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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend Reserve 2012

Today it's all about the high elevation Red wine from the Andes mountains. Graffigna vineyard is at the foot of Andes Mountains that sit 4600 ft above sea level in San Juan, Argentina. Oh and did I mention that this is one of their reserve unique blends.

It's a little different from what they usually produce, usually this vineyard is known for their Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Grigio but this is a 5 grape blended wine that stands tall with their Malbec and Cab. This is the only perfectly proportioned wine that I have tasted, it's 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 20% Malbec, 20% Bonarda*, and 20% Tannat*. (*Both of these grapes are used for blending with other red wine grapes.)

Velvety smooth with heavy tannins and a bit acidic to the taste. As soon as you swirl this to smell you catch the hints of berry: blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry and it's also in the finish of the taste. A little bit of spice to the taste but two spices that really stand out are Black Pepper and a hint of vanilla.

I had this with Tuna Steak (rare of course) and grilled veggies and last week I had it with veggie risotto. You can enjoy this with food or as a stand alone wine. I suggest to drink this now while it's still on the shelves to buy (average price around $9).

Cheers!

Saturday, October 11, 2014

2012 Camins del Priorat Spanish wine review

Hello I'm back, sorry for staying away for so long. 

A few months ago I celebrated my birthday with a small group of friends and I was fortunate enough to see that they all know me so well...almost all of them brought me a bottle of wine for a present! In the selection of great bottles I came across the 2012 Camins del Priorat by Alvaro Palacios winery and today I decided to try it with my dinner. Thanks friends and here's my review!



The 2012 Camins del Priorat from Alvaro Palacios is a medium bodied wine with with slight tannins that have aftertastes of raspberries and black cherries. Yummy! Being barreled in french oak barrels for only 8 months, it' s youth and crisp just screams jam and an aftertaste of vanilla with a dry finish. With the wine only barreled for 8 months, the alcohol content is high, 14.5% so I would suggest opening this bottle and let breathe for about an hour. Once you pour your wine, swirl the wine in the glass to release the alcohol vapors before trying your first taste of this exquisite wine.

Grapes that are blended in this wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Grenache, and Syrah. An excellent representation of Spanish wine that goes great with hearty vegetarian dishes, light red pasta sauces, or even a flank steak. This wine is perfect for the upcoming fall and winter season. 

I highly recommend this wine for gatherings or special occasions and since the average price is around $21 it's not going to kill your wallet. 

Happy tastings,
Angela