Ciao, Summer, it was Hella Nice!
Our “Cal-Ital” end of summer tasting was the perfect balance of the best wines of California and Italy.
Almost 40 people came to say “ciao” to summer, and taste SommStock’s selection of California and Italian Wines.
The tasting was held at the historic Corner Store Art Gallery, where an exhibit of political caricatures hung (what else what would you expect in this Capitol Hill neighborhood?) It was a fitting setting for a final summer fling in DC.
But the star of the evening by far was the wines. With a dozen wines to sample, guests were struck by the diversity of the selection and variety of choices.
One of the guests fell hard for the LIOCO Rose ‘Indica’, saying, “It was love at first taste!”
She loved that it had a “freshness and subtle fragrance, without being too sweet”.
Also from LIOCO, their Chardonnay Sonoma County 2017. Warm days and cool nights, tempered by consistent oceanic fog, yield this nuanced chardonnay balanced by a brisk acidity.
The Folk Machine Pinot Noir, though light in color due to no attempt to extract or over manipulate, the wine does not lack for flavor or body, but rather shows the silky more subtle side of the variety. Supported by moderate acidity and supple tannins, this drinkable pinot benefits from natural yeast and whole berry fermentation that lets the fruit purity shine. Folk Machine’s Chenin Blanc also made the “best seller” list. This organically farmed fruit is whole cluster pressed and vinified in a combination of concrete eggs, neutral barrels and stainless steel tanks. The result is a textural wine, lush in the nose, lean on the palate.
Ceritas vineyards strives to craft single expressions of place through its productions of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Showing high-toned red fruit notes with perfume of crushed raspberry, red cherry and blood orange, this was the Ceritas Pinot Noir ‘Costalina’ Sonoma Coast 2017. Not to be missed.
And rounding out the collection, Tendu Cortese Clarksburg AVA 2018. Tendu is French for taut or tense. The Cortese grape is a rare planting in California and the Matthiassons make the most of it in this fresh offering from southern corner of Clarksburg AVA. Aromas of light spice/ medium acidity / stone fruits on palate.
On the Italian side of the tasting, begin with the Tenuta DeAngelis Pecorino DOC Offida 2018, one of the most popular among our guests. Founded in the 1950’s by the DeAngelis family, this 100% Pecorino offering shows the pureness of this long-standing Offidian DOC wine is truly unrivalled. It is a pale yellow colour with a green hue, an intense fragrance of flowers, mature golden fruit with a touch of the earth. Not to be outdone, the Tenuta DeAngelis Rosato 2018 brought a stunning freshness with its 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano from the Marche.
Another popular Rose was the Valdinera Chiaro di Luna Rose 2018. Located in the heart of Piedmont near the city of Alba, the Valdinera estate has been farmed by the Careglio family for four generations.
This Nebbiolo rose has all the aromatics of rose and dried cherries and expands through a bright finish with balanced acidity and a pleasing lingering herbal note.
And when was the last time you ordered Chianti? The Castello La Leccia Chianti Classico 2016 presents a delicious red cherry fruit with depth from extraction. Supple fruit supported by subtle use of oak and notes of fresh leather and tobacco. Ready to enjoy now, expands in glass so do not rush this one.
“You’ve got to try the Barbaresco, try the Barbaresco!”, was something we heard all evening. The DeForville Barbaresco ‘Vigneto Loreto’ 2015 was the hit of the evening. “Loreto” refers to De Forville’s parcel in the famed Barbaresco cru, “Ovello,” a 20-hectare site and the northernmost vineyard in the village of Barbaresco. You will find everything in this bottling — ripe fruit, lifted aromatics that waft from tar and roses to dried orange peel and black tea. A wine for the ages that is approachable now with as little as an hour decant, or to be enjoyed over and over again in the coming years and even decades.
So, a successful send off of Summer 2019. We are especially grateful to Wine Key Experience for helping with the pouring, to Lisa, Kris, and David at Corner Store Arts, and to Potomac Selections our locally sourced distributor.
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