Behind the Cork™ - Wrap Up the Summer with these Refreshers

Summer Refreshers from Mack & Schuhle Imports

As we are quickly heading for the unofficial end of Summer, there are still plenty of sunny, warm days and evenings to enjoy these refreshing wines.

Art of Earth Organic Prosecco Frizante ($14.99)

This wonderful Italian Prosecco is from the Corvezzo family 100% organic winery. It is produced from 85% Glera grapes and 15% other allowed varieties. It is fermented with selected yeast for 10-15 days and held cold until blending. Before the second fermentation, it was filtered and clarified. Yeast and rectified concentrated must are then added to the must, for the second fermentation that creates the light fizz. It is pale gold in color with delicate aromas of pear and apple. On the palate it is slightly sweet (Brut: 11-12 g/L of residual sugar) with flavors of pear and apple that pairs well with most foods. It is 10.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV).

Mosketto Frizzante Bianco ($11.99)

This Mosketto is from vineyards that are located on a hilly ridge that passes through the hills of Mombaruzzo, located in north-western Italy at an altitude between 250 and 400 meters (820 - 1310 feet) above sea level. It is produced from 100% Piedmont aromatic varieties. It is fermented for 25-30 days and left on fine dregs for an additional 20-25 days. It is pale yellow in color with floral aromas as well as those of citrus and pineapple. On the palate it is very sweet (104 g/L residual sugar) with flavor of peach and fruit cocktail. The natural carbonation adds a very light fizz to this wine. It is 5% ABV)

Art of Earth Bubbly Sangría ($11.99)

The Castilla La Mancha winery is located in central Spain in a unique setting surrounded by vineyards at 2300 feet above sea level. It is produced from Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes that are blended with organic juices. This bubbly sangría is cherry red in color and sweet (63 +/-5 g/L residual sugar). On the palate it has nice flavors of spices, plum, red cherry, raspberry and citrus and medium acidity with very light bubbles. It is 7% ABV.

These three wines are light, bubbly and sweet for your enjoyment during the remaining warm summer days and evenings ahead. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Donna White Communications and Mack & Schühle Imports

Behind the Cork™ - Chile's Coastal Sauvignon Blancs (Part 2)

Chile’s Coastal Sauvignon Blancs

Chile’s Sauvignon Blancs are notably diverse, with the finest identified with the country’s coastal and cool-climate regions.

These are not standard supermarket Sauvignon Blancs by any measure, but wines of personality and nuance. More reasons to take a new look at Chilean Sauvignon Blanc include the rapid advances in the country’s winemaking culture during the past decade, and expansion into a growing number of new regions and terroirs.

Here are four more excellent examples of Chile’s coastal Sauvignon Blancs:

2020 Casas del Bosque La Cantera Sauvignon Blanc ($18)

La Cantera is from the Casablanca Valley of Chile. The grapes come from “La Cantera” or “The Quarry” on an east-facing hillside with plenty of exposure to the sun and the marine breezes that characterizes the Casablanca Valley. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts. It was then left for a few weeks on its gross lees (without stirring) before being blended, clarified and filtered. This wine is straw in color with aromas of citrus, green apple and grass. On the palate it has bright flavors of pineapple and citrus with good acidity.

2020 Viña Garcés Silva Amayna Sauvignon Blanc ($25)

This wine is from the Leyda Valley which is just 8.6 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It was fermented for 10 to 15 days in stainless steel and kept on lees for six months. It is straw in color with very light citrus and herbal aromas. On the palate it is bright with grapefruit flavor and subtle herbal notes and finishes with a very slight hint of salinity. The six months on lees makes for a smooth mouthfeel and additional richness.

2021 Viña Koyle Costa La Flor Sauvignon Blanc ($18)

This Koyle Costa La Flor is from the Leyda Valley of Chile from slopes located just 5.6 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The winemaker finds these slopes uniquely situated to catch all the saltiness from the sea and unique minerals from the ancient coastal soils. It is straw in color with delicate aromas of pear and green vegetables. On the palate it has pear, pineapple and citrus notes and a bright acidic finish.

2021 Viña Tabalí Talinay Sauvignon Blanc ($24)

This wine from the Limarí Valley just 7.5 miles from the coast next to the Fray Jorge National Park which is an area that UNESCO has declared a World Biosphere Reserve. It was fermented in stainless steel then subjected to daily stirring to bring out the full character of the wine. It is straw in color with delicate aromas of pear and green vegetables. It has bright acidity, subtle notes of citrus and a hint of tartness.

These are all wonderful Sauvignon Blanc wines from the coast of Chile as were those featured in Part 1. Look for these and other super Sauvignon Blanc wines widely available from Chile’s coastal region. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by the Wines of Chile (WOC) -- Vinos de Chile -- a non-profit, private organization of Chilean wine producers and the noted wineries of Chile via Creative Palate Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato

Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato ($29.99)

Amy Ezrin, the founder of Sandy Giovese wines, was training to be an opera singer and lived in Italy for eight years. During this time, she found that she was an OK singer but was really good at speaking Italian and tasting wine. So, she got into the wine business.

She jokes that her alter ego was Sandy Giovese, which is a play on the name of one of Italy’s greatest red grapes, Sangiovese. And now, she’s introduced Sandy’s ‘sister’ Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato.

This Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is a seriously good rosé that also happens to be a tremendous value.

Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is produced from organically farmed grapes by blending 60% Sangiovese (the grape that is famous for Chianti wine), with 30% Merlot and 10% Lacrima. In case you weren’t familiar with the Lacrima grape, it’s a dark-skinned grape variety that is aromatic and richly flavored, with berry-dominated flavors. The word “lacrima” means tear or teardrop in Italian and is likely so named due to the fact that the berries tend to split, dripping juice down the outside of the bunch.

This wine is a beautiful medium salmon color with a delicate aroma of strawberries. On the palate it’s bigger than a typical rosé. It leans more toward being medium-bodied with richness and depth likely attributable to the blending that includes Merlot. It’s got nice, not over-powering, acidity and an easy finish.

Here’s yet another reason to try a box wine. This one is 3 liters of really nice wine for the price of a couple of bottles. And, it last for weeks (if you pace yourself!). All this make the Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Sandy Giovese Wines (via Savona Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Folk Machine White Light

2020 Folk Machine White Light ($17)

At Folk Machine (started in 2005), from Hobo Wines, they state that their goals have stayed the same “…we still think it is fun, easy drinking, summery, and affordable. Our goals have stayed the same - bottle something fresh with acid and some mineral and retain that sort of salty, briny character that the Tocai Friulano.”

The 2020 White Light is 51% Tocai Friulano from Mendocino, 22% Riesling from Arroyo Seco, 22% Verdelho from Suisun Valley, 5% Sauvignon Blanc from Potter Valley.

They state that everything was picked at the beginning of the season with brix numbers ranging from 19˚ to 21˚. The final wine is 12.2% alcohol. Each variety was fermented individually in stainless steel tanks without commercial yeast and kept at a cool fermentation temperatures. When the fermentation was complete, they filtered the wine and left it in stainless steel until it was bottled.

The Folk Machine White Light is pale gold in color with delicate, muted aromas. On the palate it has a soft mouthfeel, almost a bit oily. It has sweet flavors of pear, baked apple and pineapple with medium acidity and a bit of tartness on the finish.

They claim that “White Light was inspired by a trip to the vortexes of Sedona, Arizona, but maybe a little Velvet Underground too.” Regardless, it’s a great fit for the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster 401 West Communications, STOMPY and Hobo Wines

Behind the Cork™ - Chile's Coastal Sauvignon Blancs (Part 1)

Chile’s Coastal Sauvignon Blancs

Chile’s Sauvignon Blancs are notably diverse, with the finest identified with the country’s coastal and cool-climate regions.

These are not standard supermarket Sauvignon Blancs by any measure, but wines of personality and nuance. More reasons to take a new look at Chilean Sauvignon Blanc include the rapid advances in the country’s winemaking culture during the past decade, and expansion into a growing number of new regions and terroirs.

2020 Matetic Vineyards EQ Coastal Sauvignon Blanc / SRP $20

The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc are sourced from Matetic’s Valle Hermoso vineyard, located just six miles from the Pacific Ocean, and planted on gentle hills where they benefit from the cool coastal climate, which allows each clone to develop special characteristics. This wine is made from 100% organic Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes were cold soaked for twelve hours before being pressed. Fermentation took in stainless steel, concrete, and in neutral oak barrels. It is medium gold in color with delicate aromas of lime, green herbs and grass. On the palate it is quite mellow with good acidity and a hint of minerality.

2019 Ventisquero Wine Estates Grey Sauvignon Blanc / $25

This wine is from the Atacama Desert in the Huasco valley. There, temperatures are kept low due to the constant cool morning breezes blowing in from the Pacific Ocean, as well as the classic “Camanchaca”, a dense fog which comes in from the ocean, helping to regulate the temperatures and ensure an optimum level of humidity in the atmosphere. This wine is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc that undergo a cold maceration for 6-8 hours before fermentation. It is then aged on lees for 10 months. It is pale straw in color with delicate aromas of peach and honeydew. On the palate it has nice citrus flavors, medium acidity and a hint of minerality.

2021 Montes Wines Limited Selection Sauvignon Blanc / SRP $15

From the Leyda Valley in Chile which is approximately 9 miles (15 km) from the Pacific Coast. This wine is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The juice was separated from the skins where it remained for 12–24 hours before racking, leaving behind any large solids. Fermentation took place for 21 days. This wine is pale yellow in color with aromas of asparagus and fresh green peas. On the palate it has flavors of fresh green vegetables and grapefruit with medium acidity.

2020 Viña Morandé Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc / $20

The grapes for this wine come from their estate located in the Casablanca Valley, a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. This valley is well-known for its cool climate and ideal growing conditions. A large percentage of the grapes were whole-bunch pressed and the rest underwent a cold maceration for eight hours in the press. The must then fermented mainly in French oak with part being in cement eggs. The wine was kept in both its containers for six months before bottling. It is medium gold in color with delicate aromas of citrus and a hint of oak. On the palate it has bright acidity and lime flavors. The oak aging acts to soften this wine’s mouthfeel.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by the Wines of Chile (WOC) -- Vinos de Chile -- a non-profit, private organization of Chilean wine producers and the noted wineries of Chile via Creative Palate Communications