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Highly Recommended
Colterenzio Schreckbichl 2007 Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige
Region $16
Pretty, refined, bright and crisp, with a modestly creamy mid-palate.
Here is an extremely delicious wine from the same area that Santa Margherita used to make its Pinot Grigio decades ago, back
in the days when they were making good wine. Those days are gone. Today’s Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, resembling a 50/50
blend of Pinot Grigio and Thompson Seedless, is a weak imitation of its former self. The experienced wine-drinker may reasonably
marvel at the notion that anyone could pass it off as premium wine. Along comes the Colterenzio Schreckbichl 2007 Pinot Grigio—towering
above Santa Margherita in finesse, elegance, and balance, while undercutting it in price. Unfortunately, this fine wine lacks
the marketing muscle and brand recognition of Santa Margherita. Accordingly, many Americans drink the bad stuff without knowing
the good stuff even exists.
If you are among
those who enjoy the crisp, light, refreshing style of Pinot Grigio, we encourage you to seek out the Colterenzio Schreckbichl, and discover for yourself what a good, authentic Italian Pinot Grigio really tastes
like. Your local wine shop may not have it, but I googled and found it at ClassicWines.com,
among other online resellers. Or if you are in Las Vegas, drop by a fine gourmet restaurant like Rosemary's, and you'll find
it on the wine list.
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Rare
and Collectible
Highly Recommended
Vare Vineyards
2007 Ribolla Gialla, Napa Valley
$25 (500 ml) George Vare's Ribolla Gialla might qualify as the rarest and most unusual wine made in Napa Valley.
It is also one of the most delicious white wines you will ever encounter. But before we get to the details, a bit of history
is in order.
Ribolla Gialla is a premium white wine grape that has been cultivated for at least 700 years in Friuli, the outstanding
white wine region of northeastern Italy. For centuries Ribolla was the king of white varietals in the region. In 1402, the
Friuli’s main city of Udine issued an edict prohibiting the blending of Ribolla with any other varietal, and prohibiting
merchants from representing any other variety as Ribolla. Clearly, even back then the wine produced from the Ribolla grape
was recognized as warranting special legal protection. Unfortunately, the disastrous 19th century phylloxera infestation destroyed
most of Friuli’s Ribolla vineyards. Equally unfortunate was the decision of most local vintners to replant with French
varietals, thereby severely curtailing the region's production of this unique varietal. Production of Ribolla dropped to a
trickle by the end of the 20th century. George Vare, a veteran of the Napa Valley wine industry and founder of Luna
Vineyards, has taken keen interest in Italian varietals, and Ribolla Gialla in particular. Over the last decade he
brought vines from Italy and planted 2.5 acres of Ribolla on his property in the Oak Knoll District of Napa. This is the only
production vineyard of Ribolla Gialla known to exist in the United States. Vare’s Ribolla Gialla is available in four restaurants
in the USA -- The French Laundry, its sister restaurant Per Se in New York, Meadowwood
in St. Helena, and Michael Chiarello’s newly opened Bottega, in Yountville, CA. Other
than patronizing these restaurants, the only way to get it is to call
Vare Vineyards and order it directly. If you are visiting Napa Valley, call ahead for an appointment, as the property
is not open to the public. The 2007 Ribolla, just released a few weeks ago, is an elegant, refined, light-bodied wine with beautiful
floral notes on the nose. It is similar in style to California Viognier, but it is superior in character and finesse, and
lacks the excessive perfuminess that I for one find overbearing in many Viogniers.
Due to a request of The French Laundry, Vare bottles his Ribolla in 500 ml bottles instead of 750’s.
Magnums are also available ($60). If you are a collector looking for rare and exotic wines, this one is not to be missed.
But don’t dally….Vare sells on a first come first serve basis, and there is not a lot of it to go around.
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Highly
Recommended Claiborne & Churchill
2007 Dry Riesling, California Central Coast
$18 A couple years ago I was having lunch on the deck at Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley. When the weather
is right and there are no wedding receptions to disturb the tranquility, this can be one of the quintessentially perfect dining
experiences in America. On this occasion, the sommelier recommended a Dry Riesling from Claiborne & Churchill, an Edna
Valley winery. I forget what I ate that day, but the wine was memorable indeed. Perfectly balanced, like the entire day. Last week a case of samples arrived from Claiborne & Churchill. Would the Dry Riesling be as spectacular
as I had remembered, or had my impression been influenced by the magic of the Napa Valley moment? I opened it at lunch with
a friend, and we both began to smile at the first whiff of its beautiful aromas. The 2007 was every bit as mesmerizing as
my original experience. Honey and apricot/peach components, medium bodied, no residual sugar. But the total experience is
more than the sum of its parts. This is a thoroughly delicious wine with a charm and balance that is almost spiritual. Finding
the occasional rare gem like this one makes wine hunting worth all the effort. Visit
the winery online for more details.
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