A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Sadly, there is no more Dominico Selections. I miss those wines. And I miss placing orders with Terry.
Originally published on August 20, 2009.
It’s supposed to be Weird but Good Month at Frankly Wines, but I’ve been so obsessed with getting my tasting notes catalogued that I haven’t had a chance to set up a formal tasting schedule. So every Wednesday evening, we come up with something at the last minute that fits that theme. Over the last several weeks, we’ve opened wines made from obscure grapes such as Frappato, Monduese, Gelber Muskateller and Pineau d’Aunis. They taste nothing like the usual suspects (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir) which are the reference point for the vast majority of wine drinkers. On shelf talkers, I call them “Wines You Never Knew You Needed,” (which probably leads to more sales than “Weird but Good” but it’s not quite as catchy.
But this week, we did something a little differently. Rather than going for the obscure grapes, we choose two wines that are weird BECAUSE they’re good. Soave and Valpolicella are two much maligned regions in Italy’s Veneto region. Traditionally considered cheap, but not necessarily cheerful, they could be the butt of many a wine joke. But these days, there are increasingly good wines coming out of this area and we have two of them, both under $20
We’ve tooted the horn of the Vaona Valoplicella Classico before which is a fresh, floral, traditional version from a very traditional family producer.
And we’ve just recently brought back the I Stefanini “Monte de Toni” Soave after a springtime flirtation with its juicy little brother (or sister?) Il Selese. The Monte de Toni is a bit more sophisticated, with hints of the nuttiness you might find in a good Chardonnay, stone fruits and an underlying acidity that keeps it fresh. It received great Wine Spectator ratings (especially given it’s $16 price tag) and was immediately snatched up by a certain big retailer in New Jersey, but our friend Terry at importer Dominico Selections, saved a bit for us. Thanks Terry! And yes, Terry, we know, it’s time to place an order.