2013 Il Palagio Sister Moon Rosso Toscana

It's the first Saturday of the new month, which means it's Cellar Saturday!  It's the day I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making to share.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that's been in the cellar for a while, so long in fact that I can't recall where I bought it!  The 2013 Il Palagio Sister Moon Rosso Toscana seems to be a blend of Sangiovese (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot (20%) for a classic Super Tuscan blend.  Let's see how it's tasting!

The wine is a medium body, a testament to the impact of Cabernet and Merlot on the blend, with lighter garnet and a hint of amber along the edges.  The nose presents aromas of black plum, rich leather and oak, interspersed with fig and rose petals.  The first sip is a rush of ripe black fruit, blackberry, currant and plum with a wave of tartness washing over the top before easing into some earthy notes of dusty loam, tar, tobacco and vanilla bean midpalate.  The tannins are nicely integrated, providing for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine an 8.5, as it still exhibits more oak than I would prefer, but I think it's also aged fairly well.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from hearty pasta to grilled steak, branzino to summer barbecue.  Tonight, I am enjoying this with my first summer grilled dish, some asada beef kabobs with onions, peppers and mushrooms served with black beans, corn and rice.  Cheers!

2019 Helix Cima Piccola

Happy Saturday!  I am pleased to say that I have completed all of my Christmas shopping, and all the the presents have been wrapped and are awaiting delivery to their intended recipients.  So, now that I can breathe a little easier, it's time to open a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2019 Helix Cima Piccola, which is a Super Tuscan style blend composed of Sangiovese from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard as well as Merlot (33%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (17%) sourced from other vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington.  Let's have a taste of this Pacific Northwest interpretation of Tuscany!

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with a somewhat heavier body no doubt a credit to the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend.  The nose presents an intriguing combination of cedar, violet and spice box that marks the Sangiovese in the blend.  The first sip is not what I expected at all, a rush of blueberry and tart cherry wash over your palate before transitioning to some earthy tar and white pepper spice midpalate.  The tannings are so well integrated, you can miss them entirely as you enjoy the lush smooth finish that will have you coming back for more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this vintage is right up with the wonderful 2017 vintage I enjoyed nearly four years ago.  This wine is very food friendly and would pair well with a range of dishes, from classic pasta and risotto, bisteca Fiorentina, or simple Tuscan toast.  Tonight, I am going the classic as classic can get route and enjoying this wine with a mixed green salad with pomegranates and sage blossom vinaigrette along with linguine and meatballs.  Cheers!

2019 Tenute del Neccio Super Tuscan

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!  I admit, as a Bears fan I usually lose interest in football about week 3 of the season, so tonight I am just enjoying a nice quiet dinner and watching a movie.  Yes, that may be lame, but so am I!  So, what's on the menu tonight?  I am having some nice comfort food that reminds me of my childhood, and for no particular reason, I opened up a bottle of 2019 Tenute del Neccio Super Tuscan that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out.  Unlike many Super Tuscans that rely on blending Bordeaux varietals, this wine relies more on the traditional Tuscan varietals, Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera and Ciliegiolo.  Let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a lighter color in the glass, reflecting the heavier reliance on Sangiovese in the blend.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of cherry and plum, intermingled with earthy notes of tar and green cedar.  The first sip a surprising rush of ripe red berries that at first exhibit a hint of sweetness before turning tart.  The earthy mineral notes of dusty limestone come out midpalate before easing into a wonderfully smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a pleasant drinking Tuscan wine and a good value under $13.  This wine would pair with a variety of casual dishes (perhaps like you're enjoying at the big game!) from burgers and brats, to pizza and barbecued ribs.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some stuffed cabbage, topped with fire roasted tomatoes and melted mozzarella and provolone.  Cheers!

2019 Poggio Badiola

Happy Sunday!  Well, last week I was traveling, and last night I had a dozen people over for a practice run of hot dogs and hamburgers ahead of Labor Day, so tonight is the first chance I've had to post in a while!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine that I picked up at Costco yesterday, the 2019 Poggio Badiola.  This wine is an interesting "super Tuscan" as it's primarily Sangiovese (65%) and Merlot (30%) along with some Petit Verdot (5%).  So, let's see what this wine has to offer.  

The wine is a light ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, a nod to the heavy hand of Sangiovese in the blend.  A gentle swirl reveals a funky little wine, with notes of tar, strawberry, anise and dried spices.  One sip and you are immersed in a wild ride that starts with a bit of red meat which then zigs to some fresh strawberry before taking a zag to some white pepper spice at the finish.  The tannins are well structured, offering a pleasing dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a pleasant drinking everyday wine at a value price of just $13.  This wine would pair well with pasta, steak, or even hearty fish like salmon or branzino.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a grilled veal rib chop along with some squid ink linguine tossed with cherry tomatoes roasted with garlic, olive oil, balsamic and pancetta.  Cheers! 

2019 Tinazzi Vinum Italicum Opera No. 3 Red Wine

Happy Sunday! I got back from vacation early yesterday morning, so it's taken me a bit of time to recover, but now I feel ready to get back at it.  I've been working in the yard this afternoon and doing laundry, so now it's time for a nice Sunday dinner and a glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle of super Tuscan that I picked up at Costco a couple weeks ago, the 2019 Tinazzi Vinum Italicum Opera No. 3 Red Wine.  I am not sure of the blend, but I suppose it's Cabernet dominant since the label describes the wine as "full bodied, elegant, intense."  So, let's see what this wine has to offer.

The wine is an inky black at the center with soft ruby along the edges.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of oak, black cherry, hints of violet and spice box, quite characteristic of a super Tuscan blend.  Take a sip and you're greeted by a rush of candied cherries and plum that transition to some earthy notes of tar and basalt midpalate.  The tannins are well structured, providing for a wonderfully long, dry finish with a reprice of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's an easy sipping wine at a great price of just $16 if I recall correctly.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from steak to lamb, pasta to pizza.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a summer barbecue with North Carolina style beef ribs, chipotle cole slaw, baked beans and corn on the cob.  Cheers!

2019 Birge Cellars Super Tuscan

Welcome to the long weekend!  It's been a busy day of running errands and grocery shopping (we'll see the results of that over the next few days!) and now it's time for a nice relaxing dinner and glass of wine.  Tonight I've opened up a special bottle from one of my colleagues who makes his own wine under his eponymous cellars label.  He gave me this bottle of Super Tuscan he made in 2019, and although I have no idea what the blend is, I can only guess that it blends some Sangiovese with other Bordeaux varietals sourced from Italy.  Given that I'm a firm believer that ignorance is bliss, let's dive into this wine!

The wine is a deep ruby in the glass, somewhat darker than your typical Sangiovese which is no doubt a testament to the blending of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  A gentle swirl in the glass reveals aromas of green pepper, black cherry and a hint of floral undertones that I find intriguing.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a subdued black fruit blend of black cherry and plum, intermingled with some pomegranate and green herbs.  Midpalate, you see a nice transition to some earthy minerality with hints of mint and floral, before easing into the finish, with youthful tannins that support a classically dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a very pleasant drinking wine that's really highlights the varietals that make a good Super Tuscan.  This wine would pair with a variety of hearty dishes, from big steaks to risotto, hearty stews to generous pasta.  Tonight I am taking the classic Italian route and enjoying this wine with some linguine topped with Italian sausage marinara, fresh basil and shaved parmesan.  Cheers!

2011 Fattoria di Travalda Santa Lucia Toscana

Happy Saturday!  I've been relaxing a bit today, visiting with some friends and doing a bit of reading, so nothing too strenuous.  And now it's time for a bit of wine with my dinner.  Tonight I've opened a bottle that I recently bought from Wines Till Sold Out, and a future office wine club selection, the 2011 Fattoria di Travalda Santa Lucia Toscana, a super Tuscan that's has more similarity with a Bordeaux than a traditional wine from Tuscany.  This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Cabernet Franc (30%), Merlot (30%) and Petit Verdot (10%), so let's see how good the Italians are at making French wine!

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, just as you might expect from a Cabernet heavy blend.  The nose is wonderfully Bordeau-esque blend of aromas, leather, smoke, anise, dried herbs and a hint of mint over the top.  The taste is a rush of cool, black fruit, black cherry, boysenberry and plum, that transition to some mineral notes along with black pepper spice midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat tight, but provide for an exceptionally long, dry finish, with a reprise of anise at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's just about reaching its peak potential now, and it was a great value at just $15!  This wine would pair well with a broad range of Mediterranean dishes, steaks, wild game or nice earthy mushroom dishes.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some wild Alaskan pollack filets seasoned with herbs de Provence along with some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts and some farro.  Cheers!

2014 I Giusti e Zanza "Nemorino" Super Tuscan

Happy Friday!  I have been so swamped with work I've hardly had time to enjoy any wine, but tonight I've decided that I have to relax, so after work I went to the gym and now I'm getting ready to enjoy a nice glass of wine. Tonight I've opened a bottle of 2014 I Giusti e Zanza "Nemorino" Super Tuscan, a red blend that I bought from the Wines Till Sold Out "Cheapskate Marathon" a few weeks ago.  Now I will admit, I really only bought this wine because I thought it had a really goofy label, and why not?  So let's see if the label was worth it!

The wine is a lovely deep ruby in the glass, more reminiscent of a Cabernet than a Sangiovese.  The nose present aromas of blackberry, cassis and spicy notes of black pepper and a hint of violet.  The taste is a lovely rush of fruit, cherry, blackberry and currant that transition nicely to some spicy pepper notes midpalate.  The tannins are young, but surprisingly well structured, providing the base for a long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a very nice blend that pleasant to drink right now despite it's youth.  It was also a great value at just $14!  This wine would be great with steak or a variety of hearty dishes, but tonight I am going full on Italian for this one and enjoying it with some hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers along with a bit of linguine tossed with garlic and olive oil on the side.  Saluti!