Squinzano Negroamaro Vinicola Resta 2004 DOC tasting notes

©2008 photo by Dave Trieger
A great litle wine bar/restaurant called InVino, on the lower east side, is where I tried this red wine from Apuglia, (the heel of the boot) Italy. Some of the grapes come from the territory of Squinzano, and Novoli (Lecce) and some from the territory of San Pietro Vernotico and Torchiarolo (Brindisi). Soil composition: sandy and clay: 95% Negroamaro, 5% Black Malvasia from Brindisi and from Lecce. Vinification: in stainless steel containers. Aging: in oak barrels. Color: Deep purple/red. Aroma: complex with lingering blackberry jam, cola and a hint of barnyard. Palate: balanced, velvety, harmonious, cherry, fruity and mild licorice. Good structure, fine tannins. Really delicious wine with a long finish. Works well with red meats.


©2008 photo by Dave Trieger

"I like those gritty, dirty, earthy southern wines..."

growled Angus, one of the owners of InVino, after a swig of this wine.

I had this wine by the glass, so I'm not sure what a bottle would go for retail... but I'll check... OK, found it for $15, that's not bad at all.

How to Pop Your Cork

...or how to use a waiter's corkscrew... use the knife on the opener to cut thru the foil/plastic that covers the neck of the bottle. Make the cut at about ¼” down from the top edge of the bottle (or wherever the first ridge is). Hold blade in right hand (parallel with the ground) to bottle neck while twisting the bottle counter-clockwise with the left hand. After a full turn, remove the end of the foil.


Close the knife blade and pull the corkscrew out so it’s perpendicular to the handle and the lever fully (see drawing) extended.

Hold bottle in left hand. With right hand, center the tip of the corkscrew on top of the cork… insert corkscrew while turning clockwise until it is fully inserted into the cork.

Push the end of the handle down to 45º and fold the lever down and lock onto the top ridge of the bottle neck.

Now pull the corkscrew up slowly and evenly and twist slightly as the cork is about to exit.

Domaine Du Cros Marcillac Lo Sang del Pais 2006 AMC tasting notes

©photo by Dave Trieger
This dry red wine from the Marcillac region of France is made from 100% Le fer Servadou grape varietal. Color cherry red, medium to heavy weight, it's soft, smooth and silky with cherry & raspberry on palate, with a soft finish of black pepper, barnyard and straw. 12% alcohol content, price $14. Paired well with meat loaf and broccoli.

Rocca delle Macie Rubizzo Sangiovese di Toscana 2006 IGT tasting notes

©photo by Dave Trieger
This dry red wine from Rocca delle Macie is made from 95% sangiovese and 5% merlot grapes from Chianti Colli Senesi. I remember the region from my trip... the soil was turned after the harvest and was very chalky. Wine has a ruby red color, intense nose (reminds me of an Amarone) from what must be really ripe grapes... palate has sour cherry, berries, even a slight orange zest. Paired nicely with an Organic Blue Cheese from Union Square Market. Also will pair well with pastas and spicy foods. I believe this one was $11. Found this one at The Wine Room in Forest Hills.

Coltibuono Chianti Classico 2005 DOCG tasting notes

©2008 photo by dave trieger

This dry red Chianti Classico is a cooperative effort from a few different local producers in Gaiole In Chianti. The vinification process is done separately by each of the producers, and then aged in French oak barriques, then followed by further aging in the bottle. Right now I'm letting it decant for a few hours. Ok, I'm back... the first I thing noticed on the nose was a waft of a deep woodsy aroma, and plum. The color is a deep ruby/cranberry and is a medium weight: on the palate there is sour cherry, leather, and tobacco. This one is around $19.

Cycling thru Tuscany

Late grapes on the vine
©2006 photo by dave trieger

This photo of a vineyard in San Leonino in Chianti was taken while on a cycling trip thru Tuscany in October, 2006. It was a great way to see the countryside because I could stop whenever I wanted... and when I did stop it was so still and quiet. Actually, there were so many lookout points to choose from, that eventually I had to pick the best of the best... otherwise I'd be late for dinner, and I wouldn't want that to happen. So, I ate and drank my way thru wine country without having to worry about gaining weight... biking 35-40 miles a day was enough to burn away enough calories so it was a wash in the end.

Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva 2003 DOCG tasting notes

©2008 by dave trieger
• This 2003 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG is produced by Fattorie Melini and made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, grown in "La Selvanella" vineyards in the heart of Chianti. After a long maceration period, the wine is kept in Oak casks for 30 months. It's big and fruity with a medium to heavy weight and coloring of deep cranberry red. It has bing cherry, leathery vanilla, and raspberry on the nose. Palate is complex with a jammy grenadine, toasted almonds and a hint of cinnamon. The back of the bottle says this wine can be laid down for more that 15 years, although to me it's ready now. But if there's a chance it could improve with age, this one's a winner, and it's in the $20-25 range retail or on line. Pairs well with red meats or game. Loved it! First tried this wine at Alberto's restaurant in Forest Hills.

Colimoro Montepulciano D'Abruzzo 2006 DOC tasting notes

This Montepulciano D'Abruzzo red wine is aged in Oak for 6 months, medium to light weight, color: cherry red, nose: chocolate, orange/citrus undertone, mouth: sour cherry, earthy, musky, silky finish, opens well. Pairs well with a pasta with mushroom sauce. Tried this one in an Italian Restaurant and it was about $30, so I imagine it can be bought in a wine shop for bet $10-15.

Terre di Bo Barolo 2003 DOCG tasting notes

This dry red Barolo wine is made from the Nebbiolo grape, near Alba in the Piemonte region. Color: ruby red, medium weight, Nose: pepper, plum, green apple, smoky, leathery. Palate: plum, very dry but with a bite, astringent, tannic, 13.5% alcohol.

Colosi Sicilia Rosso Nero D'Avola 2005 IGT tasting notes

©2008 photo by dave trieger

Colosi 2005 Sicilia Rosso is a dry red wine made from the nero d'avola grape from sicily... has a dark ruby red color, black cherry, black plum, strawberries, cassis & a smoky earthy aroma. Smooth silky finish. Great with pasta, pizza, cheeses & meats. A 750 ML bottle can be had for about 10 bucks, but it tastes like it's more like a $25.

Palazzo Della Torre Allegrini IGT 2003 tasting notes

This is a blend from Verona consisting of 70% Corvina Veronese, 25% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese. Color is ruby red, medium to heavy body. Nose: Black currant, alcohol, lemon rind, grapefruit. Bing cherries on the Palate. Finish: Fresh cut wood on back of tongue. Ripasso style: 70% of grapes are vinified and 30% is left to dry for 4 months, then vinified and refermented with the first batch, to get a more rounded wine. (Also known as Baby Amarone because of the Ripasso style vinification.)

This wine was on the Top 100 Wine Spectator list for 5 years in a row (I believe 2000-2005) and it's well worth the $16 price tag.