2011 Il Giglio Chianti

So, my second wine blog from Prague features an Italian wine, the 2011 Il Giglio Chianti which I bought from a wine store at the mall for 190 Kc (about $10.50).  What was I doing at the mall you ask? Especially when you are on vacation in a lovely European capitol?  Funny you should ask, it seems last night I did something in my sleep and knocked my glasses off the night stand and the frames broke.  At first I thought a screw came loose, easy fix, but no, it was broken where the lens fits to the frame.  So my helpful front desk clerk, Pavel directed me to an eyeglass shop in the mall that was open today!  It took most of the day to fix them, but I have them back now and can see, but boy do I need a glass of wine!

This wine is quite typical of the lighter bodied Chianti being produced so widely now, so the color is a light ruby throughout, with very little opacity.  The nose is somewhat alarming with a robust aroma of wet dog or wool, but when that dissipates there is a strong aroma of berries and spice so typical of Tuscan wines.  The taste is surprisingly fruit forward, with a burst of fresh fruit, strawberries, ripe plums which transitions easily to a good bit of peppery spice midpalate.  The finish is somewhat abrupt, but still pleasant as I could see myself enjoying this one on a sunny patio over an afternoon.

Overall, I would rate this one a 7, if only for the wet dog on the nose, but once you get past that it's a really easy drinking wine, and I certainly can't complain about the price!  Tonight I will once again be pairing this with nothing since I'm enjoying this as an aperitif before heading off to dinner.  Tonight it's more traditional Czech fare at the Olympia Restaurant, so follow me on twitter if you want to see the meal!  But for this wine, it would be perfect with Italian dishes like a pasta with red sauce, or some grilled Italian sausage, as the fruit would really balance out the spiciness of those dishes.  Tady je na jiný dobrý den v Praze!

2009 Abbaye des Templiers Bordeaux

So tonight I've decided to open a super bargain wine that I bought at the market down the street from my hotel in Prague.  So for those of you unknowing about such things, Prague is really more of a beer city, though I did try a little of the local Moravian wine at dinner my first night here and it wasn't awful.  In any case, I decided the other day to stop at the local market on the way home and find a bottle of wine I could just open up and enjoy while I'm here, and tonight's the night!  I bought this bottle of 2009 Abbaye des Templiers Bordeaux and am trying it tonight.

The color is somewhat lighter than your typical Bordeaux, so we'll see if that means anything in a moment.  The nose is classic Bordeaux, with strong notes of cherries, blackberries and leather, along with a bit of smoky character across the top.  The taste is nice, with warm fruit up front, ripe plum, cherry cola and berry notes that transition to some dusty limestone and spice notes midpalate.  The tannins are soft yet elegant, supporting a long and very dry finish that's so typical of a classic Bordeaux.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it wasn't a spectacular wine, but it was a spectacular bargain at only 89 Kc, which translates to a little less than $5 for the whole bottle!  Maybe this weekend I'll have to splurge for one of the fancy $8 bottles!  Tonight I am enjoying this before I go our for a traditional Czech dinner which will undoubtedly involve pork, potatoes and beer!  Na zdraví!

2008 Chateau La Roque de By Medoc

So tonight I am enjoying a nice glass of 2008 Chateau La Roque de By Medoc on my Lufthansa flight from Washington to Frankfurt. My first attempt at a wine blog post over the Arlantic!  

The wine is a deep purple color in the glass and the nose is a very pleasant combination of leather and anise. The taste was quite nice with flavors of ripe plum and berries. The taste transitions effortlessly to some dusty limestone mid palate as the well structured tannins support the long, dry finish that seems to last at least a minute or more!

 

 

I'm enjoying this wine with my dinner of Nantucket scallop followed by a fresh salad. For the main course I've gone with the beef tenderloin Randang with Yukon potato purée and sugar snap peas. Followed by the cheese course of goat, Brie and gruyere followed by a key lime tart with strawberry consommé. Yum!