Hidden Hidden Treasures Treasures
hidden Treasures
Thoughts & observations
We noted our plans to add some great Mexican wines to our portfolio soon, pointing out that good wine can indeed come from warm places This reminded us of our love for the wines of Puglia’s Tormaresca Estate.
Founded in 1998 by none other than Italy’s iconic Antinori family, Tormaresca instantly raised the bar for all wines coming out of the heel of Italy’s boot. The name translates to Tower by the Sea which is a nod to the proximity of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas and their moderating effect on the vineyards. Negroamaro and Primitivo are the go to grapes here, though Syrah does well here and surprisingly, so does Chardonnay (which usually doesn’t like extreme heat).
Additionally, Aglianico shines here in Puglia’s Castel del Monte DOC, as does a unique clone of Fiano. Though there are some ‘serious’ bottlings produced here such as the wonderful Masseria Maime Negroamaro, there are a very large number of super values in their range as well: the aforementioned Chardonnay, along with Neprica Primitivo, plus one of our favorite roses from Italy Calafuria Rosato Frankly almost everything we’ve ever tried from the region screams value.
Expand your horizons and turn your customers on to these gems!
What's New
quotation of the Month:
"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul "
--- Clifton Fadiman
Thoughts & Thoughts & Observations Observations
Alcohol Awareness
In our ever-shrinking world where you can livestream your second cousin’s third-grade daughter’s soccer game in Finland into your living room, it sometimes makes sense to pay attention to what is going on in other locales… since it might be coming to a country or state near you.
We all know that excessive alcohol consumption can have deleterious effects. We do our part educating our staff on the regulations and responsible consumption of alcohol, drinking and driving, et cetera. Each state in the U.S. has their own regs/standards for alcohol sales and consumption. Likewise, in the EU--and Europe at large--there are varying regulations regarding all sorts of categories regarding alcohol. For the past several years, many European countries have ramped up warnings and regulations regarding alcohol consumption; lowering the recommended ‘safe’ amounts for consumption; reducing the allowable B.A.C. while operating a vehicle (in many countries, the allowable amount is 0.0), and restricting advertising of alcohol in certain venues (sports stadiums) or mediums (in France most alcohol adverts are disallowed).
In the U.S. there are numerous fronts where there are proposals for changes from raising
taxes on alcohol--with the assumption that higher prices will reduce consumption--to lowering the allowable B.A.C. while driving, to proposing that all new vehicles be equipped with a breathalyzer device that connects to a car ignition interlock.
To be clear, we are not opining on what is right or wrong or what any reader’s opinion on these subjects should be Indeed, many of the initiatives might makes sense to many reading this. We just think it behooves anyone involved in the adult beverage industry to be engaged: to be aware and informed of current regulations and perhaps equally importantly to be aware of trends and proposed/pending changes to regulations.
quotation of the Month:
"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul "
--- Clifton FadimanBetween The Wines Between The Wines
2024
March
March 2024
Between The Wines Between The Wines
What's What's New New
Wine from…Mexico
A generally agreed upon paradigm in the wine business is that fine wine cannot be made in very warm climates. The principle is that most grapes would get way too ripe –resulting in high alcohol in the finished wines, as well as the wines being correspondingly deficient in acidity creating fat, flabby wines However…
Of course, great wines come from places like Puglia, Sicily, and Greece all of which are very warm-to-hot climes So when we were recently presented a portfolio of wine from Mexico, we did not pre-judge. Wine has been made in Mexico for centuries and we have watched with interest as acclaim for wines from such places as Baja California and Valle de Guadalupe has been on upward trajectory for a decade
March 2024 March 2024
But we were not prepared for how blown away we were by many of the wines we recently sampled. Nothing we tried came off as flat or overly alcoholic, and some offerings were downright stunning. The palette of grapes is not a shock varietals that can handle warm climates: Syrah, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Garnacha and Carignan, along with the Bordeaux varietals and a few white varietals (including the Quixotic Viognier, always looking for a second home outside of the Rhone).
We are always on the hunt for wines of character AND for wines that offer value. So for those of you not up to speed on what is happening in the Mexican wine scene today, we will now be able to help. Our new portfolio should hit our warehouse by May, so brace yourselves for enjoying some Mexican wine this summer!