The 2005 tasting featured examples of virtually every Italian varietal grown in California: Aglianico, Arneis, Aleatico, Barbera, Charbono, Diano Grazie, Dolcetto, Fiano, Freisa, Grignolino, Malvasia Bianca, Moscato Bianco, Nebbiolo, Negro Amaro, Nero d'Avola, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Primitivo, Refosco, Sangiovese, Super Tuscan blends, Teroldego, Tocai Friulano, and Trebbiano.
Around the perimeter of the room were Italian food items: sausages, salami, artisan breads, olive oils, spreads, cheeses, tapenades, breadsticks, patés. and pizza. Also offered were Italian beer and Campari cocktails. The tasting lasted from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., providing enough time to comfortably make the rounds with frequent stopovers at the food counters. The admission price includes all comestible items.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
The annual Cal-Italia tasting should not be missed by any California wine professional who deals with Italian styled wines; or any lover of La Dolce Vita living close enough to attend. This event provides, perhaps, the only opportunity to keep abreast of the latest developments in California Italian styled wines.
Compared to past events, this presentation showed several interesting and exciting developments. SANGIOVESE, an experimental varietal just a few years ago, has gone mainstream. It's not Chianti Classico and doesn't follow that model closely. It's generally vinted as a pure varietal wine. At its best, California Sangiovese is a little less acidic than many other Italian varietals, of moderate body and round in flavor. We find this varietal more California-like than most other Italian varietals. We particularly like the examples from Chameleon Cellars, Cosentino Signature Wineries, J. Paul Rosilez Winery, Lava Cap Winery, Opolo Vineyards, and Vino Noceto. Biagio Winery, a new winery in San Luis Obispo County offered very promising barrel samples.
BARBERA is another varietal that California winemakers have worked with long enough to achieve a measure of refinement. Barbera is the most widely consumed varietal on its home turf, Italy's Piedmont province. It's a superb food wine and one of California's few remaining value wines. Excellent California Barberas can be found for as little as $12. We particularly liked the Barberas from Chameleon Cellars, L'Uvaggio di Giacomo, and Seghesio Family Vineyards.
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