I know February claims to be the shortest of months, but to me it always feels like one of the longest. At least that groundhog finally told us that Spring would be coming early! I cannot remember the last time that happened. Fortunately, I had a few wines to help me make it through the month!
Vinaccio Rosso (Tim Manning) Non-Vintage Nerello Mascalese – Rating 1/5
This wine was from Sicily, Italy and sampled on February 5, 2020. I haven’t had many Italian wines, but I regularly hear good things, so this one interested me quite a bit. I was listening to “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn. Nerello Mascalone is known as the “Pinot Noir of Italy” and the deep garnet shining from the glass definitely reflected that. It smelled of tart cherries and bay leaves. The first taste brought forth straight cherry flavors. It was a total cherry bomb and reminded me of cherry Jell-O from my childhood. It had a light body and was light on tannins with medium acidity. The finish lingered only mildly. I paired it with cheese and salami, but the cherry flavor overpowered everything way too much. I didn’t even finish the glass.
Barnard Griffin 2014 Tempranillo – Rating 4/5
This wine was from the Red Heaven vineyard in the Columbia Valley AVA in Eastern Washington and sampled on February 8, 2020. Barnard Griffin is one of our wine club subscriptions. We fell in love with it during a winery tour in Richland, WA. I was listening to “Clarity” by Picken On. This Tempranillo shown with a deep purple hue. There were scents of leather, earth, and tobacco, which was very on point for the varietal. The body and alcohol were both higher, but tannins and acidity were low. It tasted meaty and leathery, with a few hints of black pepper. It had a medium finish. This wine stood up to a hefty pairing of short ribs, a ribeye, and spicy sweet potato fries. It made for a very solid selection for the evening.
Giulani Cannuzze 2016 Chardonnay – Rating 3.5/5
This wine was from Puglia, Italy and sampled on February 19, 2020. After the first Italian wine this month, I was much less excited for a second one. However, I was happy to see a change of grape at least. I was listening to “No Hope Generator” by Mura Masa. The medium yellow coloring was indicative of Chardonnay. It was very fruity on the nose with stone fruits and some floral notes. A heavier body with very low tannins and medium acidity came through. The first taste was surprisingly salty. The finish was mildly buttery, but not overpowering. It was very complex. The second taste brought forth more citrus flavors. It paired well with the citrus on the garlic, lemon, and dijon salmon. This is definitely an interesting Chardonnay worth trying!