La Quercia Montepulciano `08 DOC (not TJ's) $13.99 ***

I had a plan when I bought this wine.  I thought that I would cook for "a night of three Montepulcianos" I'd start with my favorite Villa Cerrina ($4.99) then on to this wine ($13.99), then finish the meal with an amazing Vino Noble ($$$) that I have waiting to be opened.  Then I could review the three and the meal built around the wine... umm yeah, plans are GREAT aren't they?

Reality is, Vino Noble is Sangeovese.  oops - wrong wine.  It is 90 degrees here in NYC (has been for a week - it is tropical).  I am exhausted, it has been a rough Summer.  And I use the word ROUGH as a serious understatement and sometimes, you get home on a Friday night, look in the wine closet (yes I have a wine closet) and pull out a random bottle that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

I really like Montepulciano wine, which is funny to me, because I think that Tuscany is overrated, and I love Piemonte. As for Montepulciano, I couldn't pronounce it for months, my brain and tongue would just not coordinate (and I love an Italian). Here it is phonetically: mon-te-pool-CHAH-noh.

Now let's get to the wine.  Upon opening, nice, jammy, yet kind of spicy aromas.  When I poured a glass, slightly acidic, which some people would call "bright" - to me, it is just a reminder that after a couple of glasses, I may get giggly.  It is fresh, easy to drink - there is a savory undertone that some people would call "spice" but to me THAT is the flavor of the wine.  It is like walking past a raspberry bush early in the morning when it is overly ripe and bursting to be picked, it smells fruity but there is a hint heaviness around the edges. 

After I ran this wine through the Vinturi, it was enhanced.  Definitely decant this wine to optimize it.  It smoothed it out, made it seem less acidic.  This is just is a great everyday drinking wine - It's versatile, either as a stand alone or with food wine.  If I weren't so enamored with the Villa Cerrina, this would be a go to wine for me.

It was too hot to cook, so I threw together a salad and it was a nice, light meal, with a good wine.  One day, I will cook my dream "three bottle" meal.  Maybe in the Fall.

Trentatre Rosso `08 IGT $5.99 ****

33.3% Cabernet, 33.3% Merlot and 33.4% Montepulciano. I really, really like it. It is a dry yet jam like red wine that is great for sipping or dining or nibbling. Last night, we opened it for nibbles after polishing off a bottle of my current wine of choice Villa Cerrina Montepulciano. I really really like Montepulciano wine.This wine is already on a lot of internet top 10 lists Jason, over at Jason's Wine Blog liked the `07 too (and he is a much better reviewer than I).  When I sit down and write my list (maybe in another 100 bottles or so) I can imagine that at this price, and with this depth of rich fruity flavor (with a slight taste of leather - really) with just a hint of tannins - It'll be right up there.  It was great last night, and it is just as good today.  After running it through the vinturi today (the bottle was opened last night and vacuum corked, I wouldn't bother decanting it,  it flattens it a bit. 

Thursdays are my market days, and today I scored a portabello, red onion and mozzarella whole wheat foccacia from Buon Pane, and Spring Ramps from Stannard Farms. I reheated half of the foccacia and sauteed the ramps with a slice of bacon on the cast iron grill.  It was a great dinner.

Perazzeta Sara Rosso Toscano `07 IGT (not TJ's) $16.99 **

I am quickly realizing that I am not a fan of Sangiovese wine. I bought this wine at a tasting and at the time, I wrote that it tasted of strawberries. This Toscano is 90% Sangiovese; 10% Ciliegiolo. Today, I taste dried cherry and although it did smell of strawberry, it just wasn't deep or bright enough.  It is just too middle of the road, either be lush or light.  This is meh. With time, it tastes like it got more body, but I am still not a fan. I would love to be able to remember my thought process when I bought it at the tasting - I really believe I marked the wrong wine. 

DO NOT decant it.  After I ran it through the vinturi, I hated it.

I opened this bottle just so I could have some wine this afternoon. It goes with everything, so my grilled chicken Caesar salad it was a safe bet. This wine is a very all around table red.  Not spectacular.  Fruity, acidic.  I prefer Chianti. And for $17.00 yikes, you can find better. No oak, fermented in stainless steel.  I am back to Trader Joes soon, so hopefully I will be buying some cheap bottles.  I just keep thinking that for the price of this bottles, I could buy three Villa Cerrina Montepulciano @ TJ's.

A few hours later, I am drinking this wine alone, and it seems to have more body, and it is perfectly OK.  But for $16.99, I want more.

Menu:
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Hours later:
Parmesan sprinkled popcorn

Villa Cerrina Montepulciano DOC `08 $4.99 ****

It is Tuesday night, I just wanted plonk to go with dinner.  I grabbed a bottle off the top of the rack, checked the label and said why not?  WOW!  It was such a WOW, that after I opened it, I thought I screwed up and had to re-read the label (in my rack I have a very expensive Vino Noble Montepulciano I though I opened the wrong bottle by mistake). This is now my new favorite TJ's all around wine.

First sip, kinda fruity, long finish not many tannins. People may say that there is a leathery taste - hmmm, well for me that would be a really soft taste, nice smell - not fruity, deep. It smells and tastes like a wine that has been aged properly in barrels, and cared for.

Like I said, I ran to the rack to check my bottles - I couldn't believe it for the price.  After the vinturi - nah - it makes the wine too open and it enhances the tannins.  I like it straight from the bottle (well, via the glass).  For $4.99 grab a couple of these, keep 'em on the rack and when you are cooking pizza and antipasti for a quick dinner, or pasta, or pretty much anything casual, this is a great wine to pop open.

Menu:
antipasti (Grape tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, Ligurian sausage, buffalo mozzarella and balsamic vinegar)
Lavash pesto pizza

I am still looking for an apartment, so you'll be seeing a lot of food that seems familiar (I'm eating through the pantry and the wine rack).  If I don't find a new apt by 4/1, I'll be sofa surfing.  When I am settled in a new place, I promise that my menus will be back to the usual standard)