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Barbera
GRAPE VARIETIES
Ball the best Piedmontese Barberas are made from yields of less than 45hl/ha;
from yields above that level the wines can be very attractive, but they will
not be great. As for where Barbera comes from: there is no mention of it
in Piedmont before the end of the 18th century, and DNA analysis suggests
that it could be related to Mourvedre.
The taste of Barbera:
Barbera can be young and cherry-fresh; or weighty,
moreish and with a sour-cherry twist at the end; or again barrique-aged,
plummy and rounder, with a touch of spice. This is the most serious style,
with vibrant aromas and lots of body; but Barbera never has quite such exuberance
as Cabernet Sauvignon. |
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Cabernet Franc
GRAPE VARIETIES
The vine is very prone to mutation, but it lacks Cabernet Sauvignon's intensity and richness which is why Cabernet Sauvignon is a far more popular 'improver' grape worldwide.
The taste of Cabernet France:
At its best, Cabernet Franc has an unmistakeble and ridiculously appetizing flavour of raspberries, also pebbles washed clean by pure spring water and a refreshing tang of blackcurrant leaves. This is the kind of flavour that gets your taste buds going from Chinon and Bourgueil in France's Loire Valley. Northern Italy can often achieve something similar, and New World examples, rare but good. generally emphasize the raspberry, sometimes to the point of jamminess, consequently losing a bit of the leafiness. |
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Cabernet Sauvignon
GRAPE VARIETIES
Cabernet Sauvignon's small berries can make reds soft and fruity enough to enjoy at one to two years old, as well as the majority of the world's genuine long-distance wines.
The taste of Cabernet Sauvignon:
There is no mistaking the blackcurrant scent of Cabernet. Young wines taste of black cherrry and plum; mature wines add the classic nose of pencil shavings, cedar and cigar boxes. At lower ripeness levels Cabernet exhibits a telltale greenness, a green bell pepper nose that at its worst is raw and vegetal. It is a flavour winemakers try to avoid. More pleasant tastes and smells are those of tobacco, mint and eucalyptus, and fruits like blackberry and black cherry; blackcurrant is generally present, even in less than super-ripe examples, though less so in Bordeaux and Napa. Overripe Cabernet goes jammy-tasting - stewed blackcurrants at worst. |
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Carmenere
GRAPE VARIETIES
Late-ripening habit, dislike of water during the growing season and tendency to give green flavours in cool years mean that it is more subject to vintage variation than most other varieties inChile. In addition, the Vines seem to need to be mature to give good flavours. It adds immeasurably to the character of what is still called 'Merlot' in Chile.
The taste of Carmenere:
Carmenere's low acidity gives it really sweet tasting fruit, which makes it even more important to keep the green peppers under control: when ripe it has blackberry, black plum and spice flavours, rich, round tannins, and a marvellous savoury array of flavours - coffee, grilled meat, celery and soy sauce. This sweet/ savoury flavour plus a full mouth massaging texture make Carmenere a real original whose character often improves the palate of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot |
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Dolcetto
GRAPE VARIETIES
Tremendously dark in colour, and need only a short maceration on the skins to produce equally dark wine. This short maceration is the reason why the wines are light in tannin: the grapes have as much tannin as any other, should a winemaker wish to extract it.
The taste of Dolcetto :
Cherry flavours are typical of Dolcetto: ripe black cherries on the nose and palate, and bitter cherries on the finish for that characteristic Italian twist. But there can be flavours of prunes as well, and licorice. If your're lucky you may also find a wine with intriguing perfume, but, in spite of its name, Dolcetto wines are dry. The grapes are not even notably high in sugar. |
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