Cal-Ital Tales (Third of Four Parts)
W. Blake Gray - May 10, 2004
- The Sangiovese (part 1)
- The Cal-Italian tasting room (part 3)
- Selling Cal-Ital is a tough row to hoe (part 4)
The Cal-Italian tasting room
A tasting of a wide selection of Cal-Italian wines led to these recommendations.
Keep in mind that these wines are meant to be enjoyed with food. If you want to impress your friends, go for a Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay; save the Cal-Itals for the rigatoni or the quattro stagioni pizza.
White wines
2003 Ca' del Solo Monterey Malvasia Bianca ($12) -- Powerful aroma of lychee promises sweetness, so the dryness of this fruit-forward wine, with hints of lime and Granny Smith apple, is unexpected. Good with Asian food.
2003 Eberle Paso Robles Muscat Canelli ($12) -- Sweet tropical fruit flavor with floral accent and aroma of orange blossom; lively acidity keeps it crisp. A fine aperitif; excellent with spicy food.
2002 M. Cosentino Solano County Pinot Grigio ($18) -- Aroma of mineral and diesel and accents of unripe pear and heather. Buttery yet tangy flavor dominated by mineral with hints of pear and rice cracker.
2003 Seghesio Family Vineyards Sonoma County Pinot Grigio ($15) -- Light and simple, but pleasant, with flavors of grapefruit and lime and good mouth-feel.
2003 Tamas Estates Monterey Pinot Grigio ($10) -- So clear it could be a bottle of water. Nice aroma of lime, Fuji apple and peach. Good balance with initial acidity and mineral flavors with lime highlights leading into toasty mid-palate. A bargain.
2001 Wild Horse Central Coast Pinot Grigio ($14) -- Distinctive flavor and aroma of quince with hints of citrus and gooseberry. Mild acidity.
2001 Borgo Buon Natale Primogenito Santa Maria Valley ($16) -- Blend of Tocai Friulano, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Golden Delicious apple flavor with plenty of oak make it reminiscent of a California Chardonnay, except with palate-cleansing acidity.
NV l'Uvaggio di Giacomo California Vin Santo ($24 / 500 ml) -- Roasted chestnut aroma, with moderately sweet flavors of graham cracker and walnut. Acidity keeps it from being cloying. Reminiscent of an oloroso sherry.
Red wines
2002 Ca' del Solo Monterey Barbera ($15) -- Nice aroma of raspberry, boysenberry, apricot and cola. Boysenberry flavor with hint of dried apricot; mid-palate balances fruit with acidity.
2000 Chameleon Cellars California Barbera ($16) -- Lighter style than many. Aromas of strawberry, cassis, cola, leather and bramble. Initial strawberry taste covers acidity, which strengthens on mid-palate.
2001 Imagery Sonoma County Barbera ($31) -- Three-stage taste, with initial blackberry and palate-cleansing acidity morphing through tannic mid- palate into dry, medium-long finish with a hint of tobacco.
2000 Rabbit Ridge Mark Lyon Vineyard Sonoma County Winemaker's Grand Reserve Barbera ($18) -- Dark cherry fruit and tannins persist throughout medium-long finish. Accents of leather, earth and tobacco, with food-friendly acidity.
2001 Renwood Amador County Barbera ($20) -- Firm-bodied, big red wine with fresh acidity. Complex aroma of sweet cherry, tobacco, earth, white pepper and nutmeg belies pleasantly simple black-plum taste.
2001 Tamas EstatesLivermore Valley Barbera ($17) -- Lively, with bright raspberry flavor above acidity, which fades mid-palate. Interesting aroma with accents of cola and pomegranate.
2000 l'Uvaggio di Giacomo La Pantera California Barbera ($20) -- Cherry flavor is more persistent than strong initial acidity. Black pepper and cardamon accents.
2001 M. Cosentino The Neb Sonoma Valley Nebbiolo ($28 / 500 ml) -- Uncharacterisically fruit-forward, with rich blackberry flavor that builds in intensity and a hint of cedar on the finish. Nice but not complex; will be interesting to see if it cellars like a Barolo.
2000 Altamura Napa Valley Sangiovese ($30) -- Rich blueberry pie taste and aroma, with hint of pomegranate and black peppercorn. Decent acidity enlivens deep jammy fruit. Opens with air. Delicious, but not typical.
2000 Atlas Peak Reserve Napa Valley Sangiovese ($30) -- Jammy cherry and blackberry flavors with hint of clove in the aroma. Tannic, with strong oak; medium-long finish. You can taste the 14 percent Merlot and 4 percent Syrah.
2000 Benessere Riserva Napa Valley Sangiovese ($25) -- Well-balanced, with acidity that keeps the tongue clicking while velvety tannins coat the back of the palate. Rich aroma of cherry, blueberry, leather and tobacco.
2002 Ca' del Solo Il Fiasco Monterey Sangiovese ($15) -- Light and bright, with flavors of cherry candy and olallieberry and hints of anise and black pepper. Good food-friendly acidity and balance.
2002 Camellia Cellars Merlo Vineyard Dry Creek ValleySangiovese ($24) -- Very true to the varietal. Aromas of cherry, red plum, leather, hint of eucalyptus. Characteristic dried-cherry and leather flavors.
2001 Crooked Vine Livermore Sangiovese ($30) -- Velvety texture, with black currant, cherry, plum, vanilla and milk chocolate aromas with a hint of toast; bright cherry fruit flavor and soft tannins.
2001 Imagery Dry Creek Valley Sangiovese ($22) -- Wonderful aroma of powerful blackberry and currant with hint of vanilla. Jammy, with leather and strong oak accents and slight herbaceousness.
2001 Vita Nova Stolpman Vineyard Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese ($20) -- Complex aroma of strawberry, earth, limestone, leather and hint of tarragon. Strong food-friendly acidity with flavors of strawberry and white pepper.
1999 Bargetto La Vita Regan Vineyards Santa Cruz Mountains blend ($50) --
Very peppery, with tart red currant flavor and prickly acidity. Complex aroma of currant, plum, tar, tobacco and black pepper. Excellent with strong- flavored food. Blend of Dolcetto, Refosco, Nebbiolo and Merlot.
2001 Shafer Firebreak Napa Valley ($35) -- Very smooth mouth-feel, with dark-cherry fruit and tannins well in background. Pleasant aroma of berry with hint of cinnamon and licorice. Sangiovese, with 7 percent Cabernet.
W. Blake Gray is a San Francisco-based writer.
Originallyu published on  ©2004 |
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