Category Archives: Great Values

Red Wine Review: Badia a Coltibuono Cancelli 2004

Badia a Coltibuono Cancelli wine bottle shot One of my favorite wine regions in the world is Tuscany, Italy, the home of, among others, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Morellino di Scansano. Perhaps the reason Tuscan wines tug at my heartstrings is all the Sangiovese flowing. Sangiovese-based wines tend to be high in acidity, yet tempered with tannins, and bursting with ripe cherry fruit; all these elements combine to create a wine that matches perfectly with all kinds of foods.

As such, I’m always on the lookout for a solid, Sangiovese-based, Tuscan wine — and am a sucker for one that retails around ten bucks. So, when I saw this bottle from Badia a Coltibuono, I made a quick snatch from the shelf and ran to the register.

One whiff of Cancelli greets you with attractive red berry, black cherry, and earthy aromas. Hints of menthol and spice add to a lovely, complex nose. In the mouth it is soft and fruity, as flavors of black cherry, black raspberry dominate. Mild, sweet earth components round out the palate. The texture is smooth, almost silky; surprising for a ten-dollar wine. Acidity is mild to medium, but lower than expected from a Tuscan Sangiovese-based wine. Tannins are also mild. Overall it is well-balanced with a pleasant finish. Interesting on its own, it may not have the acidity to match with cheesy dishes, but will do fine with white meats, meaty fish, and meatless marinara sauce.

This wine is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Syrah, an unusual mix for Tuscany. Badia a Coltibuono does not bottle a bad wine; you will always receive quality commensurate to the dollars you spend on this brand (a ten-dollar wine will taste like it should cost ten bucks, and a 30-dollar bottle will not disappoint for the amount you’re shelling out). A truly enjoyable wine, soft yet structured, fruity yet earthy. A smash hit for Coltibuono and an Everyday Wine for the dinner table.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-8 v-9 ~ 91 Points

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Red Wine Review: Delas Cotes-du-Rhone Saint-Esprit 2000

delas cotes-du-rhone esprit red wine bottle image 9.99

N: Smokey, earthy, with black berry fruits, black pepper, and mild tobacco.

P: Good acidity and mild to medium tannins open the door to ripe black berry fruit and hints of earth. Well-structured, a perfect wine for food as the acidity will stand up to many dishes and the flavor is good but not overpowering. Earthy, vegetal flavors wrap up the finish, which includes a touch of alcohol.

This is a good, sturdy “bistro” wine that will match well with burgers, mac and cheese, bangers and mash, and similarly “blue collar” fare. The 2000 is considered an “old” vintage now but it is still vibrant, fresh, and full. An excellent value at under ten bucks.

a-7 t-7 b-8 fc-10 v-9 = 91 points

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Red Wine Review: Robertson Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

robertson winery cabernet sauvignon bottle image Ten or fifteen years ago, Australia was land of wine values … until “New World” wines became in vogue and prices skyrocketed. Then the great unknown red wine values came from Chile and Argentina; however that secret is out as well and the prices of South American wines have gone up steadily as people discovered how good there are. The next great secret from the Southern Hemisphere may well be from South Africa, which is best known for the band-aid wine, Pinotage, but also produces other fine reds at affordable prices. For example, this Cabernet Sauvignon from Robertson Winery. If Australia still made a wine under ten bucks, this is what it would taste like.

Nose: Rich, full, wide open, complex nose of ripe red and black berry fruits, earth, menthol, tobacco, and spice.

Palate: Rich, full ripe fruit upfront, with some earth and vanilla spice. Smooth texture, a touch hot in the finish, which turns to grapey cassis in flavor. Has decent acidity and mild to medium tannins, but not quite enough structure to stand up to a cheeseburger. Will be more enjoyable on its own or with not-as-fatty dishes.

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White Wine Review: Basa Rueda Blanco

bottle image of basa rueda white wine

Another Great White Wine Value from Spain

Real deal price: $7.99

A few weeks back you read about Las Brisas Rueda, a white wine from an area in Spain northwest of Madrid. That wine made enough of an impression on my palate to try another white from the same region: Basa Rueda Blanco. Once again, an excellent white wine value has been discovered.

Basa Rueda has a vibrant nose of green unripe fruit with a distinct grassiness characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc. That shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, as Sauvignon is planted in the DO Rueda region and is part of this wine’s blend (it also contains Spain’s own Verdejo and Viura).
Sour granny smith apple, zesty lime/citrus, and a slightly grassy/vegetal element mark the flavor of this wine, which has a gush of tart acidity and a crystal clean finish. Actually the finish reminds me of original flavor Gatorade gum: limey citrus flavor with a chalky, thirst quenching tartness. Alcohol is mild, hardly noticeable, yet the wine has surprising body for a light white. Drink it ice cold as a refreshing aperitif, or match with simply prepared white meats (poultry, pork), vegan dishes, mildly seasoned salads.

For the geeks (and conversation): Basa Rueda’s winemaker is Telmo Rodriguez, considered by many wine experts to be Spain’s up-and-coming enologist. A few things make him special, notably his dedication to preserving the terroir in wines and believing that winemaking begins in the vineyard. As a result, he chooses indigenous grapes from old vines that produce extremely low yields. He’s also a proponent of biodynamic methods; in other words, using natural / organic products in growing vines. Biodynamism leads to wines that achieve a pure, true expression of their place of origin.

Score: 91 points
a-8 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-10

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Las Brisas: Rueda Wine Review

A Wine for the Summer

OK, summer is nearing an end (at least, in the Northern Hemisphere) , but there are still plenty of hot days, nights, and barbecues coming that beg for a crisp, refreshing white wine. That said, herewith you are presented a wine review for Las Brisas, a Spanish white that is ideal for summer enjoyment.

The wine is a DO Rueda, which means that it comes from the Rueda region of Spain. Rueda is in the central part of Spain, northwest of Madrid and southwest of Ribera del Duero. The chalky soils there are conducive to dry, minerally whites; the main grapes grown are Verdejo (or Verdeho), Viura, and to a lesser extent, Sauvignon Blanc. This particular Rueda is brought into the US by Tempranillo Imports and a “Jorge Ordonez Selection” — when you see that name, it is usually a good wine.

Las Brisas has a wide open, ripe array of fruity and grassy aromas that attack the nose on first sniff. In the mouth it is a bright, open, colorfully fruitful and refreshing white wine filled with gobs of ripe white fruits: green grapes, white peach, apricot, pear, granny smith apple, grapefruit, and lime-y citrus. It’s juicy and crisp at the same time; it may as well be a glass of fruit salad. An excellent edge of acidity makes it a great match for white meats and seafood, and doubles as a thirst quencher. A slight touch of perceived peachy sweetness makes it a good foil for hot and spicy dishes. This is a great choice for a summer barbecue; also a great “segue” wine for those trying to escape white zindom and enter the world of real fine wine.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-8

Wine Rating: 89 points