Wine Review: Bosco’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (2011)

If you are fond of the Italian food then certainly you should follow tradition and provide a glass of wine to wash it down your favorite pasta dish. If you’re eating at home you will naturally need to pick up a bottle of Italian wine to provide to cater to family and friends.  No one likes to spend a lot of money for a bottle of wine when there are alternatives that taste just as great. If you fall into the price sensitive category but still want a high quality product try Bosco’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzon for under $10. 

It can be hard picking wine that is going to have a wide appeal. Sometimes wine is too tart, acidity, or carries a poor aftertaste. Price and quality sometimes seem separate. Choosing a wine with softer tastes usually is better for guests.

Bosco’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (2011) is a Red Wine that is a popular export of Italy. Such wines are made in the Abruzzi region around 9,000 feet above the sea. This area is known for its wine making and wine exports and has a history of high quality products exported internationally.

What I liked about this wine was its subtle tastes that didn’t overpower your senses. Mild wines have always been my favorite. That include low tannins and low acidity. This wine is considered dry with a soft overall flavor. Because of its mild temperament it complements most food dishes and makes for a solid everyday table wine.

Review: 

To the nose: Ripe flavors of seasoned grapes. 

To the palate: Light start, peaked middle and subtle aftertaste.  Low acidity and dry.  Orange and oak are noticeable. 

In the glass: Overall smooth texture. Dark Ruby red. Full bodied.

Wine Review: Toscolo Cianti 2011

Toscolo Chianti is a medium bodied wine holding the flavors of cherries, spices and flowers. It has a strong fruity taste and dark red color.  A touch dry with high acidity. It is a nice wine for drinking with spicy and meat based food. At a price of around $12 dollars a bottle it is both affordable and exotic. You will find this wine as a great food lover’s option.

Meats go well with Chianti type wine due to its higher acidity. You may consider a number of different pairing offerings from Hello Vino.  Each type of wine and food offering shows a possible wine pairing that will work well.  Lasagna, leg of lamb, and pizza are great pairings (1). Think of high protein and greasy to get the best palate coating.

Originally from Tuscany it is a wine that has a little history that dates back to the feudal system. It was originally invented in the 1850’s by Baron Ricasoli at his Broline estate (2). The Italian government had codified his new formulation in 1966 which included some white varieties. Chianti still requires certain standards as a number of farmer’s damaged the quality in the 60’s. Today’s offerings are fairly solid. 

Americans still don’t make Chianti on a significant level. The reason being that Americans think of wines through grape quality while Europeans are into the locality. There is a difference in culture. Americans are practical and Europeans a little more cultural and traditional. Chianti appears to be associated with Tuscany Italy and anything outside of that area is still considered lower quality.  

Wine Review: Monte Antico’s Toscana 2009

                                      Beautiful Beautiful Brown Eyes

Monte Antico's Toscana 2009 has a high grape aroma that is apparent upon first pour. The color is a dark maroon red which indicates its hardiness and ideal winter selection. Tears are large and medium paced that represents its medium body. Oxidization on the glass is apparent that smoothed out the taste.  It is fruity by nature and full of ripe grape flavor. There is a light level of acidity and tannin aftertaste.

Monte Antico’s Toscana  2009 is a red wine blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.  It is an Italian import from the Toscana region. According to Wine-Searcher.com it was the 1199^th popular wine on their site. It was given a rank of 87 and is considered a strong buy. 

The wine comes from the Maremma, Colline Pisane and Colli Fiorentini  regions of Tuscany.  The area’s history is recorded back to the 8^th century B.C. Etruscans  who used to sharecrop with local aristocracy. Half of their grapes were made into wine and exported to Florence. The region primarily worked in guilds to control the market mechanisms. 

The wine is aged in French oak barrels and another six months in the bottle that impacts its darker and more ripe consistency. The oak barrels not only give a slight vanilla taste but also reduce harsh tannins. When possible it is beneficial to seek out wines that have been aged properly within such barrels because they increase the wines quality. 

Wine Poem: Come Now Monarch of the Vine by William Shakespeare

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne

 In thy fats our cares be drown’d,
With thy grapes our hairs be crown’d!
Cup us till the world go round,
Cup us till the world go round!

http://www.monteanticowine.com/