2013 Kirkland Signature Brunello di Montalcino

Well, I've been out of it a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur!  Yes, I've been away for a few days, but now I'm home and feeling like I need a nice glass of wine.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine from Costco's Kirkland Signature brand.  I'm fascinated by the variety of wine they decide to private label, and a couple weeks ago I bought a couple bottles that intrigued me, this first one being a 2013 Brunello di Montalcino.  Now granted I like a nice Brunello, but typically let them age a good decade before opening them, but since this one was relatively inexpensive, I've dispensed with the cellar aging.  So let's dig in!

The wine is a light ruby color in the glass, with great clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Sangiovese.  The nose is a classic combination of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry and tart cherry intermingled with some green grass, dried herbs and a bit of charcoal.  The taste is a rush of red berries, which transitions to some tart cherry notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat muted, but the finish is still rather expressive and dry, with some spicy notes at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as that's about what I would expect from a just released Brunello.  The wine would likely mature with a bit of age, but it was still a good value for under $30.  This wine would pair well with a variety of Italian dishes, from risotto to pasta and seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some porcini mushroom and truffle ravioli topped with some creamy pumpkin and butternut squash sauce.  The red fruit and bright acidity of the wine are a nice complement to the richness of the ravioli.  Cheers!

Fruit Hills Winery Marquette - Non-Vintage

Happy Friday!  We are really getting down to the wire, just 2 days left until Christmas!  I have another big get together planned for tomorrow, so it will be a full day of cooking, but don't fear, I'll probably have enough time for one more post before the big day.  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of wine that I bought from a local producer about 7 miles from here, Fruit Hills Winery.  They source a lot of grapes from other locations, but I tend to focus on the wines made from local fruit (that being Indiana and Michigan!).  The Marquette is a blend of grapes from their vineyard in Bristol, Indiana (mostly Cabernet Franc) along with Marquette grapes from Michigan.  For those unfamiliar, Marquette is a hybrid released by the University of Minnesota in 2006 that traces its roots to Pinot Noir, so that's what makes this a good wine for tonight's dinner!

The wine has a lighter body, very similar to a Pinot Noir.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, plum and red raspberry, along with a bit of that funk that Pinot fans are so familiar with.  The taste is a rush of green grass and floral notes that transition to some warm spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat muted, leaving a finish that is somewhat sharp but still dry.  Very much a Pinot Noir type wine!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7, it's not really spectacular, but it is quite versatile when it comes to food pairings.  This wine would pair well with Christmas ham or turkey, a variety of chicken dishes, or seafood.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with some fresh sea scallops seared in toasted sesame oil along with buccatini tossed with broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil.  Cheers!