Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Had this Chilean wine at a wine dinner at Morris Tap & Grill and really enjoyed its boldness and food-friendliness.
On the nose, the 2009 Tamaya Reserva Carmenere offers potent aromas of ripe raspberries with spicy and coffee notes. On the palate, it’s a huge mouthful of rich, concentrated dark berries with a long spicy/peppery finish.
Pairings: Grilled beef or lamb. Sharp cheese dishes.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Carmenere
Region: Limari Valley, Chile
Around $10
Paired this French Bordeaux with rare roasted duck and it was a nice pairing. In the glass, it’s brick red in color. The nose is an appealing blend of plum, coffee and leather. In the mouth, the stone fruit comes through along with vanilla and mocha notes. Medium finish with softened tannins.
Pairings: Grilled or roasted beef or duck. Cheesy dishes.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): 50% Merlot, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc
Region: Bordeaux / Medoc, France
Around $25
Bright purplish ruby in the glass, this affordable Italian wine has a ripe dark fruit nose laced with spiced notes. In the mouth, it’s round with a nice balance of rich dark fruit and chocolate with good acidity.
Had this 2007 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Fattoria Del Cerro paired with rare duck and it was a nice pairing.
Pairings: Grilled chicken or pork, cheese course, mushroom risotto.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo Nero
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Around $20
Paired this Tuscan wine with my cheese course at a recent dinner party and it matched up well. Lighter and fruitier than its counterpart, Brunello di Montalcino, this wine didn’t overwhelm the mild soft cheeses and stood up to the stinkier, riper ones.
In the glass, the 2009 Castello Di Camigliano Rosso di Montalcino is vibrant red and it offers bright fruit on the nose. In the mouth, it’s well-balanced with a dark berry mixed with mushroomy/earthy flavors. Meant to be drunk young, this affordable wine can be served on a Tuesday night with pizza or at a party with more complex dishes.
Pairings: Grilled chicken or pork, cheese course, pasta with red sauce.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Sangiovese
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Around $22
I enjoyed this delicious Greek wine at Kellari Taverna in Manhattan with perfectly grilled octopus.
In the glass, this wine is a lovely golden color. On the nose, this Assyrtiko offer clean, citrusy aromas. In the mouth, it’s crisp with tropical fruit and Meyer lemon flavors. Well balanced wine that’s perfect for summer grilling but can hold up to heartier dishes.
Pairings: Seafood, grilled fish.
Style: White
Grape Type(s): Assyrtiko
Region: Santorini, Greece
Around $20
I’d had this inexpensive Spanish wine in my cellar for a while and opted to uncork it to pair with grilled porterhouse steaks with peppercorn sauce.
In the glass, it shows a deep purple color not unlike the purple band on the bottle’s label. On the nose, I smelled Herbes de Provence and hints of cracked peppercorn. The palate of this Monastrell is a mouthful of dark berries with nice acidity and pine needle notes. The finish is short, which is a bit of a disappointment. Grilled pork chops would have been a better match than my steaks. Nice wine for $10.
Pairings: Grilled pork chops, goat cheese on toasted bread.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Monastrell (also known as Mourvedre)
Region: Murcia, Spain
Around $10
I got this bottle to pop open at my mom’s 65th birthday celebration. What could be more festive than Champagne on a milestone birthday?
On the nose, this French Champagne offers apple, vanilla, yeasty aromas. In the mouth, this wine is creamy with a big mouthful of tiny bubbles. The finish is buttery and a little smoky. Just delicious and way better than other Champagnes at this price point.
Pairings: Lobster, fish, foie gras.
Style: Champagne
Grape Type(s): 40% Pinot Noir, 20% Pinot Meunier and 40% Chardonnay
Region: Reims / Champagne, France
Around $40
I’d had this bottle for a while and when I planned a casual grilled steak dinner for Memorial Day weekend, I opted to open it for my guests.
In the glass, the wine is bright ruby with some violet hues. Very pretty. On the nose, there are aromas of stone fruit with a little coffee and chocolate and some spiced notes. On the palate, this rich Australian Shiraz is big with dark cherry flavor and plummy chewiness laced with clove and nutmeg.
Pairings: Grilled steaks, meat lasagna.
Style: Red
Grape Type(s): Syrah
Region: South Eastern Australia
Around $10
Photo Courtesy of Finger Lakes Wine Country
Being a fan of Riesling, I’m excited about May being Riesling Month. Being a huge fan of Finger Lakes Rieslings…read article.
Cheers,
Veronique
Summer’s coming and when you’re craving a crisp, light white wine that’s more floral and complex than Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, there’s Viognier.
The 2010 Domaine des Salices Viognier offers a classic Viognier nose – floral, lemony and fresh. On the palate, it basically tastes like it smells but with lime and a little ground clove on the finish. Bright, crisp and pretty tasty for a $12 wine.
Pairings: Lightly sautéed sole / halibut / sea bass, grilled scallops.
Style: White
Grape Type(s): Viognier
Region: Languedoc-Roussillon, France
Around $12
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