Wednesday, March 16, 2011

30 gems by The Straits Wine Company

Last friday I visited The Straits Wine Company's latest retail outlet (at 180 East Coast Road) for a tasting of 30 italian and spanish wines. It's a tasting difficult to resist, as it came priced at a good value of $10.




The 10 spanish wines offered for tasting comprised of 3 sherries, 2 whites, 1 rose and 4 reds from Rioja. Among the 20 italian wines there 2 proseccos, 2 whites and the rest reds. The 2 hour tasting session was well attended. Both the ground and upper floors were packed wine enthusiasts.

Three wines which captured my interest were:

a. 2005 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino. It shows well on the aroma and flavour profiles, but what impressed me most was the texture. Smooth, silky and well-integrated elements made the wine a pleasure to sip.

b. 2007 Rocca delle Macie 'Tenuta Sant'Alfonso Chianti Classico Riserva. This wine speaks to the nose and its a joy just spending time enjoying the aromas. Palate shows a dustiness which adds to the rustic feel of this wine. I'll enjoy this wine with some food though rather than own its own.

c. 2001 Bodegas Altanza Reserva Especial Rioja. Good fruit aromas and flavours well supported by soft tannins, lively acid and a supple body. Its drinking well now though for those who like to keep it a little longer, this wine be accomodate.

Something which sold very well for the evening was the Bodegas Altanza olive oil :) Those who chanced upon the olive oil and bread slices during the tasting session were equally impressed by the quality of this olive oil. The outlet's stock got sold out for the evening :p

A wine worth mentioning in the 'whites' department is the 2008 G.D. Vajra Langhe Bianco Riesling from Piedmont. One do not see many rieslings from Italy sold in Singapore. Even from a learning point of view, its good to have the opportunity to compare the flavour profile of rieslings from piedmont with those from wine regions across the planet. I enjoyed the balance within its body between the fruits and acid; while a few wine enthusiasts there voiced a preference for the searing acidity dominant in some cool climate rieslings from other wine regions.

To each his ... :)

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