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.