Montebuena Rioja 2009

  Here's a lovely entry level Rioja produced by a very large co-op called the Unión de Cosecheros of Labastida. Rioja can be a somewhat confusing area in that several varietals can be blended with the most important grape of the region, Tempranillo. Garnacha, Graciano, Mazuela and international varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot can all be used in the blend. As such, there are many different styles of Rioja, so at times consumers don't really know what they are getting. This bottling is a step down from the "Crianza" designation which demands 2 years of aging, six months  of which has to be in oak. There is probably no wood on this wine, at least none that I could detect. That's fine with me. This wonderful wine features bright, black cherry and plummy aromas with a hint of earth. It's boldly fruity in the mouth with excellent balance and acidity. It finishes very smooth and long with notes of coffee and spice and is an excellent value at the $9.99 it cost me at my local store. It's imported by another high quality small importer Kysela Pere et Fils. Cheers!

Cantele Primitivo 2009

   Experts used to think that the Italian varietal Primitivo was the genetic ancestor of our American Zinfandel. Although DNA testing has since proven that false (they are both related to a Croatian varietal named Crljenak Kaštelanski - don't ask me how to pronounce that), the taste similarities between the 2 grapes remains. They both produce wines that are quite dark in color and feature large scaled flavors of baked cherry and plum with notes of black pepper. There's a definite roasted quality to the fruit here as full ripeness is easily attained in a hot climate such as this. Primitivo is grown primarily in Puglia and this version by Cantele is from Salento, the southeastern most tip of Puglia. When it's all in balance and the alcohol isn't too prominent in the form of heat, these wines can be a perfect partner for your weeknight pasta or pizza. This quaffer delivers all the aforementioned aromas and flavors, and while there is a touch of that alcoholic heat on the back end, the fruit is sweet and the flavors are bold enough to balance it all out. An import of Vias, this brawny wine cost me $9.99. Cheers.

Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna "Costamolino" 2010

   As a fan of indigenous grapes, there's always adventure lurking when it comes to quaffing. According to Wikipedia, Vermentino, here from the island of Sardinia, is the same grape as Pigato, which is usually found in Liguria. I know, it would be nice if one name could be used but Italians are territorial when it comes to their grapes. Either way, this beautiful white gives you all the flavors of the warm, sunny island from which it comes. Aromas of poached pear, honey and spice lead to round, creamy somewhat tropical flavors. This wine has a much more full-bodied texture than you expect, which reminds a lot of Chardonnay. But despite that, it still retains a vibrant acidity that keeps it fresh tasting and lively. It finishes beautifully long with notes of roasted almonds and stood up very well to a Thai-style chicken soup that my wife made. This Vermentino would certainly pair well with many richer styled fish dishes as well. Argiolas is a very solid producer whose wines are a sure bet year in and year out. Imported by one of my favorites, Winebow, this beauty cost me a mere $9.99. Cheers.

Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2009

  Minervois is one of those unheralded Southern French AOC's that very few people know about, or know what it is. It's located In the extreme south, right on the Mediterranean Sea and it is the source of some very good everyday wines. The Chateau d'Oupia Minervois, from importer Louis/Dressner, is a wonderful bargain year in and year out. It's dominated by the Carignan grape to the tune of 60% with the rest of the blend made up of 30% Syrah and 10% Grenache. With 2009 being a very warm and fruit forward vintage in the region, this version of Chateau d'Oupia is sure to please just about anybody looking for an excellent wallet friendly bottle. The nose is dominated by intense black pepper and dark berry aromas along with a touch of minerals. It's very forward and fruity in the mouth with bold berry flavors that never turn jammy. It finishes long and smooth with spicy notes. It's all estate grown and bottled and at $10.99, this beauty is one to seek out. Cheers.

San Felice Chianti Classico '07

   This Chianti from the Classico DOCG is a textbook example of what good everyday Chianti can be. It's also one of the reasons that I love Italian wines. Sangiovese is the grape of course, and this version gave me everything I love about Sangiovese from this part of the world. Complex aromas of smokey cherry, cinnamon and cloves give way to medium-bodied bitter cherry flavors with notes of licorice and leather. It's elegant and beautiful and even though I expected a touch more body from an '07, a generally warm and ripe vintage in Tuscany, there's a lot to like with this wine. Chianti has been made in various forms for centuries of course and some folks still think of it as a quaint little peasant quaff that usually comes in a bottle with that straw covering. Some misconceptions are hard to change but there really has been a quality revolution in this and many other parts of the wine world. Although now under corporate ownership, San Felice is a producer who has been around an awfully long time and their track record is quite solid. At $13.99 this is a Chianti bottling to seek out. Cheers.

Fattoria Selvanova Aglianico "Vignantica" '05

   I've always had a fondness for good Aglianico, the most important grape of Campania in southern Italy. There's always something wild and rustic about wines made from it, and those are characteristics that frequently bring complexity also. Aglianico is the main grape of Taurasi, whose wines have been dubbed by some "the Barolo of the south". In truth, that is a gross over-simplification as wines made from Aglianico and wines from Barolo (which are made with Nebbiolo) actually have little in common. What they do have in common is that they can be very long-lived and deliciously complex. In this case, we have an entry level Aglianico that cost a mere $12.99 and is an '05, which probably means that it isn't selling very fast at my local shop. That's a shame because this wine is still fabulous while most everyday wines that old are probably fading fast. What I love about this wine are the wild aromas of roasted plum, coffee, iron and a distinct forest floor earthiness. It's still got a good fruity mid-palate, excellent acidity and nary a trace of typical hot climate over-ripeness that can be sometimes found in these wines. The very modest 13.5% alcohol is proof of that. It finishes long with some dusty tannins and stony notes. Imported by David Vincent Selections, this is a portfolio I will definitely be on the lookout for. Cheers.

Bodegas El Angosto "La Tribu" 2010

   Here's a very nice 3 grape blend from the Valencia region of Spain, where they have been making wine for more than a few centuries. Called "La Tribu", this blend consists of equal parts Monastrell (Mourvedre), Garnacha (Grenache) and Syrah. It's got attractive yet somewhat reticent aromas of blueberry, blackberry and a touch of smoke - probably from the 4 months of oak barrel aging this wine gets. In the mouth it's medium-bodied and very up front fruity with very nice balance and grace. It's never heavy handed and there's no alcoholic heat on the back end. It's not the most complex quaffer I've had but fans of the fruitier styles will find a lot to like here. It went perfectly with the artisanal  pizza from our hometown favorite, Nomad Pizza, and it set me back a mere $12.99. It's imported by one of my faves, Vintage Imports. Cheers.

....and while I have Nomad Pizza on the brain, those of you in the Philadelphia area should watch for the opening of the Philly restaurant on Feb. 10th. I can't rave enough about these individual pies, made in a very traditional Italian manner with mostly local and/or organic ingredients in a wood-fired oven that they had shipped here from Italy. They have a great draft beer list;
1. Allagash White
2. Anchor Liberty Ale
3. Brooklyn Lager
4. Dogfish Head 60 min IPA
5. Dominion Oak Barrel Stout
6. Long Trail Ale
7. Ommengang Hennepin
8. Rogue Dead Guy Ale
9. Stone IPA
10. Victory Prima Pils
11. Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale
12. Seasonal Tap
and a wine list put together by yours truly, featuring many of the values touted on this blog. Pictured here is the margherita pie with shitake mushrooms. Yum.

Dehesa Gago "Little g" 2010

   One of the first great everyday Spanish wines I ever encountered on my wine journey was the Dehesa Gago "Little g", produced by the Telmo Rodriguez Estate in the Toro DO of Northwest Spain. It's a wine I've ignored over the last few years as new wines have popped up on a very regular basis. I'm happy to say that I am ignoring it no longer as this is an absolutely delicious bottle, featuring bold up-front fruit and a very generous mid-palate. The grape here is Tempranillo, known locally as Tinto de Toro. It's got all the goodies...big aromas of roasted fruit and dark berries like blueberry and blackberry along with notes of coffee and cola. The flavors are just as big and mouth filling but what I love is that it is also balanced with enough acidity to give it lift. This beauty finishes long with slightly dusty tannins and a leathery note. There's a lot of wine out there that costs more but isn't nearly good as this $12.99 gem. Imported by newcomer Vintus, this is a bottling to seek out. Cheers.

Laborum Torrontes 2010

   Okay it's official. I am a huge fan of Argentinian Torrontes. So much for my old world bias. These new world white wines have everything I love. Big aromatics, complex flavors and vibrant acidity. I've already written up the Crios Torrontes and tonight we tried one from VOS import Bodegas El Porvenir. These grapes are grown at the almost impossible sounding altitude of 5700 ft. and produced just 2000 cases. They remind me so much of Alsatian Gewurztraminer yet they are lighter and more vibrant. This wine has big aromas of white flowers (Gardenia?), white peach, citrus elements and tarragon. It's mouth-filling flavors echo the peach, along with apricot, grapefruit and stony elements. It finishes long with a note of saline. It's also got wonderful, tangy acidity that make these wines great partners for spicy Asian food. We enjoyed the Laborum with a spicy, Thai-style fish soup that my wife cooked up. It's a shame that wines like this don't get more consideration from consumers. It cost me $15.99 and while that may be more than you might want to spend on a Tuesday night, if it's a Friday night you should definitely try this awesome wine out. Cheers.

Le Bourcier Macon Cuvee Elena '08

   Chardonnay is still king by most accounts of today's white wine buying trends. Sales increase every year for this popular grape that accounts for almost 30% of domestic production. In addition, the Chardonnay drinking public has been moving more and more to unoaked versions for their everyday drinking and the California producers are rolling out more of these wines every year. But if there's one thing I've confessed on these pages, it's that I am going to skew old world in my tastes, and that means that for me, the best Chardonnays are French.
   The unoaked Cuvee Elena from Le Bourcier is a Chardonnay from France's Macon region (a sub-region of Burgundy), the home to millions of gallons of Chardonnay production every year. This bottle is a 2008 and it's somewhat golden color hints at a bit of oxidation as it nears the end of it's 2 or 3 year window of drinkability. It's delicious anyway. Beautiful aromas of honeyed pear, fresh fig and a minerally nuance lead to big flavors of pear, orange rind and almond. It's got excellent balancing acidity and a long, creamy finish. The aromas and flavors definitely fell off a bit with airing but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up an '09 or a '10 of this bottling. It's almost always delicious. Imported by one of my faves Polaner Selections, this easy drinking everyday Chardonnay cost me $12.99. Cheers.

Syrocco 2008

   Here's a great little Syrah made from grapes sourced from a very unlikely place - Morocco! The winemaker is Alain Graillot, one of the top producers of the Northern Rhone whose Syrahs from Crozes Hemitage earn accolades on a consistent basis. As the story goes, Graillot was cycling through the Zenata area of Morocco when his route took him through a vineyard. The label features a couple of stick-figure cyclists. He stopped to chat with the owners and discovered that the grapes on the vines were the same varietal that he had spent his professional life working with. He promptly made a deal on a joint project to produce a user friendly everyday wine for the export market. This venture now produces about 8,000 bottles annually. It is a delicious example of Syrah that cost me $14.99. It has dark cherry aromas with notes of black olive and brown spices. In the mouth it features medium-bodied up front cherryish fruit with enough acidity to give it lift. Imported by Michael Skurnick, Syrocco is a very nicely balanced example of good everyday Syrah. Cheers.

The Holidays are for Nights Like This...

   Such a busy time the end of year holidays are, yet there is much joy to share in. This year we squeaked in a night out with some of our best friends at one of Philadelphia's best BYO's, Radicchio. It's hard to put into words how much fun this place is so luckily I have some pics to prove it, courtesy of our dear friend Sherry of Kobo Services.

The wine lineup of course was a big part of it. There's a Malbec from Alamos; A Cotes du Rhone from Domaine Boisson, which I have already written up on this blog; A Spanna from Vallana; and a couple of cherries from my cellar, a '07 Maison Bouachon Chateauneuf du Pape and a '97 Super Tuscan called Il Merlotto, a Sangiovese/Cabernet blend.

We started with some carpaccio with argula and shaved parmesan and some wonderful grilled baby artichokes with shrimp. The carpaccio was all melt in your mouth sweetness and the baby artichokes were cooked perfectly and drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil, the grilling adding a smokiness to the full bore flavor of the chokes. The shrimp did seem to be an unnecessary add on.

The star of the show at Radicchio however, is always the grilled octopus. I have never had such a tender plate of octopus, with the grill flavor bringing out the best of this often ignored delicacy.
Follow that with house made rigatoni with mussels and clams in a beautiful garlicky white sauce, and it starts getting hard to pack it all in.

A 2008 Gilbert Picq Chablis imported by one of my favorites, Polaner Selections, was the perfect wine for this course. I'm a big fan of this entry level Chablis, whose unoaked Chardonnay flavor, bracing acidity and distinct aromas of pear, apple and wet stones are perfect accompaniments for seafood. The '08s are wonderfully minerally in a way that the '09s are not, it being a riper, fruitier vintage. This example cost me $17.99.

I have to go off about the Spanna also. As a Nebbiolo fan, the most important red grape of Piedmont, there are few good examples of Nebbiolo based wines in the everyday category. Barbaresco and Barolo, the two most important wines made from that noble grape, are expensive and in need of extended aging to really show their best. This Spanna from the Colline Novarese zone and produced by one of the venerable old names, Vallana, is an incredible bargain at $13.99. It's soaring aromatics feature bitter cherry, liquorice and violets along with notes of saddle leather. It's flavors are equally large and mouth filling with the cherry and liquorice flavors standing out above all. It finishes lightly tannic and long. I wish more folks would take a chance on wines like this when they pop up in stores. They are so different yet so special. "Sir, put down the Cabernet and step away from the rack"

We also had a couple of entrees that were good but almost beside the point after all the appys. The Halibut was delicious but a thin hangar steak with mushrooms was overcooked and bland. Still, Radicchio is a must destination if you find yourself hungry and in Philadelphia. Oh yeah, the desserts are great also. Cheers and I hope everyone has a great 2012.