Acquagiusta - Rosso

Year: 2008
Bodega: Rosso
Country: Italy
Region: Toscana
Grapes: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Merlot (35%), and Syrah (30%).

This wine was recommended to me by a coworker and President of the Food and Wine Society of his city. He is an older gentleman, very good at his job and with good life and wine advice.
Description:
- Complex, woodsy smell, but very light, not strong
- Colour deep red, almost purple in the light
- Dark fruit flavors, mixed with oakiness in this wine, and spices
- Velvety tannins, semi-long aftertaste
- Full-bodied and smooth to the taste

Tonight, the wine will be paired with a "Greek style" pizza - with dough made from scratch, basil pesto, spinach, campari tomatoes, kalamati olives, Valbrezo feta cheese, banana peppers, sprinkled with a bit of rosemary and oregano, and topped with grated whole milk mozzerella cheese.

Music Selection:

Question - Old 97s
Song from SCRUBS

Personal Rating: 7 / 10
I have no complaints with this wine, but it doesn't have the spicy, bold flavours I prefer in a red. A good wine that won't disappoint, but not entirely something I was attracted to.

Riparosso - Illuminati - Montepulciano

Year: 2008
Bodega: Illuminati
Country: Italy
Region: Abruzzo
Grapes: Montepulciano 100%.

About the Montepulciano Grape:
Montepulciano is a grape. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a wine made from the grape, in the region of Abruzzo. Montepulciano is also a village in Tuscany, that happens to be nowhere near where the grape is grown. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is the name of a wine that has absolutely no Montepulciano in it (it’s Prugnolo Gentile, the local name for Sangiovese). So why is a grape named for a village so far away from where it’s actually grown? No one knows. Characteristics of the grape: plump, juicy, medium to full-bodied, low to medium tannins, cherry, red plum, hint of clove, sometimes slightly vegetal, more aged versions show some coffee and chocolate notes. (www.snooth.com)


Description:
- complex, semi-dry, lightly succulent
- un equilibrio maravilloso de la fruta y la estructura
- smell is strong and clear, heavy fruit notes of blackberries,black raspberries, maybe blueberries, those kind of things.
- smooth taste, lush seductive tannins

I've read that the Illuminati family of this winery (lead by Stefano Illuminati) feel a special kinship with Texas. They fly a Texas flag out in front of their winery and display on the porch a certificate signed by former Texas Gov. George Bush declaring Dino Illuminati, the family patriarch and Stefano's dad, an honorary Texan.

I would pair this wine with a Catalan fusion dish I created the day before: oven roasted in olive oil - eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlics, and red peppers - dressed in olive oil, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar. And topped with pan roasted boneless chicken.

"You and I" by Lady Gaga

Powerful song for a powerful wine. Just makes you want to go out on the porch of a rustic farm house at dusk with it, and this song.

Personal Rating - 8.5 / 10
One of the best wines I've ever tasted. Now that I can no longer find my staple, favorite wine Periguita by Jose Maria Fonseca, this will be new go-to wine for regular weekend and weekday meals. It's so good.