Joe's Winos Wine Club August 2015

Raimat

"Castell de Raimat" Albariño 2014

Two hours west of Barcelona lies the sparsely populated sub-region of Raimat, part of the larger Costers del Segre viticultural area in Catalonia. After Reapers' War in the 1600's, this region was left uninhabited for over 200 years only drawing in occasional tourism due to an iconic castle perched atop a hill. In the early 1900's, the Raventós family restored the castle and replanted the vineyards that once surrounded it. An ancient shield mounted on the castle is pictured on Castell de Raimat's wine bottles. This region's climate is influenced by the Mediterranean resulting in warm, dry days and cool nights. The temperature shift (diurnal) helps develop fruit while maintaining crisp acidity in the grapes. The native Albariño grape thrives in these conditions. The 2014 Raimat Albariño offers aromas of papaya, apricot, an array of tropical fruit, wet stone and flint. The palate is lush and juicy with bright tropical pineapple and papaya, balanced by acidity and mineral notes.

Pairings:

Vietnamese spring rolls, crab cakes, ginger-soy-lime marinated grilled shrimp

Zenato

alanera rosso veronese 2012

Alanera, the newest addition to the Zenato portfolio, offers a new twist on the region's traditional wine-making practices. Before we dive into all that, the rather striking label is brimming with symbolism. "Alanera" translates to "black wing" which is a nickname for a Raven or in Italian: Corvino. Corvina, alongside Rondinella and Molinara make up the triumvirate of Verona's traditional Valpolicella wine varietals. The three birds also represent the same number of hills that dominate the corner of Valpolicella where Zenato's estate vineyards are located (as seen above). The region's traditional appassimento method, an ancient method going back some 3500 years, involves drying the grapes four months after harvest until they have partially raisined. Alanera blends 50% traditional appassimento wine with fresh Valpolicella. The final blend is then put in barrel for 12 months. The result of this hybrid of new and old brings fresh bright fruit alongside the rich, dark, fig and spice notes of the traditional style. Alanera is both very approachable and easy drinking but with added layers of complexity that deserve further exploration.

PAIRINGS:

Smokey grilled pork-chop, bbq chicken, French and Spanish blue cheeses, cured meats