Behind the Cork™ - Masciarelli Colline Teatine Rosato

2022 Masciarelli Colline Teatine Rosato ($14)

Mention the Abruzzo wine region of Italy to fellow wine lovers and chances are the conversation will swiftly turn to Masciarelli (Mass-shee-ah-RELL-ee). Few wineries have done more in recent decades to affect the Abruzzo wine industry, moving it into the 21st century, and shattering for good the stereotype of this southern Italian region as little more than a source of cheap, rustic wines and supermarket brands.

Masciarelli produced their first vintage in 1981, and to this date, all of their wines remain estate grown.

The Colline Teatine IGT, where the grapes for this rosato are grown, has a Mediterranean climate and breezes from the nearby Maiella mountains. Within the Colline Teatine, Masciarelli has plots in three areas:

- Casacanditella: At 1,247 feet, between the Majella Massif and the Adriatic Sea. Vineyards are planted with Montepulciano and protected from drought by cisterns.
- Bucchianico: In a landscape of Mediterranean scrub, Montepulciano and Trebbiano enjoy extra sunlight due to imposing gullies which reflect sunlight on vineyards planted at 1,181 feet.
- Ripa Teatina: The area, at 656 feet, is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Montepulciano and Trebbiano.

This Masciarelli Colline Teatine Rosato is produced from 100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo grapes that are pressed with minimal contact with the skins to achieve this beautiful salmon color. It is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its bright fruit flavors. It has subtle aromas of strawberry and cherry. On the palate it has delicate flavors of strawberry, candied cherry and citrus notes. It is light and refreshing with good acidity.

A delightful, refreshing Italian rosato like this one from Masciarelli, that is also quite affordable, certainly deserves being called this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Masciarelli Winery via Creative Palate Communications

Tips for Keeping Wine Cool While Decanting

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Decanting a wine, especially in the summer, can present a problem. Typical decanting times are 30 minutes to an hour our more. So, if you’ve been keeping your wine at a cellar temperature of 52-57°F for a red, or slightly chilled to 45℉ and 55℉ for a white, it going to warm up to room temperature during decanting.

Here are a few tips for keep a wine cool during and after decanting:

• If you’ve got plenty of time and can plan in advance, go ahead and decant your wine at room temperature and then return it to the original bottle and place it back in the wine refrigerator for an hour or so to return it to the desired temperature

• Your decanter should have a wide base to allow for maximum surface area contact of the wine with air, so place a chilled towel or a bag of frozen peas or corn over the base of the decanter to keep the wine chilled. For longer decanting times you may need to change out the towel or add another bag of frozen veggies

• If your decanter can fit inside a refrigerator, just beware that it’s possible the wine can take on some ugly refrigerator smells, so check first or ensure you’ve got a fresh box of baking soda in the frige to soak up those nasty smells

• If you have one of those freeze sleeves that can fit around a bottle of wine, see if it will simply fit around the neck of your decanter to help keep the decanting wine chilled

So, if decanting your wine, remember that all wines taste best if served at the proper temperature. Therefore, decant when necessary but ensure you serve your wine at its best temperature. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Gaia Wines from Domaine Bousquet

Gaia, the Greek goddess of the Earth, has been the Bousquet family’s inspiration since founding the winery in 1997. Gaia labels depict the goddess in a festive headdress of colorful fruits and flowers.

Gaia wine are crafted with French winemaking sensibility and made from 100% organic fruit grown at a cool 4000 foot altitude.

Gaia (Guy-uh) red and white blend wines are a multi-varietal cornucopia of estate-grown grapes. This Old World tradition of blending varieties is updated to highlight modern, non-classic New World pairings. The primary grape comprises around 50% of the mix. With each year’s vintage, the bounty from the estate is blended a bit differently to reflect what Mother Nature has offered.

So, if you are looking for reasonably priced red wines from Argentina, look no further! Here are four options that offer incredible value without compromising on flavor:

2020 Gaia Organic Red Blend ($20) - This wine was produced from 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was fermented with selected yeast for 12 days with Maceration for 14 days. It was then aged for 10 months in French oak. It is medium purple in color with subtle aromas of red and black fruits. On the palate, this full-bodied red blend has flavors of black fruit and green peppercorn, with firm tannin. (14.5% ABV, 5.32 g/L Acidity, pH = 3.67 and 2.2 g/L Residual Sugar)

2020 Gaia Cabernet Franc ($20) - This organic wine was produced from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes. They were fermented with selected yeasts for 12 days with Maceration for 14 days. It was then aged in French oak for 10 months. It is medium purple in color with a strawberry jam and red fruit aromas. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of rich strawberry and raspberry along with tart cherry, firm tannin, good acidity and a hint of tartness on the finish. (14.5% ABV, 5.77 g/L Acidity, pH = 3.68 and 2.16 g/L Residual Sugar)

2019 Gaia Malbec ($20) - This organic wine was produced from 100% Malbec. It was fermented with selected yeasts for 12 days with Maceration for 14 days. It was then aged in French oak for 8-10 months. It is medium purple in color with bold aromas of blackberry and blueberry. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of black and red fruits, smooth tannin and a wonderful finish. (14.6% ABV, 5.85 g/L Acidity, pH = 3.58 and 2.56 g/L Residual Sugar). This wine was given 91 points by Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling.

Gaia Cabernet Sauvignon ($20) - This wine was produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was fermented for 15 days with Maceration taking place for a full 30 days. It was then aged for 8-10 months in French oak. It is deep purple in color with aromas of sweet and jammy red and black fruits. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has flavors of black cherry with firm tannin. (14.5% ABV, 5.32 g/L Acidity, pH = 3.67 and 2.2 g/L Residual Sugar)

Overall, these four reasonably priced and widely available wines from Gaia showcase the country's diverse and vibrant wine scene, offering a range of flavors and styles to suit every palate. Thus, they are a perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week! Decant each of these for at least one hour before serving, then enjoy! Cheers!

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Sample Provided by Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

How to Tell if Your Wine is Oxidized

I recently opened a bottle of rosé on a warm evening, looking forward to a cool, crisp and refreshing glass of wine.

When I poured myself a glass, I quickly noted that instead of the beautiful pink color that I was expecting, I got an brownish-orange glass of wine.

That was my first clue.

I then lifted the glass and got a whiff of a nutty aroma. One more like a sherry or a port.

That was my second clue.

I went ahead a took a sip. Instead of bright fruit flavors of strawberry and citrus, it was indeed nutty in flavor.

I’d gotten my final clue.

This wine had gone bad. The color, aroma and taste were dead giveaways of an oxidized wine.

Much like an apple or a banana will turn brown if exposed to air, so too will a wine. In this case, the brownish-pink combination resulted in orange.

Is an oxidized wine drinkable? Well, yes. It won’t hurt you or make you sick. And, if you are a sherry lover, you’ll probably like an oxidized wine. But you won’t get to enjoy the bright, crisp fresh fruit flavors that a rosé, a white wine or even a red wine, should have.

Oxidation is just one of several wine faults that can occur in a ‘sealed’ wine. But, once you’ve experienced an oxidized wine you’ll know exactly what clues to look for in the future.

Cheers!

Wine Blends Are an Interesting Combination of Art and Science

Photo by Roberta Sorge on Unsplash

In years past in the U.S., red wine blends were sold by the jug as "Red Wine" or "Table Wine."  These were inexpensive wines that were blends of grapes, vineyards or even vintages. So, blends are often discounted or disregarded as being of poorer quality.

But we only need to look to France, home of some of the world’s best wines, to see that blends are nothing to turn your nose up at.  France's famous region of Bordeaux produces red blends almost exclusively.  Depending on which bank the wine is from in Bordeaux, it will be a different blend. The Left Bank is known for its blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon while the Right Bank blends are Merlot based. These blends may also include Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec.

Other famous regions known for their blends include the Rhône Valley that uses Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre and the so-called Super Tuscans from Italy that may include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and others.

The main reason that winemakers produce blends is to make the best wine possible. Blending different grape varieties is useful in accentuating a particular grape's virtues. The goal is to produce a wine that is actually better than the sum of its parts. And blending allows wines to be more well balanced and complex in their aromas, flavors, colors and textures. The blended grapes can add layers of flavor that will change through the process of taking the first sip, letting it sit on your tongue and then as you swallow.

In blending wine, amounts as small as 1% of a varietal can make a difference. It’s not unusual to find blends that contain only 1% or 2% of a given varietal. And, yes, just 1% can make a difference. You may not be able to detect that 1% directly, but the winemaker has added that amount to make an overall positive difference to the final product.

Some varietals commonly used in wine blending:

• Barbera for its acidity which helps the mouthfeel and structure of the wine

• Carignan for its aromatic notes and to produce greater robustness with its red and black fruit flavors and its peppery finish

• Cabernet Franc for its floral notes as well as its red fruit and peppery flavors

• Malbec for its soft tannin and floral aromas as well as its color and flavor intensity

• Petit Verdot for its herbal notes, as well as it bold color, flavor and tannin

• Viognier for its floral notes and added body in white blends and its aromatic complexity and soft tannin in red blends

So, don't turn up your nose at red wine blends or question that 1% of a given varietal.  These can actually be some of the best wines in the world. Cheers!