Reds-Bottle | $25 | Iron Bridge Wine Company | Winemaker’s Notes: Color: intense and bright purple violet with garnet tints. Nose: Complex with blackcurrants, violet, blackberries, turning to cacao and spices. Palate: well balanced and smooth tannins, full bodied. Strong fruity characters with a long finish evolving towards liquorice and toasted notes. Cellaring: Over 10 years if kept in good conditions at 16/17°C. Food pairing: enjoy at 17 to 18°C with grilled red meat, lamb stew, chicken dishes, and game and soft flavor cheeses.
Chamisal Stainless Chardonnay 2012
Whites-Case | $13 – $19 | The Perfect Pour | Stainless Chardonnay – unoaked 13.5% alcohol. No oak flavors with this Chardonnay. Grown from our friends on the Central Coast in California near San Luis Obispo. Tastes bursts of tropical fruit, peaches and vanilla flavors. Pairs perfectly to pasta and fish, while impressing your circle of friends that you don’t need an oaked chardonnay.
Alias Secret Agent Red
Reds-Case | $9 – $11 | The Perfect Pour | Mystery Red 13.6% alcohol. Who does not like a little mystery in their life? Alias’ Secret Agent Red is one of the best blends I have tasted, especially under the $10.00 price point. Aromas and flavors of blueberry, chocolate mint flow with a silky, yet fruity and medium bodied finish. It was also ranked a 91 by the beverage testing instate and also ranked top 10 wines under $10.00 in the World. I recommend this wine breathe for a little while – the cabernet sauvignon part of the blend needs to air out.
Zuccardi Q Malbec 2011
Reds-Bottle | $14 | Village Liquors of Clarksville (on Route 108) | I generally don’t like Malbecs, so consider this high praise. It passed the two-bottle test—my original enthusiasm was sustained over an interval. Full-bodied and rich. Nice finish. Very young, though—open early and swirl, swirl, swirl.
Berberana Gran Tradicion Cava Brut
Bubbles-Case | $11 | The Perfect Pour | Fantastic value in a typical Spanish Cava. Pale, straw color with lively bubbles. Dry, but without making you pucker. 11.5% alcohol. I loved this Cava; almost perfect blend of fruit and spice, with a touch of citrus. Try it while you’re hanging out with friends in your kitchen on a warm spring or summer day, with a seafood dish or rich dessert. I think this may also work with some spicy Thai food. Factoring in the price, this wine is a must-have, especially as the weather is warming up.
Brunello di Montalcino, La Lecciaia 2007 Reserve
Reds-Glass | $39 | Pine Orchard | Be sure you try the Reserve version of this one! Drinking the Brunello di Montalcino, La Lecciaia 2007 Reserve and its non-reserve cousin on the same night was interesting and instructive. I started the non-reserve bottle 2 nights ago, and was a bit disappointed, but when I went back to the store looking for some Italian reds for tonight’s Lasgna dinner, I saw the reserve, and was instantly suspicious that the high rating quoted for the bottles receiving prominent display at the front of the store were actually meant for the Reserve. Well the reserve was definitely better than the non-reserve, but still not “95-97”. [more detailed review on the way]
Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2008
Reds-Case | $24 | Pine Orchard | Really, really good Italian red – 90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet. [more elaborate review on the way…].
Willm Pinot Gris Reserve Alsace France 2012
Whites-Case | $12 | Perfect Pour | Rarely does a white wine come across as affordable and crushable. This Pinot Gris will change your mind about the Italian version forever. Pear, honey and ginger… This wine is sweet but with a touch of effervescence and acid to balance. Buy a case at The Perfect Pour. $12 a bottle.
Domaine Fourrey Premier Cru Chablis 2010
Whites-Bottle | $30 | Perfect Pour |Spring is finally here! Oysters and Chablis [all whites from Chablis are 100% chardonnay for the non-Francophiles], is there nothing better? Lean, mineral driven, with notes of apple and pear. This one goes quick, and can’t be replaced with the lower quality village wines. Bought at The Perfect Pour for $30.
Montebuena Rioja 2010
Reds-Bottle | $9 | Decanter | Great Rioja. Had been burned out on Riojas from drinking too much Marques de Caceres and had forgotten that Tempranillo from the Rioja region is meant to have wide appeal. This Montebuena Rioja is a flavorful, easy-drinking red and would make a great base for some Sangria (just add some Sherry, Cointreau, orange slices, lemon slices). If you need an affordable, easy-drinking red that goes with a wide variety of food, grab a bottle or two of this.