Posts Tagged ‘Italian Wine’
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.
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. Read the rest of this entry »
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. Read the rest of this entry »
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. Read the rest of this entry »
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 Read the rest of this entry »
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.
