Great Wine, Brunello di Montalcino
Over the years, I have tried many wines from different countries and different wine regions and I do not understand why people skip over the Italian wines.
Italian wines seem to have faded from popularity in the US over the last couple of years – maybe 10 – and are hardly considered when drinking wine. I feel this is a tragic mistake by many wine drinkers.
A couple of days ago, I had the pleasure of drinking a great 2001 Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino purchased online at K&L Wine. My wife and I paired the wine with a simple Italian dinner, penne alla vodka with chicken, and the wine was perfect. It may be a higher priced Brunello di Montalcino, but it was so smooth and delicious. The wine might have been a little young (unless your wine cellar is big, you may be drinking more young wine than you want), but the aroma was wonderful and the wine’s finish was smooth.
Again, the next time you are at your favorite wine shop or restaurant, ask about the Italian wines: Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera – to name a few.
What is your favorite Italian wine? When is the last time you had one?
2005 Cabernet from Tangley Oaks
In the Northwoods wine is not the drink of choice, but we are trying to change that perspective.
We spent a long weekend with some friends and shared a nice bottle of reasonably price Napa Cabernet. Those are two words not usually in the same sentence. We drank a 2005 Tangley Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon (Lot #9) and the wine was very nice.
The wine was ready to drink and had a clean, smooth finish. It is not like some of the $100+ bottles, but it is great for the moment. A good priced ready to drink wine is sometimes better than a wine that should be laid down for 10+ years. I know my friends and they want a drink faster than 10 years from now.
I did not take notes and I do not know if the character of the wine was like blueberries or chocolate, but I do know it did not taste like a wine less than $30. Tangley Oaks seems like a good buy and I am sure a wine to rise in price.
For the wine buyers out there:
To buy the wine direct from Tangley Oaks, visit them at tangleyoakswine.com. I do not work for them, nor am I paid by them, but wanted to provide the link merely for convenience.
Welcome to my first official blog about one of my favorites in life–WINE!!
Wine for me is a passion. I am not the world’s expert on the different varietals or a particular wine region, but I do know one important thing. You do not have to spend a lot of money to get a great wine and your tastes are exactly that–YOUR tastes.
Over the next couple weeks and hopefully years, I will share with you my experiences with different wines and my recommendations on the better ones. I definitely hope I can share a few gems over time.
To kick-off the experience, I would like to recommend a good red wine. Caravan 2004 – Cabernet Sauvignon. Caravan is the second label from Napa Valley’s Darioush.
Happy Drinking!
Recent Comments