I'll admit that I am not terribly well versed in non-domestic wines. Its pretty easy, living in the Bay, to get locked into domestic varietals. Zins, Cabs, Merlots, I'm pretty comfortable with. But characterizing a good Italian wine is definitely stepping out of my element.
Nonetheless, its one of my many goals for the new year. Get to know French and Italian wines. I started this goal in earnest last Wednesday night by grabbing a 2007 Ventoso Toscano red wine from the Vine Street wine shop.
Only a year off the vine and this bashful little red is already very drinkable. A moderate nose of fruit and a little wood leads to a variety of flavors up front. Cool rose petals and melon as well as some strawberry characterize this somewhat dry wine. Its fruitiness reminds me of a Pinot Noir, with enough clout to tackle medium-heavy meats. The tastes don't stick around, and a few seconds later the flavors are gone, with very little left to linger.
Edit: after a little research, I discovered that this wine is 65% Sangiovese, 25% Canaiolo, and 10% from local Tuscan grapes. Sangiovese is huge in Tuscany. Also, the practice of mixing Tuscan grapes with more popular varietals is a well-known and regionally renouned practice, resulting in wines referred to as "Super-Tuscans"!
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