Tempra Tantrum 2008

My new favorite wine store - the Wine House in Holliston MA - had an interesting arrangement of three value Spanish wines - all called Tempra Tantrum. Each wine is predominately tempranillo and tonight I'm trying the shiraz (40%) blend. The nose is pleasant and surprisingly floral for most of the reds I drink. The taste is equally pleasant with denser blackberry flavors - which actually matches the vinters description on the back label. Apparently I'm also supposed to be getting hints of chocolate, cherry and spice - well 1 out of 4 ain't bad. Good tannins give the wine reasonable structure. I'm matching this up with some leftover pasta, not quite the paella the vinter suggests, but still pretty good. It is Tuesday, so I'm happy to have only paid $8 - after my 20% case discount. (most wine stores give just 15%) Mrs. Vino is taking the night off from wine tonight. VERY unsual! I will look for this wine again for any night of the week. Three reviews in five days. Not bad.

Borgo - Delle Venezie

I dragged Mrs. Vino to a wine shop I wanted to check out. The Wine House is a free standing house in downtown Holliston MA where the first floor can't be more than 500 cozy square feet. The wines were well organized along one wall and the propietor provided a handwritten description for each wine. Her descriptions were so thorough that I didn't need to ask many questions - but after selecting many bottles, I asked for help finding a drier Pinot Grigio. She said, "Well, many wine producers are actually dropping their prices lately and this Borgo is now $11 when it used to be $14. I really like this one and it is less fruit forward." Considering no ones salary is going up lately this seems appropriate, but I'm also thinking, "Is there a neon flashing sign on my forehead that says, 'I'm cheap and looking for value.'? (This is not the first time I've thought this after asking someone for wine advice.) One day later the green label seemed particularly appropriate on the day they award the Green Jacket in golf. The warmish spring night is also cooperating and I barbeque chicken to pair with it. Very floral scent. The first taste is a bit bland and lacks the acidity I was hoping for. Apple juice. Apple juice. Apple juice. And who doesn't like apple juice - with some pear flavoring as well. Mrs. Vino tastes grapefruit - and on a re-taste I see her point - so there must be some acid - just not quite what I wanted. I would not hesitate to look for this easy drinking wine again - especially on a hot summer day, but if I have a choice between this and the Jermann - the Jermann would get my vote. Just a bit more interesting. Two wines in three days - I'm already behind on 10 blogs in 10 days - but I went to a wine tasting where there were too many wines to even think about writing up! I'll have to catch up - but at least I'm dedicated to my wine!

Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella 2007

A local Italian restaurant had this wine as a special on their wine list and I know this is a style of wine I like, and a vinter I've never tried - so why not. At $37 I swallowed hard but it wasn't much more than the other wines they listed - and he gave it a nice write-up and recommendation. I immediately notice a deep, dark color which in this case matches the wine. Mrs. Vino immediately says she likes it saying it is very smooth. This wine could stand up to any steak but goes fine with my grilled Halibut. Dark fruit flavors and appropriately oaked, I will certainly look for this wine again. Looks to retail for around $12. Not bad considering this is the best Valpolicella I've ever had. (80% Corvina, 10% Sangiovese and 10% Rondinella) Lastly, I gave up wine blogging for skiing and lent, but I'm going to make up for it with 10 wine reviews in 10 days. PROMISE!

Vino Piola Rosso

Lots of skiing, too many taxes, and frankly no exciting wines over the last month. But I'm breaking my writing slump on this Tuesday night with this Italian wine with a funky label. This wine is slightly oaked and not unpleasant, but it is a bit boring as the flavor drains away very quickly. Looks like this wine prices in the $10 range. "Looks like" because I don't know where I got this one. I might have bought it or it could have been an X-mas gift. Either way, I won't look for it. (Not that I think I'll ever see it again, because I can't find it after numerous net searches. I can't figure out the grape varietal.

Sexto

Sexto means "sixth" in Spanish - and the sixth grape variety in this wine is "Llendoner Pelut Noir". This varietal might help me reach the varietal century club. (see link.) We're liking the change of pace this 6 varietal wine brings on Super Bowl Sun Night. (Thank you NFL for the late start - Not!) The wine works well with our roaring fire (see photo) and leftover shrimp orzo in a tomatoe sauce. Some oak - tons of flavor - Mrs. Vino tastes cherry. Good for her! I might just look for this fun one again - especially the next time we've got pizza.

Chalone Vineyards Monterey County 2006

I had read that the Chalone Vineyard had the best Chardonnay bargain out there. Why not try the Pinot Noir? I smell smoke and tobacco. The wine has raspberry flavors, is slightly oaked and has a soft texture - almost velvety. Of the 4 Pinot's I'm currently sampling, I may like this one the best. Stay tuned on that. Mrs. Vino says, "very smooth, I like it." We pair it up with a Shrimp, Orzo and feta cheese recipe that Mrs. Vino has stewing in her new convection oven. A more robust Italian wine would have been a better choice. The sommelier will try to remember. Perhaps Mrs. Vino should start a cooking blog. She knows more about cookin' than I know about wine! Anyway, this is still one wine I'll look for and a good Pinot Noir at $15 would always represent a solid value.

Jam Jar

Over the holidays - between our party and hosting relatives - we somehow ended up with this "Jam Jar" in our quiver of wine bottles. It is Tuesday night. I'm playing late night tennis and sticking with water. Mrs. Vino asks that I open a bottle. I scan the bottles and think, "Why not?" The label clearly says, "Sweet Shiraz". I'm thinking, "Well all wine has some sweetness." Mrs. Vino can't get past the smell. I taste. Cough syrup. I can't get the taste out of my mouth, which I suppose means it has length - but not good length. I consider brushing my teeth. I pour the liquid from this wine bottle down the drain and it is now been safely stored for proper aging in my $20k leaching field in front of my house - where only the grubs can drink it. If this last sentence puts a bad taste in your mouth, well then you know what this wine tasted like.

Santi Solane Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso

Long name. I need to break it down. Valpolicella is region of Italy that is just behind chianti in production. Valpolicella Ripasso is aged at least 12 months on wood with an alcohol content in excess of 12% made with partially dried grape skins. The name "valpolicella" dates to at least the 12th century and likely comes from the ancient Greeks and may mean "valley of the cellars". Enough Wiki-pedia! "Wood" must mean "oak" because I smell it. I find this $15 bottle dry yet light - and it pairs well with a chicken pasta dish with a cream sauce. This region is known for producing good value wine. Sounds familiar. I always look for any label from this region. Mrs. Vino is too focused on the NFC Championship game to comment.

La Crema 2007 Monterey

In scanning my reviews by variety I note few Pinot Noirs tastings. There are four $20 La Crema's in the cellar and they've been there for some months. I'm always hesitant to crack the $20 bottles, but have been on a roll with them lately, so why not. When I've waited to open a wine and know it is pricier (by my cheapo standards) I try not to let the anticipation and price cloud my judgement. The first sniff and taste are not overwhelming - and I can tell that Mrs. Vino feels the same way. The vintner's notes suggest I should be tasting pomegranate. Yes, I get that intense fruit flavor. All the on-line reviews reference minerality. This might be why Mrs. Vino identifies a bitter aftertaste. One dominant thought is on my mind as we empty the bottle and sip the last glass. "I'm loving every last sip." Maybe that is my lesson for this review. My last tastes might say more about a wine than my first ones. I'll look for this wine again, but always be sure it is part of a case discount! (one final note - La Crema's come from everywhere at many price points - Sonoma, Monterey, Los Caneros etc.)

Huntington Zinfandel 2006

Memo to self - which I realize goes without saying on all my wine reviews on this web site. Do not purchase any more wines from Huntington. I've now had the Petite Syrah and the Zinfandel and both have been a bit off. Mrs. Vino couldn't drink either. I'm too cheap to do that. This one actually had some of the nice spice I expect from Zinfandels. I've heard others refer to wines as "sloppy" and that might be a word I would use here. The flavors just don't blend together - with the sweetness almost tasting like injected sugar. Needless to say, I won't look for this one.