2006 Andaluna Celebracion Reserve

It's been a busy week, but tonight I am opening up a bottle of wine from Mendoza, Argentina, the 2006 Andeluna Celebracion Reserve, a wine that's a blend of grapes grown in the foothills of the Andes, specifically 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot.  Today isn't a particularly strong food day, but I'll freely admit to needing a glass of wine to unwind tonight!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, and the nose is a very complex blend of black fruit at first, but then as the air takes hold, notes of dried herbs, some mineral notes, which evolve into a combination of leather and pipe tobacco that reminds me of an old school smoking lounge. The taste is very fruit forward, with rich flavors of ripe cherry, plum and black currant that transitions effortlessly to some earthy mineral notes of limestone and smoke midpalate.  The tannins are mellow and sweet, giving this wine a long, supple finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just a very pleasant drinking wine.  I could see myself relaxing on the patio and sipping this wine for an hour or two, come to think of it, I might just do that now!  As for pairings, this would be ideal with a nice steak, roast beef, or some hearty spicy foods, maybe some chimichurri (there's some irony for an Argentine wine, eh?), or even some grilled salmon.  But tonight I am enjoying this one with the most classic of Midwest American dishes, tuna casserole!  So here's to the weekend, may it come soon!

2008 Gerard Bertrand Minervois

Tonight I am going to the south of France for some wine, where hopefully the taste and terroir will give me a feeling of the bright sun shining on my face as the cool Mediterranean breeze envelopes me...but I digress...it's still May in Michigan and there's a freeze warning tonight!  At any rate, this wine is a blend of Syrah and Carignan, a perfect example of the Minervois appellation.

The wine is a brooding dark color in the glass, and the nose is a pleasant combination of blackberry, cocoa powder and a hint of coffee.  The taste is somewhat less fruity than I would have expected given the nose, but it was quite nice, with initial flavors of tart cherry and black currant, which gave way to some chalky earth and green herbs midpalate.  The finish was just lovely, with some dark chocolate notes over some evolving tannins that made way for a long, smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's drinking quite nicely now, but it will likely evolve over the next few years.  And it was a good bargain as well, as I think I got this one from wineshopper.com for about $15!  As for pairings, tonight I am going 180 degrees against the grain, as the label suggest this would pair nicely with beef, sausage or pasta with red sauce, but tonight I am enjoying this with some pan seared ahi tuna, prepared with a bit of olive oil and Mediterranean spices, along with some roasted potatoes and fresh steamed asparagus that I picked up at a farm on the way home from Chicago yesterday.  Cheers!

2008 Naisi Nero D'Avola Tannat

Tonight I've decided to open an little red blend from Sicily, the 2008 Naisi, a blend of Nero D'Avola (75%) and Tannat (25%), which should make a nice wine to stand up to my seemingly daily steak intake!  I bought this wine a few weeks ago at John Russo's in Grand Rapids, which has a really nice selection of interesting wines, particularly from areas of Italy that you don't see as often, like Sicily.

This wine is a deep purple in the glass, with a good bit of opacity near the center and graduating toward a brighter ruby along the edges.  The nose is an interesting combination of ripe cherry, dark chocolate and leather, with a good bit of smokiness as well.  The taste is nicely fruit forward, with a blast of tart cherry and prune up front, which sounds awful, but actually works quite well.  The fruit transitions to some bitter herbs and gravel midpalate, before the rather tightly wound tannins bring it all together for a smooth, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's a very nice wine that's a bit off the beaten path of your everyday red, with a more rustic quality that pairs nicely with red meat and game.  And the cost wasn't outrageous either, I think I bought this bottle on sale for $14.  Tonight I am enjoying this with a rare grilled New York strip and some grilled veggies and steak fries, which offer a perfect balance to the wine.  Cheers!