The Good Wine Guru » Italian Wine

Barone Fini Pinot Grigio 2010

George — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:00:44 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Grigio
Region: Italy
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: A reasonably priced white wine with a crisp, clean taste. With its subtle fruit flavors, this wine can be enjoyed with rich holiday meals and allows your guests to enjoy the delicious tastes of the many flavors of the holidays.

My Review: I got this, along with a few other samples, right before the holidays but only just recently got a chance to get into them. It’s been a hectic beginning to 2012. That being said, because of the hectic nature of the start of my year, some wine has been called for and my wife and I recently popped open this bottle to go with some chicken.

When I was first getting into wine a crisp Italian Pinot Grigio was one of my go-to white wines. They tended to be approachable and weren’t overly sweet or overly complex for my developing palate. As my tastes evolved I moved away from how much of it I drank, not because I found them distasteful but because I was A) busy experimenting with other grapes, and B) I found I appreciated a bit more complexity to my wines. With that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2010 Barone Fini Pinot Grigio.

Now make no mistake, there was plenty of crisp citrus notes on this wine, which was to be expected. What I found so enjoyable was this overarching taste and sensation of green that the wine gave off. You can call it cut grass or whatever you like, but at the end of the day “green” is the best descriptor I can come up with and it was great.

The wine was nice and refreshing thanks to the citrus on both the nose and on the palate, and was a nice counter note to the chicken my wife and I made which had a bit of spice to it thanks to the seasoning we used. Now I’m not going stand here and tell you that this is some life-changing wine that will inspire you to write poetry in praise of it because that would be foolish. I will, however, tell you that it’s a great value wine and that it certainly surprised me with more complexity than I was expecting when I put screw to cork and gave it a twist.

This should be a fairly easy wine to find in your local stores, but if for some reason you can’t, you can also follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

Bolla Soave Classico DOC 2010

George — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:00:42 +0000

Varietal: 90% Garganega; 10% Trebbiano di Soave
Region: Soave – Italy
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale straw in color with aromas of flowers and pear. Medium-bodied, harmonious, and balanced with hints of lemon and acacia honey. Pair with antipasto, risottos, seafood, and pizza.

My Review: Having already tried the first Soave that was sent to me, I didn’t want to wait too long before trying the other so that I could see the difference in them, so when my wife and I recently put together a dinner of calamari and sauteed shrimp, opening up the bottle sounded like a good idea.

Middle of the road is probably the best way to describe this wine. There aren’t a lot of aromas, though some floral notes came through. In the mouth it’s not particularly full bodied, but neither is it particularly big on the acid and citrus, though it was good and crisp. If I was making a wine for somebody that wanted something less rounded than a Chardonnay but wanted less citrus than a Sauvignon Blanc, this is probably the wine I would make.

The wine paired well enough with the food, but it didn’t exactly enhance, nor was enhanced, by the food. As a crisp white wine to sip on while sitting on a deck in warm weather when you’re looking for something refreshing that you don’t have to think too much about you’ll do well with this wine.

Compared to the 2009 Fattori Soave Classico DOC “Runcaris” I enjoyed this one better. That being said, it didn’t blow me away, though I would give it another look in the summer when I’m out on the deck with a book.

Fattori Soave Classico DOC “Runcaris” 2009

George — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:00:22 +0000

Varietal: 100% Gargenega
Region: Soave – Italy
Cost: $13 (SRP)

My Review: When I was first approached about reviewing a pair of wines from the Soave region of Italy I jumped at the chance, in part because it was a region that I was fairly unfamiliar with and I’m always looking to try something new, and also because Italian wines were what first got me into wine, so the country as a whole as always had a spot in my heart.

I had a rough idea of what to expect from the wine just from looking up descriptions of both the grape (Gargenega), and the wines from the region. The wine was light and crisp both on the nose and in the mouth with notes of citrus.

In the mouth the wine had a touch of minerality and the finish featured both a note of petrol and a hint of sweetness that was different and seemed to both fight and compliment each other at the same time, cutting each from being too prominent.

We paired the dinner with a meal of chicken breasts stuffed with a mixture of ranch, blue cheese, and celery that was then breaded and cooked to crispiness and then drizzled with a buffalo sauce (it was really good), the wine did a good job of cutting through the heat and creaminess of the meal, offering a crisp, refreshing note against the chicken.

I’d be lying if I said I was totally in love with this wine, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued by it. I have another bottle from another producer that I’m looking forward to trying and seeing how it compares to the first one, so check back soon as it’s high on my list to sample.

Saying Goodbye to Summer

George — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:00:02 +0000

Well, the end of summer isn’t that far away, so when I was recently sent a mixed case of summer white wines, it seemed a shame to sit on them and try to go through them each individually as I would have quickly run out of summer by the time I was able to get to them all. With that in mind I invited some friends over, opened up all the wines, and tasted them all at once, because let’s be honest, that’s what summer’s really all about. Here’s what I thought.

The first one I tasted was the 2010 La Fiera Pinot Grigio (SRP $8). I got mostly apples on both the nose and the palate with a nice lingering finish with just the right amount of acid. There was a slight hint of sweetness to my palate, but for being the first one I tried, it was a good start and it’s a good value for these kinds of parties.

Next up were two from Tiamo. First was the Tiamo Prosecco (SRP $15) which had a hint of citrus on the nose with medium sized bubbles and a slight bit of yeast on the palate and a mix of crisp fruit. This was definitely not a super-dry Prosecco and it was quickly consumed by my friends.

The other was the 2010 Tiamo Pinot Grigio (SRP $12) which I found to have some citrus on the nose and apple and lime in the mouth. It was nice and crisp with just a hint of effervescence to me, a trait I find I enjoy this time of year.

From Argentina I had some Santa Julia wines, starting with the 2010 Santa Julia Pinot Grigio (SRP $10), which had notes of tropical fruit and banana, which I think added a hint of sweetness on the finish of the wine.

Next was the 2010 Santa Julia Innovacion Torrontes Pinot Grigio (SRP $11). This was actually a 1L bottle and is a Whole Foods Exclusive “Summer Top 10 Wine” and was certainly one I was interested to try given my growing enjoyment of Torrontes. I got notes of orange peel on the nose and floral notes in the mouth with a slight almost petrol note. For the price this is a good value and an interesting combination (90% Torrontes/10% Pinot Grigio) that I think I’d like to see more of.

Finally from Santa Julia was the 2011 Santa Julia Organica Chardonnay (SRP $11), which is made from 100% organically grown Chardonnay grapes. On the nose I got green apple and pineapple, with the pineapple carrying through to the palate. There was a nice finish to it that was at once both crisp and long tasting. This is a stainless steel wine for those that have an aversion to oaked Chardonnay (you know who you are).

The first of three Rieslings that I had was the 2009 Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling Classic (SRP $18) which had a nice minerality with peaches, grapefruit, and a nice crisp, dry finish. There was a subtle sweetness to this one, which at least to my palate was the driest of the three and one I’d be interested to pair with some spicy Thai food.

Next was the 2009 Heinz Eifel “Shine” Riesling (SRP $10) which was slightly sweeter than the previous Riesling and had flavors of green apple. I could still probably drink this one with the right meal, but again I’d want some kind of spicy Asian cuisine to go with it and cut through the sweetness.

The final Riesling was the 2010 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling (SRP $12). With an aroma of apple and honeysuckle, petrol, and some minerality in the mouth it was also the sweetest of the Rieslings and featured a lemon/sour note that wasn’t off-putting, but neither was it great.

Up next was the 2010 Biohof Pratsch Gruner Veltliner (SRP $14). This was probably my favorite wine of the night and is a great value considering the bottle was 1L. Made from organic grapes, there was apple on the nose and a fresh, tangy dry minerality in the mouth with just a touch of white pepper. I kept going back to this one all night and was sad to see it gone.

The 2010 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $12) was one I had actually seen in stores a few times but never picked up. Might have to now. Aromas of gooseberry an herbal note were nice, but on the palate I was really intrigued with this wine that was nice a dry with flavors of stone fruit and what was debated as being either nettles, tomato vines, or just “green”. Either way, I really liked this one.

The final wine of the night was the 2010 Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $16). Like the Fire Road, it was from New Zealand, and like the previous bottle it featured similar aromas with some grapefruit coming into the mix and some of the nettle/tomato vine/green. A touch of a mineral note on the palate was welcome as well.

All in all this was a great selection of wines. The Rieslings weren’t terrible, even though when I first received the wines I’ll admit I cringed at the sight of three German Rieslings – my memories of growing up in Germany tasting sickly sweet German Rieslings are hard to get over.

I really enjoyed the Gruner Veltliner, this being my first real experience with it, and the two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs had intriguing aromas and flavors that make me want to see if this is something about that particular vintage in the region or just something those winemakers were doing.

There’s not a single one of these wines that I would tell somebody to avoid like the plague, but if I had to pick one to buy it would be the Gruner Veltliner with the two Sauvignon Blancs closely following.

Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco

George — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:00:01 +0000

Varietal: Prosecco (100% Glera grapes)
Region: Italy
Cost: $9-$12

Winemaker’s Notes: Light and refreshing with a nose that shows hints of white peach, grapefruit, and honey-dew melon. The fine effervescence gives way to creamy flavors of ripe lemons and refined citrus notes with a toasted brioche finish. Medium froth, our Prosecco is reminiscent of lemon meringue pie. Pair with gorgonzola crostini and prosciutto wrapped melon.

My Review: Bubbles are one of those things I find in my fridge more and more often. It’s not that I’d had anything against sparkling wines in the past, just that I hadn’t made a point of keeping them on hand. However, a few really good experiences with sparkling wines, and a good friend that drinks them almost exclusively, has lead to me at least always perusing the sparkling aisle at whatever wine shop at happen to be in.

On a recent trip to a new grocery store with my wife, I came across an end-cap featuring a smattering of Cupcake Vineyards wines. I’d tried (and reviewed) several of them, but was interested to see they had recently added a Prosecco to their offerings. Not one to pass on something to write about, I grabbed a bottle to be enjoyed later. Later just happened to be last night.

Since Wednesdays deserve all the celebration they can get, my wife and I decided to pair the Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco with a pasta dish we had prepared a few nights before and had sitting in the fridge just waiting to go in the oven. Now, before I talk about the wine in great depth, I feel obliged to speak on the dinner. There is a chain of Italian restaurants called The Macaroni Grill where my wife and worked at some years ago (and in fact met at), which features a dish, their signature dish mind you, known as the Penne Rustica. It’s a mix of penne pasta, chicken, shrimp, prosciutto, and seasoning all in a gratinata sauce and baked with cheese on the top. It’s very delicious and I do recommend it. Ok, on to the wine.

The Prosecco was very light in the glass, nearly clear, and I caught hints of a green color when it was in just the right light. On the nose I got a fairly generic citrus aroma, and not much of one to be honest. In the mouth I picked up notes of peach and a hint of a toasted bread on the finish. All in all, it was fairly middle of the road with nothing to really make it stand out. However, I’d still recommend giving it a try. Why you ask? Because this wine very much fell into the category of “table bubbles” for me – it wasn’t spectacular or earth shaking, but it also wasn’t a disappointment, especially for around $10.

If you want to give it a try yourself and can’t find a bottle at your local shop, you can always follow this link and have some sent directly to your home or office.

Vivi Falanghina 2009

George — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:36:49 +0000

Varietal: 100% Falanghina
Region: Italy
Cost: $10

Winemaker’s Notes: Pale yellow color with a greenish shimmer. Aromas and flavors of tiny white flowers, fruit, “limongella” apple, tropical lime, and a clean balanced taste and finish. Pairs well with seafood, chicken, or creamy pasta dishes.

My Review: I will admit that before this bottle showed up, I was completely unfamiliar with the Falanghina grape. I had never heard of it, never seen it on a shelf, and actually had to check the tasting sheet included with the wine to make sure that Falanghina was the grape and not some branding on the wine.

The wine definitely has a greenish hue to it when held up to the light, but otherwise is a very pale yellow in color. There’s a lot of citrus both on the nose and in the mouth, and while I got lime, it was otherwise a fairly nondescript “citrus” flavor in the mouth, with no one flavor really jumping out to me. Paired with a dinner of pesto tilapia it complimented the dish and I could see pairing it with a cream dish like pasta with alfredo sauce.

Much like the 2009 Vivi Primitivo, my overall impression of this wine was just…meh. It’s certainly not bad, but it also doesn’t really impress me either. The citrus in the mouth was nice, but not being able to distinguish any other flavor than lime was a bit off-putting to me. Like the Primitivo, I’m not saying avoid at all costs, but only that I don’t know that I’d buy it and take it to a dinner party. If you do want to pick up a bottle to give a try to, if for no other reason than to try a new grape, you can find it by following this link.

Vivi Primitivo 2009

George — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:00:40 +0000

Varietal: 100% Primitivo
Region: Italy – Manduria
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Red in color with aromas of cherry, strawberry and spices. Fresh and balanced on the palate with evenly distributed minerals and fine tannins, with notes of fruit and cinnamon in the finish. Pairs well with cheese, tomato-based pasta dishes, BBQ, and spicy entrees such as chili.

My Review: I’ve only had Primitivo a few times, so when I received this sample I was very interested to try it, especially given as how my wife and I usually look towards tomato-based pasta dishes when we’re looking for a quick and easy dinner. Last night was no exception to that, so this bottle got opened.

In the glass the wine was a nice red color, and I definitely got aromas of cherry and strawberry, both of which carried through to the palate along with a jammyness that I typically associate with Zinfandel. I bring up Zinfandel because Primitivo is a relative of Zinfandel and is often referred to as Italy’s Zinfandel.

Taking a hint from the tasting notes, my wife and I made a dinner of baked penne pasta in a tomato sauce with some meatballs and topped with some mozzarella cheese. The flavors of the wine paired well with the dish, but if I had one complaint about the wine is that I was hoping for some more body or oomph out of it.

A bit later as the bottle opened up I got some more boldness out of it, along with a musty/footy note that I didn’t find unappealing, but overall while I didn’t dislike the wine, it just didn’t blow me away. Would I drink it again? Sure. Would I choose it over something new? Probably not. I’m not going to say avoid this wine, but if you’re looking for something a bit bigger to pair with a meal, you might want to look at something else. If you do want to try the 2009 Vivi Primitivo (and I’d love to hear your opinion on it if you do…maybe I was just being picky), and you can’t find it at your local store, you can follow this link to have some shipped to your home or office.

Planeta Burdese 2005

George — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:00:01 +0000

Varietal: Blended Red Wine (70% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Cabernet Franc)
Region: Sicily
Cost: $43

Dark red color with aromas of wild berry, black cherry, leather, earth, and mineral. Palate carries over the flavors with the addition of spice and balsamic notes. Pairs well with meaty pasta, meats, and some cheeses.

Recommendations: This bottle was given as a gift to me, and I have to say it was pretty enjoyable. I had been holding off on opening it until I could pair it with something Italian in nature, and I finally got around to it last Friday. My wife decided to make these lasagna rolls that are stuffed with Italian sausage and ricotta cheese, then topped with red sauce and mozzarella and thrown in the oven to bake. Very tasty.

As for the wine itself, the dark color was appealing in the glass, and the aromas of berry and black cherry with a hint of earth were enticing. On the palate, I continued to get black cherry, and a bit of the spice did come through at the finish for me. Nice tannins on the finish made it a great pairing with the lasagna rolls.

My only complaint with this wine is the price. I really hope the friend that gave it to me didn’t actually pay $43 for it, because while the wine was good, it wasn’t that good. Would I recommend picking this up at around $20-$30 a bottle? Absolutely. But would I say pay any more than that? Nope. It was a good wine, but you can find other wines with similar flavor profiles for much less than $40. Good, but not worth the suggested prices I found online.

Conte Fini Pinot Grigio Valdadige 2009

George — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:00:10 +0000

Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Region: Italy
Cost: $12

Pale straw color with aromas of pear and citrus that carry through to the palate with the addition of apple. Pairs well with seafood, appetizers, and cream-based pasta dishes.

Recommendations: Last night my wife and I decided we wanted some white wine to go with a dinner of mostly finger foods. Unfortunately we didn’t have any in the house (I realize this is becoming a trend). Running down to the store, we picked up a 6-pack of pumpkin beer for my wife, and a bottle of the 2009 Conte Fini Pinot Grigio for dinner.

We realized as we were buying the wine that it had been a really long time since we had bought or drank Pinot Grigio, partly because of typically drinking Sauvignon Blanc where we would normally choose Pinot Grigio. It was time to branch out.

The wine was nice and light, with aromas of pear and apple. In the mouth I got primarily apple, with a hint of pear on the finish. Paired with a dinner of bacon wrapped scallops and some crab puffs, it was light enough to not overwhelm the fish, and the acid did a nice job of cutting through the fat of the scallops.

While it’s certainly been a while since I’ve had any Pinot Grigio, last night reminded me of why I used to keep a couple of bottles of it on hand. The Conte Fini was a nice wine that I can definitely see myself picking up again for exactly this reason. One worth checking out if you’re like me and haven’t had Pinot Grigio in a while, or even if you have it almost every day.

Ruffino Chianti 2008

George — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:00:05 +0000

Varietal: Chianti
Region: Italy
Cost: $9

Ruby red in color with aromas of spice, cherry, and hazelnut. Flavors of fruit and berry in a medium-bodied wine. Pairs well with pasta, pizza, and most traditional Italian dishes.

Recommendations: I picked up this bottle last night after a long day of work. I’d had other Ruffino wines before and enjoyed them and was just in the mood for Chianti and thought this would be a safe bet. I should have grabbed another one. While the color and the aromas of the wine were nice – ruby red and cherry – I felt the wine was lighter than I was expecting in the mouth. The flavors were all there, berry, some cherry, and a noticeable tannic finish, but while Ruffino claims it’s medium-bodied, I felt it leaned more towards the lighter side.

While this bottle hasn’t turned me off of Ruffino wines, I definitely won’t be getting this one again, especially as there are other Chiantis out there for about the same price that have delivered for me in the past. Kinda disappointing.