Colet Navazos Extra Brut Reserva

The other day we found an interesting wine at a Spanish grocery store.

Colet Navazos Extra Brut Reserva 2008

This is a sparkling wine from Penedés, Spain, made with traditional method. 
Base wine is Chardonnay, and a little bit of Manzanilla Sherry is added at disgorgement. Interesting.


Very apple, with some pear and quince. Subtle toast from flor yeast.
Oxidized quality of fruit is balanced with high acid.
Soft bubble with soft texture. 
Easy to drink, a little bit like cider.

We had this wine with Spring Pasta with Fava beans.

The wine cut the oiliness of the pesto sauce and made it taste fresh. Perfect pairing.

White wines from Portugal

When I hear "Wines of Portugal", the first thing comes into my mind is Port wines.
Like these beautiful wines from Kopke.

Layers of dried fruit, flower, nut, caramel, chocolate, backed with strong structure.
Rich and smooth texture.

However, Portugal has much more to offer.

The size of Portugal is not big comparing with other wine producing countries like Spain or France, but it has variety of topography from mountains to coast and variation in climatic effect. In fact, Portugal has the largest number of microclimates per square kilometers in the world!
The country receives Atlantic, Mediterranean and continental influences. These, together with aspects, soils and altitude, affect the styles of wine.
Moreover, Portugal had most indigenous grape varieties planted per km² in the world.
This is not a mere sales pitch. The combination of different terroirs and different grape varieties are reflected in the wines.

To catch a glimpse of the reflection, I had a chance to taste four different styles of white wine from Portugal.

Sogrape Azevedo Loureiro - Alvarinho DOC Vinho Verde 2018
Vinho Verde is in the north of Portugal with strong Atlantic influence (very wet), and known for its white wine with crisp acid.
Grapes are Loureiro and Alvarinho.
Refreshing citrus, tropical fruit and white flower with long finish.
The acidity was so bright that it was like jumping into my mouth.

Casa Americo Quinta do Vale DOC Dao 2018
DOC Dao is surrounded by high mountains and protected from cold winds and storms.
Wine is made with Malvasia Fina, Bical, Encruzado.
White flower, peach, citrus, ginger with a hint of flintiness.
Texture is creamy and mouth-coating.

Wine & Soul Guru DOC Douro 2017
Douro is the region known for the famous Port wine, but the quality of table wine has much improved and it has been gaining popularity.
Alyssum, orange, fresh and bitter grapefruit, and subtle sweetness of ripe citrus.
High acid is balanced with ripe fruit and round texture. Aftertaste is pleasant.
This interesting wine, which is my favorite of the day, is a field blend. It means that different varieties planted in a vineyard are vinified together.
Grapes are local Gouveio, Rabigato, Viosinho, Codega do Larinho... all unfamiliar names.
This wine is a great find: such a delicious wine made from obscure (sorry!) grapes.

Esporao Reserva Blanco DOC Alentejo 2017
Grapes are Antao Vaz, Arinto, Roupeiro.
Classic white blend from Alentejo, the region experiences strong continental influence (hot summers and cold winters).
Honeysuckle, ripe tropical fruit with medium acid.
Full-bodied with mouth-coating texture.

These four white wines were so different.
From refreshing and aromatic to rich, full-bodied wine, made with different grapes grown on different terroirs.

Portugal has history of wine making since 2000 BC but there are still many unfamiliar, undiscovered things to explore in their wines, like a treasure box!

Giovanni Montisci from Sardinia

It's always nice to try good wine, but if it comes from unexpected place, it feels special.
But how do I find unknown wine from unexpected place?

Best and certain way is to choose from an importer who carry wines in style you like.
There are more than several importers I like and trust, but Kermit Lynch is the one I always depend on.
It's been more than a decade since I started to shop at their Berkeley store, and they still keep showing me new surprises, just like this wine.

Giovanni Montisci Barrosu Cannonau di Sardegna

Wine is made with old vine Grenache, which is called Cannonau in Sardinia.
Concentrated ripe red fruit, which is still vibrant, cassis, herb, coffee.
Well balanced silky tannin. It is powerful but not arrogant, although the name "Barrosu" means arrogant guy in a local dialect.
It has rustic feel. I've never been to Sardinia but I felt like I was sitting on the island and touching the soil as I drunk the wine.
On the other hand, this wine also has elegant side.
It is approachable but if you seek deeper, this wine has depth to explore further.

Giovanni Montisci is a producer from Sardinia, Italy.
Sardinia is a popular tour destination and the viticulture is not a big part of Sardinia's agricultural economy, but its wine industry is slowly improving.

Sardinia is the second largest island of Italy with hills which can be more than 1,800 m above sea level and rocky coast.
This topography and varied soils types provide preferable choices for vineyard location.
The climate is hot with cooling effect from the Mediterranean. This combination creates wide diurnal range which ensures full ripeness of the grapes while acidity in grapes is retained.

With these conditions, there is no doubt that Sardinia can produce great wines, and Giovanni Montisci just proved that.

National Carbonara Day

Little information I learned recently: April 6th is the National Carbonara day.

It seems to encourage people to cook Carbonara and share the recipe, but when I make carbonara at home, It tends to become too greasy.
Therefore we went to enjoy professionally made Carbonara at 54 Mint, an Italian restaurant in San Francisco.
This restaurant has a impeccable lineup of pasta dishes. Their homemade pasta is fresh and has good texture.

Crispy fried seafood is a MUST at good Italian restaurant! 

Carbonara is a simple dish, but very flavorful.
This Carbonara at 54 Mint was rich but not greasy, especially when I had it with wine.

Wine was Bellone, white wine from Lazio.
Refreshing and easy to drink, and cut the fat of cheese and emphasize the flavor of  the dish.

We ended our lunch with Tiramisu. Perfect.