What You Missed! February Wineology Recap

If there's a special occasion coming up in your life, you should have a bottle of the Moet Nectar Imperial Rose on hand. Moet has been crafting superb champagnes in Epernay since 1743. This one is a blend of Pinot Noir, Petit Meunier, and Chardonnay. In the glass there's aromas of wild strawberries and black currants, and flavor notes of everything from strawberry jam to fresh peaches. It was tasted with white chocolate and all agreed it's an ooh la la wine in every way.

We tasted the Pasqua Passimento from Italy because the label is a photo of Juliet's Wall in Verona, where Shakespeare's classic love story of Romeo & Juliet takes place. Visitors leave thousands of messages a day about love on the wall. The winemakers of Pasqua Passimento want to express this passion through this wine, which is a blend of Merlot, Corvina, and Croatina from Veneto in northeastern Italy. Passimento is a technique in which some grapes are slightly dried before fermentation, and the juice from other grapes is passed over them, all of which contributes to the flavor profile. There's a lot going on in this medium-bodied wine - big notes of brambleberry, with a lingering finish of red fruit and spice with fine tannins. We all agreed this is a lovely mid-week pizza/burgers/pasta wine, or one to drink while watching the movie "Letters to Juliet."

Another delicious surprise from Italy was the Campo di Marzo Nero D'Avolo. Nero D'Avolo is a grape that's been grown in Sicily for centuries. It translates to "black grape of Avolo," which is in southeastern Sicily. The grape yields wines with deep color and a medley of dark fruit notes, including plum, black cherry, and blackberry. It's a wine that has a lot going on, which makes it a versatile food wine. The class agreed this could be paired with anything from a hearty tuna steak to pork chops to simple cheese and crackers. We also all agreed we'd like to go to Sicily!

California did not disappoint. The class tried the Angel's Landing Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, which was light and bright and clean with a lovely citrusy snap to it. On a cold February day it was said this wine was a reminder of summer, and that's reason enough to enjoy it. The other bottle tasted from California was a big red blend, the Coro Mendocino from DNA Vineyards. It's the 2018 vintage, with 55% Zinfandel, 31% Syrah, and 14% Petite Sirah. This is a red that jumps out of the glass with its delightful fresh fruit notes of blackberry and dark cherry. It has a beautiful velvety mouthfeel with succulent notes of brambleberry and hints of spice and coffee. The wine scored 90 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine and won Gold at the 2022 Sunset International Wine Competition. Surprisingly, given the percentage of Zin in the wine, the ABV is at 13.96%, so it's not going to overpower a meal. A big wine and a big winner. 

Portugal was well represented in both classes, too. The Graham's Six Grapes Port was perfect with dark, milk, and white chocolate, as port often is because it has some sweetness to it. The Six Grapes is an iconic selection from Graham's. It's aged two years in specially seasoned vats and marked by aromas of blackberry, licorice, and cassis. It's a lovely fireside sipper for any time of year, but winter in particular. The other Portuguese wine that proved very popular was the Quinta de S. Sebatiao, a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Tinta Roriz. This dry, medium-bodied red had lots of layers of red fruit with notes of black pepper to balance it. Easy-drinking and lively in the glass, it's a beautiful out-of-the-ordinary find.