Posts Tagged ‘cherry flavors’
Varietal: Chianti/Sangiovese
Region: Italy
Cost: $29
Ruby red in color with aromas of red berries. Smooth on the palate with a medium body, and great tannins on the end. Flavors of cherry and a bit of spice.
Recommendations: My wife, parents, and some extended family went to lunch in San Francisco at Tony’s Pizzeria Napoletana, and it soon fell to me to select wine for our meal. Wanting something a bit more dry to pair with the brick oven pizza, I quickly moved to the Sangiovese section of the wine menu.
I was a bit hesitant about selecting a wine from a TV show, but given that it’s an estate wine from Tuscany, I was hopeful that it would deliver. It did.
At $29 in the restaurant (about $15 in stores), it’s a great value for a chianti, especially one that will pair so well with pasta or pizza. Nice ruby coloring with aromas of red berries and flavors of cherry and spice with a great tannic finish make this a great wine to keep on hand.
If you’ve seen this and have been hesitant about picking it up because of the Iron Chef affiliation, go ahead and grab it. It’s worth it.
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $22
100% Cabernet Franc fermented in small lots and aged in French oak. Bright flavors of cherry and blackberry with the typical spicy pepper finish. Pair with grilled foods such as pork as well as pasta and tomato sauce.
Recommendations: Living in Virginia, we’re lucky enough to get a lot of quality Cabernet Franc, and this one from Gray Ghost is no exception. I was very pleasantly surprised by how light this particular Cabernet Franc was, as it paired very well with the grilled boneless pork chops and roasted red potatoes that my wife and I paired it with.
The usual pepper finish was there, but much more subtle than many other Cabernet Francs, and there was much more bright fruit flavors on the palate than I was accustomed to. Neither of these things is a bad thing. I like this Cabernet Franc because I find that those that are heavy on the pepper finish are great to pair with food, but can be a bit rough to drink by themselves. That’s not the case with this Cabernet from Gray Ghost. This is definitely a wine that can be enjoyed well after the food is gone, or without any to begin with.
The only real complaint I have about this wine is that they’ve only produced 40 cases this year. Certainly one worth trying whether you’re already a fan of Cabernet Franc or just starting to get into it.
Varietal: Chianti
Region: Italy
Cost: $8.99
Slightly dry red wine that will hit you on the back of the tongue. Slight cherry flavors and good tannins on the finish make this a good red for pasta, pizza, or red meat.
Recommendations: I’m a sucker for chianti, and Gabbiano is one that I always find myself returning to. On an evening by myself, I paired this chianti with a pasta dish. The dryness of the wine was a nice compliment to the sauciness of the meal.
For the price, Gabbiano is great in that it’s a consistently good chianti. While I’m certain you can find a better chianti, you’ll be hard pressed to find one for this price that will consistently impress. For a dinner of pasta or pizza this is worth keeping on hand.
