Friday, June 24, 2011

Coenobium 2009! pleasing the crowd


The Coenobium 2009 on Wednesday night at Mission Bar & Tapas really pleased the crowd...
When my friend Caitlin Harrison brought out this bottle during the wine dinner, I knew it would be my favorite of the night. This wine from the Monastero Suore Cistercensi is a Lazio Bianco IGT blend of 45% Trebbiano 35% Malvasia and 25% Verdicchio.  The nuns along with the consultant winemaker Giampiero Bea created this unctuous white with skin contact giving it a slight oxidative character and fresh yet fairly complex layers.  I picked up some beautiful hibiscus and quince notes that were so unique and delicious.  They also make another white, similar blend with 15 days skin contact called ''Rusticum'' that I will now be on the prowl for...
looking for a gorgeous summer wine? Hunt down this gem!


I also experienced the a 100% Counoise, a red wine grape grown primarily in the Rhone Valley.  A small percentage is allowed in Chateauneuf du Pape but its quite rare to find a 100% Counoise bottling as it sometimes lacks depth and tannin.  This Domaine Monpertuis 2009 had great acidity which made it work with most of the food, even if it lacked some elements it was still very enjoyable.

4 comments:

  1. Ciao Nico,
    You'll have to come to Atlantic City and share a glass of the 09 Coenobium with me. No, I haven't moved there... but I did just sneak the wine in as a glass pour at a new casino restaurant where I just finished consulting on the starting wine list. Hope you're well, my friend.
    un abbraccio,
    DMcD

    ReplyDelete
  2. ciao McDuff! good to hear from you, nice style with the wine list... have you tried the rusticum by chance?

    ReplyDelete
  3. yes, to Coenobium! I'll do up my hair pretty and meet yall in Atlantic city...

    ReplyDelete