#155 Schiava

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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.