Rich, Rustic and Very Italian - Malacari Rosso Conero 2008

I love Italian wines - red, white or rose. It matters not. There's a lot to love in so many wines from this country and the diversity is incredible. From the cool climate whites of the Alto Adige to the big, bold reds of Sicily and everything in between, there's no end to the choices available to consumers. And let's face it, everyone loves Italian food. There's more Italian cook books on my shelves than there are from any other country. The wonderful combinations of 5 or 6 ingredients will usually make something magical and there is always a perfect wine match for what your cooking up.

Montepulciano is the second most widely planted grape in Italy, grown just about everywhere, from Emilia-Romagna in the north all the way to the heel of the country in Puglia. But for me, it's the east coast of Italy that the best Montepulcianos come from, in Abruzzo and the Marche. It's a late ripening varietal that needs plenty of warmth and hang time to really show it's best. The rocky, sandy soils along the coast in this part of Italy lend the wines a distinct mineral component, adding complexity to the bold fruit that is typical of this grape. Rosso Conero is the DOC in this case, where Montepulciano must make up at least 85% of the bottling and Malacari is the producer of this 100% Montepulciano cuvee. Fermented in stainless steel but aged in oak for 12 months prior to an unfiltered bottling, this lovely wine strikes a wonderful balance between fruit and subtle wood flavors.

Dark purple in color, you're greeted with typical smokey cherry and plum aromas with complicating notes of oak spice, coffee and minerals. In the mouth it's rustic but hearty, with large scaled dark fruit flavors and a long spicy, moderately tannic finish. Try this everyday winner with a beef or lamb stew, or a bolognese pasta. Imported by one of my favorites, Polaner Selections, this quaffer set me back a middling $14.99. Cheers.

Flavors of the French Countryside - Pont de Nyons Cotes du Rhone 2010

There are certain kinds of wine that really resonate with consumers. Some folks might be Zinfandel fans. Others might only drink Cabernet Sauvignon - a phenomenon I have witnessed many times in the store I moonlight in. Still others have to have their Malbec and only Malbec. As someone who is equal opportunity and likes to try wines of many different types, varietals and origins, I sometimes find this obsessive loyalty almost comical. I mean really, are you actually going to drink a cab with pasta and clam sauce? The evening's dinner dish should have at least some influence on your wine choice and though I am no food and wine pairing dictator, you should give a modicum of thought to your choices.

That being said, I always have 2 or 3 Cotes du Rhones in my kitchen rack. There's no other wine I'd rather drink on an everyday basis. They're good with just about any meat dish and I've had them on numerous occasions with shrimp dishes, grilled or pan fried salmon and grilled tuna as well. The best ones are blends based mostly on the Grenache grape with other Rhone Valley varietals playing smaller but important supporting roles. For me, the common thread that links good Cotes du Rhones from different producers, is the black pepper element in the aromas. As soon as I smell that, I know I have what I like - as long as the fruit is there as well.

The 2010 Pont de Nyons Cotes du Rhone is a private label project of HB Wine Imports and R. Shack Selections, bottled by a friend of theirs in the village of Cairanne. 2009 and '10 were wonderful vintages in this part of the wine world, and this bottling gave me all I could want. The blend in this case consists of 70% Grenache, and 10% each Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. Forthcoming aromas of black cherry, black pepper and what the French call "garrigues", a blend of local spice elements that may or may not suggest lavender, rosemary or thyme etc., are supported by mineral elements from the old vines that produced this fruit in very stony soils. In the mouth, there's lovely texture to the dark berry flavors, excellent supporting acidity and pepper and mineral elements repeating on the long, lightly tannic finish. This everyday winner cost me a mere $9.99. Cheers.

Rioja on the Brain - Vina Bujanda Crianza 2009

I have to admit that I've been somewhat obsessed with Rioja lately. Not in my posts necessarily, but certainly in my thinking...and drinking. Spain is the country of the big three of Europe (the other being France and Italy) that I am the weakest on in terms of wine geography. I have stated many times that Spain is my go to country for value with more excellent under $10 wines available here than from any other country. There's more fruit and complexity and thus interest for me in the everyday wines of Spain. Jumilla, Navarra, Manchuela, Calatayud, Campo de Borja and Monstant are just a handful of the Spanish DOs that produce great everyday wines.

But you can't really learn about the essence of Spanish wine without eventually delving into Rioja. Wine production in Spain is centuries old, as it is in the rest of Europe, and Rioja is one of the most important Spanish viticultural areas. Tempranillo is the most important grape of the region and can be blended with Garnacha Tinta, Mazuelo, and Graciano. Cabernet Sauvignon is also sometimes used in the blend. World class wines with decades of aging potential have been produced here for a long time. On these pages however, we deal with the wallet friendly versions of the wines we taste.

The Rioja DO is a long valley in north central Spain that is surrounded on three sides by mountains that protect the vines from the wind. There are three sub-regions running northwest to southeast in the valley: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja. The highest altitude vines lie in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa and produce more wines with more "terroir", or flavor elements that come form the soil. They will in general be less extracted and more complex. The Rioja Baja on the other hand, with it's lower altitude and warmer Mediterranean influenced climate, will generally produce fruitier, larger-scaled but somewhat more monolithic wines.

Last night's Rioja was a Crianza from Vina Bujanda and imported by Winebow, a national company with a great portfolio. The Crianza designation calls for at least two years of aging with at least six months in barrel. This cuvee is a 100% Tempranillo example that saw 70% American oak and 30% French oak, the American oak in general imparting more vanilla and the French oak more subtle spice flavors. With the source of these grapes being the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa, this is a good example of balanced and elegant everyday Rioja. It's translucent ruby in color with red cherry and blueberry fruit supported by oak spice and tobacco notes. In the mouth, it's not too ripe, but juicy and energetic with a wonderful mid-palate of berry fruit with earthy notes and a reprise of the oak spice. It finishes long and soft and is a delicious example of good Rioja for an affordable $11.99. Bottoms up!

Everybody's Hot New Fave-Malbec Altos Las Hormigas 2011

It seems like everybody is on to Argentinian Malbec lately. Yes I know it's not "new" in any sense of the word, but everywhere that I've been lately it seems that people ask me about it or tell me about a bottle they had that they loved. And let's face it, for most folks a good Mabec delivers the goods. They can range from good simple fruity quaffs to more complex examples, sporting earth and spice elements in support of ripe fruit. 2011 Malbec sales in The US market were up an incredible 46% over 2010 and this trend seems to be continuing. I think that part of the reason for the growth is twofold. One is the new world up front fruitiness of the best everyday examples of Malbec. The other is the desire for fans of the style to find bottlings beyond the familiar Californian and Australian wines that they've been buying for years.

In an industry where decades or even hundreds of years of winemaking are not unusual, Altos las Hormigas is a venture whose 1995 origin belies it's year after year consistency. Even for me, a confirmed old world wine fan, Argentinian Malbecs can be a wonderful midpoint of style between Europe and the new world. The 2011 entry level Malbec from Altos las Hormigas is a great example. Ruby/dark purple colors and beautiful aromas of roasted berries, coffee and peppery notes are more complex than you expect from new world wines. The berry/plummy flavors are never heavy or over ripe tasting and the pepper and spice notes repeat on the somewhat short but soft and pleasant finish. This everyday winner sports wonderful balance and nary a hint of it's 14.2% alcohol. Try it with red meat stews or a simple roast chicken. At a miserly $11.99, you can't go wrong. Cheers.

Extreme Holiday Value - Varichon & Clerc Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is for some reason almost never on my radar which, I suppose, is the same for a lot of folks. It creeps back into our consciousness when special occasions are at hand and, like now, when the holidays are upon us. There's so many choices with regards to sparklers nowadays that it can be hard to decide which way to go. As far as inexpensive sparkling wine goes, there's the domestics, some of which are wonderful if slightly to the sweeter side. Some people prefer that style. There's the Italian Proseccos, many of which are very good and also more to the fruity side. And there's the Spanish Cavas, which are usually a bit drier and nuttier than the aforementioned wines. Champagne of course, real champagne, is the benchmark for sparkling wine.

My favorite value sparkler hands down though is a little known wine formerly made in the foothills of the French Alps, but now made in Burgundy by Varichon & Clerc. Made via the Champagne method as it is called, where the secondary fermentation takes place in bottle after the addition of yeast and sugar, the result is the effervescence. This wine is non-vintage, which means that a blend of vintages make up the still wine that forms the base for this bottling, and three grapes make up the wine, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Ugni Blanc. It retails at my local store for just $9.99. The bubbles are small and the aromas are dominated by nutty/yeasty tones with supporting elements of apple and lime zest. It's got a wonderful steely mouth feel and taut white fruit and toast flavors backed by zingy acidity. Imported by one of my favorites, Maximum Wine Co. , this wine is absolutely a great value at this price point. And it's a nice package also. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Maculan "Brentino" 2009 - Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

I've stated many times that I will always skew old world in my wine tastes. France, Spain and especially Italy produce the most types of wine that I love. Because of that, the so called "international" varietals like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon can sometimes fall by the wayside when it comes to my wine consciousness. I just always gravitate toward indigenous grapes when I'm shopping. Cabernet and Merlot of course are indigenous to France in the form of Bordeaux blends and these wines are often world class with the price tag to match. Thus, they sometimes slip past my frame of everyday wine reference. In Italy, these two international varietals are rarer, but still make some world class wines. Tenuta San Guido's Cabernet based "Sassicaia" and Castello di Ama's Merlot "L'Apparita" are examples of collector worthy wines.

But today I've got a truly delicious $12.99 Merlot/Cabernet blend from the Veneto region of Italy for you. Maculan is a wonderful producer whose whites I have enjoyed many times. But when I got to finally taste this entry level red comprised of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet, I was truly impressed. From gravelly soils and aged half in barrel and half in stainless for 12 months, this wine delivers the goods. Plum and smokey cherry aromas are supported by earth and herbal notes, a nuance I always look for from Cabernet. The flavors are fruity and bold and finish quite long with spice and earth notes. Imported by one of my favorites, Winebow, this is one you Cab and Merlot lovers should seek out. Cheers.

Thanksgiving & Pinot Noir - The Pinot Project 2011

I pulled a couple of shifts at my local store last weekend helping folks find their way around while dispensing advice (when asked for of course), and much has been written about what wines to pair with your turkey and stuffing. In truth you could go lots of different ways. But what impressed me the most was that the vast majority of people shopping for Thanksgiving asked for Pinot Noir. It makes perfect sense of course that a lighter style red would fit the bill nicely and Pinot has been steadily climbing in popularity. Of course other light reds came to mind like Beaujolais or even some Chiantis, but California Pinot Noir has what most consumers want - ripe sweet fruit and soft tannins.

Today's post features one of the best entry level Pinot Noir's I have ever had. Some Pinots cross the too ripe and too sweet line for me. Evereyday Pinot Noir should be translucent in color and oriented toward fresh light red berry flavors and no raisiny elements in the aromas. The Pinot Project, despite it's somewhat industrial sounding name, is a Pinot that will please just about everyone - and for only $10.99. This private label project of importer Michael Skurnick has the goods. Prominent aromas of smoky black cherry, raspberry and spice with fairly bold cherryish flavors and excellent balancing acidity that keeps this wine lively. This wine will definitely enhance your Thanksgiving feast, especially if you have a crowd. Cheers.

Table Mates - Lobster and Vouvray Domaine d'Orfeuilles 2010

I wrote up the 2009 version of this wonderful Vouvray sometime last year so this post is a bit of an update with the current 2010 vintage in the spotlight. Chenin Blanc is the grape of Vouvray and it is native to the Loire Valley, having been cultivated there for centuries. It's a late ripening varietal with high natural acidity that easily picks up flavors from the soil in which it grows, in this case from clay and limestone soils that add richness and stony elements. Vouvrays, when soundly produced, are wonderful wines that have the size and versatility to enhance a wide range of foods. But for me, one of the best pairings for Vouvray is lobster. There's something about the combination of flavors, the richness and the zingy acidity that just make the two a perfect match.

The 2010 Domaine d'Orfeuilles Vouvray features wonderful pear and citrus aromas with wet stones nuances. It's large scaled and creamy in the mouth with wonderful richness and texture. The poached pear and lemon peel flavors are offset nicely with brisk acids and a finishing note of roasted nuts. At $11.99, this is an outstanding bargain as good examples of these wonderful wines can easily go for $20 or so. Vouvrays age magnificently and even entry level examples like this will last 10 years or so, becoming more honeyed as they mature. Cheers!

No power, no water, going mobile-Damilano Arneis '09

First off let me say that my heart goes out to all those folks who hurricane Sandy has devastated. I may be without power for a bit, but those who have lost their homes or businesses are dealing with a life changing event. So when we went out for a bite last night, in part to feel somewhat "normal" again, we visited our favorite fish house, the Blue Point Grill in Princeton. In tow was a bottle of Arneis, a somewhat unknown northern Italian varietal grown chiefly in Roero and the Langhe. This Langhe version from Damilano, a wonderfully consistent producer, is a sure everyday winner at $12.99.

Beautiful aromas of ripe pear are supported with notes of pineapple, orange rind and honey. In the mouth there is excellent body and texture with ripe pear flavors again leading the way with notes of citrus and mint on the long smooth finish. This wine strikes a very attractive balance between it's ripe fruit and supportive acidity. Though less floral than Arneis tends to be, this is a delicious example of the heights that lesser known varietals can achieve. This is an all stainless steel cuvee and it is imported by one of my faves, Vias. Cheers!

Passero Primitivo 2008

Consumers for the most part love big, fruity wines. There is a bevy of Zinfandel fans that frequent my local joint. They like the big fruit, the black pepper notes and the soft, friendly finish. Well, much has been written about Primitivo and Zinfandel possibly being the same grape. They certainly share an aroma and taste profile. Subsequent DNA testing however linked Zin to a Croatian varietal called Crljenak Kaštelansk - and don't ask me how to pronounce that. No matter, Zin lovers should also love most well made Primitivos as well and tonight's example, though not from it's usual home in Puglia is from right next door in Salento.

This beautifully balanced $11.99 quaffer delivers all you want in an everyday wine. It's almost Chianti like in the nose, though riper, with blackberry, baked cherry, leather and cinnamon notes. In the mouth it's big but balanced, with dark berry fruit flavors enhanced by lively acids and a smooth, soft finish. Produced by Alessandro Sala Selezioni and imported by Inno Vino, this is practically the perfect pasta and pizza wine though it will also pair well with roast chicken or grilled sausage. A google search turned up absolutely nothing on this producer, even on the importer's website. Cheers!

Body and Soul - Altos de Luzon 2007

Crowd pleasing Spanish red wines continue to deliver the goods when it comes to concentration and bold fruit flavors - and at prices one can only consider exceptional values. Bodegas Luzon, a large operation located in Jumilla in southeastern Spain has been churning out fantastic everyday reds for a long time. Their entry level $7.99 wines are incredible values. One is the Luzon Cosechca, a hearty blend of 70% Monastrell (Mourvedre) and 30% Syrah. The other is Luzon Verde, a 100% Monastrell cuvee that is organic to boot. I've had and enjoyed both bottlings many times.

Today however I want to tell you about the step up bottling called Altos de Luzon which will set you back a bit more at $12.99, but may be an even better value given the breadth and scope of the product. This awesome wine is a blend consisting of 50% Monastrell and 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. It's very inky purple color leads to brooding aromas of blackberry and cherry jam fruit with notes of cocoa, vanilla and spices - the latter two of which are a result of the 12 months in French and American oak this wine sees prior to bottling. The flavors are also large scaled, with dark berry and plum flavors supported by somewhat high toned acids and smoke and spice notes on the lingering finish. This food friendly wine is a pretty big one for the price and should please just about anyone, especially the "size matters" crowd, and there's nothing wrong with that. An import of Fine Estates From Spain, try this beauty with a hearty beef or lamb stew, or a simple grilled steak. Cheers.

It May be October But I'm Still Loving Roses - Enanzo Rosado 2011

When we decided to pour a French rose at Nomad Pizza in Philly this summer, we turned to a great little wine from an oddball DOC in the Loire Valley called Coteaux D'Ancenis, from Domaine Pierre Guindon. We weren't sure that it would go - I mean Rose with pizza? - but the response was good enough that we decided to keep a rose on the list for fall. This time however we went with a Spanish version of those great pink wines that many think are sweet, but are actually dry.

There's a big difference between the aforementioned cool climate Loire Valley Rose made from Gamay and the much warmer climate Grenache Rose from the Navarra region of northern Spain. The Gamay is lighter in color and more subtle of flavor than the Enanzo - more complex for sure. But the Enanzo has more color and bolder fruit in the mouth. It's bigger in every way and that's something many wine drinkers can relate to. Size matters for some and when it comes to pizza, bolder roses may indeed be a better fit. There's prominent aromas of strawberry and watermelon with distinct floral elements. In the mouth, the red berry flavors are bold and full bodied with a honeyed creaminess on the back end. And, the best part about this beauty is that here in Jersey it can be had for a miserly $8.99. Imported by C&P Wines, you should definitely seek this crowd pleasing rose out. Cheers.