Posts Tagged ‘earthiness’
Varietal: Tempranillo (60%); Shiraz (40%)
Region: Spain
Cost: $11.99 (SRP)
Aromas of spice and cherry, with flavors of dark cherry, chocolate, blackberry, plum, and earthiness. Pairs well with hearty meals such as Texas pork ribs, lasagna Florentine, tapas, lamb, and Spanish chorizo.
Recommendations: My wife liked this bottle just because the label was orange, her favorite color. I was intrigued when I got this sample some weeks ago as I enjoy both Tempranillo and Shiraz, but hadn’t really experimented with them blended. Finally, this past weekend while having a friend over for dinner, I decided to give it a try.
The wine was nice and dark in the glass and featured aromas of cherry and a bit of spice and earth. On the palate I got black cherry and a nice smooth finish that was oh so welcome. While I didn’t pair the wine with a Spanish dish, I did have it with a nice nice hearty beef stew that my wife had been slowly making in the crock pot all day. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Meritage (Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon; Petit Verdot)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $22
Deeply colored and full bodied. Blackberry, cassis, and jammy red fruit flavors pair well with a variety of foods such as lamb chops, chicken marsala, Osso Bucco, steaks, pork, BBQ, or day old meat loaf.
Recommendations: First of all, I want to clear something up. It’s Meritage (as in “heritage”)…at the Virginia Wine Expo two weeks ago, where there were several Meritages, this became a topic of debate at several tasting tables. Ok…now on to the review.
The Surfrider Red is good. The alcohol on the nose did give way as the wine opened up more into aromas of fruit and cherry, and the red fruit flavor finished with a combination of bold tannins and earthiness that I rather enjoyed, especially since the alcohol that was on the nose didn’t come through on the palate.
Paired with a dinner of grilled BBQ chicken and some mixed veggies, the full-bodied, earthy flavor of the wine did a great job of enhancing the natural smokiness of the food without overwhelming the chicken or being overwhelmed by it. It did what wine is supposed to do – complimented the meal.
While this wine certainly isn’t life-altering in any way, it was very enjoyable both with the meal and after, and was perfect with the BBQ – something that I feel will be a bigger issue as the weather begins to warm. For those getting ready to start grilling, the Surfrider is definitely one to consider.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for providing the wine for this review.
Varietal: Red Blend
Region: Italy
Cost: $20
Deep purple coloring with aromas of roses, violets, and woodlands. Red and black fruits on the palate, with hints of truffle and chocolate. Pair with veal, hearty soups, hard cheeses such as Parmesan or Pecorino, lamb, Osso Bucco.
Recommendations: I’ve been sitting on this bottle for a few weeks since receiving it just before Thanksgiving waiting to pair it with some steaks that have been sitting in my fridge waiting to be cooked. I was so glad that I did. I’m a fan of dry red wines, and the Canneto Rosso did not disappoint.
Tons of earthiness on the nose lead into a very dry wine that still managed to exhibit flavors of ripe berries. Although the wine has a high alcohol content (14%/vol), it doesn’t show either on the nose or on the palate, a huge selling point for me.
Paired with a well seasoned steak, the dryness of the wine was a great compliment to the juiciness of the meat, and the earthiness on the nose mixed well with the herbs I used on the steak (rosemary is my friend). While this wine is a bit expensive to use as an everyday table wine, it’s certainly in that vein and if you’re looking for a fancier table wine, this is certainly what you’re looking for. Definitely worth grabbing.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for supplying the wine.
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: California – USA
Cost: $20.50
Cherry and strawberry on the nose lead you into a rich wine that is both smooth and full of flavors, including fresh berry and earthiness on the finish with just a hint of tannin.
Recommendations: I’m a big fan of pinot noir, and when I received this wine I had to resist the urge to open it right up (as I was at work at the time). It was well worth the wait. Carrying a bit more alcohol on the nose than other pinot noirs I’ve had in the past, it wasn’t overwhelming, and it also didn’t carry as much earthiness and tannin on the finish, which made it a great compliment to the simple pasta dinner my wife and I had it with.
If you’ve never had pinot noir before, the Trinity Oaks pinot is actually a great way to get into it, as it runs very much in the middle of the road on flavors and aromas from both new world and old world pinot noir. It doesn’t exhibit the fruitiness that many California reds are known for, but isn’t as dry as some French reds are known to be. A great wine to enjoy with something fancy or something simple.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club for providing the wine.
Rockbridge Cabernet Franc
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Region: Virginia – USA
Cost: $17 – $20
Good earthiness to the wine, a very dry cabernet franc. A very robust aroma greets you before you sip at the wine, which is followed by flavors of cherry and a hint of black olive. A rather peppery finish.
Recommendation: This wine will pair excellently with a sauce-heavy pasta or a very juicy steak, but the dryness of the wine by itself will probably be a turn-off for those looking for a dry red wine to drink by itself. If you’re pairing this with a meal, I certainly recommend it, but if you’re looking for something to drink by itself, this might not be the wine for you.
