Featured Wines for September – 2011 Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio, Sicily & 2011 Le Salette Valpolicella Classico, Veneto, Italy

2011 Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio IGT, Sicily $12

Purato Catarratto-Pinot Grigio IGT 2011 has 60% Catarratto which gives more body to the 40% Pinot Grigio. The blending of these two grapes creates an enjoyable, everyday drinking wine that offers intense aromas of both citrus, tropical fruit flavors and a hint of dried herbs. The palate is beautifully weighted with fine texture, balanced acidity and a lingering dry finish. This is perfect with seafood or as an aperitif. The packaging of this wine is interesting since the bottle is 85% recycled glass and the labels are recycled paper with vegetable ink. Even the wine cases are made with recycled cardboard. Alcohol: 13%

2011 LeSalette Valpolicella Classico DOC, Veneto, Italy $17

This is wine is produced in the viticulture zone, Valpolicella. Le Salette Valpolicella Classico DOC 2011 is 50% Corvina, 40% Rondinella and Sangiovese, 5% Molinara and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon – a classic Valpolicella blend. After decades of less than stellar wines Valpolicella has come back with more refined vintages. The color of this wine is a dark red ruby with garnet highlights. The bouquet is intense and full of dry fruit and spices. The palate is soft and balanced with a long finish very much like a Beaujolais. This is a great wine to pair with end of summer steaks on the grill. Alcohol: 12.5%

Wines of the Month – 2011Tamellini Soave & 2010 G. D. Vajra Langhe Rosso

May 1, 2013 · by BishopsStock ·

Featured Wines for May – 2011 Tamellini Soave, Veneto, Italy & 2010 G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso, Piedmonte, Italy

2011 Tamellini Soave, Veneto, Italy $17

Soave is the most famous white “Demominazione Di Origine Contratollato” wine in Italy. The DOC covers wines made from Garganega grapes grown on the hillsides east of Verona in the VEneto wine region. In 1998 Gaetano Tamellini felt his estate grown grapes were better than those being pooled together by the Soave Co-Op. He took the risk to join 20 other growers who have broken away and now bottle their own wines from their individual estates. Tamellini’s Soave is a great example of why he did this and has now succeeded. His wine is dry, fresh with a slight almond note at the end. The nose is fragrant, flowery and fruity. This is a great wine for warm weather entertaining and light meals on the patio. Great with mild-flavored fish and light pasta dishes. Around our area flounder and clams fit that bill. Alcohol: 12%

2010 G.D. Vajra Langhe Rosso, Piedmont, Italy $14

Vajra Rosso is one of the gallery owner’s favorite reds. Customers who know this wine are pleased to find it on our shelves. This is a blend which for the wonderful 2010 harvest, Vajra used 80% Dolcetto, 15% Barbara and 5% blend of Freisa, Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. This is dark ruby in color. The nose on this wine is earthy with red currants and black cherry. On the palate the cherry stands with black raspberry on first taste then the wine opens to be herbaceous. This is a wine that can be enjoyed when young yet it will hold for 5 years. The foods of the Piedmont region pair perfectly with this Rosso. Think about using this with antipasti, aged cheese and Italian salami or prosciutto. A great red meat or meat pasta wine. Alcohol: 13%

Wines of the Month – Purato Catarratto/Pinot Grigio 2011, Sicily & LeSalette Valpolicella Classico 2011, Veneto, Italy