Rarely do I come across wines with the same label where both of them are not only delicious but affordable and great VFM (value-for-money) wines and thus recommendable. Dogajolo Toscano Rosso, a young Super Tuscan and Dogajolo Toscano Bianco are a beautiful pair of wines that a couple may not be able to stop at just one bottle.
 Dogajolo Toscano Rosso is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Red Dogajolo (pronounced as though-ga-yyolo) 2010 available in retail is a very well rounded wine with velvety texture and without aggressive tannins even though it has been aged in new oak for over 4 months. This young Super Tuscan is already drinking very well but will age well for the next 5 years or so.
The white wine is so smooth and clean that it goes down as ‘mother’s milk’. A blend of Chardonnay, Grechetto and Sauvignon Blanc, it has floral aromas with medium body and is pleasantly dry; yet it is a fruity wine with fresh acidity that makes you salivate for more. At a recent dinner at Diva I had to stop the waiter from pouring me more after three glasses as there were other wines to taste and it would take the wine consumption otherwise to an undesirable level.
Both the wines are priced at about Rs.1250 in Gurgaon where they are available at most air-conditioned retail stores including Spencer’s and Spar. If you buy a case or more, you may generally be able to bargain with them for discounts of around 5%. In Delhi, by law the prices are fixed; at Rs.1550, you may find them in Nature’s Basket and private stand alone retail shops and in the shopping Malls in Saket. For example, Booze Island in MGF Metropolitan Mall and Liquor World in Select City Mall stock them. PD Fabrication in Nehru Place cinema complex also carries them. Soon, the Duo will be available in an attractive gift pack at no extra cost. In any case, we always recommend you to buy these or any other wines at an air-conditioned shop. It is expected in Mumbai soon, I am told by the importer, Ace Beveragez.
These wines are produced by the Tuscan producer Carpineto, a winery committed to good quality. Although the company is based in the Chianti Classico area of Greve in Chianti, the grapes for these wines are grown in the Montepulciano vineyards.
Imported by Ace beveragez, these wines are known popularly as the ‘Dog’ in the USA because of difficulty in pronouncing the label. So, if you cannot pronounce the name or find it difficult, just ask for the Dog. Chances are the store office would laugh at you but you would have the satisfaction of contributing towards making the easier name popular.
So enjoy the Dogs! I am sure both wines would go well with Hot Dogs- chicken or the mixed meat. Vegetarians would love the white with any snacks or food or even with munchies.
Subhash Arora
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