Wine Regions Archives - Page 3 of 15 - Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Tuscany: The Crown Jewel of Italian Wine

January 24, 2023 by Don Lahey

Tuscany enjoys a unique position in Italy. Located in the center of the Italian peninsula, its cities, culture, and people have existed for thousands of years. Drawing strength from its ancient Etruscan origin, which lent Rome its ability to build and engineer feats of unparalleled proportion, the inhabitants of Tuscany have shaped an austere, mystifyingly beautiful countryside into a rich, fecund land. In harmony with a singularly beautiful land that has been inexorably shaped throughout the centuries by the finest human artistry, Tuscans have created a nearly ideal world in which agriculture, architecture, art, thought, and of course wine continue to form one seamless vital union.

Moreover, during no time in its thousands of years of existence have the wines of Tuscany been better than they are today. Whether one enters Tuscany from the south, driving north from Rome, or discovers Tuscany from any number of small country roads that head south from Emilia-Romagna, it is almost impossible not to know that one has entered a special land. Wooded mountains and valleys, full of oak and pine, and a sea of vines that traverse the hills greet the fortunate traveler to Tuscany. From the sight of the land, it is easy to understand why Tuscany is one of the most important wine producing regions in the world. Likewise, it is equally difficult to comprehend the simple truth – that Tuscany, with its multitude of great wines and illustrious place names, is not one of Italy’s most prolific wine producing regions. In Tuscany, quality, not quantity, holds sway. The great wines of Tuscany are by and large artisanal affairs, produced by families, visionaries, and small groups of very dedicated men and women.

The most expensive and renowned names in Tuscan wine are Brunello di Montalcino – a complex, garnet colored wine from the hills surrounding the precipitous town of Montalcino – and the extraordinary Super Tuscan blends of Tuscany’s Bolgheri. Carmignano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano are two other ancient names whose fame dates conclusively from the early Middle Ages. And, nowhere in Tuscany or anywhere else in Italy for that matter is better wine being made at prices that one can still afford than in Carmignano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Chianti and Chianti Classico, the two most recognizable names in Italian wine, provide a trove of exciting wines, too. Equally important, Tuscany fashions wonderful Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Vin Santo, and a plethora of delicious IGT Rosso and Bianco wines, which Tuscany bestows upon a thirsty world.

Chile and Argentina: Viven Los Andes

December 15, 2022 by Don Lahey

The Andes are the tallest mountains in the Western Hemisphere, dwarfing the Rockies and the Sierras with their sheer magnitude. Only the tallest peaks of the Himalayas can top those of the Andes. However, the Andes are more than a geologic mass, they are a mystical experience. They cast their shadows and mysteries upon the present day population of South America as they did the ancient Pre-Columbian peoples who inhabited their lower reaches.

Without the towering Andes, there would be no cultivation of the vine in Mendoza and no real agriculture as we know it, nor would viticulture thrive in the river valleys of central Chile, which lie just across the Andean spine, or Cordillera, from Mendoza – a mere one hundred miles as the condor flies, but still a torturous eight-hour adventure by car. Simply, it is the Andes that give life to the desert like Mendoza and the arid rift valleys of Chile. Specifically, it is Andean snows that accumulate upon the higher elevations of the Andes that give life and sustenance to these parched parcels of South America that yield the continent’s finest wines.

In order to make the desert bloom, the inhabitants of the Andes have come to rely on their mighty mountains for water. By sluicing off the Andean snow melt and directing its waters into canals, much of Argentina and Chile are now productive farmland and especially suited to the cultivation of the vine. Since the Italian migration to Argentina in the 19^th century and subsequent settlement in the Illinois-sized province of Mendoza, the Mighty Mendoza has become the largest wine producing area in South America, ranking Argentina among the world’s leading wine producing nations. Without the Andes, there would be no wine or much else to speak of from Mendoza or many of the productive valleys of neighboring Chile.

In 2021, Chile and Argentina were respectively the 6^th and 7^th largest producers of wine around the world. Although black grapes and red wine constitute the majority of both nation’s production, white wines now garner equal praise. French varietals predominate with Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc all in abundance. However, other worthy varietals and blends are increasingly finding their way to our shores. Moreover, the list of exceptional Chilean and Argentine produces expands each year. Aquitania, Casa Silva, Casas del Bosque, Mayu, P.S. Garcia, Catena, Graffito, La Posta, Luca, Mendel, and Tikal are just some of the finest and most consistent Andean wine producers. Viven Los Andes!

Grenache: A Prestigious and Prolific Crowd Pleaser

November 21, 2022 by Don Lahey

Grenache, whose origin points to Aragon in northern Spain, is the most widely cultivated red varietal throughout the world. The wine’s propensity for vigor, drought resistance, high alcohol, and inherent ability to yield powerful, spicy, complex wines has made it a favorite in warm climates around the world. When judiciously pruned, Grenache yields wines of extraordinary quality, not only in Spain’s Priorat where it is known as Garnacha, and in neighboring France (including the Languedoc and the Rhône Valley where it shines in all the greatest wines of Gigondas, Côtes de Rhône villages, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which includes Château Beaucastel, the southern Rhône’s most iconic wine), but also in Australia. It is the most cultivated red grape in Australia where the country’s very old bush vines, many of which are in excess of 100 years of age, furnish some of South Australia’s most extraordinary reds. Thistledown is currently Australia’s leading purveyor of old bush vine Grenache, and Thistledown’s wines should not be missed. Every one of Thistledown’s Grenache offerings constitute the benchmarks by which others are judged. Grenache also forms the basis for Australia’s signature GSM blend, perhaps the world’s most recognizable blend. California enjoys a long history with Grenache, too, where it increasingly plays a supporting role in the state’s finest Syrah offerings. It is high time that we pay homage to the planet’s most prolific red grape variety and the extraordinary, crowd pleasing wines it yields.

Bordeaux: More Great Wines from Beside the Waters

October 15, 2022 by Don Lahey

Bordeaux is the world’s largest fine wine producing region, encompassing nearly 300,000 acres, 60 individual appellations, and more than 7,300 châteaux. The Bordeaux appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Julien, Saint Émilion, and Pomerol are legendary, as are the scores of age-worthy collectible red wines that flow from those Bordeaux communes’ hallowed vineyards.

Both the red and white wines of Bordeaux (both the region and its wines are referred to as Bordeaux) are some of the finest and most expensive wines on earth. Moreover, this renowned viticultural region has become synonymous with full-bodied red wine. Bordeaux is also the traditional home of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, the three musketeers of almost all red Bordeaux and the basis for Meritage blends around the world. And what eludes many wine consumers is that Bordeaux is also one of the planet’s largest and greatest sources of white wine, principally from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Bordeaux, meaning beside the waters, refers to the region’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the broad estuary, the Gironde, for which the entire viticultural department (the equivalent of a county or state in the United States) is named. Bordeaux, the region as well as the department’s leading city, lie at the center of the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, which flow into the Gironde and nearby Atlantic Ocean, which redoubles Bordeaux’s effort to live up to its name. It is Bordeaux’s proximity to the sea that provides moderate climate, which is favorable to the production of fine wine. Bordeaux’s marriage to the sea has also provided the historical highway by which Bordeaux wines have traveled the world, gaining esteem and recognition long before most other landlocked wine regions could safely transport their wines overland to eager markets.

Since the first century BCE, when the Romans established themselves in Bordeaux and referred to the area as Biturigiaca, this ancient viticultural paradise has been a constant source of fine wine. Known to the emperors of Rome, popes, and poets (most notably Pliny and Ausonius), Bordeaux has enjoyed the envy of the wine producing world longer than any other wine region on earth. From Pliny to the most contemporary wine critics, including Robert Parker Jr., Bordeaux wines have never gone out of favor. And with a string of outstanding vintages (2015-2020), the wines of Bordeaux have never been better. Moreover, few other wine regions can claim three millennia of continuous production and millions of satisfied customers.

Exceptional Red and White Portuguese Wines: Still in Need of Discovery

September 15, 2022 by Don Lahey

Despite centuries of producing some of the world’s most sought after wines, most notably Port and Madeira, the trove of excellent unfortified Portuguese red and white wines remains relatively undiscovered on this side of the Atlantic. True, Portuguese rosés enjoyed a good run in the late 1960s and 1970s, and the present penchant for Vinho Verde seems to have established some credibility as a fun summertime wine, but neither rosé nor Vinho Verde truly represent the breadth of fine red and white Portuguese wines. Affordable, food friendly, and full of flavor, there is much to discover in this new age of oenological exploration, beginning in the north of Portugal in the valley of the Douro and extending south to Dão, Alentejo, Lisboa, and the Algarve. All produce many contemporary and traditional red and white wines of quality and individuality.

The Douro may be best known for producing Port, but fine unfortified reds and elegant world-class white wines also emanate from the Douro. Quinta do Noval and Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo are two splendid Port producers who also make superb unfortified red and white wines. Quinta Nova’s Pomares line are especially gratifying and provide worthy companions to any well prepared meal. Val Moreira is another exceptional Douro property and winery.

Moving south one discovers a plethora of small estates in Portugal’s Dão that continue to push the envelope in terms of quality and style with traditional Portuguese grape varieties: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Jaen, and Encruzado to name a few. Taboadella’s red wines are smooth and flavorful, while the estate’s Encruzado Reserva is a white wine that is every bit the equal of fine white Burgundy. Owned by the Amorim family who gained fame as cork purveyors, Taboadella is an ancient property that has emerged as a cutting edge producer in all respects.

The wine country around Lisbon is enjoying a renaissance, too, with such purveyors as San Sebastião turning out a wealth of tasty and affordable wines from traditional and international grape varieties. Moving further down the Iberian Peninsula, Alentejo, deep in the heart of Portugal and off the beaten tourist track, is home to the highly acclaimed Herdade Aldeia de Cima estate among others. And then there is the Algarve, home to a growing number of little viticultural jewels as well as fabulous beaches, caves, and nightlife. Isn’t it time to discover the splendid wines of sunny Portugal? Enjoy!

Shiraz (shee-raz)

August 15, 2022 by Don Lahey

Shiraz is the name given to the Syrah grape in Australia and South Africa and likely a bastardization of either Heraz, a river and region of ancient Persia (present day Iran), or Herat, a former Persian city now in Afghanistan, where Shiraz was once thought to have originated. However, recent DNA testing indicates southern France, always considered to be Syrah’s spiritual home, to be the true origin of the grape. Shiraz/Syrah remains immensely popular in Provence and along the steep banks of the swift-moving Rhône River, where it is responsible in all or part for many of the greatest red wines of France – Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape specifically.

Most of the Shiraz vines planted in Australia, where Shiraz is one of the most planted red wine grapes, trace their ancestry back to France, though some evidence suggests that Syrah arrived in Australia from France via South Africa. Such a circuitous route points to the likelihood that the dark skinned Syrah grape variety departed France before the twin plagues of oidium and phylloxera that occurred in the last half of the 19th century and that the Syrah vines that arrived in Australia stem from older clones of the varietal than those found presently throughout most of southern France and California. Furthermore, as France recovered from the devastation, new clones of old favorite grape varieties such as Syrah were often replanted in the vineyards. For these reasons some consider Shiraz to be a distinct clone of the Syrah varietal and entitled to its own name. However, for all intents and purposes, the two names and grapes are synonymous.

Both Australia and South Africa produce many of the planet’s greatest Shiraz wines. Tried and true Australian and South African purveyors such as Chapel Hill, DeMorgenzon, Nugan, Penfolds, Reyneke, Tait, and others continuously fashion world-class Shiraz and at prices many of us can still afford.

Mencia: Spain’s Ancient and Illustrious Red Varietal

June 16, 2022 by Don Lahey

Spain has long been associated with great red wines, particularly the red wines of Rioja and Ribera del Duero from the iconic Tempranillo varietal, so much that other equally exciting indigenous varietals such as Garnacha, Prieto Picudo and most especially Mencia have had to take a back seat or, worse, have been ignored until the last several years.

Mencia is a premium red Spanish grape varietal found primarily in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, and Valdeorras appellations of northern Spain. Although the Mencia varietal was once considered by enologists to be the direct ancestor and precursor of Cabernet Franc, recent DNA testing has shown that this is not the case. Mencia and Cabernet Franc share some common characteristics, but not the same ancestry. It is now widely believed that Mencia and Portugal’s Jaen de Dão (Jaen for short) grape variety are one and the same, yet not everyone agrees. What we do know, however, is that Mencia is an ancient varietal that has been around for millennia. Bierzo’s original plantings of Mencia likely date to the earliest Roman settlers in Bierzo, who cultivated the varietal two thousand years ago in what remains one of Europe’s most isolated wine regions. It is the grape’s isolation and not any inferior quality that has caused it to be overlooked outside its ancestral home.

Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, and Valdeorras are remote areas, the latter two in Galicia, Spain’s cool, windswept province astride the Atlantic. Certainly, it is the very isolation of the region that has allowed Mencia to survive and even thrive. Moreover, the average age of the hillside vines in these appellations can be quite old, which lends itself to the production of high quality wines. Consequently, the wonderfully fruity, spicy, and wholly intriguing Mencia varietal has recently been discovered, or rather re-discovered, by modern legions of wine drinkers. They are no doubt intrigued by this unique viticultural entity we call Mencia, whose many attributes are accentuated by organic farming, low vineyard yields, and modern winemaking techniques practiced by its finest purveyors whose emphasis is on quality rather than quantity. Since the 1990s Mencia has steadily grown in popularity to the point where there are now more than 20,000 acres of Mencia vines being cultivated in Spain. Altos de Losada, Peza do Rei, and Casal Novo are three consistent producers of Mencia whose wines are always worth seeking out.

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