Tag: Chianti

Here are three wines from three different regions of the Old World.  All really well made.  I received these wines as a part of the portfolio selection from one of our local wine agencies, Patagonia Imports. When most people think of Old World Wines, they tend to think of drier, less fruit forward, more tannic, structured wines, but this is…

Sometimes the best wines around are the ones that are not generally listed in BC Liquor stores.  They are known as Spec or Special Order wines.  You can find these wines through some private wine shops, or you could order them through these shops, but you may need a minimum order size. I attended Select Wines‘ portfolio tasting and enjoyed…

From my previous article, I showed you which white, sparkling, and sweet wines I thought were of excellent quality at the #VinItaly tour held in Vancouver.  But of course, Italy is well-known for their red wines, from the north, e.g. Nebbiolo, to the south, e.g. Nero D’Avola and Nerello Mascalese.  Again I ask you to try a grape you may not…

Chinese New Year Day of the Rooster is on January 28, 2017. It is also known as the Female Fire Chicken year. Red is connected to the fire in Chinese tradition.  According to chinesefortunecalendar.com, “…Chicken is a Female Metal. Female Metal is related to gold, precious gem or jewelry. That means Chicken implies luxury, beauty, and wealth. Red Fire of 2017 is…

Italian wines can make any day feel like a holiday. But we do have holidays upcoming so here are a few Italian wines that I recently tasted in downtown Vancouver that you may want to consider purchasing.  Of particular note are the white wines made with indigenous grapes you may not have heard of; Carricante and Grillo exclusively grown in…

A wine agent’s portfolio tasting typically gives you the chance to try both listed as well as spec wines; wines that may only show up in specialty wine shops or restaurants, in limited quantities.  I have been to Mark Anthony Wine and Spirits‘ portfolio tasting now for a few years, and I am always very impressed by the wineries that…

Tuscany is best known for its most famous, and probably Italy’s most famous, red wine called Chianti.  This wine is made primarily from the indigenous Sangiovese grape, and then blended with other red grapes, either Italian, like Colorino, or international, like Merlot. The region is further enhanced by the evolution of the “Super Tuscan” wine, most notably Sassicaia, made from International grape varieties,…

5 Star wines are the top of my rating scale.  It takes a lot to convince me to give a 5 star rating to a wine.  I look for a balance of acidity, tannins, sweetness, fruit, oak and alcohol, as applicable for red, white, fortified, and sparkling wines.  These 7 wines below have everything I am looking for in a…

Rocca delle Macie is a young winery when you compare it to the most famous wineries in the Chianti area. The company was founded in 1973 by Italo Zingarelli, whom, after various positive experiences in the movie production and distribution, decided to make a dream of his childhood come true: to buy a large farm and make it outstanding.  After…

It is always a special time when a wine agency opens their portfolio of wines for you to taste, review, and recommend.  This past week I had a chance to try the wines from Select Wines’ annual portfolio tasting.  With any tasting of this magnitude there will always be more wines than time to taste them.  I try my best…