Web Accidental Wine

Friday, April 25, 2008

Friday Wines - the Lazarus Edition

It's been a while since I've made any wine recommendations, but it's Friday, so here they are. For those of you not used to the home version, here's how it works: I'll try to post four wines here each Friday - a red and a white under $20 and a red and a white over $20. All prices are approximate and the wines may not be available in all areas. They're just good wines in each category, nothing more, nothing less. Without further ado:

White wine under $20

2006 Ferraton Père et fils Samorëns Côtes du Rhône blanc AOC ($12)
If you want an unoaked but still full bodied white that’s crisp, this is your wine. The perfect pairing of pineapple and cream, this wine has great fruit, acid balance for crisp texture and minerality to keep it in balance. Wrap some shrimp in bacon and start up the grill, will ya?

Red wine under $20

2004 Poggio Salvi Morellino di Scansano DOC ($15)
Aromas of smoke, cherry and tar rise out of the glass, followed by flavors of deep, rich cherry fruit, complemented by dried leaves, smoke, vanilla and orange peel. Medium bodied with good mouthfeel and balancing acidity. Pssssst! Wanna know a secret? This is made with Sangiovese Grosso – the same grape used to make Brunello di Montalcino. Affordable luxury!

White wine over $20

2005 Falesco Ferentano Roscetto Lazio ($37)
Rich, full bodied and intense, the Falesco Ferentano is one complex, sophisticated glass of juice. Made from an obscure and ancient white grape called Roscetto it shows aromas of orange peel, honeyed apples, wet stones and frost are followed by a palate of pineapple, lemon, cream, lemongrass, pine and minerality. Snappy texture from the acid holds it all together. This is a steak white if I’ve ever seen one.

Red Wine over $20

2002 Cottonwood Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Colorado ($40)
Colorado! Home of Quaking Aspens, Pike’s Peak and…Smashmouth Cab?

If the Cottonwood Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is any indication, then yes! Aromas of cherry, plum, black currant, cedar, cigar box and mocha start things off. Dense fruit dominates up front with black currant and black raspberries taking the lead. Spice holds the midpalate together, while big, firm tannins and toasty oak guard the long finish. This is as big as most California Cabernet at this price point (and as good, too!)

This wine is drinkable now, if you have it with food (Buffalo tenderloin, anyone?), but ideally it needs another six months to a year age. The good news is all that tannin will help this wine age 10 years or so.

That's all for me. I'm going off to Stacy's for some dinner and maybe a bottle of wine!



Mark

Labels: budget wines, Colorado wine, Cotes du Rhone, French wine, good wines over $20, good wines under $20, Italian wine, Lazio, Morellino di Scansano, value wines