Saskia Prüm visits from the Mosel Valley (Germany)

Saskia Prüm, winemaker at S.A. Prüm, with Jens Strecker, owner of Portalis Wines in Seattle

Saskia Prüm holds an honored position for us at Portalis.  She is the first German winemaker to do a tasting at our shop since we opened in 2003, and it was well worth the wait.  She was lovely.  She told me a little about the history of the winery … Located in the village of Wehlen (southwest Germany) near the one of the most famous vineyards in the Mosel Valley, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr, the estate has been in her family since her great grandfather began in 1911.  The estate flourished under father, who began running the estate in 1971, and as of 2005, it has been in Saskia’s hands.  She said that she knew from an early age that this was her calling.  With a smile, she said she had probably participated in her first wine tasting at age 9. She received a Diploma of Engineering in Winemaking from the Technical University in Geisenheim.  After that she completed a series of internships in Pfalz/Reingau, Baden & Alto Adige.  Her time in Alto Adige must have been particularly interesting, 1) because it was a huge 200 hector co-op compared with the 16.5 hectars of the S.A. Prüm estate and 2) she got to go hang out in Northern Italy, after all.

Americans so often have a block against white wine that’s not dry, but I can’t encourage you enough to open your experience to these wines as German Riesling is considered some of the finest white wine in the world (and S.A. Prüm is an excellent example of this style of wine).  It’s a thinker’s white wine … beautiful fruit flavors with an amazing acidity that off-sets the slight ending sweetness of the wine.  It’s refreshing as a stand alone sipper, but Riesling also rates as the most versatile white wine to pair with food.  The acidity as well as the fact that it’s not dry allows it to pair beautifully with appetizers, fish, shellfish, chicken, pork and especially cheeses.  It can also handle sweeter & spicier flavors (perfect for Asian cuisines) and the tanginess and heat of Middle Eastern & Mexican dishes.

Here’s what we tasted with Saskia, as well as her commentary on the wines:

S.A. Prüm 2007 Essence Riesling $12.50/case $10
This wine has a spiciness to the fruit which is lovely, off-set by beautiful acidity.  Lighter than the next wine, it is a beautiful sipping wine.

S.A. Prüm 2003 Bernkasteler Lay $39/case $31.50
This wine has a little more body and a little more yellow in the color.  It has lovely grapefruity flavors and surprisingly, Saskia suggested pairing this wine with a red meat such as lamb.

S.A. Prüm 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett $24/case $19.20
This Riesling comes from the most famous vineyard in the Mosel, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr. As a Kabinett, this wine is sweeter than the first two, but pleasantly so with the tingling acidity off-setting the sweetness beautifully.

S.A. Prüm 2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese $39/case $31.50
Auslese, from a selection of highly ripened grapes, is sweeter still than the Kabinett, and moves into the dessert wine category.  Try this with your favorite artisan blue cheese, for an amazing salty sweet combo.  You can enjoy this wine now, but Saskia said that you can lay it down for up to 20 years.

Contributor:  Julie Howe

Food+Wine: On the Menu … Frog Legs

It’s traditional French bistro fare with Chef Tracey’s most recent addition to the menu.  Her art for preparing the frog legs is similar to brining.  She marinates them in buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce & tobasco.  Frogs legs can be tough, but this marinating process makes the meat tender.  After about a day and a half in the marinade, the meat is so tender that it flakes when fried.  In France, you’d most likely have your frog legs sautéed, but Chef Tracey is serving these frog legs fried with a side of whole-grain mustard-tarragon potato salad for a nice seasonal twist with some American flair. 

This dish pairs beautifully with a broad range of wines, including white, rosé and more medium-bodied reds.  Here are some suggestions to choose from based on your mood:

Boedecker Cellars 2007 Old Vine Pinot Gris $8.00
Domaine Lecomte 2006 Quincy $9.00
Boedecker Cellars 2008 Rosé $8.00
Bishop Creek Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir Barrel Selection $9.00
Domaine des Espiers 2007 Gigondas $9.50

Stone Brewing Co. with Jeff Porter

With nice weather around the corner (hopefully), we’re heading into beer season.  I’m thinking big fans of Stone (and there are plenty) are year round beer drinkers, but for many of our customers, warmer weather puts them in the mood.  Something like what happens with rosé.

We were pleased to welcome Jeff Porter to lead us through the tasting.  He’s the NW Regional Brewery Representative and a knowledgable beer drinker who led us through the tasting as the best of the wine guys would.  Lots of swirling, sniffing, (low key) talk of aromas, and even food pairings.  It was a lot of fun and kind of gave me (a hard-core wine drinker) the beer bug. 

A little on Jeff ...
He’s been with Stone Brewing about three years, the first two as a rep in San Diego and now as the NW brewery representative in our neck of the woods.  He was a home-brewer before going professional with his hobby, and he’s originally from Van Nuys (LA).

A little about Stone Brewing …
The Stone Brewing Co. was started by two beer-lovers: Steve Wagner (beer-lover/brewer) and Greg Koch (beer-lover/business guy).  They boast that between the two of them they have visited (and drunk beer at) over 140 different breweries in the US & Europe.  Long story short, they got some investors and in summer 1996 they tapped their first beer – Stone Pale Ale.  Since then they’ve developed a nice healthy cult following of people who love their brews.  Here are the beers we tasted & some tasting notes to go with:

Levitation Pale Ale (12oz)$4.00/case $3.20 
Notes: This beer is a new one for Stone Brewing and enjoyed its national release the same day as our tasting, and apparently it has taken off.  Jeff said that in the week since the launch that they’ve gone from producing 1 vat a week to 5.  It’s deep amber in color with big hoppy flavors and a solid malt backbone.  At 4.4%, it enjoys a lower alcohol content.  

Arrogant Bastard Ale (22oz)$7.00/case $5.60 
Notes: The first words Stone uses to describe this beer on the website, is: “You probably won’t like it”.  Jeff was a little friendlier, calling it aggressive. Now I only had a 1-oz sip of this beer, but I liked it.  It was a little in you face, but it was interesting and you knew where it stood. It’s classified as an American Strong Ale and it’s characterized by strong malty, hoppy flavors.
    
Stone IPA (22oz) $7.50/case $6.00 
Notes: India Pale Ale is by definition higher in hops and alcohol. Stone IPA has both strong aromas and flavors of hops creating a pleasantly bitter experience.
    
Cali Belgique IPA (22oz) ~ limited ~ $11.00/case $8.80 
Notes:  Stone’s brewers went and hung out at Duvel in Belgium and visited other Belgian breweries to see how they created this type of beer.  What they ended up with is their Stone IPA recipe with a special Belgian yeast strain, creating an interesting new beer, a fusion of Belgian style with American influences.  The Cali Belgique IPA is a little sweeter than the Stone IPA, with flavors of coriander & orange peel.   

Old Guardian Barley Wine (22oz) ~ limited ~ $11.00/case $8.80 
Notes: Barley wines can be sweet, and this one is, but the sweetness is offset by the bitterness of the hops, making for well-balanced experience. You also get nice orange, citrusy flavors from the hops. Can drink now or store for several years.  

Stone Smoked Porter (22oz) $7.50/case $6.00 
Notes: This was a rich, dark brown beer, with suble flavors of smoke from the peat smoked malt (similar to how scotch is made), chocolate and coffee. This is a great food beer. Delicious with roasted meats & BBQ(due to the smoky flavors), but also recommends going sweet.  They serve jalapeno blue cheese smoked porter cheesecake at the brewery that he says is killer.     

Stone Imperial Russian Stout (22oz) $11.00/case $8.80 
Notes:  This Russian Stout ranks top 3 in the world.  It’s a massive beer, hoppy (as all Stone’s beers are), but with lovely, slightly sweet flavors of licorice and chocolate.  At the tasting, we tried both a 2007 & 2009, to see the difference.  As with wine, the older vintage was smoother, more mellow.

A little tip that Jeff gave re: whether or not to lay beer down …
Drink IPA as fresh as possible.  Bigger beers with higher alcohol and higher hops content can be cellared for a few years.  Are they better after a little time?  That’s for you to decide …

Contributor:  Julie Howe

Australia’s Hunter Valley: a report from down under on a weekend out …

This is an email we received from Phil last summer (7/22/08) when he was in Australia to interview for a job.  Wine makes a great diversion … and these are some great tips if you’re looking for a wine country day trip outside of Sydney:

this past weekend i decided to escape the papal visit to sydney and swarms of 15 year old world youth day pilgrims for the Hunter Valley and a bit of a drive and wine tasting. the rest of sydney seemed to decide to do the same thing, but by staying on the outskirts i’d say i did alright… 5 top ranked wineries, 2.5 cases of wine to take home, a decent brewery hotel as a base, and a fast car to drive around in. no real complaints here in the end…

So a bit of a synopsis in links:
Some photos from the weekend http://www.flickr.com/photos/philmang/sets/72157606307475896/

The wineries I went to:
The first one was Kringlewood on Saturday at about 1130am after a 
morning drive out into the edge of the valley. Saw the sign on my way 
back towards town and stopped, looked at the book, saw that it was 
well ranked and pulled in. All biodynamic vines, with delicious French 
style wines. brought home a shiraz worth of hermitage, a chardonnay & 
a botrytis chardonnay (very rare…) http://www.krinklewood.com/

the next stop was the most commercial of the wineries i visited, and 
in many ways, the least enjoyable: http://www.keithtullochwine.com.au/
the shiraz was good, the rest were all decent, the ambiance cut it 
down a lot… the view of the valley was wonderful

from there, i stopped in at blue tongue brewery and had a beer and pie 
for lunch before heading on: http://www.bluetonguebrewery.com.au/

after lunch i headed up to Piggs Peake. An amazing boutique negotiant 
in the same model as Sinnean in Oregon that I have collected so much 
wine from, these guys make amazing stuff. They have fun with the 3 
pigs line of naming, with the wines running form straw to sticks to 
bricks in terms of intensity… I got to taste some pretty damned good 
wine and fortified wine (they make loads of port and madeira style 
fortified wines as well as standard desert wines) and had already 
picked up a few bottles when the winemaker took myself and a few other 
customers with similar interests back to taste a few of the barrel 
Bricks wines… we had a bit of 08 Zin and 08 Shiraz… wow. i can 
understand why the sell out of all of these wines at release… http://piggspeake.com/index2.html

almost done for the day on saturday… while wandering back into town 
I stop at the cheese store to pick up some fixins for dinner. The 
Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop has a nice array of cheeses, and can 
indeed be smelled from the parking lot. the cave doesn’t hurt matters 
and neither does the antipasti fixings side of the house. http://www.huntervalleysmellycheeseshop.com.au/

a brief stop for tasting at the small winemakers shop — tasted 
Margan, Little Wine Company & Andrew Thomas good stuff, a nice end to 
a day of wine tasting, more things for the case… http://www.smallwinemakerscentre.com.au/wine_makers.php

back to the potters hotel & brewery to nap and watch a bit of tri-
nations rugby in the pub…and eat some of that cheese i collected 
that was smelling up the car… http://www.pottersbrewery.com.au/ http://www.hunterbeer.com.au/

Good times, as it’s a local’s joint and the Wallabies won…

Sunday I headed out to drive back via the mountains, and happened to 
stop at yet one last incredible winery with absolutely no planning – 
it literally looked like my last chance to go to a winery on my way 
out, so I stopped. Turns out to be an incredible place, where the 
viticulturist lives on site and does the tastings, and where I got to 
spend over an hour talking about the vines and wines and facility. 
good times, great juice, and the only Tannat in all of australia (give 
or take a few plants.) again, amazing. http://glenguinestate.com.au/
finally, The basic route map:
http://tinyurl.com/55hyug

it was a good time. could have used a bit of company perhaps (still could given the collection of vino i brought back.) hope all are well

Cheers
Phil

Food + Wine: Experiment with wine pairings

We’ve started a new Thursday bar special, where (in addition to our regular menu) we are offering a small bites menu with 4 or 5 items priced at $5 each.  Aside from the fact that these small plates are delicious, each provides a little wine pairing fun.  Here are several of the small plates from the first month of the special with suggested pairings. If you need some help pairing upcoming dishes, we’re happy to oblige …

Pear crostini with blue cheese mousse & candied walnuts $5
    … bubbly can handle the salty & the sweet: Montesel Extra Dry Prosecco $9
Gougère with proscuitto & pea salad $5
    … a richer white fits perfectly: Jean-Luc Colombo 2006 La Redonne $8.25
Warm potato salad with chorizo & poached egg $5
    … be a rebel: Celler Tomas Cusine 2006 Vilosell $8.25
House chicken liver mousse pâté $5
    … a match made in heaven: Domaine des Espiers 2007 Gigondas $9.50
Mushroom brie galette $5
    … another match made in heaven: Château La Neuve 2005 Saint-Emilion $9
Spicy meatballs with tomato conserva & garlic toast $5 
    … fruit forward is the way to go: Planeta 2007 La Segreta Rosso $7.75

Enjoy & cheers!

A visit from Rocca delle Macie

Vito Candela (left) gets passionate about Chianti!

With blue skies abounding, last Tuesday was a perfect spring evening for our Rocca delle Macie tasting. Visiting us was Vito Candela, Vice-President of  the Tuscan winery which is located in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. I especially enjoyed this tasting, since I had just returned from Tuscany and stayed on the Rocca property, witnessing first-hand their impressive estate & facilities.

Two Portalis guests enjoy a taste of Tuscany

Rocca della Macie began with one man’s lifelong dream, of purchasing land and turning it into a world-class vineyard. Italo Zingarelli did just that over 35 years ago by purchasing “Le Macie” estate. His youngest son, Sergio now runs Rocca della Macie, and has begun his own legacy by bringing Rocca to a new level as one of the best quality Chianti’s in Tuscany.
 
Our charming Italian host, Vito entertained the group with interesting stories – everything from the history of Chianti wines to Italian culture (they’re lack of fondness for garlic).  The wines themselves lived up to their reputation. Here is what we tasted:

ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2006 VERMENTINO – $16.50 Fresh and slightly fruity with floral notes and earthy minerality.  A small percentage is barrel fermented which produces an elegant and balanced white.
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2006 CHIANTI CLASSICO - $17  A blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Canaiolo aged 10mths in both Slavonian and French oak.  A classic Chianti with juicy cherry flavors, medium spiciness and a soft finish. 
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2004 CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA - $28.50  One of the highlights of the evening was this riserva blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.  Barrel-aged all in French oak for 2 years, then minimum 3mths in the bottle, this is a dark, rich and intense wine. Smoky tannins and dark cherry notes make for a complex Chianti to enjoy for years.       
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2005 MORELLINO DI SCANSANO - $17  A soft and fruit forward blend of Sangiovese 90% Cabernet 5% Merlot 5%.  Expressive notes of violets, raspberry flavors and subtle tannins make this a wonderful choice for spicy dishes.
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2001 FIZZANO RISERVA – $41   Produced exclusively from the Fizzano Estate and mostly from Sangiovese grapes.  This Supertuscan is aged in both French oak barrels and large barrique, then one year in the bottle.  Dark red fruit and with prominent tannins, this has great aging potential. SOLD OUT
ROCCA DELLE MACIE 2004 SANT’ALFONZO – $23 This 100% Sangiovese Chianti is one of the most prestigious crus from Rocca delle Macie.  It is aged nearly a year in French oak barrels.  Its smooth texture, rich red fruit and balanced acidity makes this one of the favorite wines at the winery. 

To order these wines contact us at info@portaliswines.com.  I highly recommend staying at Rocca delle Macie’s beautiful estate if you are ever in Tuscany: www.roccadellemacie.com

The tasting room at Rocca delle Macie

 

 

 

Food+Wine: Lamb Tagine

Lamb tagine is a lovely, aromatic dish originally from Morocco, but regularly seen incorporated into Spanish cuisine. With the cold, blustery weather we’ve been having, Chef Tracey felt like this yummy, warming, somewhat rich meal would still have appeal … and it has.  The sweetness (though not too sweet) comes from the dates and honey. The richness comes from the lamb, a rich meat made richer by the cut (neck). And then there’s the sultry spiciness from the cinnamon, ginger, saffron & tumeric.  It really is a delicious combination and it pairs beautifully with the Celler Tomas Cusine 2006 Vilosell, a blend of Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Garnacha/Syrah from the Costers del Segre region of northeast Spain. Other red wines that would work well with spicier lamb dishes would be wines from the Southern Rhône, as well as a hearty Pinot Noir, like what you find from Oregon’s Willamette Valley:  Bishop Creek Cellars 2006 Pinot Noir Barrel Selection $21 or for a splurge, try Domaine Serene 2005 Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve $64.  If you prefer a white for the above style dish, try a Riesling such a Weingut Seebrich 2006 Niersteiner Oelberg Riseling Spaetlese $19.  Come check it out.  It will be on the menu through the first week or so of April.
 
Contributor:  Julie Howe

Special Sunday Tasting: Swiss Cheesemaker, Mike Glauser

Cheesemaker grating Belper Knolle to taste

Mike stopped by with cheese importer, Olivier Boye, on Friday to introduce himself and I knew he’d be a hit.  His cheeses were excellent and on top of that he was personable, had a good sense of humor and the little traditioinal cap with the Swiss flag on it wouldn’t hurt.  Plus, it’s fun when I get to speak German … and if you’re German, you’ve got to love Swiss German.

Cheesemaker, Mike Glauser, with Emmentaler in the foreground

The Glauser’s are third generation artisan cheese makers located in Bern, Switzerland. Together with other small, local, cheesemakers (Fromagerie Glauser, Fromagerie Jakob, Fromagerie Steinen & Fromagerie Belp), they created the association “Jumi Export” with the goal of showing real traditional Swiss cheeses to the outside world. For the American market, these cheeses should create a new association with what people think of as “Swiss cheese”.

Here is some information on the cheeses we tasted last Sunday:

EMMENTALER – raw cow’s milk; semi-hard to hard; aged 6-10 months (young) & 18-24 (aged) ~ both were available at the tasting so you could experience the difference. As the Swiss say, Emmentaler is a tradition and a way of life.  I can concur that the German’s have the same opinion, with this cheese being a staple for my family growing up and for Julie and me when we lived there.
Notes from the cheesemaker:
Texture:  elastic, non-sticky with fine to semi-fine crystals
Taste: delicate and mild (hay)
Flavors:  slightly salty and milky, fresh butter and jelly
Odor:  slightly spicy, pungent persistence (body)
Culinary note: the ultimate fondue cheese
Produced by: Master Cheese Maker Glauser, Bergkäserei; Oberhünigen, Switzerland
Wine/beer pairings:  fruity beer (such as Belgian ales: Regenboog Wostynj Spicy Ale or La Chouffe Golden Ale) or rounder, fuller-bodied white wines such as Côte du Rhône Blanc or (not too oaky) Chardonnay such as Domaine de Vic 2005 Chardonnay (Vin de Pays d’Oc, France) $15

APPENBERGER – raw cow’s milk; semi-hard; aged 4-5 months (young) & 8-9 months (aged).  This famous cheese hails from the Appenberger region. Its aroma is dominated by flowery notes from wild mountain flowers. The flavor of the cheese intensifies as it ages.
Notes from the cheesemaker:
Texture:  smooth paste, supple and slightly sticky with little holes
Flavors:  slightly salty, buttery and creamy.  The palate will be stimulated by fresh butter and slightly acidic (sour/lactic) notes.
Culinary note: Appenberger lends itself to imaginative combinations. For example, with sliced fresh tomatoes or with prune or fig preserves. It is also very well suited for fondue.
Produced by: Master Cheese Maker Fromagerie Glauser; Oberhünigen, Switzerland
Wine pairings:  a big Côte du Rhône such as Ogier 2005 Côte du Rhône Caves des Papes or a nice red from neighboring  Vacqueyras, all spicy, earthy reds from the Southern Rhône Valley in France. 

KNOSCHI – raw cow’s milk, chives, onions; semi-hard; aged 4 months
In the Vacherin Fribourgeois region, semi-hard cheeses are an old tradition. Knoschi is an original and very sought after semi-hard cheese embedded with onions and chives. The raw milk, artisan process and aging impart a dominant, beefy aroma which is in full harmony with onion and chive flavors.
Notes from the cheesemaker:
Texture:  elastic paste, smooth and crisp
Flavors:  taste of broth highlighted with chive/caramelized onion flavors
Culinary note: after 4 months of aging, this cheese is ready for fondue and shows enhanced characteristics with heating and melting
Produced by: Master Cheese Maker Fromagerie Glauser; Giffers (Freiburg), Switzerland
Wine pairings:  this cheese has a lot of chivy, garlic flavors, so stick with a white such as Chenin Blanc or a nice Viognier/Roussanne blend such as Jean-Luc Colombo 2006 La Redonne $17.50, which is what we served at the tasting and is also available at the wine bar if you’d like to try a glass first.

BELPER KNOLLE – cow’s milk, garlic, pepper powder, Himalajasalt; semi-soft; aged 1 week or more. Around 17 years ago, the first “Belper Knolle” was made by hand and it is handmade to this day. The milk and garlic are also from Belp (where the name originates).  The pepper is from the “Oberland” and the salt from the Himalayas.
Notes from the cheesemaker:
Texture:  easy to spread, a light delicate consistency
Taste:  slightly spicy with refreshing herbal background notes
Good to know: the intensity of this cheese is reduced when the pepper/salt is brushed off. At the tasting, Mike told customers to grate this cheese over pasta or risotto.
Produced by: Käserei Belp; Bern, Switzerland
Wine pairings:  this is an acidic, herbal cheese, so it’s white all the way.  Try a white from the Loire Valley such as Benedicte de Rycke 2005 Jasnières $28

The Belper Knolle sold out at the tasting.  People loved it!  I purchased some of Appenberger, which we melted and served over boiled red potatoes with a side salad.  We paired it with a  Jean-Luc Colombo declassified Cornas from the cellar.  It was a delicious meal, especially since it’s still chilly weather here in Seattle.  If you are interested in purchasing these cheeses, they are available or can be ordered at the following cheese counters: Big John’s PFI (ask for Donna), Village Market Thriftway, Magnolia Thriftway, The Cheese Cellar (near the Space Needle), DeLaurenti (Pike Place Market), some Whole Foods Markets.

Contributor:  Jens Strecker

Profiteroles at home

 Profiteroles are beautiful, festive pastries that make a delicious, fun, easy and versatile dessert.  Here at the wine bar, we made the pastries in-house and then filled each little pastry with a scoop of homemade pine nut honey ice cream & served them with a chocolate espresso dipping sauce. 

How to make Profiteroles at home: 
• It’s quick:  Buy cream puff pastry shells in the frozen food section of your local grocery.  It’s not homemade, but it cuts prep down to nothing.
• It’s versatile: Fill the pastries with any ice cream that appeals or do an assortment so each pastry is a surprise.  You can also change the dipping sauce to anything that appeals: chocolate espresso, caramel, raspberry or different flavored whipped creams, for example amaretto or frangelica, to add a nice fluffy accent to the festive finish.  As well you can add salted nuts in with the ice cream … and so on.  Use your imagination.  If decide to use Chef Tracey’s Chocolate Espresso Dipping Sauce, you’ll need: 8oz finest bittersweet chocolate (chips or roughly chopped) • 1C heavy cream • ¼ C sugar • 1t instant espresso powder dissolved in 1t hot water. Heat cream and sugar to a simmer until sugar dissolves.  Pour over chocolate chips/chunks.  Add espresso and whisk until smooth.  Hold warm in a water bath until serving time.  To serve the profiteroles, heat the pastry shells per the directions.  Let cool to handle.  Then cut in half and use a melon scoop to fill with ice cream.  Serve with a little ramekin of warm dipping sauce.
• It’s fun:  The dessert has a broad range in terms of appeal.  You can throw a birthday party bash for your kids or you can serve this to seduce your partner, feeding one another of course.  If you go this route, don’t forget the dessert wine, with both ruby & tawny ports pair beautifully.

Contributor:  Chef Tracey

Planeta – Fines wines from Sicily

Penny Murray defines lovely.  Aside from the fact that she’s a beautiful woman with a charming accent, she loves her wines and has a way of sharing this love with you as you taste through her line-up. At our tasting on March 13th, I asked Penny for a few words about the story of Planeta.  Here is what she had to say:

As we all know Sicilian families are not small and with 7 brothers and sisters and 15 nieces and nephews Planeta is no exception to that!!  The Planeta story, being a family that has always been in agriculture, starts many generations ago with grape growing. Diego Planeta knew what incredible and magical wines could be produced in the Sicilian terroir that could stand proud next to the top wines from around the world, but it was only in the mid eighties, that the family decided to plant their first vineyards of quality. It took ten years of experiments to find the most ideal grape varieties for their terroir but also for the younger generation to learn about winemaking, marketing and sales.

Finally, Alessio Planeta who is winemaker, Francesca Planeta the export and marketing director and Santi Planeta the national director were ready to embark into their venture. The first wines were produced in 1995 on the shore of lake “Arancio” between Sambuca di Sicilia and Menfi in the province of Agrigento. Today, they now own five boutique wineries and apart from Sambuca and Menfi, the Planeta decided to go also to the other most interesting viticultural areas of Sicily such as Vittoria, Noto and Etna. The extension of their vineyards are 975 acres of vineyards where they cultivate classical Sicilian varieties like Grecanico, Frappato and Nero d’Avola, as well as national and international varieties.

And the wines …
Planeta 2006 La Segreta Bianco $16/case $12.80
Nice nose with fruity flavors of apple, lemon and some mild melon. Fresh. Good sipper as weather warms.

Planeta 2006 Cometa $41/case $32.80
A favorite at the tasting.  This wine is much more dramatic than the first, with full flavors of citrus, especially grapefruit, yet still round, with hints of minerality & spiciness. Lovely to sip or complement a simple baked chicken dinner.

Planeta 2006 La Segreta Rosso $16/case $12.80
Recently added as a glass pour at the Portalis Wine Bar, this red is a balanced combination of round cherry notes and dark smoke that lingers.

Planeta 2007 Cerasuolo Di Vittoria $28.50/case $22.80
This red sold out at the tasting; people loved it.  Penny describes it best: Fruity, reminiscent of red berries, strawberries, cherries, prickly pears, dog rose and fruit drops. Very distinctive and recognizable. Juicy, displaying a fresh texture and pleasing contact. A velvety red.
 
Planeta 2005 Syrah $46.50/case $37.20
Red fruit flavors with a nice earthy complexity and a hint of tobacco. Gambero Rosso (Italian wine guru) describes this wine as “a marvel.”

Planeta 2005 Merlot $46.50/case $37.20
Another very nice wine.  Nose of rich, dark fruit, prunes even. Well-balanced with a firm tannic structure.

Planeta 2005 Santa Cecilia Nero D’Avola $47/case $37.60
This wine was a treasure. Very complex & well-balanced. Jens’ favorite in the line-up: “Elegant, flavors of blackberries & plums. Acidic but very nicely done. Fine tannins. A beautiful wine!”  Unfortunately we didn’t have any of this wine to sell at the tasting, which is a shame as it would have done well.

Contributor:  Julie Howe