Washington riesling, Italian red win over panel
The Chronicle’s tasting panel, made up of wine-industry professionals, educators and knowledgeable consumers, convenes on a regular basis to blind-taste about three dozen wines, scoring them on a 10-point scale. An 8.5 or higher is considered a recommendation. I further grade the wines on value and determine local availability. To qualify as a “bargain tout,” a wine must sell for under $20 or way overdeliver for its price.
TOP PICK 2015 Il Borro Toscana
Overall score: 19.2 (9.2 for quality, 10 for value)
The panel: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with seven scores of at least 9. “Dark fruit with hints of cedar and tobacco. Finishes long and satisfying.”
My score: 9.2. When the estate’s owner, Salvatore Ferragamo (yes, that Ferragamo family) and his wife, Christine Maninger, hosted a large dinner recently at Emmaline in
Houston, Christine observed that “Salvatore has always been more interested in tractors than shoes.” He readily admits he’s “the farmer in the family” and is perfectly content to let his twin brother, James, focus on the apparel empire. Almost from the day in 1993 that their father, Ferruccio, purchased the sprawling Il Borro property less than an hour by car from Florence, Salvatore wanted to be a vintner.
Winery/vineyards/winemaking: This flagship Il Borro wine, classified as an IGT, is a blend of organically grown merlot (50 percent), cabernet sauvignon (35) and syrah grapes from the family’s estate, which covers 1,730 acres in the upper Arno Valley beneath the Pratomagno Hills. About 120 acres are under vine with grapes having been grown there since the mid-18th century, when the famed Medici family was among the owners. Ferragamo works closely with enologist Nicolò D’Afflitto to produce a dozen distinct wines.
Alcohol: 14.5 percent
Winemaker notes: “Has an intense ruby color, with purplish reflections. The bouquet is full and intense, concentrated, with notes of underbrush and with spicy scents. The taste is dry, with a good body and soft tannins, a good consistency, well integrated and persistent.”
Critical acclaim: James Suckling awarded the Il Borro a score of 97. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it a 96.
Pairings: Aged cheeses. Cured meats. Steaks and burgers.
Price: $45.49 at Spec’s
BARGAIN TOUT 2017 Kung Fu Girl Riesling
Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters:
Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores of at least 9. “Clean, dry and crisp. Yummy fruit.”
My score: 9.
It’s a true story that former rockband manager and now celebrated Washington state winemaker Charles Smith was inspired to make this intensely flavored dry Riesling while munching Chinese takeout and watching a woman wreak havoc in a kung fu film on TV.
Winery/vineyards/
winemaking: Smith moved to Denmark in 1989, and his travels in the music world fostered his interest in wine. A serendipitous visit to Walla Walla, Wash., in 1999, after he had opened a wine shop in the Seattle area, marked the start of a new career. His first bottles — 330 cases of syrah — came to market in 2001. He sold the Kung Fu Girl brand to Constellation in 2016 but still holds a tight reign over the production, carefully sourcing riesling grapes from Washington’s best growers.
Alcohol: 12 percent
Winemaker notes: “In-yourface flavor. You can’t escape the aromas of apricot, white peach, honeysuckle, and wisteria that fill your senses. Fresh minerality and laser focus take the palate to exhilarating heights.”
Pairings: Spicy ramen. Sriracha pork tacos. And Chinese takeout, of course.
Price: $11.79 at Spec’s