This Week’s Wine Tasting
Italy and Spain
Indigenous Private Label Wines and Bodegas Riojanas
“INDIGENOUS Selections is a highly-specialized import firm owned by Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta. Our company represents a collection of carefully selected Italian wineries that produce the finest, most authentic Italian wines with an emphasis on competitive pricing and unmatched customer support.
Our mission is to showcase some of Italy’s most captivating winemakers who produce outstanding, terroir driven wines from their respective regions. It remains our goal to provide our customers, as well as Italian wine enthusiasts, wines that truly honor indigenous Italian grape varieties and Italian winemaking.
Following the success of the Indigenous Private Label wines san/gio (100% Sangiovese) and gri/gio (100% Pinot Grigio) presented last year, we are thrilled to introduce six additional indigenous varieties to the lineup: bianco (80% Arneis and 20% Favorita), verdi (Verdicchio), Prosecco (Prosecco), barbera(Piemonte Barbera), nero (Nero d’Avola), and nebbio (Nebbiolo d’Alba).
The concept is simple– real wines made from some of Italy’s most interesting and extraordinary local grape varieties. Three whites and three reds representing important Italian wine regions from north to south. Faithful to the philosophy we embrace for all our wines, quality is exceptional, and each wine has been personally selected by Giorgio Rivetti. The focus is on small production, family-owned vineyards and an expression of genuine character and terroir, a combination that ensures true wines conveying a unique personality and sense of place.”
Indigenous ‘Verdee’ Verdicchio DOCG 2013
Tuscany, Italy. “Fermented: 20 days in stainless steel tank. Refinement: On lees for 6 months. Aging: In bottle for 3 months. Color: Light straw yellow. Bouquet: Citrus blossom, grapefruit and lemon zest. Taste: Hints of pear, apples, and white-fleshed fruit come together in this vibrant, beautifully focused wine. Evolution: 5 years. Food Pairings: Raw fish dishes (sushi, crudo, ceviche, oysters).” $15.99
Indigenous ‘San/gio’ Sangiovese IGT 2011
Tuscany, Italy. “Fermentation: 14 days at controlled temperature. Aging: 18 months in stainless steel. Refinement: In bottle for 3-4 months. Color: Intense dark red. Bouquet: Clean with intense ripe fruit flavors. Youthful and luscious, underlined by floral hints, sweet spice, sweet cherry, ripe strawberries, black berry jam, violets and cinnamon. Taste: Strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, cinnamon and hints of dark chocolate. Dry with medium high ripe tannin structure which gives the wine backbone and great balance. The juicy acidity, floweriness and ripe fruit lends elegance to the wine, with a fresh and persistent finish. Evolution: 10 years. Food Pairings: Pork, roasted meats with BBQ, creamy dishes and tomato based pasta dishes.” $15.99
Indigenous Barbera DOC 2012
Piedmont, Italy. “Fermentation: 10 day maceration at controlled temperature in steel, malolactic in oak. Refinement: 12 months in used French oak. Transfer to stainless vats for 6 months before bottling. Aging: Aging in bottle for 1 month. Color: Ruby red. Bouquet: Gorgeous perfume, well integrated tannins and exceptional overall balance. Taste: Mineral-infused wine laced with blackberry and cherry fruit, spiced acidity and a hint of well integrated oak. Evolution: 5-10 years. Food Pairings: Braised chicken, red peppers, lamb, pasta Bolognese.” $15.99
Indigenous ‘Nero’ Nero d’Avola IGT 2012
Sicily, Italy. “Fermentation: 14 days in stainless steel. Refinement: 6 months on lees. Aging: 3 months in bottle. Color: Ruby red. Bouquet: Dark black cherries, plums, licorice. Taste: An exotic melange of juicy dark cherries, freshly cut flowers, and tobacco takes shape in this delicious, entertaining wine. The integrity of the fruit and the wine’s sheer balance are both marvelous. Evolution: 10-15 years. Food Pairings: Pork, roasted meats with BBQ, creamy dishes and tomato based pasta dishes.” $15.99
“Bodegas Riojanas treasures more than a century of winemaking tradition in its Cenicero winery. Its corners are steeped in history and talk of the passion for ageing wines that has always permeated it. This tradition and passion have been transmitted to the team that runs Bodegas Riojanas today. Its most precious legacy is its commitment to quality and the personality of its wines.
On June 6, 1925 legal regulations were approved for the creation of the Rioja Designation of Origin and the constitution of its Control Board, making it the oldest in Spain together with the Control Board of Jerez. In 1950 the second expansion of the winery took place, closing off a pelota court and some old stables and increasing its ageing capacity to 3,000 barrels. Exports to America increased dramatically at this time.
In the 1970s, the first years of this decade saw the creation of many new bodegas and the appearance of foreign capital as well as banks in existing bodegas. The oil crisis affected exports which did not recover until the end of the decade, now more directed at the European market. The Control Board regulations were modified during this decade and the back labels with the Crianza and Reserva indications appeared.
The decade of the 1980s can be defined as the decade of new technologies. Stainless steel replaced concrete in tanks. Fermentation under controlled temperatures was introduced for white wines and the vinification techniques of red wines improved. From the 1980 vintage, the Control Board began to monitor wines and minimum barrel and bottle ageing times, as well as assuring the wine vintage.
The last reforms to the facilities of Bodegas Riojanas have been the restoration of the original 1890 winery, creating a hall, a modern winery for special vinifications and new offices that were inaugurated in June 2005.”
Bodegas Riojanas Canchales Vino Joven 2013
Rioja, Spain. 100% Tempranillo from Cenicero. “Classic vinification with stemmed, crushed grapes using state-of-the art techniques and whole grape fermentation in open pools with carbonic maceration. We recommend drinking it within a year to better appreciate its youthfulness. Cherry-red with purplish hues. Bright. Fragrant primary aromas. Fresh, fruity and varietal. Smooth and well-balanced in the mouth. Light tannic hints. Meaty and persistent. Long, wide finish with elegant fruity nuances.” $10.99
Bodegas Riojanas Puerta Vieja Crianza 2009
Rioja, Spain. 80% Tempranillo, 15% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano from Cenicero and Sonsierra. “Classical vinification with destemmed, crushed grapes, employing new fermentation control technologies and long maceration periods. Aged for 18 months in American oak barrels with appropriate rackings and natural stabilization. Aged in the bottle for about six months. Intense, dark-cherry red; bright. Very pronounced aromas; fruity, with outstanding notes of spices and new wood. Robust in the mouth, with a vinous personality. Pleasantly tannic, with a harmonious and very persistent finish.” $14.99