Attributes:

La Sera

Piedmont, Italy

Barbera

750 ML

Food Matches:

An Italian grape that’s high in acidity and low in tannins; many producers age Barbera-made wines in oak to increase the level of tannins. The best wines made from Barbera grapes are made in Piedmont, specifically in the Asti and Alba regions. These wines are rich, with high acidity and generous black-cherry fruits. Barbera d’Asti is usually riper and richer than Barbera d’Alba, but the two wines can be equally powerful. Barbera is a wonderful everyday wine, perfect with pasta, pizza, or any tomato dish.

Located in the northwest cuff of the “boot,” Piedmont is home to the famous Nebbiolo grape. Barolo and Barbaresco, two of the world’s great red wines, are made from Nebbiolo grapes in the Langhe hills around Alba. Both are DOCG wines named after the village in which it is produced. Less expensive red wines include Dolcetta, Barbera, and softer versions of Nebbiolo. White wines are less well known in Piedmont, but two interesting whites are Gavi, which is dry and fairly acidic, and Arneis, a medium-dry wine with a rich texture.

Attributes:

Lindemans Wines

Southeastern Australia, Australia/New Zealand

Cabernet Sauvignon

750 ML

2006: WineSpectator Rating: 87

focused

blueberry, currant

2005: WineSpectator Rating: 86

cherry, coffee, pepper, spice

2003: WineSpectator Rating: 85

soft

currant, plum

2003: WineEnthusiast Rating: 82

candied

ripe

2002: WineSpectator Rating: 85

bright

tasty

currant

2002: WineEnthusiast Rating: 85

red berry, toasty oak

sweet

smooth

2000: WineSpectator Rating: 82

floral

light

simple

pleasant

2000: WineEnthusiast Rating: 86

rich

currant

Food Matches:

(cab er nay saw vee nyon)—This highly adaptable grape grows almost anywhere it is relatively warm, but the best wines come from the Burgundy region of France (where it is a noble variety), California, and Australia. It became famous through the red wines of the Médoc district of Bordeaux and is now grown in Washington, southern France, Italy, Australia, South Africa, Chile, and Argentina. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes make wines that are high in tannin and medium- to full-bodied. Usually identified as having black currant or cassis flavors, the grape can also possess vegetal tones when the grapes are less than ideally ripe. The best wines are rich and firm with great depth, and are often aged for fifteen years or more. Because it is highly tannic, Cabernet Sauvignon is often blended with other less-tannic grapes such as Merlot.

Attributes:

Hospices de Beaune

Meursault, France

Chardonnay

750 ML

Food Matches:

(shar dohn nay)—This noble grape’s reputation was established in France, particularly in the Burgundy region, and the highly prized Chardonnay wines from Chablis, Mâcon, Mersault, and Pouilly-Fuissé are imitated by winemakers around the world. Generally an oaked wine (whether from expensive oak barrels or a quick soak in oak chips), its fruity aromas and flavors range from apple in the cooler regions to tropical fruits such a pineapple in the warmer regions. It can also display subtle earthy aromas, such as mushroom or minerals. It has a medium to high acidity and is generally full-bodied. Classical Chardonnay wines are dry. Chardonnay is also an important grape in the Champagne district where it's picked before fully ripe and while it still has high acid and understated fruit flavors—the perfect combination for champagne. California has adopted this grape with a fervor and there are some 200 wineries producing Chardonnay wines in other parts of the United States. Chardonnay has also seen a tremendous planting surge in Australia, and new vineyards are being planted in Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa.

(muhr so)—The white wines of this part of Burgundy come from Chardonnay grapes grown in poor, rocky soil. They are deliciously dry wines, rich and full of the flavors of butter, nuts, and spices, with minerally overtones.