2012 Ca’ Rugate Monte Fiorentine Soave Classico, $20.00 – To true wine lovers, the mention of Soave, one of Italy’s most popular white wines, conjures up visions of insipid, bland giant bottles of commercialized bilge that a thirsty camel wouldn’t deign to sniff at. Indeed, Soave wines, which are usually produced from extraordinarily high yields of the Garganega grape – plus blends of up to 30 percent of other numbing varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Trebbiano – are generally considered undistinguished and significantly less than exciting.
This is unfortunate, as controlled yields and careful winemaking can produce deliciously elegant wines that reveal Garganega’s noble & notable character… And the 2012 Ca’ Rugate Monte Fiorentine Soave Classico clearly demonstrates the superior wine quality of which this often-maligned grape is capable.
Ca’ Rugate was established by the Tessari family in 1986 and covers 30 hectares of rich, volcanic hillside in the commune of Monteforte d’Alpone in the heart of the Soave Classico district. An additional 10 hectares are located in the commune of Montecchia di Crosara in nearby Valpolicella. The total production of the winery is 35,000 cases. Year after year, Ca’ Rugate retains the honor of being Decanter magazine’s favorite Soave producer.
The 2012 Monte Fiorentine is a single vineyard bottling made from 100 percent estate grown Garganega that is vinified in stainless steel and rounded out by several years of bottle aging. “Rarely,” notes wine critic Antonio Galloni, “has Soave been so finessed and elegant.” Indeed, forget all the negative notions you have about Soave. This is a beautifully balanced wine that is rife with aromas of exotic fruits, complex & medium-bodied on the palate, and rich in flavor.
If you’re a fan of Italian white wines, this one is will certainly impress. Highly recommended on all counts.
2006 Travaglini Tre Vigne Gattinara, $28.99 ($49.00) – Travaglini is a family-owned wine estate in the tiny Gattinara appellation within north Italy’s Piedmont region. Established in the 1920s by Clemente Travaglini, the winery is Gattinara’s most esteemed producer of traditional, limited-production wines from the Nebbiolo grape (locally known as “Spanna”).
Travaglini wines are easily recognized by their distinctive bottle shape, featuring a unique curve that fits naturally in the palm of the hand and serves to catch sediment during decanting. Designed by a glassmaker to celebrate the excellent 1952 vintage, the bottle was so well received that the family decided to keep it as their trademark.
I have enjoyed Travaglini Gattinara over the years… but the 2006 Tre Vigne (three vineyards) is a very special vintage, indeed. This is a wine that was produced from a selection of grapes harvested, as the name suggests, from three specifically chosen historical Gattinara vineyards. The grapes are 100 percent Nebbiolo and were aged at least three years in oak barrels and one year in bottle (20% were aged in small French oak barrels for one year).
The result is a wine that displays an intense ruby-red color, notable hints of spice and ripe berry on the palate, and a perfect sense balance and harmony. This is a wine with finesse as well as power. And it’s incredibly enjoyable right now… but still has miles to go before it sleeps.
This wine normally retails around the $50.00 mark, but I’ve seen it on sale for as low as $28.99 at a number of retailers. If you have a little storage space, you might want to lay a few bottles down for special occasions. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Cheers!
TAD
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