South Carolina Wine Joe

I think that I tried Villa Antinori Toscana previously, but did not remember very much about it.  I have seen advertising about it in wine magazines and was aware of good reviews by respected critics but still did not buy it.  Maybe, the price was not a compelling buy.  However, my Costco warehouse reduced the price down to $12.99 and that was enough for me to buy two bottles. Villa Antinori Toscana is considered a "Super Tuscan" wine because it is primarily Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.  A Super Tuscan wine is distinguished from Chianti wine which must be all Sangiovese. The first bottle was quite a disappointment.  There was some dark berry and plum flavor but it was very acidic and not nearly as good as some other Tuscan wines I have been enjoying.  I am glad that I bought 2 bottles, because the second bottle was significantly better with some cherry cola flavor that I did not detect in the first bottle. ...

This blog has been stuck in the south of France lately and my plan was to move on.  Then I found one more French wine on my last trip to Costco that I had to try.  I promise that my next blog will be about a wine from Italy or North America. Languedoc-Roussillon is near the Mediterranean coast from the western edge of the Rhone region to the border with Spain.  This region is the largest wine grape producer in France but is not that well known in North America.  A wide variety of grapes are grown including red Bordeaux grapes and especially red Rhone varietals.  Languedoc has a history of prioritizing quantity over quality but that is rapidly changing and Gerard Bertrand is one of the leaders of that change.  Gerard Bertrand Languedoc features Rhone varietals Syrah and Grenache.  Most Rhone wines emphasize the Grenache grape but this wine features Syrah with Grenache playing a backup role.  The producer does not show the grape percentages on t...

On my last trip to Total Wines, I picked up a bottle of Pierre Henri Morel Signargues Cotes du Rhone Villages 2015.  The wine is a little pricier than the various Cotes du Rhone Villages that I usually buy and I wondered if it would be worth the extra cost. Signargues contains the southernmost vineyards in the Cotes du Rhone region. It is west of Avignon and northest of Nimes.  The vineyards are planted in smooth pebbles deposited thousands of years ago in what was the bed of the Rhone River and the area has a warm dry Mediterranean climate.  The soil and climate stress the vines, thus producing fewer but richer grapes. The wine is produced from 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 5% Carignan and 5% Mourvedre and the alcohol content is indicated as 14%.  The wine is a medium dark violet and has aromas of dark berries.  It is medium bodied with flavors of dark cherry and dark berries.  There is more oak and tannins than some Cotes du  Rhone wines and there is ...

The second wine from my recent trip to Total Wines is Halos de Jupiter Costieres de Nimes 2015.   Costieres de Nimes is the southernmost wine growing region in the Rhone valley of France.  The region has a Mediterranean climate with sea breezes due to its proximity to the coast.  The region predominately produces red wines with lesser amounts of white and Rose. As with most Rhone red wines, this blend is predominately Grenache.  However, there is no Syrah or Mouvedre and the blend is actually 80% Grenache and 20% Carignan.  North Americans may not know Carignan but it is one of the most grown grapes in France where it is usually blended with other grapes.  If Carignan is grown in the US., it is usually is a component of a low priced box wine. This wine has a medium dark red color and the aroma tells you it is a Rhone blend before the first sip.  It is medium bodied and has the usual rhone flavors of cherry, dark cherry, dark berries and a litt...

Lately, I have been enjoying wines from Rhone France and from Italy but have not found anything interesting at Costco.  Total Wines and More currently has a coupon offer for 20% off wines from France, Italy and Spain, so I stopped by to try something new.   The first wine from my haul is Figli d'Italia Leone d'Oro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.  Leone d'Oro literally means Golden Lion which is the symbol for the Sons of Italy organization. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine is primarily Sangiovese from the vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano in southern Tuscany and is considered among Italy's best wines.  If you have read my past blogs, you already understand that this wine should not be confused with wine made with the Montepulciano grape. This full bodied wine begins with red and black berry flavors but as the wine lingers in the mouth it finishes with leathery, smoky, earthen flavors.  It is a dry wine which would pair nicely with hearty red pas...

I first reviewed the Kirkland Signature Bordeaux Superieur in November 2014.  The 2015 wine now costs one dollar more ($7.99) and the blend is slightly different than the 2012 vintage. The 2015 Kirkland Bordeaux Superieur is blended from 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot and was aged 12 months in oak barrels.  The alcohol content is 13.5%. I found the initial sip of the wine to be quite enjoyable with Cabernet Sauvignon flavors of plum and dark berries.  As the wine lingers in the mouth, the fruit flavors give way to a less desirable, slightly sour finish.  I always appreciate a wine that shows more than one flavor but in this case, the start was better than the finish.  All in all, the wine is quite drinkable for a small price. SC Wine Joe rating = 88 points

It is a cold January day in South Carolina, but as you can see in the photo below, the sun is shining brightly thru my window.  There are no clouds in the sky and I can almost imagine that Spring is on the way.  J Pinot Gris California is the perfect match for my imagination. This Pinot Gris has bright crisp flavors of lemon, peach, apple and pear.  I note some minerality from start to finish and I think it is a little more tangy than the Oregon Pinot Gris wines that I have been drinking.  This is just the right beverage for my late afternoon musings. The grapes for this wine are from Lodi (62%), Clarksburg (17%) and the Russian River Valley (21%) and the wine has 13.5% alcohol.  I have been buying it at Costco for several months at $11.99. In general, I cannot say this Pinot Gris is as good as the Willamette Valley Pinot Gris I regularly buy, but it sure is great today. SC Wine Joe does not give a numerical rating to white wines.