The cannonau of Sardigna is grown essentially in the non-volcanic areas of Sardigna. The Cannonau DOC is aged a minimum of 12 months in oak barrel. The Sella e Mosca Cannonau Riserva is aged 24 months in oak barrels (french and american oak).
The bouquet is intense with violet and dry cherry,well-rounded and supple with rich, ripe, plummy flavors on the palate.

Aglianico D'Iripina Campania 2007
Terredora Di Paolo

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...Other times you'll find it in your glass! If you like Italian reds, you may already be familiar with the Luciou Mastroberardino family wines and Aglianico varietal, but perhaps not. In either case, be sure to read on!

"This wine of 100% Aglianico grapes is a great wine to increase an understanding of Italian wines on or to add to your current foundation. Foundation could be a key word for this wine... it's a beautiful deep-fired red of dark earthen or deep ruby color. In the nose, it is velvety and voluptuous. Fresh tobacco and earthen furrows lead the aroma to a zesty pungent anise and dark cherry note. Getting excited? Good! This is a racy wine but still smooth and silky in the mouth. A moderate full-mouth feel, it warms with cassis and moves to dark tart cherry and plum jam as black fruit swirl in the mouth. For a young wine, the tannins are well blended; very well balanced in acidity, it also has excellent structure. This should allow for aging for a number of years yet but it is drinking nice now too. Flavors last long in the mouth as tobacco, then fired earth and marrow, complete the middle and finish. A wonderful dry red earthen leave coats the palate as swallowed. I tried it with a summer sausage later in the day and the red meat and fats were in great harmony with this wine. I can only think it will be excellent with other red meat as well. It was very satisfying and felt very much as a good cigar. So, the next time someone tries to give you a "Freudian slip" pour a glass of Aglianico D'Irpinia and knowingly sip a cigar that is not just a cigar" Joel S.

Wine Making & History: These Aglanianico Grapes were grown in a clay and calcareous soil. Once fermentation is complete, the wine spends 3 months in small barrels before returning to stainless steel tanks. This red Italian varietal is widely diffused in its southwestern Italy region and is know by the names Gnanico, Agliantica, Ellenio, Ellanica, and Uva Nera. Some experts argue that it was cultivated in the early period of Roman history. The variety was introduced to Italy by the Greeks. The fine and consistent quality of the wine produced in the Aglianico del Taburno in the province of Beneveto enabled local producers to obtain DOC recognition in 1987.

Falasco - Valpolicella Ripasso 2005

Ripasso is known as the 'Baby Amarone'. Allow me to drop a little knowledge here. Amarone in my books is the lobster/caviar/cadillac of wines and with that label, goes a price tag that is not everyday affordable (at least for me). That said, when I buy ripasso, I always feel as if I'm getting a terrific deal.
Ripasso starts as valpolicella, but during fermentation the winemaker adds the unpressed skins from their prior batch of amarone and restarts the fermentation process. The addition of the amarone skins (which are simply dried grape skins) gives the valpolicella a fuller body, more complex aromas, deeper flavours and a little more alcohol. Presto! your medium bodied valpolicella just became a chewy, full-bodied ripasso.

The Cantina della Valpantena owes a great deal of its success to the work of Luca Degani, who has perfectly interpreted the magic moment Valpolicella is currently enjoying. The commitment of the member growers in the vineyards has been renewed, the cellar techniques perfected and, above all, the classic wine types have been interpreted in a contemporary key and promoted with effective marketing techniques.' (Gambero Rosso Italian Wines 2008)

GRAPE VARIETIES
Corvina Veronese, Corvinone, Rondinella.

VINIFICATION
Crushing-destemming of the grapes.
Fermentation temperature between 22° and 28°C.
Maceration time: 10 days.
Second fermentation on Amarone Torre del Falasco marc.
Refinement in oak casks.

ANALYTIC DATA
Total acidity: 5.80 g/l
Alcohol content: 13.50 % vol.

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS
Intense ruby red color; fine bouquet that smells of wild berries and jam; dry and harmonious flavor with good smoothness.

Chateau Saint-Andre Corbin 2005
Saint-Georges Saint-Emilion

All right, I am going to be honest here, Chateau Saint-Andre Corbin is an exception. Being able to place a Bordeaux in our Top 5 "dry and elegant" sub-category was not easy. Chateau Saint-Andre Corbin is one of the rare great value Bordeaux that makes it to Oregon, the wine aficionados from the East Coast and California being taking advantage of the "first come first served" rule reigning in the US market. Yes, Portland is at the end of the distribution line and sometimes, it feels like we get the left overs... But we got a Bordeaux in this category and what a treat! Saint-Georges Saint-Emilion is one of the sattelite appellation of Saint-Emilion, the Merlot's king of the world. This wine is perfectly balanced, with 80% of Merlot and 20% of Cabernet, aged in a smart mix of new and used barrels to keep the very essence of the elegance of the "Rive Droite" wines. This wine is a perfect example of what a reasonably priced Bordeaux can bring to your table. It's not a "big smile" right away, it is more like an artichoke, patience and a little bit of work will take you to the "heart". Let it breathe, and like all the wines of this category, it will be the best drink to be paired with an elaborated meal!