Il Valore Primitivo Puglia (2006)

December 17, 2007 — -

Il Valore Primitivo Puglia 2006This Il Valore Primitivo Puglia 2006 is a black-plum colored Italian wine with a nose of blackberries and cloves. On the palate is a very grapy fruit (almost like Welch’s grape juice) with a slightly fizzy quality. The tannins are soft and the acidity is high.

It’s a Monday night and we are having a well-deserved cocktail hour. All that shoveling yesterday made my shoulder muscles sore (if there ARE muscles up there)! I think Tom is fine because his arms are strong. . . but it feels very good to me to relax. I have some leftover vegetable soup on the stove with some good bread and cheese for our dinner.

Posted in Italian wines, Under $10, Zinfandel. Leave a Comment »

La Cour Pavillon (2005)

December 16, 2007 — -

La Cour Pavillon Bordeaux Superieur 2005

Shoveling snowYummy. This La Cour Pavillon 2005 Bordeaux is delicious. A lovely bouquet of cherries and blackberries. This red is silky smooth and tannic. The finale is a spicy chocolate and chocolate-covered cherries.

Today we spent much of our day shoveling the driveway. I took some pictures of the snow while we were shoveling. We have at least 10″ of snow; it was beautiful today!

Tom and Melody’s houseTom: This La Cour Pavillon 2005 is a pleasant, fairly light, medium-tannic bordeaux, tasting of cherries and berries. We’re very much enjoying this after several rounds of snow shoveling today!

Posted in Bordeaux, French wines, Over $10. 2 Comments »

Simunye Shiraz (2004)

December 14, 2007 — -

Simunye Shiraz 2004This Simunye Shiraz 2004 from South Africa is delicious and satisfying. In the glass it is a fresh garnet. The nose is freshly-cut wood. In the mouth is a medium-bodied red with supple tannins and explosive fruit flavors. The finish is cedar and bramble. This is a wine that you can’t ignore. Love it!

Tom: This Simunye Shiraz 2004 is big. Its nose is chocolate and coffee. Its taste also has some cherry and vanilla. An intriguing and very drinkable shiraz.

Posted in Over $10, Shiraz, South African wines. Leave a Comment »

Barrio La Boca Malbec (2006)

December 13, 2007 — -

Barrio La Boca Malbec 2006This Barrio La Boca Malbec 2006 is a pearly, opalescent purple in the glass and a fresh and spicy nose reminiscent of cherries and cured meats. It is a dry and tannic, yet quite fruity. The wine has a sharp mouth feel with a smooth finish on the palate. The taste is plums, vanilla, and cherries. The finish is chocolate-covered cherries.

We had reviewed this wine previously but it was the 2005 version. This is the 2006 and it is delicious. What an excellent value. I can’t imagine a red-wine lover that wouldn’t approve of this wine.

I have meatloaf in the oven and it smells yummy. Snow and sleet are hitting the windows. I will make some side dishes shortly to go with the meatloaf. It’s only 8:00 p.m. What’s the hurry?

Tom: We have often enjoyed this inexpensive but delicious Barrio La Boca Malbec. It tastes of cherries and vanilla. It’s fruity but still dry. Very drinkable.

Posted in Argentine wines, Malbec, Under $10. 7 Comments »

Ruby Canyon California Cabernet Sauvignon (2003)

December 12, 2007 — -

Ruby Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2003What a delicious find! This Ruby Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 from California is made in a tiny winery on the north coast of California. The wine is a beautiful burgundy color in the glass. On the nose is licorice — it definitely makes me think of Good & Plenty’s. Deep berries on the middle palate. The mouthfeel is full bodied and tannic. Yummy. So delicious! I will serve this wine tonight with a casserole of eggs, sausage, potatoes, and cheese — a real comfort casserole for a cold and dark December night.

Tom: This Ruby Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 is very pleasant. It’s fruity and soft; you might claim it’s a merlot in a blind tasting. Its tastes are cherry and vanilla. A bright and pleasant quaff.

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California wines, Over $10. 4 Comments »

Walnut Grove Vintners Selection (2005)

December 10, 2007 — -

Walnut Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2005This California Walnut Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is dark red in the glass. The nose is captivating with vanilla and ripe fruit. On the palate it is medium bodied with supple tannins. It definitely has that black-tea quality that leaves your lips smacking — I hope that makes sense. Tom chose this wine to go with our dinner of bison steaks, steamed brown rice, and sauteed spinach. We have never had bison; we will try this for the first time. I’ll let you know how we like it!

Tom:  This Walnut Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 has major chocolate-coffee flavor with some dark fruit in the background. It’s fairly tannic. It’s delicious and will undoubtedly stand up well to our bison steaks (!).

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California wines, Over $10. 2 Comments »

Bogle Petite Sirah (2005)

December 8, 2007 — -

Bogle Petite Sirah 2005In the glass this Bogle Petite Sirah 2005 is purple and dark. On the nose is ripe cherries and young berries. On the palate are traces of butter, vanilla, oak, and prunes. There are fruit flavors of plum and prune with some black pepper; it is gentle yet jammy! This is medium bodied and round in the mouth, not acidic. The finish is pleasant, faintly bitter, and not particularly tannic.

Tom: This Bogle Petite Sirah 2005 is absolutely delicious. The taste is of coffee and chocolate and dark fruit. It’s fairly soft, not particularly tannic. It’s jammy but not fruit bomby. Luscious.

(We previously reviewed a Bogle Petite Sirah 2005 last May.)

Posted in California wines, Over $10, Petite Sirah. Leave a Comment »

Les Pins Fitou (2005)

December 7, 2007 — -

Les Pins Fitou 2005Tonight, Tom chose Les Pins Domaine Carpy Fitou 2005, a French red, which is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignon, and Mourvedre for our Friday night. We have had a very demanding week (who hasn’t?) and we are so looking forward to a quiet night at home.

This Les Pins Domaine Carpy Fitou 2005 from France is quite lovely. It is full bodied with a fruity nose, firm and grippy tannins, and a memorable finish. The wine is complex and is a challenge to describe because there is so much there — such as, bramble, sage and raspberries — and a luscious finish of espresso and cherries. A perfect selection for a decompression Friday night. Cheers!

Tom: This Les Pins Domaine Carpy Fitou 2005 is a fruity blend that still avoids being a fruit bomb. You notice the fruit taste right away, particularly cherries. There’s a nice taste of coffee that makes it interesting. It’s an interesting wine, not a big tannic red, but a softer, fruitier wine that’s still very pleasant.

Posted in Blends, French wines, Over $10. 3 Comments »

Saliero Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (2006)

December 6, 2007 — -

Saliero Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2006This Saliero Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2006 is very nice, tasting of chocolate and luscious dark fruit.  It’s quite dry but not particularly tannic; it’s pleasantly soft. It’s extremely drinkable; a very pleasant Italian table red.

Posted in Italian wines, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. 16 Comments »

Third Stone Syrah (2006)

December 6, 2007 — -

Third Stone Monterey County Syrah 2006Third Stone Monterey County Syrah 2006 is from California and we received it from one of our wine clubs. The aroma is enticing; plums, pepper, and bramble. I think this wine is delectable. It has a lovely balance of fruit and tannins, which I am discovering is so very important to me. I do not like a syrupy wine! The flavors of plum and cedar and the long finish of pepper and woods is wonderful.

I had a long and demanding day at work today. When I got home, I decided to make a comforting dinner with food that I had on hand – I created what I think will be a delicious casserole of savory sage sausage, diced potatoes, eggs, and cheese. . . we’ll see!

Posted in California wines, Over $10, Syrah. 5 Comments »
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