Italian Wine Week III: 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo
July 29, 2010 – 12:16 pm | No Comment

Wherein I raise my glass to a versatile summer wine that’s like Reese Witherspoon in a glass.

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Italian Wine Week III: 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo
July 29, 2010 – 12:16 pm | No Comment

Italian Wine Week III: 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo

One of my biggest wine writing pet peeves is comparing a wine to a woman. And not just any woman. It’s never “this Pinot Grigio reminds me of my middle school lunch lady” or “that Merlot is a dead ringer for my dad’s third wife, the one who collected Lladró and bred Bassett hounds.” No, it’s always some woman who is mysterious and elegant, naïve…yet precocious, docile and tempestuous all at once. Do you know any women like this? I sure as hell don’t. These comparisons offer much more insight into the psyche and relationship history of the wine writer than they do into the wine itself. Seriously guy, I have no way of knowing what your personal fantasies and anxieties are about the fairer sex, so incorporating them into your tasting notes is totally unhelpful to me–and to anyone else who’s not you.

That’s why I am going to  compare this 2009 Torre dei Beati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo ($16.99) to a well-known woman, one who should be familiar to even the most casual student of early 21st century American film: Elle Woods, heroine of Legally Blonde.

First, there’s the color. I’d call this something between dark Barbie-pink and light cherry. “Cerasuolo” refers to a category of deeply colored, often fairly intense Italian wines that are somewhere between rosé and red.

Here’s a picture. Apologies that the lighting and glass don’t quite do it justice. We brought this over to a friend’s place, and I didn’t want to make a whole production about photography.

Just as Elle’s wardrobe choices made it impossible for anyone to take her seriously–who could forget when she shows up to her first law school party wearing a Playboy bunny costume?–the color of this wine practically screams frivolity.

Then there’s the aroma, which I can only describe as perfumed. Sticking my nose in the glass was like smelling a bouquet of flowers, with roses front and center. I was reminded of the scene where Elle passes her pink and perfumed resume along to her law school professor and soon-to-be swain Luke Wilson. “I think it gives it that extra something!” she says of the scent and really, who are we to disagree.

Based on first impressions, we’re expecting something inconsequential, dumbed-down and even cloying. But anyone who’s well-versed in Hollywood conventions (or the winemaking of Torre dei Beati, a small, organic estate, as well as the high-quality potential of the Montepulciano grape) knows what will happen next.

It turns out–suprirse!–that this wine is far from lightweight. There’s some real tannic structure here, as well as good acidity. Yes, there’s a touch of sweetness too, but nothing overwhelming. Ripe red fruits–strawberries in particular–are matched with a little earth and minerality. Just as Elle ultimately shows her smarts and prevails, with highlights and manicure intact, this wine manages to be charming and serious at once. And just as our heroine must hold her ground against any number of challenges, from a lecherous professor to catty classmates to lying witnesses, this wine can stand up to a lot. Tomato and mozzarella? Sure. Grilled chicken? Absolutely. Barbecue? A platter of cured meat and cheese? Why not.

So I invite you to pick up a bottle, pair it with pretty much anything that goes down easy on a hot late summer day, and raise your glass to toast the twin delights of Cerasuolo and Reese Witherspoon.

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Italian Wine Week II: 2008 Gran Sasso Pecorino
July 29, 2010 – 9:57 am | No Comment
Italian Wine Week II: 2008 Gran Sasso Pecorino

For day 2 of Italian Wine Week, I made the switch from red to white and tried a 2008 Pecorino, or, as I like to call it, the Chardonnay gateway drug.

Italian Wine Week I: 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè
July 27, 2010 – 8:22 pm | 2 Comments
Italian Wine Week I: 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè

Italian Wine Week got off to a rousing, if somewhat obscure, start last night with this 2007 Cantine Sant’ Agata “‘Na Vota” Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato.

STBNY’s First Annual Italian Week
July 26, 2010 – 10:01 am | No Comment
STBNY’s First Annual Italian Week

This week is STBNY’s First Annual Italian WeekTM wherein I will drink nothing but Italian wine. I’ve already selected an eclectic line-up of Italian whites, pinks, and reds, all priced under $20, to enjoy over the next seven days.

The Tastemaker: Filipinas, Papayas, and Training Your Palate
July 22, 2010 – 12:21 am | No Comment
The Tastemaker: Filipinas, Papayas, and Training Your Palate

Drinking wine is easy. Tasting it is hard. That’s why I’m introducing The Tastemaker, an occasional series on STBNY about the challenges, joys and mysteries of wine tasting.

Happy Bastille Day!
July 14, 2010 – 9:46 pm | No Comment
Happy Bastille Day!

As my regular STBNY readers (all 4 of you!) know, I’m a Francophile. To paraphrase Chico Escuela, France has been bery bery good to me.

Hey, Sommelier–I’m Talking to You
July 8, 2010 – 6:38 pm | 4 Comments

Eric Asimov’s recent article about sommeliers who taste wine before serving it has sparked a lot of discussion in the wine blogo/Twittersphere. The practice doesn’t bother me, but the piece, and the reaction it provoked, got me thinking a lot about my sommelier pet peeves. The majority of my encounters with sommeliers have been positive…but I’ve had my fair share of negative experiences. And when things do go bad, it usually plays out a little something like this.

Better Know a Grape: Bonarda
July 6, 2010 – 10:57 pm | No Comment
Better Know a Grape: Bonarda

I like to tell people that wine isn’t as complicated as it’s made out to be. And that’s usually the case … except, of course, when it’s not. Take, for example, Bonarda.

Dinner at Blue Hill Stone Barns
June 30, 2010 – 6:06 pm | 2 Comments
Dinner at Blue Hill Stone Barns

Happy anniversary to me and Paul! We celebrated with a fantastic dinner at Blue Hill Stone Barns, where we ate and drank well — and did a little inter-species mingling.

Some Good Soaves for Summer
June 27, 2010 – 5:55 pm | 2 Comments
Some Good Soaves for Summer

Quick, when I say “Soave” what do you think of?

Debunking Biodynamics with Stu Smith
June 24, 2010 – 7:51 am | 5 Comments

Last week Paul and I had the pleasure of hosting Stu Smith, co-founder of Smith-Madrone, for dinner. We had been looking forward to this get-together for a while, but a recent controversy in the wine blogosphere added a new sense of urgency to the event.