Grapesphere

Aldo e Riccardo Seghesio, not to be confused with the Sonoma winery of a similar name, produces a number of different Piedmont varietals including Barolo, Barbera, and this Dolcetto. Most of their wines are fairly easy to find in most better wine stores. I picked this wine up from the Wine Library for around $13. I’d only had their Barbera and enjoyed it, so I figured “why not”. Plus Wine Spectator liked it well enough with an 89pt score.

Overall, the wine is still pretty young and acidic. I know that Dolcettos tend to be drunk at a younger stage and the draw is their bright fruit and acidity, however this was just tight on the get-go. Cherry and sandalwood flavors upfront, with a little plum action. The nose wasn’t anything too exciting, and was tough to get a read on anything specific. Maybe a little cinnamon and clove, and some damp forest floor. There were some grip-y tannins throughout the tasting, and maybe if there had been a longer decant, we would have convinced those to settle down. Nonetheless, it has a big, strong finish with cherry cola core, and a little tobacco and cocoa on the end. Still, it seemed the wine was a little uneven overall. Not a bad wine, but there are definitely better ones out there.

On the score I’d rate this a Drinkable – just a hair under the 89 score that WS gave them. Maybe revisited in a year, it might all come together but right now its just missing something.

With the explosion of wine bars and wine-focused restaurants across the country, we’ve started to see an increase in the various varietals offered in these establishments. The willingness to experiment has thrust new grapes and styles into the limelight after years in the shadows. Particular the white wines from Italy and Spain have received the most love from these places, expanding the palates of American wine lovers. This is great news for those looking for good wines at lower prices. These wines since they are relatively new to the market also tend to be cheaper, partial based on the fact that there is no reputation to push up the prices.

Falanghina is an Italian wine from the Campania region in southern Italy. These wines tend to have a little sweetness, similar to a Viognier, with a little of the acidity and body of a Pinot Grigio. This wine, priced around $11, is no different with a crisp acidic mouth-feel, good full body, and a little sweetness mixed in. There are quince, lemon, and pear flavors, mixed with a little smokiness and butter. The acidity hits first, but the residual sweetness helped cut into this and rounds out the overall flavor of this wine.

I’m going to rate this a Brick Solid. It’s a good wine, and a good example of this wine, though maybe missing a little complexity. However its got all of the trademarks of the wine style and could be a good wine to break yourself into the different white wines starting to become available.

This relative newcomer to the Arlington/Clarendon scene, has quickly established itself as the standard as restaurants in the area are concerned. It’s a place where you can expect good food, fair prices and a cool vibe. Opened in 2007, its chef, Liam LaCivita and partnership have targeted the middle of the road in terms of price and quality. Its not a 5-star dining experience, but then again you don’t have to pay five star prices. The feeling is more casual and the food, a little more comfort, giving the diner a sense that this is a neighborhood spot, which in Clarendon is tough to find.

Good: The food is really the star here. They have a series of good appetizers but I usually prefer to go for the half-portion of pasta which are all made in house. I’ve really enjoyed all of the entrees I’ve had including a fabulous stuffed Branzino and their huge Duroc Pork Chop. They also have pizzas on their menu that aren’t half bad. The wide selection is good for a group or those with picky eaters. The prices are also very reasonable for the amount of food with most entrees around $18-20. The ambiance is also good here with a rustic casual feel.

Bad: Not too much to complain about here other than a few little things. Some of the entrees try to stuff a little too much into the meal, creating some flavors that maybe don’t work as well if they were a little simpler. Also they don’t have restrooms on the main dining floor, requiring diners to go downstairs through the bar area. Additionally parking can be tough, but I think that’s a standard thing in Arlington.

Wine: Another star attraction here is the wine list. Very good and very reasonably priced with many decent bottles falling $30-40. Also there’s a focus on smaller independent wineries so you’re sure to get to try something different. Also their wines by the glass are as well priced well and more unique than you’d usually find. Coupled with a creative drink menu, they’ve got your libations covered.

I was introduced to this wine a few years ago as a true value wine. Borsao, a Spanish producer, makes a couple of different wines that are mostly grenache-based. Of these, all of them tend to be well-made, drinkable wines that go well with foods but can also be enjoyed as well on their own. I’ve had their lower-end Borsao red, which is a light, easy drinking wine retailing for 7-8 bucks. Their Tres Picos bottling usually retails for a little more, around $12-14 and also has a little more structure and richness to go with some good fruit. This vintage is no exception. This wine also seemed to be a favorite of many of the wine critics where it scored well, including a 91pt review from Josh Raynolds of the International Wine Cellar.

I’ve had two bottles of this Spanish red in recent weeks with very similar tasting notes. The one thing I noticed both times is the wine comes off a little young and grape-y initially. I’d suggest it would be a good idea to let it breath for 30 minutes or so, before diving in. Let some of that youth burn off and the structure that is there will come up to the top a little more. Overall, good body and mouth-feel. This wine has a very soft and approachable taste that makes it rather food friendly.

There are some decent tannins in the wine, along with fruit to hold things together nicely. The nose is nice, cherry and anise, with some oak. Overall, the flavors are predominately cherry and plum, with some cinnamon and tobacco mixed in. There are some other spices as well that pepper it a little. Maybe a little bit of bitter chocolate as well. The finish is strong yet pleasant and it finished clean with maybe just a little bit of extra sugar, probably due to the youth of the fruit.

Overall, I’ve got to say that Borsao continues to make solid, easy to enjoy wines, and at a very reasonable price. Its easy to see why this is definitely a wine I come back to again and again. I’m going to agree with Mr. Raynolds and rating this a slightly outstanding.

Cliff Lede is a relative new comer to Napa Valley. He bought the S. Anderson Vineyards and transformed it into a wine oasis outside of Yountville. Complete with a large tasting room and inn, he’s working towards crafting high-end Bordeaux-style wines with “depth and concentration” as the label would suggest. He’s hired esteemed winemaker Michelle Edwards from Colgin Estates, a Napa cult-level winery, as well as the respected David Abreu to oversee the vineyards. He’s also brought in consultant Michel Rolland, who has his hands in nearly every big wine around the world. In case you were wondering if he was serious, he definitely is, and his wines are already becoming a hot commodity.

I decided to open up one of his Stag’s Leap Cabs over the weekend and here were my notes:

This is a big, rich cab for starters. Priced around $50, its already worth the price. The nose is full of mushroom, cassis and raspberries. There’s already a nice aged smell with some earth and tobacco. The initial decant for this wine was around 1 1/2 hrs. The flavor is smooth and rich, with blueberries and raspberries, along with a nice smattering of tobacco and leather mixed with burnt sugar.

Even after 3 hrs open, there are still some pretty solid grip from the tannins, which would suggest this wine has a number of years left before it hits its peak. The finish is strong, yet smooth, with a great deal of length. Probably a good 30-40 second finish to the wine. Very meaty and manly wine, with lots of earthy and hearty elements. Paired up with a thick steak, you can’t go wrong. Overall, this is a solid, well-made wine with some years yet to go. Lede obviously has assembled a solid team that will look to continue to make very high-quality wines, and score well with the critics. I’ve been won over as well, giving this wine an outstanding mark.