Category:Red wine

Mini-reviews 174: The final edition

cashier at wine store
“What are we going to do without any more snarky mini-reviews to read?”

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. It always ran on the fourth Friday of each month — which makes this the last one.

Domaine Lafage Tessellae Old Vines 2018 ($10, purchased, 14.5%): Even after all these years, wine can still surprise me. This French red — surprisingly available — is just not drinkable, but enjoyable and interesting. Balanced, spicy, not quite jammy, red fruit, and even some herbs, with tannins pushed to the back. And not hot. Imported by European Cellars

Château Nicot Blanc 2022 ($12, purchased, 13.%): There’s nothing really wrong with this; it’s a decent example of a cheap white Bordeaux (sauvignon blanc and muscadelle, and the latter adds a little spice). But is it worth buying again? Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons

Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages 2022 ($11, purchased, 12.5%) Wine is in big trouble when a producer likes Jadot makes a boring, almost plonky French chardonnay that isn’t worth $11. Imported by Kobrand

Collequieto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2021 ($10, purchased, 13.5%): Fairly typical Italian red from the Montepluciano d’Abruzzo region, which means sour cherry but with a little more in the way of tannins. Not as well done as other red d’Abruzzos, but still ready for spaghetti and meatballs. Imported by F&B Wine Imports

Photo: “cashier at wine store” by Consumerist Dot Com is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Christmas wine 2023

christmas wine 2020
Yes, this is the last time you’ll have to see this picture in the Christmas wine post.

Four recommendations for Christmas wine 2023

For the final time, the blog’s Christmas wine suggestions, whether for a last minute gift, something to drink when you just want a glass over the next couple of weeks, or for a holiday dinner. Keep our wine gift giving tips in mind — and don’t overlook the blog’s 2023 holiday gift guide.

These wines will get you started:

Riondo Prosecco NV ($10, purchased, 11%): Italian bubbly is simple but surprisingly enjoyable — much better than I thought it would be. Lots and lots of bubbles, some vaguely tropical fruit, and not especially sweet. Imported by Terlato Wines International

Falesco Est! Est!! Est!!! 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): This Italian white is a long-time blog favorite, and especially when it cost $8. It tasted has it always has — tart lemon fruit, one-note, and simple, but always fun. Imported by Heritage Collection 

Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Reserve 2020 ($12, purchased, 14%): This French red is a fairly typical inexpensive Cotes du Rhone (lots of syrah and heavier in the mouth), but mostly balanced with a bit of spice and the requisite amount of black fruit. Imported by Vineyard Brands

Stemmari Rosato 2021 ($8, purchased, 12%): Italian pink from Sicily made with with the nero d’avola grape. Much going on here for $8; a bit savory, with a bit of berry fruit, and almost stony. Highly recommended. Imported by Prestige Wine Imports

More about Christmas wine:
Christmas wine 2022
Christmas wine 2021
Christmas wine 2020
Wine of the week: The Curator Red 2021
Expensive wine 169: Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Photo: “guardian of wine” by marcostetter is marked with CC PDM 1.0

Wine of the week: Monte Antico Toscana 2019

monte_antico_bottle
Monte Antico Toscana 2019/$9-$16

This Italian red blend offers quality and value for just $10

This Italian red wine used to show up around Dallas for as little as $5 a bottle, and though it’s not that cheap anymore, it’s still $10 in much of the country.

In other words, just kind of quality cheap wine we have celebrated for almost 17 years on the blog,

This vintage of the Monte Antico Toscana ($10, purchased, 13%) remains an example of the classic, everyday bottle of Italian red wine. About the only thing missing from this sangiovese blend (for those of us of a certain age, of course) is the wicker basket.

Look for sour cherry fruit, but it’s also a bright, almost fresh wine, despite its age, and the tannins are pushed way, way back. This vintage, which is the current one, seems to have a bit more depth than the last one I tasted, which was likely the 2016. There was also a 2018, though I didn’t see it in Dallas.

Highly recommended, and just the thing for takeout pizza when the holiday crush gets overwhelming.

Imported by Empson USA

 

Wine of the week: Cellier des Dauphins Reserve Grenache-Syrah 2019

Bottle of Cellier des Dauphins Reserve Grenache-Syrah 2019
Cellier des Dauphins Reserve Grenache-Syrah 2019/$10-$15

A red Rhone that is both affordable and enjoyably rustic

The WC has often had a difficult time evaluating red wines from France’s Rhone region. Many of them have a quality that can be off-putting — an earthiness that can sometimes get out of hand, producing a rough and occasionally unpleasant wine. The catch is that earthiness is an important part of these wines, so how much is too much?

The Cellier des Dauphins Grenache-Syrah 2019 ($12, purchased, 14%) offers an example of the correct amount of earthiness. It’s just what one would expect from this sort of wine at this price — rustic and earthy, but not disagreeably so, and surprisingly balanced given its grenache-style red fruit, which can be too jammy. It’s not for all tastes — it’s hardly smoooth — but for those who want to see what the Rhone is like but don’t want to spend $40, this wine do the trick.

Which shouldn’t be surprising, since the Cellier des Dauphins wines usually provide value, and I’m especially fond of the rose.

The red is a food wine, and needs something substantial — takeout pizza perhaps, as the holidays get closer. Or even something beefy for an informal holiday dinner.

Imported by Monsieur Touton Selection

Wine of the week: Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red 2020

Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red bottle
Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red 2020/$11-$15

California red blend speaks to the state’s great cheap wine history — and the scourge of availability

This California red blend first appeared on the blog in 2015, but has only been the wine of the week once since then.

Its absence has nothing to do with its quality, of course. It’s a classic California red blend, the kind that used to be quite common before everything had to be cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir or the new au courant varietal.

Its absence? Though I bought it in Dallas in 2015, I rarely saw it on store shelves after that. Because wine availability isn’t supposed to make any sense, is it?

Which is too bad, because the 2020 version of the Wrangler Red ($12, purchased, 13.9%) is even better than the last two — Hall of Fame quality, in fact.

It does all that this style of wine — once known as a field blend — should do. That means fruity but not sweet, balanced, and even more going on than just the fruit. Some herbs maybe? Some mocha? And not too tannic, either. That’s even more impressive since the six-grape blend (zinfandel, syrah, petite sirah, merlot, mourvedre, and cabernet franc) could be overwhelming. It’s not like the first two are especially subtle.

Highly recommended, and just the thing for almost any holiday dinner that isn’t fish (and I’m not so sure that it wouldn’t work with salmon).

Thanksgiving wine 2023

Cartoon of turkey with wine glassFour Thanksgiving wine 2023 suggestions

The WC’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I get to cook and share wine and food with the people I care about. How can that not be terrific?

So enjoy the holiday, and especially these Thanksgiving wine 2023 suggestions. The blog’s guidelines for holiday wine buying are here.

La Fiera Pinot Grigio 2021 ($11, purchased, 12%): This Italian white is about as consistent as this kind of wine gets (though it’s more Kirkland in style this vintage). But its still well made, with a hint of lemon peel and very clean and dry. Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

Althea Prosecco NV ($15, purchased, 11%): $15 Prosecco for people who like Prosecco — so a touch sweet, terrific fizzy bubbles, and a bit of lemon fruit. Very professional. Imported by La Cigale Wines

Domaine Laroque Pinot Noir 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): Simple, almost rustic French pinot noir that mostly tastes like pinot noir. Some dark red fruit, a bit more tannin than it should have, a surprisingly pinot noir aroma, and, overall, probably greater than the sum of its parts. Imported by Aquitane Wine USA

Zestos Old Vine Rosado 2022 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): All of the Zestos Spanish wines are worth buying, and in large quantities. This vintage of the rose is more in the Provencal style, with barely ripe berry fruit and some minerality. Imported by Ole & Obrigado

More about Thanksgiving wine:
Thanksgiving wine 2022
Thanksgiving wine 2021
Thanksgiving wine 2020
Wine of the week: Santa Julia Malbec Organica 2022
Expensive wine 167: Ameztoi Hondarrabi Zuri 2021

Expensive wine 174: Vina Maquis Lien 2019

Vina Maquis Lien bottle
Vina Maquis Lien 2019/$30-$45

Chilean red blend offers interest and value

Carmenere has long been the grape that Chile wants to be known for, and there have have certainly been some successes. But it’s not like you see much of it on the shelf at the local retailer, and when I checked the blog’s unofficial high-end wine shop, there was only one (and it wasn’t one of the famous brands).

So it was with more than a little trepidation that I tasted the Vina Maquis Lien 2019 ($38, sample, 14.1%). Carmenere, for several reasons, does not lend itself easily to winemaking; it can be unripe and tannic, even in blends like this one (46% cabernet franc, 36% cabernet sauvignon, and 18% carmenere).

But the Lien offered much more than I expected — not just in the way it tasted, but in how it was put together. The fruit is quite cabernet franc, which is to say there’s just enough in the way of dark berries to be noticeable, but not so much as to be fruity. There are lots of herbs (from the franc and the carmenere) and a little graphite, while the cabernet sauvignon holds it all together.

In other words, the kind of red wine that will not only age, but change and get more interesting as it does.

Pair this with red meat or sausages; it would be an interesting choice to serve someone who is used to California’s much more fruity and softer red wines.

Imported by Global Vineyard Importers