First sip - oh yes, this is red wine - not too heavy and just a soft tannin aftertaste. This is a fruity red, dry. I have some Wisconsin Cheddar curds in the fridge, I think that I'll try pairing the wine with some cheese. This isn't a stand alone drinking wine. It needs food to temper and bring out the taste.
A few minutes later...
Provolone & Ham pinwheel and Ruggero - I'll rate it 4 Star. The strength of the provolone is cut by the tannin of the wine, and the salt of the ham... well, that's just a party in my mouth.
This is how I understand pairing - in the comfort of my own home. Once I've developed the vocabulary of taste - then I'll go back to Mario and have his pairings. Because I can only imagine that what I've learned on a Trader Joe's Budget - will be blown out of the water at Otto or Babbo or even Per Se...
Ruggero & Cheddar Curds - not so good. The cheddar is a bit too mild.
This is only my first glass. And I'm going to call it a night. I'll update later this week when I've had this wine with a meal. I'm thinking red sauce Italian - maybe with sausage. I'll go shopping on the way home tomorrow.
The next day..
The wine does not age well. I bought sausage, and made a penne & vodka sauce to go along with, but I have to say - there were no sublime notes like last night. As a matter of fact, I'm not even going to finish the glass.
In summary - drink this when you open it, and have it with food.
Can this wine only be purchased at Trader Joes? Does any one know where else to buy (I live on the N.Shore) or a website?
ReplyDeletewhich year was the wine you tasted?
ReplyDeletewith these wines, the vintage is rather crucial information, as they can vary considerably from year to year.
i love it, it has become one of my favorites, I started buying it for my mother shes in her 80's now her parents use to make wine in their basement when she was a child
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful find! I love a milder red and this was priced and tested just right. its distributed by an Import company here in CALI . Duarte, I think. called D'aquito? maybe this helps? dunno...but i like your blog ..very fun idea and I love my TJs everything! I discovered you trying to look this wine up for my boyfriend so he could try/ buy it. I had an 07
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed this wine as well, it was brought over during a party so we didn't know where they got it. We paired it with simple spice grilled chicken breast and baked potato, with a cucumber vinagrette salad and avocado vinegrette. But I liked also before and after dinner.
ReplyDelete