Bohigas Blanc de Blancs Xarel-lo Catalunya 2010

From Polaner: "Fermí BOHIGAS is a family-owned winery that has roots dating back to the 13th century. The estate is located in the town of Òdena in the River Anoia valley, about 45 minutes west of Barcelona. The current family and their ancestors have been growing grapes and making wines at this location consecutively since 1290. Their first bottling took place in 1870. They first used the name “Bohigas” on a wine label in 1978. Today, the family’s estate encompasses 300 hectares of which 110 are split between two separate vineyard properties, named “Can Maciá” and “Can Batllevell”, both of which have their own cellars.

From grape-growing to bottling, all Bohigas wines come from the 60 hectares making up Can Maciá. For the cava wines, Bohigas focuses on the historical and indigenous varieties of Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada for whites and Trepat for red. The estate is very famous for its Xarel-lo vines which allow for extended lees aging of the cavas in the bottle during the second fermentation


Grown on clay and limestone soils, the vines are trained to the Royat system which is good for areas with very low rainfall. Vine density is 3,000 vines per hectare. The juice macerates for a few hours in contact with the skins prior to being fermented in stainless steel vats. The wine undergoes no aging and is bottled upon completion of fermentation"


Delightful crisp white with green apple nose and bright citrus and, yet again, apple on the palate. 

Langhe Nebbiolo 2009

100% Nebbiolo from Barbaresco.  Cherry nose and cherry palate.  Very typical expression of the grape and the place where it grows.  Not that complex and nuanced yet really pleasant.

Le Sughere di Frassinelle 2008

Great read from Maremma.The 2008 Le Sughere di Frassinello is 50% Sangioveto, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a very elegant wine. Silky ripe blackberry. mint, flowers and spices.  The wine is both juicy and restrained   Really classy wine.  I am sure it'll age well but why wait?

La Luciana, Gavi, 2010

Lovely Cortese grape wine fermented in stainless steal..  Light, crisp, refreshing.  Citrus on a palate, floral nose.  Very food friendly.  I loved it.

Rosaenovae, Aglianico Rose Terredora, 2010

Yet another Aglianico from Terredora Diapolo now as a rose.  Yet again, loved the wine.  This rose is made in a Provence style.  Cherries on a palate with a floral nose, great sipping wine.  It also goes great with food (chicken, sausages, salads, mountain cheeses, etc.,)

Aglianico, Terradora, 2009

Very nice red, very well balanced, sour cherry on a palate.  Great wine to accompany your dinner.  The wine is not very complex yet it indeed is an absolute pleasure to drink.  This is a second wine by Terradora Diapolo I had.  I tasted their Falaghina last week.

Jeio Rose

Sparkling rose from Veneto.  It was o'k. I notice an interesting phenomenon:  If a wine's online tasting notes goes like " this wine has elegant and complex bouquet...."  it actually means: " Gosh, it tastes like a dry effervescent rose, I have no clue what to say about its aromatic characteristics so let me call it elegant and complex...."

Theobroma, Dogfish Head

Here comes my first beer review ever. In Dogfish own words:  "This beer is based on chemical analysis of pottery fragments found in Honduras which revealed the earliest known alcoholic chocolate drink used by early civilizations to toast special occasions. The discovery of this beverage pushed back the earliest use of cocoa for human consumption more than 500 years to 1200 BC. As per the analysis, Dogfish Heads Theobroma (translated into 'food of the gods') is brewed with Aztec cocoa powder and cocoa nibs (from our friends at Askinosie Chocolate), honey, chilies, and annatto (fragrant tree seeds). It's light in color - not what you expect with your typical chocolate beer. Not that you'd be surpised that we'd do something unexpected with this beer!

This beer is part of our Ancient Ales series - along with Midas Touch, Chateau Jiahu, and other - step back in time and enjoy some Theobroma."  

I liked it.  It has very unusual flavor profile.  There is a clear cocoa aftertaste yet there is no sweetness.  Cardamon is also clearly present,  It is worth the try.  I wouldn't however consider it very food friendly.  I am not sure what would a good pairing be for it.

Falanghina, Irpinia 2009

Lovely white from Compania by Terradora Dipaolo.  Mineral, peaches on a palate.  Great with and without food.

Damilano, Nebbiolo D'Alba 2008

Really nice budget priced nebbiolo; Bright cherry on a palate and a nose.  Very enjoyable.

Privilegia, Veronese 2004

In the heart of Valpolicella, south of the Lessini mountains, amidst the cherry orchards and olive groves, lies the seven hectare estate of Giuseppe Lonardi. Made from equal parts partially-dried Corvina and ripe Cabernet Franc and aged for two years in small French oak barrels, Privilegia matures another six months in bottle before release. Rustic, yet refined. Spiced plum and mushroom on the nose. Blackberries and figs on the palate. Truly wonderful wine by Guiseppe Lonardi.  Truly wonderful wine, get it if you can.

Ramitello, 2007

Prugnolo (85%) & Aglianico (15%) blend.  Very nice wine, plum and backberry and the palate, firm tannin structure.  The wine comes from Campomarino on the Adriatic cost.

Ferro di Cavallo 2009

Great Savignion from Piedmont.  This is the first Piedmontese Sav Blanc I tasted.  It does have more body than traditional French ones yet the stile is pretty much the same: dry with nice structure.  Peaches on the palate floral nose.  All in all, great wine

Silenzi, Isola Del Nurachi 2009

A lend of 50% Monica  and 50% Sangiovese coming from Sardegna.  Nice Rose that always has a characteristics of light red.  I liked it.

Lenz, Chardonnay 2007

Another nice wine from Lenz, a Long Island Chardonnay made in a Burgundian tradition.  Apple on a palate, nice minerality.  Overall very enjoyable.

Primaterra, Rose 2010

Pinot Grigio based rose coming from Delle Venezia, pale in color, dry, fruity, fruit friendly. Very pleasant, can be paired almost like a while wine.  Strawberry on a polate, floral nose, enough said

Stolen Moments, Rose delle Venezie

Is there any point of discussing grape variety and flavors of the wine that cost $3.50 and doesn't have a vintage year indicated on bottle?  Not really.  Although I have to say that it is very drinkable, food friendly and refreshing.  Do you really want grand cru of anything for lunch outside when ambient temperature is North from 95?  I thought so too....

Classic, Domaine de Tariquet 2009

Ugni Blanc(70%) - Colombard (30%) blend of 2009 vintage is pleasant as ever.  Crisp, unpretentious, citrus & green apple palate, floral nose, 10.5 % alcohol, perfect summer sipping wine. The fact it is dirt cheap doesn't hurt either

Lenz, Gewurztraminer 2007

Really cool wine from Lenz winery in Long Island (North Fork), lush with tropical fruit on both palate and nose.  I would say lichee's.  It is luscious.  I wouldn't say that it is very food friendly yet it is such a pleasure to sip.  The best pairing I could find is with dry, not very sweet deserts, think something with sea salt...Still, great wine.  It'll hold its own with the Gewurz from Alsace.

Vina Godeval 2009

This one comes from Northern Spain and made out of ancient Godello variety. Mineral, light and crisp.  Very food friendly (think shellfish)  Not a lot of complexity but really good for summer.

Nebbiarosa

Nebiolo based rose coming from somewhere in Italy where they grow Nebiolo....I suppose some place North.  Wonderful summer sipping wine: bone dry, cherry on a palate.  It'll put smile on your face....Very food friendly, goes great with cold cuts, cheeses, vegies, chicken. It cost next to nothing is meant to be drunk often and in large quantities.