WEEKEND WINE PICKS
Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico N/V, Trento, Trentino- Alto-adige, Italy $27.99 I 91/100
UPC: 8007355006017
Selected Chardonnay plots, all handpicked across Trento's province, is the source of this tasty Brut that spends a minimum of two full years on its lees. They have been making this wine for 118 years. Clean, fresh, leesy, with light oven-fresh brioche kicking off a stylish fizz that brings green apple, honey, and almonds to the nose and palate. The simplicity and complexity seal the deal here. Finally, the packaging is a master class in simplicity and complexity that invites you always to have a bottle of this wine in the fridge ready to go — a blanc de blancs par excellence. Great price.
Quara Estate Tannat 2018, Cafayate, Calchaqui Valley, Salta, North, Argentina
$12.99 I 88/100
UPC: 894561002524
It's always the unexpected that charms you in the wine business, and this Tannat from a remote high-altitude vineyard in Salta does just that. After a brief bit of reduction (splash decant to help), you come upon a spicy, minty nose with round, soft, mineral, dusty, stony black fruits that melt in your mouth. Juicy and ready to drink, it way over-delivers for the price. Back up the truck.
Tommasi Pinot Grigio Le Rosse 2019, Verona, Veneto, Italy $17.99 I 88/100
UPC: 8004645365106
2019 continues the Tommasi reset of its Grigio, starting with a screwcap closure. There has been a 180 change in direction here since the cork was dropped, leaving mineral, clean, bright white wine from front to back that will attack your palate with fresh pear and lees and a light dusting of honey. Ready to drink. Any West Coast shellfish dish will work here.
Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga D'alba 2014, Serralunga, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy $45.99 I 90/100 UPC: 8000174100027
I have always been a fan of this very affordable Barolo that comes with just the right amount of pedigree and styling. 2014 was hardly a world-beater vintage. It was a difficult year in the vineyards with both hail and plenty of rain, if localized, to challenge growers. In the end, the results are pretty decent, as seen in this offering from Serralunga D'alba. The attack is juicy with light cherry undertones, dry forest floor with a touch of bitterness in the back end. It was the perfect bookend to a sausage pizza, but it has even more to offer beef. You can drink it now with a rustic dish, but we would be inclined to wait until 2022 to give this a chance to unfold in the bottle and your glass. We love the 13.5 per cent alcohol level that leaves it lively on the palate.
Aurelio Settimo Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'annunziata 2012, La Morra, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy $105.99 I 95/100
UPC: 633913450176
The 2012 Reserve comes out of the oldest vineyards in Rocche dell'annunziata, now more than 40 years old. The colour is a healthy orange/ red, the nose is a mix of spice and balsamic, with licorice, sagebrush, orange rind and dark cherry. The wines come off 5.67 hectares of the famed vineyard and are crafted in the classical style. It's starting to show a touch of maturity at eight years old, but it remains mostly full-bodied, with tannins yet to dissipate. There is a sense of balance and elegance in the finish that suggests it is now food-friendly, especially with beef and game dishes. Its aging regimen is unique: 36 months in concrete tanks, 36 months in big French oak casks. Just a delight to drink, and it's just beginning to unfold.