by Patrick Ogle

Kepos de Ampeleia 2011 is an interesting wine made by Ampeleia. It comes from Tuscany but isn't anything like what you generally expect from the region.  When I first sniffed this wine, before tasting it, the smell made me think "French" (and I would have thought that even if I hadn't known in advance about the varietals). 

It is relatively light in color. The grapes here are often associated with the Rhone Valley. The wine is 40% grenache, 40% mourvedre,10% carignan, 5% alicante bouschet and 5% marsellan. These last two grapes are odd-balls. Alicante bouschet is a cross between petit bouschet and grenache. Marsellan is a cross between cabernet sauvignon and grenache. Neither are grapes most folks know (I didn't).

At first taste this wine makes you think; "how unusual." It doesn't have big, in your face tannins. Tannins are the compounds that give you the "drying" sensation in your mouth. There are tannins here, however, but they are sneaky and soft. The wine has a soft feel to go with these tannins. My first fruit thought here was cherry but that is just a first taste. I try to avoid talking about more exotic fruits like pomegranate but that is part of this wine. It is also a bit spicy but don't think peppery but rather baking spices like nutmeg or cinnamon. It isn't a Rhone wine knock-off but something that is entirely its "own thing." Italian winemakers seem to do this with frequency.

Kepos de Ampeleia is a medium-light to medium wine that will please people who usually like bigger wines. It has a great deal going on but mostly it is just enjoyable to drink. You don't need food (although you could pair this with a wide variety of cuisine) and you do not need to think about it too much; you never really need to do that but if you like to think about wine there is plenty to examine. Think on what fruits you sense here.

If you can find a bottle buy it because it it isn't something you see all that often! The next two years of this wine, 2012 and 2013, may be available here and there. Keep an eye open.

by Patrick Ogle

Broc Cellars Love Red 2014 uses Carignan, Valdiguié and Syrah to make a light and lovable red wine.

This definitely made me thing Beaujolais when I sipped it. The blend has a very grapey taste,  you might say jammy if that didn't conjure up images of hugh bodied, big alcohol wines like Northern California petite syrahs and zinfandels. This is not one of those; this is a light fruity wine with a nice acidity and not much in the way  of tannins. When I say fruity I am thinking mild red fruits, the aforementioned grape and blueberry perhaps. There is also some sort of "spiciness" that I cannot put my finger on. This is subtle.


Love Red is  75 percent carignan, 14 percent valdiguié, and 11 percent syrah. Carignan was once planted extensively in California and there has been something of a revival. When you think of carignan as a varietal, stand alone, grape you generally think of quite tannic wines (we've talked about tannins before but they are a component in wine that give a sort of drying sensation in the mouth). This wine isn't only carignan but it is a high percentage yet it is NOT exceptionally tannic. Innovative winemakers find ways to make old dogs do new tricks.

Valdiguié is also an interesting choice. The grape is little seen outside Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. In the not too distant past it was confused in California with gamay (of Beaujolais fame). It was less than 20 years ago that this was shown to be false. Nonetheless the grape being confused with gamay is pretty good indication the two have  similarities. The wine is rounded out with syrah. An unusual blend to be sure.

I've been neglecting reds over the summer months but decided to jump back in. This is a good place to start. Broc Cellars  doesn't make tons of this wine (or any of their wines) so if you want to try it? You need to grab it fast. It might be best to just go to the source and get it on their website.

$18-25