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2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Allegrini

This Amarone gem breaks a run of recent “meh” Italian wines sampled for Notes in recent weeks. Whereas each of those was undermuscled and generally thin, this 2015 Amarone from Allegrini compared very favorably to what I traditionally enjoy in a new world Cab, Syrah, or robust red blend. Thanks for the great birthday gift Mom, and here for you all is the run down on the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico – Allegrini.

2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, Allegrini, Italy.

Notes has covered on a few prior occasions the process used in the production of Amarone wines (just browse or filter by “Amarone” if you’re interested), so a repeat is unnecessary here. Do know that this wine packs in nearly 15% alcohol and is a powerhouse. It is full of fruit (corvinone, oseleta, rondinella, and corvina veronese grapes) and has a pleasantly bitter finish. In sampling the 2015 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico, you’ll likely detect black cherry, a little bit of chocolate, and certainly the “raisin” or dried fruit typical of an Amarone. That’s one of my favorite notes and I’m 100% confident I could pick it out from other varietals.

This 2015 accompanied a Mediterranean meal that was as fun to prepare as it was to eat. Our menu included a Greek salad (cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, mushrooms, and green onions, accompanied by a homemade dressing of vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper), falafel, tabouleh, tzatziki, hummus, and toasted bread that stood in for pita. My favorite of the foodstuffs was a lemon dill yogurt sauce that accented any of those bites. It’s one of those meals where you can search all night for the right combination that produces the “ideal bite” and enjoy the hell out of each attempt – even when you fail you win.

Plus, we had this rich, balanced drink to make the whole thing come together. The Allegrini Amarone is high class grapes, and we treated it with all the necessary respect. Our only want here was a second bottle. Give it a go and you’ll know exactly what I mean. Big thanks for this thoughtful and delicious gift!

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2016 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon,Duckhorn Wine Company

Yeah, this is birthday wine, and grapes done well. Big shout out to my brother Steve for the amazing hookup–this was an unexpected surprise and much appreciated!

If you’re following this Notes journey, you may have realized the Italian wines about which I’ve recently written were not in fact consumed in the hillsides of Montepulciano but rather here in NC while looking wistfully overseas. In the spirit of solidarity, I’ve tried to embrace those grapes but they are not as near or dear to my heart as is a Napa Cab. Brother, this is exactly what the doctor ordered!

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2016 Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon, Duckhorn Wine Company, Napa Valley, California, USA.

So here we are: birthday dinner. This one checks all the boxes. The perfect date? Yes. Steak? Yes. Asparagus and crispy crowns? Check! And a lovely Napa Cab–this is about a good a day you can have in the middle of a workweek slash pandemic. (Yes, my favorite movie is queued up too…of course I honor traditions always, and hell yes to thine own self be true…)

The Duckhorn has a host of great qualities, and great brand awareness too–deservedly so. It’s pleasantly fragrant when uncorked, an oaky, plum that’s completely enticing. Even before pouring, I know it’s a much heartier wine than the Nebbiolos I’ve been recently sampling. In the glass it’s ruby red, nearly purple. This Cab is more dark fruit than red…more plum and blackberry than dark cherry…and has really nice, subtle notes of spice to it too. I love it immediately, as does Cara. The best sip is your first, and the worst is your last…because…well…

A Duckhorn Cab is one of those reasons you push through a tough workday, slog through challenging work, bosses, and clients. It’s the way you reward yourself for taking it all on, headfirst and like a man, for answering the bell each new round. I’m so appreciative of the gift, and for the occasion. Looking forward to my next, and sending big thanks to you all who took time to make an impact on my day.

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2017 The Sheriff of Buena Vista, Buena Vista Winery

If you’ve spent time with Notes in the past, you’ll know how much I enjoy the The Sheriff of Buena Vista red blend. Its luscious combination of Petite Sirah, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Mission, and Merlot grapes has been well-traveled ground, and you can read my feedback on the 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2013 each here. I’m offering similar praise this evening, albeit perhaps in a less verbose post than usual.

2017 Sheriff of Buena Vista, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA.

There is tons of big fruit in this wine, rich flavors of blackberry and dark cherry with little spice accents that are really a treat. Be sure to read previous coverage of the Sheriff if you’re up for a deeper dive into the wine itself. While I’m always biased toward the Petite Sirah offered by Buena Vista (you’ve just got to hit their Karoly’s Selection…), I’m always very pleased when I remember I’ve ordered up a bottle of the Sheriff too.

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2017 Machete, Orin Swift Cellars

 

We all know that ‘normal’ life has taken on new meaning over these last weeks. Jobs, values, and activities that we’ve perhaps taken for granted have been fundamentally changed in ways that are still to be fully determined. Our connectivity to one another continues to evolve in near real-time, and one of the ways I keep my calm and share my values is here in Notes.

2017 Machete, Orin Swift Cellars, Saint Helena, California, USA.

2017 Machete, Orin Swift Cellars, Saint Helena, California, USA.

The 2017 Machete, a Milk Run release from Orin Swift Cellars, is a great reason to hit the keys. It’s a petite sirah, but the wine is anything BUT petite in taste. This Machete is actually a blend of Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Grenache grapes, and it packs a helluva wallop. It pours the darkest purple in your glass, as Notes has covered previously, and invests plum and blackberry in every sip. 

We had this 2017 Machete with Mexican-spiced shrimp lettuce (butter lettuce made great little cups!), black beans, and Poblano pepper. Navel orange and drizzle of garlic yogurt helped offset the spices of the shrimp, and though I suspect a crisp, minerally wine would have been the go-to choice for this food, we did the Machete thing instead—to great effect, I might add.

Our friends at Orin Swift say,

“Massive on the entry, the mid-palate is diverse with flavors of dark plus, black pepper, Amarena cherries, slow-roasted Moroccan lam and a marbled leather texture.”

Love this juice so very much…

Cara pointed out that you, dear readers, have a host of blogs to browse at present. I’m grateful that you’re taking a moment to check out this one—thanks and cheers to you all.

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2017 Centine Rosso Banfi

Honestly, this time it’s not about the wine or tasting notes. The 2017 Centine Rosso Banfi is more about the tip of the cap. It’s a red blend consolation prize doled out by COVID-19, aka the coronavirus. Yes this a wine from Tuscany but those are not the foothills of beautiful Montepulciano in this background. That Italy trip will have to wait for another day…

2017 Centine Rosso Banfi, Tuscany, Italy.

…and the situation over there is deteriorating rapidly; Cara and I have wayward eyes cast in that direction even while we enjoy this amazing scenery (which involved several white-knuckle moments on the drive in). We’re trying to unwind airline, hotel, and similar reservations while trying out this Italian red and a few similar bottles from the old country.

This is a medium red, a cherry- and strawberry-noted Tuscan offering that combines Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grapes. The wine is (curiously) lighter than all three, which seems odd to me given that it’s a blend delivered on the backs of these richer reds. We’re drinking it, and that’s fine and all, but different from sampling Tuscan reds straight out of the vineyard tasting room(s). Each of us is a “glass-is-half-full” optimist, pun intended, and looking forward to another shot at Repubblica Italiana.

Wishing you well, readers, and stay safe out there.

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2017 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery

Buena Vista Winery has been good to me for a long time. My first taste came during a pop-in visit during a Sonoma wine country trip, and Buena Vista wine has become a staple to which I often turn for life’s celebrations, large and small. This evening included!

2017 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah, Buena Vista Winery, Sonoma County, California, USA.

Thus, the 2017 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah celebrates the end of a long streak: I had gone nearly 20 years without breaking a bone (and funny how so many of the fellas remember that occasion and its poor choices) but that run was fractured this week. Officially it’s a closed, non-physeal metatarsal fracture at the lesser toe. Don’t bother looking that up—means I broke a small bone in my foot near the smallest toe. Three quick x-rays told the doctors all they needed, and I’m now in a ridiculous little walking shoe. It’s not quite a “boot” but still makes me feel clumsy.

So did cutting my index finger earlier this week…and the puncture wound I made in my palm just now. In a week filled with bad moves, the best two I made were inviting a special lady to join me for a post-emergency room dinner and serving us this 2017 Karoly’s Selection. This wine pours crazy dark purple in the glass, and it packs pungent earthy notes into its intense berry flavors. You have definite plum and black cherry or blackberry scents in play. It’s aged 18 months in 100% French oak (30% new). We both nodded in appreciation and set forth on this wine plus Greek food that included salads (cucumber sauce!), kabobs (both chicken and lamb), and carbs—for at least one of us 🙂

The Buena Vista team remarks, “On the palate, bold flavors of blackberries, raspberries, and a hint of cola lead to a full body with rich tannins, well-balanced acid, and a satisfying, lingering finish.”

Really good grapes! I just ordered another bottle tonight for February shipment and that’ll be fun to enjoy too. 

This bottle of 2017 Karoly’s Selection Petite Sirah is individually numbered, and 5381 has been a real treat. Raise your glasses, to yourselves, your loved ones, and to the start of a new streak—hopefully one that’ll carry me through the rest of my days. Thanks as always for your readership.  

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WA5, Locations Wine

This day started with a quest for martini fixings, but since all the local ABC stores are closed for the holiday, it’s wine time here. Yes I am a fan of all things Dave Phinney, and I thought the WA locations would be more than a great fill-in for the missing well drinks.

WA5, Locations Wine, Napa, California, USA.

Importantly, know this bottle fits all the beats of a Phinney wine. Ripe, layered, and kitchen-sink style in its blend overall. This one is blueberry, it is blackberry, and it is hints of merlot to be sure. I found it to be fruit-forward but not the flavor bomb that some of Dave’s creations can embody. I assert here it was the right bottle for the evening, one where I’m recuperating from weeks of overwork and singular focus on a particular outcome. 

The WA Locations 5 accompanied a green salad (complete with mushrooms, yellow onion, radishes, arugula, and cucumbers) and a kick-ass chili that was kicked up with the heat—cumin, chili powder, and all the accoutrements. A nice give and take between the grapes and the food!