Friday, April 06, 2007

Friday wines - One Year and One Day Anniversary Edition

That's right, ladies and gentlemen, I started Accidental Wine on April 5th, 2006. Here's a nice little group of bottles to celebrate my ramblings about spoiled grape juice.

White wine under $20

2006 Gouguenheim Chardonnay Valle Escondido ($11)
Most of you know I usually don't care for Chardonnay. I think far too many wines don't express the complexity, balance and seamlessness well-made Chardonnay always has. With its layers of pineapple, vanilla cream, pear, spice, crisp texture and a long, nutty finish, this fine Chardonnay is a showoff.

Red wine under $20

2002 Posis Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC ($13)
Beginners will like Posis because of its jammy, red berry fruit, velvety-texture and low tannins. Experienced quaffers will like its complexity. A wine that delivers this much fruit intensity, medium body, balancing acidity and sweet earthiness but still has great grip despite its low tannins (not to mention the reasonable price) will win any palate. Try it with dry rubbed, pecan smoked ribs.

White wine over $20

NV Mionetto Sergio Rose Valdobbiane ($24)
OK, technically, it's not white wine, per se. But by recommending it to you, I can get up on two soapboxes at once - convincing customers to drink more sparkling wine and to try more dry rose wines. Pale rose in the glass, it reminds you of dusk on a deep July evening. It's complicated stuff - flavors of raspberry, lavender and a hint of truffly earth all pierced with a lance of acidity. Crisp as the new twenty you buy it with, it's pure elegance. With bubbles, no less! Have a cold supper of crusty bread, smoked salmon, a dollop of greek yogurt, capers and a sprinkle of white wine vinegar.

Red wine over $20

2003 Jaros Ribera del Duero DO ($30)
Picture this: Tempranillo. Thirteen months in French and American oak. Purple/black color, bold flavors of black cherries, saddle leather, licorice, smoke and broken stones. This wine's so massive it holds down the glass it's in, the table under it and the floor below that by inertia alone. There's only one more word to add to its description: steak.

That's it for my one year and one day anniversary celebration. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Mark

Labels: bang for the buck wines, happy anniversary, red wine bargains, value wine, white wine bargains