Recommendation: EXCELLENT grocery store Italian red wine.
Winery/Producer:Grape Variety: Tuscan Blend: 55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah.
Geographic Region, Appellation: Tuscany, Italy.
Vintage: 2012
Price: $14.99 (with a 30% mixed 6-pack discount).
Purchased From: Ralphs Grocery Store; Agoura Hills, California.
Paired With: Cornflakes baked chicken, mashed potatoes with horseradish and a hint of blue
cheese; spinach salad with tomato, onion, and California feta, dressed with oil and vinegar with oregano, basil, and garlic.
Tasting:
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He said: Opened one-hour before drinking. Clear on the edges of the glass, but Slightly opaque, dark purple color with a lighter purple/red rim. Strong dark fruit and saw dust aromas. Quite smooth plum, cherry and current taste with hints of sage and a long dry finish with lots of delicious firm tannins. Especially good with the Parmesan cheese on the chicken and good drinking alone after the dinner. This isn’t a shrinking violet Tuscan wine and clearly falls into the “Excellent” category…it’s as good or better than Chianti that’s at this price point. Not as dry as traditional Chianti, but with more bouquet and flavors that are very compatible with Italian food. This gets one thumb up and a recommendation from me. It’s EXCELLENT grocery store Italian red wine.
She said: Dark red color with slight tinge of brown in the rim, opaque, lots of thin,
speedily moving legs. The first words that come to my mind were big and bold so I thought of California wines especially since we are residing here now and have been to he local super market for wine. But no, this is Italian and one of the examples of why I LOVE Italian wines. The full fruit aroma opened the door to the huge fruity flavor that dominated the rest of the dinner. Although the Sangiovese grape was clearly the backbone and the body was medium, the tannins moderate, and the finish let you enjoy the wine for a very long time.
It went well with the dinner that was also full of flavor, so a desirable balance resulted. This is not a subtle wine and there are no nuances of flavor, but the big aroma and flavor plus the long finish with delicious tannins go a long way toward making it a good buy.
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bar code: 088586 00275 5
Imported by: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates; Woodinville, Washington.
Photo from Sacriana.