A Christmas Wine Story
Dear Santa-
As per our agreement last year following the “snowman socks incident”, I relinquish all rights to a stocking and will take all my gifts in wine bottle form. I am writing you with a wish list of wines that I would love to see fill my wine fridge this year.
I don’t know if you get Wine Spectator up at the North Pole; however, this magazine puts out a Top 100 Wines list just in time for Christmas, and I’ve selected a few gems from the list that are must-haves for my cellar.
As you are well aware, I have a soft spot for Italian wines, so I’ll lead off my wish list with the 2009 Argiano Non Confunditur Rosso Toscano IGT. The Danish winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers (one of my fav winemaking rock stars) uses a deft hand to blend Italian and International varietals. That said, this wine has a 100% Tuscan heart with finely woven tannins that definitely make it a keeper.
Speaking of cellaring wines, I would also love to see how the 2009 Rocca di Frassinello Le Sughere Maremma Toscana IGT evolves. This Maremma bad boy brings together Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Bruce Sanderson and Antonio Galloni both agree that this wine surpasses the 90 points bar – with a double endorsement like that, how can an Italo-enophile say no???
For more instantaneous gratification, I would like to see the 2009 Terredora di Paolo Greco di Tufo DOCG under the tree this year. (I mean, you can’t age everything…) Bruce Sanderson says it’s “A beauty, focused and fresh, with lively fresh-cut honeydew melon and citrus backed by hints of hot stone and spring herbs on the long, cream-tinged finish.” - Now that’s pure Campanian poetry that will sweep me right into 2012!
While I do love Italian wine, I still actively participate in an equal opportunity policy when it comes to wines from the Southern Hemisphere. So, I’d like to round out my wish list with the 2009 Bodega Noemia Malbec Alto Valle Rio Negro from Patagonia. There’s Malbec and then there is Malbec, and then there is Noemia – this killer wine comes from one of the southern-most wineries in the world and is made from Malbec that is destemmed by hand – now that’s putting TLC into what you do…
Hope this list helps as you peruse the wine shops with the elves.
Sincerely,
Ralphie
