Yesterday afternoon, I and about fifteen members of the North Shore Winers attended the special "unusual" wine tasting at Gordons Fine Wine and Culinary Center in Waltham. There were plenty of other people at this event as well. It certainly seemed popular and with good reason.
There were over 50 wines at the tasting, all either with uncommon varietals or uncommon blends. The tasting was held in a special back room of the wine store, an area where they have other tastings and food events. It made for a nice venue. There were also plates of varied cheeses, sausage, and slices of bread. Good to nibble on to cleanse your palate between wines.
The wines we tasted were ones many people might ignore while shopping at a wine store. Who would pick up a Zweigelt or a Kotisfali if they had never tasted them before? Why risk the money to buy wines of which you know nothing about? That is why tastings like this are so important. They help teach people about all of the less common wines out there, and show them how good such wines can be. They open up their vistas to such a grander view. I know people at the tasting who bought wines they would not have bought save for this tasting. And now they know new varietals and may buy them again in the future as well. As well as tell their family and friends about their new finds.
As I have often said, one of the best ways to learn about wine is to taste it.
So, here is my list of my favorite wines from the tasting, listed by Distributor. Note that the prices are all 20% less than their standard retail as all of the wines were discounted for the event. Please also note that these are only my personal favorites. There were other good wines at the tasting as well.
Martignetti Companies
2004 Castello di Salleg, Pinot Nero, Alto Adige, Italy ($15.99)--Good Burgundian style wine
2006 Bodegas Agapito Rico, Carchelo, Jumilla, Spain ($7.99)--100% Monastrell. Nice, fruity wine. One of my favorite varietals.
Adonna Imports
2006 Vevey Albert, Blanc de Morgex, Vallee d'Aoste, Italy ($17.99)--Excellent white wine, smooth and fruity. A definite crowd pleaser.
2003 Salzl, Zweigelt Barrique, Austria ($11.99)--Good red wine with fine fruit and mild oak flavoring.
2005 Mandino Cane, Dolceacqua Superiore "Arcagna," Rossesse, Liguria, Italy ($20.99)--One of the best wines at the tasting. Organic, light colored red wine but packed with complex flavors. Delicious lingering finish. Would pair well with food.
United Liquors
NV Sokol Blosser, Evolution 11th ed, Dundee Hills, Oregon ($15.99)--A blend of 9 white varietals. I have had this wine before and it is very interesting. A tinge of sweetness and lots of fruit. Many of my friends enjoyed this as well.
2004 Allegrini, Palazzo Della Torre, IGT Veronese, Italy ($16.99)--A red blend of Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Sangiovese. A complex wine with intriguing fruit and spice. A nice long finish. Very delicious.
2005 Robert Foley, Charbono, Napa, California ($31.99)--Another of the best wines at the tasting. I have had this wine before, in older vintages, and always found it to be superb. Complex, excellent fruit, intriguing spice. Just an amazing wine.
Vineyard Road Imports
2004 Lyriakis, Dafni, Crete, Greece ($12.99)--Dafni is the oldest recorded varietal still be used today. This was a very unusual white wine, reminding me of the taste of popcorn and burnt butter. All in a good way. I very much enjoyed this wine, especially as it is very different from the usual fruity whites.
2005 Dmn Madeloc, Collioure Blanc, France ($19.99)--Got to try the 2006 vintage and there was a significant difference between the two. Even just the one year of aging brought significant change. The 2006 was simple and fruity. The 2005 though was mellower, crisp and with more complex flavors. Excellent wine.
2006 Muri-Gries, Lagrein, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy ($11.99)--Organic, low production wine made by a monastery. Great fruity nose with a smooth, delicious taste. Excellent value wine.
2000 Lidakis, Archanes, Crete, Greece ($15.99)--Another of the best wines at the tasting. Read my recent review of this wine.
TGIC Imports
2006 Montes, Cherub, Colchagua, Chile ($12.99)--An excellent Rose made from Syrah. Not too sweet, not too dry. Great choice for the remaining days of summer. Very delicious.
2004 Norton, Privada, Mendoza, Argentina ($15.99)--A blend of Cabernet, Malbec and Merlot. A very nice wine with good fruit and structure.
Gilbert Distributors
2005 Victor Hugo, the Hunchback, Paso Robles, California ($11.99)--Good blend of Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Nice balance of fruit and spice.
Ruby Wines
2003 Bellum Providencia, Yecla, Spain ($12.99)--This is another of the best wines at the tasting. See my prior review of this wine.
Ideal Wines
2005 Trere, Pagadebit, Emilia-Romagna, Italy ($7.99)--An intriguing white wine with a bit of frizzante, a mild carbonation. Very refreshing wine.
2006 Maraglianco, Moscato, La Caliera, Asti, Italy ($10.99)--An excellent wine with a bit of effervesence. A little sweetness and also very refreshing. Great value wine.
Kudos to Gordons and all of the Distributors for making this an excellent event. Gordons should be having their Grand Fall Tasting around October 27. I will provide more details when I get them.
Gordons Fine Wine and Culinary Center
894 Main Street
Waltham, MA
Phone: 781-893-1900
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