Behind the Cork™ - Lyeth Meritage Red Blend

2014 Lyeth Meritage Sonoma Red Blend ($26)

Lyeth (“Leeth”) Estate was created in 1981 by founder Chip Lyeth who was captivated by the Bordeaux style of wine blending to achieve the most intriguing, inspiring wines.

And a Bordeaux blend this one is indeed. This Meritage (rhymes with Heritage) is produced from 41% Petit Verdot, 27% Malbec, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 2% Carnénère and 1% Merlot.

This wine is medium purple in color and has notes of black cherry, plum and violets along with hints of sweet tobacco, some earthiness and oak.

I was expecting a big, bold and tannic wine. But, this 2014 Meritage has had some time to soften with age.

On the palate it’s steady in its profile with soft tannin and, surprisingly, a bigger finish of jammy fruit.

This Lyeth Meritage is part of the Boisset Collection of wines owned by Jean-Charles Boisset. His parents founded the family winery in 1961 and today the family collection includes wineries that share more than 20 centuries of combined winemaking heritage and tradition in some of the world’s most prestigious terroirs, from Burgundy to the South of France, to California’s Napa Valley and Russian River Valley. 

If you are looking for a nice Bordeaux-style red wine, at a very affordable price, be sure to look for Lyeth Sonoma Meritage. Cheers!

Tuscany: One of Italy's Most Famous Wine Regions

Tuscan is located in west-central Italy and includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. It is also the birthplace of the Italian renaissance. Wine production in Tuscan started before the rise of the Roman Empire and is believed to have begun in the 5th century BC.

Most of Tuscan’s top wine regions produce red wine, but that’s not to say that white wines aren’t produced. But more than 80% of Tuscan wines are red.

While Tuscany is comprised of more than 40 sub-regions, it’s best known for the regions of Chianti (Italy’s first official wine region created in 1716), Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. And, the grape of Tuscan is Sangiovese.

The best examples of Chianti come from the Chianti Classico zone, which was awarded a separate status in 1996. Many of the Chianti Classico wines are marked by the black cockerel (Gallo Nero) logo. However, bottles sold in the US are not always so marked.

Originally, the wines of Chianti were required to use both red and white wine grapes. But today, Chianti Classico wines must simply contain a minimum of 80 percent of the Sangiovese variety. The remainder can be made from native grapes such as Canaiolo or Colorino. There are three levels of Chianti Classico wines - Annata (the most basic wines), Riserva and Gran Selezione. Riserva wines must be aged for 24 months while Gran Selezione must be entirely made from a single estate and aged for 30 months.

Brunello di Montalcino is another of Italy's most famous and prestigious wines. All Brunello di Montalcino wines are made exclusively from 100% Sangiovese that is grown on the slopes around Montalcino which is located just south of Siena. Brunello must be aged for at least four years while the Riserva must be aged for five years. Two of these years must be spent in oak, and the wine must spend a minimum of four months in the bottle prior to being released.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is located southeast of Siena in southeastern Tuscany. Wines of this region must be at least 70 percent Sangiovese. Other local varieties can be used for the remaining 30 percent and up to 5% may be white varieties such as Malvasia. The aging period for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a minimum of 24 months while the Riserva wines must have a minimum of 36 months of aging with at least 12 months in oak barrels.

Behind the Cork™ - Opolo Vineyards Fusion Red Blend

2014 Opolo Fusion Red Blend ($28)

Several years ago, I was given a bottle of Opolo Reserve Zinfandel and thought it was one of the best bottles I had ever had. I’ve remained a big fan of Opolo and have visited their tasting room during a visit to Paso Robles.

Opolo’s was established in 1995, and has vineyards on both the west and east side of Paso Robles. The coastal influence of the westside vineyards provides for intense and unique flavor profiles. The heat and dryness of the east side vineyards make it an ideal microclimate for growing Bordeaux varietals.

This Opolo Fusion is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. It is deep ruby in color with aromas of plum and blackberry. On the palate it’s big and bold with a powerful front of fruity flavors that trails off to an easy finish. Right out of the bottle this 2014 showed its firm tannins but after about an hour in a decanter it settled down nicely.

Be sure to check out all of Opolo’s super wines on their website or stop in and visit their tasting room next time you are in Paso Robles. Cheers!

Ever Wonder About Nebbiolo Wine?

Nebbiolo is a grape that is grown almost exclusively in Italy. In the Piedmont region. And, most famously in Barolo and Barbaresco.

The Nebbiolo grape is named for the Italian word for fog which is “nebbia.” This grape thrives in the cool and foggy climates of Piemonte where altitudes can reach up to 1500 feet. Whether the grape is named for the foggy climate or the thick white bloom of yeast that forms on the grapes when ripe is the subject of debate.

The Nebbiolo grape was first documented in the fourteenth century but is believed to have been grown in the area long before that time.

Nebbiolo wines are known for their lighter color that is often described as brick red-orange or pale garnet, their delicate aromas, and their powerful tannins and pronounced acidity.

The classic Barolos are famous for their "tar and roses" aromas, their bright ruby color (which becomes garnet over time), their bold tannins, elevated acidity, and relatively high alcohol (a minimum of 13% but often above 15% ABV). Barolos must be aged at least 38 months with a minimum of 18 months in the barrel. Riserva Barolos must be aged for at least 5 years.

Barbaresco has a slightly warmer, drier and milder climate than Barolo. This means its Nebbiolo grapes tend to ripen earlier than those in Barolo. Thus, the wines tend to be lower in tannin and a bit more drinkable at an earlier age. But there is still plenty of acidity and tannins to make Barbaresco wines age-worthy. Barbaresco is characterized by its rich, spicy flavors and perfumed sweetness and is often considered a bit more elegant and refined than the more robust wines from Barolo. The wines of Barbaresco must have a minimum alcohol content of 12.5 percent and undergo two years of aging, one of which must be spent in wooden barrels. Barbaresco Riserva must be aged for four years, with one of those years in wood.

While the Nebbiolo wines of Barolo and Barbaresco are best known, they can be expensive. It is said that the neighboring region of Roero within Piemonte produces wines of equal intensity and structure at a fraction of the price. While the wines of Barolo and Barbaresco must be 100% Nebbiolo, the wines of Roero must include a minimum 95 percent Nebbiolo. They must also be aged for 20 months, of which at least six must be in oak barrels. A further 12 months is added to this minimum if the winemaker is seeking Riserva status.

If you love the delicacy of Pinot Noir and the robustness of a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, try a Barolo or a Barbaresco. But, you might want to give the younger ones a good hour or more in a decanter before serving. Cheers!

Ever Wonder What a Super Tuscan Wine is?

Much like France, Italy has a long tradition of wine. In the 1960s, Italy formalized their wine appellation system modeled after the French system. Under this system, each wine region in Italy was required to operate under strict rules for the types of grapes they were allowed to grow and how their wines were to be produced.

Under this system, native Italian grapes were required to be used in Italian wines. These native grapes included Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Montepulciano. But these regulations were quickly criticized as being overly restrictive and led small groups to push-back against them. By the end of the ’60s, these groups were producing wine blends with non-native grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

But, these producers of wines using non-native Italian grapes were forced to bottle their wines using the generic title of Vino da Tavola (Table Wine) that is associated with Italy’s lowest-quality wines. Instead of settling for this, they chose to unofficially call their wines “Super Tuscans” so as to distinguish them from inexpensive table wines.

Finally, in 1992, the Italian government created a new wine classification called “Toscana IGT” for these Super Tuscan wine blends.

The Toscana IGT continues to be used to distinguish Super Tuscans. So, look for Toscana IGT on the label of these unique Italian wines. Cheers!