2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

November 1, 2009 By
2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva

This big and rich Chianti was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and rightly so.  This wine features spicy and sweet layers and intense dark berry flavors.  The color of this wine is the darkest ruby.

Served half the bottle decanted and the other half not.  The wine out of the bottle was sharp but not unpleasant and made me glad that I decanted some of it.  The decanted wine show more velvety tannins and was smooth and delectable.

Successfully paired the 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva with bacon-wrapped filet mignon and it was a good match.  Not the first thing I’d think of pairing with it, but worked well none-the-less.

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2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve

October 11, 2009 By

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.

After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.

We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s.  I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.

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2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

October 11, 2009 By
2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

This young wine shows a beautiful purple, ruby color in the glass and offers a nice mouthful of ripe cherry and fresh berries.  The tannins are soft on this medium-bodied wine, and there’s a nice level of acidity making the Vietti Barbera D’Asti perfect for pairing with food.  Could benefit from a few years in the bottle, but can be enjoyed right away.

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2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva – Uber Food Friendliness

October 5, 2009 By

I went to a MeetUp wine tasting event on Friday night and was fortunate enough to sample over 31 wines.  The selection of wines was varied, ranging from an affordable Donny Boon Syrah to a mid-priced 2003 Chalk Hill to a couple extremely nice Super Tuscans.

I know it’s not ‘right’, but I skipped most whites in favor of the reds and found one of the affordable finds very pleasant and food-friendly.  I’m talking about the 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva.  This wine wasn’t overwhelming but had enough depth to satisfy me in a way only Italian wines can.

After so many wines, I didn’t fully trust my palate, so I bought a couple of bottles for an Italian dinner party I hosted last night.  The wine was a crowd pleaser and even features a tiny vine twig attached to the bottle (touch classier than a wicker covered bottle).  My friends who enjoy lighter reds didn’t find this wine too robust for them, and folks, like me, who like a mouthful of fruit appreciated it also.  The wine is a vibrantly purple in the glass and every sip brings about a big mouthful of peppery blackberries that ends in a dry finish.  Pairing this wine with my meat lasagna was a great move and finishing my last swallow with dark, decadent Valhrona chocolate brownies was also fitting.

The 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva is typically in the $14-$15 price range, but I was able to find it on sale for $11.99 at Wine Library.  Smart buy, solid and affordable wine.

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