June 19, 2009

David Hickinbotham Paringa Shiraz 2007




This is an interesting Australian red that Anthony brought home to try. It is from a large winery group in Southern Australia that also provides grapes for the famed Penfolds wines. I wasn't sure if I liked this wine at first but it is definitely growing on me. I can taste the slight chocolate and coffee flavors and I like that. The pepper in it is not apparent at first but does show up in the back of your mouth. It is one of those wines that doesn't have a lot of spice but still seems to open up your sinuses. I do agree that it has a long finish, with a very fruity flavor left in your mouth. Overall a drinkable wine, but I'm not sure I'd drink it every day.

June 17, 2009

Via Vecchia Winery

I'm seething with jealousy right now. As I write this, Anthony is visiting Via Vecchia Winery in Powell, Ohio. This winery boasts that it produces wine the 'old way'. They don't add any chemicals, any lab-created yeasts or sugars, colorings, enzymes, preservatives and only minimal sulfites. They say for filtration of the wine, they rely on sedimentation and the Moon! :) Interesting, huh?! They offer 4 red wines and I am really excited to try them. Hopefully he'll be decent enough to at least bring some back!
This is their website. They also have a blog called We Stomp which would lead one to wonder - do they actually stomp?? Because that would be so cool to see! And even more awesome to participate in! Looks like a very interesting little operation and one I'm hoping to get a chance to see for myself sometime soon!

Bodegas Montecillo Reserva Rioja 2000

We went to Anthony's restaurant for dinner for our anniversary and he pulled out a bottle of this Rioja from his reserve stash. It was really good. I think we've had it before but I guess I've never written about it.
Bodegas Montecillo is apparently one of the oldest wineries in Rioja, Spain. This Rioja is made from carefully selected Tempranillo grapes and then aged at least 3 years. At least half of that time is in French oak barrels. This is a very full-bodied, round wine that went really well with my Peppered Filet with Sun-Dried Tomato Demi and Anthony's Roasted Peking Duck.

June 10, 2009

Apologies

Well, I certainly have not done the best job of keeping my New Year's resolution and maintaining this blog. We have continued to enjoy a number of wonderful wine however I have not taken notes as fast as we have finished the bottles. So I thought I would list some of them and encourage people to try them. They have all been wonderful, though in different ways.
Fattoria Montellori Chianti 2006. And Italian red wine from Tuscany.




Echelon Pinot Noir Vin de Pays D'Ocs 2006. A red wine from France, Vin de Pays means 'country wine' and is classified just above table wine. Echelon imports, blends and bottles this wine in California.






Fuedo Arancio Stemmari Pinot Noir Sicilia 2007. Sicilian red wine produced on 1,500 acres on the southern coast of Sicily. A full-bodied peppery red with hints of strawberries and wood.





Col Solare 2005. Col Solare is a collaboration between Washington's Chateau Ste. Michelle and Italy's famed winemaker, Marchese Piero Antinori. It is a mixture of New World and Old World. I liked this one because I could taste a bit of the chocolate or cocoa in it. It is a mixture of 71% Cbernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.



Finally, Bodegas Vinedos de Aldeanueva Cortijo Tinto 2007. This is what I'm drinking now. It is 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha and is from around the town of Hormilla, Spain.