Article By : Gary Twining from The Chronicle-Telegram
Carpineto, the esteemed Tuscan producer of fine Chiantis and other complex Tuscan wines, is celebrating their 30-year anniversary of the inception of their Dogajolo (Dog-ay-yolo) Rosso.
Originally developed due to a request from a German retailer to offer a Carpineto wine of quality and value for daily consumption to their clientele, this red blend is perfect for casual enjoyment on a regular basis.
Dogajolo derives from “doga” or “stave”, the narrow strips of wood used to make barrels. The goal with this item was to offer a red with immediate drinkability with the influence of barrel aging similar to Carpineto’s more expensive wines.
A blend of 80 percent Sangiovese and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has an appealing, fruity nose of dark cherry, spice and vanilla from the six months of barrel aging in previously-used French and American oak. It is fleshy and textured with a good grip of tannin on the finish, a very pleasant red for sipping or to serve with a wide variety of casual meals.
Their white blend followed in 2009, a blend of 40 percent Chardonnay, 30 percent Grechetto and 30 percent Sauvignon Blanc. It is an elegant white wine with crisp flavors, pleasant texture and citrus notes with a lingering finish. Youthful and fresh due to its maturation in stainless steel. A perfect choice for fall sipping on the patio, clambakes, watching football games or to enjoy with white pizza, poultry, seafood and pastas with cream sauces.
Both wines are priced at $15 retail per bottle.
Recent taste winners
Boedecker Cellars Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon) $25 — Quietly crafting small lot Pinot Noir in Oregon’s Willamette Valley since 2003, two partners employ organic growing techniques with indigenous yeasts and minimal handling.
This Pinot Noir is pale ruby in hue with a subdued nose of cherry/berry and hint of spice with the warmth of 13.5 percent alcohol. The flavor on the palate is what will bring you back for another sip, with expansive yet elegant and ethereal hints of cherry and good acidity with a lingering finish. A nice value at $25, when so many of the Oregon Pinots are in higher price tiers.
Try this wine with salmon and other hearty fish, baked or grilled. Also with poultry, pastas and red meats.
Escudo Rojo Reserva Pinot Noir (Chile) $25 — A release by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, it shows the classic mineral notes of Chile in the nose and flavors with dark cherry fruit, black tea and light hints of cloves with fuller body than the cooler climate Boedecker Pinot.
Rothschild selects the best parcels and blends them under the “Red Shield” or “Rothschild” logo, showing the tradition of winemaking associated with Chilean soil and Bordeaux expertise.
Enjoy this wine with flavorful red meats, poultry, pastas and cheese-enhanced dishes.
Carl Ehrhard Blanc de Noirs Trocken, (Rheingau, Germany) $20 — a white wine made from the red Pinot Noir grape on the sun-kissed slopes of Germany’s northern region of the Rheingau. The juice is pressed and removed from the skins to maintain a clear hue and delicate, refreshing character.
Pleasantly aromatic with crisply-defined flavors in a lightly-dry finish. A lovely aperitif wine or to enjoy with seafood, pork, poultry and veal dishes, salads and lighter entrées.
Carl Erhard Rudesheim Berg Roseneck Riesling Kabinett, (Rheingau, Germany) $22 — While most of Erhard’s wines are finished dry, this is a delightfully aromatic, 100 percent Riesling with a softly-sweet finish of 2.3 percent residual sugar.
Having nuances of honey, summer flowers and mineral, it is long, crisp and lingering, everything such a wine should showcase. Enjoy on its own or with salads, poultry and light entrées.
Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. Email him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.
