Tasting Notes 8/5/11

 CANTINA VALDADIGE VALLAGARINA PINOT GRIGIO 2009

                He tired of war.  He longed for peace and love, and for crisp white wine.  He stole a rowboat in the dead of night and set out on the Adige river in Northeast Italy, rowing downstream.  No, wait.  That’s too easy.  He rowed upstream, struggling manfully against the raging current.  He found Cantina Valdadige and quenched his thirst.  The wine was light and crisp and fresh.  It clutched fruity, floral aromas and flavors like he once clutched his rifle.  A Farewell to Arms, a Hello to Wine.  $6.97.

CANTINE VALPANE BARBERA 2009

                The man returned to his boat but accidentally struck himself in the head with an oar.  He woke up to find a beautiful nurse tending to him.  No injury could keep him off his game.  He asked her out for a glass of wine.  They talked into the night while enjoying these rich, juicy berry flavors accented with notes of cedar and light earth.  88 points Jim.  $12.97.

GUIDO PORRO DOLCETTO D’ALBA 2009

                The nurse was beautiful and wonderful.  She enjoyed his manly attentions.  But no woman could hold him for long.  He set out for more wine and discovered this.  He thought it quite masculine, especially for Dolcetto.  Its big, bright, fruity nose encouraged him to sip.  He tasted juicy red plums and surprising tannins on the finish.  This encouraged him to gulp.  He did so, boldly.  88 points Tobin Bros.  $16.97.

HENRY FESSY BEAUJOLAIS MOULIN-A-VENT 2009

                Paris called to him.  He felt a need to socialize with expatriate artists and writers who were not quite as heroic and manly as he was.  He drank in the bistros, in the bars, in the hotels.  He quaffed this lovely Beaujolais from the vintage of the century.  He drank more of it than anyone.  Its blackberry, plum and crème de cassis flavors made it A Moveable Feast.  He found it lush, velvety and balanced.  90 points Wine Spectator.  $15.97.  

CLOS DE LA PROCURE COTES DE PROVENCE 2007

                The man won a bet regarding “the matter of measurements.”  He celebrated with this delightful wine from the South of France.  Its black cherry, plum and vanilla flavors appealed to his sense of worldly balance and made him realize The Sun Also Rises.  He found it silky, and as pure as his own writing style.  90 points Jim.  $22.97.

VENTA MORALES TEMPRANILLO 2009

                He heard of war in Spain.  He had to go.  Evidently he no longer tired of it.  He consorted bravely with the rebels in the mountains of the North.  They drank well and often.  Sometimes even while they were fighting.  They pounded this juicy, supple red with flavors of cherry, chocolate and herbs.  87 points Jim.  $6.97.

LAS ROCAS VINAS VIEJAS GARNACHA 2008

                Gunfire tore the ground near his feet.  The man worried about asking For Whom The Bell Tolls.  Then he realized worrying is unmanly.  He forgot his troubles with a bottle of this Garnacha.  Its captivating aromas and flavors of black raspberry, cherry  and spice cast away thoughts of Death in the Afternoon.  When the end of the bottle came, he lay on the forest floor and awaited his own end with manly stoicism.  Or maybe he just fell asleep.  War and wine will do that to even the toughest of men.  $16.97.