| Over the past couple of years I have been
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| | classic Nebbiolo is hot tar and roses,
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| trying to share my enthusiasm for wines
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| | which sounds a bit off. When you smell a
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| made from non-mainstream grape
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| | good example you will realise how
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| varieties.Most of my friends are wine
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| | pleasant the smell of hot tar can be.
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| drinkers who enjoy the good life. If I
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| | The flavours are quite complex, cherries
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| suggested that they should eat lamb chops
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| | and plums, cedar, spices and hints of
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| with mashed potatoes and peas for dinner
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| | mushrooms and rotting undergrowth. If
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| every day they would be appalled. But
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| | you enjoy Pinot noir you probably find
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| almost every bottle of wine they open is
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| | Nebbiolo to your taste. Finding a good
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| Shiraz, Cabernet sauvignon or a blend of
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| | Nebbiolo is like the search for the Holy
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| one of these varieties."But doesn't taste
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| | Grail, difficult but worth the journey.
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| like Shiraz," they say after I give them
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| | The foods to pair with Nebbiolo wines are
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| a glass of wine made from an uncommon
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| | hearty winter stews, game and mushroom
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| winegrape variety.Exactly, that's the
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| | based dishes. Strong and ripe cheeses
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| point. The thing that makes wine such an
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| | such as Gorgonzola also demand a wine
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| interesting thing, apart from being a
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| | with the sort of complexity and depth
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| wonderful drink, is the endless variation
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| | that Nebbiolo sometimes achieves.Barbera
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| wrought by grape varieties, wine styles,
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| | is Nebbiolo's lightweight cousin, more
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| regions, vintages and winemakers
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| | approachable when young and it does
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| skills.Australian winemakers are now
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| | sometimes resemble a lighter style
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| using varieties like Sangiovese,
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| | Shiraz. Better examples will have well
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| Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Petit
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| | developed cherry flavours. Barbera's
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| verdot to make impressive red wines.
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| | high acidity and low tannin combine to
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| However many wine consumers are still
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| | produce lighter, fruity styles. Again
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| only vaguely aware that a wonderful new
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| | match this variety with antipasto and
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| world of choice is opening up for them.So
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| | tomato based Italian dishes.Tempranillo
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| what are some of the things to look for
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| | is the mainstay of the famous red wines
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| in these new varieties?The first thing to
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| | of the Rioja region in Spain. It can be
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| realise is that the main reason why the
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| | enjoyed young and fruity when its flavour
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| winemaker is using a different variety is
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| | is reminiscent of strawberries, but with
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| to give the consumer a different taste
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| | some age it will improve. The colour is
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| experience. The aroma, flavour, texture
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| | deep prefiguring flavours of
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| and mouthfeel will all be different, so
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| | blackberries, mulberries and cherries.
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| you need to expect and enjoy the
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| | The soft tannins and moderate acidity in
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| difference.The thing I like best about
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| | many Tempranillo wines give a lush
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| Sangiovese is the finish. It leaves you
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| | texture for easy drinking, but you can
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| with a slight tomato and oregano hint in
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| | match them with ham, smoked meats and
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| the aftertaste. So it's obvious what
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| | sausages, or with roast lamb. You may
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| foods you would match with Sangiovese.
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| | like to try some with soft ripe cheese
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| Many Italian wines have obvious acidity
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| | such as Camembert.Petit verdot is rapidly
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| and tannin, rather than upfront fruit
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| | becoming popular in Australia as a
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| like Australian Shiraz. Thus the sound
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| | varietal wine, surpassing its traditional
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| advice "drink Sangiovese with food".
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| | role as a minor blending variety with
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| This applies to most Italian red wines.
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| | Cabernet sauvignon. Look for the violet
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| Some flavours to look for in Sangiovese
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| | aromas in Petit verdot. The flavours are
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| wines include bitter cherries, all manner
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| | best described as spicy, with hints of
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| of herbs and that tomato aftertaste. The
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| | aniseed or liquorice added to the fruit,
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| obvious food matches are pastas and
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| | maybe even bring to mind your mother's
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| pizzas, or perhaps with veal cutlets or
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| | favourite Christmas cake. Lighter wines
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| Italian sausages.Nebbiolo is a difficult
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| | from the warmer wine regions can be
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| variety in the vineyard, in the winery,
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| | enjoyed young but the richer more tannic
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| and for consumers to come to grips with.
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| | wines need a few years in the bottle.
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| To overcome these hurdles the variety
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| | Try them with barbecued meats or pastas
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| must eventually produce good wine, and so
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| | with meat-based sauces.Don't get me
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| it does. The first thing you notice about
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| | wrong, I still like Shiraz, but I don't
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| Nebbiolo is its colour. Even as young
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| | drink it every time I have a red. Life is
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| wine Nebbiolo is brownish. The nose of
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| | much more interesting than that.
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