Photo Credit: Wikipedia
America is a nation of immigrants. Not surprisingly, we have a long history of enjoying wines imported from other countries, especially Europe. For instance, some of us remember Thomas Jefferson as much for his love of French wine as for his founding father role. Of course, America’s best wines are made from vines that “immigrated” from other places, again primarily Europe.
So, this Thanksgiving I plan to share with my family several wines imported from European countries well known for their great wines.
From my own country of origin – Italy – I am looking forward to four Tuscan wines. From Castello di Nipozzano, a property that dates to the 11th century and now is owned by Frescobaldi, one of the great families of Italian wine, the 2010 Riserva Chianti Rufina ($25) is a really good value. With its pure black fruit and herbal spice notes, it is full yet balanced enough to be easy drinking as it finishes with a refreshing palate.
The 2011 “Vecchie Viti” Chianti Rufina ($30) is another excellent value. Made with grapes from old vines, it ironically is a tradition in the Frescobaldi family to dedicate the wine to new borns in the family. It is aromatic and drinks with elegance offering bright red fruits, licorice and spice.
The other two wines I’m interested in give a nod to Italy’s neighbor France by blending the native sangiovese with small amounts of French varieties. The 2011 Brancaia Tre Rosso ($23) (as its name indicates) melds three grape varieties – sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon – from Brancaia’s three Tuscan estates into a sleek whole with cherry fruit and touches of spice and chocolate with roasted notes.
From Castello Banfi’s estate vineyards in the southern hills of Montalcino, comes another modernistic assemblage – its name means “dark beauty” signifying a cuvee of red grape varieties primarily sangiovese with small amounts of French varieties. The 2011 “BelnerO” ($29) delivers tasty black cherry and plum accented with vanilla, coffee and light mineral notes, reflecting the area’s stony, calcareous terroir.
Bordeaux in France is one of the most celebrated wine regions in the world. Beyond the expensive wines of the famous chateau, though, is a lot of sound, affordable wine. I’m especially intrigued with the 2012 Les Hauts de Lagarde ($13), which is made from organically grown grapes and is non-GMO verified by the Non-GMO Project. Its 65% merlot, 25% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% cabernet franc yield a soft drink with a touch of oak, a smoky, earth character and pretty plum and cherry fruit.
On to Spain and the value theme of this column continues. The 2010 Bodegas Iranzo “Vertus” ($12) is another wine made from organically grown grapes and verified non-GMO. Iranzo, with vineyards in the hills just west of the Mediterranean coast near Valencia, claims to be Spain’s oldest estate bottled winery dating back to 1335. The wine is 100% tempranillo and a Crianza (meaning aged six months). The result is fresh red berries, raisin and savory notes with a soft but tight texture.
Although the 2009 CUNE Rioja Reserva ($28) is twice the price of the Vertus, it is well worth the extra investment. It comes from a winery founded in 1879 and still family-owned and -operated. It is 85% tempranillo (with the rest equal parts mazuelo, graciano and garnacha) and the extra time in barrel and bottle (minimum total of three years for Reserva) produces a nicely balanced wine. While it still exhibits fresh, bright black and red berries, it is offset with a touch of earth and drinks elegant, yet lively.
Finally, I really like these outstanding “einwanderers” from Germany. For my money, German Riesling is the ideal white wine for Thanksgiving (or anytime of year!). As luscious and delicious as are the riper and sweeter Spätlese and Auslese, it is the off-dry Kabinett that is most suited to drinking with the widest variety of foods.
Making wine in the Mosel Valley since 1561, the wines of Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gymnasium have been a favorite choice of mine for many years. The 2012 Graacher Himmelreich Kabinett ($22) is delightful with its crisp lemon, peach, apricot, green apple and pear; and I even think I can taste the blue slate minerality that is the hallmark of this vineyard.
From the Mittelrhein, an area sandwiched between the more famous Mosel and Rheingau, the Weingart estate has produced a 2012 Bopparder Hamm Engelstein Kabinett that is a particular treat. With the exceedingly steep slopes of the area, it is not surprising relatively few attempt viticulture here. But I’m sure glad Florian Weingart has accepted the challenge. This wine, marked “feinherb +” to indicate it is a little sweet, is quite racy with juicy pear, apple, and lemon, followed by intriguing spiciness.
The 2011 Von Winning Riesling “in Deidesheim” ($20) comes from a winery founded in 1849 in the Pfalz region (stretching south of the Rheingau). This one is bracing with citrus, green apple and pear and an underlying hint of minerality.
Happy Thanksgiving to all, whatever you are drinking!