Let me take a moment to apologize for the large gaps between wine recommendation posts.
Trust me when I say, it is not that I give up drinking wine for large periods of time.
Au contraire.
Usually what happens is that I get into the habit of drinking my favorites, which have all been previously discussed. One of three events have to occur for me to try something new.
1. I run low on my stash and get bored with my favorites so, venture into something different.
2. I try something new at a restaurant, fall in love and make it my personal quest to find the exact wine that I enjoyed.
3. I get wine gifted. This option is of course my favorite, as my wallet's contents still stay in tact.
Well, this time we have a combination of numbers two and three. This means I have two new wines for you today!
The first is an Italian red wine, a simple table wine really, but delicious and simple none-the-less. Plus, I am a sucker for a pretty label and a name that makes me long for my favorite part of Italy.
Villa Puccini Toscana 2004 scored an 86 by Wine Spectator, which puts it in their *best value* category. Here is the description:
"Aromas of blackberry, coffee, raisin and cedar follow through to a full-bodied palate, with silky tannins and a long, rich finish. Sangiovese and Merlot. "
You can find this beauty at an online retailer for around $10.00! A steal in my humble opinion and was a gift that was most appreciated!
You know I try to keep the recommendations under $10, but sometimes you need to splurge a little. And this is worth every penny of the three-dollar overage, in my opinion of course.
This one is a great basic table wine and would work great with cheese, chicken, pasta and salmon. I had it with pork and felt it worked just fine. May not hold up to a steak though.
Be especially careful on this one. Make sure you pay attention to both the Reserve and the year as this can make a big difference in the wine.
Have you tried any good wines lately? Please share…