De Long Wine Century Club update - 81 varietals tasted

In my quest to taste 100 varietals and join De Long Wine Century Club, I have earned a few more grapes – the first being Castelao. This grape was provided by Michael when he brought by a bottle of JP Azeitao NV Vinho Tinto. This inexpensive Portuguese wine is made from 85% Castelao, 7.5% Tempranillo, and 7.5% Syrah. Full of black pepper, red fruit, and plenty of acid, this is a good Monday night wine that would go great with a cheeseburger, and afterwards, you could say you’ve tasted a wine made from the Castelao grape.

Also, Austin’s Central Market was a big help with their wall of wine. The knowledgeable staff displays some wines by wine style and provides a thorough description of each wine, including the grape varietal. This week I picked up a Prosecco, the Col Di Luna Rosé Di Valmonte from the Bellenda estate, which is located about 50 miles north of Venice. The wine is composed of 85% Raboso and 15 % Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir). The Raboso grape is said to be both very acidic and tannic, making it a good choice for sparkling wines. This non-vintage Prosecco is medium-light bodied with a medium-fine mousse, tasting of cherries and bubbles.

Just down the aisle from the Prosecco was Koster-Wolf Weingut’s 2007 Huxelrebe Kabinett. According to the folks at Central Market, the Huxelrebe grape is unusual even in Germany. In the glass, the Huxelrebe grape seems like a combination of Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc, with spice and herbs overshadowing the green apples. The spice and herbs carried over in the mouth and were accompanied by a very long finish.

Check out these related posts:

1. De Long Wine Century Club update - 86 varietals tasted
2. The Wine Century Club from De Long
3. Food and wine pairing: Oysters, red snapper, and mushroom risotto
4. Our food and wine pairing party on New Year’s Eve
5. Great values for Easter wines