Terra di Seta Chianti Classico 2010 (about $17)

About the Wine: The Gallo Nero (black rooster) is a mark of quality in Chianti.  Please feel free to insert your own cock joke here.  It is not the end all be all of great Chianti, but it is an encouraging sign when a Chianti carries it.  This is the first Kosher Chianti I have ever seen and it is very encouraging for the progress that department is making.


About THIS Wine:  It is a clear, ruby red in the glass.  The nose presents notes of cherry and leather.  The palate is dry with nice berry notes that go on in the finish.


Drinking This Wine:  This one can be enjoyed by itself, but it definitely wants food.  Pasta or maybe a soft cheese would make a good pairing.


Overall Impression:  The wine is good and the price is reasonable, especially for a Kosher wine of this quality.  This wine is reasonable for the price.

Conde de Pircardo Tempranillo 2013 (about $11)

About the Wine:  Tempranillo is a signature varietal of Spain and a few of its clones are also very successful in Portugal.  The varietal is grown elsewhere, but never with much commercial success.  The bottle carries the Rioja designation but not a label that distinguishes how long it was aged in oak, such as Crianza or Reserva.  It is a risk, but I have a real affinity to the wine of the region.  Also, this price point speaks to me at a profound level.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is ruby red in the glass with a pink rim.  Cranberry is prominent on the nose, which unusual for a Rioja.  They typically have distinctive notes of cooking fat, which I did not get at all from this wine.  The palate is dry with good fruit and a firm tannin in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Something like steak or sausage would make a good pairing here.

Overall Impression: There is no reason this wine could not go for twice the price and as such it is a steal.  My one caveat is that it does not present like one would expect from a Rioja.  For someone who wants a great value dry red, though, this is where it's at.



90+ Merlot 2014 (about $11)

About the Wine:  This year's 90+ Merlot is sourced from Mendocino, California  a region I've never much cared for, but that has produced some gems of late.  Hopefully this will be one of them.


About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is a dark but not quite opaque purple.  The legs are thick and run almost like a port.  When I first smelled it, I thought, "Smells like Merlot."  It has the dark, smoky quality on the nose that I always associate with the varietal.  Even after a little time to breath, the palate is very tight.  This is awfully young for a Merlot and I imagine it would have benefited from a little more age before release.  Tannins are present but not bracing in the finish.


Drinking This Wine:  Let it decant for a long time, at least an hour if not more.  This is the kind of bottle that will be better the second night.  Drink it with red meat.


Overall Impression:  I am a little disappointed but that is mostly because I've had such good luck with the brand.  At $11 per bottle this wine is reasonable for the price.

Paul Dolan Mendocino County Zinfandel 2013 (about $14 a bottle)

About the Wine:  I have never had much love for Mendocino wines.  They always struck me as sort of lifeless and unpleasant.  But recently I have found some that have proven me wrong and 2013 is a great vintage.  Let's see if Mr. Dolan can "Wow!" me.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is blood red.  Jammy blackberry comes through full throttle on the nose.  The palate is mighty juicy with good tannin in the finish  This wine has a very viscous, mouth-coating quality.  It doesn't linger as long as I would like, which is odd for how massive it is.

Drinking This Wine:  This is an after dinner wine.  It's too big to really compliment any food that I can think of.

Overall Impression:  Between the overbearing fruit and the lacking finish, this is a slightly ham-fisted effort.  As such it is a little over priced.

Parducci Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (about $12)

About the Wine:  This is a sustainably grown California Cabernet.  The world of organic/bio dynamic/sustainable is a weird one.  If a wine is made from organic grapes then the wine itself is not necessarily organic, nor would something sustainably or bio dynamically grown carry such a distinction.  Clouding the matter further is the fact that many producers, particularly in France, Spain, and Israel follow best practices without bothering with the cost of certification.  I have tried to explain this to many a glassy-eyed, sandal wearing customer as they searched for "organic" on the label. The results are seldom good.

About THIS Wine:  For the price, this is surprisingly Old World in style.  It really takes some time to open up.  As it does, it gives off notes of wood, sagebrush, and forest floor.  The palate is dry and tannic with red fruit coming through in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is a classic dry Cab and as such it needs red meat.

Overall Impression:  This was a really nice surprise.  Most Cabs at this price range are either juicy fruit bombs or unbearably rustic.  This is nice, food-friendly wine.  It could easily go for $20, so at twelve it is an absolute steal.

Gilgal Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (about $15)

About the Wine:  Like California, Israel had an unusually cold year in 2011.  Also like California, Israel is hot enough to be marginal for wine grape growing, so a cold year is actually a boon for those who know how to take advantage of it.  Grapes grown in cold weather tend to produce more elegant, austere wine.  Hence the prestige of Burgundy.  No region in Israel compares to Burgundy, but this colder year did provide an opportunity for wine makers to show their talents.

About THIS Wine:  It is very dark red with a violet rim, fairly light for a hot climate Cab.  Tobacco and jammy raspberry are prominent on the nose.  The palate presents big fruit balance with firm, chalky tannins.  For all my rambling in the introduction "elegant" is not a term that would describe this wine, but it is fairly balanced.

Drinking This Wine:  It's drinkable by itself, but better with food.  Juicy hamburger is the pairing that comes to mind.

Overall Impression:  I think this would hold it's own with any California Cab at the same price range and so I must say it is good for the price.

Bagordi Rioja Graciano 2009 (about $20)

About the Wine:  Graciano is one of the least used of the Rioja varietals.  It is especially rare as a single varietal.  The region is mostly know for Tempranillo and to a lesser extent, Garnacha.  Let's see how it does on its own.

About THIS Wine:  It is opaque in the glass with a dark, velvety purple rim.  The nose is musky with strong plum notes.  The palate has good fruit but the tannins are rock solid.  This needs age or food.

Drinking This Wine:  Drink with pork sausage or roast duck.  The wine needs food, for sure.

Overall Impression:  It's a fun find.  As a novelty, this wine is reasonable for the price.

Spellbound Petite Sirah 2013 (about $14)

About the Wine: The Spellbound label vaulted to popularity when Robert Parker wrote a glowing review of their Chardonnay.  It was an oaky, buttery Chard.  It was good for the style, but I never really got what the hype was about.  I had heard good things about their Cab and seeing their Petite Sirah, long one of my favorite varietals, made me curious.

About THIS Wine:  The wine is opaque in the glass with a purple rim.  This will be no Old World style wine.  I'm expecting a New World fruit bomb.  The fruit is there, long and lingering right through the finish.  There is also some structure, though.  The winemakers seemed to have brought this rambunctious varietal to heel without sacrificing it's signature raspberry flavor.

Drinking This Wine:  I would have it with nothing heavier than a pork steak and even that might be pushing it.  It could compliment something with a bit of spice, may fajitas or something like that.

Overall Impression:  This wine is varietally correct, food friendly, and tasty.  At fourteen a bottle it is good for the price.

Saporoia Rosso Di Montalcino 2012 (about $15)

About the Wine:  One of the fun things about studying wine is learning about the obscure, tucked away corners of the world where wine grows.  There are regions within regions and all but unknown regions that border some of the most famous.  Montalcino is a region is Tuscany, the same part of the world that gives us Chianti.  Brunello is the best known red from Montalcino, a wine that generally starts at around $40 per bottle and can age upwards of a decade.  Rosso Di Montalcino is sometimes called "Baby Brunello" because it is made from the same varietal, Sangiovese Grosso, but does not need to age nearly as long and is much cheaper.

About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is blood red with a lighter red rim.  Cherry and cedar notes are present on the nose.  The palate is full and savory with a bone dry, tannic finish.

Drinking This Wine:  Let it breath for an hour and then have it with something hearty.

Overall Impression:  This is not a bad bottle, though I would say a little less complex than I would have hoped for.  The wine is reasonable for the price.

Fowles Are You Game Shiraz 2013 (about $17)

About the Wine:  Everything about this label puts the wine firmly into "I immediately regret this decision," territory when purchasing it.  Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your view, Aussie winemakers tend to give stupid labels to some really good wine.  I suppose if I wanted a classy label I should have bought a Rhone.

About THIS Wine:  Very dark, almost opaque purple in the glass with a violet rim.  The nose is tight.  This could have done with a little more age.  It does give up some nice dark berry fruit and some interesting notes of spice and forest floor.  The palate is big and plush.  It has a drier finish than I would have expected.  I suspect that this wine will drink best young, not just because it isn't meant to age, but also because its tannin structure keeps it from being overly sweet.

Drinking This Wine:  This isn't really a food wine.  More like something to sip on a cold night.

Overall Impression:  The wine is not bad, but it doesn't taste like seventeen dollars.  This wine is fine but it is overpriced.

Oak Lane Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (about $11)

About The Wine:  South Africa's signature grape is the hybrid Pinotage, commonly known as "Pino what?"  The failure of that varietal to catch on in a big way means that the country might do better to invest in more widely know varietals like Cabernet and Shiraz.

About THIS Wine:  The center is dark and fades to a clear rim.  The nose is big.  There is baker's chocolate, green pepper, and an oily component that is hard to name.  Chocolate and green pepper are strong on the palate.  The tannins are pretty fierce.

Drinking This Wine:  Let it breath and then have it with steak.

Overall Impression:  This is a dry, steak wine.  At this price it would be hard to label as anything other than a good value.

TheARTof Monterey Syrah 2011 (about $15)

About the Wine:  I've seen Monterey as a hidden gem for a while.  2011 was a cold, damp year that produced wines that were more reserved than is common for California.  In a hedonistic grape like Syrah that may very well be a good thing.

About THIS Wine:  The color is about right, meaning dark as night with a purple rim.  The nose presents notes of chamomile, cooking spice, and bacon fat.  I'm not quite sure what to make of that.  The palate has good fruit, but that is overshadowed by the structure.  This may well be most tannic Syrah I have ever tasted.

Drinking This Wine:  This wine definitely needs food.  Steak or a big, juicy burger would work well.

Overall Impression:  It's a good bottle.  I'll say this wine is reasonable for the price.

Pennywise Petite Sirah 2012 (about $11)

About the Wine:  I am not sure where in California the grapes that make this wine are from.  Based on the labeling, I'd say the winemaker wasn't sure either.  That's okay.  Maybe.  Sometimes winemakers source from many regions for the best quality.  Sometimes they buy in bulk and call it a day.

About THIS Wine:  Very dark in the glass with a purple rim.  It's about the right color for the varietal.  The nose has a smoky quality I would not have expected.  Dark fruit is also present but in a muted, almost Old World way.  The palate is full and fruity and satisfying.  There is a bit of tannin structure, but not enough to require aging or decanting.

Drinking This Wine:  This would be a good BBQ wine.  It's just a tad heavy for a sipping wine.

Overall Impression:  It's an eleven dollar wine and I didn't spit it out.  That makes is good for the price.

Cune Vina Real Crianza 2010 (about $17)

About the Wine:  Cune, or CVNE, is one of the best producers in the Rioja region of Spain.  Their better offerings can get into hundreds of dollars per bottle and the 2004 CVNE Imperial made wine of the year a few years back.  This is one of their entry level offerings.  The Crianza designation means that it does not have to be aged as long as Riservas and Gran Riservas do.

About THIS Wine:  It is opaque in the glass with a purple rim.  The nose is tight, as can be expected of such a young Rioja.  With a little patience notes of grilled, spiced meat come through.  The palate is bone dry with solid tannins.  This will benefit from breathing.

Drinking This Wine:  The traditional dish to have with Rioja is a sausage stew.  As I told my coworker, "This wine is cheap and it wants some sausage.  It's the your mom of wine."  It's hard being this classy.

Overall Impression:  I have always found amazing value in Spain and this is another one.  This wine is a good value.

Alamos Malbec 2014 (about $9)

About the Wine:  This is one of the less obscure wines I've reviewed.  It's a Catena production. That family is essentially the Rothschilds of Argentinian wine.  It is easier to explain the obscure when you know the common.  Also, the price point speaks to me.

About THIS Wine:  The nose is dense and jammy.  That jammy fruit, especially red fruit, defines the palate.  But there is structure here and a surprisingly long finish.  The wine is neither as sweet nor as alcoholic as I had feared. 

Drinking This Wine:  I'm planning to have it with a roasted turkey leg and I expect it will be a good pairing.  Nothing too heavy, as it is not that big of a wine.

Overall Impression:  I have wines for twice the price that weren't half as good.  This Malbec is a steal.

(About $12)

About the Wine:  I had never come across Nero Di Troia before and the price was right.  It was brought to Italy by survivors from the Trojan War (Troians) according to a legend that I just made up, literally just now.  If you want to read some actual research about the varietal, you can do that here.  The varietal seems to have a similar story as Sagrantino.  It has always had potential and a local following, but it takes a certain touch to make it at all accessible to the larger market.


About THIS Wine:  The wine is ruby red in the glass with an almost clear pink rim.  I must confess, I am a little disappointed.  I was expecting something black as night to go with the name.  The nose is dark and brooding.  It has some of the elements of a young  Nebbiolo, but has nice cherry notes to soften things up a bit.  The palate is very weighty and tannic but it has a freshness of fruit that balances things out.  While more approachable than something like a Nebbiolo of the same age, this is no fruity Barbera or even light Dolcetto.  It is a big wine.


Drinking This Wine:  Pork steak or a hearty sandwich would make a good paring.  There is something soft and casual about the wine that I would say makes it inappropriate for anything formal but great for a Tuesday night selection.


Overall Impression:  I am a sucker for obscure varietals that are inexpensive and drinkable.  This wine is a good value.

Donnie on the Spot Syrah NV (about $15)

About the Wine:  Syrah and its near relative Shiraz are successfully grown in the South of France, Spain, Italy, California, Australia, Chile, and Israel.  These hot climates bring out the grapes big, bold fruit.  This Syrah is from the Finger Lakes, probably the best growing region in New York and some say between the Atlantic and the Mississippi.  I've never had a cold climate Syrah before and I look forward to the experience.


About THIS Wine:  It's a fairly translucent red in the glass, much lighter than I'm used to for the varietal.  The nose is hearty and has the jammy fruit components a Syrah should, but it is not heady and massive as many of its hot climate counterparts are.  The palate is surprisingly complex and balanced.  It actually has many of the elements I would associate with California Pinot Noir, right down to the sour cherry finish.  This has more body than most, Pinots though.


Drinking This Wine:  It would pair well with a good pot roast.


Overall Impression:  The price is reasonable and I find no fault with the wine.  This one is good for the price.

Three Rings Shiraz 2013 (about $17)

About the Wine:  This is a Shiraz from Barossa, a region of Australia that, in my experience, often produces wines of great depth and concentration.  The best wines from this region have the richness and mineral notes that one might associate with something from the Northern Rhone.


About THIS Wine:  It is opaque in the glass with a dark red rim.  The nose is not overly generous, and I would not expect it to be from such a young red.  Smoke and red fruit notes do come through with time.  A strange and not entirely pleasant green note is strong on the palate.  It is not a flaw per se but it does not reflect the rich fruit experience that I look for in members of the Syrah family.  The fruit does come through on the finish, as does a fair amount of tannin and alcohol.  I didn't check the label before tasting.  This beast hits a 15.4% alcohol.


Drinking This Wine:  It's hard to pair something that alcoholic with food.  It might help clear up a sinus infection, though.


Overall Impression:  This is very bombastic wine with too much alcohol and too little fruit.  It's not a question of price.  It would be hard to recommend it at any price,

Red Silk Shiraz 2013 (about $17 per botte)

About the Wine:  Yesterday, I reviewed a Shiraz from Barossa, Australia and today, for comparison, I am reviewing one from McLaren Vale.  This is one is a relatively light wine at 15% alcohol.  That is insanely high for most traditional winemaking, but in a well made big wine can incorporate high alcohol.


About THIS Wine:  In the glass it is dark to the point of being muddy.  Almost reminiscent of a Ruby Port.  The nose is tight, even after some time in the glass.  It does give up a curious onion note.  There is vegetable quality on the palate but it is not nearly as pronounced as the Barossa that I tasted for the last review.  It may just be a function of the vintage, though in this case I would say that either the region was less affected or the winemaker tamed it better.  The finish is quite tannic.  It's an odd thing to say about a $17 screw cap, but this might benefit from a little more age.


Drinking This Wine:  It'll take a steak with heavy sauce to tame this beast.  Shepherd's pie could also work.


Overall Impression:  This is an example of a massive New World wine done right and as such it is good for the price.

Michel-Schlumberger Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012 (about $17)

About the Wine:  I first encountered this producer through their very forgettable Chardonnay.  It is always tempting to dismiss a producer when you dislike one of their wines.  That is often a mistake. A producer may change styles radically between varietals so it is often worth a second look.

About THIS Wine:  It is bright red in the glass, much lighter than I am used to from California, but something I might expect from a delicate Burgundy.  The nose presents good earth and black cherry notes.  All that and more is there on the palate.  The wine is not heavy, but it is rich, lingering, and satisfying.

Drinking This Wine:  Roasted port or turkey would make a good companion.

Overall Impression:  This drinks like Red Burgundy without the Burgundy price tag.  As such, it is a good value.