Wines of the Month (March)

Riesling

Riesling is a light-skinned aromatic (wines with a fruity and floral aroma) grape of German origin.  The origins of the grape can be traced to the middle Rhine and the lower Mosel in Germany, which happen to be Europe's great wine rivers.  Recall in the last article, Piesporter can also be traced to the left bank of the Mosel River.

This same wine is produced in the "New World", notably, the Australian Riesling from Australia's Clare and Eden valleys, New Zealand's South Island regions and the famous ice wines of Canada are made mostly from Riesling grape.

Its floral undertones with a hint of honey creates a versatile wine for pairings from appetizers to desserts, poultry, pork, shellfish and almost anything in between.  It possesses a medium-dry sweetness and exhibits a medium body, making it the perfect wine with most foods.

Chianti

Rolling hills of Chianti

The name "Chianti" is synonymous of excellent wine world-wide. The origin of Chianti are the gentle hills located in the famous wine region of Tuscanny, between Florence, Siena and Arezzo. The region was rich of forests, water and game had the characteristics of the highlands, and was not easily accessible, preserving the region from the destruction of barbarian invasions after the fall of the Roman Empire. However, during the medieval period, Chianti was the centre of civil wars between Siena and Florence, each of whom wanted control over these lands.  Many castles and fortresses in this area bear testimony to this difficult period of its history.  Some time after this period of warfare, some of the valleys were cleared and cultivated and which continue to produce the grapes today.

Today, there are at least seven zones defined by the Dalmasso Commission in 1932 which include Chitani Classico, Chianti Montalbano, Chianti Rufini, etc.  Its primary red grapes are of the Sangiovese and Canaiolo lines, whereas, the whites are Trebbiano and Malvasia.

This Tuscan treasure charms with bold, rich cherry fruit aromas and flavours of cocoa, vanila and ripe cranberries. Good tannis and a hint of oak make it a soft, balanced red.

References:

1. Wine Searcher
2. wikipedia: Riesling
3. Chianti