gluggy By Mike Muirhead, Sommelier (ISG, CMS), CSW The New (Old) World
There is something interesting going on with the wines of the Old World: they are reinventing themselves, to change with current drinking trends. I am not talking about the holy grounds of viticulture, but rather the regions that have flown under the radar until only recently in our market. While old bastions such as Southern France have had their ups and downs, the latest trend is a focus on the native grapes of Southern Italy. Italy has over 1,000 native grapes. This number is staggering, especially when you consider that most of the wine sold in today’s market is grown from the “Significant Seven”—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (a.k.a., Shiraz), Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. The wonderful thing about these new (old) grapes is the value that is attached to them. From Southern Italy, we have seen an incredible increase in quality from white grapes like Falanghina and Fiano. In the red varieties, grapes such as Primitivo, Nero d’Avola, and Negroamaro have given us wines that are great values. These wines are rich in flavour and style, but don’t have the price premium that regions like Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino carry. Several features make these wines appealing to the North American market. First, the price of the wine is very reasonable. Most of these wines land between $10 and $20. The second appealing feature is that these wines are really suitable to our North American palate. Southern Italy’s warm climate creates warmer, smoother wines, with a flavour profile that North Americans tend to enjoy. These wines represent where the market is currently heading: medium alcohol wines that are distinct and unique.
The South is distinct in that that it honours traditions with an eye to innovation. On the heel of the boot, Apulia alone has 26 DOCs (delimited areas of controlled grape growing and winemaking). To put that in perspective, all of Tuscany has 29! Apulia accounts for more that 17 per cent of Italy’s annual production and makes more wine than any other region. They are not, however, simply producing for volume. The quality of the region’s wine is such that, historically, bad or weak vintages in France were “fortified” or “beefed up” with wines from Apulia. Apulia is also the home of Primitivo, which has been linked genetically to Zinfandel—one of the U.S.’s signature grapes. The grapes have similar characteristics to their American counterpart and are a great introduction to Italian wine. Sicily is the second largest grape producer in Italy; however, more of their production focuses on table grapes. Sicily’s fantastic local grapes include red, such as Nerello Mascalese and white, such as Catarratto, but they also plant Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay. These varieties, along with the climate and volcanic soil, make Sicily a prime location for quality wine production, without the price attached to more famous Old World regions. When people want to try something new, we recommend Southern Italy. It is easy to fall in love with the diverse number of Italian wines that are priced to let you experiment.
IMAGINE... a 20, 000 square foot world-class training center, staffed by the best trainers and coaches that Canada has to offer.
IMAGINE... taking your game to the next level. NOW... Don’t just imagine it. Let our Team of Performance Professionals coach, refine and develop the skills YOU need for the game YOU play. THIS IS YOUR MOMENT...
you are meant to be HERE.
start the experiment! OGIO 2009 Primitivo Puglia, IGT ($10.99) A relative of red Zinfandel, this wine bears ripe fruit and a fresh finish. Montalto 2009 Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT ($11.99) Smooth and dark, enjoy the mocha and raspberry compote notes on this red gem.
91 Lowson Crescent, Winnipeg, MB • 204.489.RINK
therink.ca
Menhir 2009 No Zero Negroamaro Salento IGT ($15.99) With notes of dark blueberry and raspberry, this wine tastes of purple flowers with a rich, drying finish.
38 http://banvilleandjones.cornervine.com
S H O O T
|
S K A T E
|
T R A I N