Italy’s Valtellina denomination, based in the region of Lombardia, offers some great, under-appreciated values.  If you are a lover of nebbiolo, this zone is worth exploring! We have pulled our review of this denomination directly from the AG Wine app:

The Valtellina DOC is located in the mountainous northern reaches of the region, around the town of Sondrio; wines are based on the nebbiolo grape variety (minimum 80%), which is locally called “chiavennasca”. The Valtellina Superiore DOCG zone is derived from a smaller segment of this same geographic area and wines are comprised of at least 90% nebbiolo.
The nebbiolo grape produces some of the best, most sophisticated red wines in Italy. The wines are characterized by large amounts of acidity and tannin, which typically require many years of bottle aging to balance and integrate. The wines typically exhibit flavors such as tar, roses, violets, herbs, cherries, leather and tobacco.
While nebbiolo is most clearly associated with the region of Piemonte, the grape performs well in the mountains of Lombardia’s Valtellina. As compared to those from Piemonte, Valtellina nebbiolos are often less concentrated, but offer great value and easier drinkability.
While all Valtellina DOC wines are of generally high quality, look for the following six Valtellina Superiore DOCG subzones for an even better experience: Grumello (fruity versions of nebbiolo), Inferno (most powerful versions of nebbiolo), Maroggia, Sassella (full-bodied versions of nebbiolo), Stagafassli, and Valgella (most delicate versions of nebbiolo).

About Lombardia’s Wines

Lombardia gets a lot more press for Milan’s fashion industry than its wines, and there is some reason for this. Lombardia produces a lot of wine, and much of it is good, but it does not have a high-quality grape variety in which it has taken a leadership winemaking role. Lombardia produces wines based on other regions’ signature grape varieties and does a respectable job while keeping prices low; however, these wines rarely surpass those of the home region. As a result, there are many tasty wines here, but few stars.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule: Franciacorta sparklers, the red bonarda (croatina) variety, and the red chiavennasca (nebbiolo) from the Valtellina region.

Get ready! AG Wine is just about to release another update. Due out in a few weeks, AG Wine’s next release will add support for the wines of the South of France (Provence, Languedoc,and Rousillon) and California’s Napa and Sonoma.  Find out more about this release for the iPhone / iPod Touch and the iPad.  All existing customers will receive this release for FREE!

France’s Languedoc region offers some excellent, bold & full-bodied red wines at attractive price points, and one of our favorite appellations is the Minervois AOC. We have pulled our review of red wines from this appellation variety directly from our soon-to-be-released AG Wine for the South of France upgrade.

Vineyards cover a vast amphitheater across the Montagne Noire between Carcassonne and Narbonne, north of the Canal du Midi. There are some Atlantic influences but the grapes are typically Mediterranean (syrah, carignan, cinsault, grenache, mourvèdre). Young reds have aromas of spicy blackcurrant and violets. Candied fruit, prune and leather appear with age. The best are oak-matured and have aging potential. Rosés tend to be syrah-based. The AOC includes one superior red wine sub-appellation: La Livinière, a limestone and clay zone in the Montagne Noire foothills.

AG Wine for the South of France is on track for release in September. AG Wine for the South of France supports 3 regions — Provence, Languedoc, and Roussillon — all of their respective appellations, all relevant grape varieties,  and vintages.  Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners! This release will occur simultaneously on both AG Wine for iPad and AG Wine for iPhone / iTouch.

AG Wine is excited to announced that Jonathan Healey, a graduate of UC Davis and author of ‘The Wines of Roussillon’ and ‘Discovering Wine Country: South of France‘, has authored the region, appellation, grape variety, and vintage profiles for this newest update.  We believe that Jonathan brings an unrivaled level of expertise to this latest update, one that will be very helpful to wine drinkers seeking insight into this unfamiliar part of France’s wine landscape.

The Basque Country’s (a.k.a. Pais Vasco) txakoli white wines are the perfect, local accompaniment to the world-class cuisine profiled in Ingrid Williams’ excellent New York Times article on Hondarribia, Spain. We have pulled our review of these  directly from the AG Wine app for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

The dominant grape variety in País Vasco, the white hondarribi zuri is used to produce the famed txakoli (pronounced ‘choc-o-lee’) wines. This grape generally yields wines with very high acidity, grass, floral and apple flavors, with an underlying saline quality. Note that wines based on this variety have greater herbaceous notes in the Bizkaiko DO (given their blending with the folle blanche variety), as compared to those of the Getariako DO; the Arabako DO’s versions are fuller-bodied and rounder. As with all of these txakoli wines, there is also the potential for modest carbonation. It merits pointing out: prices generally tend toward the higher side on txakoli wines. Half the fun of ordering these wines is seeing how they are poured: from over shoulder height in a long stream down to the waiting glass…quite an experience!

AG Wine for Spain’s wines is now available! AG Wine supports Spain’s wines, profiling all of the country’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!

You’re going to need a bigger screen!  AG Wine for iPad just became available. AG Wine for iPad offers all of AG Wine’s unique content, an entirely redesigned navigation optimized for the iPad, and full-screen images. Download it now! See a profile before you download.

We know you want support for more countries and we are hard at work. Argentina (included in AG Wine for iPhone; August release for iPad), the South of France (September release), California’s Napa & Sonoma (October release), and Australia are coming soon. As with our iPhone app, existing customers will receive all incremental country releases for FREE!

Carmenere is Chile’s quintessential red grape variety.  You don’t know it?  This one is worth getting to know, as it delivers spectacular, full-bodied reds at very attractive price points! We have pulled our review of wines from this grape variety directly from our recently-released AG Wine for Chile upgrade.

Carmenère, originally from France’s Bordeaux, performs well in Chile’s warmer climates (it is a late-ripening variety) and is definitely one of our favorites. Carmenère typically delivers smooth wines, with big, deep flavors, including those of herbs, pepper, coffee, blackcurrants, and tar; acidity levels are low. Be aware that there are basically two styles of Carmenère – the first and more typical style is characterized by huge, generous fruit, coupled with some spicy notes; the second style is more restrained, displaying a slightly lighter body and a bit more earthy flavor elements.
The best zones are the Cachapaol (especially the Peumo sub-area), Colchagua (esp. the Apalta sub-area), and Maipo (Isla de Maipo) DOs; the Aconcagua DO is also yielding some interesting, Carmenere-based wines in a relatively lighter-bodied style.
Since Carmenère production has faded in France, Chile is now the dominant player in this variety and this is the one grape variety to which Chile can claim an undisputed global leadership. Give these wines a try!

AG Wine for Chile’s wines is now available! AG Wine now supports Chile’s wines, profiling all of the country’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!

You’re going to need a bigger screen!  AG Wine for iPad just became available. AG Wine for iPad offers all of AG Wine’s unique content, an entirely redesigned navigation optimized for the iPad, and full-screen images. Download it now! See a profile before you download.

We know you want support for more countries and we are hard at work. Argentina (included in AG Wine for iPhone; August release for iPad), the South of France (September release), California, and Australia are coming soon. As with our iPhone app, existing customers will receive all incremental country releases for FREE!

Torrontes-based white wines are totally unique and offer an interesting change from your standard white options; best of all, these wines are really great values! We have pulled our review of wines from this grape variety directly from our recently-released AG Wine for Argentina upgrade.

Torrontes is the only grape variety unique to Argentina (there is no connection with the Spanish grape variety of the same name; however, it is probably related to the Spanish muscat variety).  This is a vastly under-rated variety and one of our favorites for great wine values, particularly given the quality improvements that have resulted from recent efforts to reduce yields, transition to optimized yeasts, and strictly control fermentation temperatures.  While there are three different types of Torrontes, only the torrontes riojano (originally from the province of La Rioja) is suited for the production of fine wines.  At its best, the torrontes riojana yields high acidity, exceptionally aromatic wines, with scents of roses, jasmine and geranium.  Flavors include citrus, peach, and grapefruit, with an underlying spiciness.  This variety will appeal to lovers of bold fruit wines such as viognier, as well as those that like the crisp acidity of sauvignon blanc.

The grape variety achieves its best results in the Catamarca, Salta, and La Rioja regions; the absolute best come from the Salta region’s (see map) Cafayate Valley.  Versions from other parts of the country — especially Mendoza (where most torrontes is grown, often used for blending) — tend to be richer, fruiter versions that, while tasty, lack the requisite acidity levels.  If you have not tried a torrontes yet, you are missing out on a great new wine experience!

AG Wine for Argentina’s wines is now available! AG Wine now supports Argentina’s wines, profiling all of the country’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!

Great Sauvignon Blanc from Chile’s Casablanca Valley DO

While best known for its full-bodied reds, Chile is producing some sophisticated, terroir-driven white wines, some of the best of which are based on the sauvignon blanc grape variety; winemakers from the Casablanca DO are leading the charge.  We have pulled our review of wines from this grape variety from our new AG Wine for Chile upgrade.

The wines of the Valparaiso region’s Casablanca Valley DO, located northwest of Santiago, are impacted by the zone’s proximity to the sea; the Pacific Ocean provides a cooling influence to the area’s otherwise hot climate.  This cooler climate has led Casablanca’s winemakers to orient their production towards white wines; the chardonnay and sauvignon blanc varieties dominate production.
Most of Casablanca’s white wines are perfect everyday wines: simple, crisp (good acidity) and well-executed.  However, more recently, there is a new class of white wines emerging that is serious and very high quality. For the best white wines in the region, go with those based on the sauvignon blanc variety, particularly those from the coastal exposed southwestern part of the zone; these are some of the best version in Chile, second only to those from the San Antonio DO.  Casablanca’s chardonnays are also high quality and some of the best in Chile. Finally, Casablanca is dynamic area and actively exploring a number of new white grape varieties including riesling, viognier, and gewürztraminer.

AG Wine for Chile’s wines is now available! AG Wine now supports Chile’s wines, profiling all of the country’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!

Known as carignan in France, cariñena (a.k.a. mazuelo and samsó) is best known for being a contributor to the great wines of the Priorat and Montsant DOs in Catalunya (near Barcelona). While its traditional role has been as a blending grape, it is starting to be used on its own to make respectable single-varietal wines. That said, in cariñena’s most important production zones, the Priorat and Montsant DOs, wines are chiefly based on the garnacha grape variety; cariñena adds some acidity, dark coloration, and a boost of tannins, coupled with some bright cherry notes.
Cariñena is chiefly grown in the Rioja, Catalunya and Navarra regions of Spain.

We have pulled this description directly from our AG Wine app for the iPhone and iPod Touch/iTouch.  Download AG Wine now!

Barbera, the most widely-planted grape variety in Piedmont (and the third most popular in Italy), offers low tannins, very high acidity, and sharp, often sour cherry and fruit flavors, complemented by earthy overtones. This high acidity makes barbera-based wines fare better when paired with food, ideally rich and hearty foods. Although there are many great values, barbera wines are often variable in style and less consistent than wines from Piedmont’s other two red varieties, dolcetto and nebbiolo.
There are some stylistic differences among the three main barbera DOCs: Alba (fuller, richer versions of barbera), Asti (lighter versions of barbera; this is the largest DOC and offers the most affordable pricing, but lower quality consistency), and Monferrato (our favorite, often a bit sparkling)
Barbera is also grown to good results in Lombardia’s Oltrepò Pavese DOC.

We have pulled this description directly from our AG Wine app for the iPhone and iPod Touch/iTouch.  Download AG Wine now!

A Match Made in Catalunya: Cava and Jamon Iberico

There a few wines that pair as well as cava sparkling wine and Spain’s famous jamon iberico (click for a detailed guide to jamon iberico).  We have pulled our review of the Cava D.O. from our AG Wine app for the iPhone and iPod Touch/iTouch.

Cava, (meaning ‘underground cave’) is Spain’s sparkling wine, 95% of which is produced in area between the cities of Tarragona and Barcelona (chiefly around the city of Sant Sadurní in Penedès) in the region of Catalunya. Cava is based chiefly upon the traditional Catalunyan white grape variety triad consisting of macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada (typically with small amounts of subirat and chardonnay): xarel-lo provides the structuring body, parellada the crisp acidity, and macabeo the soft creaminess. Although cava sparklers use different grape varieties, the production method is the same as French champagne, in that the wine is fermented in the bottle (rather than in large pressure tanks, as with Italy’s prosecco). As far as a comparison versus France’s champagnes: cavas are more approachable, in they exhibit similar gentle fruit flavors, good body, and a level of creaminess, but with a lower relative acidity. Best of all: they are the most attractively priced sparkling wines in the world. You can’t miss with a cava from Catalunya!

AG Wine for Spanish Wines is now available! The AG Wine app profiles all of Spain’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!

About the Balearic Islands

Talk about a largely undiscovered grape growing region…the Balearics offer good values and some totally unique, high-quality varieties worth exploring.   We have pulled our review of wines from this region (and under-appreciated) grape variety from our recently-released AG Wine for Spain.

While most of the wines from the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera; located off the east coast of Spain) are nothing to actively seek out, the distinctive, full-bodied manto nero grape variety is an exception to this rule and worth trying.  We would recommend wines from the Mallorca’s Binissalem DO, specifically.  If you are looking for a white, try the local prensal blanc grape which yields light, herbal white wines.

Primary White grape(s): Prensal Blanc

Primary Red grape(s): Callet, Manto Negro

Appellations (DOs): Binissalem and Pla i Llevant de Mallorca.

AG Wine for Spanish Wines is now available! Just like our existing Italian wines version, but for Spain….the new version profiles all of Spain’s winemaking regions, grape varieties, appellations, and recent vintages. Best of all: It’s a FREE upgrade for existing AG Wine App owners!