Medium deep yellow. Elegance personified. Intense bouquet of flowers, pears, apples and white peaches. Lemon curd acidity. Not too sweet upfront but fresh and lively leading to a long, refined fruit-oriented finish. Exciting flavors that cling to the memory long after the final sip. A special wine.
Marcel Couturier's La Coeur des Bois retails for $40 to $50 a bottle--well out of my price range. But I have found it several times for $15 to $20 on WineBid.
Medium ruby. Violets, roses and cherries on the nose....after sufficient aeration. Dark cherries, black licorice on the tongue. Not as powerful or tannic as I expected from Barolo but plenty of sweet fruit flavors that get more complex as the meal progresses.
For me, this was the major attraction of the AWS Central Italy National Tasting Project. I was anxious to taste a good Sagrantino, and I was not disappointed.
Deep and dark, bright and clear. Garnet shading in from the rim. Bright scents and flavors of red and black fruits, violets, eucalyptus and black pepper. Fine grained tannins, some alcoholic warmth but doesn't detract. Silky texture. Long, sweet fruited finish.
I gave this wine 18.0, a close second to the Nobile di Montepulciano, compared to 17.0 for the Selection Committee.
Medium deep ruby. Clear but could be brighter. Fruit-packed aromas and flavors of dark cherry, raspberry, pepper. Medium acid, somewhat tough tannins. Not very intense. Seems to lack balance at present but that may change with a year or two of aging. I gave it 16.0 (Selection Committee 15.5).
Deep copper red, darker than a typical rose. Enticing scents of red fruits, lime, tea. Medium bodied. Very dry but with refreshing acidity. Medium long, enjoyable after taste.
Deep straw color, bright and clear. Not very intense on the attack. Apple and apple blossom with a hint of butter. Rich and full bodied but, again, not very intense. Very dry on the palate. Low to medium acidity. Medium finish.
I have had better Vernaccias. Scored this one 13.5 compared to the Selection Committee's 15.5.
Medium ruby with some garnet tones. Cherries, violets, chocolate, black pepper. Barbera acidity with a tannic backbone. A pleasant rustic texture. Some might find woody tones even though it was aged in stainless steel and has never seen oak. Doing quite well in its sixth year.
Franco Serra also has a good Nebbiolo d'Alba, a Barolo and a Barbaresco, all priced well below that of most competitors.
Medium ruby, shading to garnet. Has all of the lovely scents of Nebbiolo: roses, violets, red berries. I don't detect any oak influenced aromas. Also has the Nebbiolo flavors I love: dark cherry, black licorice, pepper. Warm and full bodied. Fills the mouth with pleasure. Velvety texture and long, complex finish. Drinking in its prime at 13 years.
Deep gold color, clear and bright. Lemon curd, vanilla, brown butter. Full bodied and fairly bold. Good legs climbing up the glass. Bright fruit aromas and flavors. Gets better as it warms and aerates. Not a very well known label; probably produced by Art+Farm Wines.
Bright and deep crimson color. Black raspberry, Provencal herbs, black licorice and pepper. Grenache friendly on the tongue with Syrah backbone. Medium plus body. Good fruit filled finish. Seems perfectly balanced. Hard to believe the 15% alcohol although that may show up with some heat in future years.
Probably does not not measure up to the Perrian Family's Les Cornud, but it's less than half the price ($9.99 at Trader Joe's in 2024).
Deep plummy violet color. Black raspberries, flowers, black licorice. This is a high acid wine, similar to Cab Franc, and it grows well in Michigan soil and cool climate. Plush texture. Medium body (13% alcohol). A very enjoyable wine to accompany my black pepper/truffle fettucine and Donna's French onion soup/ham and cheese tart.
The color has lightened, much more amber now. Best at cellar temperature; I put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, to bring back some of the tannins that had melted a bit over eight years. Once aggressive, it is now mellow with bright fruit smells and flavors. Red cherry, raspberry, black licorice. Ripe fruit on friendly mid-palate tannins. Signature Barbera acidity keeps it fresh and lively on medium-long finish. Unfortunately, this is my last bottle.
Kalimna is the name of a vineyard that once produced a popular Kalimna Dry Red, the forerunner of this Bin 28. The Kalimna Vineyard has moved up the Penfolds ladder, but this wine, sourced from several vineyards in Barossa and elsewhere, is made in a similar style. It was matured for 12 months in one-, two-year and older Americnn oak hogsheads.
Very dark, almost opaque. Enticing smells and flavors. Blackberries, plums, anise and mint. Ripe fruit still takes center stage, now even more prominent as the tannins have softened. Generally well balanced but with some heat (14.5% ABV) on the finish. Has aged very well over 22 years and should continue to drink well for at least another year or two.
Deep dark Cabernet color with some amber at the rim. Has aged well. Black currants, blueberries, cassis. Bright fruit smells and flavors. Very Cabernet in personality. Medium body with a velvety texture. Medium long finish. I can see why it the grape works so well in Bordeaux blends.
