A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A Kosher For Passover French Cabernet Sauvignon

A short while ago we reviewed a French Kosher wine costing less than $10. Now we will reviewi the same producer’s Cabernet Sauvignon, just in time for Passover. As you may remember, the Skalli family started in the wine business during the 1920s in Algeria. From Corsica they went to southern France in 1961, where they were among the first to produce single variety wines instead of blends. The Skallis make wine in the Languedoc region of southwestern France as well as in the Rhône Valley, Provence, Corsica, and Napa Valley, California. Towards the end of November, 2011 many but not all of their wine interests were purchased by Boisset Family Estates. Our companion wine is a Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon, also Kosher for Passover, costing about twice as much.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Fortant Cabernet Sauvignon Kosher for Passover Mevushal 2006 11.5 % alcohol about $10.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Tasting Note: Deep purplish/ruby color; spicy black berries, black pepper and minerals with subtle oaky notes; medium-bodied with a dry finish.” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine offered plums and some harsh acidity. It was short but a taste remained at the finish; this is not a positive comment. Since I reviewed this wine prior to Passover Japanese rice crackers were on the menu. They served to step up the drink’s harshness. Slow-cooked meatballs brought out the plums that were lurking in the liquid. And partially tamed its acidity. When paired with the potatoes, the drink’s acidity was now OK. I tasted chocolate (but not Passover chocolate). The salad composed of broccoli sprouts, cucumbers, orange and yellow peppers, tomato, cilantro, and Portabello mushrooms thinned the chocolate.

My next meal cleared our freezer of packaged Baked Ziti Siciliano that I doused with grated Parmesan cheese. Now our southern France friend was round with light tannins and fruit, namely plums. There wasn’t much there. Fresh cantaloupe rendered the liquid almost tasteless. When paired with nut cake this Cab was very light offering a touch of tobacco.

The closing meal’s centerpiece was a baked chicken leg in cardamom, cilantro, black pepper, and garlic. This drink started off well but weakened, except for its acidity. The side dish consisted of okra in tomato and onion sauce over white rice. Now the liquid’s acidity was tamed. It showed a bit of chocolate and not much else. When our boy met fruit juice candy he virtually disappeared.

Final verdict. I won’t be buying this wine again. It’s hard enough to produce an acceptable French non-Kosher wine at this price. And going Kosher can only add to the cost. Double for Passover.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but definitely prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his Italian wine website www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Guide To $10 Wines – A Pinot Grigio From Hungary

Today’s wine is an interesting combination, a Hungarian Pinot Grigio. It’s named for Baron Lazare de Schwendi who according to legend brought Tokay vines from Hungary into Alsace back in 1565. Just so you don’t make a mistake, these are not the vines that produce Hungary’s sometimes world-class sweet Tokaji wine. I don’t recall ever tasting a Hungarian Pinot Grigio. I do recall tasting a Hungarian Tokaji that I preferred to a French Sauternes, but that’s another story. This wine was produced in the Pozmand region of Etyek, Hungary’s youngest viticultural area in the eastern part of the country. The locals claim that it has stunning landscape, and is known for excellent wines including sparkling wines. You might want to check out the local Cellar Festival in mid-May. Today’s companion wine comes from Austria’s signature grape, Gruener Veltliner in a moderate price range.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Baron Lazare de Schwendi Pinot Grigio 2008 11.9% alcohol about $10.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Hungary is starting to make some exciting Pinot Grigios. As a result, wines such as this melon-, pear-, citrus- and floral-scented one are finding favor. Dry and flavorful, this wine finishes crisp and very refreshing. Enjoy it with steamed mussels or clams. (VINTAGES panel, June 2009). And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine’s acidity was dominant. It seemed thin but refreshing. The first meal centered on a meatless patty made with textured vegetable protein. The acidity was now round and pleasant; the wine’s lemon stepped up. French fried eggplant sticks rendered the Pinot Grigio refreshing. A high-quality ice cream bar with a thick chocolate coating essentially gutted the wine.

My next meal was an omelet brimming with chilies. This wine was now excessively acidic and did not have a lot of flavor. Fresh avocado made it rounder. The wine lengthened in the presence of roasted eggplant brimming with garlic. And its delicate lemon flavor increased when consumed with a fresh tomato. Dessert was Scottish shortbread with lots of butter (32%) that intensified this Pinot Grigio’s sweetness.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon filet marinated and basted in an agave nectar sauce and then broiled and blackened. The wine now possessed lemony acidity. It displayed a tinge of sweetness when it met up with lemon slices. When married with rice and cold beets (really the beets, not the rice) it was crisp and refreshing, The accompanying green beans in tomato sauce rendered this Hungarian more acidic.

The first cheese was a mild provolone. The wine was now light, almost thin, with balanced acidity. With a fairly tasty yellow cheddar it gained in intensity to help it keep up with the stronger tasting cheese.

Final verdict. This is a close call, but I’d rather taste something new. It wasn’t quite good enough.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but drinking fine Iwine with good company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. His European travel website is http://www.traveleuropetravel.com .

A Wine Lovers Weekly Guide To $10 Wines – A Northern Spain White Viura

Today’s wine comes from Carinena in the Aragon region of northeastern Spain. Carrying the DO appellation; it is the first wine to be so honored in Aragon. The region’s wine history dates back some 2300 years. In those days people often mixed their wine with honey. Unlike most of our reviewed wines, this one comes from a wine cooperative. The coop, Bodegas San Valero, was founded in 1945 uniting 60 growers. They are now up to about 700. The Viura grape, called Macabeo in France, is the most popular grape in northern Spain. It is found in Cava, a popular Spanish sparking wine. Traditionally this is not a prestigious grape but I recently came across a review entitled Macabeo/Viura – the Cinderella Grape? from Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s top wine reviewers. Exceptionally there will be no $10 review next week. It’s not a question of taking time off, I’ll be doing an upscale wine review and the companion wine came in at about $12. On the subject of upscale wines, I found an 1989 Viura/Malvasia (also not a prestigious grape) marked down to about $55. I won’t be tasting that wine unless the markdown process goes viral. Today’s companion wine is a moderately priced white from Apulia in southern Italy.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Castillo de Monseran Viura 2008 12.5% alcohol about $9

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw color, aromas of white peaches and flowers, dry, light bodied, delicate floral flavors and a crisp lemony finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve with seafood pasta dish. And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine had astringent acidity. It was lemony and long. The first meal centered on a dry barbecued chicken breast. The wine’s acidity was under better control. I tasted peaches that weren’t quite ripe. The meat was accompanied by green beans in tomato sauce and rice. The Viura’s acidity nicely met the acidity in the tomato sauce. The word delicate came to mind. With fresh pineapple the wine was fairly long but didn’t have much to say.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese that I doused with grated parmesan cheese. The Viura displayed moderate acidity. It had good length and tasted of white grapefruit. It was refreshing. Dessert was fresh strawberries from the local market. The wine’s acidity and almost everything else was gone. So I drowned my sorrows in another dessert, a high-quality ice cream bar coated in chocolate. The wine was discrete.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon filet marinated and basted in an agave nectar sauce. The wine had a light taste of apples but did not mesh with the salmon. Slices of fresh red pepper stepped up the wine’s acidity but nothing else. With fresh tomato the Viura’s fruit came back and the wine was round.

The first cheese was a rather tasteless brick. The wine had good lemony acidity; this was quite an acceptable combination. With a slightly tastier provolone the wine was virtually the same.

Final verdict. I don’t plan to buy this wine again. It was definitely hit and miss. But if you want to do an inexpensive wine and cheese tasting with pedestrian cheeses it may be a good option.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A South African Chenin Blanc

We have had a lot of luck with South African wines in both our bargain reviews and our other reviews. I cannot remember the last time I tried a Chenin Blanc, so maybe that in itself is a comment on this often far from remarkable grape. Don’t get me wrong; there are some great Chenin Blanc wines on the market, but few, if any, will be found in this price range. My supplier presently stocks 6 bottles of a Loire Valley (France) Clos de la Coulee de Serrant Savennieres 1995 produced by arguably the world’s best biodynamic winemaker, Nicolas Joly. But at about $225 a bottle you won’t see it reviewed here or in my organic wine column.

Today’s wine comes from mostly old bush vines in the Helderberg area of Stellenbosch, not far from Capetown. These hand-picked grapes were grown in mineral soil in vineyards facing the ocean where the days are hot and sunny and the evenings are really cool. The 2006 version of this wine was ranked 6th in the international top 100 BEST BUYS in the American publication, The Wine Enthusiast. But now we are talking about a 2008. Our companion wine is a 2005 Verdelho from a major Australian producer.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY: All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed: The Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc 2008 13.5% alcohol about $10

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: This wine starts with a curvy nose of pineapple, apricot and melon, leading into a very pretty interplay of tropical melon and spice on the palate. Elegant with a cheerful overall character, this Chenin balances acid and fruit well, creating a rounded wine with a delicate edge. Overall, dependable and fun. Score – 88. (Susan Kostrzewa, Wine Enthusiast, March 2009). And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine showed bright acidity. It had good length but I tasted unripe melons. The initial meal started with tomatoey barbecued chicken wings. Now the Chenin Blanc’s acidity was harsh and the melons seemed even more unripe. Things worked better with a similarly prepared chicken breast. The wine was initially sweet and its acidity was round. When facing the accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat the Steen (that what South Africans call Chenin Blanc) had excess acidity, which however did a good job cutting the grease. With a fresh tomato the wine was too acidic and yet mellow.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna containing ricotta and mozzarella cheese to which I added lots of grated parmesan cheese. Now the acidity was round and I tasted slightly green apples. The first dessert of fresh strawberries meant an acidic wine without much fruit. Things were worse, wine wise, with the second dessert, chocolate macaroons. The Steen was overwhelmed, all that remained was a little acidity.

My final meal centered on an omelet with plenty of ground chilies. The wine’s acidity was fine but there wasn’t much fruit. Black Kalamata (Greek) olives were simply too powerful for the wine. When paired with a store-bought, somewhat spicy, guacamole, the Chenin Blanc provided good acidity but only light fruit.

The first cheese was a bland white cheddar. The wine was present, sort of. When facing a Muenster, this wine picked up depth and fruit.

Final verdict. I would not buy this wine again unless I got a much better price and was holding a Muenster cheese and wine tasting. This winery sells a presumably higher quality Chenin Blanc for a few dollars more. And I’d only have to drive a few hundred miles to pick one up. Do you remember that old phrase, no way Jose?

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A Classical White From Georgia

If memory serves me correctly, this is our first Georgian wine. Teliani Valley winemakers was established in 1997. At least one of the buildings dates back an additional century and was built for a prince by decree of a Romanov. Talking about history, archeologists have found clay vessels dating back some five thousand years that contain Rkatsiteli grapes, the ones that form this wine. Even if you or I have never heard of these grapes, in the days of the Soviet Union they may have been the most widely planted white grape. These grapes are also found in the United States, in particular in the Finger Lakes district of New York State. This particular wine comes from the Kakheti region of southeast Georgia. Kakheti is Georgia’s major wine growing area; it is divided into about 25 microregions. Rkatsiteli grapes are often used for making sweet wine. Today’s companion wine is a moderately priced Gewurztraminer from a choice region of the Niagara Valley in Ontario, Canada.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Teliani Valley Tsinandali 2007 13.0% alcohol about $10

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description: Georgia’s history of winemaking stretches into the distant past. In fact, it may be the very cradle of wine production. This attractive white wine comes from the country’s Kakheti region and is made exclusively from the Rkatsiteli grape, distinguishing it from a traditional Georgian blend that also uses the indigenous Mtsvane variety. Aged in oak, it displays a bright straw color, fruity bouquet and a soft refined taste. Enjoy as a sipper or with lighter chicken or seafood dishes. And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine displayed bright acidity with a pleasant lemon taste. The initial meal started with sesame seed puff pastry stuffed with spinach that brought force to the wine. Then I enjoyed an omelet brimming with chilies. The wine showed good acidity and lemon but, alas, also a bit of soap. The accompanying artichoke and garlic tomato salsa really muted the Tsinandali. When paired with Greek Kalamata olives all that remained was a shadow of the lemon and acidity. With cantaloupe slices the acidity was present, as was the lemony soap. Honeydew intensified the wine.

The next meal was chicken baked in soy sauce, agave nectar, and plums. The wine had bright acidity and lime. The plums raised the acidity level, but the combination was not unpleasant. With fresh pineapple the wine was smoky and not acidic.

My final meal was a boxed eggplant parmiagana. The wine was sweet and tasted of green apples and lemons. Its acidity nicely paired with the dish’s tomatoes. Dessert was a vanilla ice cream bar coated in high quality chocolate. At first the wine weakened but it came back nicely.

Prior to the traditional two cheeses I paired this white wine with Matjes herring. The wine’s acidity was almost puckering, and I tasted apples. The first cheese was a usually bland brick but since this one had been around for quite some time it was somewhat strong. With the wine the apple taste intensified and there was a little soap. The second cheese was a Muenster, the soap came close to taking over and the wine’s acidity was harsh.

Final verdict. I will not buy this wine again. I don’t like soapy tastes. And many of the non-soapy pairings weren’t all that good. By the way, this wine is often more expensive than $10, all the less reason to buy it.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine with the right foods and people. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lovers Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A Chilean Chardonnay

We’ve reviewed a lot of Chardonnay reviews recently whose prices run from about $7 to the mid-fifties. Today’s wine is yet another Chardonnay from Chile well within the $10 price range. The companion wine is a kosher South African Chardonnay well within the $15 price range.

The Santa Carolina Chilean winery was established with the help of French wine professionals in the Central Valley using French grapes. The winery owns vineyards in several different valleys. Today’s wine comes from the Rapel Valley, which stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes mountains a distance of about 60 miles (100 kilometers), an area with low rainfall near the Rapel River that brings mineral rich melt water from the upper Andes. You might want to try wines coming from the Colchagua Valley north of the river or the Cachapoal Valley south of the river. As is often the case; the smaller the region the better the wine potential.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Santa Carolina Chardonnay 2009 13.0% alcohol about $7 Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Light lemon color; Vanilla, slightly tropical aromas and flavors with subdued apple notes: Dry, medium-bodied, with well balanced acidity and a tangy lemon finish. Serving Suggestion: Light seafood; pasta salads, southern fried chicken; veal. And now for my review.

I want to mention after several problems I was happy to deal with a twist off cap that easily twists off. At the first sips I noted pleasant acidity with the taste of apples and lemons. The Chardonnay was ever so slightly sweet. The first meal was a quite dry honey and garlic barbecued chicken breast. In response the wine’s acidity intensified and was not totally pleasant. A moister barbecued chicken wing rendered the Chardonnay round and mellow. When it accompanied potatoes roasted in chicken fat, the wine’s acidity once again became enjoyable. In the presence of Moroccan style carrots with cumin and sliced green olives the wine weakened. Its pairing with fruit juice candy was not a marriage made in heaven; the Chardonnay was nearly gutted but there was some fruit.

The next meal was vegetarian, starting with puff pastry and spinach appetizers. The wine tasted of apples and had powerful acidity. It was slightly sweet, with the taste of honey. The main dish was a zucchini, onion, portabella mushroom, tomato, and eggplant casserole that wasn’t nearly as tasty as it sounds. The wine was somewhat flat, but its lemons were long. This meal earned me two desserts. With fresh but out of season strawberries, the Chardonnay lost its sweetness and it wasn’t very acidic. With fairly good bittersweet chocolate the wine’s acidity was present, but its fruit missed the bus.

My final meal was an omelet perked up with plenty of ground chilies. The Chardonnay displayed pleasant acidity to accompany the chilies but there wasn’t much fruit. With fresh tomatoes this wine was sweet and even showed some caramel. But it proved to be quite light when paired with roasted red pepper humus.

My first cheese was a yellow brick. The wine had light acidity and a lemon flavor. Not bad, especially for a guy who’s not into wine and cheese. When paired with a more interesting Swiss cheese apple came to the fore.

Final verdict. I probably would not buy this wine again. Too short in the flavor department. But I might take a look at wines from the subregions in this part of Chile.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his wine, nutrition, and health website www.wineinyourdiet.com .

A Galilee, Israel Kosher Pinot Noir

The Upper Galilee region of northern Israel is home to some of the country’s highest mountains, reaching more than a kilometer (five-eighths of a mile) into the sky. This region may be a great place to grow wine grapes; the days are hot, the nights are cold, and the soil is poor. What more could a winemaker want? Over two millennia ago people grew wine grapes in this very area. Today’s winery was founded back in the year 2000. It encompasses five vineyards with 90% red and 10% white grapes that turn into 80,000 cases in 2010. If you are in the neighborhood make sure to tour their visitor’s center.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed

Galil Mountain Pinot Noir 2007 KP 14.5% alcohol about $18

There were no marketing materials so I will quote part of the back label. Style: Perfumed and silky with typical aromas of wild berries, violets and hints of tobacco and oak. Aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. And now for my review. Galil Mountain vineyards in kosher wine tasting

At the first sips the wine was powerful and multi-layered with good length. The first meal was slow cooked beef ribs with potatoes. I tasted earth and mushrooms in the wine. A little wine went a long way. There was some chocolate, dark cherries and tobacco. This Pinot Noir was really present. Adding a fair amount of Louisiana red pepper sauce intensified the chocolate. The accompaniment was a not particularly spicy Turkish salad based on sweet pimentos, tomato paste, and hot peppers. The wine was still present and quite long.

The next meal was a pan-fried veal chop cooked with brown mushrooms and garlic. The sides were microwaved red potatoes and an oriental tomato, pimento, and hot pepper salad that wasn’t very spicy. The Pinot Noir was multi-layered with a fine balance between acidity and fruit. It had silky tannins, and tasted of dark cherries, leather, and tobacco. The mushroom, garlic combination intensified the Pinot Noir’s acidity. With the potatoes I tasted mostly chocolate; the wine was finely acidic and long. With the salad the taste of earth predominated.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon steak that had been marinated in soy sauce and sliced garlic. This Pinot Noir was quite powerful, well-balanced, round, and long. It tasted of dark fruit and earth. The potato patties didn’t change the flavors or the length. Finally a negative note, with a zesty guacamole, this Pinot Noir became more uni-dimensional.

Before the cheeses I tried this wine with Matjes herring. The wine was quite long and offered dark cherries. When paired with whipped cream cheese this wine lost its power. The second cheese was a Wisconsin Swiss. The wine came back, tasting of black cherries. But frankly it was wasted on the cheese. I enjoyed the end of the bottle when the cheese was gone.

Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again. I paid several dollars more than the American Internet price quoted above. And I would still buy it again. But as is so often the case, I wouldn’t waste it on cheese. I am sure that one can find better cheese pairings for this fine wine. But why bother?

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his wine, nutrition, and health website www.wineinyourdiet.com .

I Love $10 Wines – A Mexican Petite Syrah

This is our first Mexican wine review. In fact, this is the first Mexican wine that I have tasted in years, or perhaps in decades. Mexico is the oldest wine producer in the Americas. In 1520 the Conquistadors arrived. The very next year they began to plant vines. By 1524 they passed a law about planting vines. But by the end of the Sixteenth Century Spain passed a law preventing additional vineyards in Mexico; winemakers in the mother country were unhappy about the competition coming from the New World. On a per capita basis Mexicans drink one thirtieth of the wine consumed by Americans, who are far from world leaders in this category.

The La Cetto Winery was founded by an Italian, Angelo Cetto, in 1930. This company now produces an almost unbelievable half of Mexico’s wine. Its vineyards are in the Valle de Guadalupe in northern Baja California, the major Mexican wine producing area. Petite Sirah is a relatively little known variety that may be a very pedestrian French red grape or perhaps a relative of the popular Syrah. This bottle carries a sticker of the Taster’s Guild, announcing a Silver Winning Wine 2009 at their International Wine Judging.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review have been purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed

L. A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2007 12.5% alcohol about $10

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note : You can’t beat the value of this wine: you simply won’t find a better wine for the money. Juicy, round and ripe with aromas of black plums, black raspberry and vanilla smoke. Food matches: spicy black bean dishes, steak-and-cheese enchiladas. Score – 89. (Natalie MacLean, at her web site, June 6, 2009) And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine’s acidity was harsh. It had a lot of power but was harsh. The first meal was a cheeseless lasagna based on a moderately spicy salsa. Now I felt I was really tasting this wine. I tasted plums and light, pleasant tannins and chocolate. A liberal dousing of Louisiana cayenne pepper sauce thinned this Petite Sirah.

The next meal was a slow cooked London Broil steak with potato patties and green beans, all cooked together. This wine was slightly sour and grapey but did have chocolate at the finish. Once again I added Louisiana cayenne pepper sauce, this time it intensified the chocolate. With a palm heart, green pimento, olive, canned corn, and chickpeas salad the wine was strong with chocolate predominating.

My final meal consisted of meatballs and rice with a side of cooked zucchini and chickpeas bathing in a ground tomato sauce. The wine was dark with plums and grapes in the background. It seemed weaker when paired with the veggies.

With a Swiss cheese this Petite Sirah was not very flavorful but did taste a bit of oak. When paired with whipped cream cheese, it picked up and tasted of dark cherries. I added some smoked salmon and the wine continued to pick up.

Final verdict. I really don’t think that I will buy this wine again. I just can’t agree with the rave reviews. As a bit of added trivia, this Mexican winery is the world’s largest producer of the famous Italian grape Nebbiolo, outside of Italy. If I can ever get my hands on such a bottle I will give it a try.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine with the right foods and people. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

I Love Organic Wine – A Northern California Syrah

The Jeriko estate vineyard is in southern Mendocino County, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of San Franciso. This area near the Russian River is home to some great champagne-style wines. The producer plants 1210 vines per acre (about 3 vines per 10 square meters). This high-density spacing is meant to force the roots deeper into the gravelly loam soil. When the roots have it easy the wine usually suffers. By the way, Jeriko is the Latin spelling in contrast to the more familiar Greek spelling of Jericho. Do you think it’s a way of getting attention?

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed The San Francisco Wine Press Syrah 2006 DOC 13.8% alcohol about $17

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description : This organically grown Syrah earned a Silver Medal at the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 13 mg/L of free sulphur. Tasting Note : We can highly recommend the 2006 Syrah, which had a gamey flavor and a depth that belied its price. (Blair Campbell, at the eastbayexpress website, April 15, 2009) And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was mouth filling, dark tasting, and yet there was some bubblegum. I first paired it with a commercial shepherd’s pie. This Syrah was very present and yet short. I tasted oak and light tannins. When I added a generous amount of cayenne pepper sauce the wine became darker and showed pleasant acidity.

The next meal consisted of a boxed vegetarian lasagna that I slathered with Parmesan cheese. The Syrah was solid and well balanced with good oak and some tobacco. It worked well with the lasagna’s tomatoes.

My final meal was a broiled steak (London Broil) with a garlicky ketchup and mustard sauce. The wine was oaky and quite long with dark cherries. It had great balance between the acidity and tannins. When it met the potatoes roasted in chicken fat, the wine was as before but the chocolate intensified. However, when it accompanied sliced eggplant roasted in lots of garlic and oil a harshness surfaced. The wine was somewhat sweet and the chocolate remained.

Before going to the cheeses I tried this wine with schmaltz herring packed in oil. The Syrah was round with caramel. In the presence of a yellow cheddar this wine was very round with oaky dark fruit. When it met the Swiss cheese this wine was powerful, oaky, deep, and dark.

Final verdict. I really liked this wine. Because I am tasting two wines at once I often have some wine left over after all the tastings. Believe me, not one drop of this wine went down the sink.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Guide to $10 Wines – A Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is a quite popular Italian wine. In fact it is actually the most exported Italian wine and is widely consumed within Italy as well. We’re talking about half a million hectoliters per year, or to put it in simpler terms, more than 65 million bottles a year. This particular bottle was made by a family winery founded in 1957 in The Marches region, neighbor to the north of Abruzzi. These organic grapes were grown near the medieval village of Montipagano, in the Teramo area of northern Abruzzi near the Adriatic Sea. This area is said to produce some of the best Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC wines.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price. Wine Reviewed Umani Ronchi Montipagano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 DOC 13% alcohol about $10 Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description : Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this organic product contains 6 mg/L of free sulphur. Tasting Note : (Translated from the French) A beautiful dark montepulciano with pretty flavors of crushed fruit and no overt wood. Displays chewy, fine fruit, full body and plenty of strength. (Marc André Gagnon, at the vinquebec website May 1, 2009) And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was dark tasting presenting well-balanced acidity and light tannins. I started by pairing it with a commercial shepherd’s pie. Its acidity perked up a bit and I tasted dark cherries. The Montepulciano was hearty but short. My adding a generous amount of cayenne pepper sauce had little effect on the wine.

The next meal consisted of a boxed vegetarian lasagna that I heavily doused with Parmesan cheese. The wine was round with fine acidity and low tannins. It was a fine accompaniment to the tomatoes and was rather oaky.

My final meal was a broiled steak (London Broil) in a garlicky ketchup and mustard sauce. The wine was pleasant with black cherries and chocolate. When it met the potatoes roasted in chicken fat, the wine darkened. It had no difficulty in handling the grease. With sliced eggplant roasted in lots of garlic and oil the Montepulciano was definitely mouth filling. It had no trouble dealing with a hard-to-pair food.

Before going to the cheeses I tried this wine with schmaltz herring packed in oil. The wine overpowered the herring and dark cherries dominated. The first cheese was a yellow cheddar that muted the wine somewhat, but it did maintain pleasant acidity. With a Swiss cheese this wine lost its fruit.

Final verdict. I would probably buy this wine again. If you are into organic wines this Montepulciano is quite competitively priced.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but definitely prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his Italian wine website www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

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