21 July 2011 2008 Enzo Boglietti Dolcetto d’Alba

2008 Enzo Boglietti Dolcetto d’Alba

July 21, 2011 By

Enjoyed this Dolcetto at an outstanding Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, NY called Locanda Vini e Olii where it was served as what I’ll call the house wine.

This wine from Piedmont is light-medium bodied and is a good option at dinner where it must be paired with various dishes.

On the nose, the 2008 Enzo Boglietti Dolcetto d’Alba is fruity, a little musty and earthy. In the mouth, it’s not as light, fruity and sweet (Dolcetto translates to “little sweet one”) as this varietal typically is.  It’s more structured with a good amount of tannins with unexpected earthy, wild raspberry and smoky flavors.

Nice (and somewhat atypical), no-nonsense Dolcetto that should please a wide array of palates.

Around $17.

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5 July 2011 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir

2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir

July 5, 2011 By

This Pinot Noir from Marlborough, New Zealand’s most acclaimed winemaking region, is a dark garnet color in the glass and offers a slightly spicy, stone fruits and ripe cherries nose.  In the mouth, I get tons of juicy, ripe dark raspberries and currents.

I served this affordable and approachable wine at my 4th of July party and it paired well with many of the dishes I was serving from blue cheese-topped sirloin burgers to sharp cheddar macaroni and cheese.

From around $14.

Filed Under: New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
20 June 2011 2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

June 20, 2011 By

I decided to pair this Finger Lakes wine with scallop ceviche I was serving as a starter at my last dinner party and it was a super choice.

When I poured the 2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, it was straw colored in the glass.  I thought I’d made an error and opened a sweet Riesling judging by the honey color of the wine, but upon tasting it, I was pleased by the tartness and acidity I found.  In the mouth, this wine offers Fiji apple, ripe lemons and wet steely stones.  Great acidity and length on the finish.

Nice summer wine to add to my repertoire of affordable Rieslings.

Around: $15.

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8 June 2011 2010 Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

2010 Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

June 8, 2011 By

Paired this New Zealand white wine with some seared scallops and a shrimp salad and it was fabulous.  This Sauvignon Blanc is bright, young and fresh and perfect for any summer parties.

The nose on this pale green wine is citrusy – Meyer lemons and pink grapefruit.  On the palate, this isn’t your typical ultra-light Sauvignon Blanc but a bit more substantial wine with tart flavors of honeydew melons, key limes and other tropical fruits.  The finish is zesty, mouth-watering and medium in length with bright acidity.

Around $10.

This wine was provided to me for sampling and I’m adding to my repertoire as it’s truly enjoyable.

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7 June 2011 2009 Wyndham Estate Bin 333 Pinot Noir

2009 Wyndham Estate Bin 333 Pinot Noir

June 7, 2011 By

Brought this South East Australia Pinot Noir to a BYOB restaurant as I needed a wine that could be paired with multiple dishes and was pleased at how well it held up.

The wine is bright red in the glass and offers more of a strawberry jam nose than the cherry one typical of Pinot Noirs.  The strawberry continues in the mouth, but with juicy cherry flavors with a hint of spice.  Soft tannins give this wine some backbone and the finish is surprisingly long.

This very affordable Pinot Noir is perfect for any summer get-togethers and would pair well with grilled chicken or salmon, and also some light-sauced pasta dished.

Around $10.

This wine was provided to me for sampling and I’m adding to my repertoire as it’s truly enjoyable.

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27 May 2011 2009 Red Newt Circle Riesling

2009 Red Newt Circle Riesling

May 27, 2011 By

I met Red Newt Cellars co-founder, Debra Whiting at the New York Wine Expo this year and loved how passionate and proud she is of this well-crafted Riesling.

The 2009 Circle Riesling is ideal in any setting with its 3.2% residual sugar.  Great on a Tuesday night with Thai take out or paired with lobster in a spicy red sauce on the weekend.  The fact that this Finger Lakes Riesling is affordable is just another perk and makes it possible to order by the case for most wine lovers to have on hand for any occasion.

The wine is crisp, bright and juicy with the right amount of acidity.  On the nose, the aroma is peaches and nectarines.  In the mouth, it’s Meyer lemons with honey and Fiji apple undertones.  The finish is clean and slightly sweet and makes me look forward to the next sip.

Wine Spectator 86 points.

Around $13.

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19 May 2011 2006 Domaine Roger Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape

2006 Domaine Roger Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape

May 19, 2011 By

I chilled this wine a bit as it was a little warm.  This was a good call, but what wasn’t, was not decanting it.  This wine is big, sharp, tannic – just powerful, which I like, but would have benefited from decanter time to soften up or a few years in the cellar.

With that said, this Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the deepest ruby in the glass.  The color is definitely a hint to what the nose and palate will be.  Nose is all about dark, ripe berries with woodsy notes.  In the mouth it’s herbal, earthy, black licorice, anise and leather that are reflected. Full body with strong tannins is what you should expect.

Robert Parker: 89 Points.

Around $29.

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18 May 2011 2009 Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto D’Alba

2009 Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto D’Alba

May 18, 2011 By

Friends asked what they could bring to one of my dinner parties and I simply said “wine to go with beef”.  To my good fortune, they brought this little gem.

In the glass, the wine is a bright garnet hue.  In the mouth, it’s rich with ripe berries, musky with nutty notes.  Brought on some bouquet garni elements on the medium, dry finish.

Wine Advocate: 90 Points.

Around $21.

 

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2007 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Campo San Vito – Villa Monteleone

May 9, 2011 By

Nearly black in color, this almost full-bodied Italian wine offers dark berries and herbal undertones on the nose and big, bright, spicy berry in the mouth.  Just layers upon layers of ripe fruit with a finish that lasts forever (or you wish it did).

Around $30.

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18 April 2011 2009 Segal’s Fusion Dry Red Wine

2009 Segal’s Fusion Dry Red Wine

April 18, 2011 By

This Kosher wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon that was a great pairing with rosemary and garlic-marinated lamb chops.

The inky-colored hue of this Galilee Heights wine hints to a heavy wine, but I was surprised by a medium-bodied, elegant one instead.

The nose on this Israeli wine is stone fruits, dark berries and slight spice.  In the mouth it’s bolder, plummy with traces of licorice.  The slight pucker caused by the tannins mixed with the fatty, rosemary-infused lamb was a winner.  The finish is of medium length, dry and pleasant.

About $16.

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