Wine Club Vol. 5 No. 6

Past Newsletters

Vol. 5 No. 6

Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
Andretti Winery Sangiovese 1999 - U.S.A.
Palazzone Orvieto Classico Superiore "Terre Vineate " 2001 - Italy

Red Wines Only Featured Selections
Villa Mendoza Mendoza Malbec 1999 - Argentina

White Wines Only Featured Selections
Andretti Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2000 - U.S.A.

Andretti Winery Sangiovese 1999 - U.S.A.

The Andretti Winery, a handsome Italianate property set amid mature Napa Valley vines, is owned by no other than the legendary Mario Andretti - racecar driver extraordinaire. Established in 1996, Andretti has totally transformed this old property, constructing a new winery, offices, tasting room villa, and barrel storage facilities all within a two-year period. But what is most exciting is the quality of wine flowing from this estate; it is every bit deserving of a checkered flag.

When Mario was 15 years old, his family came to the United States. Near to where he lived was a dirt track, which almost immediately turned his interest to racing. Mario raced four decades, winning almost every conceivable race, including the Indy 500, the Daytona 500, and the Indy Car Championship four times. He was World Formula One Champion. He won in sports cars, sprint cars and stock cars. Mario Andretti is the only driver to win races in five decades; he was named the first Driver of the Year in 1967 and, 25 years later, he was named Driver of the Quarter Century. Mario Andretti has long been known for his accomplished versatility, which now includes award-winning wines.

It has been said that wine is Mario Andretti's second passion. He doesn't actually remember the moment he fell in love with wine; it just happened over a period of time. "It began in Italy where wine is part of everyday life," Mario says.

In Mario's quest for racing championships, he traveled the world. His travels to exotic places - combining great dining with fine wine - led to his ultimate enjoyment of wine as one of life's great pleasures. Not surprisingly, he came to appreciate Napa Valley wines in the '70's. And, the more visits he made to Napa, the more enamored he became of the region's wines. He cultivated both friendships and knowledge, so when Mario decided that 1994 would be his last year racing, no one was surprised that a commemorative bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon was produced in honor of his final Indy Car season. The success of the Cabernet paved the way for the introduction of a Chardonnay in April of 1995, thus beginning the ongoing line of Andretti premium wines.

Today, Mario serves as Vice Chairman of the Andretti Winery as well as President of several family-owned businesses, but like a true racecar driver, he knows when to hand matters over to his pit crew. Hence, longtime friend and Napa winemaker extraordinaire, Bob Pepe, enters the picture; he's the Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at the Andretti Winery.

Bob Pepe; Winemaker

Bob Pepe has been with the Andretti Winery since its inception. He was involved in the decision to purchase the property and vineyard, and he is responsible for all the outstanding wine flowing from the Andretti Winery.

Today, Pepe enjoys considerable acclaim. He is highly regarded for his pioneering efforts with Sangiovese as well as Sauvignon Blanc. He was the first in the wine growing industry to utilize a unique trellising system, the two-heart canopy or the Geneva Double Curtain, which maximizes the quality as well as the quantity of the Sauvignon Blanc grape. This method is now in widespread use today. In addition, Bob was one of the first vintners in the United States to grow and make a Sangiovese. Not surprisingly, Bob remains one of Napa Valley's greatest producers of both Sauvignon Blanc and Sangiovese.

Tasting Notes: A lovely ruby robe bedecks the 1999 Andretti Napa Valley Sangiovese. Emanating from the glass is a beguiling aroma; scents of cherry, anise, pepper and spice fold into a single captivating bouquet that caresses the nose. In the mouth, this medium-bodied red is smooth…smooth…smooth…and quite reminiscent of top Tuscan offerings. Recalling the finest Sangiovese-based wines of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, the 1999 Andretti Sangiovese oozes style, elegance and breed as well as mouth-filling flavors. A touch of oak, nuanced with hints of vanilla, clove, and ripe tannins, round out the wine's savor and lead to a very approachable mouth feel and a fine refreshingly crisp finish. Yum! Serve the Andretti Sangiovese at cool room temperature (about 65°F).

Accompaniments: The 1999 Andretti Napa Valley Sangiovese, a medium-bodied blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, is readily drinkable and quite adept at complementing a wide variety of foods. Creamy mild cheeses, hearty pastas, even seafood dishes provide wonderful accompaniments to the Andretti Sangiovese. A stuffed veal chop, with herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and a chopped tomato relish over Arborio rice recently made for a great meal in the company of this stylish Sangiovese. Other recommendations include fresh mozzarella with roasted tomatoes and fresh basil in a spicy garlic tomato sauce over penne pasta or grilled portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers, basil pesto, Kalamata olives and a soft, mild goat cheese over pasta or on a pizza. Given the elegant, balanced nature of this Sangiovese, most meats and Mediterranean-style dishes will be right at home with the smooth, delicious 1999 Andretti Sangiovese, so enjoy!

Recipe for Red Wine:

Penne Arrabiata

1 lb. penne pasta
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3 Tbl. fresh basil - chopped coarsely
3 Tbl oregano
1 Tbl. red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbl. fresh parsley - chopped coarsely

Over medium heat, cook tomatoes and all spices together, covered for approximately 2 hours. Stir sauce every 20 minutes or so to prevent sticking. Cook pasta to "al dente" thickness, drain and pour sauce over pasta and mix well.

Il Palazzone Orvieto Classico Superiore "Terre Vineate" 2001 - Italy

Il Palazzone is a stunningly beautiful estate, which sits atop a hill, overlooking the venerable hill town of Orvieto. A more appropriate testimony to the illustrious name of Orvieto would be hard to find. Both the estate and the wine at Il Palazzone due justice to the accolades and the unabashed praise that millennia of joyful Etruscans, Romans, and assorted moderns have heaped upon Orvieto and its lovely white wine.

Orvieto Classico is certainly the most representative wine from Umbria, and it can also be one of Italy's most consistently delightful white wines. Unique among Italian white wines for its complex blend of five varietals, Orvieto is rarely an easy wine to make due to differing ripening timetables for each of the five varietals and the problems of proportionate blending. Yet, when well made, Orvieto can be truly remarkable and age worthy, too.

For many years, Orvieto was a semi-sweet wine, not unlike Vouvray, but today nearly all Orvieto is vinified dry. Some producers still turn out small quantities of amabile or abboccato, the designations given to sweet Orvieto, but the very finest producers like Il Palazzone seem to impart a wonderfully rich and silky body and an intensely fruity bouquet to their wine, without the residual sugar that most contemporary wine drinkers eschew.

Unfortunately, given the widespread custom of overcropping (producing too much wine from each vine), and the hasty, sometimes poor viticultural practices of many of the big commercial producers, Orvieto has lost some of the reputation that had made it a household name in Italy and abroad. Today, it is indeed tasking to find an excellent wine from this illustrious appellation. Fortunately, Il Palazzone Orvieto Classico Terre Vineate is a notable exception, reviving our faith in this great viticultural area, which may, indeed, be the oldest continually producing white wine region in the world.

La Famiglia Dubini

The Dubini family bought Il Palazzone in 1970 and by 1972 they had resurrected and restructured a neglected property into what has become the model estate in Orvieto. The semi-abandoned country house was fixed up and 40 acres of vineyards were planted on soils of volcanic origin with ideal southeastern exposure.

Initially, the grapes at Il Palazzone were simply harvested and sold to other producers, but by 1984 small quantities of grapes, selected from the finest plots, were vinified, and the limited production estate bottled. The results demonstrated superior quality and even greater potential, so much so that today Il Palazzone vinifies their finest grape selection for an average of 30,000 bottles; this constitutes only one fifth of the potential production. True commitment to quality does not exist without a sacrifice.

In 1988 the winery at Il Palazzone was totally rebuilt, so that the estate can boast a formidable cellar capacity, all in stainless steel tanks. This allows the Dubinis to practice strict grape selections and blend accurately and proportionately the five distinct Orvieto varietals: Orvieto, Procanico, Verdello, Grechetto, Malvasia, and Drupeggio. These facilities also guarantee the employment of a soft pressing of the grapes and a temperature controlled fermentation for "Terre Vineate". I t is just such practices that set Il Palazzone apart from the vast majority of Orvieto producers. It is obvious that Dubini seeks not only an overall generic improvement in Orvieto with each subsequent vintage, but the ultimate Orvieto - a wine of true grace, charm and character that is suitable for ageing and capable of gaining complexity, Molto bene!

Tasting Notes: Lemon drop, honey, and the haunting scents of spring emanate from the 2001 Il Palazzone Terre Vineate Orvieto Classico Superiore, a wine that can best be described as the concentrated beams of liquid sunshine. Drinking the Il Palazzone Orvieto recalls the natural, unadorned green and amber-hued hills, which surround Orvieto and roll in all directions from that most ancient and beautiful hill town. The wine, like the vaulted town of Orvieto itself, appears timeless - a cross between the ancient and the eternal. Combining the best attributes of the golden-hued abboccato, for which Orvieto was once famous, with all of the freshness and vivacity inherent in the best of modern winemaking, the Dubini family has fashioned a dry wine of grace, elegance, and distinction. This lovely Orvieto speaks directly to the senses, purveying a truly aesthetic quality, worthy of the city for which it is named. Serve the Terre Vineate moderately chilled.

Accompaniments: In Orvieto, the wine that bears the name of Italy's most illustrious hill town is best known as an aperitif or a starter wine with a delicate first course. However, the 2001 Il Palazzone Terre Vineate is that and much more. Displaying more flavor and body than the average Orvieto, the Il Palazzone provides a wonderful accompaniment to fish, pork, and lightly smoked meats and cheeses. A simple grilled fish, served with a creamy polenta and a soft cheese, provides a first rate companion to the Terre Vineate. On an even heartier note, a traditional thick bread and cabbage soup with a cheese crust, the kind that is served in homes or local trattoria throughout northern and central Italy, also provides a fine choice with the Il Palazzone. Recently, some of our panel members indulged in a sautéed scallop dish in a cream sauce, with peas and baby lentils, served over homemade pasta, which they deem to be the perfect pairing with this Orvieto. But remember, the 2001 Terre Vineate is, also, just fine all by itself. Enjoy!

Recipe for White Wine

Lime Marinated Seafood Kabobs

¼ c. olive oil
¼ c. fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. soy sauce
10 large shrimp - peeled & deveined
8 large sea scallops
1 fresh tuna steak - cubed
1 red bell pepper - cut into 1" pieces
1 sweet onion - cut into 1" wedges
6-8 cherry tomatoes

In a glass bowl, mix together marinade ingredients. Rinse all seafood and add to marinade and mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Skewer the seafood and vegetables, alternating each onto long skewers (4-6). Preheat grill to medium-high and spray with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray. Grill kabobs for 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. These kabobs can also be broiled in an oven about 6" from broiling coils for 5 minutes or until cooked.

Villa Mendoza Mendoza Malbec 1999 - Argentina

Villa Mendoza is produced by Laurel Glen, an exemplary Sonoma County winery known for its premium California offerings. Grown in the province of Mendoza in the far west of Argentina, the vineyards of Villa Mendoza are some of the highest in the world. Here, the east facing flanks of the Andes cut a broad swath from the city of Mendoza to La Consulta, some 80 miles to the south. It is on this high ground at the base of the snow- peaked Andes and Mt. Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, that the Malbec for Villa Mendoza grows - the product of an antique vineyard planted in the 1800's.

The growing conditions for the Villa Mendoza Malbec are close to viticultural nirvana. The air is dry and unpolluted, so mildew and other fungal diseases are rare. Consequently, costly spraying is unnecessary. The days are warm and the nights are cool during the long, temperate growing season, and the soil a mixture of sandy loam and alluvial stones, is perfect for the ripening of the dark-skinned Malbec grape. And, although the climate is quite arid, the melting snow of the Andean snow peak keeps this part of the Mendoza green and watered.

The 1999 vintage was an ideal one in Mendoza, producing a very special Malbec for Villa Mendoza. The grapes for this wine were harvested in perfect condition, fermented in broad tanks for maximum contact with the skins, and then barrel aged in French and American oak barrels for over a year. The result is the essence of Argentine Malbec: a spicy, exotic, deeply fruited wine with structure and verve. Yum!

Tasting Notes: A medium-bodied Malbec, the 1999 Villa Mendoza exhibits a pretty garnet robe and a generous nose full of the scents of black cherry, plum, pepper, and toasty oak. In the mouth, the Villa Mendoza Malbec offers concentrated warm flavors, minus the boatload of tannin that marks most young Malbec wines. Happily, cedar, plum, and spice caress the palate with rich, huggable flavors, but no hard edges. Smooth, round, and beguiling to the end, the Villa Mendoza Malbec finishes with real panache rather than mere power. Enjoy this lovely, very drinkable Malbec straight away or even more after twenty or thirty minutes of airing.

Accompaniments: Delicious with pasta, grilled meats and even full-flavored cheeses, the 1999 Villa Mendoza is ready to please on a moments notice. At a recent meeting of the C & H tasting panel, the 1999 Villa Mendoza Malbec was voted the group's favorite pasta wine. It was served with a delicious, San Marzano based tomato marinara, fresh grated Parmesan cheese, thick, crusty semolina bread, and a huge heart-healthy salad. So successful was the pairing that some very expensive, less than spectacular Italian wines paled tremendously in comparison. We also suggest steak, lamb chops, barbecue, and even chicken with the 1999 Villa Mendoza. Its full flavor and easygoing charm make for an enjoyable and versatile accompaniment to a variety of foods. Salute.

Andretti Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2000 - U.S.A.

Tasting Notes: Born of a superlative Sauvignon Blanc vintage, the 2000 Andretti Sauvignon Blanc is a classic example of this great varietal. Intense aromas of apricot, melon, and pineapple wrap around vanilla and fresh crisp citrus flavors. Each sniff becomes an olfactory feast, underscoring the subtle complexity of this beautifully wrought Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate, all of the luscious fruit and complexity, which makes the aroma so appealing, follows through in the mouth. In addition, a dollop of fresh grass and herb appears in the mid palate and continues to the wine's finish, solidifying the 2000 Andretti Sauvignon Blanc as the quintessential Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy this lovely wine moderately chilled (40°-50°F).

Accompaniments: The 2000 Andretti Sauvignon Blanc pairs nicely with mild cheeses, light appetizers, pastas and salads. We especially recommend a shrimp and avocado salad over a bed of complex greens with the Andretti or a true Salad Nicoise. Clams, mussels, oysters and scallops served in a myriad of ways provide other memorable accompaniments to the Andretti Sauvignon Blanc. Specifically, roasted baby mussels, served with a saffron sauce or cucumber corn remoulade, or lightly fried curried oysters on baby spinach, with mandarin oranges and roasted apple vinaigrette, are two exciting and interesting shellfish dishes we recommend with this wine. This Andretti offering also makes for a great aperitif. Enjoy!

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