Posts Tagged ‘ripe fruit’
Varietal: Navarra (50% Tempranillo; 25% Merlot; 25% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Region: Spain
Cost: $11
Robust color with floral and fruit aromas. Flavors of ripe fruit that pair well with meat, pasta, or cheese.
Recommendations: I’ve become a huge fan of Spanish wines over the last few years, and so I never pass up the opportunity to enjoy one. I let the bottle open up a bit before pouring the first glass, and that’s definitely what I would recommend with this bottle. The 13% alcohol/volume of this wine could have been overwhelming if I hadn’t allowed the wine to open, and even after letting the bottle stand for a bit, I found that the wine was better after I let it sit in my glass for a few minutes.
Paired with a meal of herb-lime chicken and garlic green beans, the wine held up well without overwhelming the dish, something that I’m always wary of when pairing red wine with white meat. The flavors of crushed fruit were enjoyable without being too bold, and as the wine opened up, I definitely found myself enjoying it more and more. Read the rest of this entry »
Varietal: Sangiovese (90% Sangiovese; 10% Merlot)
Region: Italy
Cost: $14
Ruby red with hints of purple color featuring aromas of ripe fruit with floral hints. Fruit on the palate with soft tannins on the finish. Pairs well with meat, roast beef, white meat, or medium-aged cheeses.
Recommendations: If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a fan of Sangiovese. While restocking my wine cellar, I picked up this wine with the pizza in my freezer in mind. Paired with a dinner of pepperoni pizza, the tannins managed to come out more than the alcohol (13%), though once the meal was gone that was less the case. Read the rest of this entry »
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: 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.
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.
