Last week we talked about what makes a $40 Rioja worth the toll. Today’s let’s flip the script and ask how to guess if an $8 Rhône is worth drinking.
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A clear, dark reddish-purple blend of Grenache (70%) and Syrah (30%), Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge breathes fresh raspberry aromas and whiffs of brown spice. Good red-berry fruit flavors start softly on the first taste, but fresh-fruit acidity and soft tannins build structure on the palate. Lingering fruit and tannic astringency linger in a long finish. It’s not fancy, but it offers real value at $10 or less.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Cuvée Jean-Paul Rouge on Wine-Searcher.com.
Click this Wine-Searcher link to learn about the broad Méditerranée IGP region and browse many of its wines.
Read more about Grenache-Syrah blends and find more offerings and vendors at this Wine-Searcher link.
Explore Boutinot Wines’ portfolio at this Wine-Searcher link. Read article.
You and I need to breathe, and so does every member of the animal kingdom. But do we have to let our wine breathe? That’s a little more complicated.
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Here’s a dilemma: I found this tasty Loire red, but there’s not much made and it’s hard to find. Should I share it with you anyway, dear readers?
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A typical Loire Valley red blend of Gamay (75%) and Cabernet Franc (25%), this dark reddish-purple wine shows luscious strawberry and cherry scents with an elusive hint of espresso. Red-fruit flavors follow through on the palate with fruit so juicy that it almost seems as sweet as a ripe strawberry, but fresh-fruit acidity provides necessary structure and holds it in balance.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Sadly, Wine-Searcher.com strikes out on this limited production Loire red. Check with your retailer or the distributors Wine Craft in Cincinnati, Ohio and Planet Wine in Northern California; or look for similar regional blends that play in the same ballpark at Cab Franc – Gamay blends on Wine-Searcher. Also check its page on Val de Loire IGP wines. Read article.
A friend in Italy recently sent Neil Duarte some red wines from Azienda Agricola Innocenti, a winery near Montalcino in Tuscany. “The name ‘Montalcino’ brings to mind one of the most famous Italian wines, Brunello di Montalcino,” says Neil. Brunello happens to be Innocenti’s flagship wine. Here’s a report from a very happy reviewer. Read article.
Over the years, Sicilian wine has suffered under a reputation for being, well, less than great. But that view is changing, with good reason.
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Trivia fun! What do the Melon grape of Muscadet and the Gamay grape of Beaujolais have in common?
They’ve both been banned in Burgundy!
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Made from sustainably grown grapes, Jean Aubron Cuvée Elégance Muscadet is aged sur lie in glass-lined tanks for 10 months. A distinct greenish hue highlights its light straw color, and its inviting aroma blends white grapefruit, lemon and lime, white pepper and a hint of white flowers. Bone-dry without a whisper of sweetness, its flavors mix citrus, tart apples, and chalky minerality in a beautiful expression of Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine.
FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Jean Aubron Cuvée Elégance Muscadet Sur Lie on Wine-Searcher.com.
Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read more about Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine and its wines.
Learn more about Muscadet’s Melon de Bourgogne variety at this Wine-Searcher link.
Discover Domaine Jean Aubron’s portfolio and look for vendors at this Wine-Searcher link. Read article.
Since 80% of Italian immigrants came from Campania, Sicily, and the rest of Southern Italy, how did Tuscany’s Chianti get to be the image of Italian wine?
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