Posts Tagged ‘vanilla aromas’
Paso A Paso La Mancha Tempranillo
Varietal: Tempranillo
Region: Spain
Cost: $19.49
A dark red wine with aromas of bright berry and vanilla which are mimiced in the flavors of this wine. The first sip will present berry and spice that will mellow as the wine is allowed to open up in either a decanter or in the glass. Pairs well with red meat, pasta with red sauce, and traditional antipasta.
Recommendation: If you’ve been reading this blog long enough, you know that Spanish wine has this habit of finding its way into my wine selection, particularly Tempranillo. There’s a good reason for that – it’s a great varietal. This offering is no exception. The first thing you’ll notice with this wine is the deep color with doesn’t let any light through. You would think this would lend itself to a more robust wine, but in fact the Paso A Paso is very much a medium-bodied wine.
My wife and I paired this wine with a simple meal of wheat pasta and red sauce, which we mixed a bit of the wine in with. The pairing of the bright berry and spice flavors with the rich pasta was a great mix, and was enjoyable even after we had finished our meal.
I can’t say for certain if this is my favorite Tempranillo, but I was definitely enamored of the deep color and bright flavors of this wine. For the price point it’s a definitely worth picking up.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club.
Can’t find the Paso A Paso La Mancha Tempranillo near you? Find it here.
Nine Vines Shiraz Viognier
Varietal: Shiraz/Viognier (94% Shiraz 6% Viognier)
Region: South Australia – Australia
Cost: $20.49
Big aromas of berry, especially blackberry, fruit, vanilla, and spice that only increase as the wine has time to aerate. Smooth on the palate, berry and vanilla flavors lead into a long finish, compliments of the slightly higher alcohol content of this wine (14% by volume).
Recommendations: I’m a fan of Shiraz and Viognier, so I was very interested in a blending of the two. I was not disappointed. The Viognier adds great spice to the wine, while mellowing it out on the palate. My wife and I paired this with grilled pork chops and risotto with basil and sun-dried tomatos in it, but this would go great with beef, lamb, or even ribs.
One of my biggest keys to a wine is whether or not it can be enjoyed without being paired with food, and this medium-bodied wine certainly passes that test. While it was great with the meal, I continued to enjoy the wine well after the meal had been completed and my wife and I had settled in to watch some TV.
Even if you’re not a fan of Shiraz, I would recommend the Nine Vines Shiraz/Viognier blend. It will go great with a good range of meals, but is just as enjoyable by itself.
Special thanks to the International Wine of the Month Club.
Can’t find the Nine Vines Shiraz/Viognier at your local store? Find it here.
