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Showing posts with label Tuscany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tuscany. Show all posts

Friday, June 26, 2015

Tomaiolo Toscana 2010 (about $12)




About the Wine:  Tomaiolo is a fairly well known brand among those who cannot afford to drink things that aren't Tomaiolo.  I don't have anything against the brand, I have just never found their wines all that inspiring.  The lack of any geographical distinction more specific than Tuscany is not encouraging, but I've been pleasantly surprised before.

About THIS Wine:  The blend is mostly Sangiovese and it is a little darker than a Sangiovese should be, but it is a blend.  The nose is pretty subtle.  There is some red fruit and smoke there but nothing exactly leaps out.  The palate and finish are both very dry with stewed fruit, especially prune, dominant.

Drinking This Wine:  Spaghetti and red sauce or a something like a pork steak or maybe barbecue ribs would do well.  It definitely wants some food.

Overall Impression:  I was not blown away and I was not expecting to be.  The wine is essentially varietally correct and it is pleasant enough.  It is reasonable for the price.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Le Redini 2010 (About $20)

About the Wine:  A fun fact about Italian wine is that there are something like 4,000 varietals actively cultivated there.  That means that is a practically infinite number of blends and combinations possible with native grapes, not even including whatever varietals are imported.  This wine is 90% Merlot and 10% Alicante.  It is an international wine with a regional accent.

About THIS Wine:  The bottles was actually substantially better the second night I had it open and tasted like it could have gone a little longer.  In the glass it is dark purple with a violet rim.  The nose is very smoky with a curious undercurrent of red fruit.  The palate is soft but not too soft with firm tannin in the finish.

Drinking This Wine:  This is not quite a steak wine but it definitely wants food.  I'm going to say pasta with meat sauce because it's hard to go wrong with that with an Italian red.

Overall Impression:  Wines of this style normally go for a lot more, at least $30.  So this is a good value.