Trio of off-the-beaten-path red wines for 2016
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Like everyone else I’ll be drinking lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay this year, but as enjoyable as these wines might be I already find myself craving something different. Therefore as part of my new year wine resolutions I’ve promised my palate a path less traveled. In other words, I intend to drink lesser known but truly distinctive wines. In this week’s column I’ll introduce three exceptional styles of red wines that are must tries for wine lovers seeking something different in 2016.
Ancient first growth
The Aglianico variety from southern Italy is sometimes referred to by wine historians as the original first growth. The earliest documented accounts of the grape date back to the sixth century BC when Phoenicians cultivated Aglianico vines along their coastal settlements in what is now modern day Basilica. During the early Roman Empire the grape rose to prominence when it was the major component of the celebrated Falernian wine. Wine loving poet and philosopher Pliny the Elder and numerous other Roman personages passionately sang the praises of this beloved variety in their poems and other writings.
The history of the Aglianico grape may be long and storied but the 19th and 20th centuries were not kind to southern Italian wine producers. It wasn’t until the late 1980s and 1990s when new investment and interest in making quality wines helped the producers of the region to rediscover the potential of their noble vine. The best expressions of the Aglianico grape come from Aglianico del Vulture DOC in Basilicata and Taurasi DOCG in Campania.
One superior example you can experience in Shanghai this year is the 2012 Elena Fucci Titolo Aglianico del Vuture DOC, a beauty of a wine with spicy cherry, blackberry and herb qualities and mouth-puckering supple tannins. The wine also boasts a deliciously long and complex finish. All Aglianico del Vulture DOC wines are made of 100 percent Aglianico grapes and conform to strict yield and aging requirements. The best vineyards in this region are located on the lower slopes of the dormant volcano Mount Vulture that are rich in volcanic ash. In addition to the Elena Fucci wines, the producer Cantine del Notaio also makes noteworthy Aglianico del Vulture DOC wines that you can find in Shanghai.
Napa unique
Napa Valley is renowned for great Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and to a lesser but still significant extent Zinfandel red wines. But Cabernet Franc? Not until my friend Scott Palazzo of Palazzo Wines started focusing on this variety. The story of Scott and his Napa Valley Cabernet Franc wine is an illuminating tale of a wine contrarian.
Three decades ago Scott lived and worked in Saint Emilion on the right bank of Bordeaux. Unlike most top Napa producers who are Cabernet Sauvignon-centric, Scott was more interested in the special charm and elegance of the Cabernet Franc and Merlot varieties. His limited production Napa Valley single variety Cabernet Franc is easily the best single variety New World Cabernet Franc wine I’ve tasted. It combines elegance and structure with impressive complexity. All together it’s a unique wine and a definite must try in 2016. Scott also makes a lovely Merlot Proprietary Red that, like his Cabernet Franc, exudes elegance and character.
Rediscovery
Another special variety on my radar this year is Carmenere. Until the mid to late 19th century Carmenere was one of the six noble red wine grapes of Bordeaux blended with the other five Gallic grapes to create some of the finest wines ever made.
There are also theories that suggest this grape may be the direct ancestor of the legendary Biturica, a variety highly-prized in ancient Rome over 2,000 years ago but this has yet to be definitively proven.
The downfall of this variety in Bordeaux started with the devastating Phylloxera plague in 1867 that destroyed most of the vines in France and elsewhere in Europe. Grafting with American rootstock that was resistant to the disease helped bring back the other five Bordeaux red wine grapes but Carmenere was not so lucky. Winemakers were reluctant to restore this variety as it was the latest ripening and most finicky of the Bordeaux grapes. Many were happy to see this problem grape disappear.
In 1994 French amplelographer Jean-Michel Boursiquot was visiting vineyards in Chile when he made the startling discovery that approximately half the Chilean wines that were labeled Merlot were actually Carmenere. Since then Chile has adopted this variety as its national grape. The unique climate of Chilean wine regions influenced by the towering Andes mountains create hot, dry and sunny days and cool evenings that are ideal for cultivating the troublesome Carmenere grape.
The flavors and aromas in a well-made Carmenere are ripe red and black fruits along with dark chocolate, tobacco and leather often with spicy and smoky notes. Truth be told, there still exist as many bad Chilean Carmenres as good ones but this is gradually changing for the better and you’re far more likely to get a quality Carmenere wine than ever before. Recommended producers of Carmenere with wines available in Shanghai are Chocalan, Santa Rita, Calina and Casa La Joya. But the most surprising Carmenere you can taste in 2016 doesn’t come from Chile!
Late last year an Italian friend of mine gave me a bottle of 2010 Campo Buri Veneto Rosso La Cappuccina IGT wine that’s 90 percent Carmenere and 10 percent the local Oseleta variety. I was surprised by the varietal makeup of this red from Northeastern Italy but even more astounded by its quality. The wine exhibited delightful spicy dark berry flavors with attractive hints of spice in a gloriously long and smooth finish. Aged 18 months in new French oak and another year in the bottle, this a great wine to enjoy in 2016 or cellar for future enjoyment.
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