Reds, Whites & You

With Spring in the air, and longer hours in the evening, I’m starting to think Summer is around the corner.   And I would like to introduce a new wine that I call ‘Summer in a Glass!’

I tried this 2011 Anselmi San Vincenzo last night and it immediately swooped me away to the Sunny South with gentle breezes and palm trees.   Fruity and tropical with flavours of peach, pear, melon  and white pepper that explode in your mouth.    Tried this with my friend Rick, who is also planning on going down South, and we both commented on how we hope to find this wine on our travels.  At under $20, this one is going to be one of my favorites this Summer.

Here’s a beauty of a wine that I have enjoyed a couple of times in the past few weeks.  The 2010 Chateau De Nages Costieres De Nimes.  It’s a mouthful of wine, both to say and to drink.  It’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah (you may know it as Shiraz) and Mourvedre.  This blend is more commonly known as GSM, you have probably seen those initials on other bottles of wine before, especially on wine coming out of France, Australia, the United States or Chile.  The term GSM is thought to have come out of Australia, a New World wine country, which is probably why France doesn’t use the initials on their bottles.   This fantastic wine is a bit of a treat at $23.99 but you owe it to yourself to treat yourself once in a while.  Intense flavours yet a soft supple wine, aged in oak for 12 months, super smooth and soft tannins.  The bottle calls in pure unaldurated pleasure – and I agree.

Another fantastic wine I tried this week was the Evans and Tate Margaret River Chardonnay.  Can you say smooth?   I tried the 2009 vintage, which apparently had near perfect ripening conditions for the grape and it was harvested at night to save the crisp flavours.  This produced a Chardonnay that had aromas of citrus fruits and creme brule… who needed dessert – this was dessert in a bottle, but not sweet.  On the palate flavours of peach and melon with a smoothness bought on by oak aging in french barrels.  Around the $20 range, this will go well with just about any food you are serving.

And my last red is also under $20, and the beautiful Thorn Clarke Terra Barossa Merlot.  Dont let the name Merlot scare you off.  This is a big full bodied wine in the glass and on the palate.   Deep dark purple color in the glass prepares you for the great wine experience you are about to have.  Plum and cherry flavours dance with chocolate and herbs and oak ageing in both French and American oak make for a beautiful finish.   This wine is begging to be served with pork – pork chops, pork tenderloin… you will love it.

Till next week, Cheers

Darlene