Trevini Primo Merlot-Primitivo
August 17, 2015 § Leave a comment
Price: $12.99 ($15.04 Taxes and Deposit Included)
Score: 6.7
Overall this is a very simple wine to enjoy. It is fruit forward, soft and supple and if you are looking for something easy to go with a simple comfort food meal this is a good choice.
Having said that I personally want a little complexity for my $15. I love a good Merlot and a good Primitivo, and together there is a ton of potential. Outside of the fruit and texture it didn’t do much. Certainly it is better than a number of $15 competitors but is not my first comfort food/pasta choice in this category.
Purchased From: BC Liquor Stores (I suspect this is an exclusive to BC Liquor Stores)
Section: Italy
Foods: Pasta, Burgers, Mac N Cheese
Picks of The Week Jan. 26-31, 2015
January 31, 2015 § Leave a comment
Here we go, the top 3 scoring wines of the week, and what a week it was. Glorious weather and a lot of fun seeing how the wines fared with the meals of the week. To be clear there was no attempt to pair the wines with the meals as the meals were just the usual fare.
You can click on the link and go directly to the full review. In this post, under each of the top scorers I have included an excerpt from the review.
By the way The Dork UnCorked is getting hundreds of views a day which makes it ideal for sponsorship by complimentary items. If you are interested please contact me at my email.
Top Scorer: Artesa 2010 Rioja Crianza
Price: $14.99
Score: 9.1 Best Buy
Excerpt: “I’m not sure if there is a better value in the Spanish section. Sadly this wine only seems to be available in a very few stores. I would easily put down the Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza at $19.99 for the Artesa. As for trade ups I would happily move up from entry level $12-$14 California Cabernets and Merlots for this wine. Caveat: If you are looking for a big powerful fruit explosion, this is not your wine.”
Price: $15.99
Score: 8.9 Over Delivers
Excerpt: “If you are a fan of Chianti Classico or Sangiovese based wines in general, this is a keeper. I have chosen this over straight up Chianti at $16/$17 many times. I have even put down some Chianti Classico at $20 for this wine as it is in limited supply and really, really enjoyable. The depth and character of this wine is a good starting point for anyone looking to dip their toe into the pool of European wines. It’s just a small step from $13-$17 California or Aussie wines into this wine and the enjoyment is truly there.”
Price: $11.49
Score: 8.6 Over Delivers
Excerpt: “There are thousands of Pinot Grigio’s in stores these days. After tasting many they divide themselves into two groups- Marketing & Classic. The ones in the marketing group are those trying to take advantage of the popularity of the name Pinot Grigio. Those in the classic range are those that share classic Pinot Grigio aromas and flavours. The Montalto Pinot Grigio falls into the Classic group and certainly Over Delivers for the price.”
I would to hear your comments, especially if you have found one the reviewed wines at a store that I have not listed. If you let m know I will update the post and will forever be in your debt. Otherwise let me know what you think… feedback no matter the nature is makes the blog better.
Cheers
The Dork UnCorked
Rosso del Gello 2009 Montecucco
January 25, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 8.9 – Over Delivers
Price: $15.99
If you are a regular reader you will know that great values are often found in the shadows of ‘celebrity’ regions. This wine is no exception. The Montecucco DOC of the Maremma appellation in South of Tuscany. It is central Tuscany (Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino) that gets most of the attention, however for those in the know, and watch vintages carefully, Montecucco is a place where you can find some amazing values. By the way this wine also certified organic.
Tasting Notes Sipping: You will immediately notice the colour of this wine; it is dark, dark ruby red which gives you a clue to the depth of this wine. The nose shows dark ripe cherry and berry, with some dried herbs and lavender highlights. The palate is deep and complex. Layers of flavours including the above and hints of earthy leather, unfold across the mid-palate right through the dark fruit and slightly hot finish. There is definitely a little grip or tannin on this wine, but the tannins are in check, but do ask for food.
Tasting Notes with Food: I had this wine Roasted Rosemary Chicken, which, like it sounds is a whole roasted chicken stuffed with rosemary, lemons, carrots and onions. One of my favourite dishes and really easy to do. The wine was a perfect match for this dish, right from the aromas through the flavours. The weight of wine kept the palate fresh and alive, while the rosemary and citrus made the fruit flavours pop. The slightly hot finish vanished and was replaced with a long, complex finish that included dark berry, herbs and spices and just a hint of purple flowers like lavender and violets.
Value: If you are a fan of Chianti Classico or Sangiovese based wines in general, this is a keeper. I have chosen this over straight up Chianti at $16/$17 many times. I have even put down some Chianti Classico at $20 for this wine as it is in limited supply and really, really enjoyable. The depth and character of this wine is a good starting point for anyone looking to dip their toe into the pool of European wines. It’s just a small step from $13-$17 California or Aussie wines into this wine and the enjoyment is truly there.
Added Value: This wine really shines when the Foodies come over and it is a great option for Sunday dinner kinds of Comfort Foods like Roasted Chicken, Roast Beef, or Roast Pork.
More To The Story: 2009 through central and northern Italy, like that in the Rhone Valley and Bordeaux in France was one of the best vintages on record. The result is that there was a ton of top quality wine on the market meaning that many wineries in relatively unknown regions were having a tough time selling their stocks. The Rosso Del Gello is a one time buy here in BC. Once it is gone there is no more, and certainly not at this price. The winery was staring the bumper 2010 vintage in the face and needed to move through the last of the 2009. Fortunately the enterprising importer was Johnny on the Spot and grabbed whatever he could. In fact the 2009 sold out in the UK at £11-£13.
Service: Pull the cork and let this wine breathe for a good 30 minutes. Alternatively run it through your Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator
a few times and enjoy.
Grapes: Sangiovese Grosso Store Section: Italy Appellation: Maremma
Available: Everything Wine Buy Online: Everything Wine
Alcohol: 14%
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Piccini Chianti
January 24, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 6.5 – Good Drop
Price: $14.99-$17.45
Proof that pricing is not always a great indicator of value. Fluctuations in currency values can have a huge impact on the price of a wine. Take this wine for instance. Note the variation in price. Over the last number of months the price of this wine has climbed due to the increasing value of the Euro against the Canadian Dollar. I really like this wine as it is a step back in history to a time when wine was made to go with food, be refreshing and, in Italy, was consumed more often than water. For those looking for a wine experience this wine Over Delivers. For those looking for big, powerful, fruit driven wine, look elsewhere.
I have found this wine at $14.99 and for that price, under the scenario noted above, this wine Over Delivers… at $16.99 it’s a Good Drop.
Tasting Notes Sipping: The nose shows bright red cherry, some red berries and dried herbs (classic old school Chianti), while the palate has a light-medium body, is fresh and bright flavours of sour cherries and purple flowers. The finish is relatively short and shows some grip.
Tasting Notes with Food: I had the good fortune of having this with the Margherita Pizza from Pizza Prima Strada and it was tremendous! The fruit flavours came to the front and the freshness of the wine brought the heavenly flavours of the fresh basil and subtle creaminess of the Buffala Mozzarella. With simple foods this wine over delivers.
Value: This wine has great value and is worth the money as long as you are looking for a wine experience that takes you back in time. Setting out a red & white checkered tablecloth, have some mandolin music playing in the background and share a simple pasta or pizza and you have it nailed. If you are having the group over for a get together, stick with your usual Crowd Pleaser choice.
Added Value: As I said above this wine shows added value for Date Night, Comfort Foods or for the Foodies.
More To The Story: What do you think of the package? Classic hey? Did you know that for many years most wine was packaged like this. The basket allowed the rounded bottom bottle to stand on the table making it easier to serve. That all changed when along came a glass blower who figured out that if you push in the bottom you can have a bottle that will stand on its own.
Service: Pull the cork and let this wine breathe for about 30 minutes or run it through your Vinturi. You will notice how much more expressive the aromas are and the tannin, or grip, won’t be as pronounced on the palate.
Grapes: Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo
Store Section: Italy
Appellation: Chianti DOCG
Available: BC Liquor Stores, Everything Wine, Legacy Liquor Store, Metro Liquor Tuscany Village
Buy Online: Everything Wine, Legacy Liquor Store, Metro Liquor Stores
Alcohol: 12.5%
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Monte Nobile 2013 Nero D’Avola
January 22, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 7.4 – Good Drop
Price: $14.99
I rated this at the top end of Good Drop because it was a toss up whether it hit the Over Delivers category or not. Finally I came to the conclusion that at $13.99 this would be in the Over Deliver category for sure; at $14.99 it’s a pretty damn Good Drop.
Tasting Notes Sipping: This is blackberry pie on the nose and in the mouth. The aromas betray the wines origins. Blackberry, blueberry and savoury spices on the nose, while the palate shows some good weight, and a little grip. Flavours of blackberry, raspberry, savoury spices and custard/pastry (hence the Blackberry pie reference). The finish is short to medium and is a showcase for the fruit and the tannin.
Tasting Notes with Food: I had this with baked chicken leg and thigh that was seasoned with a touch of salt, pepper and thyme. On the side was rice with butter and parmesan, spinach salad with bacon, blue cheese, cranberry, olive oil & balsamic vinegar (seems like a long list, but really simple; made in a total of 40 minutes). If you love big fruit flavours coating your mouth, making it water, this wine is for you. I really enjoyed how the food made the fruit flavours pop, and the tannins worked to smooth out the texture of both the wine and the food.
Value: I have said for a long time that Nero D’Avola, like Negromaro & Primitivo, are Europe’s answer to California Zinfandel and Argentinean Malbec. If you get value from discovering new things then this wine offers great value to you. I would also content that it is worth spending a buck or two more for this wine than entry-level California Zinfandel, or if I were having a steak, from $12 Argentinean Malbec. As for saving, I would choose this over Dancing Bull Zinfandel or Apothic Red any day of the week, and pocket the $2 for something great like a good pretzel or shot of espresso.
Added Value: The wine really shines with BBQ. Whether it BBQ brisket or pulled pork, grilled steak or chicken this is a winner. I would also serve this to the Foodies when they come over, as they are always looking for a new experience and to save a few bucks.
More To The Story: Nero D’Avola has ancient roots. The Romans used to demand the wine of the black grape from the port of D’Avola on Sicily. Previous to the Romans, the Greeks held the island. The story goes that the reason the Greeks fought so hard to keep control of Sicily, was because of the quality of the wines.
Service: Twist the cap off and let breathe for 15-20 minutes or run it through your Vinturi.
Grapes: Nero D’Avola
Store Section: Italy
Appellation: Sicily
Available: Everything Wine, BC Liquor Stores,
Buy Online: Everything Wine
Alcohol: 14%
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Ca’ Montebello Barbera
January 16, 2015 § 2 Comments
Score: 7.9 – Over Delivers
Price: $13.99-$15.99
About the Wine: To me this wine is a Best Buy, if only because of the story of how this wine got to BC, however I believe that the story shouldn’t influence the scoring, so it is a solid Over Delivers. See below at More to the Story.
Dark/Blood red cherry in the glass with wonderfully engaging ripe plum and cherry aromas that are highlighted with floral tones of violets.
Barbera is a very low tannin wine. The key to a quality Barbera is the acidity. This wine shows bright acidity on the palate which enhances the fruit flavours. Medium weight with layers of savoury spices and purple flowers.
The finish is fresh and clean with a big juicy, slightly herbal but happy ending.
Value: Those who like red wine, but not the grippy texture of wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec, this is the wine for you. If you are looking for something different from your usual Shiraz or Zinfandel, give this a whirl as I think you will really enjoy it. As a softer, discovery wine I would easily choose this over Ravenswood Zinfandel or wines like Apothic Red, Dreaming Tree Crush or Cupcake Red Velvet.
Added Value: This wine really shines on the BBQ and with the Foodies. It’s juicy supple character means it is great with grilled chicken, pork or burgers off the BBQ. The foodies will love the nuance and finesse, especially when you wow them with a fish dish like Halibut.
More To The Story: A few years back I was invited to a tasting of Lombardian wines in Vancouver. Each supplier was hoping to find an importer. The Ca’ Montebello wines grabbed my attention because of the packaging. Classic and eye-catching. I tasted through the wines (word to the wise, their Pinot Nero Bianco is outstanding $15-$16) and was duly impressed. I thought if I could get these wines into the stores under $20 it would be a big win.
Luigi Lorani, the owner and winemaker, was standing behind the table so I asked him about pricing. Turns out he doesn’t speak any English and my Italian is sketchy at best (I’m your man if you want an espresso, but that’s about it). A good friend of mine is an importer and speaks Italian so I got him on the phone to see if we could work out a price in exchange for a volume buy. Within seconds Luigi’s voice was raised, ears bright red and arms thrashing through the air. Heads were turning in the room to see what the commotion was about as I tried to slip back from the table to no avail. After about 10 minutes Luigi handed me the phone back, I spoke to my friend and his only words were “deal is done, should be here in June.”
As it turns out Luigi’s wines had been in BC before and were priced in the high $20’s, so when I said before that this would be a Best Buy if you knew the whole story, this is what I meant. This wine sold at $28 and at that price I would give it a Dead Average rating, dropping it down $10 leads to a Best Buy rating. However knowing the price drop influence ones rating although it, perhaps, shouldn’t.The rating should reflect the wines ability to deliver enjoyment and quality as it increases in price, hence in an effort to compensate for this fallibility, I have given it an Over Delivers rating.
Service: Serve at room temperature, however you will want to run this through your Vinturi or leave to breathe for about 30 minutes. See above for food pairing recommendations.
Grapes: Barbera
Store Section: Italy
Appellation: Oltrepo Pavese (Lombardy)
Available: Metro Liquor Tuscany Village, Cascadia Liquor Stores
Buy Online: Metro Liquor Online
Alcohol: 13.0%
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Giancondi Sangiovese Merlot 1.5L
January 11, 2015 § 1 Comment
Score: 9.2 – Best Buy
Price: $12.79 ($6.40 750ml equivalent)
About the Wine: Bright ruby-red in the glass with aromas of sour cherry, plum and dried herbs. The palate is of mid-weight, round and shows juicy plum, cherry and savoury herb flavours. The finish is short to medium in length with ripe tannin and spicy fruits. Granted this is not a juice bomb and it shows remarkable finesse and complexity for a wine at this price. If you are looking for a juice bomb then this is not your wine, if, on the other hand you are looking for the best value for your red wine dollar, this could be it.
Value: This is not the best wine in the world, just one of the best values on the market. This wine really shines with Comfort Foods like BBQ burgers, pizza, pasta with tomato and meat sauce, or a hearty grilled cheese sandwich.
More To The Story: Giacondi was a wine that I snickered at as a buyer and wine whanker. It has been around for as long as I can remember and it has always been at the low-end of the price scale, which of course means that it can’t be good right? Not! Over the last year my income has dropped significantly and I could no longer afford the $15-$30 wines I was used to buying, but dinner without a glass of wine is silly. Food just tastes better with wine.
So my choice was to find a lower end wine that I could get behind. I tried a number and happily landed on Giacondi Sangiovese Merlot. The moral of the story is that there are great wines for every budget, I just had to get past my mental limitations to let real wine shine through.
Service: Twist off the cap and let it breathe for 10 minutes or so so. I know, I know, let a $8 wine breathe?! Yes this wine is remarkably complex and has good structure, letting it breathe will open it up and let the fruit aromas and flavours fully express themselves. Have this will simple everyday Comfort Foods. Casseroles, leftovers, pizza, burgers, pasta, grilled cheese, that sort of thing.
Grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot
Store Section: Italy
Appellation: Rubicone
Available: BC Liquor Stores, Legacy Liquor Store, Beverly Corner Liquor Store, Everything Wine
Buy Online: Legacy Liquor Store, Everything Wine
Alcohol: 12.5 %
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Gabbiano 2011 Chianti Classico
January 8, 2015 § Leave a comment
Score: 8.2 – Over Delivers
Price: $17.99-$19.99
About the Wine: What a delightful wine. Classic notes of sour cherry and fresh plum, dried herbs and violets. Hints of leather and oak combine with the fresh fruit on the finish.
Value: Pay the extra dollar or two, and buy this by the case. Most Chiantis are priced $14-$16, but most Chianti Classico is over $20 which means this could have been a dud, but it way over delivers for the price.
Added Value: There is added value to those who are foodies. This wine seems to have been made to have with a meal, break some bread and dream of tomorrows to come.
Service: Let breathe for at least 30 minutes or run it through your Vinturi and serve at room temperature. If you live in the desert and it is over 25C in the house/on the patio chill it down a few degrees. As for a food pairing, I had this wine with a simple plate of prosciutto, olives, baguette and Asiago and it was divine. Sometimes simplicity is the best thing when it comes to food and wine pairing.
Grapes: Sangiovese
Store Section: Italy
Appellation: Chianti Classico
Available: BC Liquor Stores (Multiple), Everything Wine , Hillside Liquor Store (Victoria), Beverly Corners Liquor Store
Buy Online: Everything Wine (Multiple)
Alcohol: 14.0%
Casting Wine Roles
September 25, 2011 § Leave a comment
This weekend my wife and I stole away to Tigh Na Mara for our anniversary weekend. Just the two of us for a couple of days of R&R. Of course that meant some great food and great wine. I approached the wine selection much like a casting director would a film. I cast specific wines for specific roles. If they performed their roles really well they would go on to test their versatility in other roles, if they did fine, they maybe be set up for a life as a character actor, and lastly some would simply be a pretty face that was able to pull off the role in a convincing way. Let’s face it I think most people purchase their wine kind of like this. You can’t separate the quality of the wine from the experience. Only cork dorks, like myself, have the opportunity to sit down at huge tasting tables to compare wines of similar ilk and pontificate as to their quality and value… in that experience.
There were 5 wines involved in our weekend (no we didn’t finish every bottle). Corte Giara 2004 Amarone (2nd label of the famed Alleghrini winery in Veneto, Italy), King Estate 2008 Pinot Noir (Oregon), Rosemount Estate Shiraz (Southeastern Australia), Moreau 2008 Chablis (Burgundy, France), & Cassini Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir.
Rosemount Shiraz was chosen as the wine for departure. You know the night before you go somewhere when you pack, eat a light meal, bath the kids and check twice that you have everything.
Moreau 2008 Chablis was chosen to be the ‘warm up band’ wine. The wine we drank when getting ready for or preparing dinner.
King Estate 2008 Pinot Noir was chosen off the list at the Cedars to go with both of our choices of meals (Wild Mushroom Bisque, followed by a mixed Seafood Grill for Ange and a full Rack of Lamb for me).
Corte Giara 2004 Amarone or the Cassini Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir would be chosen for the dinner we prepared in our room on Saturday night. As it turns out we went with the Corte Giara as we had a meal of various cheeses, some smoked salmon, olives, bread and bruschetta. That took the pressure right off the Cassini Cellars who will live to perform in another post.
With all the wines put into their roles, the only question left was did they meet the expectations of their roles.
To my palate the wine that exceeded my expectations for the role it was given was the Rosemount Shiraz. Granted there wasn’t a lot of pressure in its role, but that’s why I decided to try it there. Rosemount Shiraz has been around for a number of years and as such has been overlooked and almost forgotten by me. For the $16 I spent it was okay if it let me down.
It is a welled balanced fruit driven wine that showed some backbone and acidity that I don’t remember in the wines from years back. This wine was to be a comfort wine and it performed brilliantly. Conclusion: Rosemount Shiraz will move on and be placed in the ever turbulent and often cutthroat scenario of the Big Family Meal.
The next wine I really enjoyed and thought fit its role nicely was the King Estate 2008 Pinot Noir from Oregon. To recap this was not a pre-planned wine as I only saw the wine list at the Cedars once I sat down to dine. The wine had to work with the earthy savory flavours of wild mushroom bisque, but also pair with the lighter bodied, slightly sweeter context of Ange’s Mixed Seafood Grill and my heavier, more savoury meal of Rosemary crusted Rack of Lamb.
The silky texture and underpinnings of ‘fall leaves’ with bright cherry did the trick. It enhanced both the flavor and subtleties of the Lamb and caressed the gentle sweetness of the Seafood Grill. Conclusion: Met the role well, however I’m not sure this would be a sipping or comfort wine, as the price is roughly $40. I would order/buy this again when in a restaurant or at home preparing a finer meal. Character actor.
The Moreau Chablis was the set up wine or ‘warm up band’. This was the wine we used to whet our pallates before a meal. Bracing acidity, zesty lime flavors along with generous minerality insured a satisfactory on its grading, however I can find and enjoy as much, wines about $10 less for the same role. Conclusion: Pretty and decent in the role, but pretty expensive for what it could do.
The Corte Giara 2004 Amarone. I was so looking forward to this as I am lover of Amarone, Valpolicella and Valpolicella Ripasso, and it is rare that I have the occasion to enjoy Amarone due to cost. The wine was completely set up to win. Simple foods with rich flavors and body, an easy going evening, some nice cool jazz playing in the background, and a great view off our deck. I saw myself curling up in the moment, alas the wine was okay but did not fit the bill. It tasted a little to angular. Although older, it’s Amarone for god sake and it should stand up and prefer some age. Instead it showed some plum, raisin and chocolate, but the finish was acidic and short. Conclusion: Did not meet the role and will not be moving on to other roles. I see informercials and voice overs for this wine.
