[Cornell Wine] Cornell Wine This Week

[Michael Beard]

CORNELL WINE COMPANY
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UPCOMING TASTINGS
April 27 – Zinfandel
May 04 – Lesser known French Wine Regions
May 11 – Pinot Noir other than Oregon and Burgundy
May 18 – Aussie Reds
May 25 – Cabernet & Blends
June 01 – NE Italy/Veneto

FRIDAY, April 20, 4:30 - 7:00pm

WINES OF TOSCANA

CHEESE PLATE
For our cheese plate we offer a selection of Italian cheeses.
Asiago Fresco                                           Cow’s  
Milk               NE Italy
This young, soft cheese is a mild table cheese. Older versions can be  
hard and are often used for grating, although they can be superb  
table cheeses.
Fontal Fiave                                             Cow’s  
Milk               Valle d’Aosta
This Alpine cheese, from the area in northwest Italy which borders on  
France and Switzerland, is related to France’s Raclette.
Cacio de Roma                                         Sheep’s  
Milk             Lazio
This cheese is bathed in sea salt for 24 hours and then aged on wood  
for 30 days.  It is somewhat similar to Pecorino Fresco.
CHEESE SAMPLER PLATE COST $3.00

TUSCANY is all about SANGIOVESE, although many other varietals are  
grown in the area.  We will concentrate on SANGIOVESE-based wines  
from several areas within TUSCANY.  Are these newer regions better  
than Chianti? – come and find out.
1. We start with a relatively new DOC, VAL di CORNIA SUVERETO.  This  
DOC is on the Tuscan coast, almost due west of Montalcino.  GUALDO  
del RE is one of the top producers and its ELISEO is 80%SANGIOVESE  
and 20% CANAIOLO, making it a Chianti “wannabe”.  It is aged in  
second use barriques.  To get this quality from Chianti you’d be  
paying a lot more money  - $13.50

2. What would a TUSCAN tasting be without CHIANTI CLASSICO?  There  
are many great producers, and 2003 was, for most producers, an over- 
ripe, atypical, vintage.  IL POGGIOLINO was one producer that made a  
classic wine in 2003.  This wine, 90+% SANGIOVESE (the balance being  
CANAIOLO), has bright berry fruit, a smidgen of oak, and that lovely,  
classic, touch of bitter almond on the finish – one of the great  
CHIANTI CLASSICOs of 2003 - $18.75
3. CASTELLO di POTENTINO 2003 SACRAMONTE - this is Sangiovese from  
the MONTECUCCO region which is about 25 miles southwest of the  
BRUNELLO region.  Casa Bruno is the only USA importer, and the 2001  
was stunning.  The 2003 shows fuller-bodied fruit from a much hotter  
vintage.  Better than most Rosso di Montalcinos, and better than some  
Brunellos, this wine is a steal! - $22.50

4. For my palate, the greatest recent find from TUSCANY is this wine  
(I thank Greg Zancanella for finding this wine at Vin Italy).  From  
the CHIANTI MONTALBANO region comes TIBERI 2004 LE VESPE.  Although  
this carries an IGT ROSSO di TOSCANO label, it could be called a  
CHIANTI MONTALBANO.  A blend of 85% SANGIOVESE with small amounts of  
COLORINO, ABROSTINE and CANAIOLO, this wine is better than many $25+  
CHIANTI RISERVAS - $19.75

TRY THESE FOUR WINES FOR $10.00

Once more we offer two PREMIUM POURS:
A TUSCAN SANGIOVESE tasting could not be complete without a BRUNELLO  
di MONTALCINO.  These wines are made from a particular clone,  
SANGIOVESE GROSSO.  However most such wines are expensive.  MOCALI  
has been around for some years making reasonable wines, and in 1999  
the grandson took over.  The estate is now achieving the standards  
that it should, and the prices are very reasonable.  The 2001  
BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO was given an “outstanding” rating by both The  
Wine Advocate and The Wine Spectator.  While this wine is good now,  
it will be even better in 2 –3 years - $40.00 (current stock only –  
the good reviews caused a price increase).

TRY THIS WINE FOR $4.50/Taste or $8.00/4 ounces

FÈLSINA is one of Pauline’s and my favorite Tuscan producers (as a  
result of a fabulous dinner at the estate when Giuseppe Mazzocolin,  
the Estate Director - and the owner’s son-in-law - pulled several  
older vintages from the Estate’s cellar).  Of couse, we also love the  
current wines!  The Giuseppe now says the 2001 vintage was the best  
on the Estate since 1985 and 1990, and we agree.  The estate’s “SUPER  
TUSCAN” is FONTALLORO, and it is somewhat different from the norm in  
that the winery does not add Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot.  The  
wine is 100% SANGIOVESE.  FÈLSINA is in CASTELNUOVO BERARDENGA which  
is located at the southern end of the CHIANTI CLASSICO region.  The  
FONTALLORO vineyards cross the border, and that is why it cannot be  
called Chianti Classico  - $43.50

TRY THIS WINE FOR $5.00/Taste or $9.00/4 ounces

TASTE BOTH FOR $8.50

NB: All prices are subject to change without notice.  The above  
information is based on verbal information from distributors, and  
actual wine prices will depend on the price invoiced at delivery to  
Cornell Wine Company.

SATURDAY, April 21st

Noon – 5 PM

Free tasting

  As usual we will have a couple of bottles open for free tasting.   
Provisional selections are:

CHATEAU CAMPLAZENS 2003 COTEAUX du LANGUEDOC “LA CLAPE” – this wine  
is a blend of 60% SYRAH, 30% GRENACHE and 10% CARIGNAN, and it just  
smells of the warmth and herbs of the South of France.  It offers  
gobs of black fruit and finishes with some grip – fabulous value  
$13.00 (note we have a few bottles of the 2001 available at $12.00)

EL PORTILLO 2005 MALBEC, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA – this is the “second  
label” of BODEGAS SALENTEIN and in this vintage I thought this wine  
was better than the $16.50 “main” wine; it is spectacular value - $10.00

Looking forward to seeing you all,

Cheers,

Mick & Pauline
Cornell Wine Company
14740 NW Cornell Road, #90
Portland, OR 97229-5400
(503) 531-3981
mick at cornellwine.com
www.cornellwine.com
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