A Chianti Classico Reserva at an affordable price point, this rich wine is made for roasts of lamb leg or ragù of just about anything. There are some delicate notes of vanilla and tobacco that linger in the finish. Spicy sweet cherry and blackberry aromas transfer strongly to the palette and make up the bulk of the body.
Price wise, I find this to be well worth the $20 tag that I paid. However, the price has risen slightly lately, and $25 is working toward some of my more favored chianti’s. More on that the next time I buy one of those fellas.
A crisp summer drinking wine, this Sauvignon Blanc has a medium body to it. This is one of Whitehall’s more popular wines along with their cab, so you should have no problems finding this in stores.
I tend to use this as an aperitif or paired with lighter fish dishes. It can hold up to some shellfish as well, so it is a nice cheaper compliment to oysters (especially when compared with our Loire Valley friend the Sancerre).
Hit up the read link to read what Whitehall has to say about their product.
While we are on this bubbly kick, I thought I’d share a recent find. A few years ago I was mulling around a Zupan’s holiday food tasting when I came across some wine folk peddling their wares. Since I’m always looking for a way to go slumming from my only true Champagne love, I meandered over to the table for a taste.
I’ve since purchased an unmentionable amount of this lovely sparkling white. For its price point, it is a fine, dry, crisp example of what California can produce without the need for haughty titles.
Hit up the read link to find out why the vintner thinks you should drink it.
It was many many moons ago when I had my first sparkling red. Of course, I didn’t write it down, and I regret it to this day. Perhaps this reminds me of why I keep a log of all the wines that impress me.
The Shingleback sadly did not leave me with the same excitement as the Italian one in my past. Of course, this is not to say it isn’t a fine example of a sparkling red; just not the top one on my list.
Royal dark purple with a light purple, almost pink foam; you really can’t mistake this red for anything else. I found a fair amount of black-fruit aromas like blackberry and plum. It doesn’t leave a clean feel in the mouth, but rather something more creamy; interesting in its own right. It is not a sweet wine, but edges toward medium dry. This is helped a long by a tart quality that I’m assuming wasn’t some lingering lime from lunch.
At around $22, this isn’t going to be a wine that I visit very often. However, if you fall in love with a sparkling red, that’s not a horrible price bracket to be in. Hit the read link for some notes from the vintner.
Phew, that was a long absence. It was mostly due to work. You know, that thing that pays my bills. I also setup a new blog for work / technology based chatter. Anyway, now that I’ve got my feet back on the ground we’ll be seeing lots more in the way of posts.
Weighing in at about $12, this wine used to be a steal. Recently the price has gone up a bit. As if to counter this blow, the big brother Riserva has gone on sale at my local wine store.
Still, I thought it best to post on this fella before moving on to his big brother.
This is an amazing little guide to winemaking, tasting, and overall apreciation. I stumbled across it quite by chance, and I’m surprised how few have heard of it. I’ve linked to their website, which seems to be the only way to get a hold of this video. I’d love to do a local viewing here in Portland Oregon if people are interested. Add a comment or send an email to dibariwines @ g mail dot com.
add comment