Moroccan Dinner for Wine Club @ Shereen's - Sept. 20, 2013

Excerpts below are taken from various internet searches.

We enjoyed a delicious Moroccan chicken stew and apple crisp for dessert.

BIG HOUSE CARDINAL ZIN 2012

California

$13.45

It's still an outstanding Zinfandel, made from "Beastly Old Vines," as it says on the label. The winery selects grapes from all around the state. Some of the vines are more than 100 years old, so the yield is low and the quality high.
It's a warm, spicy, silky wine full of blackberries and ripe fruit, but the alcohol is low (13 percent), so it doesn't overpower you. Sometimes you get a hint of vanilla, oak and herbs, as the complex flavors develop in your mouth.
The grapes are 80 percent Zinfandel, 10 percent Mourvedre, 8 percent Carignane and 2 percent Petite Sirah.
Now that the wine is part of the Big House Brand, the clever storyline says the Cardinal consoles the straying souls of the Big House. (All of their wines have something to do with jail, or the Big House.) The marketing folks also say the warden has recommended the Cardinal be let out for BBQs. While drinking the wine you can read the back label to find out all the sins the Cardinal evokes.
TORRE DEL FALASCO 2011- Valpolicella ripasso
Vintages $16.95 Italy

Ripasso is a red wine from the Valpolicella zone located north of Verona in the Veneto region of Italy. Ripasso is generally less well known than Valpolicella and Amarone wines, also from this area, even though it shares some features of both wines.

The term “Ripasso” sounds like and in fact means “repassed.” That refers to its production process whereby regular, fermented Valpolicella  (which is a blend of three regional native red grape varieties - Corvina, Rondinella and occasionally Molinara) is added to a cask containing the skins and lees left over from fermented Amarone wines. The process of adding (or “repassing”)  the lighter Valpolicella wine over the remainders of the “bigger” Amarone wine imparts additional color, texture and flavor to the Valpolicella wine. Also, it induces a second fermentation of the wine that increases the wine’s alcoholic content.

The end result is a wine called Ripasso that retains the vibrancy of Valpolicella but is darker in color, bigger and more flavorful and complex than the original Valpolicella. It’s a wine with sufficient stuffing to go with hearty foods such as stews, braised red meats, game and aged cheeses. In 2009, Ripasso della Valpolicella received its own DOC designation.

Ripasso wines are sometimes casually referred to as “baby Amarones.”  The same combination of grape varieties from the Valpolicella zone used to produce Ripasso are also used to produce Amarone. The two wines also share some of the same aroma and flavor profiles.  

An intense ruby red colour in terms of appearance, this 2011 Torre del Falasco Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso also offers an intense and complex set of aromas as it is swirled. Leading with damson and cherry jam aromas, this Torre del Falasco Ripasso also shows oak derived vanilla aromas and a hint of the raisin character than can only be derived from the air-dried Amarone grapes over which this 2011 Torre del Falasco Ripasso was passed.

Richer and more complex than the “basic” Torre del Falasco Valpolicella  in the mouth (as you would expect), this 2011 Torre del Falasco Valpolicella Ripasso delivers on the promise of the nose with richly textured damson , dark cherry and chocolate flavours to the fore.  Hints of candied peels and clove emerge as the wine develops on your tongue. Not as overtly sweet in its fruit or lacking in acidity as some modern styles of Ripasso, this 2011 Torre del Falasco Valpolicella Ripasso is a thoroughly nicely balanced wine that is typical of this designation.

LES JAMELLES MERLOT 2011 - Vin de Pays d'oc

$12.95 France

There are six regional Vins de Pays, which cover large areas of France. The most voluminous contributor to this category of wines is Vin de Pays d'Oc, from the Languedoc-Roussillon area in Mediterranean France.

The wines are impressive for the money. The 2011 merlot shows medium body, juicy berry and attractive licorice and herbal overtones. It would be nice with herb-infused roast poultry. (globe and mail)

SANDBANKS DUNES 2012

$11.95 Ontario

Pale straw colour; floral and fruit aromas; medium body with golden apple, apricot and citrus flavours, clean finish.

WILLM ALSACE RIESLING 2012

Vintages $15.95 France

Think Riesling is always sweet? Think again. Rieslings from Alsace like this classic are actually bone-dry. It features aromas and flavours of lime juice, peach and mineral. The ultimate foodie white. For grilled shrimp and pesto pasta, gourmet sausages or sweet-and-sour pork loin.   

ANSELMI 2012 SAN VINCENZO

Vintages $15.95 Italy

On colour, the Anselmi San Vincenzo 2012 holds a golden hue.  On the nose, scents of  green apple, honeydew melon and light minerality are present while, on the palate, tastes of pineapple, lemon, grapefruit and melon are found, with a well balance acidity structure.
This is a well rounded white wine blend (Garganega and Chardonnay) that pairs well with white fish, soft cheeses and can stand well on its own. If you are looking to gift a fantastic and moderately priced white  wine, all year through, this is a competent option.