It's nice when you can try three wines that are very different from each other and be happy with your choice.
The two whites had some similarities but were quite unlike each other. One was a grape that I hadn't experienced before and the other is one I buy often, but it still surprised me.
The red wine is a blend I recommend for certain occasions, but I found this one so different I'll have to think of it in a different way. With luck you'll find something here that
appeals to you too.
Campania Falanghina
Terredora - 144790
Italy
$19.99
We have a wine on our shelves made with the Falanghina grape, one that was completely unfamiliar to me. This grape is cultivated in the Italian wine region of
Campania, just north of Naples.
An indigenous white wine grape the Falanghina grape has been around for thousands of years and nearly wiped out when Europe went through the phylloxera louse epidemic.
With luck some vines survived and continues to thrive in an area that is more famous for its robust red wines.
The Terredora 2009 Falanghina (144790) reminded me quite a bit of some of the Sauvignon Blanc's I've tried so I found it easy to like.
With a straw colour and hints of green in the glass the aromas were clean and lively. There were aromas of tropical pineapple, pear with a hint of vanilla from time resting on the lees.
In the mouth it was fresh and vibrant with tropical and apple flavours in a light to medium-bodied wine that for $19.99 a bottle will pair nicely with any seafood dish, be it cod or shellfish.
This not so common wine has been given 90 points out of 100 by the Wine Advocate.
19 Crimes- 200717
Australia
$19.99
In 1788 the English found a way to rid the country of criminals by transporting them by ship to the Australian colony. If you were convicted of one of the 19 crimes you often bought yourself a one-way ticket out of the country.
By today's standards some of these offences seem pretty mild.
For instance, impersonating an Egyptian or stealing fish from a pond or a river got you a cruise that many didn't survive and once there life wasn't much easier.
Centuries later that sturdy stock has helped to populate a county that thrives and exports some very fine wine.
This wine called 19 Crimes (200717) is paying homage to those men and sometimes women whose forced immigration helped to settle their country.
This 2010 red wine is a blend of Shiraz and Durif. Durif is a grape most often called Petite Syrah and when asked to describe it I will often call it juicy. Blended with Shiraz I usually find it brings that quality to the mix.
However, this wine was quite different, the colour was still a thick reddish purple and what I expected, but the aromas began to tell me something different.
This wine seemed rustic or more Old World style than the fruit forward style I was expecting. There were still those nice black fruit aromas but this time they were a little subtler.
But it was on the palate that I found the biggest difference. I found layers of fruit like plum and black cherry in a full-body. The tannins and acidity brought structure with a touch of sweetness on the finish.
Those lightly gripping tannins told me immediately that this wine is built for a big beefsteak or wild game. I found this wine rich and full and certainly worth the $19.99 a bottle.
Sauvignon Blanc
Luis Felipe Edwards Family
Selection - 339267
Chile
$17
The Leyda Valley of Chile is a prime part of the San Antonio Valley for Pinot Noirs and Sauvignon Blanc. The Luis Felipe Edwards Family Selection 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (339267) is a wine from that area producing above average
Sauvignon Blancs.
With history dating back to the 19th Century the Edwards family has a long tradition of wine making in Chile. As I recall this is the first wine of theirs I've had and was very pleased.
This white wine with golden hues has a multitude of aromas from tropical to tree fruits you might find in the Okanagan.
Aromas of mango, pineapple with apricot and peach filled the glass. There was a hint of green vegetation but very light. And then in the mouth it was full-bodied and ripe with fruit and a softer acidity than I expected.
It was mouth filling and luscious with a finish as long as the wines name. For $17 I can't wait to try it again only this time with a fresh green salad or creamy pasta sauce.
