by WINEGUYMIKE

Established in northern Italy’s Trentino region over a century ago, Ferrari has earned a worldwide reputation as the premier source of luxury Metodo Classico sparkling wines from Italy.
The legend of Ferrari began with a man, Giulio Ferrari, and with his dream of creating a wine in Italy inspired by the very finest French Champagne.  A skilled enologist Ferrari studied at the prestigious School of Viticulture in Montpellier, France.
Ferrari was founded in 1902 by Giulio Ferrari.  After studying in France, Giulio returned to Trentino convinced that his native region’s terroir was ideal for growing Chardonnay grapes suitable for the production of world-class sparkling wines.  A pioneer in Italian viticulture, Ferrari was the first Italian winemaker and viticulturalist to dedicate his vineyards almost entirely to Chardonnay – and by 1906 Ferrari was producing award winning sparkling wines.  Ferrari was well on its way to producing what would soon become the most famous sparkling wine in all of Italy.
Trentino – Alto Adige is a region located in the northeastern portion of Italy featuring two distinct areas.  Trento is located in the southern portion of the region and is steeped in Italian culture.  The Alto Adige area is located in the northern territory at a higher altitude near the Adige River and is predominantly a Germanic culture.
Cantine Ferrari’s vineyards are located in the Trento area, situated on south facing high altitude slopes.  The Adige River runs parallel to the vineyards and is governed by the Trento D.O.C.  During the day warm Mediterranean influences from the Veneto wine region flow into the vineyards surrounding Trento.  Late afternoon glacial breezes from the Dolomite Mountains in the Italian Alps funnel cool air into the vineyards.  The cool night air slows the ripening process, concentrating the fruit and sugar of the grapes. Glacial water rich in mineral content is another important component of Trento’s terroir, aiding in producing spectacular grapes.
There is a special saying in this Alpine region that speaks to the importance of wine; Pane e vino fanno un bel bambino or “bread and wine make a beautiful baby.”
In 1952 Giulio Ferrari having no children of his own, chose friend and local merchant Bruno Lunelli to succeed him as owner of the business he loved.  Giulio continued to work in the winery until his death mentoring Lunelli insuring the vision for quality and success would continue.  Thanks to meticulous labor in the winery, combined with his innate entrepreneurial verve, Bruno Lunelli increased production until it reached one hundred thousand bottles a year.  Today Lunelli’s sons, Gino, Franco and Mauro, continue the legacy of producing exclusively award winning Metodo Classico sparkling wines.
All Ferrari wines are produced according to the regulations of the Metodo Classico Trento D.O.C, a process used by the finest Champagne houses.  Ferrari’s best known wines are produced as blanc de blancs, these are sparkling wines made from 100% Chardonnay.  Ferrari sparkling wines are beautifully crafted, restrained, integrated, and subtly complex.  These wines are excellent companions for rich holiday meals, cheese courses, or to be enjoyed on their own.
The bouquet and flavor of Ferrari sparkling wines is second to none due in part to exceptional winemaking led by chief winemaker Marcello Lunelli.  Proprietary yeast cultures developed by Giulio Ferrari, glacial water rich in minerals, and ideal growing conditions are also important components of Ferrari sparkling wine.
Today, the third generation of the Lunelli family is at the helm, overseeing 300 acres of prime estate vineyards in Trentino.  This pursuit of excellence is an enduring family legacy.  
Under the Lunelli’s watch, Ferrari is a 22-time winner of the Tre Bicchieri award, Italy’s highest wine accolade.  For a complete review of the Ferrari sparkling wines, visit WineGuyMike.com and click on Corridor.

Liquid Planet is located in the heart of Downtown Missoula, for your ultimate wine shopping experience.  They feature a large selection of wine accessories and Riedel stemware perfect for your holiday gift selections.  Missoula’s “Best of Beverage”.

by WINEGUYMIKE

Italy has been producing wine for 3,000 years and it is said that Italy is not a country, just one gigantic vineyard from the North to South. Tuscany is one of 20 wine producing regions in Italy.
Within Tuscany lies the Chianti and Chianti Classico grape growing and wine producing areas. Chianti wine is made predominantly from the Sangiovese grape producing wines that can be spicy, medium bodied, with nuances of cherry and raspberry flavors.  Sangiovese is a warm weather varietal that thrives in the Tuscany region of Italy.
Tuscan winemakers produce three different qualities of Chianti wine and as you look at the label on the bottle you will see one of the three following designations that are important to understand.
1. Chianti a basic table wine from a broad general area within the Tuscany wine region.  This is the least expensive Chianti.
2. Chianti Classico this wine is more expensive and comes from the inner historic district of Chianti.  This is a better quality wine that has been given more attention in the winemaking process.  The grapes come from better vineyards that produce wines with a sense of place.
3. Chianti Classico Riserva these are the finest Chianti’s made from the very best grapes,  receiving laborious winemaking attention, and have been aged for a minimum of two years and three months.  The Classico Riserva’s also come with the highest price tags.
Chianti is great wine to drink with an Italian meal, high in natural acidity assuring that your wine pairing will bring out the best flavor in your meal.  Chianti is a medium bodied wine that will not compete with your meal and remember with big robust foods you do not want a wine that is equally robust or they will simply nullify one another.
Some rogue winemakers in Italy produce wines that do not adhere to Italian wine laws; they wanted to produce wines that are stylistically different.  In Tuscany there is a style of wine that is referred to as “Super Tuscan”.  
Super Tuscan is a term that was coined by wine critic Robert Parker in the 70’s; he was a fan of these signature wines and brought them to the world’s attention.  Sassicaia is an artisan “Signature Wine” crafted by Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta who owns an estate on the coast of Tuscany.
The first Sassicaias were produced in the 40’s and had become a more finely tuned version by the 60’s thanks to Marquis’ persistence.  Piero Antinori who owned an old winery in the Chianti Classico region and was related to the Incisa della Rocchetta was familiar with the Saccicaias.  Antinori produced Tignanello in 1971 and this wine was modeled after the Saccicaia except it was made with Sangiovese and aged in oak barrels.  In later years Cabernet Sauvignon was also blended in the Tignanello.
A couple of the best known “Super Tuscans” are Tignanello and Summus, these wines are bold, robust, tannic, and have a mighty personality.
There are other styles of wines made from the Sangiovese grape of Tuscany too.
Brunello wines are made from 100% Sangiovese and are big full bodied and bold wines that typically need a minimum of five years of aging and sometimes as much as ten. The best Brunello wines are expensive because of their limited supply.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is also made from Sangiovese grapes but is blended with the Canaiolo grape varietal.  Unlike a Brunello this wine style is medium bodied, readily available, much less expensive, and easier to drink wine at a much younger age.    
The Carmignano wines are dry redwines based on a standard modern Tuscan blend of Sangiovese (at least 50% of the final blend), Canaiolo Nero (up to 20%), Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (10–20% each). The wine is similar in style to Chianti, which may now also be made using a portion of Cabernet Sauvignon.  For an entire series on the Great Wines of Italy visit my blogsite at WineGuyMike.com.
Liquid Planet features an excellent selection of wines and is located in the heart of Downtown Missoula.

by WINEGUYMIKE

A miner’s unquenchable desire for riches can drive him to all ends of the earth in search of the mother lode.  One such man was Carl John Kingston, a miner and engineer from Central Mine, Michigan.  In 1906, Kingston’s thirst for adventure led him to set out for Chile.  There he joined the Cerro de Pasco Mining Company.
Kingston never struck gold, but as a result of one of his many mining deals, he wound up with a large dairy farm and cattle ranch. He married Caroline Los Kamp and settled the property with her.  “The Farm”, as it has been called by five generations of the Kingston family, is nestled in the western hills of Chile’s Casablanca Valley, twelve miles from the Pacific Ocean.  Little did C.J. know that the Casablanca Valley of Chile would become one of the most desirable grape-growing regions in the world!
Chile runs north to south for 2600 miles on the west cost of South America.  It is only 100 miles wide at its widest point.  It is a melting pot with a heavy European influence from Germans, Spanish, English and French that have taken up residence, enjoying the moderate climate similar to the Mediterranean.
Chile features three distinct climatic conditions from east to west, and three main growing regions from north to south.  The coastal region is a cool climate; the central valley is warm, and the Andes can be cool or warm depending on the location.  The main grape-growing regions are the Casablanca Valley (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir), the Maipo Valley (cabernet sauvignon), and the Rapel and Chlchaqua Valleys (cabernet sauvignon, carmenere, merlot).
These days, few family-owned farms are sustainable beyond the third generation.  Like many other farm and ranch families, the Kingstons wondered how they could sustain The Farm.  Courtney Kingston, a member of the fourth generation of the clan, did her undergraduate studies at Princeton and graduate studies at the University of Stanford.  It was at Stanford that Courtney, realizing the potential of the property, formulated a plan for sustainability, one that would serve the Kingston family for generations to come.
Risk-taking is deeply ingrained within the DNA of the Kingstons!  Courtney’s plan, inspired by California vineyard visionaries David Hirsch and Gary Pisoni, called for the planting of pinot noir and syrah grape vines in an area known only for white grape cultivation.  The family’s mission was to grow world-class, quality red grapes in a cool climatic zone.  In 1998, pinot noir and syrah grapevines were planted on the western hills of The Farm.
Carl John Kingston, the gambler and risk taker, who loved to wager on the horses at the traditional Chilean rodeos in the early 1900’s, never saw his dreams of quick riches realized.  But he clearly saw The Farm as a legacy of stability for his family.  And, thanks to his descendant Courtney’s inspired plan, it has become exactly that.  The Kingston family harvested their first grapes in 2003. The payoff: 400 cases of pinot noir and syrah.
Under the watchful eyes of the Kingstons and two amazing winemakers, Byron Kosuge and Evelyn Vidal, Kingston Family Vineyards produce one of the best values in wine today.
Their sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, and syrah are all named for horses on The Farm.  The Kingstons offer a flight of exceptional “stallion”-like wines, inspired by the great namesake horses:  ‘Cariblanco’ sauvignon blanc, named after a white-faced horse; The ‘Tobiano’ pinot noir,  after a painted horse that looked like someone had poured two cans of paint over him; and their syrah, ‘Lucero’, after a horse with an intense white flash on his forehead.
These exceptional selections have been reviewed at www.wineguymike.com, and are available at Liquid Planet, “Missoula’s Best of Beverage”, in the Heart of Downtown Missoula.

by WINEGUYMIKE

Successful Swiss-born businessman Hansjörg Wyss is a man with vision and a man on a mission – of sustainability that is. A devoted philanthropist and land conservationist, Wyss is also the founder of Halter Ranch Vineyard in Paso Robles, Calif. The vineyard is committed to environmentally friendly, sustainable, business practices and has achieved the highest level of sustainability certification in the wine industry.

Paso Robles AVA (American Viticulture Area) is located in the central coast region of California, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Highway 101 runs north and south right through the Paso Robles AVA. This area supports the growth of more than 40 different grape varietals. The Bordeaux and Rhône grape varietals, plus a handful of others, produce many of the area’s outstanding wines.

The Paso Robles AVA has the greatest daily temperature variant of any viticulture area in California. Within this AVA there are many distinct microclimates, diverse soil composition and a long growing season. Halter Ranch Vineyard is located west of Highway 101 near the western boundary of the Paso Robles AVA. The Halter Ranch vineyards are influenced by cool ocean breezes from the Pacific to the west and elevation from the Santa Lucia Mountain Range to the east. Halter Ranch vineyards are planted to south-facing slopes rising to 1,800 feet of elevation, thus creating nearly perfect terroir and producing grapes of intense varietal character.

Halter Ranch Vineyard dates back to 1880s and was part of a 3,600-acre holding owned by successful San Francisco businessman Edwin Smith. Smith built a grand house on the property and began dealing in farm produce and livestock; he also invested heavily in silver mining. Smith was an avid horse-racing enthusiast, keeping a private box at Tanforan Race Track and a stable of thoroughbreds on his estate.

The estate was broken up in the early 1990s, and in 1943, the MacGillivray family purchased 1,200 acres. The family farmed the land for the next 50 years and began planting grapes in 1996. In 2000, Hansjörg Wyss purchased 900 acres of the ranch, renovated Smith’s historic farmhouse, and enlarged the vineyard to its present 250 acres, leaving nearly 750 acres unfarmed, supporting the ranch’s natural habitat and old growth oak groves.

New state-of-the art facilities have been built to complement the world class grapes grown by Halter Ranch Vineyard. The new multilevel winery uses a gravity flow system, which allows the winemaker to handle the fruit in the gentlest way possible with no pumping from the de-stemmer, to the tanks, and ultimately the barrels for aging.

Halter Ranch adheres to the Sustainability in Practice vineyard certification program. SIP certification assures that a vineyard practices integrated farming and is committed to environmental stewardship, equitable treatment of employees and economic viability. SIP requires even more stringent farming practices than two of the other certification programs, the USDA Organic Program and Biodynamics. (Chart link); wp.me/pFhHw-MZ.

Led by Kevin Sass, head winemaker for Halter Ranch Vineyard, the philosophy is simple. Grow premium grapes, incorporate Old World technique and New World technologies, handle fruit gently and produce elegant Bordeaux and Rhône style wines. Mission sustainable, mission accomplished.

Last year, Halter Ranch founder Hansjörg Wyss contributed $35 million to the protection of 1 million acres of grasslands in western Montana. Gov. Brian Schweitzer commended the Halter Ranch owner for his contribution (huff.to/NU4fsd) and has been seen enjoying Halter Ranch wines at various gubernatorial events. The Halter Ranch wines will be available for purchase in Montana in the near future.

I have reviewed three of the Southern Rhône Valley style wines from Halter Ranch Vineyard. All three wines were outstanding and beautifully made, holding true to the Old World style in which they were crafted by winemaker Sass. You can see my wine reviews at wineguymike.wordpress.com.

Each month, I have special wines that I have chosen to share with you. They are available at Liquid Planet located in the Heart of Downtown Missoula. The WineGuyMike wines at Liquid Planet are especially priced for you to enjoy.

by WineGuyMike

It’s a beautiful summer’s eve on the patio anticipating a gorgeous Big Sky sunset.  Sharing an evening like this with someone special can only mean one thing, wine, but what is that perfect selection for relaxing on the patio?
The weather has finally turned, the days are getting hot and the mountains remain emerald green from the spring’s plentiful rainfall.  A refreshing wine to suit everyone’s palate is welcome on a warm summer’s night.  Wine is seasonal and personal, dictated by your individual taste.  
This month I have a diverse selection of wines to share that will please even the most discriminating palate.  Not only do these wines offer great value in quality but they are budget minded too.  You will find the WineGuyMike recommendations at Liquid Planet located in the heart of Downtown Missoula.
Yves Grassa, the proprietor of Domaine de Pouy, has produced this light-bodied dry white that is the standard to which others are held.   This wine is a perennial favorite of mine.  The estate is located in the foothills of Pyrénées about two hours southwest of Bordeaux in the Southwest-Armagnac region of France.   The 2011 Domaine de Pouy is a blend of 60% Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano in Italy) and 40% Colombard.  Crisp, fresh, and aromatic wine with subtleties of green apple and lemon grass, this wine is refreshing to drink.  Experience a pleasing mouth-feel, wonderful balance of fruit and acid; a very food-friendly wine.
L’Ecole, a second generation, family-owned artisan winery located in the historic Frenchtown School of Walla Walla was founded in 1983; they are the third oldest winery in the Walla Walla Valley AVA.  This estate grown and produced wine, L’Ecole Nº 41 Chenin Blanc, is terroir-driven, distinctive, and expressive.  All of the L’Ecole’s Walla Walla Valley wines are made from grapes which are certified sustainable.
This fresh, tart and delightfully fruity Chenin Blanc presents aromas of Asian pear, honeysuckle, and orange blossom.  The palate is aroused with flavors of apple, apricot, and grapefruit, crisp minerality, lightly sweet, yet delivers a cleansing finish.  This wine offers great value and is also food friendly.
The Tariquet Chenin Chardonnay is a unique blend, 75% Chenin Blanc, and 25% Chardonnay wine from the Southwestern Languedoc-Roussillon region.  The wine is both crisp and creamy with a price point the makes this wine a real treasure.
The contrast between the Chenin Blanc minerality and the creaminess of the Chardonnay is somewhat reminiscent of sweet and sour cooking.  Refreshing, bold and full of flavor on the entry, this wine has underlying notes of crisp ripe grapes followed by a fresh and satisfying finish.  Faint floral shades of vanilla and toffee take turns revealing their delights, while a touch of saltiness leads to a pleasant lingering finish.
Great Rosé whether sparkling or still is simple, refreshing, and crisp like a nice white wine, yet possessing subtle nuances like that of a red wine.  Here are two that I know you will enjoy.
The 2011 Adelsheim Willamette Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir exudes aromas of fresh strawberries, raspberries, peach, watermelon and a touch of baking spices.  The lovely aromas from the wine lead to a rich mouth-feel on the palate, big on flavor, long on finish.  Perfect patio wine on its own, this Rosé will pair well with anything from bouillabaisse and grilled shrimp, to goat cheese, ham and poultry entrees.
Gruet’s non-vintage Brut Rosé is a beautiful garnet Rosé color; it has been aged 24 months en tirage.  This patio pleaser has a lovely, bright floral bouquet with hints of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry.  On the palate, it is rich and fruity with berry and cherry flavors in a dry, brut style.  This sparkler is fun and festive.
Remember to visit my blog for the rest of the story at http://wineguymike.wordpress.com/  Liquid Planet is located in the heart of Downtown Missoula. Stop in and pick your perfect patio wine that has been priced especially for you.