Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006

sorry for the lack of posts lately. lots of travel happening at the baldwinegeek house, but that does lead to trying some different wines, like this italian red. i enjoyed this with some home-made lasagna. an excellent food wine that sells for about $10 a bottle, this has a nose of black cherry, leather and earth. the palate was young and a bit tight but opened nicely with flavors of cherry and tobacco, with some floral notes of violets and nice, long finish. i would recommend picking up a couple bottles at this price. a nice, every day red.

Riondo Pinot Grigio Spago D'Oro 2007

in new york with the comely brunette and of course drinking a little wine. great places to buy wine here. lots of wine stores around that sell quite a few italian varietals. we tried this nice pinot grigio that sold for about $10. nose of apples, pears and some really nice floral notes. the taste was pears and jasmine with some crisp mineral notes in a medium length finish. very clean, bright pinot grigio, and well worth the price. good food wine. we enjoyed this with chicken, red potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Bay Bridge Cabernet Sauvignon (nv)

i wrote about the chardonnay from this california vintage and was not very impressed. i had purchased the cab at the same time on a whim. same price of about $4. most folks give two buck chuck pretty high marks. i am not a huge fan but the wine is drinkable. how does this compare? the nose was somewhat floral with black cherry and blackberry notes. it was a bit green in the aroma as well. the taste was unfortunately very thin and young. i don't know if time in the bottle would be of much help. blackberry flavors followed by a little oak and spice but not much finish and not much in the way of tannins or complexity. it was drinkable, but i wouldn't serve it with anything but pizza or fast food. not on the top of my list for good low priced reds.

Vevi Rueda 2008

i tried this spanish white at a recent tasting. the blend was mostly verdejo with some viura mixed in as well. at a price of about $10, it fit the budget side of my brain. another possible summer time patio pounder??? the nose was very bright with lemon, melon and grapefruit. the flavor was very citrus with pineapple and a little grapefruit and lemon. i also picked up a little guava. actually a very complex little white. some mineral notes and a nice crisp finish left me wanting more. this would work really well with summer fare like seafood. well worth the price.

I Love This Quote

"The discovery of a good wine is increasingly better for mankind than the discovery of a new star."
—Leonardo Da Vinci

El Dorado Tempranillo Lot #3

i decided to fix a nice sirloin with some red potatoes and steamed veggies and needed a red to go with it. i pulled this bottle out of the cellar which was a gift from a friend (thanks big guy!). turned out to be an excellent choice. the nose was dark fruits, mostly blackberry, with some really nice licorice, leather and wet forest floor notes. the palate was very nice with flavors of black cherry, a little blueberry and some cedar and tobacco notes. as it opened, i got a little pepper and some tar mixed with some soft vanilla flavors as well. very interesting palate that was well balanced. the tannins were not the least bit overpowering and the finish was very long and full. the wine sells for about $15 and is a very nice food companion, especially grilled meats. and yes, the label is just that plain. looks like a piece of masking tape with the name in marker.

Rosenblum 2006 Zinfandel

i am always on the lookout for good zins. i have found a few really nice ones and the price ranges have been all over the place. this california zin is quite nice, not over the top big and bold and the price is nice at $11. the nose was blackberry and maybe a little plum. also got some nice cedar and anise aromas as well. the flavors were black cherry and tobacco, with some grilled meat notes, some earth and leather and a nice pepper spice near the finish. hearty medium tannins and a nice long finish and i was ready for more. got a barbecue coming up? this would go well with those grilled red meats. good zin for the price and worth a second look.

Bay Bridge Chardonnay

i picked up a few bottles of inexpensive wine recently (tight budget) and saw this one for the nice price of $4. how good or bad can it be? for that price it was worth a look. the nose was pear and some apple, not much else. maybe a little mineral. the flavor was pears and some grassy notes. a hint of butter and some mineral. very green. not much finish. drinkable, but nothing spectacular about it. probably not something i will purchase again. there was no vintage on the wine and i am not really sure if this is made by one of the larger producers (gallo, franzia) and sold under this name like two buck chuck is. sorry for the lack of a picture. no digital camera and couldn't find a photo anywhere on the internet.

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2007

time for another nice patio pounder that refreshes the palate in the warm weather. this sauv blanc from new zealand has a nose of white peaches, some grapefruit and pineapple and a touch of melon. the palate is nicely balanced with some crisp acidity and flavors of tropical fruit, like pineapple and grapefruit, with touches of herbal notes and a nice long finish. perfect for sipping after a long day at the office while sitting on the deck. sells for about $17.

Jorge Ordonez 2003 Reserva Muga Rioja

after a brief hiatus i am back with this beautiful red blend from spain. primarily tempranillo, the nose was black raspberries, leather, tobacco and some cedar notes. the flavor was cherry and a bit of raspberry, with the earth and leather flavors adding to this very complex and balanced wine. decant this for optimum flavor. the tannins were not overpowering at first taste and softened some as it sat in the glass. a very silky texture throughout the tasting, this was a very nice red. sells for about $20 and is a great compliment to most beef dishes and almost any hearty food. i enjoyed this with seasoned chicken and steamed vegetables.