Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Brick red in the glass, this Italian red wine offers intense aromas of cherries, fresh dirt, leather and mocha. This full-bodied Super Tuscan tastes of ripe dark berries, anise and chocolate and offers a silky mouth feel. Long, spiced finish with light tannins.
Pairings: Grilled beef or lamb, sautéed mushrooms.
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Super Tuscan Blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Price: $25
My dad poured this wine at Christmas to pair with rare prime rib au jus and it was superb.
In the glass, this Bordeaux blend is brick red. On the nose, it has barnyard and earthy aromas that I sniffed for quite a while before moving on to a sip. In the mouth, the 1984 Chateau Gruaud Larose has stone fruit, leathery, mushroomy and mossy flavors. The tannins are still present, but after a bit of time in the glass, the wine became rounder, softer but still pretty great albeit perhaps a bit past its prime.
Pairings: Beef, French onion soup.
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Bordeaux blend – Cabernet Sauvignon: 57% / Merlot: 31% / Cabernet Franc: 8% / Petit Verdot: 2% / Malbec: 2%.
Region: Bordeaux, France
Price: $120
In the glass, this affordable Italian wine is inky red. On the nose, it is bold with ripe cherries and dried cranberry aromas. Just hard to stop sniffing in order to take a sip.
In the mouth, it has blackberry and dried fig flavors with licorice and leathery notes. The 2008 Allegrini Palazzo Della Torre has great balance and nice level of acidity. Finish is long and spicy.
90 points Wine Spectator.
Pairings: Pasta with red sauce, deeply-roasted meats, cheese course.
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Sangiovese
Region: Valpolicella, Italy
Price: $17
I participated in a virtual tasting last night hosted by Jeff Gordon Cellars featuring its Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah blend named Joie De Vivre. For those of you who have not taken part in a social media wine tasting, this is what it entails:
Back to the wine. The Cabernet is from Corbett Vineyards Spring Mountain, the Merlot from Solari Vineyard Calistoga and the Syrah from Page Nord Vineyard Yountville. Only 254 cases were produced, so get your thirsty hands on a bottle if you want to try it.
In the glass, it is dark purple and has me decanting half the bottle for later comparison. The nose is intense with aromas of ripe raspberry and juicy cherry exploding out of the glass. Ripe cherry, juicy stone fruit and dark berries flavors with a spice and smokey finish. The decanted wine has a lovely earthy flavor and the young tannins round up for a smooth mouthful.
Pairings: Grilled beef, cured meats and cheese platter, pasta with red sauce.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah blend
Region: Napa Valley, California, USA
Price: $61
I am grateful to have been invited to sample this celebrity wine that, as seldom happens, turns out to be quite great.
For additional information about Jeff Gordon Cellars and its wines, visit: www.jeffgordonwine.com.
Cheers, Veronique
This wine was provided to me for sampling and I am adding to my repertoire as it is truly enjoyable.
Brilliant cherry color in the glass. Big bright nose of ripe red berries. This medium-bodied Carneros Pinot Noir is classic California Pinot. Cherry and red berries explode out of the glass. Earthy, mushroom notes that linger on the finish. Velvety in the mouth. Just a really nice 100% organic Pinot, especially at this price point.
Pairings: Duck, beef, lamb, roast chicken.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: Carneros, California, USA
Price: $40
This Italian wine is dark purple in the glass. It offers aromas of dark, ripe cherries and Chinese five spice and flavors of stone fruit and dark berries with hints of leather. Soft tannins with a nice level of acidity.
Lovers of Chianti will enjoy this affordable Sangiovese.
Pairings: Grilled beef, cured meats and cheese platter, pasta with red sauce.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Sangiovese (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Price: $20
I enjoyed this red dessert wine from Uruguay at a local restaurant where the owner described it as ‘liquid raisinettes’. That quirky description might not fit in most wine reviews, but it was very much on par, and I opted to share it.
In the glass, this wine from Uruguay is deep purplish red with a bit of a syrupy consistency. On the nose, there are aromas of dark berries laced with pumpkin pie spices. In the mouth, the flavors are of dark raspberry and blackberries, chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla.
Style: Red Dessert Wine
Grape Type(s): Tannat
Region: Atlantida, Canelones, Uruguay
Price: $23 (500ml)
Viscous inky purple in the glass – just really pretty. Big, bold dark berry aromas jumping out of the glass. In the mouth, this Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is jammy with intense blackberry / grape flavors and black licorice and mocha notes. Pleasant dry, tannic finish. Dinner in a glass.
94 Points – Robert Parker.
Pairings: Beef. Cheese fondue.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA
Price: $70
The 2009 Ravines Wine Cellars Pinot Noir is a beautiful ruby in the glass. The nose is of red berries and cherries. In the mouth, the ripe cherries continue with some earthy, smoky notes with underlying oak from the French oak barrels the wine sees. Soft tannins and pleasant velvety texture. Very Burgundian in style.
Not sure there are American Pinot Noirs, outside of some Russian River wines, that are better than this little gem.
Pairings: Salmon, pork, roast chicken or duck. Very food-friendly wine.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: Finger Lakes, NY, USA
Price: $23
A friend shared this special bottle at a recent dinner and it was just gorgeous.
In the glass, it is deep red with amazing legs. On the nose, this French Bordeaux is earthy with spiced notes. In the mouth, it is silky with rich plummy fruit. It is perfectly-balanced with fine tannins and stone fruit sweetness that is velvety and lasts forever.
Pairings: Duck, beef, lamb.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Bordeaux Blend – Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
Region: Bordeaux, France
Price: $69
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