March/April Update

Here are some wines that I have enjoyed over the last couple of months:

2004 Boroli “Anna”
This is a blend of Nebbiolo, Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon, which I ordered at Paesano’s about a month ago. The wine had a very full flavor and I would rate it as one of the best wines I have had in quite awhile. The wine went perfectly with my meal and, in fact, I just purchased two more bottles for my collection. The Boroli Anna is described in Paesano’s wine list as a “punchy, lively red that offers both a good dose of red cherry and some kick behind it too! Friendly, but doesn’t give up on its character and versatile to boot”. That sums up the taste of the wine better than I could have, so there you go. This wine can be had for a relative bargain of $15.

2005 Beni di Batasiolo Barbaresco
Relatively young for a Barbaresco, I was not particularly impressed with this wine. I ordered it at 220 & Edison’s, and I would definitely make a different selection the next time around. This is not to say that the wine was bad, but I was a little tired of it by the time the evening was ending. Perhaps under different circumstances, I might have enjoyed it more.

2002 Napa Ridge – Pinot Noir (Central Coast)
I pulled this bottle from my collection, and while I wasn’t blown away, it wasn’t terrible either. With a light, lean flavor the Napa Ridge Pinot Noir lacked the depth of an “authentic” Pinot Noir. However, this wine was miles ahead of a Michigan “attempt” at Pinot Noir, as tried by the Wine Club a few weeks ago. That bottle went straight down the drain, so by comparison, this was a true keeper.

2005 La Carraia – Sangiovese (Umbria)
Another bottle from my collection, I tried this one just last night. Very light and fruity, I didn’t particularly enjoy the first glass, but the taste improved dramatically after the second glass. Whether it was the complement of Chicken Parmesan and pasta I had cooked for dinner or simply a little more air, I did notice a difference by the end of the bottle.

2004 Terra Alta “Sexto”
2004 Lan Rioja Crianza
Unfortunately, I finished both of these wines over two months ago, so I can’t really recall my opinion, which probably means that the wines were good, but not spectacular. Of course, this was before I had intended to chronicle my wine adventures, so I wasn’t really considering the unique taste qualities at that time. The “Sexto” would be an interesting purchase given that it is a blend of six different grapes (Grenache, Carignan, Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Lledoner Pelut Noir) and is best described as a “fruit-bomb” from the Catalonia region. I may buy another bottle just so I can recall the flavor. I don’t remember anything about the Lan Rioja, but both wines can be had for under $15.