Testing The Infinite Monkey Theorem

198...199... 200!!!!

2010-09-05T08:21:00.000-07:00

In January 2008 a quest to sample 100 different and pure varietals began. Almost a year later and with only slight deviations from the 100% rule that quest was completed. However I soon became aware of The Wine Century Club's "Doppel Member" distinction and the quest was extended to 200. It took more than a year and a half to get to 200. Last night that varietal threshold was crossed with an assortment of delicious pure bottlings from the Kent Rasmussen Winery.

A few years back under his Esoterica label Kent decided to make a deconstructed "port" in addition to the final blend. I was lucky enough to buy one of these rare sets (less than 500 375ml bottles were made). Included in the six bottle collection was: Tempranillo, Sousao, Tinta Cao, Touriga Nacional, Trousseau, and a final blended bottle of 20% each. Varietals 198 and 199 the Touriga Nacional and the Sousão were well balanced, sweet without being cloying and thoroughly enjoyable. Varietal 200 was the Tinta Cão which had more of the tannic backbone. The blended bottle was excellent and reflected the strength of the Tinta Cao and the softness of the others. What a treat!

In a few days I will send off my application for inclusion into the Dopple Membership. Perhaps this will put an end to the quest as I know it. I have however noticed that there is now a Treble membership.....

#197 Magliocco

2010-06-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

Magliocco is an old Italian red grape that is commonly used for blending. This Magno Megonio from Librandi has a lot of acidity and backbone but not a lot of flesh. Add this wine to a flabby fruit bomb and you could have a big winner.

#196 Trousseau

2010-06-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Pale purple and thin on the pour. Peppery and earthy on the nose. Tightly wound acidity on the palate. Dry and slightly astringent on the finish. This is a Trousseau also known as Bastardo.

I happen to like this wine but then again I tend to like harder wines. It is quite nice to run into a 12.5% abv red wine these days. I am a bit exhausted today so I will keep this one brief. Here's to closing in on big #200!

#195 Piedirosso

2010-06-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Wiki:

Lacryma Christi, (also Lachryma Christi, literally "tear of Christ"), is the name of a celebrated Neapolitan type of wine produced on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in Campania, Italy.

The name Lacryma Christi comes from an old myth that Christ, crying over Lucifer's fall from heaven, cried his tears on the land and gave divine inspiration to the vines that grew there. The sides of Vesuvius are deeply scarred by past lava flows, and its lower slopes are extremely fertile, dotted with villages and covered with vineyards.

Piedirosso is the varietal in this very nice wine. This one is a bit of a u-turn from the night's first wine. This red is loaded with dry minerality. I have now had a number of excellent wines coming from this area and using grapes which have been grown on the side of Vesuvius. Volcanic terroir really does the trick for me and I think that these are some of the most interesting wines in a country with perhaps the greatest variety of wine styles in the world.

#194 Alicante Bouschet

2010-06-06T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is a grape that I thought would be one of the first 20 or so that I tried. In fact I had some not long before I started this quest. Then an alicante bouschet dry spell set in and we arrive "suddenly" at #194.

Here we have another successful Portuguese effort. We had friends over and had a feast of BBQ ribs, decadent sides and of course pies and cookies. My shipment from Laurenti Wines came in and so I thought it would be a great time to try a few wines. Well this $10 bottle was gone very quickly. It is a well rounded red with good acidity but light on tannins. This example isn't something I would want to cellar perhaps but it does a great job at a great price of pleasing a party.

#193 Muscat of Alexandria

2010-06-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

Wine Enthusiast Review
Rated 94
"Ben Rye is a glowing example of Sicilian pride, and you can understand why. Beautifully integrated with deep aromas of orange zest, honey, chestnut, molasses and dried apricot, the wine is a true incarnation of lavish decadence. The mouthfeel delivers impressive intensity and concentration of flavors."

I think by now you realize those aren't my words but I agree whole-heartedly. In Sicily the Muscat of Alexandria grape is known as Zibibbo. This sweet white wine pours the color of cognac. It has a delightful nose of apricots which is followed by a lovely bouquet of sweet dried fruits. This grape, though hard to find here warrants some additional attention.

Also THIS is one of the coolest google map views of a winery I have found so far!

#192 Bombino Bianco

2010-06-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

Bombino Bianco is a white Italian wine grape planted primarily along Italy's Adriatic coast line, most notably in Apulia. The vine is prone to high yields and is sometimes known as "Trebbiano d'Abruzzo"

And that is what we have here. Its a nice clean Italian white with a lingering acidity on the finish. It is refreshing to find.... well... a refreshing wine here at 192.

#191 Blatina

2010-05-31T19:36:00.000-07:00

And with this wine I finish off my treasure trove of hard to find wines that I found at a north side grocery store this spring. This is a Blatina, another indigenous varietal from Bosnia and Herzegovinia.

This one, like its brother tasted earlier, is extraordinarily dry and with very little fruit. It is meant to be served cold and as it warms the acidity really comes to the forefront.

Wine quest is now in the home stretch. It has been a long journey so far. Let the countdown begin!

#190 Isabella

2010-05-31T08:42:00.000-07:00

Wine's #189 and #190 come from Moldavia and a winery called Dionysos Mereni. (its a pretty cool looking place). Both of these are dessert wines and both are non-vintage reds and both have a heavy sediment buildup in the neck. (also... both are unopened as my trepidation is palpable)....

The description of the Isabella on wiki, lets say makes me quite uncomfortable: "The Isabella being of the genus Vitis x Labruscana imparts a "foxiness" to the wine and because of this is thought to be objectionable,therefore it is not seen as a grape capable of making fine wines."

Here we go... "Particle board" cork, blackened on the end and smelling vegetative. Color is amber, nose is prunes and alcohol. Taste is a woody strawberry. Finish is a warming burn as you would expect from a 17% ABV wine. This bottle I may not purchase again but I would love to try more wine from this winery. Let me just check on flights....

#189 Lidia

2010-05-31T08:30:00.001-07:00

This wine follows my opening of #190 above. This one is a Lidia. I find even less information about this wine than I did the Isabella. I note that it appears often on various Moldavian wineries so I am going to have to assume it is a regional grape much like Isabella...

This bottle is in similar condition, lots of sediment in the neck. Same cork, same blackened end but less vegetative. Wine pours slightly more purple but really is still amber. Nose a bit rough the vegetation comes through. Taste is strawberries and alcohol. This one is definitely more approachable than its sister above. Perhaps its the 16% abv... that can make a difference. If not for the nose I think this would be an interesting pairing with a fresh fruit desert. I suspect I could make a very nice sauce out of this one...

#188 Mavrodaphne

2010-05-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

An accidental opening tonight. Originally the port like nose was a surprise. Then the port-like taste was a further surprise. Once I looked the bottle.... no more surprise.

This Greek red dessert wine pours an almost yellow brown. The nose is perhaps a toasted caramel. The taste is a sherry/madiera blend and the finish is a bracing overly sweet pucker up.

Mavrodafni (also spelled Mavrodaphne, Greek: Μαυροδάφνη, Maurodaphnē) is both a black wine grape indigenous to the Achaia region in Northern Peloponnese, Greece, and the sweet, fortified wine produced from it.

#187 Vranac

2010-05-30T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here we have another red wine from Bosnia and Herzegovina, a Vranac from Winery Citluk. This one comes from along the Neretva river south of Mostar. "Vranec is considered the most important variety of grape in Montenegro and the one of the most important in the Republic of Macedonia."

There is a nice floral nose which gives way to a surprisingly dry wine. It has a citrus-like acidity which fades slowly on the finish. The bottle suggests pairing this with roast meats and smoked cheeses. I suspect that would be very nice.

#186 Cayuga

2010-05-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

I am getting this varietal in the form of a "California White Port". Its very sweet and at 19% alcohol it tastes like sugared vodka.

Originally developed in Geneva, New York in the late 1950's early 1960's, Cayuga White was first grown commercially in Upstate, NY in the early 1970's. An examination of the grape's heredity yields a complex ancestry; engineered to withstand the cold climates (down to -20 degrees F), yet artistically developed for its mellow, fruity taste.
The Cayuga White grape is a cross between the Seyval Grape (also known as the Seyve-Villard) and the Schuylar grape. The Schuyler grape is a cross between the Zinfandel and Ontario Grape. As we all know, the Zinfandel grape is a "popular" red wine grape from the California Region. While, the Ontario grape is a cross between the Winchell and Moore's Diamond grape.
It has been embraced by winemakers in eastern states and other frost-susceptible parts of North America. It produces quality fruit and is known for its very large, high-yielding clusters.

#185 Zilavka

2010-05-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

Zilavka is a native grape of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is a white wine with a sweet nose but a dry palate. It is definitely a nice wine.

Wow these are getting short!

#184 Airen

2010-05-27T04:27:00.000-07:00

Protocolo. another very dry very light very refreshing white wine. Serve this one ice cold on your deck and you wont have any complaints. Made from 70% Airén, 30% Macabeo this closes out another varietal on the original sheet (a rare event these days)

#183 Lake Emerald

2010-05-27T04:19:00.000-07:00

We went to Eden Winery a small winery east of Ft. Myers Florida to sample this wine. The Lake Emerald varietal came out of the University of Florida almost 60 years ago. From what I can gather its parentage is Pixiola and Golden Muscat . Amazingly it can handle those Florida temperatures, critters and blazing sun. I was shocked to find this white dry, clean and thoroughly refreshing. The winery says it is "Extremely dry, with an underbody of ripe fruit" and I think that sums it up neatly. I would forgive you for thinking that this one was a light sauvignon blanc. I bought a bottle to drink with some fresh seafood.

Cool info Here

#182 Tămâioasă Românească

2010-05-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

Tămâioasă Românească Princiar Special Reserve

Translated to English: "Romanian Incensed Maiden". Here we have a late harvest white. Nose is sweet honeysuckle. Sweet on the palate; somewhere between a table and a desert white. Finish is gentle. Not a bad showing for Romanian wine #2. I would love to try a well aged version of this wine.

#181 Krstac

2010-05-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Here we have a Krstac from Montenegro and I will say "impressive". It is refreshing and bright, has just the right amount of fullness on the palate and finishes clean. This is actually a wine I would buy again. Wiki confirms my opinion it seems:

Krstač is an ancient variety of grape that is indigenous to Montenegro and Serbia. A high quality dry white wine is made of it. The wine may be rich, of harmonious bouquet and of light yellow color with 12.5% alcohol.^"

And in doing a little research about the area:

"Alcohol comsumption
There is neither a minimum nor a maximum legal drinking age in Montenegrins bars and shops."

Maximum drinking age? Ouch...

#180 Ojaleshi

2010-05-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

This is another semi-sweet wine. This one hails from the Republic of Georgia and is made by the "Georgian Royal Estates". The flavor profile is very much in line with the previous 3-4 wines in the list. I am sure they are all well made wines but they are just too sweet for my palate.

#179 Feteasca Neagra

2010-05-20T17:53:00.000-07:00

At this stage in the quest I am having a harder and harder time uncovering much information about these wines. This is a 2007 from Tohani Domain. It is a Romanian late harvest semi-sweet wine (as many seem to be from this general area of the world). Welch's purple in the glass. Sweet prunes on the front palate, phantom finish and a general acidity on the top palate. And hey its my first Romanian wine! Cheers to that.

#178 Pamid

2010-05-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Rounding out the Bulgarian Three is a grape named Pamid. This wine like the other two is quite clear. There is not much of a nose save for a hint of alcohol. The wine itself is one dimensional and a bit sharp. Its a simple wine meant to be consumed young. $5.99 and 11% ABV.

#177 Shevka

2010-05-18T16:43:00.000-07:00

Shevka... Another Bulgarian grape but other than a few mentions on various Bulgarian websites as one of Bulgaria's premier grapes there is very little out there.

This wine is a clear cranberry red. Nose is sweet watermelon and old roses. Flavor is semi sweet strawberry candy. Finish is warming and schnapps like with a fading hint of woodiness.

That about covers it for this one....

#176 Mavrud

2010-05-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a long time since I have been able to pursue my quest. I notice that my last post was in December of 2009. Well.... as luck would have it I happened upon a treasure trove of wines while searching for fresh produce during our extended Chicago cold snap. I am now driving for that 200 varietal number and begin this new leg of the quest with a Mavrud from Bulgaria.

This wine is clear and touched with amber. It has currant on the nose and a mildly acidic fruit on the tongue. This 12% abv wine finishes with a dry lingering soft woody flavor.

Best of all is the story behind the grape (for those who don't follow links). "Legend says that during the reign of Khan Krum of Bulgaria all vineyards were ordered destroyed. Later, a lion escaped from its cage and terrorized the city. However, a fearless young man named Mavrud (now the name of a wine grape) confronted and slew the beast. The king summoned Mavrud's mother to learn the source of such courage. She said she had secretly saved a vine, made wine, and that this was the source of Mavrud's bravery. Khan Krum ordered the vineyards replanted."

#175 Aleatico

2009-12-14T05:58:00.001-08:00

2008 Rossini Pergola Rosso Aleatico Marche

I swear I have had this wine before but things do get a bit hazy at this point. The nose suggests that I am in for a sickly sweet experience with loads of blueberry syrup wafting from the glass. My first sip still has me thinking blueberry... and has me waiting for the sugar... but no! Instead this bottle hits me with a delightful curveball. Bone dry with nice acid and just enough of the alcohol "burn".

#174 Colombard

2009-12-14T05:57:00.000-08:00

Sweet up front, quick dose of acidity and a fast finish which leaves me thinking I just had a glass of orange juice. This is a $5 New Jersey white which gets me a step closer...

#173 Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba

2009-12-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

Marotti Campi Rubico Lacrima Di Morro D'Alba

This red is explosively aromatic with loads of floral scents. The wine itself is dry and acidic and requires a food pairing.

There is a great description of the grape found via the link above.

#172 Kadarka

2009-12-08T09:18:00.000-08:00

Marika Nemes Kadarka

Sweet dry red. Very nice.

#171 Alexandrouli

2009-12-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Khvanchkara, 6% alcohol

Sweet red, perhaps with a hint of oak?

#170 Frontenac

2009-12-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Saint Croix Vineyards

This is a University of Minnesota varietal. Designed to be winter hardy. Interesting raspberry flavor.

#169 Alfrocheiro

2009-12-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Dao Cabriz 2007

Bone dry, Anise and acid.

#168 Fateasca Regala

2009-12-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

Curtea Regala PodargaSarca Niculitel 2006

Romanian sweet white. Funky butterscotch nose then semi sweet from start to finish.

#167 Catarrato

2009-12-08T09:10:00.001-08:00

La Piazza Sicily 2007

Simply this was a Sauvignon Blanc-lite.

#166 Catawba

2009-12-08T09:09:00.000-08:00

Ranier Rose Tomasello Winery "American Table Wine"

This is an American original grape. Syrupy sweet, tastes of Concord grape jelly. We added some seltzer to create a spritzer which might be an interesting summer surprise.

#165 Bacchus

2009-12-08T09:07:00.000-08:00

Peter Brum 2008 Rheinhessen

A white wine in a red bottle. Very sweet but flavor fades rapidly and finishes perfectly clean with just a wisp of hazelnut.

#164 Baga

2009-12-08T09:05:00.001-08:00

Luis Pato Casta Baca

Very dry, high acidity sparkler. Not a crowd favorite.

#163 Delaware

2009-12-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

Saint Croix Vineyards

White wine tasted like Pixie Sticks, sweet yet drinkable. "Grapey" but with an artificial grape flavor.

Wine Flood!

2009-12-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

In an effort to catch up with my backlog of wine posts the following posts will be short and sweet. If time permits I will back and fill with photos. For now though this will have to suffice...

#162 Traminer

2009-11-22T06:54:00.000-08:00

Well as far as the quest is concerned I have now drunk a wine super-store under the table. This is the last of my Sam's Wines (RIP) bottles... last but certainly not least. I was assured that this bottle contained the ancient Traminer (see below and here) but now the website and that salesman are long gone.

With today's grape, Traminer I get a chance to sample one of the great ancestors in the wine world. The Traminer grape has given us Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Silvaner, Grüner Veltliner, and impressively Pinot Noir (with all of its offspring...Chardonnay anyone?) to name but a few.

Surprisingly, given much of its progeny, the flavor profile here is more Chardonnay than Riesling although elements of both are clearly observable. Unfortunately in this case of 1+1 does not equal 3. Our human ancestors must have decided that those flavors would be better apart than together and began working on 2-1=2...

This tasting opened up a world of questions most of which are unanswered as of this posting. For now I will consider this a new varietal but as I learn more and as my DNA sequencing lab finishes up determining the genetic code for all grapes this might change.

#161 Scheurebe

2009-11-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

Link

2008 Weingut Bürgerspital Wuerzburger Steinharfe Scheurebe Kabinett (cannot ship) SKU #1049937

With a wine-growing area of 110 hectares, Bürgerspital wine-growing estate, located in a fantastically beautiful courtyard right in the middle of Würzburg, is one of the largest wine-growing estates in Germany. This is Scheurebe, folks, a crossbreeding of silvaner and Riesling, and it shows an almost red grape aromatic profile with hints of cassis and a finish that is nicely acidic, making it a great match with sausages, veal or cheese. The 2007 edition of this wine got a Double Gold at the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

OK at first blush this posting may look like a cop-out on my part. But this is my first post using my brand new computer with 64 bit Windows 7 and the new blog editor. I cannot believe I got this far...

#160 Arinto

2009-11-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well the hits keep rolling. Here we have an Arinto from Quinta da Romeira (Portugal) and it becomes yet another in a string of surprises. I started this wine overly chilled (after all it was a sub $10 bottle) and I was a bit disappointed by the singular dimension I experienced. When I returned to the glass 15 minutes later everything had changed. This was an entirely different wine.

Immediately I equated this wine with a simple sauvignon blanc but there is more to it than that. Certainly the citric acidity is evident but it is a fuller wine with more balance than I had expected. As I write this I wish I had been able to leave a little wine in the bottle for the review but it truly was a shame not to drink it. I am more than a little surprised that Arinto has not caught on as a more popular grape. I consider Arinto one of my favorite under the radar white wines and put it on par with the not as obscure Spanish grape Albarino.

I regret that I served this with chicken instead of with crab cakes or a seafood salad of some sort. This wine will definitely be served here again.

I enjoy reading the WSJ wine writers Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher and was surprised that I missed this recent piece which summed up more than a few of my experiences with the quest and with this wine in particular. They closed the piece with "New is fun and often rewarding." Cheers to that!

Quinta Da Romeira Arinto

#159 Malvasia Nera

2009-11-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful things about the late stages of the wine quest is that I never know what to expect when opening a new bottle. The surprises here started with popping the cork and carried through to the finish.

Firstly this wine is under pressure and the surprising POP as the cork was forced out shocked, scared and then interested me. When I noticed that the cork had expanded greatly (think champagne cork) I knew that the carbonation was not a fault. The wine poured a grape juice purple and generated a slight "head" of bubbles which remained around the sides of the glass. The aromatics are enormous but sweet and floral. This wine has a mere 5.5% alcohol which puts it in league with many European beers. This reduced alcohol allows the fruit and sugars to really shine through. The carbonation adds the illusion of acidity so the wine doesn't need it and as you might suspect there is no tannic structure to speak of.

As you may know I am not a huge fan of very sweet wines but somehow this one really hit a soft spot with me. It is very well made, certain to be a crowd pleaser (served chilled on a warm summers day) and would be great served with a variety of the summers best fruits. Not easy to find but for $15 it is a compelling choice.

2008 Cascina Gilli Malvasia Nera di Castelnuovo Don Bosco

#158 Favorita

2009-11-06T04:08:00.000-08:00

Getting to 200 wines by years end is feeling increasingly impossible but I will knuckle down and plow ahead. Today is a grape called Favorita. This wine is as green in color as the picture shows. It has the faintest hint of carbonation that passes quickly but does push a lovely floral aroma out of the bottle. The wine itself doesn't hold up to the promise of the nose, instead presenting a surprisingly dry and acidic profile. The finish is a bit hot but I wasn't trying this wine chilled which I suspect would be the best idea... All in all it is quite a nice grape although like many at this stage in the quest increasingly hard to find.

#157 Grillo

2009-11-01T03:53:00.000-08:00

Here we have another ancient grape. This Sicilian white apparently has been made into wine for thousands of years. Most often the grapes are made into marsala.

This is another of the Mediterranean style whites (if I may) which is crisp, fresh, served well chilled and perfectly suited alongside a seafood meal in the sun with a salt breeze coming off the sea.

#156 Pineau D'Aunis

2009-11-01T03:46:00.000-08:00

Color like a dark rose'.

Nose of raspberry and pepper.

Effervescent feel on the tongue.
(though not carbonated)

Taste: light oak, barnyard and big acidity.

Sadly this one, though unique and ancient is not an inspiration.

#155 Schiava

2009-10-30T05:02:00.000-07:00

Speaking of top 5 places I would like to visit the Südtirol makes the list. Not only is it the home of my favorite "discovery" Lagrein but it is located at the foothills of the Dolomites along the Austrian border. The views appear spectacular.

I guess I was expecting another Lagrein type of wine. One that was more burly and fruity and would be suitable for... well roasted boar in the middle of an alpine winter. Instead I found this one to be a much easier drinking wine. It is light bodied but rounded clean and well balanced. This would be suitable for many lighter dishes but would be overpowered by spicier fare. Excellent and enjoyable value at $16.

From K&L (via the distributor) "Made of Schiava (90%) (in German, Vernatsch) with a small amount of Lagrein(10%), this wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel. Notes: pale red color; aroma of strawberries and tomato leaf, very appetising; the palate is bigger and more assertive than the color would suggest but still very drinkable. A faint hint of apple-skin bitterness on the finish adds to its appeal with food. It is delicious paired with most any pork dish, especially ham. I've heard it can be drunk with grilled salmon as well. Very small quantities. This (Schiava) delicious berry-ish red is Italy's answer to Beaujolais, and a foil to his other red, Lagrein Dunkel, which is one of the great Italian red grapes and deserves to be much more well known. The best examples are deep purple in color, with aromas of blackberries and Assam tea."

#154 Poulsard

2009-10-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Poulsard (also Ploussard) is a red wine grape variety from the Jura wine region in France. The name Ploussard is used mainly around the town of Pupillin. Poulsard is also grown in Bugey.

This particular bottle may have been faulty but I will report as best as I can. It looks like a rose' although the appearance is a bit dusty, smells a bit like a rose with acidic overtones and has a powerful astringency on the palate. These wines are meant to be consumed well chilled by the summer following the vintage (in this case I am 3 months late).

#153 Plavac Mali

2009-10-29T04:58:00.001-07:00

An absolutely brilliant dry well-balanced $11 bottle of Plavac Mali from Croatia's Peljesac Peninsula.

I insist you look at this link... The Dalmatian Coast has just sprung up into my top 5 places I need to visit.

Now it is all starting to make sense. One of my first favorite wines was a Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon made by the famed native Croatian (and now Californian) winemaker Mike Grgich. This goes to show that even at varietal #153 great things can happen.

#152 Teroldego

2009-10-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

"Teroldego Rotaliano ovvero "Oro del Tirolo" da una probabile interpretazione del idioma "Tiroler Gold" I regnanti d’Austria, durante la loro reggenza in Trentino, considerarono infatti questo vino eccellente sia per il colore intenso e profondo, profumato di lampone e mora che per il sapore pieno rotondo giustamente acido e privo di tannini: appunto Oro del Tirolo."

I say "Plums and Prunes and edgy acidity."

#151 Frappato

2009-10-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

Nose:
Blueberry Sauce

Taste:
Blackberry Jam

Finish:
Anise

I enjoyed this wine. It is the first time I have tasted a wine that had such distinct and recognizable flavor profiles. As with all the wines at this stage of the quest this one was not easy to find. If you come across it give it a try.

#150 Tinta Madeira

2009-10-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

Ficklin "Old Vine" Tinta Port

In the production of the OV Tinta Port, which is not vintaged, winemaker Peter Ficklin uses wine from the winery's unique Solera system. Because of this, the blend for any particular bottling cannot be precisely measured. 60% to 80% of the blend is Tinta Madeira, 2% to 10% is Tinta Cao, and Touriga and Souzao each constitute 10% to 25% of the final blend. Unique and a super value!

I think the most observant of my millions of readers will notice that this is in fact an American made "Port" but that its primary grape is Tinta Madeira which is not a major player in the Portuguese version. What is Tinta Madeira? It seems to be its own varietal but is down to its last 50 acres or so.

While this bottle doesn't have all the lushness of a proper port it is certainly an enjoyable effort and for $15 you cant go wrong. This will make a nice aperitif for a cold fall evening or late night tipple to warm your insides and allow for a slow drift into a long winter slumber.

#149 Loureiro

2009-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Here we have a truly unique Vinho Verde from Portugal for a mere $10 which reminds me of a diluted lemonade braced with a hint of seltzer. On the pour you will see a swirling of the tiniest bubbles. For those of you still with me that is called "pétillance" (pay-tee-YAWN). On the first taste I find a nice soft sweetness followed by the bracing lemon acidity and finishing in a balanced harmony of the wine's major elements.

This is a really fun wine that I am sure will amuse your guests as well as your palate. I recommend giving this one a try if you can find it.

And oh yes, Vinho Verde can be made from a variety of grapes. This one contains 50% Loureiro which I have been unable to find on its own so this will have to do.. for now anyway.

#148 Tocai Friulano

2009-10-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

Tocai “Mari Me” ‘07

Here we have a Tocai Friulano. It is a nice clean white with hints of peach and a nice bright minerality. The winemaker says that this grape was the only one his mother would drink and so named this one "Mari Me" (My Mother). This was a Sam's wine purchase and I fear that I won't be able to find this one again any time soon but it would make a nice summer wine.

#147 Uva Rara

2009-10-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Uva Rara means "rare grape" and is almost never found as a star it is usually part of the supporting cast. At first taste I was about to relegate this one to the trash heap of "oh no not another one that tastes like all the other cheap ones" wines but now as I go back to take a second taste (and after the wine has been opened for more than a few days) I am finding it much more enjoyable.

At first sip I am thinking it is a fruitier Chianti but the mid-palate fades a bit quickly and the finish is a bit acidic. Nonetheless I am very happy to have had a chance to try this unique grape.

#146 Refosco

2009-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

As I get closer to the end of the varietal list I am finding that it is as hard to acquire the wines as it is to find ones that really blow me away. So from here on in I will not try to find nice ways to say that a wine just wasn't that good but that it might be worth a try. For most people these days throwing $20 away on an uninspired bottle hurts twice, once in the pocket and once again on the palate. Sure, in the heady days of the dot.com mania or the subsequent property "boom" when..... But I digress.

In this case we have a smoky earthy red with a quick dry finish and an excess of heat. Most of our tasters last night felt that it was a decent wine but perhaps would be more suited to that $10-$12 price point.

The quest just got a whole lot harder

2009-10-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Our once great local wine shop Sam's Wines and Spirits has finally succumbed to horrible management and has been absorbed into the Binny's empire.

www.samswine.com

Sam's Wines and Spirits was once a grand store. For quite a while they were the largest single wine retail space on the planet. They had inventory that filled shelves reaching to the ceiling of their 3 story store/warehouse. They had sales people that could dizzy you with their passion for wine while simultaneously making sure they didn't lord their wine knowledge over you. When I shopped Sam's I felt like they were happy I dropped by. It didn't matter if it was for empty cardboard boxes or for a few cases of wine you were treated like a valued part of their business. They even had a rewards program that was automatic and generous. Sams was a classic family owned success story and a destination in and of itself.

Then along come the new owners with plans to turn Sam's into a monster of retail. They had plans to open 20 new stores in a year or so and to sell only "what people buy" which meant a sea of $8 bottles of animal emblazoned wine would soon replace the deep inventory. The inventory was decimated (why tie up all that $ in wine when you deploy it elsewhere) and the shelves that reached for the ceiling were soon taken down. With the diminished inventory the need for knowledgeable salespeople waned almost as quickly as the salespeople's interest in the shallow inventory faded. They moved on and the passion was gone. The rewards program was gutted and turned into a short expiration date coupon. The few new stores that had opened were shuttered. The online system crashed repeatedly and made placing an order a real test of ones willpower. Sam's sadly had become a place to avoid, an empty shell of a once great institution.

As for the quest, this turn of events will make things a bit more difficult To be honest it was rare that I would find anything new there anyway but still.... Oh well.... I wish everyone who remains the best of luck!

#145 Pinela

2009-09-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

A delicious wine. Think unoaked chardonnay with firm structure and solid acidity. It has great balance despite the alcohol content of a blistering 14.22%! This wine is bold but not over the top and if you can find it (good luck) its an excellent bottle.

And a blurb from the retailer:
"Zelen and Pinela are the two indigenous grape varietals of the Vipava Valley which are just now being rediscovered and replanted by a handful of leading vintners. They consider these grapes their precious natural resource to make wines that are unmistakenly unique to their beloved wine region.
Guerila is one of these few estates, its vineyards have been family owned for centuries. The approach revitalizes traditions but with an exquisite contemporary technical know-how and a careful attention to every detail."

#144 Zelen

2009-09-16T10:13:00.001-07:00

Zelen from Slovenia.

At first I was a bit disappointed in the uni-dimensional aspect of this wine. Served ice cold it went down like an ultra-light beer. A few days later, warmed to room temperature this wine revealed its character. At first I considered it a simple Pinot Gris in style but there is a bit more dimension. Maybe a touch of nutmeg with that citus acidity? Enjoyable wine and easy to drink without food.

This had me very interested in the next bottle...

#143 Kisi

2009-09-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

"2006 Vinoterra Kisi, Khakheti, Republic of Georgia SKU #1044695

100% Kisi, a very rare grape varietal indeed, which is fermented in kvevri (amphora/clay jars) and then allowed to mature in oak. A little nutty, a little salty, a little savory with loads of mouth feel, structure and character. Try this with smoked white fish!"

Can you tell I stole this directly from the K&L website? I suppose since I paid $22 for this bottle from them they might not mind after all they did nail the tasting notes. I might simplify it further (if I wasn't trying to sell anything) and say this wine has a hint of nutty brine once the oak washes off. Also the wine has a unique color which reminds me (again since I am not trying to sell the bottle) of a white wine poured into a recently finished glass of red. Just a hint of red.

I greatly enjoyed this wine for its history and manufacture and color and taste. Really fascinating.

#142 Rkatsiteli

2009-09-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight we have another Georgian wine... Yes the country not the state. A blend of 80% Rkatsiteli and 20% Mtsvane. Rkatsiteli is believed to have been the most widely planted grape in the world at one point. Seeds from this grape have been found in Georgia in man made vessels dating back 5,000 years.

And a quick map check from the winery; "Mildiani Family Winery is located in the town of Tsinandali, one of the most renown appellations and possibly the single most recognized historical wine town in Georgia, and the heart of the Kakheti region in the southeastern portion of the country."

This bottle set me back $10. It has subtle fruit up front followed by a mid-palate fade and then a buzz of acidity. The 13.8% alcohol level can be felt on the finish as wisps of the stuff trace through my nose. It is a simple white which reminds me of a Pinot Grigio.

#141 Baco Noir

2009-09-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my, it has been 6 weeks without a new wine... I do have a small backlog of new varietals and I will dutifully get on to it, after all I do need to get to 200 grapes before the year ends. (That has become a lot harder than it sounds)

Today it is Baco Noir . Clearly this is not an easy grape to find but I have to say that not only does the wiki (check link above) do a great job of describing this grape it mentions this particular bottling as well. In short this is a grape that is now largely found in Ontario and primarily has excellent defenses against many of the North American weather/diseases/bugs. Perhaps the flavor profile was secondary to survival as this wine is fruit forward but then becomes quite acidic - a lack of balance. Still at $15 a bottle for a red wine made in Canada in far from optimal conditions I must respectfully say thank you.

#140 Mandilaria

2009-07-21T16:00:00.000-07:00

Mandilaria... Yes it does sound a bit like some sort of mosquito borne parasite but it is in fact the most widely planted red variety in the Aegean. Now if I wasn't requiring that my varietals tasted be 70% or more of the wine I would be able to add Mavrotragano to my list also as this once nearly extinct grape makes up 10% of this bottle. But clearly I digress.

The nose is somewhat off putting and I catch more of a plastic diaper/ointment smell than anything else. It is a juicy and fruity wine with a strong punch of tannins on the finish. I was in the mood for a red wine but I cannot get past the smell... check it off the list.

#139 Welschriesling

2009-07-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

2006 Krizevci Winery Grasevina, Kalnik Region, Croatia.

And that is all you need to know. OK not exactly.

This one marks our first Croatian wine. Weighing in at a mere 11% a.b.v. this in a nutshell is basically a simple summer white. (despite the riesling you see in its name). According to K&L "What Croatian lovingly call Grasevina is known in the neighboring countries as Welschriesling, Olasz Rizling, Laski Rizling, or simply Riesling Italico."

#138 Athiri

2009-07-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

From the Greek island of Rhodes comes this enjoyable 100% Athiri wine. Usually Athiri is used in blended wines to give weak whites some backbone and structure but on the island of Rhodes it is common to find this fine grape standing alone.

This bottle went quickly. It has a light citric zing, a clean dry finish and just enough structure to make it more than just an easy summer white. What is remarkable is that this wine is hiding a 13.4% alcohol content behind that delicate facade.

#137 Clairette

2009-07-13T19:14:00.001-07:00

Another new white and another inexpensive hit. Here we have a clairette from Mas Carlot. It has a floral oak nose and a creamy mouth feel. Well rounded but with a nice dry zing on the finish. Not bad for $11.

Once again K&L had this one in stock.

#136 Irsai Oliver

2009-07-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today we have a grape that has eluded me for almost a year. When I first learned about Irsai Oliver I was determined to seek one out. Only lately was I able to find a bottle and to my delight it was Hungarian. (and $10).

This is a 2008 Szöke Irsai Oliver (link for those who speak Hungarian). My first taste was disappointing but I quickly realized I had served the wine too cold. As it approached a proper serving temperature the wine really showed its stuff. It has a floral nose and a bright acidic minerality. I actually enjoyed the wine even more later in the evening when it had arrived at room temperature. This wine is a real delight.

Thanks to K&L wines for carrying this gem and a link here to their site and a little more information about the wine. It is worth a quick read.

#135 Maria Gomes

2009-07-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

The quest takes us into yet more uncharted territory. This time it is a sparkling white from Portugal: Luis Pato Maria Gomes Vinho Espumante Bruto.

Fernao Pires (aka. Maria Gomes)
"This Portuguese native is that country’s most planted grape, especially in the Ribatejo area. In Bairrada, Fernão Pires is known as Maria Gomes, and is the most familiar white grape variety. The best wines made from the grape exhibit excellent fruit character and strong aromatics, sometimes suggestive of pepper. Fernao Pires can be quite versatile, often used to produce flavorful dry, sweet and sparkling wines. The grape is also widely grown in South Africa."

This wine has a big lovely nose, floral and fruity yet it is surprisingly quite dry and crisp. This one was a real delight for $15 a bottle.

#134 Vidal

2009-06-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

And wrapping up the reunion series of new wines is this Jackson-Triggs Vidal Ice Wine. Made from 100% Vidal grapes this wine was the biggest hit of them all. Unfortunately I only had one small bottle to offer and it was gone in a minute.

Ice wine is made from harvesting the grapes AFTER they have frozen on the vine. Most of the priciest and best come from the Niagara area. It is said that one grape yields only one drop of wine.

Intensely sweet and flavorful this wine easily stands in place of dessert. Its sweetness would overpower even the richest of desserts. That said, it was a huge hit and I would certainly be interested in buying more when the cold winds begin to push the memories of summer into the recesses of my mind..

#133 Black Muscat

2009-06-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this Black Muscat in a grocery store in Egg Harbor WI. At first I figured it was likely just another name for an already tested grape. However it does appear to be its own varietal. While it will not help me achieve subquest #1 (completing the official checklist) it does get me one closer to completion of quest #2 (200 varietals).

This wine was well received despite the searing outdoor temperatures and its 19% abv. Served with fresh pie and ice cream this bottle hit the spot although it would certainly be fine on its own preferably on a cold winters night. There is the obvious sweetness yet there is enough acidity to keep it from being cloying. At $20 it is a relatively good value for a dessert wine.

#132 Saperavi

2009-06-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

"From the Kindzmarauli microzone of the Kvareli in the Kakheti Region, republic of Georgia".

Here we have the neatest wine bottle I have ever seen. This is a bottle I received from friends at a recent and enjoyable wine tasting (Bring the funniest label). It is 100% Saperavi which is a grape that can make wines that cellar for 50 years or more.

This was a big surprise. I was expecting the worst but as is the nature of this quest I am thrown out of the comfort zone and "forced" to try increasingly far reaching wines. This one is semi-sweet with a soft peppery backbone and is smooth from start to finish. It reminded some of a rose' despite its darker color. My aunt (the host of the reunion... thank you thank you thank you) thought that it would pair nicely with an Athenian lamb stew. I would like to give that a try.

Perhaps it was the company, but I really did find this to be an enjoyable wine.

#129 #130 #131 Bual Sercial Malvasia

2009-06-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

Sure the picture may be a little blurry and a bit off center but hey you would be too if you decided to tick off 3 varietals (in their fortified state) in an evening. These were opened during a wonderful family reunion in Door County WI. Temperatures were high for the season so breaking open a high octane fortified wine wasn't on the top of the "good idea" list but in the name of the quest we struggled on....

Madeira is a fortified wine made in the Portuguese Madeira Islands. (Check that link for some really fascinating detail). There are four major types of Madeira three of which you see above. There are 5 age classifications stretching from 5 years to 20+. We tried the youngest and least expensive.

These wines spanned from dry to sweet and light to dark. Each had their own specific character while still having an underlying similarity. The sercial was dry and lighter, the bual was sweeter with a deeper tone and the malmsey (malvasia) the darkest and richest.

I found these wines to be compelling and fascinating and am very interested in trying some of the best of the best in this category. Perhaps while studying its long history and its impact on the formation of the United States.

#128 Schioppettino

2009-05-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

The final wine of the day was this Furlan Castelcosa schioppettino. I found this to be one of the most interesting wines in the quest so far. It has the nose of a big Southern Rhone red (read barnyard) leading me to expect a big wine with loads of tannin. Instead its a delicately sweet wine which is impossibly easy to drink. I have discovered that this grape has made its way to Sonoma County CA. I will absolutely be seeking out more of this grape. Thankfully it was able to come back from the brink of extinction.

#127 Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano)

2009-05-23T21:00:00.000-07:00

Zenato's "San Benedetto" Lugana was the surprising highlight of today's tasting. Ugni blanc is a grape widely used to make cognac and isn't commonly found in a pure white wine.

I am impressed with this wine's structure. Its refreshing without being simple and at $13 it is a wine I will buy again

#126 Seyval Blanc

2009-05-23T20:30:00.000-07:00

Lynfred Winery produces this interesting white wine from the deep suburbs of Chicago Illinois. (check out the winery link for an impressive location).

This is a seyval blanc. It has a really fresh nose but surprises with a sweet taste and finishes with something perhaps a little metallic. One of us thought it tasted like "sugar water" and indeed it did improve with a few clean ice cubes to dilute and chill. It is a pricey $15 but the winery looks like it might be worth a visit if in the area.

#125 Inzolia

2009-05-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Another Sicilian white with that Mediterranean feel. Slightly tart and dry with distinct minerality. Perfect for a cool drink on a sunny porch. $9 not too much to pay for this one.

#124 Aligote

2009-05-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

"Bourgogne Aligoté, cépage Aligoté : vieux cépage bourguignon, ce vin blanc a des qualités reconnues. Sa robe or et ses reflets verts libèrent des arômes de raisins mûrs. A servir avec charcuteries, fruits de mer, fritures et andouillettes."

Which could possibly (if everything were in fact possible) be translated to "A refreshing and not too complex white wine suitable for an afternoon in the sun... and a decent value at $12".

#123 Vignoles

2009-05-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

Michigan bubbly here made entirely of Vignoles.

Nose is yeasty apples, dry on the palate and a grape finish. This is a surprisingly strong wine revealing some real zing. We smoothed it out by turning it into a lazy Sunday afternoon mimosa.

Which led into.....

#122 Ruche

2009-05-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Blogger is acting up tonight so I will be brief. Luca Ferraris "Bric D' Bianc" Ruche di Castagnole 2006 is Mother's day wine #2. This one was served with grilled filet mignon paired with a cheddar potato cake, balsamic marinated portabella mushrooms with parmesan, and simple green beans. The bracing tannins this wine possesses was a nice counterbalance to the richer meal.

Its a $16 wine that reminded me at first like a Cotes du Rhone but then seemed more like a light weight Barolo. It has beautiful aromatics, sharp tannins and a clean finish. Further research reveals that this wine is from Piedmont and does (according to wiki) share some resemblance to its elegant neighbor Nebbiolo.

#121 Vernaccia

2009-05-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

Mother's day dinner opens with a Vernaccia this year. First course is a few large prawns marinated in garlic and oil and a few hot peppers and then cooked over charcoal on our new (just opened but 2 years old) cast iron hibachi. I go into detail because there just isn't all that much about the wine to write about. This one is a thin, dry, 12.5% alcohol $10 wine with enough acidity to hold up to the prawns.

#120 Muscadelle

2009-05-09T20:56:00.001-07:00

There's our little Muscadelle on the right. I had their Mauzac this March and hope some day to get a hold of their Len de L'el (that's him off to the left).

This is a sweet one. Tastes and smells a bit like Concord grape jelly with a hint of smoke (or is that cedar) and a thick sweet finish. I think this wine begs to be served cold and young with, or perhaps in place of, desert.

#119 Bonarda

2009-05-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

A very cool label and a dangerously drinkable wine. This was an enjoyable surprise. Astute followers of this blog of which there are a total of one will notice that Bonarda was already claimed as a grape varietal on January 15th 2008 (Varietal #14). However further study on the Bonarda grape reveals that the Italian version (which this wine is) and the Argentinian version (Wine #14) are NOT the same grape. An Argentinian Bonarda is really a Charbono.... Who knew? Well we all do now.

That said, this was an enjoyable wine. My first taste tonight reminded me of the first taste of wine I ever had. There is something slightly hot, wispingly herbaceous, and rapidly vanishing about this one. It's a $16 wine and it wont be easy to find here. If I lived near the winery I suspect this would be a front runner for my house wine.

#118 Orange Muscat

2009-05-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

Robert Hall Orange Muscat at wine varietal #118 earns its place in this quest's history as the first Costco wine to make the list! Oh sure I always browse the wine at Costco when I drop in to buy eggs and milk but I have never found a varietal yet to be checked off. This one weighed in at $14 so I took a "chance". (We all know it was going in the cart... heck it almost had a Wii and a Wii fit as company.... next to the eggs and milk of course... and the $700 air compressor that I know I am going to need some day). I fear I digress lets focus on the wine.

This one has an enticingly perfumed nose of delicate flowers and fresh laundry. It is sweet without being cloying and has a wispy citrus orange finish. This is a wine I would like to try to work into a pairing menu. I would say it is a desert wine trapped in a table wine's bottle and it has the potential to raise some eyebrows. 118 varietals into the quest and I am still being surprised... thank you!

#117 Auxerrois

2009-04-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

Auxerrois... The spellchecker recommends "Terrorist" but my research indicates that this sweeter white is both a relative of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It is a chameleon of a grape being called Pinot Auxerrois or Auxerrois Blanc in addition to a few others. This wine is a Vin D'Alsace created for our pleasure along the French and German border in Alsace of course.

And as we would expect for a wine made near Germany this is very much like a dry Reisling or Gewurztraminer. Syrupy honey up front, fades into a light snap and is followed by a warm dry finish. Its a nice wine for a mere $16.99.

#116 Savagnin

2009-04-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

This was a difficult find. It might have been harder to find details about the wine than it was to find it for sale here in the United States. The long and short of it is that Savagnin is a local varietal found mostly in Cotes du Jura France. Interestingly (according to wiki) recent DNA testing in Australia has shown that what the Aussies had been exporting as the Spanish varietal Albarino is in fact Savagnin. It appears that wine questers could pick up a cheap Aussie Albarino and end up getting a difficult to find varietal checked off their list and enjoy a really nice wine to boot ($25).

As I was searching for a label picture I came across this review from Whisper Wine:

"This wine is a rarity in many aspects. Jura is known for its "Vin Jaune" (literally "Yellow Wine") made with the Savagnin grape, a very local varietal. To make a long story short, Vin Jaune, due to its very special vinification, would compare to a Jerez in taste - a very dry wine with unique aromas of walnut and morel. Alain Labet has been first (back in 1990) to change the ancestral tradition and use the Savagnin grape like a Chardonnay grape. Many have since followed in his footsteps. This Fleur de Savagnin is a pure expression of terroir - should you want an illustration of the nature of terroir, this is it. The wine is powerful, clean, a bit spicy. Côtes du Jura is a rare find not only in Pennsylvania but possibly even in the whole United States.

Share it with your very best friends only, it's quite unique. Want to play blind tasting? Many will think it is a top notch white burgundy!"

No time for relaxation. The quest continues!

2009-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Notice anything different about the Great Seal? Perhaps you noticed that if one was great then two must be awesome? Well I had already endeavored to complete the entire original Century Club list which numbered 165 wines (some quite difficult to find here). Now a new category of wine tasting mastery has been created. "Doppel Members" will have tasted TWO hundred varietals. So with very little hesitation I welcome this new challenge. As always the varietals I take credit for must come from a source which consists of at least 70% of said grape.

Wish me luck....

Time to relax for a moment.....

2009-04-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

#115 Verdicchio

2009-04-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

Why haven't I had this before?

If this was a blind tasting... I would have guessed a Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Green in the glass with a tropical vanilla nose, strong acidity and a good bite on the finish. Of course as usual I would be wrong. This is a 2006 Verdicchio from donna Ginevra and its from Italy.

It all starts to make sense when I learn that Verdicchio hails from the Marche region in Italy (The calf in Italy's boot) right on the Adriatic. Presumably benefitting from the same sort of natural phenomenon that make New Zealand whites so wonderful.

To keep it simple this is just a fabulous wine for $17. It went so fast I had to intercept the bottle, steal a glass full and run to the computer to record my notes before it was all just a distant memory.

#114 Mauzac

2009-03-18T14:35:00.001-07:00

Mauzac from southwest France. It is one of the seven permitted varietals in Bordeaux. This wine is the color of apple cider, or more vinuously (to create a word) its neighbor Armagnac.

It is a sweet wine that I dare say tastes to me a bit like a blend of the aforementioned apple cider and Armagnac. It leans toward being a desert wine but doesn't get that syrupy. I think this is a wonderful wine and for $15 it is clearly worth a try.

#113 Sagrantino

2009-03-07T16:27:00.001-08:00

Sagrantino.... Tiny production, almost nothing exported. I managed to find a bottle of the 2004 vintage Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino. If it was not for the internet its likely I would never have had the opportunity to try this one. Don't worry I am sure our politicians are working on shutting down availability of this and many other wines in order to bloat the pocketbooks of the entrenched liquor distributors. Or maybe that only happens in Illinois. Grab your pocketbooks people this is going to be an ugly decade.

Big, Tannic, Zinfandel on steroids. Currants and backbone. Yes this is a bruiser but its not bad at all. Next time I am in Montefalco I would love to try a well aged bottle of this stuff. At $36 a bottle though I won't be buying it again.

#112 Bobal

2009-02-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

I said it would be more difficult to find some of these remaining grapes in their purest form. I have set as my rule that the grape in question must constitute at least 70% of the wine being tasted. In this case the 2004 Rozaleme does just that. It is 70% Bobal with the remaining 30% the more famous Spanish Tempranillo. Yes this will be tonight's spaghetti wine.

Spanish wine with spaghetti you say? Did you think I would stick with the grechetto? OK so it wasn't such a good pairing but I knew it was a long shot going in. At $12 this is not a bad wine at all. At first I thought that I was tasting a bit of anise but I think now that it is in fact hazelnut. It has big fruit, nice acidity and none of that alcohol "burn" I find in less expensive bottles. Perhaps its time in the bottle allowed the components to meld well. I admit I do happen to enjoy most Spanish wines but despite my bias I think this one is a winner.

#111 Grechetto

2009-02-20T16:33:00.001-08:00

Grechetto is another Italian white grape. Unfortunately the more white wines I try the more they begin to taste the same. Almost every one has some comparisons to Chardonnay and/or to Sauvignon Blanc. Sadly I am unable to drill down into the flavors and point out the fascinating undertones of forest black fruit or the sizziling frostiness of Hibernian sea moss. (In a future tasting I just might try)

When left on my own with this glass of wine and a keyboard I will say that it begins with the typical oily chardonnay mouthfeel and ends with the acidic bite of sauvignon blanc. Light on sweetness, pleasant minerality and a dusty almost citrusy finish. I suspect this would work well with grilled fish. But tonight it will be a prelude to a spaghetti dinner and a few hours of Survivor!

#110 Picpoul Blanc

2009-02-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

Moving right along. Tonight we begin our push into the second phase of the wine quest. This phase will be as much about finding the wines as it is about trying them. This bottle, a picpoul blanc from the Languedoc region in France was not hard to find (its popular at a local shop) and was not terribly expensive. For less than $15 the following experience can be yours.

Picpoul Blanc is one of the 13 accepted varietals allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Given its notoriety for tight acidity it is typically used as a blending grape. It appears that the grape's name is derived from "lip stinger" or "hen peck" or some similar pucker inducing term. Imagine if you will, a reisling with the sweetness dialed down, the acidity dialed up and the whole product diluted by a quarter. Now imagine fresh oysters, a splash of lemon and a salt sea breeze. Welcome to the French Mediterranean.

Submitted for your approval......

2009-02-02T13:39:00.001-08:00

Somewhere in the middle of that larger than desired gap between wine 108 and wine 109 this paperwork was submitted to the ardent operators of The Wine Century Club.

For a time I thought that I would endeavor to be the fastest member to get to 100 varietals via any means possible. I may have considered at one point a giant mixture of every variety I could find (and a pint glass to serve it in). One gulp and done! Then I thought perhaps I would try to get to 100 varietals by drinking the fewest bottles possible. I found a few great blends that would have gotten me right up to 25 in a matter of days.

I realized however that this would be more of a journey than a sprint. And more of a labor of love than just pure labor. It has been an informative delight tasting through every one of those 108 wines. Almost every bottle, save 2 or 3, were 100% pure varietal as far as my research was able to uncover so I hope that I was able to capture the core essence of each grape.

Now the question is "Where to now?". Thankfully for you my dear reader, that question comes pre-answered. I will focus on completing the two sheets in full (which likely will be harder than I imagine.)

So, as my 2008 quest warmly dulled the impact of our planet's ongoing financial calamity, I hope that my 2009 quest will continue to add a nice fuzzy edge to the swirling mess we are in.

Raise your spirits for raised spirits! Cheers.

#109 Vermentino Nero

2009-01-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

"Vermentino!" I can hear all of my avid readers cry out in unison, "That's a repeat!" Sure enough a little over a year ago on January 11th 2008 I did in fact have a Vermentino from Sardenia. This however is a Vermentino Nero and it is a very difficult to find red from Tuscany.

From what I understand this wine is almost never available outside of Tuscany and it was a stroke of luck that allowed to me to pre-order this bottle from a now rapidly capsizing Chicago wine retailer. This retailer is a victim of a private equity buyout whose managers seem to believe that jamming gallons of Yellowtail down the consumer's throat is far preferrable to bringing them interesting varietals. Quantity over quality is their new rallying cry. It is very lucky for me that I was able to complete this quest before this famous retailer drove out all of the founding family, nearly all of their very experienced employees and most of their interesting wine. With sadness I tip my hat to a once great wine store and wish their employees all the best. I am graciously thankful for all the great wine they have secured for me in the past. For me I am now shopping almost exclusively elsewhere. I wish them loads of luck trying to become a wine version of wal-mart. Oh yes, where was I? Oh right.... the wine!

This bottle greeted me with a deep rich violet nose. Surprisingly the body of the wine did not hold up to the promise of the nose. That is to say that the wine wasn't a big juicy blockbuster but a lighter finer wine. Most remarkable was the bracing acidity. This bottle did run me closer to $40 if I remember correctly. I wouldn't repurchase it at that price but I would certainly enjoy the chance to try more efforts.... as difficult as that now appears to be.

#108 Garganega

2008-11-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

"Garganega is a variety of white Italian wine grape widely grown in the Veneto (wine) region of North East Italy, particularly in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza. It is Italy's 6th most widely planted white grape. It forms the basis of Venetian white wine Soave."

Another crisp white wine but I can't really remember if there were any real defining characteristics that set it apart from ohhhh say a sauv blanc... Good value though near $10.

#107 Pecorino

2008-11-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

"The Pecorino grape is legendary story of a variety that was literally brought back from the brink of extinction. Not too long ago, just a few vines were discovered in a nearly wild state in a narrow canyon in Italy’s Marche region. Clippings were cut, and identified as the historic Pecorino grape, which was long thought to have been extinct. Cantina Tollo took the torch of re-establishing the variety as a missing piece of the local Abruzzese viticultural history. The origin of the name is that the grape variety was once a favorite snack of the sheep that were often driven through vineyard lands on their way to lower pastures. In Italian “Pecora” means sheep." (for some reason I cannot credit the author of the above www.enotec.net)

This was a bright and lively and I hate to say sauv blanc like white wine. It is not terribly easy to find but is well worth the effort. I think I paid well under $20 for it and will buy it again soon.

#106 Cortese

2008-08-23T18:43:00.001-07:00

How can you resist a wine which has the owner's dog on the label? This is a Gavi from the north of Italy. Since tonight's dinner is salmon on the grill a Cortese di Gavi is called for.

This straw colored wine has surprising sweetness while having such bracing acidity. The nose is reminds me of a sauvignon blanc but it has a lot more fruit. Maybe apple? Melon? Lychee? (I will stop making up stuff there).

At $15 or so its a decent value that I might just buy again.... I mean look at those puppy dog eyes!

#105 Corvina!

2008-08-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit too tired to blog but not too tired to open up a bottle of wine (which is quite good) I will leave the review to Mr. Parker's operation....

Vintage 2004
Wine Advocate - Issue #173 / October 2007 - 90 points - Exploring the Best of Northern Italy

"Allegrini's Palazzo della Torre (70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese) has long been one of my favorite ripasso-style wines and the 2004 is another winner. It reveals a plump, juicy personality loaded with perfumed, jammy fruit, roasted coffee beans and new leather. Although it is absolutely irresistible today, a few additional months of bottle age should help soften the wine further. It is a gorgeous effort at this level and a terrific value. Allegrini employs a unique variation of the ripasso technique for its Palazzo della Torre. The traditional method calls for the wine to undergo a second fermentation on the skins that are leftover from the vinification of the Amarone. The estate believes that this method leads to oxidized wines. Instead Allegrini dries a portion of the grapes (around 30%) and ferments them separately in the same style as an Amarone, then adds that wine to the larger portion of the wine, which is fermented in the conventional manner. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2010."

Little guy taking a swing at politics

2008-07-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

I suppose raising kids is a challenge. But things get a little more complicated when you find out that your newest family member has begun a campaign without consulting you first.

(all credit for this image to Eric M... thanks!)

#104 Nerello Mascalese

2008-07-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

How does this blogging thing work again? It's been a very long time since my last post so please bear with me as I catch up on my wine quest.

About a month ago I tried a bottle of Nerello Mascalese from Di Giovanna and I remember it as great value and very drinkable. It is a Sicilian grape which is widely used as a blending grape. In this case it stood by itself quite well.

I am due for another trip to the wine shops soon and have my eye on a few more varietals to extend this quest further into the 100's. Soon I will be submitting my paperwork to officially become a member of the "Wine Century Club".... (at that point this will become a quite expensive pay site so please be prepared.... in these times of economic uncertainty it is important to be thoroughly advised on peripheral wine varietals)

#103 Coda di Volpe

2008-04-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

From a distributor: "Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio is so named for the legend of Christ's ascension into heaven and his emotion upon seeing the beauty of the Bay of Naples beneath him. The grape, Coda di Volpe, refers to the foxtail shape of the grape bunches."

It has a dry minerality and a layer of lemon rind which adds a level of tartness to the dry finish. It is a $12 steal.