Archive for August, 2009
Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $19.50
Deep purple color with aroma of black fruits, rose petals, and dark chocolate. Ripe fruit flavor with a hint of oak on the finish. Pair with red meat, pasta with red sauce, lamb, and fowl such as ostrich.
Recommendations: My wife and I specifically went out and grabbed a couple of steaks to go with this wine and I was so glad that we did. The dark purple color of this wine is nearly opaque, something I find attractive in a wine.
The aroma of black fruit is almost misleading given the dry nature of the wine. While there are flavors of ripe fruit on the palate, what really stands out is the flavors of oak and the tannins on the finish.
While I’m sure this wine would have paired well with a pasta with red sauce, I think that pairing it with a nice juicy steak is the preferred way to enjoy this wine, as red meat and red wine are as indicative of Argentina as the tango.
If you’re a fan of Malbec or are looking for a great wine to pair with a good steak, this Malbec from Lurton is a great one to pick up and enjoy. Definitely one worth buying.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for supplying the wine for this review.
Varietal: Chianti
Region: Italy
Cost: $10
Ruby coloring with a smooth taste of fruit and just a hint of tannins at the end. Pair with pasta, pizza, roasted meat.
Recommendations: The wife and I picked this up while having dinner at Verde the other night as they were out of the Sauvignon Blanc we wanted, and this would pair well. I should preface this by saying, for anybody that hasn’t read this blog before, that I am a fan of Chianti. It’s probably the first wine that I really fell in love with and was certainly my introduction into red wines.
Now, all that being said, the Toscolo Chianti was not, by my standard, a Chianti. That’s not to say that it wasn’t made with the Sangiovese grape, but if the bottle hadn’t said Chianti on it, I would have thought it was something else. I honestly thought it had been labeled wrong and was actually a Tempranillo.
I’m not saying it wasn’t good with our meal of paninis and chips, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting. That being said, at $10, it’s not a complete waste – I wouldn’t pay more for it though. If you’re curious I’d say try it, but otherwise you can find a better Chianti for about the same price.
Varietal: Malbec
Region: Argentina
Cost: $12
Dark coloring with a nose of ripe fruit. Ripe fruit at the beginning with a smooth finish featuring just a touch of tannins. Will pair well with red meat, red sauce, or pizza.
Recommendations: I’ll be the first to admit that my wife and I picked up this bottle because of the label. Hologram style label will change depending on how you look at it, but you’ll quickly forget about it after you’ve started drinking this smooth red.
Paired with a meal of pasta with red sauce and meatballs, the smoothness of the wine did an excellent job of cutting through the acidity of the tomato sauce. I imagine this would have paired really well with a good steak, and almost lament that I didn’t get the chance to enjoy it with one.
If you’re already a fan of Malbecs, the Lo Tengo is worth checking out for the label alone, and if you’ve never had Malbec before, this is a great one to start with. Definitely worth the money and I recommend you try it.
Varietal: Zinfandel
Region: California, USA
Cost: $13.50
Gentle flavors of ripe fruit on the palate quickly lead into smoother flavors with a hint of pepper mixed with tannins on the finish. Very mellow nose on this medium-bodied wine. Will pair great with grilled food, pasta, or by itself.
Recommendations: Having already been impressed with Four Vines wine when I had their Chardonnay, I was really looking forward to this wine. It didn’t disappoint. Paired with some grilled hot dogs, the ripe fruit flavors and pepper finish were a nice compliment and were enjoyed well after the food was gone.
The fruit flavors and smoothness of this wine will make it a great compliment to BBQ, steaks, pasta and pretty much anything that has a lot of flavor on its own, but it won’t require you to drink something with it to be enjoyed either, making it a great value to keep on hand.
If you haven’t tried Four Vines wines before, I would recommend that you start. Between this Zinfandel and their Chardonnay, they are quickly becoming a favorite of mine and my wife’s. Definitely worth your money.
There are a lot of different ways to share your love of wine with the special people in your life, such as dinners, wine of the month clubs, or trips to vineyards. However, one way to show your family in friends that you appreciate wine, and that you know they do too, is to send them a wine gift basket.
A Great Alternative
While a fan of wine of the month clubs, a wine gift basket serves as a nice alternative for those looking for a wine gift without a recurring monthly cost. Also, many gift baskets feature food such as chocolate or cheese that has been specially selected to pair with the wine in the basket, great for the recipient as it gives them to enjoy with the wine that they know will pair well with it.
A Nice Introduction
For your friends that are just getting into wine, there are many inexpensive options out there to introduce them to new wines while avoiding either you or them having to invest heavily in a trip to the wine store, a vineyard, or signing up for the more elaborate wine of the month clubs, which can be very pricey.
Something for Everybody
While there are certainly wine gift baskets that reach a price tag of more than $150, there are just as many quality baskets that can be had for under $40. No matter what your price range is for gift giving, you can find a wine gift basket to suit your pocketbook.
Always in Season
Wine is always in season, and is a great gift for any season. Birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day – it’s all a great reason to give the gift of wine. If the person you’re giving it too appreciates wine, it won’t really matter what the holiday is, of even if there is a holiday.
No matter your reason for sending it, a wine gift basket is a great way to let the people in your life know that you appreciate your shared love of wine. There are plenty of great places to get a basket to fit your budget, so why not go show somebody that you’re thinking of them?
Varietal: Red Table Wine
Region: Portugal
Cost: $15
Deep red color with just a hint of ripe fruit and alcohol on the nose. Very smooth on the palate with a touch of oak and a mix of tannins and alcohol on the finish.
Recommendations: I had actually bought my father this wine for his birthday as his family is originally from Portugal, and this wine is actually imported into the town he grew up in (New Bedford, Mass.). Not getting to enjoy it with him, but hearing that he and my mother liked it very much, the wife and I decided to pick up a bottle for ourselves.
The first thing I noticed after taking a sip of the wine was how smooth it was. Just a hint of oak on the palate gave it just enough flavor, but it’s not bursting with flavor either. A touch of tannin and alcohol on the finish is actually welcome, especially when paired with a sauce-heavy dinner of pasta like we had. There’s a bit of fruit on the nose, though to be honest I couldn’t pinpoint it.
My only real complaint with this wine is that it may be too mellow for somebody that prefers their wine to have big, bold flavors. If that’s what you’re in the market for, pass on this wine. But, if you’re looking for a nice mellow red that you can pair with a lot of different things, this is definitely worth the $15 you’ll spend on it.
