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10:23 PM

Saturday 10/18/08 - Wine Labels

Today's Wine Labels Article

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Tasting A Noble Sicilian Wine


Once again, we are breaking into the series tasting wines from each of Italy?s twenty wine regions. This article examines a noble red wine from the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is very far from a bargain wine. We were about a dozen to taste it. I?ll be presenting my opinions and those of others.

So far, the wines that I purchased for this series have cost a maximum of about $20. I thought that I should try one at about double the price. I felt that by going to a relatively unknown region such as Sicily I might get a bargain. A lot of wines from the Tuscany or Piedmont regions of Italy cost $40 or much, much more. Such is not the case for Sicily.

Italy?s top of the line wine designation is DOCG, which stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita (Denomination of Controlled, Guaranteed Origin.) There are no DOCG wines in Sicily. But the formal designation is not very important, many Super Tuscans costing at least twice my budget carry ?inferior? designations. The wine I chose carries the Contea di Sclafania DOC designation, having been promoted from the Sicilia IGT designation. The wine reviewed here is produced by the same company as the white Sicilian wine reviewed in my article I Love Italian Wine and Food ? The Sicily Region. This was no accident. First I bought the relatively expensive red. Then I bought the white wine for about one third the price. This white wine carries the Sicilia IGT designation, but I found it to be pretty good. Let?s take a look at its much more expensive red cousin.

Wine Reviewed
Tasca d?Almerita Regaleali ?Rosso del Conte? Contea di Sclafania DOC 2002 15% alcohol about $38

About 35 years ago, Count Tasca d?Almerita decided to make a flagship Sicilian red wine from two local grapes, Nero d?avola and Perricone. Nero d?avola is a thin-skinned grape that ripens extremely late, perhaps three weeks after Cabernet Sauvignon. Consequently this variety is virtually limited to Sicily. Some think that it is a relative of Syrah. Nero d?avola wines are usually dark and tarry, with lots of black fruit aroma and taste. They are rich and well structured, with firm and silky tannins. Many of the grapes in this bottle came from vines over forty years old. The plants are grown as shrubs, a somewhat unusual practice. This wine was aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, about 60% of which are new. It can be cellared for years. I only wish that I could taste a ten or twenty year old Rosso del Conte.

I?ll spare you the marketing materials and reviews that tend to be very laudatory. Here are the comments from my tasting group.

A bit of black fruit. Highly oaked. Toasted grains, toast, grilled barley. Nervous and wild. Garriga (a mixture of spices found in areas near the Mediterranean Sea). Leather, dried meat, musk, and underbrush. A strong presence. Acidic and tannic, but not very long. Moderately long, fairly tannic. Round. More fruit than oak.

When asked to guess the price, the general consensus was considerably lower than what I actually paid. It?s fair to assume that most of these people would not purchase this wine, even if they do buy wines in this price range. On the other hand, it?s not hard to find reviews on the Internet that draw the opposite conclusion. In fact, every review that I read was more laudatory than my tasting group was. And my thoughts?

Personally, I would rather drink wine with food than without food. There were only a few sips left in the bottle but I was able to squeeze out two pairings. First I tried slow-cooked beef ribs with potatoes and a side of green beans in tomato sauce. This wine was the essence of mouth-filling, a tiny sip enveloped my mouth with pleasure. The wine?s acidity and tannins handled the meat?s fat. If only I had more.

Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep?s milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. The Rosso del Conte?s richness and complexity was quite noticeable in the presence of this cheese. I am glad that I didn?t waste the last precious sips of this wine on a weak cheese.

Final verdict. It?ll probably be quite some time before I buy another bottle of Rosso del Conte. I do think that it?s worth the price, but I can?t say that I got a $100 wine for less than $40. Have you ever done so?

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is http://www.theworldwidewine.com



A Short Wine Labels Summary

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Tasting A Noble Sicilian Wine


Once again, we are breaking into the series tasting wines from each of Italy?s twenty wine regions. This article examines a noble red wine from the is...


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Wine Labels Products we recommend

Riedel Vinum Extreme Shiraz/Syrah Wine Glasses (Set of 4)


The Riedel Vinum Extreme Wine Glass series pushes the boundaries of glassware. Riedel combines a dazzling oversized bowl with a unique angular look and an extra-tall stem to create a wine glass that is as beautiful to look at as it is to drink from. Vinum Extreme is made of fine crystal and is designed in the incomparable Riedel style to emphasize and enhance the flavors of every wine you drink. Wines made from the Syrah grape typically exhibit intense aromas blackberries pepper as well as floral scents. The narrow rim of the Riedel Vinum Extreme Shiraz / Syrah wine glass directs the flow of wine to the mid-palate allowing you to experience the wine's silky texture and sensuous fruit flavors while the tannins flow to the back of the palate for a smooth finish. Recommended for: Amarone Barbera Rhone (red). 9 1/2' H. 22.24 oz. Attention California residents. Proposition 65 WARNING.


Price: 120.00 USD



Current Wine Labels News

Wine lists to love - Anthony - All about journey

Sat, 11 Oct 08 05:57:23 -0700
There is no need to fear burning a hole in your pocket the next time you are presented with a wine list at your dine-out. Restaurants are now introducing wine lists that are interesting, fun and best of all… affordable.

Tips on Ordering Wines in Restaurants - Anthony - All about

Sat, 11 Oct 08 04:19:12 -0700
#1: Don’t be afraid to ask the sommelier. If you are not sure, just let him know your budget, the style of wines you like, and ask for a few recommendations.#2: When in doubt, or when you don’t want to drink too much, just go for the house wine...................

A Healthy Secret that you may not know about...

Sat, 11 Oct 08 00:48:25 -0700
Virgin Olive Oil- famously demonstrated that diets where olive oil was accompanied by moderate wine drinking, pasta, fish, and small amounts of red meat were successful in lowering risks of heart attacks and possibly lowering risk of diabetes.


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1:22 AM

Friday 10/17/08 - Wine Store

A Wine Store Artilce for Your Viewing

Wine Cellar Innovations


The basic purpose of a wine cellar is to effectively control the aging process of wine. Once bottled, wine starts to mature, so proper storage is essential for it to mature in the right manner. The advantage of having a wine cellar is that you don't have to go out and get a bottle of wine every time you are ready to sit down and eat, or want to enjoy a glass. Having your own cellar enables you to plan and store wines for special occasions, even the odd unforeseen ones.

A wine cellar is basically a storage place for wine. Any dark cool room will do; it doesn't necessarily have to be underground. A wine cellar can be any location from a spot below the basement staircase to a room built especially for this purpose. Innovators work with the homeowner to design a cellar, which might include carvings, pillars, molding along the wall and perhaps a decorative wine-tasting table that is usually positioned outside the cellar. Traditionally, a wine cellar was underground because such a location kept the wines at a proper temperature. Ideally, a wine cellar should be dry and cool. The ideal temperature to be maintained is 50?- 55?F, but a reasonably consistent temperature between 45?F and 70?F is acceptable. What's important is that the temperature remains constant. If there are changes to the temperature, the change shouldn't be drastic. Although wines age faster in warmer temperatures, excessive heat can damage the wine. Expertise lies in getting the temperature just right.

Wine cellar air conditioning units control the temperature in order to age wine in perfect conditions. They also provide the ideal humidity level for a wine cellar. The type of cellar that you need depends on the kinds of wine in your collection.

Innovation provides detailed information on Innovation, Audio Visual Innovations, Mobile Computing Innovations, Wine Cellar Innovations and more. Innovation is affiliated with Healing Reiki.



A Short Wine Store Summary

Wine Cellar Innovations


The basic purpose of a wine cellar is to effectively control the aging process of wine. Once bottled, wine starts to mature, so proper storage is esse...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Wine Store Items

Riedel Tequila Glass (Set of 4)


This elegant slender glass has a lengthy stem and is designed to lift fine Tequila to the level it deserves. Devotees can now appreciate Tequila in it's own glass and give it the respect of which it is worthy. Set of 4 packed in a black box decorated with drawings of the blue agave plant. 8 1/4 in 6 3/4 oz


Price: 43.60 USD



Wine Store in the news

Wine & Cheese Festival (Lewisboro Ledger)

Thu, 16 Oct 08 08:22:13 -0700
The Greenwich Symphony Wine & Cheese Festival on Friday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 9:30 at Richards, 359 Greenwich Avenue, will raise funds to support the orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts.

Mango Weekly - 16 October 2008

Thu, 16 Oct 08 08:17:02 -0700
Editorial: Brokeback English Greetings and Salutations. We often kid one of our friends about how he speaks to us. Because many of his conversations are with bargirls he tends to carry it over when speaking to other farangs. I find myself doing it sometimes too so it’s not just him. It’s Thai-English of sorts or maybe we can call it Brokeback English. For his benefit and for any bargirls reading this, I am providing a translation of last week’s Editorial from American-English to Brokebac

Spanish Vines, Inc. Launches New Online Community Celebrating Spanish Culture (Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance)

Thu, 16 Oct 08 05:45:00 -0700
Spanish Vines, Inc., a growing Columbia, S.C.-based importer and provider of authentic Spanish wine and food products in the United States, today announced the launch of the new www.SpanishVines.com online community, designed to guide visitors on an interactive tour of Spanish wine, culture, history and travel.

County looks for beer, wine answers (Las Cruces Sun-News)

Wed, 15 Oct 08 13:26:39 -0700
To watch or listen to county commission meetings online, click here. LAS CRUCES — Doña Ana County commissioners today are scheduled to again take up a measure about holding a beer and wine permit election in the county, but it's unclear whether they'll take action.

New Oregon Wine Explorer Features Interactive Trip Planner to Help Travelers Choose Wineries, Lodging and Dining (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)

Wed, 15 Oct 08 12:00:00 -0700
Oregon wine country remains one of the most idyllic and accessible destinations, but having local knowledge and convenient maps can make all the difference in creating a memorable experience.

White wine 'just as healthy as red' (Channel 4)

Wed, 15 Oct 08 11:57:48 -0700
A new study provides the perfect excuse to pour another glass of Pinot Grigio. Experts say white wine is just as healthy for the heart as red. Rats given a tipple of Italian white wine with their meals suffered less heart attack damage than animals allowed only water or raw grain alcohol.


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