Last Week's Tasting Notes

​Argillae Orvieto ($15.99)
Umbria, Italy
From the producer:
​"Orvieto is Umbria’s and one of Italy’s most famous white wines and Argillae wishes to pay homage to its regional tradition creating a fresh dry wine, with intense aromas of flowers, citrus and tropical fruits. Broad to the nose and persistent on the palate, this wine surprises with its elegance, its perfect balance between flower and fruit scents and its extraordinary freshness. 

Grechetto, Procanico, Malvasia, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Argillae Orvieto pairs beautifully with a delicate and refined cuisine. Try with grilled and baked fish, cous cous salads and pasta dishes."

From me:
This Orvieto is, for lack of a better way of saying it, a savory wine. The fruit is very subtle, and is balanced out by a mild salinity. The mouthfeel is smooth with a little weight, though the minerality keeps it from being too heavy. This is an excellent pairing wine for seafood. I find this much more appealing for its complexity.

Gouguenheim Extra Brut Rose of Malbec ($12.99)
Mendoza, Argentina
From  the producer:
"Our 98 acres vineyard is located over 3.600 feet above sea level. In a region of desert climate, dry and sunny, with 320 days of sun exposure a year and big temperature amplitude (over 16°C). Alluvial and sandy soils. Drip irrigation with water from the melted snow of the Andes Mountains. All these exceptional conditions allow a perfect ripening of the grapes providing our wines with vivid colors, good acidity and a good maturity of the tannins.

Delicate with red fruit aromas, predominantly of cherries and strawberries. Very fresh in the mouth, soft tones with equilibrated acidity. Small and brilliant bubbles."

From me:
This is a very unusual find: 100% sparkling Malbec rose. I was intrigued by the concept, and when I tasted it, I fell just a little in love. It is a beautifully delicate pink color, with small bubbles and a refreshing crispness. Malbec lends itself well to this style of wine, as the flavor is fruit-forward and yet very dry. Just a lovely wine.