Last night's wine

El Furioso ’06 -Tempranillo

winesleuth — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:37:38 +0000

Ole!

El Furioso ’06 is 100 percent tempranillo from the Castilla y Leon region of Spain and even though it’s not a Rioja, it’s pretty darn good. A medium bodied wine that packs alot of punch! Raspberries, chocolate cherry bon bons, licorice and some burnt toast all coming together for a perfect wine for tapas. I had hummous, taramasalata, meatballs, feta cheese and pita for dinner and this went like a charm.

Still had loads of racy acidity despite the fact that the wine is almost 3 years old and great structure which the fruit hangs off of. Great stuff for an everyday dinner wine. Quite a lingering finish on this one. Go on down to Oddbins and pick this one up today. Only £4.99, this winner can’t be beat.

Posted in Spain Tagged: El Furioso, Oddbins, Spain, tempranillo

Masi Valpolicella Bonacosta 06

winesleuth — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:59:05 +0000

It’s been awhile since I wrote about last night’s wine, not because I haven’t had any (I do, just about every night) but because I have to admit I’ve been lazy. I am, however, going to try and a bit more conscientious about keeping track of my dinner wines.

First up, a tasty valpolicella, the Masi Bonacosta ’06. Masi is a Venetian based vintner better known for their Amarone but they are also looking to produce modern wines emphasizing the characteristics of each wine.

Valpolicella is usually a blend of three Italian varieties- corvina, rondinella and molinara and this wine is exactly that. It’s a lovely garnet colour but not a very fragrant nose, faintly cherry, on the palate – sweet cherry, medium body, bit of raspberry and black cherry on the palate, the fruit lingering for a bit but not really hanging around for long, silky tannins, but good acidity. This is one that will go down quick. How did it fair with my dinner of salmon en croute and broccoli with a tomatoe anchovy sauce? Heaps of cherry with the meal, good palate cleanser, very morish. Great little valpolicella for about £6.

Available from Oddbins.

Posted in Italy Tagged: Bonacosta, Italian red wine, Masi, Oddbins, Valpolicella

Super……..BOCK!!

winesleuth — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:22:23 +0000

Hey, even a winesleuth needs a break now and then.

Superbock – is a fab, light but flavourful Portuguese beer. It was a great match with my pan seared salmon with a lime soya glaze, just washed everything away for the next bite.

And it’s easy on the pocketbook, too! gotta love it…

Posted in Portugal Tagged: portuguese beer

Terradora -Fiano di Avellino ’06

winesleuth — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:41:42 +0000

Bright yellow hue, lovely, creamy, buttery nose with a touch of oak, lots of tropical fruit and a bit of minerality. Full bodied, voluptuous, silky, more tropical notes on the palate – banana, pineapple, like a tropical fruit salad but quite an elegant, understated wine. It was all about the purity of the fruit. The oak was finely integrated, meshing wonderfully with the fruit. A joy to drink.

£10 – Oddbins

Fiano de Avellino

Posted in Italy Tagged: Fiano, italian wine, terredora

Cotes du Rhones- ’06 Jaboulet Parallele 45

winesleuth — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:30:00 +0000

A deep, intense purple but not inky. A fairly understated nose of black and red fruits. More black fruits on the palate, toasty and bit of oak showing through. Medium bodied with soft tannins, mocha chocolate and black cherry on the finish. Very easy wine to drink, almost carelessly, in front of the tv.

Posted in Cotes du Rhone, France Tagged: Cotes du Rhone, France, jaboulet

Corrallilo Merlot/Malbec ’06

winesleuth — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:07:36 +0000

Last nights Corrallilo

Dinner last night was pan seared salmon with a honey mustard sauce and the wine was the Matetique Corralillo Merlot/Malbec 06 – blackcurrants, plums, loamy nose, full bodied and inky purple in colour, a nose of more blackcurrant and ripe plums, quite a powerhouse on it’s own, very fruity but with a nice earthy balance and a dark chocolate finish. It went well with the salmon, not overpowering it, quite restrained for a S. American.

£11.99 – Oddbins

Posted in South America Tagged: argentina, Corralillo '06, malbec, merlot, South America