Next tasting will feature Gallo wines
By By Stan Torgerson / wine columnist
Jan. 1, 2003
Suppose you went to a wine tasting conducted by the Gallo Winery and none of the bottles said "Gallo" on them.
You'd consider that to be, shall we say, unusual. But that's what is going to happen at our next Meridian wine tasting.
First, an earlier column gave the date as Jan. 23. My error. It will be Jan. 30 at Northwood Country Club, as usual.
We talked with Gallo representatives several times last year. They had heard of our local tastings and indicated they would like to conduct one here in Meridian. We shared that desire and finally agreed on the Jan. 30 date.
But there was one stipulation. We wanted to only serve their better wines, some of those they have promoted as award winners. Most wine lovers remember Gallo from its products of years gone by: good but not great mass-produced wines that are inexpensive, tasty for the man on the street but nothing to excite a more sophisticated wine lover. They still produce wines of that type, but it's an image the company has been trying to broaden.
One of their recent print ads featured a gold medal won at the Challenge International du Vin in Bordeaux, France. The International Wine &Spirits Competition in London named Gallo's chardonnay as the best worldwide. The same chardonnay won the Mission Hill Trophy for the Best Chardonnay, with 595 of the finest wineries in the world competing.
Only quality in the bottle can earn that type of respect. That's the level we wanted to serve here in Meridian. Not all of them are available through the state warehouse, but many of the top products are and one will even be special ordered for this event.
Their list has now been received and there's exactly one of the seven wines to be served with which I am familiar, the Rancho Zabaco zinfandel. The rest are wines that are complete strangers to me, but judging by their prices they have to represent quality.
They are the 2000 Maso Canalli Pinot Grigio, the 2001 MacMurray pinot gris, Frei Brothers 2000 chardonnay, Frei Brothers 2000 pinot noir, a Marcelina 1999 merlot, a Gallo SV Berelli 1997 cabernet sauvignon and the Rancho Zabaco zin from 1999.
You'll notice only one mentions Gallo prominently on the label, although I'm certain the others will show the winery of origin, even if in small letters.
The Internet produced reviews for several, but not all. Marcelina merlot, for example, was reviewed as "dark, ripe and richly flavored with complex currant, roasted pine nut, herb and dill flavors supported by firm chewy tannins." Only 5,200 cases were made.
Rancho Zabaco was described as "a sturdy, rich style with chunky blackberry, plum and wild berry notes, picking up traces of tar and prune on the finish."
As for the Frei Brothers pinot noir the reviewer said it was "a cloak of creamy, smoky oak, wrapped around a core of ripe plum, raspberry and cherry-scented oak, giving it a chocolate-covered cherry flavor. It delivers plenty of flavor at a nice price ($24)."
Frei Brothers chardonnay "serves up lots of ripe, rich, complex fruit with fig, pear, nectarine and apple flavors that are focused and flavorful."
I'm intrigued.
The company itself is praised.
That doesn't sound like the Gallo wines I remember from 20 years ago. The company is sending in their representative based in Dallas especially for this event and we're looking forward to his comments.
For this tasting we will keep the price at $25. You may reserve a seat by calling 482-0930. We have had many remarkably pleasant and fun evenings when experts on certain wines, countries or areas come in to host our tasting. This Gallo tasting will certainly be one of them.
