Behind the Cork™ - Scaia Garganega / Chardonnay

2019 Scaia Garganega / Chardonnay ($14)

The Scaia project was launched by Tenauta Sant’Antonio in 2006 with the aim of creating wines with a modern style outside the restrictions by Italy’s denomination system. In Veneto dialect, the word “scaia” means a chip of stone, chalk, limestone. So, their name is a tribute to their soil, where a line of unique young wines is produced.

The vineyards for this wine are located in the eastern part of the Valpolicella region, near the Soave region - both of which are in the north-eastern part of Italy.

The wine is produced from 55% Garganega (gar-gah-neh-gah) and 45% Chardonnay. Garganega is best known as the white grape variety used to make Soave and Gambellara in Italy’s Veneto region.

Post-fermentation this wine received batonnage once a week under cold stabilization until it was bottled. It was aged in stainless-steel tanks to preserve it bright fruit flavors, did not undergo Malolactic conversion and spent three months in the bottle before going to market.

This Scaia Garganega/Chardonnay is pale gold in color and has aromas of bright, fresh fruits including yellow apple, tangerine and hints of green herbs. On the palate, the bright fruit flavors of the Garganega shine brightly yet are moderated by the Chardonnay. There are flavors of lemon zest, grapefruit, pineapple and good acidity on the finish with just a touch of saline.

This wine from Scaia is a great value for a tasty wine which is the perfect fit for a Behind the Cork™ wine of week. Chill this one to 50 degrees F and enjoy! Cheers!

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Disclosure of Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Katherine Jarvis, The Jarvis Communication Team

The Veneto Wine Region of Italy

The Veneto wine region is located in the north-eastern part of Italy between Milan and Venice. Its geography includes the foothills of the Alps to the north, Lake Garda to the immediate west and the Adriatic Sea to the east. While it is smaller than the wine-producing regions of Piedmont, Tuscany, Lombardy, Puglia and Sicily, it produces more wine than any of them.

The region of Veneto is known for Pinot Grigio and Prosecco. But other wines from the region include Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave and Bardolino. Geographically, Veneto is split into three primary areas — Bardolino, Valpolicella and Soave.

Bardolino is a cooler climate that is influenced by the Alps. It produces fresh, crisp white wines under the Bianco di Custoza and Garda titles. Bardolino is best known for its light red wines that are a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and up to 20 percent Molinara.

Just east of Lake Garda and north of Verona is Valpolicella. It is second only to Chianti in its wine production. There are four key styles of wine produced here - Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella. All are made with Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara grapes with each using its own unique wine-making technique.

To the east of Valpolicella is Soave, home to the dry white ‘Soave’ wines that are among Italy's most famous.

Next time we’ll dive a bit deeper into the various styles of Valpolicella. Until then, Salute!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine Carriers by meori

I recently discovered a bunch of handy carriers for my wines!

These meori collapsible wine carriers come in various different sizes to transport and store your wine and glasses. They are great for transporting wine home from the grocery shopping, or for taking wine to a dinner party, a wine-tasting, or to give to your favorite wine lover. They’re also perfect for the car when traveling on vacation or for all yours stops while visiting wineries.

Each wine carrier holds bottles upright and padded to keep them safe when traveling and holds up to 65 pounds. When folded flat, they are compact & easy to store in the car, pantry, or wine cellar.

The wine carriers and six bottle wine tote each include removable collapsible dividers that are also great for storing and transporting glassware as well as beverages.

The insulated two bottle wine tote keeps your bottles cold. It can hold two bottles, or one bottle and two stemless glasses with a padded layer to keep each glass safe. It also has an adjustable strap and zippered compartment for things like a cork screw or bottle opener.

Check out all these great options from meori on their website. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by meori Inc. Seattle WA

The Wines of Sicily

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and has been making wine since 4000 BC. Its dry, warm climate, regular sunshine and moderate rainfall is well suited for winemaking.

Marsala is Sicily’s most famous wine - a fortified wine. But, Sicily also produces both red and white varietal wines.

There are three key red grapes in Sicily - Nero d’Avola, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese.

Nero d'Avola (also known as Calabrese) is the most widely planted red wine grape variety in Sicily. Its name comes from the town of Avola on Sicily’s southeast coast along with the fact that “nero” means "black" referring to the grape's dark color. Nero d'Avola has traditionally been used to add color and body to wines but has also become a popular varietal wine.

Cherry-colored, aromatic and low in tannins, Frappato wines are light bodied and somewhat like France’s Beaujolais wines. While winemakers do make single variety Frappato wines, it is most commonly blended with Nero d’Avola to soften and lighten it.

Nerello Mascalese grows mostly on the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. Its wines are fresh and fruity with herbaceous flavors, good minerality and earthy tones. This grape is also used in a variety of blends including Nero d'Avola.

The key white wine grapes of Sicily are Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia.

Catarratto is the most widely planted grape in Sicily. Catarratto produces soft, dry wines and is a component of in the production of Marsala. Grillo and Inzolia are also used in the base blend for Marsala.

It should also be noted that Sicily’s winemakers are also making wines with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The White Wines of Piedmont Italy

Piedmont may be best known for its red wines but this famous wine region in Italy also produces several white wines of note.

The Moscato Bianco (moe-ska-toe bee-an-ko) grape is most notably from the Asti region of Piedmont. This grape is used in the production of Moscato d’Asti which is a sweet, semi-sparkling wine and Asti Spumante which is a refreshing, slightly sweet, sparkling white wine. This grape is also used to produce still wine (i.e., not a sparkling wine) and sweet dessert versions.

But the top white grapes of Piedmont are Cortese and Arneis.

Cortese (kort-tay-zay) is the white grape that is most famous for producing Gavi which is named for the town of Gavi in the southern part of Piedmont. Bright acidity, apple, peach and honeydew flavors are commonly associated with wines produced from this grape, along with lime, almond and light herbal or grassy aromas.

Arneis (Ar-NAYZ) is yet another grape that has recently been brought back from near extinction. Wines produced from the Arneis grape are known for their minerality along with flavors of peach, apple and hazelnut. The best Arneis wines are from the sub-regions of Roero and Langhe.

Finally, there are two other white wine grapes grown in Piedmont - Erbaluce and Nascetta. Neither of these grapes are are widely planted outside of northern Piedmont.

Erbaluce is used in the production of dry wines that are light-bodied with crisp apple flavor. Sparkling wines exhibit minerality, bold acidity and fresh, fruity flavors. Along with dry table wines, Erbaluce is used to make sweet wines with deep golden coloring, such as Passito.

Nascetta was also revived in the mid-1990s. It produces crisp wines with apple and citrus flavors along with notes of honey.

So, there’s a short overview of the variety of white wines produced in Piedmont. Next time, we’ll continue our wine tour of Italy. Until then, Salute!