Goings On @ is-wine 1.4

Tasting for Sept. 18, from 4-6 pm

For this week's tasting we have two exciting new wines!

First, a delicious Carmenere Reserve from Chile, Leyda 2001.
This is a rich, lush red with lots of dark fruit -
perfect for steak and other rich meat dishes.

For white wine lovers we have a wonderful Verdejo from Spain, Aldor 2003. Clean and crisp, light and dry with good fruit, this is a wine for light appetizers, seafood, grilled veggies - even paella.

is-wine also has lots of whites to choose from. Ones that add a great note to a light meal of seafood salad or fuller ones that work well with BBQ chicken and ribs. Aside from such typical favorites as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, why not try something new like our Greek Mantinia, Ribolla Gialla, or a lush Roero Arneis reminiscent of peach with a lingering finish.

On Sept.18 from 4-6 pm pop in to is-wine to taste both of the wines and stock up for the 
weekend.

Staff Picks: Larry And Arneis

"Some consider Roero Arneis the most intriguing white from Italy and I whole-heartedly agree. While in the past this obscure grape was blended with nebbiolo to soften Barolo and Barbaresco, it now stands on its own as Piedmont’s premier white wine. Our arneis begins with a delicately perfumed aroma and ends with a long, evolving finishing with notes of grapefruit, peach, honey and juniper. A splendid aperitif, its crisp complexity is perfect for savoring on a balmy summer’s eve."

Grape A to Z’s: Exploring Varieties

Hundreds of grape varietals around the world are used to make an array of interesting and delectable wines. How many have you tried? In this regular column, is-wine’s wine expert and co-owner Thomas Pellechia shares a few insights on one of our featured varietals.

Dolcetto

Sweet is the English meaning of the Italian word "dolce." So, the Italian wine Dolcetto is sweet, no? Well, no, it isn't.

Dolcetto is the grape's name, and as a table grape it is sweet. As wine, Dolcetto is generally dry, slightly acidic and slightly almond-like in its finish; in other words, often complex.

Dolcetto is believed to have first appeared about 1,000 years ago in and around Monferrato, in Piemonte. Today seven separate DOC areas of production in Piemonte are identified: Dolcetto d'Acqui; Dolcetto d'Alba; Dolcetto d'Asti; Dolcetto delle Langhe Monregalese; Dolcetto di diano d'Alba; Dolcetto di Dogliani; Dolcetto di Ovada. The Alba, Asti and Dogliani versions are more commonly found in the United States.

We prefer Dolcetto d'Alba for its often intensity, balance, and ageability.

There is a belief that Dolcetto is connected to another grape, Bonarda, which is also connected to another grape, but that story is for another time. Until then, enjoy Dolcetto; we always do.

Cooking by the Glass

The hot, humid weather calls out for cold foods that are tasty yet substantial enough to satisfy those pangs of hunger. I love to serve stuffed grape leaves in summer along with a fruity, crisp Tocai Friuliano while waiting for the grilled salmon. Though most of us have had ones from a can, fresh ones are relatively easy to make and are more satisfying.

Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades)
(to serve a group) ....continue

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June 16/04 Vol. 1 Issue 4