Thursday, October 13, 2011

VINTURI Turns your Wine On

by Frank Mangio
Rio Sabadicci isn’t an especially passionate wine drinker. Matter of fact his favorite beverage just may be a scotch. But he is one brilliant inventor.

About 3 ½ years ago I bumped into him quite by accident at La Costa Resort and Spa and after introductions, he began his story as he insisted I try an aged red wine with his new VINTURI, the first wine aerator of its kind. It eliminates the need for decanting, to bring out the best flavors in wines.

I was attending a VIP tasting presented by the Tasting Panel in Orange County to unveil the top wines at the recent San Francisco International Wine Competition, and VINTURI was a partner in the event. The product amazed me how advanced it had become.


Rio Sabadicci the inventor and founder of VINTURI, with Tasting Panel Magazine Editor Anthony Dias Blue.

At press time, Sabadicci, in addition to his red wine VINTURI, has a white wine version, a VINTURI Travel and a VINTURI Spirit Aerator.

The travel model is a slim, portable device that can fit into a vest pocket, but does all the functions of the red wine model. The Spirit VINTURI brings out the flavor of drinks like scotch, cognac, port, tequila, whiskey, even sake. “I couldn’t believe how well this works,” Sabadicci declared. It has a magnetic valve with ounce measurings, plus a button that releases the beverage over the appropriate glass… just the right amount, with no fu-fu flavors.”

It’s well known that red wines need to breathe, and when they do, they taste better, opening up the intended aromas and flavors.

This design speeds up the process making it an easy act. You just hold the wine over the VINTURI, which is over the glass, and it mixes the right amount of air, for the right amount of time, allowing the wine to breathe, as shown in the photo.

At the Tasting Panel’s event, wines that really shined with this process were the bigger bodied varietals: a 2009 Tempranillo from Hearst Ranch Paso Robles, a Scheid Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir from Monterey, a Bethany 2005 Reserve Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia and the spotlight wine in my book: a 2007 Hughes Wellman Cabernet Sauvignon, from Napa Valley.

Check out all the information on this breakthrough wine product at www.VINTURI.com, and go to www.tastingpanelmag.com for the complete list of wine winners.

Wine Bytes
The Sons of Italy La Costa dei Fiori Anniversary Dinner Dance is set for Sat. Oct. 22 at St. Patrick’s Hall in Carlsbad at 6pm. A Venetian Masquerade is the theme, and the $50. ticket includes Italian Buffet Dinner, wine and beer, open bar, silent auction and raffle, and live music with dancing. RSVP at 760-943-8494.

San Diego Wine Company has an Aussie Wine Tasting Sat. Oct. 22 from 11 to 4:30pm for $10. The new Mollydooker releases are featured. Call 858-586-9463.

Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido is pouring Premier Ports Monday Oct. 24 from 5:30-7:30pm and featuring Port expert Robert Bower. $15. pp. with RSVP required. Call 760-745-1200.

The Temecula Wine Country Harvest Wine Celebration is Sat. Nov. 5 and Sun. Nov. 6 from 10am to 4:30pm. Visit 30+ wineries each day in a self guided tour. Wine tastings and food samples are offered at each stop…some from the barrel. Cost is $99. More information at 800-801-9463. Or check out www.temeculawines.org

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