Dellatorri Chianti 2007 Trento, Italy $9.49
abv 13%
[sorry, no pic]
nose: overripe raspberry, angel food cake, little bit of spicy greens like oregano, overall not too complex but very nice
47/50
mouth: little bit of spice on the tip of the tongue, black pepper, tart berries in the back, overall very wet. not nearly dry enough for a chianti
20/25
finish: finish is good enough, not very long, but doesn’t bring anything new to the party.
20/25
87/100
Food Recommendation
pepperoni pizza, simple american-italian food, esp. marinaras, caprese salad
Where to buy in Portland
Burlingame Fred Meyer
Viña Sardasol Crianza 2002 Navarra, Spain $9.99
85% Tempranillo 10% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Merlot
abv 13.5%
nose: baked blackberries, a little bit of cloves, some alcohol burn
43/50
mouth: fairly tannic from the cab, tart black berries, blue berries its jammy like a syrah but without the pepper
21/25
finish: very strong finish, lingers and coats the tongue like a good bite of moms summer berry pie
24/25
This is rated a little lower because of it’s simplicity. If there were a few more things going on, this could have been a real winner. Its old enough though that it won’t get any better, so drink now on a week night or as a second bottle.
88/100
Food Recommendations
Hard cheeses and hard salamis, blackened chicken, grilled veggies (esp. zucchini and asparagus)
Where to buy in Portland
Barbur World Foods
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2007 Chile $9.99
abv 13.5%
nose: quite robust for such a young wine. cherry and vanilla with a some toast and raspberry and a little white pepper at first but it dissipates quickly
45/50
mouth: very bright, lots of cranberry, unripe blackberry, and some rose water. should be rounder in a year or two
21/25
finish: has a good young pinot noir finish, all cherries and little nutmeg and tarragon
23/25
Similar to the 2006 Oregon pinots a year ago this wine should come into its own in 9 – 12 months and be very drinkable for a year or two. Its not jaw dropping and never will be, but it is solid and not bad to drink.
89/100
Food Recommendations
Thanksgiving dinner, quail and other game birds, foie gras esp. in broth and/or with pasta
Where to buy in Portland
Burlingame Fred Meyer
Stonecap Monson Family Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Columbia Valley, Washington $4.99
abv 13.4%
nose: wild berries like blackberry, boysenberry and huckleberry, some cherry, white pepper, bay leaf and a little alcohol burn
46/50
mouth: thin mouth feel. lots of tannins, but that’s about it. you can feel it tingling all the way down your throat. little bit of raspberry but mainly the white pepper comes through loud and clear.
19/25
finish: the finish is long, as it should be, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the party.
20/25
Unfortunately the aroma promised more than the wine could deliver. Its score puts it right on the edge of getting my recommendation, but it made it. Still, at $4.99, its an alright meat and potatoes wine.
85/100
Food Recommendations
Steak au poivre, garlic mashed potatoes, hearty braised greens (kale, chard, collards, etc . . .)
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
GWG Hidden Jewel Collection Pinot Noir 2006 product of Provincia di Pavia, Italy bottled in Lodi, California $4.99
abv 13%
nose: very big and bright, you can smell it from 2 feet away, ripe cherries upfront, and a surprisingly pleasant smell of fresh made mustard, then a little custard and wild mushroom. bit of a mish-mash, but it works
45/50
mouth: thin mouth feel, tart at first with cranberry, then moves to spicy greens like oregano and mustard greens, then goes to juicy cherries and raspberries
23/25
finish: fairly long with muted notes of barnyard, mushroom and cherry
22/25
Overall I like this wine, but it is not exactly a classic pinot noir. This is a fun wine to drink for people who like ferreting out unexpected flavors and aromas. Its light enough to enjoy without food and will require specific dishes to make it shine.
90/100
Food Recommendations
salads with bitter greens and poultry, medium to hard cheeses, roast pork loin esp. with mustard sauce
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
Beckmen Vineyards Purisima Mountain Marsanne 2003 Santa Ynez Valley, California $5.99
abv 13.8%
nose: very strong in a good way with buttered toast, citrus zest, dandelion and mellow alcohol
47/50
mouth: nice and acidic, grapefruit almost going to lemon, butter, a bit of saffron
22/25
finish: pretty light, honey and butter, sour oranges, alcohol
22/25
I like this wine a lot. It has notes that could work in all the seasons. Acidic for summer, oaky for winter, savory for fall and bright for spring. overall very nice.
91/100
Food Recommendations
oily fish, like anchovy or mackerel, polenta, squash dishes
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
Vitavin Co. Egri Merlot 2001 Eger, Hungary $3.99
abv 12%
[sorry, no pic]
nose: acidic, rotten plum, cherry, hershey bar chocolate, burnt paper
27/50
mouth: thick and a little syrupy, good blast of tannins up front, cherry and raspberry candy flavors . . . and thats all
17/25
finish: cherry, raspberry, white pepper, pretty long but the chemical notes of white pepper where the only thing that lingered
19/25
I don’t even know what to say. It’s weird because its not that I don’t like it, but the things I like are the same things that I’m embarrassed to like about fruit roll ups. The nose was the biggest problem. It was really horrible.
63/100
Food Recommendations
poorly seasoned fried potatoes, Dominos pizza, circus nachos
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
Tormaresca NePriCa 2006 Puglia, Italy $9.99
40% negroamaro, 30% primitivo, 30% cabernet sauvignon
abv 13%
nose: a little tight, lots of black licorice aromas (more like the candy, not fennely), some dark fruits and a little nutmeg
43/50
mouth: very juicy, licorice flavors and cooked blackberry and blueberry, like pie filling, a little cumin, nutmeg, and fennel seed
23/25
finish: licorice and berries again but there and gone in a flash, which surprised me in a robust wine like this, might get stronger if it cellars for a year or two
22/25
overall not too bad, since the finish is so weak would make a good choice for appetizers
88/100
Food Recommendations
cheese (before or after dinner), meaty and/or spicy pastas and appetizers, italian sausage
Where to buy in Portland
Barbur World Foods
Hood River Vinyards Merlot 1998 Oregon $8.99
84% merlot 8% cabernet sauvignon, 8% zinfandel
abv 13%
[sorry, no pic]
nose: fresh pressed apple cider, old wet cedar, ferns, licorice, raisins, port
48/50
mouth: after breathing for a while it still a bite of tannins up front which quickly gave way to some port like flavors without the body. also had big amounts of plum, blackberry, and star anise. very well rounded with no holes from beginning to end.
23/25
finish: not as long as i was hoping for with a wine this old, tasted of homemade sour applesauce and plums
20/25
I was worried about how old this was, but the cab and zin blended in helped make this wine last for ten years. Definitely needed to be decanted and breathe for about 30 minutes before we jumped in. This is a great wine to sit and talk about with other people. It has the potential to bash the palette a little, so definitely only serve with a main course or enjoy it after dinner instead of port.
91/100
Food Recommendations
wild mushroom dishes esp. morels, pork chops w/ applesauce, blue cheese
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
Teruzzi & Puthod Terre di tufi 2003 Tuscany, Italy $7.99
80% vernaccia, 7% chardonnay, 7% malvasia, 6% vermentino
abv 13%
nose: starts with apricot and opens up to some peach, big punch of honey and hints of vanilla and cinnamon
47/50
mouth: somewhat thick mouth feel, but it feels right with all the honey aroma, taste is complex with the forefront being honey and apricots, but the sweetness is balanced by a citrusy bite up front. also pretty oaky which gives some nice buttered toast and almond flavors. one of my friends said it “tasted like baking.”
23/25
finish: incredibly long finish with lots of vanilla and meyer lemon. wonderful
25/25
This is not normally a budget wine. I just got lucky at the Grocery Outlet. The cheapest I found this online was 22.99 and it was sold out. Look for newer vintages to be available in the $15 – $20 range.
95/100
Food Recommendations
Could be a dessert wine for cheese and fruit plates. Anything with almonds. Also, a nice foil of for acidic dishes like balsamic vinegar on bitter greens. Probably also good with herbs de Provence.
Where to buy in Portland
Grocery Outlet in Hollywood district
