More female winemakers being honored for their work

Let’s visit Südtirol (sood teer ole) again. Alto Adige – Südtirol is regarded among Italy's top white wine regions. Wonderful red wine can also be found in abundance. For example, Tiefenbrunner Turmhof Sauvignon, Sudtirol, Alto Adige, Italy. There’s a mouthful! Aromatic of chamomile, toasted almonds and Spanish broom (fast-growing perennial evergreen with honey-vanilla scent; flowers are beautiful yellow; be careful – it’s invasive). Medium-bodied with zesty acidity supporting grapefruit, orchard fruit and graphite flavors. Finishes cleanly with a mild reverberation of grapefruit. Lovely food wine. Can be found in USA around $30, 92 McD. These whites improve in the cellar but are drinking well now. Another from the region is Elena Walch Ludwig Pinot Nero 2018. Suckling rated it 91 around $42; I say 93 McD. Clear, medium ruby-colored with cherry, red currant aromas with barrel-driven spice and toast nuance. On the palate, more fresh red fruit, smooth but appropriate tannin and sufficient acidity lift through a long, clean finish. If you no longer can afford meat, it goes well with wild strawberries or bread. Walch is a well-known producer of about 500K bottles each year; its Castel Ringberg Lagrein 2018 is a treat. Spent two years in oak and is bottle aged prior to release. Dark garnet, redolent of berry fruit with smoke and chocolate highlights. Nicely balanced combination of fruit, tannins and acidity with long finish. I rated the 2017, ‘18 and ‘19 all 90 McD. If they can be found around $20, add 1 price point. The 2020 at 86 McD missed the cut.

Keep on the lookout for La Mascota Vineyards from Maipu in Argentina. Owned by Bodegas Santa Ans, this location has a wide selection of varietal wine. At a recent sampling, I rated several over 90: Unanime Malbec ‘91 under $26; Unamine Signature Cab 2017, 92 McD under $36. They make a cheaper Cab labeled Santa Ana Gran Mascota Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, 91 McD under $25. Good value but impossible to locate. Gran Vino Tinto (red wine) is a Bordeaux blend, 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and Malbec, $20, 91 McD. Those who favor Shiraz or Chateauneuf, jam and spice notes, will surely enjoy. Excellent values on the Vino Tinto. Some have rated this 93-94. Blueberry, violet and barrel spice, big red with moderate tannic grip, barrel notes repeat through long, clean finish. With Memorial Day fast approaching, all the reds mentioned will enhance grilled meat of any type. If beer and brats doesn’t appeal, the Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Nero will be a fine optional choice. The SB also enhances any of our local seafood.

Check out an interesting Wine Enthusiast article, winemag.com/40-under-40-2021. Excellent pix and animation by Matt Sayles. Click on each picture. Bio/info is attached. It appears that 26 of those honored this year are women. There has definitely been a strong trend toward more women in wine. I remember the cacophony when Robert Mondavi elevated Zelma Long, the first women to study oenology and viticulture at University of California, Davis, to head winemaker. Zelma has fostered the careers of many famous women in wine. One you may know of is Genevieve Janssens, first [woman] winemaker of Opus One. Longtimers may know our very own Peggy Raley-Ward of Nassau Valley Vineyards, was a leader in the charge. She not only established Delaware’s first farm winery but was the driving force behind changing Delaware law 31 years ago to allow production of commercial wine, mead, beer and spirits in our state. Nowadays there are four commercial Delaware wineries – NVV, Salted Vines, Harvest Ridge and Pizzadili, plus about 40 beer, mead and distilled spirit producers. 

Much has been written of NVV and its well-crafted wines. One of my fav articles in Edible Delmarva named Peggy “the doyenne of Delaware winemaking.” I can still picture her as a precocious kid dining at Garden Gourmet with Mom Sue, Dad Bob and family, or crooning some smooth tunes during jazz fest and at local boites. When you visit NVV, if you see Peggy, bring up jazz. You may get a personal tour. She has more energy and zest than the Roadrunner.  Readers new to our area will likely enjoy a visit to NVV, located less than 1 mile off either Route 9 or Route 1 near Five Points. Its flighted tasting is a fine value and an excellent introduction to local wine.