2 very interesting wines in the sub-$12 range. Both sort of one-trick-ponies, but the tricks were distinctive and cool. The Zantho was light bodied but almost overwhelmingly lemony and piney - aromatically and on the palate. Very purfumed. Mineral / stoniness comes across as a supporting role from nose to finish. Pine Sol exactly. Bone dry. Fresh, bright acidity means this would pair great with shellfish and seafood. Interestingly, I left this in the decanter overnight to taste in the morning - and it tasted even better?! The acidity integrated and the wine overall was a little plumper and softer. I’d love to see what a dry Muscat tastes like after 15 years in the cellar…anyone have that opportunity?

The Riondo Prosecco was all about Banana Now-and-Laters (my wife pinpointed this - thanks m) and white balsamic vinegar. Tiny bubbles filled the palate, with a very light and ethereal body. Refreshing and probably better before dinner than with the Thai and Sushi we enjoyed (which wasn’t a bad match by any means). This is quite dry, but I did detect a slight residual sugar to keep it drinkable and balance the acidity. Fun and cheap - everyone should have a bottle on hand for nights when champagne might be too opulent, and beer doesn’t suit the mood.

Hofer Gruner Veltliner, Frieberg 2005:

Very light straw color. Very aromatically complex and expressive nose; mercurial transitions through apple skin, some cherry, lime, white peach, bok choy, haricot verts, toasted bread, and gravel. Characteristic aromas of Old-world Rieslings, Chenin Blancs, and Sauv Blancs all seem to pop in and out of focus. Bone dry, with such an intense mineral-water/saline character it’s almost obnoxious. The finish is just a gravelly landslide that smooths out over a minute. Refreshing; begging for the next sip. This could stand up to hard-to-pair foods like Mexican and Japanese. For terroir-hounds like myself, this is a revelation - so much of the vineyard and the vintage is there to discover and taste. Fans of Sancerre, Poully-Fume, and  dry Rieslings owe themselfves a taste of this value monster.

Curatolo Grillo Tumoli, Sicilia 2006:

A little tighter on the nose, showing mysterious floral, citrus and peach-pit notes. Big, on the palate, but with a great linearity and focus. Clean and fresh. Acidity is very balanced - not sour but punchy enough to give structure and direction. Overall the fruit is restrained (it’s there, but not centerstage), but there is a great underlying river-rocks-and-flowers foundation that makes the wine real. Grilled shrimp or squid would love this.

Both can be found under $14US with little hunting . To my tastes, the Hofer had the edge (mainly in aromatics and overall complexity), but I feel more people might enjoy the Grillo as a patio-pounder-eay-drinking-weeknight-white.

 ~US$32, 100% Sangiovese, Chianti Classico Reserva

 Quite simply one of the most compelling, proportionate, and interesting wines I’ve had in the last 3 months. A Gestalt wine, where the components each play a part in creating something greater. Purple black in color.  Aromas of violets, truffles, red cherries, cedar and tobacco. Light on it’s feet but required a bit of time to open up, the palate for enveloping but refreshing - more like a great Pinot than a traditional Chianti. Excellent fruit ripeness but the greatness lies in the overall elegance, where the wood, tannins, acidity, fruit just sing together - you can dive deeper into each  piece of the puzzle and be rewarded, or just sit back, sip and enjoy with medium-bodied food. This is a wine meant for the table, and presents a great value for the quality of the juice when compared to some of the other big B’s (Brunello, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo, etc).

 ~US$20, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Syrah and 25% Merlot

  Dark plum. Densely aromatic nose, with earthy currant, tobacco, cocoa, and black cherries.  Medium-full bodied presenting good structure in the palate - with Tuscany’s firm acidity and integrated tannins being proportionate and in balance - but the wine falls apart halfway through. It disintegrates into bitter green peppery flavors and a awkward oakiness as it moves towards the finish. Not terribly “clean” or pure. Despite the flaw, I can see it pairing well with a pasta bolognese or other rich meat sauces or braises. In sum, great aromas but a letdown on the palate. This may be way too young  - I could imagine the wine putting itself together a little more in the cellar, because from a winemaking standpoint, everything seemed right - except for the spike of bitterness. A decent cabernet blend for the price, but I probably wont be buying again - I’d rather be drinking one of Italy’s more interesting indigenous varieties (Barbera, Sangiovese, Corvina, Negroamaro, Primitivo, etc). 

~ $10US, 100% Primitivo, Salento Italy Deep purple/red. Old-world vs. New World nose. Great tension between floral, meaty, and straw aromas and stewed berries and jam.  Juicy and full-bodied in the mouth, with mild tannins and a touch of acidic lift. Another great value from this producer - not as refined and complex as the Passamante, but a little easier to chill out with. This would be great with a simple grilled steak w/ rosemary or prosciutto dishes.  Probably not one for the cellar, but who knows… 

~$10US, 100% Negroamaro, Salento, Italy

Incredibly floral and meaty on the nose, like a proscuitto that was aged in a country farmhouse surrounded by fields of wildflowers. Delicate and medium bodied. A little backwards but promising on day 1 - great aromatics, but tannins and acidity up-front, fruit behind.

On day 2, a different story. The nose still delivered, but the flowers and fruit married overnight. Gorgeous acidic lift on the backend. Tannins integrated with red and black cherries all over the place. Lush and inviting. Fruit and meaty iron notes on the finish. This has the feel of a solid Burgundy - and on the second day, this was drinking better than most of the Burgundies I’ve had (only deficient in length really). I just scratched my head, smiled, and enjoyed the hell out of if with a rustic roasted hen and white beans.

pssst….did I tell you it was $10!

If you see this wine, buy it.

Ghisolfi Langhe Pinay 2005

~$15US, 100% Pinot Noir, Langhe, Italy
Medium-transparent ruby. Very intriguing old-skool nose: chamomile, barnyard, wet leather, violets, strawberries burried in the dirt. Tight mouthfeel, strong acidity and medium-to-firm tannins. Became more simple with air time -the initial impression was the most profound for me. The fruit was definitely secondary. Good with my pasta, but not great. Maybe better with something like a mushroom risotto or braised pork shoulder. I had high hopes from the fascinating initial nose - but it fell a little short overall. Not bad, but not outstanding. I would suspect more bottle time would  help it flesh out.

Barrel 27 Central Coast Syrah 2005

~$15US, 100% Syrah, Central Coast California
Black-Magenta. Perfumed. This transformed in the decanter - initially blueberries, cloves, and tobacco on the nose - over time developing into the most profound expression of green olives I’ve ever come across in a wine - nearly usurping the fruit. I mean close your eyes and you’d think you were hovering over the olive bar. Very rich, round and mouth-coating. Softer tannins, and medium acidity. Initially overpowering for food( didn’t even try to pair it before an hour in the decanter)- as the fruit character receded, it became increasingly food friendly and added dimensions to the simple pasta dish. A big surprise.

Fontanafredda Barbera Briccotondo Piedmont 2006: Bright, fresh. Some interesting vegetal notes and sour cherry. Irony (bloody?) and sweet finish. Superb value.

Apex II Cabernet Columbia Valley 2004: Christmas spices, vanilla, currants. Oaked, but proportionate to the fruit. Very friendly, smooth, and full-bodied. Round, soft tannins.

Leviathan California Red 2005: Deep and brooding - black fruit and brambles, with some curry and dusty aromatics. Full-bodied and weighty, liqueur-like. Reminds me of The Prisoner, but with some deeper 2nd and 3rd tier aromatics and a slightly firmer stucture on the back-end. Decadent as all get-out.

All 3 wines were knock-out efforts with the Rib roast dinner - the Barbera being the surprise of the night, Apex being the easiest drinker, and Leviathan living up to expectations and the high bar of winemaker Andy Erickson.

Le Ragose Valpolicella Classico Superiore Le Sassine 2003: Leather, garlic greens, sour cherry, black pepper, dried apricots, brown sugar. Utterly delicious in an old-world way. Very complex and surprising. Classically proportioned and well-structured. Fabulous accompaniment to fresh pasta w/ vegetables.

Jean Milan Champagne Blanc de Blancs Spécial NV:Doughy nose, with seashells. A little nutty, with a bright and fresh mouthfeel.  Elegant. Fleeting finish holding this back from really rocking.

Alban Central Coast Viognier 2006: Ridiculous nose of flowers, Ivory soap, Big-League Chew, Skittles, pineapples. Brings a serious rainbow of tropical flavors. A little hot (~16% ABV) and syrupy. Coconuts, peaches, and fruit cocktail. Probably the most hedonistic white wine I’ve ever had - I loved it, other tasters were not so hot on it’s over-the top fruit ripeness.

Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 2003: The 04 was excellent, and this 03 probably even better. Fragrant as all hell. More wood and tobacco notes to support the Cherry Cola / Dr. Pepper - truly one foot in the old (leafy tobacco, black olives) and one foot in the new world (big cherries). Silky in the mouth - medium-to-full bodied, but not heavy. Another stunner of a Pinot.