Carrie's Wine List Part Due (that's 2 in Italian) :)

Since my original Wine List post back in June, I have tasted some AMAZING wines this summer throughout my travels to add to my selection. During the past week alone, I have had three separate wines that were delivered to my Mother's home from Laithwaites Wine out of the UK (a monthly wine of the month program). Luckily for me, my Mom loves deep red, dry wines just as much as I do! I never was one to purchase from a wine of the month club but seeing as how we didn't have a bad one yet, I may have changed my mind. Remember, as much as I love food, I can't describe how a wine tastes..."Oh it's so fruity with a hint of oak...blah, blah, blah". I just know it tastes damn good, pares well with just about anything I eat (especially since I don't like ANY white wine even though I know it's supposed to go better with chicken or fish), and doesn't give me a migraine headache the next morning. That's how I judge my wine....take it or leave it...no putting on airs here. Some of the wines I mention below, I can't find locally. Simply type the name into your Google search engine, and it will show you where you can find this type of variety in your area.  


So drum roll please.....And for those of you who take your wine more seriously ("Excuse me, do you have any Grey Poupon?), I've also included a brief description and a helpful image of the wine label---I know it helps me (I only "get it" if it's visual!) 

Monasterio de Santa Cruz 2008--"From a great small estate, this delicious gem is a must-try for fans of fruity Rioja and Ribera. Monasterio is a red you know you can rely on ... mouthfillingly rich and mellow, crafted by one of Spain's winemaking masters - and amazing value given its quality credentials. Tarragona has long been an insider's secret. Its soaring temperatures and ancient vineyards produce wines of remarkable intensity. Here, winemaker Mario Garcia combines deeply aromatic Monastrell with a dash of noble Tempranillo for a deliciously smooth red." 

$12.99/bottle USA

H J. Fabre Malbec 2009--"Hervé is at it again! Judges recently awarded his 2009 Reserva the gold medal at the 2011 Argentina Wine Awards. Seventeen years ago, Hervé and Dianne Fabre left their native Bordeaux for Argentina and now run one of the country’s leading estates. Rigorous vineyard management keeps grape yields low (and flavor and color concentration high) while the non-use of herbicides benefits both the local environment and the wine. The result? Hervé's 2009 Reserva is an utterly delicious barrel-aged classic with intense color, a fragrant nose of chocolate and blackberry and considerable flavor complexity. If you like to drink wine with your steak, this is red for you."
$17.99/bottle USA

The Patriots Merlot--"8,000 miles, 1,000 wines - one gloriously smooth Merlot! The Patriots has Bordeaux style elegance plus a smooth juiciness that's uniquely Chilean - gently oaked with silken berry flavours. And the Santa Rita estate (highly regarded by fine wine critic Robert Parker) helped shape Chile's history - its cellar proved a useful hiding place for Chilean patriots fighting for independence from Spain in 1814."

$12.99/bottle USA

Go figure...they're from Spain, Chile or Argentina! I LOVE dry red wines and I think you'll like them too.  Now, here are some other wines I tried over the last few months. Let me know what you think of them as well. Some I have tried at restaurants, some I purchased at my local wine store. I'm amazed at how much of a markup the restaurants get for these wines but this list is helpful when you're being asked by a sommelier which wine you would like to have off of their wine list. 

il Volano Toscana--"This super culty and incredible producer has turned yet another stunning, top value effort. Mostly Sangiovese, this has great purity of red fruits with just a kiss of plum, but shows great balance of earthy aspects and soft acidity. This is more than your average pizza and pasta wine! 75% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, Cannaiolo Nero, Merlot." 

$9.99/Bottle USA

Querceto Chianti Classico 2008--"Brilliant ruby red with a delicate and appealing bouquet. Dry and balanced, with a soft and elegant body. Pair with red meat dishes and cheese. Alessandro François based the philosophy of his company on the production of some particular selections coming from a deep study of the vineyards properties. His aim is to raise the characteristics and the potentialities of the different grape varieties cultivated in different conditions. 88 Points. "

$13.29/bottle USA

Clos de los Siete Super Red Blend 2008

 --"A collaborative project by seven producers under the banner of Michel Rolland, this is a blend of composed of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Very dark in the glass, this is not a shy wine.

critical acclaim:"Quite ripe, but focused and juicy, with blueberry, açaí berry and bramble notes laced with fruitcake and spice hints. A nice briary edge keeps the finish honest. Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot. Drink now. " 89 Points 

$18.79/bottle USA

Clos du Bois Alexander Valley Reserve Merlot 2007--This inky, ruby red Merlot has developed aromas of toasted oak, blackberry and baking spice that segues into a round, full-bodied wine with great concentration, strong tannins and black cherry flavors. This is a serious Merlot that Cabernet lovers may want to savor. This full-bodied Merlot is a perfect match for meaty dishes made of beef or lamb or more subtle pairings built around earthy flavors, such as mushrooms and herbs."

$19.79/bottle USA

Trumpeter Malbec 2010

 --"Inky and dense with attractive berry aromas and a touch of cinnamon and sweet spice. A fully, fruity wine, with excellent body, intense tannins, flavors of cherry, blackberry, boysenberry and plum intermingled with hints of cardamom and pepper, and a long, full finish."

$10.29/bottle USA 

Luccarelli Pazzia Primitivo Di Manduria Old Vines 2007 750ML--"Intense ruby red colour; wide and complex to the nose. Fruity with prunes and slightly spicy. Full-bodied wine, soft and rich with fine tannins; notes of cocoa, coffee and vanilla on the finish."

$29.99/bottle USA (This was one I had out at a restaurant)

Vina Alicia Paso de Piedra Malbec 2007-- Wine Advocate 89 Points "The 2007 Malbec Paso de Piedra spent 10 months in barrel. Purple-colored, it offers up a fragrant bouquet of spice box, violets, black cherry, and plum. On the palate it has excellent depth and concentration, layers of spicy black fruit, light tannin, and 2-3 years of aging potential. This is a super value that over-delivers big-time."

$17.99/bottle USA

Bodega Norton Malbec Reserva 2007

 --#90 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2010. "Deep red color with hints of purple. Expressive on the nose with notes of ripe black fruits, violets, and tobacco. Long finish. 100%, 12 months in first and second use french oak barrels 10 months before release."

critical acclaim: "Very ripe and primal still, delivering a large core of velvety textured raspberry, fig and boysenberry fruit that is liberally laced with dark toast, pastis and roasted vanilla. Should settle in nicely with modest cellaring, as the structure is dense, but polished and integrated. Drink now through 2011. 61,000 cases imported."

$14.99/bottle at Gary's Wine and Marketplace(one of my new favorites!)

Brunello di Montalcino--"Colour: ruby red closer to pomegranate, after some years acquires a tint of amber. Aroma: complex intensive and elegant bouquet with scent of undergrowth and predominance of violet and musk. Taste: the taste is strong, hot, dry but not much, pleasantly tanninic, lively, harmonious and lingering."

$27-$62 Depending on the year

2007 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre--Antonio Galloni Wine Advocate 90 Points. "Enticing scents of chocolate, espresso, dark fruit, licorice and new leather emerge from the boisterous 2007 Palazzo della Torre. This wine is produced using an innovative RIPASSO method. Well-structured, smooth and rounded, this wine is characterised by a long, elegant finish. Deep ruby red in colour, it has a delicious wild berry perfume, with flavour of raisins. The grapes Corvina Veronese, Rondinella and Sangiovese from the Palazzo della Torre vineyard follow two different paths: 70 % of the grapes are vinified immediately after the harvest, the remaining percentage is dried until the end of December. At this point, the wine ferments again with the dried grapes."

$14.99/bottle USA (at Gary's Wine and Marketplace; another one of my favorites!)

Ok so now here's the BAD WINE LIST! I don't remember why these made the list whether it was taste or headache, but in any event, they're here and I don't recommend them. Luckily, there were only 2. :)

TriVento Amado Sur Torrontes 2009 Cecchi Bonizio Sangiovese di Maremma Toscana

Enjoy!