Other Italian Reds
Barbera d'Alba, Ca' del Sarto Piemonte 2000 $10 or so at Grapevine. 12.5% It's an American cousin of an Italian that came back to Italy to make some Barbera. At first a pepper smell, and then tart. Nice garnet color. When I stick my nose in it too long, it smells too much like tart strawberries, which is fine. At first, I smell something stinky. At first it has an earthy smell almost like a Burgundy. It has a longish tart finish. Dry, complex. Starts out fruity and then mellows into a tart downhill flavor. Some tartness in the beginning. Tom, my neighbor, says that this tastes like strawberries that you get at the grocery store rather than strawberries that you get out of your back yard.
Barbera d'Alba Ca' del Sarto with Brin d'Amour. This is an aged version of Brin d'Amour. It doesn't blend. Neither one overpowers. This is a little bit sour in the finish. It is good. It works at first. It doesn't fight. I really get the sheep flavor shining through. It's not the most interesting thing in the world, but they don't fight, and that is a good thing, given how many dry white wines I have put this lovely cheese with that have tasted like vomit together.
Barbera d'Alba Ca' del Sarto with Robiola Bosina cow/sheep blend. Ike at Grapevine said maybe this would be good with Robiola. Sour, dirty, metallic, bile. There is no marriage. They cancel out all the good things about each other. Patrick says "a burst of sewer gas." It is really bad. It crashed and burned.
Barbera d'Alba Superiore, Prinsi 2001 (Tasted in 2005) I had this at an Ambiente portfolio tasting and they gave me the free bottle to take home. 14% alcohol. Imported by Enotec. Very minty smell. At first, I almost thought it might be corked, the smell was so strange, but no. Spicy, tobacco, cherries. The works, but very dry and elegant. This is a gorgeous Barbera, from Neive, Italy.
Barbera Prinsi with Brin d'Amour. Very light and young Brin d'Amour. This is such a wonderful cheese. It is tangy, herby and woody. It goes pretty well with the wine. I like the tangy flavors in the wine that come out with this cheese, but I lose some complexity in the wine. I think, overall, this wine needs a cheese that is not too tart.
Barbera Prinsi with Robiola Bosina. The cheese takes all the fun spice away from the wine. It's ok, but not so great. This is an excellent Robiola, though, and a fun Barbera. I don't know why I keep trying this pairing. I guess I hope one day it will work, but it never really does.
*Barbera Prinsi with Taleggio. Meaty and spicy, both the cheese and the wine. The wine is not overpowered by the cheese at all, which is strange since the lighter Robiola (fresh) was. They blend really well together and then the wine makdes the cheese taste almost like chocolate.
Barbera d'Alba Quattro Fratelli 2004 (Tasted in 2006) $14.99 at Grapevine Market. Imported by Boroli USA in Napa. http://www.dallaterra.com. 13.5% alcohol. I was in Grapevine looking for Piedmontese wines and there just happened to be an Italian guy in the Piedmont section. He suggested a Barbera, which I knew I already liked, but particularly one from Alba. They are known for having more tannins and more complexity. This is a gorgeous wine. As soon as I opened it, I could smell the cherries. The fruit is very intense, youthful, and spicy, and the wine seems like it has a lot of minerality in it. There is something almost tingly about it. Light earthiness. Boy is this good. I could suck down an entire bottle of this in one sitting. I never want to drink bad wine again, this is so good. And it's not too expensive.
Barbera d'Alba Quattro Fratelli with Bonrus. Not so great. The wine and cheese clash, bringing out a bitterness in the rind of the cheese.
*Barbera d'Alba Quattro Fratelli with Brunet. This is a fancy little goat's milk cheese from Piedmont. Rather odiferous. Great together. This pairing might not be for everybody since the wine makes the cheese taste a little extra gamy, but I love the tingly minerality in the wine and the fresh, bright fruit with the tangy, salty goat's milk cheese. Also nice is the texture -- the acidic wine with the creamy (yet also acidic) cheese.
Barbera d'Alba Quattro Fratelli with
*Barbera d'Alba Quattro Fratelli with Truf. I love this as well. The cheese is bright and tangy, but slightly earthy, and then the wine is all cherries. It's a great match except that I don't taste the truffles as much after I drink the wine. The fruit is so rambunctious in the wine that the truffles get overpowered, which is hard to do. They blend well together and the wine brings out a lemony flavor in the cheese. This is great. There is no fighting whatsoever, no bitterness, nothing.
Barbera d'Asti Altea, Superiore, Cantine Sant'Agata 2000 (Tasted in 2006) $15.99 at Whole Foods. 13.5% alcohol. This wine was aged six months in oak and is supposed to deliver "a gorgeous bouquet suggestive of cherries and chocolate intertwined with hints of honey and smoke - qualities also found in its bright, vibrantly rich flavors." Imported by John Given wines. Dark ruby color with an intense cherry and earth nose. This smells great! I like this wine a lot. The cherry nose is a lot stronger than the flavor; it doesn't taste like cherry candy, but rather, a spicy dish with cherries added. On the finish, I taste the smoke and light chocolate. This is delicious. I'm glad I sprung for the extra $5. It has a very long and satisfying finish. The cherries last throughout, and then at the very end, it dwindles down into into a very delicate bitterness. The wine almost reminds me of cranberries, the way it is fruity, dark, tangy, spicy, and a little bitter all at the same time. Very well-integrated. This wine is really a perfect Barbera d'Asti for me since it's not too light and not too tannic. It is just right. It's like an amped up Pinot Noir.
**Altea with Azeitao. Max McCalman has Barbera d'Asti listed as a good match for Azeitao. Boy was Max right. This is fabulous. That earthiness in the cheese goes great with the light, smooth spices in the wine, and then the creamy texture of the cheese with the rich, slightly tingly mouthfeel of the wine is to die for. I love this.
Altea with Durrus. This salty washed rind cheese from Ireland is a little too feisty dirty tasting for my delicate Barbera, especially on the second day of the Barbera when it has lost its spice.
Altea with Red Square Tasmanian. Great contrast, though the cheese, with its washed rind stinkiness and bitter aftertaste almost overpowers the wine. I still give this a thumbs up. The cheese is like a washed rind Robiola, but maybe a little milder in some ways, but spicier in others.
**Altea with Speziato al Tartufo. A match made in heaven. I love this -- the cinnamon and earth along with the truffles and cherries. It's all very intense, but, at the same time, fairly light-hearted. This is perfect, like a cherry spice cookie. This pairing would be great for Valentine's Day. Aren't truffles supposed to be an aphrodisiac?
Altea with Taleggio. Very good. Tangy, youngish Taleggio plus bouncy, fruity wine. Great finish, nice and clean and fresh. It brings out a lot of fruit in both the cheese and the wine. An older Taleggio wouldn't have worked as well.
Barbera d'Asti La Nunsiò 2001 (Tasted in 2006) $11 at Central Market. 13% alcohol. It smells like cherries. It reminds me a little of a Pinot Noir. It is full of cherries and is light, acidic, and smoky. I was expecting it to have more tannins. It is a very easy drinking red wine that would be good for before or with dinner.
*La Nunsiò with Prà. This is not bad. he cheese overpowers the wine a little, but the bright acidic fruit in the wine and the cherry flavors work well with the fruity flavors in the cheese. I liked the spicy flavors in the cheese with the cherries in the wine. It was good. Earthy and a little surprising, but still good.
La Nunsiò with Toma Montanara Erbe. These two don't work as well as the others above. It's not horrible together, but it tastes like dirt on the finish of both the wine and the cheese. It's a little bitter. The cheese is not fruity enough to handle the wine.
Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo, Le Orme 2001 (Tasted in 2004). $9.99 at Austin Wine Merchant. 13% alcohol. Barbera is a Piedmont grape that is the "poor man's Barolo." It is supposed to be more rustic with cherry flavors, good acidity, and low tannins. It has a sweet-sour style. It is Italy's 2nd biggest red. I would like to try this with some sheep cheeses or a Montasio or Piave type. The Barbera grape is thought to have originated around Asti, in the Monferrato Hills. The province of Asti has grown wine for over 200 years. These Barberas are leaner than the ones from Alba. Some parts of the zone make racy wines with tart fruit and pronounced acidity. Other parts grow from old wines with rich, dark, ripe, and spicy fruit. This wine is tingly. It smells like thick blackberry and spice. It is a little clear. It is smooth and fruity, rich, and it has nice acidity, but not so bracing as the Dolcetto. I taste some wood, lots of spice. Maybe tobacco. It is similar to the Dolcetto, but fuller -- almost nutty. It's got a lot more wood on the finish. This is aged in barrique, which is a common practice among Barbera d'Asti and d'Alba zones. The grapes have the substance to sustain the impact of oak. The oak gives it more tannin and a toasty flavor. Since this wine is under $10, it is probably not a barrique-aged wine. The "Italian Wine for Dummies" book says that the higher end ($45) wines are aged in barriques. This tastes like it has been aged in oak, though. This brand was listed as a good producer of Barbera.
Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo with Appenzeller. This is extra-aged, but super smooth for Appenzeller. Oddly enough, the Barbera overpowers it. This wine worked much better with the Fontina d'Aosta. It's not bad together, though. Nutty and fruity.
Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo with Gouda, aged 60 months. Extremely salty and nutty. Not very good. The cheese is just too salty and nutty for this and it is just not working with the tannins and the acid. The wine brings out a bunch of salt in the wine, so I might as well just eat a handful of salt.
Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo with Montasio. This Montasio is saltier than most. It's ok. They pair up ok, but they don't do a lot for each other. I was hoping I would get more cream flavor out of the cheese, but no. I'd like more cream in this mixture.
Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo with Robiola Bosina. Brie-like fresh cheese. Yum, except for the bitter aftertaste. The bitterness just seems to grow and grow. I don't think I like this so well. The Robiola worked so well with the Dolcetto, but not with this. Maybe it's because this is a heavier wine and also seems to have a less pronounced acidity, which seemed to help with the rind of the cheese.
*Barbera d'Asti Michele Chiarlo with Fontina d'Aosta. Super spicy Fontina. It burns my mouth and has a pronounced fruit flavor. This is nice together because of the light spice in the wine. I like this a lot. This is the second time I have enjoyed Barbera with Fontina. The cheese is nutty and pungent, and the wine is spicy and robust. It's nice. The weights and textures are good together. Excellent.
Barbera Monferrato Maràia 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $8.49 at Tuscany Market. 13.5% alcohol. By Marchesi di Barolo. The guy at Tuscany seemed surprised that it was so cheap from Marchesi di Barolo. They are one of northeast Italy's premier wine producers and they make Gavi. The website is http://www.marchesibarolo.com, but I didn't see this wine listed on there. This wine is from the Piedmont. It is supposed to be a lively, medium-bodied, harmonious, stylish red with fresh, intense aroma infused with the scent of wild berries. Focused fruit flavors and a lingering finish.
Barbera Monferrato Maràia with Fontina Val d'Aosta. Pungent, northwestern Italian cheese, often used for melting and fondues. Lots of fruity flavors. I thought the milder version, Fontina Fontal, was too mild for the cheese. Very fruity cheese, the real Fontina. Bitter, though, at the end. I don't like this pairing as much as I have with certain other Barberas, but it is still good. The wine is lightly spicy, as is the cheese. It's interesting. I'm not wild about the bitter aftertaste.
Barbera Monferrato Maràia with La Tur. Luscious, creamy, animaly cheese. The wine with it causes some bitterness. It's not perfect, but it's ok. I could do this, I suppose. The wine makes the cheese taste too wild. I like the fresh, light, outdoorsy taste of the wine with the barnyardy cheese. The wine has a little spice to it, and it's interesting with the cheese. This isn't a perfect pairing, though.
Barbera Mattei with Fontina Val d’Aosta This wine was so sweet and fruity, and the cheese, so creamy. It blended very well. The cheese is sweet enough that it takes away some of the sweetness of the wine, but that’s ok. Then the old salt flavor really comes out in the cheese. It’s a good pairing. They fizz when they get in your mouth together. The cheese and the wine come from around the same area in Italy.
Barbera ll Falò" La Sera 2002 (Tasted in 2004) $13.99 at Tuscany Market. 12.5% alcohol. From Piemonte in Italy. This wine is "arranged" by an importer, Peter Matt, in NYC. He arranges for their production in small lots by different wineries from the Piedmont region. This wine is 100% Barbera and grown on hillside vineyards. The shelf-talker said that it was softer and fruitier than some Barberas, with bright berry and plum flavors, moderate acidity, and soft tannins. It is supposed to have a clean, ripe finish. On the bottle, it says that this wine is medium-bodied with a bright, plummy taste. It is supposed to be versatile with food, but also matches well with cured meats, sausages, pate, richer soups, tomato-based sauces, and game. It is a bright, clear red. It is very aromatic, musty, almost rubbery, meat and tomatoes, anise. Definitely start, sweet/sour cherries, strawberries, maybe plums, medium-bodied, velvety texture, spicy, and bright. It reminds me of cranberry juice. Firm tannins, but integrated into the fruit well. There is something on the finish that reminds me of rubber or tarpaper.
*Barbera ll Falò" La Sera with Fontina Val d'Aosta. An extra pungent, fruity, nutty, spicy Fontina. Very good together. This Barbera holds up to the cheese better than some of the others. I still get nice cherry flavors in the wine. Spice in the wine, spice in the cheese, fruit all around. It's nice. The cheese makes the wine taste not so sour, smoother. Some bitterness, but this is good. With the wine being so light compared to this big bulky cheese, it doesn't seem like it would match up well, but it does.
Barbera ll Falò" La Sera with La Tur. Aromatic cheese, but gentle like a Brie. Cow, sheep, goat blend. Not so good. I lose all the intense milk flavors of the cheese and the cherry flavors in the wine. Bitter finish.
Barbera ll Falò" La Sera with Piave. Such a perfect, nutty, roasted-tasting cheese. It's ok together, but tastes a little dirty. I put some dried cherries and cranberries with it. It was ok, but the wine came out tasting too tart, especially when I added the fruit.
Barbera Rumanota 2001 $14.99 at Austin Wine Merchant. 14% alcohol. I met Alessandro, the winemaker, at Austin Wine Merchant for a demo. I like the labels of his wine. They have watercolor paintings on the labels. This painting is of a gas lamp. Romana Carlo. Dogliani (CN). This wine is from an Azienda Agricola, which means that the grapes are actually grown there and not taken from other vineyards. From Terra Verus Trading Co. (512-447-9797) Steve Lawrence. I went to the tasting to find more out about his company since he deals with Italian and Spanish wines. This wine was great. It's probably a good food wine. Strong aroma, earthy, almost like a stinky Pinot Noir. He also had a Dolcetto that was nice. Alessandro lives really close to where they make La Tur, Alta Langa.
Bardolino Novello, Azienda Agricola Monte del Frá 2003 (Tasted in 2004) 12% alcohol. $7.99 at Central Market. This wine is made from grapes grown around Lago di Garda in Italy. This is a classico zone. It was originally grown on the hillsides near the town of Bardolino on the eastern shores of Lake Garda, Italy's largest lake. I can't tell what grapes are in this wine, but they are supposed to make it light-bodied, pale-ruby red, and delicate. It also has lively aromas and flavors reminiscent of cherries with a slightly tart aftertaste and a good balance of acidity. It was very light and reminded me of a Beaujolais. It is dark purple and very fruity. Not much in the way of tannins. Floral.
Bardonlino Novello and Feta by Lytras. I liked it with this Feta because this cheese is sweeter and less salty than many. This cheese is a mild goat/sheep blend. The cheese firms up the soft wine.
Bardolino Novello and Manchego. This was ok together. I liked the nutty sheep with the light, fruity wine. I tasted it again. This is ok, but a little dull. The wine interferes with the smooth, sheepy finish of the cheese. It tastes kind of like vinegar together. It's not awful, but not great. The more rustic, tannic wines are better with this cheese. This cheese was great with a full-bodied, fruity, rich Cab.
Bonello d'Italia Merlot/Nero d'Avola blend, 2003 (Tasted in 2005) From Sicily. $7.99 at World Market. 13.5% alcohol. 51% Merlot and 49% Nero d'Avola. http://www.bonellowines.com This is the Italian line from Beringer Blass Estates. Clear, ruby red color. It smells like a Merlot with the tart berry aromas, but it also has some meatiness, like a sausage or steak smell to it. This is a nice blend. It's very light. I tried it with Chinese food and it was horrible, but great with Italian flavored pigs-in-a-blanket and cheese ravioli with spinach marinara sauce. I taste fresh strawberries and spices. The finish is dark and slightly bitter. This wine, even being a light style, seemed more flavorful once it breathed. The front of the wine is Merlot and the finish is Nero d'Avola. The blend kicks up the Merlot and tones down the Nero d'Avola. Easygoing table wine.
Bonello Merlot/Nero d'Avola with Mozzarella and prosciutto cheese roll. OK, but a little bitter. The cheese needs to be saltier, but I like the prosciutto with the wine.
Bonello Merlot/Nero d'Avola with Parmigiano-Reggiano. The cheese is too flavorful for this wine. The Merlot is just not strong enough for the salty cheese. The Nero d'Avola might have worked by itself with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, but I also suspect that it might have tasted like vomit. I think this wine would be best with a Piave or a slightly aged Asiago.
Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano 2002 (Tasted in 2003) 13% alcohol. $15.49 at Grapevine. 13% alcohol. It is made from the traditional grapes of Carmignano (Sangiovese, Cabernet, Canaiolo) and is produced at Capezzana in Carmignano, Tuscany. The vines grow in the ancient Medici estate, the "Barco Reale" or "royal property" mentioned in Cosimo de Medici's "Decreto Motu Proprio" in 1716. This decree set Italy's first laws establishing boundaries and production standards for quality wines. I bought this to try with some Tuscan sheep cheeses. The guy at Grapevine said that it would be good with them. Not too much acidity and good fruit. From The Wine Doctor: "A deep red-purple hue on inspection. On the nose it has an intense layer of crushed summer fruits, with some pleasing smoky-toasty oak. The palate has a slightly fat, well rounded texture and good weight, with plenty of fruit as the nose suggested. Then comes the surprise - a delicious, charred, bitter streak, and wonderful acidity, which provides a muscular structure for the body and fruit."
Colosi, Sicilia 2001 (Tasted in 2003) This is from Messina in Sicily. 12.5% alcohol. $8.99 at Grapevine. It is supposed to be intense with complex fruit aromas of plum and cherries. On the palate, it is dry, medium bodied, and well balanced. It is supposed to go well with hearty pasta, beef, roasted meats, and cheese. The guy at Grapevine said it was a very versatile wine. It smells very full, like blackberry. A lot of alcohol. It is also fairly dense and dark in color. Soft tannins, tart fruit like maybe dark cherries. There must be some wood in this wine because it is leaving my tongue surprisingly dry. It is very fruity and slightly sweet. It was lighter than I expected and did seem to go well with cheeses.
Colosi with Rocchetta goat/sheep/cow blend of fresh cheese. Not bad at all. These actually stand up to each other. The goat is strong and full enough that they don't overpower each other. I like the thick berry flavor and weight of the wine with the creamy, tongue-coating cheese.
Colosi with Triple Creme Cream Cheese from Mozzarella Co. I had mixed some fresh dill in the cheese. Not too good. The dill comes out, but the cheese disappears completely.
Colosi with Vella Dry Jack. Very good. I'd like a little bit more of a woody, chocolatey taste in the wine for this. The wine also seems a little washed out wiht it. Smooth, but full-flavored cheese. It is a little bit like Red Zin and Dry Jack, but I don't get the good chocolate taste afterwards.
Dolcetto d'Alba Cavallotto 2002 (Tasted in 2004) Bricco Boschis Vigna Scot. $16.25 at Austin Wine Merchant. 12.5% alcohol. This is produced from 100% Dolcetto grapes from the "Scot" vineyard owned by the Cavallotto family, located in the commune of Castiglione Falletto (Piedmont). It should be served at cellar temperature. It goes well with light dishes, fine cheeses, and white meats. These vines were planted in 1979. They are on a hillside facing east. They make about 1400 cases a year. http://www.cavallotto.com Dolcetto d'Alba comes from vineyards in the Langhe hills. It is made entirely from Dolcetto, which ripens earlier than other red varieties of the area. It matures earlier than Barbera or Nebbiolo. It is usually served with antipasti. It has lower acidity than Barbera, but it's still acidic. It is more tannic than Barbera. It doesn't age in French oak barrels and is not a good wine for aging. Most Dolcettos taste like ripe Dolcetto fruit rather than having smoky, toasty nuances of oak. It is supposed to have some strawberry and raspberry flavors with aromas of violets. It is very light and tart, like an orange or tangerine. I taste cherries and it smells thick, like blackberries and almost like Cassis. It is very drinkable. Fruity and a little sour. Light tannins. Nice acidity. It is like an Italian Beaujolais. I like it much better than Beaujolais since it is so tart. I get a little spice on the finish. Then it drops off. It is very pleasant. It is very fun to drink. It is almost sweet, but the spices and tannins balance it out.
Dolcetto d'Alba Cavallotto with Montasio. Salty, herbaceous and nutty cheese. Nice with the Dolcetto. The cheese seems really salty with this wine. Actually, all the cheeses seem pretty salty with it. The tartness of the wine overshadows the cheese some.
Dolcetto d'Alba Cavallotto with Robiola Bosina. Very good together! There is some bitterness on the finish, but I like it. The wine is nice and light and acidic, and the cheese is light and pungent. I think they are the perfect weights together. This is excellent. They really do match up well in texture and weight. The flavors are really good together. Maybe not perfect, but still very good.
Dolcetto d'Alba with Roasted Ricotta. Also really good together. I think I like this even better than with the Robiola. The cheese is so salty, spongy, and fresh, and the wine is fruity and tart. The wine overpowers the cheese a little, but the salt lasts through. It's nice -- the salt and the tartness. Sometimes the salt aftertaste seems too intense. I lose the milk flavor in the cheese at the end.
Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo 2003 (Tasted in 2005) $14.99 at Austin Wine Merchant. 14% alcohol. Dark, inky color, but not as dark as some Dolcettos I've seen. It smells like grapes, like a really funky Beaujolais. I think I smell raspberries, cranberries, and currants. The aromas are very intense, and I also get a burn in my nose from the alcohol. When I swirl the glass more, I smell orange zest and mint. This is great. It's not too spicy. It has good structure, but it seems like it is lighter and won't fight with cheeses like some do. Very light and pleasant, but full of character. It has some minerality going on. It's just a little salty. I can feel spices on my tongue. Rich, but light. This is an easy drink without being boring. This is a Dalla Terra wine from Prestige. It's the same company that does the Marchesi di Gresy Moscato
*Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with Burrata. Very good. This wine seems to take well to light, acidic, fresh cheeses. The wine is fresh and lightly spicy, and light enough that it doesn't overpower the cheese. The cheese also highlights the wine's spiciness without making it taste like a spice bomb.
Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with Castelbelbo. OK together. They taste good at first, and then they are bitter. Still, it's not bad. On second thought, I like this a lot. I taste a kind of orange peel in the wine when I drink it with this cheese. The only drawback is that dirt taste that creeps up about 20 seconds later.
Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with Fontina Val d'Aosta. Pretty stinky Fontina. Awful. This has gone together before, but not this time. It tastes like compost. The wine is too light and playful.
*Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with La Tur. Salty, young, cow/sheep/goat blend. This cheese is pretty tart. This is ok at first. I love the textures together. Then it gets a little bitter, but I give it a good grade anyway. I lose some of the fun fruit in the wine because of all the salt in the cheese.
Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with Robiola Bosina. Stinky, young Robiola. This cheese looks and tastes so perfect by itself, but it is just a nightmare to pair with wines. Together, this is dusty, moldy, and rotten. It's not the worst in the world, but it is sure not going to please a crowd. It tastes all sour and funky.
*Dolcetto d'Alba, Monte Aribaldo with Taleggio. Nice, young, salty, buttery Taleggio. The fruit and spice in the cheese are great with the similar flavors in the wine. There is some bitterness, but it's pleasant. Also, I like the textures together with the cheese being all creamy and the wine being prickly.
Il Frappato 2002 (Tasted in 2003) $22 at Grapevine and Central Market. Sicily, Italy, Valle Dell'Acate. 13% alcohol. It is made from the Frappato grape. It is light red, ruby colored. It has intense aromas of figs, dark cherries, black plum, and raspberry. It has a soft ripe fruit quality, full and lingering, supported by soft tannins and a ripe youthful finish. It is supposed to be good with hors d'oeuvres, foie gras, pastas with savory sauces, meat stews, grilled meats, and fresh cheeses. This is a wine that Pier Giorgio of www.mannavini.com brought for Elsa's wine tasting. The winery Valle dell'Acate was founded in 1981 by two ancient families living in the Ragusano area. People have been growing wine in this area for three centuries. The landscape is covered in reeds and thorny shrubs. The soil lies over limy sandstone and clay. These grapes are harvested in September and October. The wine is aged in stainless steel tanks for 6 months, and then 3 months in the bottle. This wine was great. It wasn't as rustic as a lot of Sicilian wines. It was smooth, very pleasant, and also tart. It tastes very modern. It is a great cheese wine. Notes from the second tasting...garnet red, transparent. It is not thick and sunbaked tasting like some other southern red wines. It has a light flavor. It is spicy and lightly fruit. It doesn't have much of a bouquet, maybe anise or mint. A little bit of a cherry smell. It tastes very young and fresh. Medium tannins. I definitely taste cherries and spice and maybe even a little green tobacco. I keep tasting this wine with cheeses because I like it so much.
Il Frappato and Caprino soft, fresh goat cheese. This goat cheese is not very acidic and also not too salty. It went very well with the Frappato since it wasn't too heavy of a wine.
Il Frappato and cream cheese, Triple Cream from Mozzarella Company. This cheese is like a sour, buttery cream cheese that comes in a tub. Ooooh, this is kind of weird, but I think I like it. It's surprising to find a red wine from southern Italy that will go with a fresh cheese. The wine overpowers the cheese pretty quickly, but it definitely goes together ok. As soon as I take a sip of wine, the sour taste of the cheese disappears and my mouth is filled with fruit, and the cheese brings out tannins in the wine that I didn't even taste at first. Then, when the fruit and tannins are over, the cheese is completely gone. Pity. The cheese is so light (I think it's whipped), that it doesn't coat the tongue too well, in spite of the heavy amount of butterfat in it. I like the sour cheese with the cherries in the wine, like sour cherries. I think this pairing would be great with a little bit of fresh herbs mixed in the cheese.
Il Frappato with Cravanzina. Yuck! This is absolutely horrible together. I feel like I just walked into a windstorm and dirt got in my mouth.
Il Frappato and Montasio. Sometimes I am not so wild about this cheese. Every once in a while, it tastes like mayonnaise to me. Yum! These two are really good together. Who said southerners and northerners can't get along? This cheese has a wonderful, long finish. It tastes a little floral. These two are really well-balanced together. They tingle a little when they blend. It tastes very natural and pretty. Tasting it makes me imagine a field with fruit, herbs, and of course, big, fat dairy cows wandering around, too.
Il Frappato with Parmigiano-Reggiano. The cheese overpowers the wine a little. It is so salty. I lose all the fruit. They don't fight at all. I like them together, but I lose a little of the wine. Piave is better with this, with similar flavors.
Il Frappato and Piave. Great! Piave seems to go pretty well with wines anyway, though. This cheese tastes sweet and nutty. It reminds me of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Wow. This is wonderful. The nutty flavors in the cheese tone down the heavy fruit in the wine. The sharpness of the cheese works with the fruitiness of the wine. I feel like the wine is so light and non-tannic, and when I put the sharper cheese with it, it adds structure. I like the cheese and the wine separate, and we also really like them together. The cheese totally lasts through the wine the entire time, and then when the cheese is still flavorful, I take a splash of wine and it is very refreshing. The cheese and the wine both linger.
Il Frappato and Provolone di Pecora from Sicily. The cheese definitely overpowers the wine, but the wine doesn't disappear. This pairing makes the spicy flavor and feeling come out in both the cheese and the wine. It is not horrible, but I wouldn't recommend it. The cheese is too rustic. This wine needs a lighter, younger cheese, and vice versa. There is a little bitterness in the finish, though.
Il Frappato and Provolone, aged, cow's milk. Even though this Provolone is aged, it is pretty mild and milky-tasting. These do pretty well together. The cheese taste lasts through the wine, and lots of berry fruit flavors come out in the wine.
Il Frappato and Roasted Ricotta. It was sort of blah.
Il Frappato with Smoked Scamorza. This is good together, but I feel like the smoke flavor is a bit mild, though the cheese is stronger and longer-lasting. I like the sweetness of the pecan shell smoke with the spicy, fruity wine. This is a good match. I really like this pairing a lot. I like the smoke better with this wine than the smoked buffalo.
Il Frappato with Treccione di Bufala. This cheese is smoked. I really like how the cheese is so smooth, but lightly smoky. The wine has a lot of ripe fruit flavors. This cheese is a little too mild for this wine, but with the smoke, it pulls through. It all tastes very savory together. It brings out an herbiness in the wine and the cheese. The cheese is very rustic.
Li Veli Passamante 2003 (Tasted in 2005) Italian wine from Salento in Puglia. $10.99 at World Market. 13% alcohol. 100% Negroamaro. Aged 6 months in wood. This wine was on special. It is dark, but also very clear and ruby-like, but still black. It also has some of the typical bitterness of this grape variety. Deep currant, prune, and licorice smell. Meaty finish. It would be delicious with salami and other salted, spicy meats. It is light and tart, cherryish, but also raisiny and bitter on the finish. Very warm and smoky. Firm tannins. Lightly peppery, some light vanilla that brings out pretty cherries. Very complex wine, especially for this price.
Li Veli Passamante with Burrata. Very good. The cheese is like a Mozzarella with butter inside. It is tangy and full of cream, which contrasts nicely with the cherry flavors in the wine. The cheese makes the wine taste less rustic -- not that it was a problem, but it tones the wine down.
Li Veli Passamante with Mozzarella/Prosciutto Roll. I really like this wine with fresh, tangy cheeses, especially when they have meat inside. The wine already has a meaty flavor, so it pairs nicely with this.
Li Veli Passamante with Piave. This is nice. I know it's a more classic pairing to put a hard cheese with this rustic Negroamaro grape, but I almost liked the fresh cheeses better. However, I think this would go over better at a party.
Li Veli Passamante with Smoked Mozzarella. Delicious! At first. Then it's a little bitter. But it's still nice together. This is a good pairing because it's a fresh cheese (which I am enjoying with this wine), but it also has that rustic smoke taste that mirrors some of the flavors in the wine. Overall, this is a very cheese-friendly wine.
Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC 1998 (Tasted in 2003) It was cheap, like in the $12 range, maybe cheaper. It is produced and bottled in Masciarelli in the Abruzzo region in the south. The wine is mad near the mountains. Pasta is flavored with the wine, as well as olive oil and cheese. This wine is dark ruby red. It hardly has any legs. It is fruity, tangy, alcohol smell, very tangy. It has a dry aftertaste. It tastes a little barnyardy. It doesn't really taste like cherries like the wine guy said. I taste lots of wood, cedar, and tannin. It is not so good with cheese. It has a lot of alcohol flavor and a grape jelly aftertaste. I retasted this years later (2004), a 1999. It was only $7.79 at Grapevine. It definitely has a cherry flavor to it, tannins in the finish, medium-bodied, bright, acidic in the middle. It is nice. Sour cherries. I also get a little spice. I read that this is good with beef and tomatos.
Masciarelli with Parmigiano-Reggiano and Bresaola. I liked this a lot -- the way the cherries and spices came out in the wine. There was a slight fishy aftertaste, but it was not bad. With the cheese alone, I also get a strong cherry flavor. The cheese overpowers the wine. It's not bad.
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Vestini 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $7.99 at Grapevine. 12% alcohol. I bought this because it was on sale and because it had a scary fresco-looking picture on the label. I saw the same picture in a food book, and it is a scene of Dionysus with and some drunk men and boys with a floating devil's head behind them. It is a wall painting in Pompeii of initiation ceremonies into the mystery of Dionysus. This wine is supposed to be full-bodied and smooth. It is made from Montepulciano grapes grown on the rolling hills of the Abruzzi region in central Italy. It is supposed to go well with meat dishes and hearty pastas. I ended up giving this wine to Peggy, so I didn't get to taste it.
Nero d'Avola, Feudo Arancio from Sicily 2001 (Tasted in 2004.) $11.49 at Central Market, $11.99 at Tuscany Market. 13.5% alcohol. From Prestige. It says that this is a Sicilian varietal that was at first cultivated only in the area of Siracusa, and then it spread to the entire region. It is supposed to have lively, fruity characteristics and should go well with risotto, pasta, red meats, game, lamb, and seasoned cheese. It is a dark, ruby red. Blackberries, dark cherries, tar, very strong fruit flavor and dry finish. Medium-full bodied. The middle has a strong alcohol flavor. I have seen this before, where Nero d'Avola seems more alcoholic than it really is. I wanted to try this with an aged Provolone mail-ordered from Artisanal in NYC, but it was out of stock. This wine is best the day it's opened. It got a little buttery aftertaste the second day.
Feudo Arancio with Asiago Vecchio. Not so good. The cheese is too burning for this wine. Bitter and some taste of vomit, but not too bad. It's not really such a great pairing but it's not the end of the world.
Feudo Arancio with La Tur. OK together. I like this. The cheese makes the wine taste sweet and fruity. There is some bitterness. The tannins don't go so well with this cheese.
Feudo Arancio with Montegrappa. Nutty, Parmesan-like cheese, but not so hard. Awful together. Bitter. Foul.
Feudo Arancio with Piave Vecchio. Good. They don't fight. The cheese brings out intense berry flavors in the wine. I lose some of the cheese's sweet nuttiness with this pairing. It's good though. I would serve it in a tasting if If I didn't find anything more interesting.
Feudo Arancio with Provolone, extra aged. The cheese is salty and smelly. It didn't mix with the wine very well.
Nero d'Avola Corvo 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $8.79 at Grapevine. 12.5% alcohol. It is an amber color. It has a lot of red in it, but is still transparent. It smells very rich and berry-like. I get some raisin aromas and wood. It smells like a rich, thick wine. It smells a little like leather at times, and then I get a sniff of something like Lebkuchen spice cookies. It smells strongly of alcohol. This is a nice wine, especially for the price. It is medium-full bodied, the type that just settles in on your tongue. Thick black berries, but it has a light finish and light spice. I taste some chocolate and leather. It is a little bitter. The finish is dry, but also has a lot of fruit coming up behind it. It doesn't just finish off dry like some of the Tuscan wines I've been tasting. It has a very long finish. I had this a while back. I had bought it for an Italian party, but then got lost on the way to my party, so I came home and drank it with my friends.
Nero d'Avola, Corvo with Gorgonzola. Horrible! It tastes like cleaning fluid.
Nero d'Avola, Corvo with Parmigiano-Reggiano. This is awful together. I do like the way the cocoa flavor comes out in the wine, but, for the most part, it tastes like vomit together, and not in a good way.
Nero d'Avola, Corvo and aged Provolone. Tangy cheese. the wine overpowers the cheese, but it's good. Chewy cheese. It tastes nutty together.
Nero d'Avola, Corvo and unnamed sheep cheese. I forgot to write down what sheep cheese it was, but I know it was Italian. It tastes kind of vomity. It's ok. The wine makes the cheese very sheepy.
Nero d'Avola Poggio Bidini, Valle dell'Acate From Sicily. This is another wine from Pier Giorgio of www.mannavini.com. This was for Elsa's wine tasting. It was maybe about $15. It is made from the Nero d'Avola grape. the color is ruby red. It smells of red fruit and spices, liquorice. It has a leathery and rustic quality. It tastes harmonious and persistent. It has a full, velvety palate feel with a hint of cocoa. It is supposed to be good with roasted meats, red meat, and game. This wine is made by the same people who made Il Frappato -- Valle dell'Acate. The winery Valle dell'Acate was founded in 1981 by two ancient families living in the Ragusano area. People have been growing wine in this area for three centuries. The landscape is covered in reeds and thorny shrubs. The soil lies over limy sandstone and clay. The grapes are harvested at the end of September. They are fermented in stainless steel for 6 months and then released shortly thereafter. I liked this wine. It had a good, sun-baked quality. Brad hated it.
Poggio Bidini Nero d'Avola with young Pecorino Toscano. Not good at all. The cheese was too light, and the wine, too rustic.
Poggio Bidini Nero d'Avola with Piave. It worked out ok with this cheese, but then again, everything does. Piave is sturdier, like a Parmigiano-Reggiano, so it stood up to the wine better.
Primitivo A Mano 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $12.49 at Central Market. 14% alcohol. This is from Puglia. Kevin at Central Market said this was a popular Primitivo and representative of the style. "A Mano" means by hand because the label came from inlaid wood from an artisan in Southern Italy in the 17th century. I had some friends over to taste that night. One friend said it tasted like "bunk." My neighbor said it tasted like pee in 3/4 stream. I liked this wine and even went back to get a second bottle, but everybody else complained about it. Needless to say, I never invited these unappreciative friends back over for free wine. Dry and full-bodied, vegetal taste, woody, pine.
Primitivo A Mano with Scamorza. I like this pairing because together, they taste like dirt.
Primitivo del Salento Domus Vini 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $8.99 at Grapevine. 13% alcohol. Imported by Tres Imports in Richardson, Texas. This wine has a pretty shaped bottle that is like a shapely Cab bottle, but with droopy shoulders. Dark, dense, garnet color. It smells like plums and cherries, maybe flowers of some sort. On the palate, it is full, dense, fruity, and tart. I taste dark, juicy cherries and raspberries and spice, too. I like this wine a lot. It is rich, dry, fruity, and spicy all at the same time.
Primitivo del Salento Domus Vini with Cacio Biraio. The wine overpowers this cheese, but it's ok. The cheese is too delicate, but nice with its creamy flavors with the wine.
Primitivo del Salento Domus Vini with Provolone, aged. Sharp and herbaceous cheese. Interesting but the cheese is too aged and overpowers this wine. Somehow it is still nice together. The wine is spicy, as is the cheese. I lose some of the fruit in thewine, but this is still something to consider for a party.
*Primitivo del Salento Domus Vini with Smoked Scamorza. Delicious, creamy, smoky semi-soft cheese. Very good together. They don't fight at all. The cheese is a little mild, but the smoke in it helps it stand up to this wild wine. The spice is nice with the smoke on the finish. It all tastes woody, but still manageable together.
Primitivo del Salento, Solealto 2002 (Tasted in 2004) $8.99 at Central Market. 13% alcohol. This is from Puglia in Italy. It is made entirely from the Primitivo grape, which is the forefather of the Red Zinfandel grape in California. This varietal is indigenous to southern Italy. It has an intense ruby color with violet tones. It is fruit-forward, dry, and tannic. It is an ideal accompaniment to hearty foods. The people I tasted this with hated this wine. One girl said it tasted like bunk. Somebody else thought it smelled like cat pee. I thought it was fine. I retasted it, and it was fine the second time as well. It is a deep red/purple color. It smells like blackberries and liquorice. It is dry, especially at the end, but doesn't seem dry at first because of all the fruit. It is very smooth and thick, and a little less overwhelming than Red Zinfandel. It is also much dryer. The finish has herbaceous notes, including a little tobacco.
Primitivo del Salento, Solealto 2002 with Treccione di Bufala (smoked cheese). This is good and blends well, but even with the smoke, the wine is stronger than the cheese. This cheese's center is very mild. They make an interesting taste at the end. It gets very herby. I like this ok, but it's not perfectly balanced together.
Primitivo Salento, Cantine Due Palme 2001 (Tasted in 2004) $13.99 at Tuscany Market. 13.5% alcohol. "This barrique-aged 100% Primitivo wine from Salento/Apulia features impressive depth of color and gratifying flavor concentration. Ripe aromas of blackberry fruit, Asian spices and creamy French oak carry through the palate to a smooth, long-lasting finish." http://www.selectedestates.com Thick, fruity, but not as jammy as Zinfandel. Very aromatic, smells like lush, dark berries. Teeth-staining. Smooth. Medium and tannins. Some sweetness with the dark fruit. Plums. Tannins come out in the finish, but are still mellow. This is a yummy wine. Patrick at Tuscany Market said that this one is very reliable.
Primitivo Cantine Due Palme with Asiago Vecchio. Not good at all. This cheese was way too sharp and made a bitter vomit metallic taste. On second thought, it wasn't horrible. Once the wine had opened up and the cheese had warmed up, it tasted better together, but overall, it wasn't perfect. The cheese overpowers the wine. I liked how the cheese tasted so sharp and wild, and the wine was thick and fruity.
Primitivo Cantine Due Palme with Piave. Very good. I would like the cheese to be a tiny bit stronger. The older Piave holds up to the wine better and brings out rich fruit flavors in the wine. This cheese is ok with it, but it doesn't really play with the wine. The wine tastes flat with this cheese, even though the wine is a lot stronger than the cheese. Something tastes metallic. This cheese also tasted too much like plastic.
*Primitivo Cantine Due Palme with Piave Vecchio. Excellent together. The cheese is nutty, like a Parmigiano light. Wonderful with the fruity, thick wine. It's a little bitter together. Bright and lush. They are a great match, weight-wise. The fruit and nuts blend together and don't cancel each other out at all. The cheese brings out some spice in the wine, and even some more sweetness. Salty and nutty, and the thick, smooth, and fruity.
Rosso Piceno Saladini Pilastri 2001 (Tasted in 2003) $14. Organic wine. It is made from 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese. It is a deep ruby red. the bouquet is berry-scented with hints of almond extract, mint, and earth. It is spicy. It is fruit forward and full of cherry with a hint of mint. The finish is medium bodied. It should be good with red meat, pasta, and pizza. It is made in the Marche region of Italy in the Piceno hillsides. People are still living according to ancient traditions there. The wine cellar where this is made is underneath a 15th century villa. Sharecroppers used to produce their wine individually, and then have it aged in the Count's cellar. Later, they started working on the estate and eventually the Saladini Pilastri winery came into being. The wines are aged in refurbished old Slavonian oak barrels. A wine can get the "organic" label in Italy after having three years of using strictly organic methods. The vineyard is on a hillside close to the sea where there is great climate and airstream, giving the wine a unique personality. I liked this wine a lot, but it seemed a little too astringent for cheese at times.
Rosso Piceno Saladini Pilastri with young Pecorino Toscano. Not so great.
Rosso Piceno Saladini Pilaastri with Caprino. It was actually not bad with Caprino, but the wine killed the finish of the cheese.
Rosso Piceno 2001 (Tasted in 2003) 13.5% alcohol. It tastes kind of like a Chianti. It is nearly black. It is also fruity and burns my nose. Smoky, tannins, but not too dry. No, on second thought, it is very dry. The finish is very dry. It doesn't taste nearly as fruity as it smells. Rosso Piceno comes from the Marche region. It is the red wine that is produced here the most. It is usually 60% Sangiovese and 40% Montepulciano. It extends throughout all the Ascoli Piceno province. Sometimes white varieties like Trebbiano and Passerina are mixed in.
Salice Salentino Taurino $9.79 at Central Market. It is from Campania, below Naples. I didn't take notes on this. I took it to Peronni's where I belly danced. It went really well with pizza. It was dry, but also light and pleasant.
Sfida Puglia Rosso 2003 (Tasted in 2004) 13% alcohol. $11.99 at Wiggy's. Al said this was a good wine, and it is. I thought it sounded interesting because it was a blend of Primitivo (60%), Sangiovese (20%), and Cabernet (20%). Sfida means "challenge" in Italian. The drinker is encouraged to challenged his or her taste buds. This is from Puglia, which is the heel of the boot in Italy. The label says: "This medium-bodied red is ripe with jammy, berry flavors. Its bright character complements a wide variety of foods. Try with "orecchiette" pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe, leg of lamb, or mozzarella cheese." It is nearly black and completely opaque. I bought this because I had never had such a blend before. It is smooth, rich, velvety, berryish, and rich. It reminds me more of a California Zinfandel than a Primitivo. It is peppery like a Zin, but also bright and cherryish like a Sangiovese. I like this blend, though I am always a little confused by blends. It has a finish of anise and tobacco. It's very nice.
Sfida with Cheddar, mild British. This is a real British Cheddar, but it is super mild. The wine overpowers it. It's good, though. I'd like this wine with something stronger. I like the mellow, ripe, nutty finish of this pairing. It has potential. I'd like to see this with something Italian.
Sfida with Tomme de Ma Grand-Mère. This cheese just happened to be sitting on my desk. Yuck. I shouldn't have attempted this, but you just never know what might work out. The wine brings out a really funky goat taste in the cheese that is most politely described as barnyardy.
Teroldego Rotiliano "Vigneto Sgarzon" 1996 (Tasted in 2004) $29.99 at Wiggy's, except this isn't made anymore. 12.5% alcohol. Made by Elisabetta Foradori. The Foradori estate is the best producer of this Trentino classic variety. The old Sgarzon vineyard (Sgarzo in dialect means "shoot," as of a plant) gives a light purple wine with vibrant pomegranate and cherry flavors, plenty of spice, and a long, classy finish. It is the last of the grape that she does. The estate is still making wine, but not the Teroldego Rotiliano. This wine comes from Mezzolombardo (TN), Italy, near Trento in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Tracy said it was a Tuscan wine, but it's not. It is a woman-owned vineyard, and the owner, Elisabetta, is supposed to be a "wild, motorcycle-riding mama," as my friend Tracy put it. She went to school and got a diploma in enology. The Foradori winery is third generation. This wine smells like light raisings, ripe fruit, grapes. Light anise. "Kinda weird," as Tracy put it. Maybe blackberries. Ripe berries, but light. It is fruity at first, and then has a dry finish. Deep red color, dense and dark (though I read it was supposed to be light.) Smooth, a little woody, light fruit. It is dry, but warm. It tastes similar to a Sangiovese, but the fruit is richer. This grape only grows in the Rotiliano fields in this area and nowhere else in the world. It is supposed to go well with aged cheeses. Thinking this was a Tuscan wine, I put it with some sheep cheeses -- some from Tuscany, and some not. The Pecorino Toscano Stagionato did the best. It undergoes a long maceration and is aged in small oak barrels for 18 months before the bottling. There are some vanilla notes from the wood. Overall, this wine is well-balanced and well-structured.
Teroldego is made in Campo Rotaliano, a plain around the town of Mezzolombardo, surrounded by the Dolomites. It makes dark, robust, spicy, tannic red wines, most of which need several years to develop. The best wines come from Foradori. The Sgarzon is the more serious of the Teroldegos and can cost up to $50.
Vigneto Sgarzon Teroldego Rotiliano with Fresh Crotonese Sheep's milk cheese from Lazio, Italy. The cheese is firm, but has a creamy feeling and taste. The aftertaste is a little animlay, but the cheese is very tangy and fresh. The cheese and wine are both great separately, but together, they taste like vomit -- but in a bad way.
Vigneto Sgarzon Teroldego Rotiliano with Pecorino Toscano. Nutty, dry cheese. It brings out a great, creamy nut flavor in the cheese. Wood and nutes come out in the wine. It's almost a light chocolate flavor. I'd like this wine with Vella Dry Jack.
Vigneto Sgarzon Teroldego Rotiliano with Ricotta Salata. The cheese brings out the fruit in the wine. A richness shows up with this cheese. The salt tames the tannins. Fresh, tart, bright wine with the salty cheese. Very good pairing, though the wine overpowers the cheese somewhat. They are very smooth together, though.
Velletri Red Wine by Terre dei Volsci Riserva 1999 (Tasted in 2004) $14.99 at Grapevine. 13.5% alcohol. This wine was produced in limited quantity and has a numbered label. The red wine is made from grapes of the Cesanese, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Merlot varieties. After aging in oak casks, the rosso riserva develops a complexity of taste and outstanding bouquet and color, making it especially suited for roasts and wild game. The bottle has a strange shape. The guy doing the demos said the crooked neck was to keep sediment out of the glass. There is also a dimple in the back of the bottle. Rumor has it that this was an imperfection in the original bottles. The first vintage, the town was so poor that they had to bottle the wine in the faulty bottles just to keep from going under. It turned out that it was their best-selling vintage of all time, so they kept the dimple in the back for good luck. There is another rumor that the girlfriend or wife of the winemaker had a dimple in her lower back, so they made the wine to look like her -- but with tiny sediment-catching boobs. Velletri is one of the ancient cities of the Castelli Romani, a town whose chief industry is winegrowing. You can write them about your opinion of their wine at CO.PRO.VI. Via Pontina Km. 55,400 o4010 Campoverde (LT) Italy or info@cantinecoprovi.it. It was smooth, fruity, delicious, smoky, and woody. Very smooth. I loved this wine, but I drank it and didn't take enough notes. It had a rich berry flavor, but wasn't too tannic. Light spice. Medium body. I taste a lot of Sangiovese, but then more spice from the Montepulciano.
Velletri with Pecorino di Fossa. Very good. The smooth wine is great with this mellow, salty cheese.
Velletri 2000 with Irish Dubliner Cheddar. I figured this juicy, spicy (in a light way) wine would be good with Cheddar, and it was. Salty, nutty Cheddar plus fruit.
Velletri 2000 with Vella Dry Jack. Yum! This chocolate and pepper rind of this cheese loved the lightly spicy, dark berry wine.