Welcome to yet another wine column that salutes the season of renewal and growth. Today I am recommending an Italian and an Argentine wine for you to enjoy as you watch your daffodils bloom and your cherry blossoms blow in the wind.
Let’s start with a white wine from Enotria, the land of wine: Italy. And let’s zoom in on the region near Venice, Venezie where the best Pinot Grigios originate including the 2017 Kris Pinot Grigio ($18.49).
Before you unscrew the cap, you get the feeling it’s going to be a fine vibrant wine. The label depicts the role of the golden sun in ripening the grapes, the green human hand in crafting the wine, and the red lips that savour the wine. It’s designed by the prestigious Italian artist, Riccardo Schweizer.
In the glass, the Kris Pinot Grigio is straw coloured with a hint of copper. The nose exudes aromas of pear, lemon, and a kiss of almond. On the palate expect even more expressions of rich ripe pear, nuts and honey, ending with a long dry citrus finish.
If you are tired of watery Pinot Grigios, Kris is a very pleasant surprise! No wonder PG is the most popular white wine imported into the US. Enjoy with Linguine alle Vongolee, like they serve in Venice or Thai Prawn Rissotto with coconut cream, white wine, fish stock, fish sauce, chile, lemon grass, ginger, onions and garlic like they offer in Thailand, the Venice of the East.
If Pinot Grigio is Italy’s most popular white wine, then Malbec is Argentina’s famous red. Malbec’s home was in France in Cahors, Bordeaux where it is part of a Red Bordeaux blend, and in the Loire where it is blended with Cabernet Franc and Gamay.
In the 19th Century, it was imported from France and is now synonymous with things Argentine, such as the tango, Evita, and beef and chimichurri sauce. Mendoza is the region where most of Malbecs originate. And the most highly rated Malbecs come from Mendoza’s high altitude regions in the foothills of the Andes.
The winemaker Argentine winemaker, Nicolas Catena Zapata has been widely credited for elevating the status of Argentine Malbec and the Mendoza region through serious experimentation into the effects of high altitude. His Catena 2016 High Mountain Vines Malbec ($21.99) is on sale this month at government stores until April 27th.
In the glass, Catena Malbec’s red violet colour is stunning and mysterious, just like the tango. The bouquet is full of blackberry and blueberry fruit. On the palate there is elegance and refinement, with black fruit, chocolate, umami, and hints of violets and forest floor.
Expect smooth tannins from the Catena, and good acid levels thanks to the high altitude vineyards, which keeps the ripe fruit in balance. Its Bordeaux heritage leaps out of the glass. American wine critic James Suckling admired the Catena too and awarded it 91 points.
Celebrate International Malbec Day on April 12th with the Catena High Mountain Vines Malbec along with Hanger Steak and Chimichurri Sauce.
