Chance meetings can be rather fortuitous. Last April I attended Cape Wine 2006 in South Africa. It just so happens that the lady who I was sitting next to was once one of the most important and feared wine buyers on the planet. Lindsay was the former wine buyer for the Tesco stores based in the UK. Tesco’s wine purchases are so large that it can make or break a winery’s year or existence if Tesco decides to come off of promoting the product or horror of all horrors, to have one’s wine de-listed. When I introduced myself to Lindsay as a retailer, she replied that she was once a ‘predator’ too. She has since moved on to another role in the jungle of the world of wine, as a gatekeeper (supplier.)Lindsay now sells to Tesco and her company is very successful in the UK and Europe selling wine to the big retailers. Their specialty is sourcing wines from quality producers, making certain that the packaging is attractive and that the product over-delivers for the money. Last May I met Lindsay at her company’s booth at the London Wine Trade Fair and tasted through a range of samples. An Italian producer that was poured for me had many wines that stood out as incredible value for money. This value Italian exists is in spite of the dollar being nearly at an all time low versus the Euro. The winery is called Ravelli and you will see five of the wines at a Wine Warehouse store near you. Just check out the list below to see the incredible value that they represent.
Pinot Grigio is a real crowd pleaser. It is consistently ranked as one of the top selling categories of wine here in the US. Why is Pinot Grigio so popular? I like to think of Pinot Grigio from Italy as being the ‘club soda’ of wine. When Pinot Grigio is fresh and well made it is vibrant with very subtle flavors and has a lift on the palate. Pinot Grigio is a non-cerebral quaff that is unpretentious, fun and can be quite refreshing when chilled on a warm Florida day. The 2006 Ravelli Pinot Grigio offers all of these qualities and is bottled with a stelvin closure for added freshness.
Ravelli Pinot Grigio 2006, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $6.99
Garganega is not a grape that one often associates with a popular wine style. When one says that Garganega is the grape variety that makes Soave it makes the picture much clearer. This is my favorite wine of the ‘Ravelli 5.’ It has a surprising amount of subtle pear and cream notes with incredible freshness to boot. This is a beautiful wine that is also bottled in with a stelvin closure for freshness.Ravelli Soave 2006, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $6.99
Ravelli Montepulciano is produced from a mountainous region in central Italy with a significant coastline on the Adriatic sea. The Abbruzi coast enjoys the benefits of summer heat and solar radiation from the sea. The Montepulciano grape was once prized as a blending wine in the north of Italy, particularly in Toscana, Veneto, and Piemonte. This Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is produced in a young, quaffing style that is robust, fruity and best consumed in its youth. Ravelli Montepulciano has a detectable and attractive sweaty saddle character with dark fruits and a refreshing spicy character. Also bottled in stelvin for freshness. All this for under a ‘sixer.’Ravelli Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2006, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $5.99
The Chianti zone is first identified in documents of the second half of the 13th century which named the high hills between Baliaccia and Monte Luco the Chianti mountains. Chianti is now regaining its once high popularity because at all levels, the quality has never been better. Chianti is the birthplace of the Sangiovese grape which gas has unique black cherry characters that are enveloped with a refreshing acidity. This is why Chianti has always matched particularly well with tomato based sauces and thanks to Anthony Hopkins it has been discovered to work well with fava beans.
Ravelli Chianti 2005, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $6.99
The Ravelli Chianti Riserva is also produced predominantly from the Sangiovese grape. This Riserva wine spends two years in oak barrels, softening the character of the grape while adding tertiary aromas and flavors of ripe cherries and plums. Quite a steal at under ten bucks. This is priced less than many ordinary Chiantis.
Ravelli Chianti Riserva 2004, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99
Cin Cin…………….
Ravelli Chianti 2005, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $6.99
The Ravelli Chianti Riserva is also produced predominantly from the Sangiovese grape. This Riserva wine spends two years in oak barrels, softening the character of the grape while adding tertiary aromas and flavors of ripe cherries and plums. Quite a steal at under ten bucks. This is priced less than many ordinary Chiantis.
Ravelli Chianti Riserva 2004, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99
Cin Cin…………….
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