Posts filed under '2004-2007'
Wow. If you really want to find good Italian wines, go to real Italian Restaurants. I’m not talking about the Olive Garden types baby, but the real mom & pop places. On a recent trip to Germany, I discovered this little sweetheart at Isola Bella Ristorante in Binsfeld. This wine is quickly becoming one of the best chiantis that I have had.
You might suspect this wine to be too young judging by it’s vintage, but such is not the case. The appearance is a clear transparent red and very reflective. The aromas are of cherries with subtle blackberry highlights and oak. Thats the way I see it Diegs. The flavors are complex and full of character. The textures are smooth and consistent throughout with a lingering finish that compels you to enjoy another sip.
May 13th, 2007
A bit of everything.
This wine combines a lot, despite the name, it doesn’t hit you in the face like a truck. It is well balanced and pleasant.
In the glass it is a red with dark purple. The nose is light, no hints of oak are detected. The taste of this wine is unique, complete with a lite oak. My tongue finds more of a Syrah flavor than anything else, but still detecting some slight oak and pepper. The finish is smooth to the slightest hint of bitterness.
April 16th, 2007
Why did I buy this?
This is a combo of both Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, 53% and 47% respectively. Perhaps they should have made up their mind and stuck with that. I’m thinking they needed to drown out a bad batch of Cabernet with some Shiraz.
The appearance is light red, very light, looking very young. The nose is flat with a slight plum. Upon tasting you realize that neither the Cabernet nor the Shiraz shine through, both are incredibly boring when combined here. The finish is entirely too mellow and weak.
Cost: $8.59
Year: 2004
April 9th, 2007
Want to be rich, lose weight, and look good naked? Buy this wine.
I am not much of a white wine lover, let alone dessert wines but this wine really hits the spot. It is a little young, but you would not be able to tell the difference. If you never have had a Riesling, this wine will cause you fall in love with anyone you drink it with.
April 7th, 2007
I had this wine at a wine tasting in Chicago at Que Syrah Fine Wines . This is a very nice specialty wine shop with a wide variety of wonderful wines.If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend you stop by.
During the tasting the Sommelier informed our group that Primitivo is essentially the same as a Zinfandel. Upon further review online I came across this piece of information about the relationship between Primitivo and Zinfandel
“…genetic brother of Zinfandel comes from the Primitivo di Manduria DOC in southern Italy. Here limestone, clay and siliceous soils combine with the nearby Mediterranean to create a unique terroir. The vines average between 35 and 40 years in age.”.
March 26th, 2007
Give a wine a silly name, then drink.
There seems to be many wines of late with whimsical names; Fat Bastard, Roaming Goats, Kangaroo Parts, Jackaroo, and more. While these names are a bit silly I do think it’s a great way to take away much of the mystery and pompousness surrounding wine.
This was one of the wines we rated during a blind tasting during the first Friday of March 2007. We came to the consensus that this wine was just ok. Nothing about it is very memorable, if it’s a good deal in your area then pick it up, otherwise I’d pass on it.
March 19th, 2007
I was really excited to try this wine because I have heard great things. I thought the price was a little much, but in the name of science, I was willing to give it a try.
The color is a dark ruby and the legs were consistant with a 13.5% ALC Merlot. The aromas are very warm and spicy, almost as if pepper is exploding from the bottle. There is not a whole lot of forward fruit but the taste is very clean and even throughout ending with a little warm tartness. The textures are very smooth and velvet-like.
March 17th, 2007
Could a Robert Mondavi wine disappoint? It’s quite possible, but not likely.
I was excited to try this wine since I paid $7.99, but I am sure you could find this around $6.00. Never be fooled by price my friends as it is very easy to have high expectations and then quickly end up dissapointed.
The color is deep burgundy and almost looks like Welch’s grape juice. The legs are long and inviting and the aromas are an intense mixture of black cherry and concord grapes. There is a subtle hint of forward fruit quickly overcome by rough textures and peppery notes. Don’t get me wrong, the taste is very sophisticated but may be too dry for some. The finish is clean and smooth with light after tastes .
March 13th, 2007
The boss is really ridin me. Drink more wine he says. Work nights, weekends, and holidays; just get it done. As a professional, I will devote my efforts to the cause and provide our readers with informative meaningless opinions.
At $7.99, I thought this little gal was a little pricy to take out on the town. I have seen it at other places for around $5.99. The color is a deep red and it has slightly heavy legs. The aromas are strong with hints of strawberry that linger. I thought this wine had good subtle foward fruit, smooth velvet textures, and a clean finish.
March 13th, 2007
Drinkable but boring.
Something has been lost for the 2006 year. I’ve had their 2005 and 2004, but can not remember being so disappointed afterwards. This wine shouldn’t be served with any other wine or you will feel the shame you have brought upon your dinner. Skip this wine, it may be decently priced, but it’s not worth it.
This wine was the lowest rated wine in a blind tasting we had last Friday night. 3 out of 3 drinkers agree, this wine is just OK.
March 12th, 2007
Whaddabargin, yup it’s great and it’s dirt cheap, $3.99. You don’t even have to travel to Trader Joe’s to find this deal, but you may have to find a specialty grocer in your area. Out of 3 wines sampled in a blind tasting last Friday night, this was the stand out winner. 3 out of 3 drinkers agree, Foxbrook is great!
A bright and fruit forward wine, wrapped around pepper, currants, and berry. The fruit isn’t too sweet, but is on the edge, the spice does well to curve away the sweet. Great balance of oak gives it a long mellow finish.
March 5th, 2007
Can you find a better wine for $5.99, I challenge you!
This wine is somewhat of a private label from Trader Joes. Supposedly Black Mountain is a relabeld wine, that costs a bit more at liquor stores, if it was known who the original winery is.
Smooth, velvety, goes down so easy with a perfect balance of spice. Wonderful texture with a subtle flavor, not overly anything, just right. Enough writing off to Trader Joes to buy some more.
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September 8th, 2006
The more I drink and learn about wine, I discover a real interest in old world wines. I can’t help but notice the strong consistencies in character and smoothness throughout these wines. It would only make sense that the creators of old world wines would hold close to lasting traditions and make wines that represent all the qualities of their regions.
At $5.99, this zinfandel has strong powerful dark cherry aromas. The textures are smooth and clear with medium forward fruit that lingers. I detected a slight spicyness that was very consistant from smell to finish. For all the zinfandels that I have tried thus far, I would be comfortable selecting this wine as my benchmark.
August 2nd, 2006
This wine is the last of the bunch from a Sunday run to find alcohol, for research purposes only. It was a fitting wine to finish up on, offering a category we have yet to review on.
The smell of this wine is of apples and apricots, reminding me of spring. Very bright and fresh to the nose. Clear and crips apple flavors, with hints of cinnamon. The finish is quick, leaving bits of fruit as it fades away. Not overly sweet, well rounded.
I’ve had some better Rieslings, but can’t complain. This wine is very interesting.
July 31st, 2006
It’s been a long long time since I found a Rose that I actually enjoyed, after I had been semi-enlighted to the joys of wine. This wine was included in a sample of wines I ordered along with the Senior Editor in Broad Ripple.
Well rounded Rose with a proper light sweetness. The smell reminds me of a standard chardonnay without being overly sweet, good dessert wine aromas.
Chardonnay meets Merlot.
“Charming Cab/Merlot/Cab Franc blen with big berry”
Quick and Dirty
Red and white, well balanced.
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July 30th, 2006
This tasting was at the end of the Senior Editor and my visit to Broad Ripple’s Corner Wine Bar. Although the heat was up to around 90, this wine was still somewhat chilled and very enjoyable. I’m sure this wine would have been better a few degrees cooler.
This Sauvignon Blanc had a great aromatic, crispy, nectar-lime smell. Hints of clove and black pepper were hidden throughout but made a full bodied appearnce at the finish. While the finish was short, the flavor remained complex, not overly sweet as I find most white wines.
“Fresh Grapefruit and lime with a near-perfect balance.”
July 30th, 2006
Drinking a wine like this makes me want to move to the old country and start a vineyard. I am not very familiar with the barbera grape but this wine gives me a strong first impression.
I was overcome with the intense plumb aromas that seem to linger forever. The body has very smooth and strong characters with high acidity, and velvety textures. I could not overlook the clove/cherry taste that lasted through and trough. This Prunotto “Fiulot” Barbera d’Asti reminded me of a good cabernet without the dry tannin aftertaste.
I suggest this wine with hearty appetizers and robust cheezes.
July 30th, 2006
I have made confessions in the past of my love for Pinot Noir, but I might pass on the Parker Station version. I tried this wine outside at a local wine bar and the intense heat may have ruined the wine but I will give it my honest opinion.
This wine is made from the pinot noir grape. The aromas are almost nonexistand but from what I could gather, had hints of cinnamon and other spicy characters. The body of the wine has smooth textures with an oaky/earthy aftertaste and also gives the taste of palmgranet. Parker Station Pinot Noir reminded me of a traditional Pinot Noir but very watered down.
July 30th, 2006
Went to the Corner Wine Bar today and had some wine. Kinda cool setup where you can order a “wine sampler” and try several different wines that the bar sells. I don’t recommend going there on a ninety degree day though because it ruins the whole experience trying to ejoy a Cabernet while sweating your ass off.
This Grayson Cellars Merlot has zesty full berry aromas that finish quickly. The textures are well-balanced but short-lived. High acidity with soft tannin highlights created hints of tea-like flavors and a bitter cranberry after taste.
July 30th, 2006
I am not much of zinfandel drinker so you may get more from this wine than I did. If you enjoy heartier and more robust flavors, then this grape can be more satisfiying than a cabernet or merlot.
As for the the Barefoot Zinfandel, at a value of $5.00, I felt it made the whole experiece worth it. The aromas are of vanilla and spice that complement each other to the lingering finish. OK you caught me in my BS, I am just writing what I read off the bottle but I really did smell these flavors. The textures were very dry and the flavors of cherry and raspberry. I had this wine with steak, potatos, and broccoli. I suggest you do the same. enjoy your dinner.
July 20th, 2006
Previous Posts
Wow. If you really want to find good Italian wines, go to real Italian Restaurants. I’m not talking about the Olive Garden types baby, but the real mom & pop places. On a recent trip to Germany, I discovered this little sweetheart at Isola Bella Ristorante in Binsfeld. This wine is quickly becoming one of the best chiantis that I have had.