Tag RED Wine

Wine Review: Montes’ Classic Cabernet Sauvignon

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Montes’ Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile’s most recognizable red wine produced by the celebrated Viña Montes’ estate in the Colchagua Valley. This winery is credited with bringing premium Chilean winemaking to wine lovers globally. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is offered in two tiers: the approachable “Classic” series and the more robust premium “Alpha” series. 

Montes’ Classic Cabernet Sauvignon features aromas of ripe red and black fruit- think strawberry, plum, and fig carried on a medium body with flavors of red fruit and dark chocolate. Balanced acidity, silky tannins, and a touch of French oak support its easy-drinking profile. It’s a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot with a 14% ABV, making it a natural fit for grilled steak, as well as beef short ribs, lamb chops, and, surprisingly, those gourmet burgers that you see on just about every menu lately. 

If you are looking to add an affordable weeknight Cab to your wine rack that delivers dependable quality without the intense concentration and complexity of much higher-priced Cabs, then you should take a closer look at Montes’ Classic Cabernet Sauvignon. It is easy to find, and at around $10- $15 a bottle, it is a good value for a Cabernet Sauvignon rated 90 pts by James Suckling. 

Photo Credit: Viña Monte’s’

Wine Review: Masciarelli 2022 Montepulciano D’Abruzzo

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Masciarelli 2022 Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo is a popular and affordable red wine made from 100% estate grown Montepulciano grapes in the Abruzzo Region of Central Italy. A beautiful ruby red color in the glass leads to a medium body and smooth tannins that are nicely balanced with the flavors of black cherry and blackberries, plus a hint of spice. It is very food-friendly and pairs well with pasta, pizza, and red meat, both grilled or roasted. Masciarelli 2022 Montepulciano D’ Abruzzo is aged in stainless steel to preserve its freshness because it is meant to be enjoyed while it is young. An excellent introduction to wine from this region, and it can be easily found for less than $12 a bottle, making it a great value for a wine of this quality. 

Wine Review: Madame de Beaucaillou Haut-Médoc 2022

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Château Ducru-Beaucaillou Madame de Beaucaillou Haut-Médoc 2022 is a premium second label red wine from the prestigious Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is an elite 2nd Grand Cru Estate in the Saint-Julien appellation of Bordeaux, France. 

A second label wine, by definition, is a premium wine, most often produced by a Bordeaux winery using grapes from the same estate as their top-tier wines, but for various reasons are not used in their Grand Vin bottling. Second label wines offer an opportunity to experience the same technical precision in winemaking and dedication to quality that the estates’ winemakers apply to their Grand Cru, but at a much lower price point. These wines tend to be very approachable and can be enjoyed in their youth. I strongly suggest researching this category of wine and exploring the possibilities they afford to investigate a niche in Bordeaux you haven’t considered available to you until now. 

The following is my review of Madame de Beaucaillou Haut-Médoc 2022. 

It is a fine example of a Saint-Julien wine. A blend predominantly of Merlot (66%) supported by Cabernet Sauvignon (23%) and Petite Verdot (11%). A bewitching dark purple color in the glass, with notes of blackberry, followed by flavors of blackberry, plum, and French oak, all carried on a well-structured, medium-bodied frame and perfectly balanced acidity. Supple, fine-grained tannins carry through a long, lingering finish with a hint of spice. Pairs well with roasted red meat, especially lamb.

I highly recommend this wine. It has also scored impressively with these well-known experts. James Suckling 93 pts, Wine Enthusiast 93 pts, Jeb Dunnuck 92 pts, and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 91 pts, just to name a few. Second label wines offer a treasure trove of value that you can easily discover if you follow the map to where X marks the spot. 

Wine Review: Bogle Petite Sirah 2021

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Bogle Petite Sirah 2021 is a good choice for anyone looking for a dark, full-bodied California red wine that is approachable and not as “big” as many of the California Cabernet Sauvignons are. Notes of dark berries lead to flavors of dark berries, think blackberry and blueberry. It has a long finish featuring balanced tannins and acidity with a hint of oak. Best paired with hearty fare like grilled red meat, lamb, burgers, or pasta in red sauce. Always a bargain at less than $15 a bottle. 

Wine Review: The Federalist Zinfandel Lodi 2019

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The latest entry in my ongoing series of reviews featuring enjoyable and affordable wines that are widely available highlights a Lodi, California Zinfandel. The Federalist Zinfandel Lodi is not the Zinfandels of folklore that were rendered from zinfandel grapes shipped from the Cucamonga Valley of California in crates adorned with colorful labels depicting the cultural heritage of the region. Those wines were big, bold, “over the top” wines with high alcohol content. What made those wines unforgettable wasn’t their high quality but the physical link they provided to the immigrant communities, which made them feel connected to their homelands and the cherished memories of people and places they left behind in search of a better life in America.

The Federalist Zinfandel Lodi 2019 is a good example of a Zinfandel from Lodi, California. It displays a bold but restrained body with flavors of dark fruit and cherries that complement its tannins, leading to a surprisingly smooth finish. It can be easily found for less than $20 a bottle and at that price point represents a good “QPR” (Quality-Price Ratio) value buy.

Wine Review: E. Guigal Côte du Rhône Rosé

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I have always advocated for drinking Rosé year-round, but I must admit that I enjoy it more during the warmer months, when it pairs well with the lighter fare of the season. Rosé is a flavorful choice to enjoy with grilled fresh fish, pork, or chicken, along with locally sourced “farm to table” produce/products. I am hearing that some sommeliers are even pairing it with steak. Well, that’s interesting. What do you think? Rosé from southern France is synonymous with the daydream of spending a leisurely afternoon relaxing at a sun-drenched seaside bistro while basking in the sights, sounds, tastes, and aromas of the region’s idyllic lifestyle. 

We can’t all just jet off to the French Riviera on a whim, but we can certainly get a taste of the good life by enjoying a nice bottle of rosé. 

E. Guigal is a dependable producer of quality wine from the Southern Rhône Valley. E. Guigal Côte du Rhône Rosé is a classic expression of a well-balanced southern Rhône rosé with delicate notes of citrus and raspberry leading to a medley of red fruit flavors. The beauty of this wine isn’t limited to its color in your glass, but to its budget-friendly price of less than $20, and that you can easily find it almost anywhere.

Photo Credit: E. Guigal

Review: J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2022

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Next in my series highlighting widely distributed wines is a bottle we were gifted. The iconic Paso Robles Cab  J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2022. It is the quintessential example of how mass-produced California Cabs are blended to achieve a consistent taste profile every year. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petite Sirah , 5%Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cab Franc. A Wine Enthusiast 90 pt “Best Buy” January 2025. Vanilla notes from oak barrel aging with big juicy red fruit flavors and soft tannins. It’s a solid choice when selecting a Cab for dinner guests because pairing it with grilled or roasted red meat, think steak and lamb, or even pasta with a hearty red sauce is sure to please.

Review: Zaccardi Q Cabernet Franc Valle De Uco-Mendoza 2021

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Zuccardi Q Cabernet Franc Valle De Uco – Mendoza 2021 

Zuccardi is my go-to Argentina winery for dependable high-quality wines at a fair price. They are a multi-generational producer located in the Mendoza Region. This was the first time I tried a Zuccardi Q Cabernet Franc but it won’t be the last. I plan on having a few bottles on hand for when I want a solid food-friendly weeknight wine. 

Everything about this wine is in balance, from its understated acidity, smooth tannins, and restrained red fruit flavors that are carried on a medium dry body and then showcased in a dark purple/red colored wine in your glass. 

Grapes for this Cab Franc were harvested from two unique vineyards in the Andes Uco Valley. The Paraje Altamira vineyard is 3600 feet above sea level (F.A.S.L.), and the San Pablo vineyard is 4500 F.A.S.L. I purchased my bottle at a Pennsylvania Fine Wine & Good Spirits store as a “Chairman’s Selection” offering for the bargain price of $12.99, but it can be readily found in the $20 range. 

I recently reviewed two Cab Francs from Chateau Niagara in New York. Although this Zaccardi Q wasn’t as big or as complex as the Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Reserve Review: Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Reserve 2022 or Cabernet Franc Appassimento Review: Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Appassimento 2023 it certainly deserves a place on your dinner table.

Review: Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Appassimento 2023

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The following two posts will be my reviews of Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Appassimento 2023 and Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Reserve 2022. Jim Baker owner, winemaker, and vigneron of Chateau Niagara Winery Newfane, New York http://chateauniagarawinery.com told me “These are some of the best wines I have made.”

Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Appassimento 2023

A wine made in the Appassimento style is created by using partially dehydrated grapes. It is a technique used by Italian winemakers to give Amarone di Valpolicella its signature depth and complexity. Jim applied this process to his Cabernet Franc grapes to produce his outstanding Chateau Niagara Cabernet Franc Appassimento 2023. 

Beginning with a bewitching dark ruby red color in your glass this Cab Franc quickly opens with aromas of blueberries leading into flavors of cherry, dark berries, and plum. Supple tannins and balanced acidity carry through a long lingering finish. Consider purchasing several bottles with the intent of drinking some now and leaving some to age in your cellar. 

“Old World” or “New World” Why Not Both?

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Wine is often divided into ones made in the “Old World” versus ones made in the “New World” but what does that mean? They are segregated along geographic lines. Old World wines are categorized as being made in Europe and the Middle East. New World wines are made anywhere else e.g. Australia, the Americas, Southern Africa, Asia, etc. The Old World relies mainly on traditional wine grape varieties (Vitis vinifera), time-honored wine-making methods, and labeling that emphasizes the location where the wine was made and, prioritizes a wine’s terroir. Old World wine regions tend to have cooler climates that yield wines with restrained tannins and are not as fruitful with less sugar. The lower sugar levels contribute to their lower alcohol content (ABV). 

New World wines also use traditional grape varieties but are heavily invested in non-traditional grape varieties and readily embrace modern wine-making techniques, ideas, and technology. Its wine bottles are labeled identifying the grape variety used to make the wine. The climates of New World wine regions tend to be warmer and that variable favors the production of wine with fuller fruit flavors, rounder tannins, and higher alcohol content. Lastly, New World wines display more oak which is achieved by using newer barrels that extract greater fruit flavors and tannins. 

It doesn’t matter whether a wine is an “Old World” or “New World” offering, the only thing that matters is that you enjoy drinking it. Snap a pic of the label just in case you can’t remember what to buy the next time you are wine shopping.