LOW ROAD WHITE

2017 Paolo Scavino Langhe Sorriso $14.90

I met the great granddaughter of Paolo Scavino at Oliveto for special tasting of their famous Piedmont red wines, but I liked this white. She explained that these vineyards were originally planted so the family could have white wine for themselves (sheesh, selfish). They came around and started selling it in 2000. Another taster and I bonded briefly over the only white wine in a sea of Nebbiolo. It turned out to be Wilfred Wong, the wine critic. So, if you don’t trust me, here’s a link to his 91 point review. 

2017 Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc $13.33

Meet South African Steen (Chenin Blanc) – this one is widely distributed, highly drinkable and priced to drink all summer. This is a Low Road hit going somewhere to happen. Want more? Add the High Road version (still in the Low Road price range) for a side-by-side tasting.

LOW ROAD RED

HIGH ROAD WHITE

HIGH ROAD RED

2014 Salvatore Molettieri Irpinia Aglianico $18.75

Molettieri is the winemaker, Irpinia is the region, Aglianico is the grape. If that grape sounds familiar, it is because the High Road recently enjoyed a Taurasi (100% Aglianico, very expensive, highly regulated). Winemaker friend Tony called Molettieri “someone who makes wine the right way.”  If you agree, I also have a few bottles of his 2010 Taurasi for $39.59.

2013 Naoussa Grande Reserve Xinomavero $14.50

Greek wine is a ridiculous deal. Even though they’ve been making wine forever and the wines are world class, they haven’t gained modern, worldwide popularity. That means, great wine at stupid prices. Experts compare Xinomavero to Nebbiolo, sometimes calling it “The Barolo of Greece.”  This Grande Reserve spent four years aging before its release, and you are still paying under $15 for it.  This is not a drill.

2015 Garofoli “Podium” Verdicchio dei Castelli dei Jesi Classico $21.88

Don’t be scared, 2015 is the current vintage of this ageable High Road Verdicchio made really close to where Sarah’s dad lived in Italy. It can be fun in the summer like all Italian whites, but it is complex enough to have with dinner on a chilly evening. It is a drinker, and a thinker – like you.

2017 Delaire Graff Chenin Blanc Swartland Reserve $18.75

 Hey, we love a good generations-of-hard-work-winemaking-story as much as the next guy, but sometimes a billionaire diamond merchant builds a winery and makes some good stuff, too. Enter this beautiful Chenin Blanc – the high road version of South Africa’s most planted grape. Like what you hear? Add the Low Road version for a side-by-side tasting (it’s even more affordable than this one).

2015 Concito Douro DOC Red $33.75

Port making lesson: Start with red wine from the Douro region of Portugal, “fortify” it by adding Brandy to stop the fermentation which leaves the sugar that would normally get eaten by the yeast. Got it? Do that and skip the fortification and you get this red wine. Port drinkers may notice some similarities in the flavor of the grapes, but without any of the sweetness and alcohol that you get from Port. This gets 90-95 points from everyone who does that sort of thing. It can age, but why? We are loving it right now.

2014 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo $39.58

The 2014 weather in Piedmont (Italy, that is, not Oakland adjacent) was a roller coaster ride. First, lots and lots of rain which ruined many grapes. Those that survived were saved by a hot, Indian summer. Some of the wineries, ahem, this one, chose to not bottle their high-end, single vineyard wines, instead blending the juice in with the baseline Barolo.  Bad news for wealthy collectors, good news for $40 Barolo drinkers (we humbly accept).  Decant. Enjoy.