As a wine writer I get some unique opportunities to try some very unique wines ... today we had a meeting of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada and invited Ken Hayden from Appellation Wines in to speak about his wines and let us taste some 50 wines from his portfolio. What makes these wines even more interesting is that they are all made from "oddball" grape varieties that you may never have heard about before (all from Italy) ... some wines were excellent, others, you kinda wish they had left the grapes in the ground ... but all were interesting, unique and a fun to taste. Below are a list of the wines that I fancied along with their grape variety, approximate price, their viticulture growing area and the occasional note ...
Three and a Half Star wines (*** 1/2) ...
Santa Venere 2011 Vescovado ($24.95) - Area: Calabria, Italy - Grape: Guardavalle
Terra di Briganti 2011 Sciascinoso ($21.25) - Area: Sannio, Italy - Grape: Sciascinoso ... hints of black cherry and leather
Cieck 2011 Erbaluce di Caluso ($20.25) - Area: Erbaluce di Caluso, Italy - Grape: Erbaluce ... citrus and peach
Maison Vigneronne Freres Grosjean 2009 Fumin ($27.00) - Area: Vallee d'Aoste, Italy - Grape: Fumin (90%) / Petit Rouge (10%) ... cranberry-cherry cocktail
Conte Collalto 2011 Rosabianco ($23.00) - Area: Colli Trevigiani, Italy - Grape: Manzoni Rosa 1.5
Three and a Half Plus Star wines (*** 1/2+) ...
Fattoria Paradiso 2008 Barbaresco Il Dosso ($32.70) - Area: Forli, Italy - Grape: Barbarossa ... menthol cherry Halls
I Vini di Emilio Bulfon 2011 Cjanorie ($20.95) - Area: Friuli, Italy - Grape: Cjanorie ... funky nose with sweet red fruit flavours
I Vini di Emilio Bulfon 2011 Forgiarin ($20.95) - Area: Venezia, Italy - Grape: Forgiarin ... red berries
Tenuta Campioli 2011 Brianchello del Metauro ($21.25) - Area: Bianchello del Metauro, Italy - Grape: Bianchello del Metauro
Vinchio Vaglio Serra 2011 Rebus ($22.21) - Area: Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato, Italy - Grape: Ruche ... blueberry and strawberry
Cantine Sociale Il Nuraghe 2010 Tiernu ($22.75) - Area: Campidano di Terralba, Italy - Grape: Bovale (85%) ... nice red fruit driven wine
Duca della Corgna 2011 Divina Villa Etichetta Bianca ($22.75) - Area: Trasimeno Gamay, Italy - Grape: Gamay Selezione Umbria ... sweet strawberry and cherry
Duca della Corgna 2009 Divina Villa Etichetta Nera ($26.25) - Area: Trasimeno Gamay, Italy - Grape: Gamay Selezione Umbria ... similar to above, tho shows more bite to the cherry
Conte Collalto 2009 Wildbacher ($22.75) - Area: Colli Trevigiani, Italy - Grape: Wildbacher ... leathery with cherry fruit
Anna Spinato 2010 Raboso Marca Trevigiana ($18.25) - Area: Raboso Piave, Italy - Grape: Raboso ... blueberry, blackberry and raspberry
Four Star wines (****) ...
I Vini di Emilio Bulfon 2011 Piculit Neri ($22.25) - Area: Venezie, Italy - Grape: Piculit Neri ... sweet red raspberry jam
Azienda Guerrieri 2011 Celso ($22.50) - Area: Bianchello del Metauro, Italy - Grape: Bianchello del Metauro ... pineapple and grapefruit
Cantine Briamara 2011 Erbaluce di Caluso Biancamano ($23.00) - Area: Erbaluce di Caluso, Italy - Grape: Erbaluce ... canned pineapple with hints of peach
Terralba 2009 La Vetta Moradella ($23.00) - Area: Commune di Berzano di Tortona, Italy - Grape: Moradella ... red and dark fruit with nice tannins
Vinchio Vaglio Serra 2010 Don Rodrigo Piemonte Albarossa ($23.25) - Area: Monferrato, Italy - Grape: Albarossa ... lovely light cherry and raspberry with good acidity
Agrivite Valdarno 2009 Pugnitello ($37.00) - Area: Toscana, Italy - Grape: Pugnitello ... black cherry, mocha and cedar
La Crotta di Vegneron 2010 Cornalin ($28.50) - Area: Vallee d'Aoste, Italy - Grape: Cornalin ... cherry licorice and fruit leather
Anna Spinato 2008 Malanotte del Piave ($35.00) - Area: Malanotte de Piave, Italy - Grape: Raboso ... nice blackberry, cherry and plum
Four Plus Star wines (****+) ...
Alberto Quacquarini 2006 Petronio ($42.00) - Area: Petronio, Italy - Grape: Vernaccia Nera ... plum, cherry with port-like nuances
Torre Guaceto (Academie Racemi) 2008 "Sum" ($25.10) - Area: Manduria/Puglia, Italy - Grape: Sussumaniello ... chocolate cherry and strawberry
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