Wine of the Week
Le Volte is actually the second label of the famed Tuscan estate Ornellaia, which Robert Mondavi has just bought from Marchesi Lucovico Antinori. (His older brother, Piero, runs the Antinori wine estates.)
The property is in Bolgheri, close to the Tuscan coast and not far from Sassicaia, the estate which proved it was possible to make great Bordeaux-style wines in this little-known area.
This wine, distributed by Mondavi, stains the sides of the glass a deep garnet with violet overtones. Dry and finely chiseled, this delightful red--a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot--wears a cloak of gorgeous, plummy fruit. The good news is that even in Tuscany, it is possible to find a bargain.
About $20. Available at some Bristol Farms markets; Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, (949) 650-8463; Wally’s in West Los Angeles, (310) 475-0606; The Wine Club in Santa Ana, (714) 835-6485; The Wine House in Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731 and Wine Exchange in Orange, (714) 974-1454, among others.
S. Irene Virbila