Duplico, Puglia Rosso, 2019, Puglia, Italy
This red from Duplico in Puglia is very good. It’s best wine I’ve tasted all month.Dry, medium acidity with fine tannins theres plenty of black and red fruit flavours with spice just sitting in the background. It’s rich in depth and soft giving you a warm cosy feel when you drink it. Pair it with a joint if beef or a rich pasta dish. At £15 a bottle it’s not a bad price.
Terra Argillosa, Syrah, 2019, Marche, Italy
Yep another italian red wine, granted its rather good, in some ways quite excellent. Reasonable dry, solid tannins but not overly so with a “presence” that’s comforting. With red and black fruit flavours and smoke and oak notes it’s all well integrated It’s no Gold medal winning wine but that’s where I think it scores. It’s a wine that red drinkers will like, not have to think about and be happy to open a second bottle. 😊
At about £18 a bottle it’s a bit pricey and that’s the down side.
Orsogna, Nican, Montepulciano, 2009, Italy
Ooohhh, it’s good. Orsogna realy know how to make quality wine. Dry with soft integrated tannins this is a quality red wine. Aromas and flavours of blackberry, plum, chocolate and oak with notes of leather and slight herby undertone poking through.
At about £30 a bottle it’s not cheap but rather good and you are unlikely to disappoint any you serve, unless they are tea total 😀
Val di Luna, Bric del Cedrone, Barbera d’Asti Superior, Italy
Val di Luna’s Bric del Cedrone from Barbera d’Asti region of Italy is rather good. Dry, smooth and on the bolder style it’s got good length in the flavour department. Blackberry, plum, hint of blueberry and soft oak undertones. It’s the price that’s an issue,because at £30plus a bottle it’s a bit expensive. More a sub £15 bottle to me.
Bindi Sergardi, La Ghirlanda, 2018, Chianti Classico, ItalyBindi Sergardi in their La Ghirlanda have produced a wonderful Chianti Classico. Dry, full bodied with well integrated tannins and masses of black and red fruits. There’s spice and oak undertones knitting in perfectly. The down side is the £28 price tag, although I have seen it at a very reasonable £18 for the 2016 variety. Very much worth trying even at the higher price, but better at the lower price of course 😉
Kellerei Bozen, Cantina Winery, Mumelter, 2019, Italy
From northern Italy, this Cab Franc and Cab Sav blend is rather good, dry, smooth and booasting great length and flavours of black fruits, chocolate, coffee, leather with a earthiness and smokey undertone. The down side is at £24 a bottle it will prevent some from trying it. Sub £20 it would be highly recommended, but over the £20, there are others that are as good but cheaper.
Vigneti del Salento, Negroamaro, Italy
Vigneti del Salento make a lot of wine, although thats partly expected as Puglia in Italy make more wine than Australia. This though doesn’t taste like a mass produced red wine. Its dry, medium tannins with excellent length. There’s plenty of black fruit with a bit of spice and a freshness that’s very welcome as it lifts the wine a little.
Great with red meat or a tomato sauce pasta it’s what this region does well.
Ugalde, Rioja, Crianza, 2019, Spain
This Rioja from Ugalde is a great example of a young Rioja, age around 6 months in oak it’s dry, high in tannins and acidity, got massive amounts of black and red fruit flavours. There’s leather, chocolate, coffee notes in there with a slight earthy undertone all integrated very well.
At zbout £11 a bottle it’s excellent value and paired with a winter roast or BBQ in the summer it’s an all year round wine.
Cantine di Dolianova, Anzenas Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardinia, Italy
This red wine from Sardinia is not going to set the world alight, its not a gold medal winner but Cantine di Dolianova has produced a well rounded red just to drink. Its dry, medium tannins and good length of flavours. There’s plum, blackcurrant and cherry in there. Pair with a tomato pasta or red meat dish. My only issue is at £15 a bottle it’s pricy for what it is.
Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Syrah, 2021, Rhone, France
This syrah from Paul Jaboulet Aîné, in the Rhone of France is a marmite wine, its love it or hate it red wine when its first opened. Its dry, medium bodied and very juicy with rich aromas and flavours of blackcurrant and hints of spice but with a tanker full of herbs thrown in. When I tried it the next day much of the overpowering herb flavours had disapated. It’s not bad with all the herby nores but not what I was expecting, but it is also more juice focused and one dimensional. Even at £6.99 at Majestic Wines on a mixed 6 offer i couldn’t give it more points, sorry not for me.