Tinazzi Vinum Italicum Opera No. 3 Red Wine

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Tonight I have a special treat, a bottle of wine that was a gift from a former boss, so I've been looking forward to trying it.  This one is a little different as well, as it's a non-vintage red blend from Italy, utilizing grapes from three distinct regions, Veneto, Puglia and Sicily, each with their own specialties when it comes to red wine.  From Veneto we typically see Corvina, Rondinella and Merlot, Puglia is known for Primitivo, Negroamaro and Black Malvasia and Sicily thrives with Nero D'Avola.  With such a blend of grapes, this wine should be a real treat!

The wine is a deep, inky purple in the glass, with bright ruby edges.  The nose is a rich combination of leather, black currant, kirsch, green herbs and black pepper spice.  The taste is just lovely, with a rush of ripe black fruit up front, blackberry, cherry and currant that transitions nicely to some mineral flavors midpalate.  On the finish you're treated to a reprise of spice box notes that bring you right into an Italian kitchen, while the well structured tannins provide for the long, smooth and very pleasing finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5 as it's a wonderfully pleasing and easy drinking red blend that would be quite versatile with a variety of dishes, from steaks to barbecue to hearty pasta dishes.  Tonight I'm enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Prime ribcap topped with bleue cheese, grilled corn and asparagus, a perfect end of summer dinner.  Cheers!