For $5.99 at Trader Joe's, this wine is a decent value. The nose alone is worth the price--elegant spicy notes of violets, cherries, wild berries and leather. It smells like a mature wine, and the medium ruby/garnet color is also suggestive of an older wine. On the palate, the dominant impression is dryness--an almost dusty dryness that seems to squeeze out the fruit. The leather and spice are there but less of the cherries and berries. I suspect this wine has been pre-aged to bring it forward for early drinking. I found it quite enjoyable with linguine marinara and may buy more...but not for cellaring.
I don't have a lot of experience with Barbera, but I know that Barbera d'Alba wines can be excellent...and expensive. I reported on an excellent Barbera d'Asti from Villa Giada earlier this year [May 10, 2008], and this La Loggia offers nowhere near the same level of intensity. It's also less striking than the Epicuro wines (Salice Salentino and Aglianico) beside it on the shelves at Trader Joe's for the same price.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I know you might be thinking that a wine that is just $5.99 is not good. However, this is a delicious wine which could be easily gotten.
ReplyDeletePairs beautifully with some nice crusty bread, such as pugliese, and some rich olive oil and balsamic. Finishes well with any type of bolognese - something full bodied that can hold its own against the wine. I recommend it!
ReplyDelete