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March
2005
March
4, 2005
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Tenute Silvio Nardi — 1999 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
Overall, Tenute Silvio Nardi produces 20,000 cases in Tuscany,
but the prized Manachiara is produced in much less quantities
from a low yielding 45-year-old vineyard. The family-owned
winery prides itself on outstanding vines and uses only 100
percent Sangiovese.
We have found the wines to be very masculine and robust but
well-balanced and with some character. You probably would
want to age it for a few years, but as for now it’s
still drinking young and aggressive. A deep ruby color leads
you to a complex beverage. It's clean, intense fragrance is
ripe with scents of ripe fruit and jam, floral hints, cocoa
and coffee, with a hint of spice. Full-bodied, it would hold
well against food like duck. This Sangiovese packs tannins
and possesses a long sweet finish.
Rating:
14.5/20
Price: $65
Other
Sangiovese we've tasted
For more information, visit www.kobrandwine.com.
Going to Italy? See our travel
guide. |
March
11, 2005
Winemaker
Mitch Cosentino |
Consentino Winery — 2000 Charbono Napa Valley
Yes, it’s time to talk about that obscure Italian varietal.
The Cosentino Winery and owner Mitch Cosentino is now involved
in three projects and makes more than 40 wines from 20 varietals.
For this bottling the grapes were selected from the Gary Heitz
family vineyard in Napa Valley. This robust and rustic wine,
which was aged for three years in French oak barrels, has
an even red color and fruity flavors. It is quite gentle in
the mouth and delivers complex flavors from cocoa to spice
via leather. The finish lingers and is a bit hot. Leave it
aside for a few years and you will have a great wine for steak
on a cold winter night—that is, if you manage to get
one of the 640 bottles produced.
Rating:
14/20
Price: $25
Other
red varietals we've tasted
To purchase, visit www.cosentinowinery.com
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March
18, 2005
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Cousiño Macul — 2003 Chardonnay Antiguas Reservas
Next year the Cousiño Macul winery will celebrate 150
years of winemaking, so they are not necessarily new or small.
Nevertheless, we wanted to feature this Chardonnay for its
outstanding value. This particular Cuvée, which has
been produced since 1969, is what a great New World Chardonnay
should be: rich, good fruit concentration, a nice acid balance
and not over-oaked.
The low-yielding estate in Buin, Chile delivers a nicely colored
deep yellow wine with a pleasant, fresh and complex nose,
mainly a rich apple fragrance with hints of lemon custard,
nutmeg and vanilla. A multitude of flavors await in the mouth;
the aromas are not quite tropical but have a light citrus
and peach taste.
This white wine is fine to drink by itself, and we would stay
with lighter foods when pairing it.
Rating:
14/20
Price: $12
Other
Chardonnays we've tasted
To purchase, visit www.cousinomacul.com.
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March
25, 2005
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Iron Horse Vineyards — 2003 T-bar-T Cuvée R
“This is a fantastic, highly unusual blend of Sauvignon
Blanc and Viognier,” says winemaker Forrest Tancer.
You’re all familiar with Iron Horse Vineyards by now,
but we’re happy to bring to you this fresh cuvée,
perfect for a spring evening.
The grapes from this wine, produced on Iron Horse’s
T-bar-T estate, are developed from vineyards naturally more
floral than grassy, which makes this a good blend with Viognier.
The composition, however, is mostly Sauvignon Blanc—82
percent blended with 18 percent Viognier.
After a blooming Buckeye and Manzanita tree bouquet, flavors
of sweet licorice and citrus take over in the mouth. A full-bodied,
intense and high-alcohol beverage, the Cuvée R will
hold against a lot of food. Pair it with vegetable salads,
eggplant crostini or an array of seafood dishes.
Rating:
13.5/20
Price: $22
Other
Sauvignon Blancs we've tasted
To purchase, visit www.ironhorsevineyards.com
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