Last night, we had company visiting from CT. We grilled and gathered around the fire pit with some glasses of old-world wines from Italy and France. We started with a refreshing and light white wine from northern Italy and with dinner, I served a bold and tannic red from France. The 2020 white wine was called La Torrazza made from the rare grape Erbaluce from the Piedmont region of Italy in the town of Erbaluce Di Coluso. It was light, refreshing, and elegant with a floral nose and crisp, acidic, citrus, and pear notes. The color was a beautiful gold similar to an oaked Chardonnay. I rated this hidden gem a 4.1 out of 5.
The red was a beautiful dark ruby color with the first notes of black pepper, blackberry, plum, and dark fruit. Upon second sip, I tasted vanilla, oak, chocolate, and a bit of earthy leathery notes. Chateau l’ Hospitalet Reserve from La Clape, France, in the Languedoc region, was produced by Gerard Bertrand. I tend to prefer his wines so it was no surprise that I rated it a 4.4 out of 5. I should also note that according to Vivino this wine is in the top 4% of wines in the world and yet still has a very modest price. The grapes used in this lovely and balanced 2017 blend were Shiraz/Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre. While I served this with grilled burgers, this would pair beautifully with steak, pasta, or veal. CHEERS!
