SINCE I REALLY HATE spending good money on bad wine, I am always on the hunt for wines that are worth the price, evn if they are a little more than I like to pay. All four of these wines hit the mark -- and are guaranteed to please.
Tikal 2010 Natural Malbec, $22
This Argentinian gem from Mendoza has a very odd, Picasso-esque sort of label (think Guernica) but the contents make me smile. If you love spicy wine with serious backbone, you might fall hard for this wine. I did. The wine is imported by Vine Connections. www.tikalwines.com; www.wineconnections.com
Villa San-Juliette 2009 Petite Sirah, $17
There’s no doubt that Paso Robles has the perfect climate and soil for Pinot Noir, but this Petite Sirah was a big surprise. It’s huge in every way. It has a vibrant, deep color, and a chocolate-like flavor complexity that mellows with each sip. The tannins are present but not overpowering. Upshot: this is a beautiful wine at a great price. http://www.villasanjuliette.com/
Cameron Hughes Lot 303 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, $28
When I sip a wine that tastes like blueberries, it gets my attention – quick. This stunning wine comes from the Stags Leap area of Napa Valley. It’s soft, slightly sweet, with just enough kick to remind you that it’s a Cab. The grapes come from a handful of the best vineyards in the area. Nice work. What you need to know about this label is that it's an online company that buys up top-notch surplus wine, relabels it and sells it at a fraction of the price. No, the wines are not inexpensive. But they're incredible wines at a price you can afford now and then (or more often, depending on your paycheck.) www.chwine.com
Amapola Creek 2009 Cuvee Alis, $48
One sip of this slightly pricey wine and I would have bet money it was a Pinot – and I would have lost. This gorgeous, quirky personality blend from Sonoma is made with a blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes that were organically grown on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. This is exactly the right wine to serve with a spread of artisan cheeses, as the sweet-funk-oak flavors match and mirror the best flavor notes in artisan cheeses. http://www.amapolacreek.com/
Tikal 2010 Natural Malbec, $22
This Argentinian gem from Mendoza has a very odd, Picasso-esque sort of label (think Guernica) but the contents make me smile. If you love spicy wine with serious backbone, you might fall hard for this wine. I did. The wine is imported by Vine Connections. www.tikalwines.com; www.wineconnections.com
Villa San-Juliette 2009 Petite Sirah, $17
There’s no doubt that Paso Robles has the perfect climate and soil for Pinot Noir, but this Petite Sirah was a big surprise. It’s huge in every way. It has a vibrant, deep color, and a chocolate-like flavor complexity that mellows with each sip. The tannins are present but not overpowering. Upshot: this is a beautiful wine at a great price. http://www.villasanjuliette.com/
Cameron Hughes Lot 303 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, $28
When I sip a wine that tastes like blueberries, it gets my attention – quick. This stunning wine comes from the Stags Leap area of Napa Valley. It’s soft, slightly sweet, with just enough kick to remind you that it’s a Cab. The grapes come from a handful of the best vineyards in the area. Nice work. What you need to know about this label is that it's an online company that buys up top-notch surplus wine, relabels it and sells it at a fraction of the price. No, the wines are not inexpensive. But they're incredible wines at a price you can afford now and then (or more often, depending on your paycheck.) www.chwine.com
Amapola Creek 2009 Cuvee Alis, $48
One sip of this slightly pricey wine and I would have bet money it was a Pinot – and I would have lost. This gorgeous, quirky personality blend from Sonoma is made with a blend of Syrah and Grenache grapes that were organically grown on the slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains. This is exactly the right wine to serve with a spread of artisan cheeses, as the sweet-funk-oak flavors match and mirror the best flavor notes in artisan cheeses. http://www.amapolacreek.com/
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Your thoughts?