Archive for November, 2008

2006 Majus by Ajello from Sicilia: Palate- and Wallet-Friendly Wine

{ November 20, 2008 @ 1:35 pm } · { Wine Tasting Notes }
{ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

Ajello Ma Jus

2006 Ajello Majus

2006 Majus by Ajello from Sicilia; Wine Variety: Nero d’Avola (Red); Price: $12.99

I’ve let you know already that I’m merely a wine dabbler and dreamer, not to be confused with an expert. While I know a little about a few wines, I know nothing about Sicilian wines. I selected this bottle based upon a shelf talker that said it would pair well with red sauce, which was part of my evening’s dinner plan.

While prepping the bell peppers and zucchini, I poured myself a little sip. After some time, it opened up to fragrances of currants and roasted chestnuts. With a medium body, it presented bright fruit flavors, including raspberries, with some acidity up front. Its backbone of tannins was not overwhelming, and I detected some toasted flavors on the mid-palate.

I reduced the olive oil I sautéed my veggies in with a dash of the Majus and some balsamic vinegar. After letting the strained tomatoes simmer in the sauce and cooking my fresh pasta, I was ready to see if the shelf talker was all talk or not.

With its subtle fruit and plentiful acids, the Majus perked up the flavors of my pasta dish. When paired with food, the wine’s fruit darkened to blackberries, a spiciness emerged, and a hint of toasted nuttiness blossomed at the back of my palate. It was like soul mates reuniting in my mouth.

Verdict: This wine takes time to open up and to share its complexities. But, when I tasted it with my pasta dinner, it was amore at first bite and sip. This is a must-try, easy-on-the-palate (and wallet) wine.

2005 Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha, Calatayud

{ November 7, 2008 @ 11:56 am } · { Uncategorized, Wine Tasting Notes }
{ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

2005 Las Rocas de San Alejandro GARNACHA

2005 Las Rocas de San Alejandro GARNACHA

Perusing my local grocer’s shelves of wine, I wondered what to pair with baked mahi-mahi. Drawn to the small Spanish section, my eye fell upon a garnacha (grenache). I began to salivate. Then, spinning the bottle around, my eyes popped when I realized I had unearthed the holy grail! I had, by dumb luck, stumbled upon an Eric Solomon European Cellars Selection*. And, the frosting on my cupcake, it was only $12!
Admittedly, I’m a glutton for grenache. But, would this grenache uphold Solomon’s reputation? Slicing off the foil, I sunk my corkscrew into the black, plastic cork. Unable to wait, I poured myself a small glass and took a sip. So far, so good.
As I let the wine molecules dance about in the open air, I cooked a dinner of mahi-mahi baked in olive oil accompanied by yellow bell pepper and zucchini sauteed in olive oil and garlic, finished with red wine and balsamic vinegar, newly-opened wine (of course), and red pepper flakes. Salad with homemade vineagrette and bread were also served as sides.
So, had I made the right decision? Let’s just say, I’ll be buying more of this glorious gem of a wine! Its toasty nose provided whiffs of cherry and black pepper. The fruit carried through on the palate in bursts of blackberry, blueberry, and hints of cinnamon. Mouth-feel was divine, and the fruit was balanced with acids and soft tannins that pleasured my entire palate. And the nearly-everlasting finish…bravo!
This is indeed a holy grail of find. When such a treasure awaits you for so little, why wait? Buy now, drink now, and enjoy!

* Eric Solomon is well-known for his extraordinary portfolio. It contains his wife’s own Clos Eramus (Priorat, Spain) and Eben Sadie’s Dits del Terra (Priorat, Spain) and Columella (South Africa), just to name a couple of the idols of the wine world. Click on this link to go to Eric’s website.

2007 Rioja, Cortijo III Tinto: Nice, But Still a Pup!

{ November 4, 2008 @ 11:23 am } · { Wine Tasting Notes }
{ Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , } · { Leave a Comment }

I tried a tempranillo, again. Only I cheated by 20 percent! This Rioja has 80-percent tempranillo and 20-percent grenacha. Ah, the glorious grape known as grenache and grenacha!

My Impressions: A nice purple-red color, this wine takes time to open up. It is, after all, still a youngster. The nose, once warmed a bit, came across with some pepper and hints of blueberry and cinnamon. Earthy tempranillo paired with fruity grenache is backed by acid and soft tannins. Mouth feel is not full or well-rounded; however, it would be interesting to retaste this wine after the acids mellow in a couple more years. While acids play at the sides of my tongue, a burst of black cherry jam hits my mid-palate. Overall, this is a nice, simple wine that pairs well with food.

Label Blah-blah: Tastes of wild red berries with a clean palate with flavors of strawberry and raspberry. Grown around the town of Hormillo, which is at 1,865 feet. The vineyard’s soil is comprised of red clay and sandy limestone. The clay produces “ripe silky tannins with red berry flavors,” while the limestone gives the wine its “intense aromatic berry jam and plum accents.” The average temperature is 61.5-degrees Fahrenheit and annual rainfall is 18.3 inches. The wine is imported by Ole.