finish is short without being fleeting.

Shafer recommends pairing with everything from Ahi tuna to roast lamb loin, although I served the bottle with shrimp and mussels in a spicy tomato sauce over fresh linguine, to praise.

And while the name One Point Five may elicit thoughts of a software upgrade its provenance is actually a bit of a familial in-joke: Doug Shafer joined his father John in 1983, just two years after Shafer's initial release. It wasn't so much a new generation taking over as a son catching up to his father. Nearly 17 years later, that partnership has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation for its fecundity.

(750ml, $70)

Tags: 2007, cabernet sauvignon, doug shafer, james beard awards, john shafer, one point five, petite verdot, ShaferVineyards, stags leap, wine, wine review, wine reviews