SPARKLING SARACCO
2006 Saracco Moscato d'Asti
Piedmont, Italy

Paolo Saracco did not gain the title of “King of Moscato” by accident. In Italy, he is one of the top producers of the sparkling white wine. He’s the only wine producer in the country who focuses solely on Moscato D’Asti. After the sparkling wine is fermented to reach the proper balance of alcohol, sugar and acidity, it is chilled, filtrated and bottled while still cold. The wine is bottled to order, ensuring that each customer receives the freshest possible product. Made from 100% Moscato Bianco Canelli, Saracco Moscato D’Asti has flavors of peach and pear with light floral aromas. Its fruity flavors and low alcohol content (5.5%) make it a good choice for any time of the day. The lightness of this sophisticated wine means it can be served throughout the year, regardless of weather. The Moscato D’Asti pairs well with seafood dishes such as oysters or scallops, as well as dishes featuring Brie and creamy cheeses.

Rating: 14/20
Price: $15

Other Whites we have tasted
Check out our guide to Italy
For more information, visit www.paolosaracco.it

THE GRANDEUR OF GRAF NOIR
1997 Drei Donà Tenuta la Palazza Graf Noir
Forli, Italy

The limited production and hands-on approach to harvesting the fruit has paid off in this strong-bodied “rosso” Italian wine. Each year, the varietals that make up the Drei Donà Tenuta La Palazza Graf Noir are different. The 1997 grape combination is 55% Sangiovese, 30% Negretto Longanesi, and 15% Cabernet Franc. After the fruit is harvested, it is fermented in stainless steel for about three weeks, and then aged in French oak barrels for at least two years. After that process, it is aged in the bottle for another 36 months. It is understandable that with this personalized process, only about 150 cases were produced. This bold vino can be served with traditional Italian cuisine and aged cheese. It can also stand alone as a “vino di meditazione,” or “meditation wine.” Since this wine can age 20 years or more, there will be plenty of time to meditate over its rich taste.

Rating: 15/20
Price: $60

Other Red Blends we have tasted
Check out our guide to Italy
For more information, visit www.dreidona.it

SCANDALOUS SAUVIGNON BLANC
2006 Langtry Estate Sauvignon Blanc Lillie Vineyard
Lake County, California

The namesake of this Sauvignon Blanc may have dabbled in adultery and paternity scandals with the British royals, but her first name still echoes the pureness of the fruit grown on the Langtry Estate in Lake County, California. The Lillie Sauvignon Blanc is free of the grassy flavors often associated with this varietal. Grown on the Lillie Vineyard, the wine was named after British theater actress and temptress Lillie Langtry, who produced wine on the estate in the late 1880s, a few years after bearing an illegitimate child. The wine was partially fermented in oak barrels for one year, which is common in traditional French production. It was then cold-fermented in stainless steel, a practice more typically used in the United States. The product of the shallow soil laced with magnesium was small vines and berries. Warm days and cool nights during growing season resulted in optimum ripening without jeopardizing fruit acidity, and produced berries that displayed flavors of grapefruit, fig, and melon. This complex blend matches well with seared tuna served over a Nicoise salad.

Rating: 14/20
Price: $25

Other Sauvignon Blancs we have tasted
Check out our guide to California
For more information, visit www.langtryestate.com

PERFECT PARTNERSHIP
2004 Lockwood Vineyard Partners' Reserve Red
Monterey County, California

Partners Paul Toeppen, Phil Johnson and Butch Lindley joined forces and pooled their cumulative knowledge of wines in 1981, when they oversaw the first planting at Santa Lucia’s Lockwood Vineyard. At this location, a drastic change in temperature throughout the day (due to the vineyard’s location between Monterey Bay and warmer rangeland) makes the estate ideal for growing both warm and cool-climate grapes, and the partners were soon supplying some of California’s best-known wineries with fruit. The grapes that went into this particular blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec came from an atypically dry growing season, which caused the crop to ripen early. The mature, full-flavored fruit was then fermented and aged for 24 months in French oak barrels.  The resulting wine features prominent flavors of black cherry, combined with a hint of toasty oak. Enjoy this well-balanced wine with a heavy beef dish, such as Beef Wellington.

Rating: 15.5/20
Price: $20

Other Cabernets we have tasted
Check out our guide to Monterey
For more information, visit www.lockwood-wine.com