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GrapeGirl's Tasty Tasting Tips |
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GrapeGirl's Tasty Tasting Tips |
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$CHEAP$ - Hungary - Muscat - Minosegi Bar - 2000 - 12%
Appearance: pale gold
Nose: milky, ginger, tangerine
Taste and Finish: bright, thin, tangy, sour lemon with long tangerine finish
Serve with: poached fish
$7.90 - Rueda (Spain) - Marques de Riscal - 2000 - 12.5%
Appearance: pale green
Nose: creamy, floral, green gooseberry, minerals
Taste and Finish: light, slightly sweet, well-balanced wine, spicy finish
Serve with: seafood paella, or as an aperitif
Note: YUM! "buy plenty and drink plenty"
$7.95 - Portugal - Gazela - white 1997 - 9%
Appearance: pale green apple, fizzy
Nose: flowers, green apple
Taste and Finish: sweet, fizzy, lime-ey and a bit sour with a short finish
Serve very cold with: shrimp and garlic butter or as an aperitif
Note: Try others from Vinho Verde region in Portugal
$8.95 - Italy - Verdicchio del Castelli Dijesi - DOC - 12%
Appearance: pale straw
Nose: sweet, almond, orange
Taste and Finish: fizzy, light, lemon, apricot with long grapefruit finish
Serve very cold: as an aperitif or with light fish dishes
$9.95 - Alsace - Sylvaner - Crystal d'Alsace - 2000 - Dopff & Irion
Appearance: Pale grass, straw
Nose: flowers, powder, fruit
Taste and Finish: Crisp pear with short finish
Serve: with anything that tastes good when you're walking barefoot in the sun
$12.95 - Bordeaux - Entre Deux Mers - Chateau Bonnet, 2000 - AOC - 12%
Appearance: pale straw
Nose: grass, tangerine, pineapple
Taste and Finish: light, slightly sweet with slightly salty finish
Serve very cold with fish, shell fish (not in a cream sauce)
$19.95 - Canada - Sparkling Brut - Trius - Hillebrand - 12.5%
Appearance: very foamy, light straw gold
Nose: melon, banana, creme caramel
Taste and Finish: very bubbly, yeast, tart apple with a tart finish
Serve with: New Year's Eve!
$11-$14 - Australia - Omrah - Shiraz - 1999 - 13.5%
Appearance: dark plum
Nose: eucalyptus, pepper, licorice
Taste and Finish: smooth, rich, well balanced, coco milk with long milk chocolate finish
Serve with: casseroles, tortiere, chicken pie, anything chicken
Note: this is sooooo yummy
$12.60 - Bordeaux - "Cote de Francs" - Chateau Puyfromage - 1999 - AOC - 12%
Appearance: brownish red
Nose: aggressive nose with licorice, prune
Taste and Finish: light, somewhat tannic with long finish
Serve with: grilled meat, hard cheese like medium cheddar
Note: uncork at least two hours before serving
$14.75 - France - Rasteau - Cotes-du-Rhone Villages - 1998 - M. Chapoutier
Appearance: Deep ruby
Nose: smoke, earthy, licorice, dill
Taste and Finish: smooth with a bit of tannic feel, long
Notes: These guys use very traditional harvesting methods.
It's good, regular wine ("chateau shake and bake") that will age well
$15.50 - Spain - Raimat - Abadia - 1998 - 13%
Appearance: deep red with tobacco
Nose: flowers, pepper, oak, musty and smoky
Taste and Finish: heavy, slightly tannic, chocolatey (like a Bordeaux wine) with a chocolate finish
Serve with: rabbit, lamb chops, red meat
$15.95 - Bordeaux - St. Emilion - 1999 - AOC - 12.5%
Appearance: tobacco, red
Nose: black pepper, menthol, banana, cypress
Taste and Finish: mellow, balanced - licorice finish
Serve with: poultry or duck
Note: St. Emilion is a very classy French wine town
$16.90 - Italy - Torre del Venti - IGT Red - 12.5%
Appearance: bright ruby, berry
Nose: chocolate, marshmallow, black currant
Taste and Finish: smooth and creamy with long mocha finish
Serve with: brie cheese or any cream sauces
Notes: YUM
$16.25 - California - Cline Zinfandel - 1999 - 14%
Appearance: clear ruby
Nose: chocolate, strawberry, dusty
Taste and Finish: punchy and a bit tannic, blackberries with a long coffee and chocolate finish
Serve with: dark meat, old cheddar or Parmesan, filet mignon
Note: If you think Zinfandels are sweet blushy wines, try this! YUM!
$19.95 - Spain - Rioja - Marques de Riscal - 1997 - 13%
Appearance: tobacco, ruby
Nose: cedar, blackberry, orange
Taste and Finish: smooth chocolate with long chocolatey finish
Serve with: Spanish foods, grilled meats
Note: Rioja is SOOO yummy. Tastes like a VERY expensive wine. Try this one or other Riojas.
$12.10 - Rozes Tawny Port - 20%
Appearance: reddish brown
Nose: wood, burnt sugar, chocolate
Taste and Finish: sweet and light, hazelnuts with nutty finish
Serve after dinner or as an aperitif
Note: Port keeps for ages after uncorking
$14.80 - Quinta do Infanto - Ruby Port - 19.5%
Appearance: very dark ruby red, opaque
Nose: tobacco, fruit, over-ripe orange
Taste and Finish: light chocolate, raspberry, cherry with milk chocolate finish
Serve with: melon and proscuitto ham, or cantaloupe
Notes: YUM!
$14.95 - Quinta de la Rosa - White - 20%
Appearance: caramel
Nose: nuts, chocolate, orange peel
Taste and Finish: light, lemon-ey sweet, well-balanced with orangey finish
Serve with: spicy olives, old hard cheese, or on rox as an aperitif
$8.75 - Manilla - Alvarez Amontillado - SIP - 17%
Appearance: tawny
Nose: brown sugar, raisin, anise, orange, slightly aggressive
Taste and Finish: butterscotch, orange peel with hazelnut, orange finish
Serve: with dessert or with mild cheeses and nuts
$14.75 - Amontillado - Dumbalk - SIP - 17%
Appearance: tawny
Nose: brown sugar, caramel, orange
Taste: mellow, burnt sugar, orange peel with burnt orange finish
Serve: with mild cheeses, baked brie with fruit, nuts