Behind the Cork™ - Caposaldo Chianti

2024 Caposaldo Chianti ($12.99)

The name Caposaldo translates to “benchmark” in Italian—a bold claim that the wine backs up with a legendary backstory.

If you look closely at the label, you'll spot golden horse heads. These pay tribute to Caposaldo, a historic Roman racing horse favored by Emperor Nero. By conquering Rome’s Circus Maximus, the champion horse became the ultimate standard of excellence, a quality that Caposaldo wines aim to replicate in every bottle.

In the Chianti DOCG, every bottle must contain a minimum of 70% Sangiovese grapes. The website suggests that Caposaldo uses 75% Sangiovese, along with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in this wine. These grapes are handpicked on the rolling hillside vineyards of Tuscany, Italy, specifically spanning across the hilly provinces of Arezzo and Siena.

The winery uses stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Then, 30 percent of the wine is separated to age for six months inside traditional oak vats before blending and bottling.

This 2024 Caposaldo Chianti is a medium-ruby color with delicate aromas of dark fruit. On the palate, this medium-full-bodied Chianti has rich flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum. It has medium acidity and medium-high tannin. It finishes easy.

This 2024 Caposaldo Chianti is a great Italian wine that will pair well with most Italian dishes. But, it’s also great all by itself! And, at this price, it’s a great fit as this week’s 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.

Media Sample Provided by Caposaldo via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Sangiovese

Sangiovese 🍷

Photo by Agne27 on Wikimedia Commons

Sangiovese is the most widely planted red wine grape in Italy. The name comes from Latin words meaning "the blood of Jupiter," which shows that people have grown it since ancient Roman times.

Its main home is the Tuscany region of Italy, where winemakers use it to make famous wines like Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Today, farmers also grow this grape in other warm parts of the world, including California, Washington State, and South Australia.

Aromas include red cherry, strawberry, and dried herbs. On the palate, it has flavors of tart cherry, plum and blackberry. It is naturally high in acidity, which makes the wine taste crisp. It also has medium-high tannins.

The aging potential of the wine depends on how the winemaker made it. Simple, inexpensive bottles are meant to be consumed within 3 to 5 years of the harvest. High-quality bottles can age in a cellar for 10 to 20 years.

Serve Sangiovese at 60°F to 65°F (15°C to 18°C). Use a standard red wine glass with a slightly narrowed top.

Behind the Cork™ - Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico

2022 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico ($28.99)

Tenuat di Nozzole is a Tuscan estate in Italy that dates back to the year 1300. Derived from nozze (meaning marriage or nuptials), the name originally designated a 14th-century meeting crossroads or land gifted for wedding celebrations. By 1300, it was frozen in time as the official name of this specific, rugged plot of land.

The modern era of the property began in 1971 when the multi-generational Folonari family purchased the estate. Nino Folonari bought Nozzole to transition away from mass production and instead toward high-end, estate-bottled winemaking.

Located in the heart of Greve in Chianti, the property has 220 acres dedicated specifically to specialized grape cultivation.

The 2022 Tenuta de Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva is produced from 100% Sangiovese grapes. Fermentation took place in stainless steel vats for roughly 15 days. The wine was then aged for 10 to 12 months in French oak barrels, using 33% new oak. Finally, it spent a minimum of three months in the bottle before being released.

This Chianti Classico (the one with the black rooster on the neck band) is medium ruby in color with aromas of black fruit and herbs. On the palate, this medium-full bodied wine has the classic black cherry flavor with a bit of blackberry and plum. It has medium-high acidity and is very smooth. It finishes long and easy.

When looking for a great Chianti, always look for the black rooster on the neck band. That ensures that it is a wine from the Chianti Classico region of Italy. This is a great one and a perfect 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.

Media Sample Provided by Tenuta de Nozzole via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Roussanne

Roussanne 🥂

Photo by Carlos the Great on Wikimedia Commons

Roussanne (rooh-sahn) is native to the Rhône Valley in Southern France. Experts first wrote about it in the late 1700s in the Hermitage region.

Today, it is still a major grape in famous French wines like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage, where winemakers often blend it with Marsanne to balance its flavors.

Outside of France, Roussanne has found a popular second home in California, particularly along the Central Coast. Winemakers also grow smaller amounts of this grape in Washington State, Australia, and Tuscany, Italy.

The grape gets its name from "roussille," which is the French word for the reddish-gold or russet color the berries turn right before they are harvested.

Wines made from Roussanne are famous for their intense and unique smells. When you take a sip, you will often smell herbal tea, wildflowers, pears, and white peaches. As the wine ages, it starts to smell like nutty almond paste and warm honey. On the palate, Roussanne feels heavy and smooth, almost like oil or cream. It has flavors of green apple, lemon zest, honey, and baking spices, such as vanilla, if the wine is aged in oak barrels.

Roussanne is excellent for aging. You can enjoy it fresh within its first three years, or you can let it sit in a cellar for up to 15 years.

Serve Roussanne slightly chilled at 50°F to 55°F (10°C to 13°C) in a standard white wine glass with a slightly narrow opening, which helps trap the intense aromas.

Behind the Cork™ - Shades of Blue Riesling

Shades of Blue Riesling ($11.99)

Shades of Blue Riesling is a white wine made by a family-owned winery in Germany. The grapes grow on steep river slopes where the soil is composed of slate and limestone.

Because the climate in this region is cool, the grapes stay on the vines longer and ripen slowly before harvest. This extended growing season allows the fruit to develop while maintaining its natural acidity level.

After harvest, the winemakers press the grapes and transfer the juice into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for fermentation. These metal tanks are neutral and do not add any external flavors to the wine, which keeps the natural characteristics of the fruit intact.

It should be noted that the fermentation process is stopped early to leave a portion of the natural grape sugars in the final product. This technique results in a wine with 9.5% alcohol content (relatively low) and a semi-dry style (i.e., some residual sugar).

Shades of Blue Riesling is a medium gold in color with aromas of green apple, citrus and honey. On the palate, this medium-light bodied wine hasd bright acidity that is off-set by the sweetness. Flavors include green apple and citrus. It finishes sweet and tart.

Shades of Blue Riesling is wonderfully refreshing and goes with well with white meats, seafood and cheese. Or, all by itself! It’s a really nice wine at a tremendous price. That makes it a great fit as this week’s 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.

Media Sample Provided by Shades Wines via Kobrand Wine and Spirits