Our evening at the Cave Historique des Hospices in Strasbourg

The best Tuscan wines for 2014 according to Gambero Rosso Magazine

Gambero Rosso is a gastronomic magazine that selects every year the best wines of Italy that are classified with ” 3 Bicchieri (glasses) ” 
from each region of Italy.

For Tuscany they were:

       Biserno ’10 Tenuta di Biserno

       Bolgheri Rosso Sup. Grattamacco ’10 Podere Grattamacco
       Bolgheri Sassicaia ’10 Tenuta San Guido       
       Bolgheri Sup. Argentiera ’10 Tenuta Argentiera       
       Bolgheri Sup. Campo al Fico ’10 I Luoghi       
       Bolgheri Sup. Castello di Bolgheri ’10 Castello di Bolgheri       
       Bolgheri Sup. Ornellaia ’10 Tenuta dell’ Ornellaia       
       Bolgheri Sup. Sapaio ’10 Podere Sapaio

       olgheri Sup. Sondraia ’10 Poggio al Tesoro
 
       Brunello di Montalcino ’08 Tenuta Le Potazzine
       Brunello di Montalcino ’08 Uccelliera
       Brunello di Montalcino Bramante Ris. ’07 Podere San Lorenzo
       Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto ’07 Casanova di Neri
       Brunello di Montalcino Fornace ’08 Le Ragnaie

Baffo Nero ’11 Rocca di Frassinello       Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie ’08 Il Marroneto
       Brunello di Montalcino Phenomena Ris. ’07 Sesti – Castello di Argiano
       Brunello di Montalcino Poggio al Vento Ris. ’06 Tenuta Col d’Orcia
       Brunello di Montalcino PS Ris. ’07 Siro Pacenti
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Biondi Santi – Tenuta Il Greppo
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Canalicchio di Sopra
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Le Chiuse
       Brunello di Montalcino Ris. ’07 Poggio di Sotto
       Brunello di Montalcino Schiena d’Asino ’08 Mastrojanni
       Brunello di Montalcino V. delle Raunate ’08 Mocali
 
       Caberlot ’10 Podere Il Carnasciale
 
       Chianti Cl. ’11 Borgo Salcetino
       Chianti Cl. ’09 Castell’in Villa
       Chianti Cl. ’11 Castello di Monsanto
       Chianti Cl. ’10 Fontodi
       Chianti Cl. ’10 Val delle Corti
       Chianti Cl. Baron’Ugo Ris. ’09 Monteraponi
       Chianti Cl. Bugialla Ris. ’09 Poggerino
       Chianti Cl. Colledilà ’10 Barone Ricasoli
       Chianti Cl. Fizzano Ris. ’10 Rocca delle Macìe
       Chianti Cl. Fontalpino ’11 Fattoria Carpineta Fontalpino
       Chianti Cl. Le Corti ’10 Fattoria Le Corti
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’09 Badia a Coltibuono
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Brancaia
       Chianti Cl. Ris.’09 Castello d’Albola
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Castello di Volpaia
       Chianti Cl. Ris. ’10 Le Miccine
       Chianti Cl. Vign. di Campolungo Ris. ’09 Lamole di Lamole
 
       Coevo ’10 Famiglia Cecchi
 
       Colline Lucchesi Tenuta di Valgiano ’10 Tenuta di Valgiano
 
       Cortona Syrah ’10 Stefano Amerighi
       Cortona Syrah Il Castagno ’10 Dionisio
 
       Dofana ’10 Carpineta Fontalpino
 
       Fontalloro ’10 Fattoria di Felsina
 
       I Sodi di S. Niccolò ’09 Castellare di Castellina
 
       Le Pergole Torte ’10 Montevertine
 
       Montecucco Sangiovese Lombrone Ris. ’09 Colle Massari
       Montecucco Sangiovese ’10 Montesalario
 
       Morellino di Scansano Calestaia Ris. ’09 Roccapesta
       Morellino di Scansano Madrechiesa Ris. ’10 Terenzi
 
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Conventino
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Fattoria del Cerro
       Nobile di Montepulciano ’10 Salcheto
       Nobile di Montepulciano Nocio dei Boscarelli ’09 Boscarelli
 
       Oreno ’10 Tenuta Sette Ponti
 
       Orma ’10 Podere Orma
 
       Paleo Rosso ’10 Le Macchiole
 
       Poggio dei Colli ’11 Piaggia
       Poggiassai ’10 Poggio Bonelli
       Poggio ai Chiari ’06 Colle Santa Mustiola
 
       Rocca di Frassinello ’11 Rocca di Frassinello
 
       Siepi ’10 Castello di Fonterutoli
 
       Suisassi ’10 Due Mani
 
       Torrione ’11 Fattoria Petrolo
 
       Veneroso ’10 Tenuta di Ghizzano
 
       Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Campo della Pieve ’11 Il Col di Santa Chiara
       Vernaccia di S. Gimignano Ris. ’10 Fontaleoni
 
       Vigorello ’10 San Felic

Of course we visit many of these wineries and taste many of these wines during our wine tours.
#jolisoleil

Brunello di Montalcino into a series of sub-zones?

A small but growing minority of Brunello di Montalcino producers plan to propose that Montalcino’s governing consorzio takes advantage of government funding to map the wine region’s sub-zones.

Proponents argue that zoning would highlight subtle stylistic differences in the wines and could define around twenty micro-terroirs within Montalcino. Currently, Montalcino’s single vineyard wines, labelled ‘Vigna’, are officially mapped but its various sub-zones are not.

Zoning could also lead to better maps for tourists, who often get lost when visiting the area. Authorities have removed all winery signposts from road junctions in Italy’s Siena province, because of accidents caused by drivers slowing down to read them.

Source: Decanter , read more here

Wine tour March 1st - visiting Hugel.

Wine tour March 1-st. Tasting several Sylvaners, Pinot Noirs and Gewurztraminers.
At Hugel in Riquewihr..

Chianti Gran Selezione - new benchmark label for DOCG’s premium wines

Chianti Classico is the first appellation in Italian viticultural history to apply a new quality tier to it’s wine. As of now, the term ‘Gran Selezione’, which slides in above ‘Riserva’ will be the benchmark label for the DOCG’s premium wines.

The term Gran Selezione will only cover around 10% of the appellation’s wines.
Read more here.

The Rise and Fall of the Super Tuscan Wines

"There was a time when Super Tuscans ruled the Italian wine world. The darlings of critics, their popularity (and cost) were unparalleled. Names such as Sassicaia and Solaia were the stars of restaurant wine lists. Nowadays, however, Super Tuscans are just not, well, that super anymore! "

"The actual term “Super Tuscan” is often attributed to Robert Parker, the famous U.S. wine critic that gave many of these wines high scores, driving demand and prices up. Producers started using it on labels and a new category was born, which proved a huge marketing success."

"By the 2000s, the Super Tuscans faced three challenges. Firstly, the “brand”, was diluted. Everyone (and their cousin!) was introducing so called "Super Tuscans" to the market and overall quality deteriorated badly.

Secondly, the true Super Tuscans became quite simply unapproachable. An Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore can easily cost upwards of $400 in a restaurant.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, wine enthusiasts started to shun the use of international varieties looking for a return to the native varieties of a terroir. For all these reasons the moniker is not used as much. The truly greats are still thriving but they don’t necessarily present themselves as Super Tuscans. Tignanello, Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Solaia, Le Pergole Torte are all amazing wines with certain vintages commanding impressive demand and prices."

From an article by Vincent de Rossi - Read more here

How about a great dinner with matching wines at Hattonchâtel Château?

Happy to organize a wine tasting and/or dinner in this beautiful entourage: Hattonchâtel Château.

How about the best whites from Alsace and the best reds from Tuscany paired with great food in a sumptuous dinner? Afterwards stay the night and sleep in a comfortable historic site.
Mail us ....and make a reservation!
#jolisoleil

Our planned "Local Wine Events"

Moving on with our business we posted some of our planned wine vacations on LocalWineEvents.
May, June, July we already scheduled some tours in Tuscany.

From August, September and October we will be in Alsace mostly.

This does NOT mean that we cannot tour with you in Alsace in June for example or in October in Tuscany.

Please tell us what you would want and when? We probably can be of service!

Cheers,
Terry & Pieter