More Reds with Andre (California / Italy)
06 Aug 2015- Details
- Category: Uncorked Tonight
A continuation of a previous article - see part 1 here.
(April 18, 2015) ... The next two bottles were not from Ontario - I found a bottle of Coltibuono 2001 Cetamura Chianti - this came from my wife's cellar when she moved here, she was given it as a gift and she just held onto it (an when it came under my care I did too) ... she could not remember who gave it to her and she is not a red wine fan, so we popped the cork ... alas this bottle was done, over, finished, and probably was years ago. I could not let my guests leave on such a low note, and so I opened something that they were not expecting: Ravenswood 2009 Zinfandel, Sonoma County - Zin is a guilty pleasure of mine, I just love them, and feel I can never have enough bottles of them (you never know when a BBQ is going to break out and you'll need a bottle) ... this Ravenswood was the cat's meow. Nose of plum and black cherry and a palate that just kept giving different taste experiences with each sip: plum, black cherry, mocha, spiced-vanilla, sounds like it could be one of those thick, syrupy-sweet Zins, but instead it had great acidity to balance everything out. And with everyone ooo-ing and aah-ing over this one there was only one thing left to do ... Drop the mic, I'm done.
(April 17, 2015) ... Very quietly Plan de Dieu wines have been sneaking their way into my cellar - yes I am doing it on purpose. Once you learn that Plan de Dieu, in the Rhone Valley, is a mere stone's throw away from the famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape, you realize the great value these wines are. At a fraction the price of CdP these wines offer the flavours, the aromas and the everything else you want from the region, but at a very affordable price, and they age wonderfully well too. This one is now 5 years from vintage date and shows no sign of rolling over the cliff. Smooth with some blackberry, vanilla, and a little smoky white pepper, all put together with good acidity and spiced-raspberry on the finish. This wine has some real elegance and is great for dinner or just to sit and happily sip on.
