Castelfeder Lagrein Rieder Sudtirol-Alto Adige, 2014

Lagrein is another "new" Italian wine for me. Actually, it is a very old wine grape that is no longer very widely marketed, at least in my area. I liked Castelfeder's Lagrein and, at the right price (under $15), will come back for more.

Alto Adige is in northeastern Italy, in the Alps. From this area, I am inclined to look for white wines such as Pinot Grigio, but this red wine is much sturdier than I expected. In my flight of three (including wines from Tuscany and Etna), it is by far the darkest in color. The smells are beautiful--small red berries, violets and spice. And it's full bodied enough to stand up to a spicy chili

Wine Tasting on the Fly: Vino Volo

A four-hour layover at the Denver airport: how about a leisurely lunch and wine tasting? That was my experience earlier this week. Roaming the aisle looking for good food, I happened upon a Vino Volo outlet offering not only attractive food but a good choice of wine flights (three-ounce glasses of three different wines). I ordered a bowl of beef/bison/pork chili accompanied by the Italian Table flight of red wines: Castelfeder Lagrein, Piancornello Sangiovese blend and Murgo Etna Rosso.

Dan and Jake answered all of my questions about the wine and food in great detail. It was a great experience.

Domaine de Marcoux Chateauneuf du Pape, 1990

I bought a dozen half bottles of this 1990 Domaine de Marcoux when it was first released. The bottles I had in the early to mid-2000s were among the best Chateauneufs I have ever tasted--just bursting with energy and intensity as well as very deep fruit. With hindsight, I should have finished off all of the bottles within the next few months, but it's easy to assume that a great wine will only get better. This bottle tonight no longer qualifies as great but it is very good.

The color has lightened, and there is a substantial crust of sediment on one side of the bottle, which has been undisturbed for at least a decade. Smells and flavors are what I expect from an older Chateauneuf du Pape--dried and fresh cherries, savory spice and sea salt. Strong presence on the palate. There is nothing wrong with this wine except for my memory of the greatness it offered a decade ago.

Domaine Sainte-Anne Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2001

This wine gets prettier and more floral every time I drink it. It has reached a beautiful stage of maturity,  but I'm not sure it has reached its peak.

The color is deep and bright; some sediment is forming along the sides and bottom of the bottle, but not too much. Red raspberries and spices along with flowers. Even better on the palate. The wine is still fruit-oriented but with another dimension. Very enjoyable with an every day meal but elegant enough to accompany a special meal.

Domaine Terlato and Chapoutier Victorian Shiraz-Viognier, 2006

Michel Chapoutier is from an old wine-making family in the Rhone Valley of France. Anthony Terlato is a Napa Valley winemaker. Together, they are producing wines from some very good vineyards in Central Victoria, Australia. This wine is 95% Shiraz with just a touch of Viognier (a white wine grape) for aromatic complexity. It is a combination used by many Northern Rhone winemakers to produce Cote Rotie.

I don't smell or taste the Viognier in this wine, and that is how it should be. It adds yet another layer of pleasure to both the nose and palate. Black raspberries and peppercorn. Ripe and inviting but multidimensional. Rich, velvety mouth feel but not at all thick or heavy. Lots of ripe black fruits--plum and berry--on the palate. The only thing that concerns me about this wine is the color. The rusty, brickish tone is to be expected from a wine of this age, but the color lacks the brightness and saturation that I usually note in a wine of this quality. It's drinking beautifully right now so my inclination (primarily because of the color) is to drink the remaining bottles relatively soon.

Pierre Amadieu Vacqueyras le Grangeliere, 2007

I have had several excellent Gigondas wines from Pierre Amadieu. This Vacqueyras is at least as good. If you have been to the Rhone, you know that Vacqueyras and Gigondas are only a few kilometers apart. Yet the wines are very different--perhaps in part because of differences in the blend of grapes used by most Gigondas producers. Mostly, though, the difference is in soil, vineyards and micro-climate.

Deep, dark ruby. Ripe blueberries, dark Vacqueyras minerals and pepper. Full bodied. Ripe but not overly ripe as some 2007 Rhones are. Minerals and pepper take over on the palate. This wine has probably spent some time in new oak barriques, but, for my taste,  it still retains the traditional personality of Vacqueyras. Very good now but will probably get better over the next couple of years.

Chateau Mazeris Canon-Fronsac, 1982

The last report of Chateau Mazeris I made was in December, 2009. For whatever reason, I believe I enjoyed the wine tonight more than I did then--even though the earlier review was mostly favorable.

The color is light and brickish; that's to be expected for a 35-year-old red wine. It's mostly Merlot that continues to age well. Cherries and black tea with some aromatic herbs. The tea is maybe more prominent than it was eight years ago but otherwise not much change. A strong core of ripe fruit on the finish that is worth dwelling on. What is remarkable about this wine is its balance, even after all these years. 12% alcohol, old oak, traditional winemaking...$6.99 a bottle. The winemaker knew he didn't have to do anything showy to sell his Claret.