Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Seghesio Zinfandel
Bright berry flavors reminded me of Grandma’s juicy raspberry pie. The word ‘succulent’ might have never applied to a wine better than this one. This Zin feels thick and sorts of coats your mouth in a most appreciated way. Tasted peppery and clove nuances. Amazingly well-balanced with solid tannins. A big, bold Zinfandel that delivers.
92-Point Wine Spectator
About $30.
Really enjoyed this wine. It’s a good example of a Saint-Estephe Bordeaux, especially for a second wine. Bold berry flavors and a super smooth finish that’s completely satisfying, particularly at about $25.
Silver Oak Cabernet
This dark ruby wine is a big mouthful of ripe berries with woody herb nuances. It offers soft-ish, refined tannins but, if I must be critical, an understated finish. Somewhat pricey at around $80, but an overall very good wine.
Benziger Signaterra Pinot Noir
This wine personifies Russian River Pinot Noir. The 2007 Signaterra Pinot Noir shows a perfect marriage of fruit and spice, soft tannins and velvety mouthfeel.
Price: Around $50
2004 Dead Arm Shiraz
The 2004 The Dead Arm Shiraz was one of the top five wines I tasted at a recent event featuring over 100 wines. This fabulous full-bodied wine offers a beautiful dark purple color that’s impossible to resist. This Shiraz explodes in the mouth with bold blackberry, peppery spice flavors, and although still young it’s pleasantly tannic and complex.
Apparently, I’m not the only taster who enjoyed this Shiraz: “This deep, rich, full-bodied, tannic Shiraz should be drinkable in 2-3 years, and will last for two decades or more. It is the finest Dead Arm since the 2001.” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 95+ Points.
Price: Around $50.
Ravines Cab Franc
The 2007 Cabernet Franc by Ravines Wine Cellars from the Finger Lakes, is a ripe, slightly oaky wine with medium tannins that is enjoyable now but will become outstanding with a little cellaring. Uncork this wine as you’re grilling for Father’s Day next year.
Great buy at around $20.
Ravines Pinot Noir
The 2007 Ravines Wine Cellar Pinot Noir, from the Finger Lakes, is a beautiful bright ruby in the glass and vibrant, slightly spicy cherry in the mouth. The soft tannins and pleasant velvety texture provide the smooth, long finish that all classic Pinot Noirs try to achieve.
Nicely-priced at around $20.
2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
This big and rich Chianti was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and rightly so. This wine features spicy and sweet layers and intense dark berry flavors. The color of this wine is the darkest ruby.
Served half the bottle decanted and the other half not. The wine out of the bottle was sharp but not unpleasant and made me glad that I decanted some of it. The decanted wine show more velvety tannins and was smooth and delectable.
Successfully paired the 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva with bacon-wrapped filet mignon and it was a good match. Not the first thing I’d think of pairing with it, but worked well none-the-less.
Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon
I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.
After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.
We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s. I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.
2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne
This young wine shows a beautiful purple, ruby color in the glass and offers a nice mouthful of ripe cherry and fresh berries. The tannins are soft on this medium-bodied wine, and there’s a nice level of acidity making the Vietti Barbera D’Asti perfect for pairing with food. Could benefit from a few years in the bottle, but can be enjoyed right away.
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