Category Archives: Italy

2017 Due Mari Sangiovese I.G.T., Puglia, Italy. 12.5% ABV.

Through a Groupon deal, I paid $54 for a 15-bottle case of red wines from Wine Insiders, plus shipping ($29.95). At an average of $5.60 per bottle including shipping, I expected some “weeknight wines” among the mix, but I didn’t expect … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Sangiovese, Wine Clubs | 1 Comment

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Bricco Dei Tati 2008 Barbera, DOC Piemonte, Italy. 12.5% ABV, $9 and up.

Just delicious. This fresh, off-the-beaten-path red started out with some funky barnyard on the nose, but opened up quickly and gave way to dust, lively black fruits, and some spice. Medium-bodied but full-flavored, it tastes a lot more expensive than … Continue reading

Posted in Barbera, Italy | Leave a comment

RECOMMENDED: Carpineto Dogajolo Toscano, 2011 Rosé of Sangiovese. 12.5%. Available for as little as $9.95.

Pale-pink to mid-pink. Aromatic (green apple, florals). Refreshing still wine, quite dry, stone and mineral. The label is absolutely gorgeous! LABEL: Produced from Sangiovese grapes grown on our historic dry-farmed Tuscan estates. The taste is elegant and fruity with a … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Rosé, Sangiovese | Leave a comment

A bounty of 2011 rosé: The San Francisco Chronicle recommends

This is an interesting shopping list/summer project!Out of 100 roses tried, 30 made their “Recommended” list. Most cost less than $20. The San Francisco Chronicle’s list of 2011 rosés. Written by Jon Bonné. Panelists: Jon Bonné, Chronicle wine editor; Wayne … Continue reading

Posted in Austria, California, France, Italy, News, Rosé, South Africa, South Australia, Spain | Leave a comment

INTERESTING. Cantine di Ora, 2010 Dry Red Wine, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Italy. 12.5%. $11.99.

Montepulciano D’Abruzzo is a varietal. In Italy, up to 10% of Sangiovese is allowed to be added to the [weighted] blend, hence its designation as “Dry Red Wine.” We obtained this one as a result of a Groupon deal from … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, Sangiovese | 1 Comment

WINE TASTING! 4 recommendations.

Four noteworthy wines from a recent tasting: Finca Copete, 2010 Torrontes, Argentina, $8.99. Torrontes is considered by some to be the flagship white wine grape of Argentina. This wine’s aroma is sweet, floral, and citrusy—but it’s dry, brilliant (almost metallic), … Continue reading

Posted in Alberino, Argentina, Austria, Gruner Veltliner, Italy, Negro Amaro, Spain, Torrontes | Leave a comment

WINE TASTING! 24 wines sampled, 8 recommendations.

Prices are the retail price at the tasting venue, our local ABC store, unless otherwise noted. This time, I focused mostly on trying unusual varietals, as well as a slight emphasis on Pinot Noir, a varietal I’ve found to be … Continue reading

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Italy, Malbec, Merlot, Moscato/Muscat, Petit Verdot, Red Blend, Spain, Tastings, Tempranillo, Viognier | 1 Comment

RECOMMENDED: 2008 [Banfi] Centine, Toscana (Tuscany), Italy. Red blend of Sangiovese (60%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Merlot (20%). $10.99; available for as little as $8.69. 13.5% ABV.

The color: a clear, deep garnet. The aroma was fragrant throughout, and it kept changing subtly as it opened up. It had a backdrop of dark berries, of course, laced with cherry as well as whiffs of licorice, cinnamon, and … Continue reading

Posted in Italy, Red Blend, Sangiovese | Leave a comment

DID YOU KNOW … About Shipping Wine in the Summer

Once this summer, a shipment of six bottles of red wine arrived at our doorstep, and the heat was positively radiating from the box even before we opened it. I feared the whole shipment would be ruined, and promptly donned … Continue reading

Posted in Argentina, Cabernet Franc, California, Chianti, Italy, Malbec, Spain, Tempranillo, Tips | 7 Comments