03/222008 / Filed in: Blackbird
Vineyards | merlot | Melini | chianti
| sangiovese
| MacMurray
Ranch |
pinot
gris |
Casa
Lapostolle
The blend: 96% merlot, 4% cabernet sauvignon
Why you should buy it: Because it's one of the most highly regarded boutique wines from Napa. Parker gave it a 91, and he appparently knows what he's talkign about. Also, the winemaker's surname is Gott and the winegrower's name is Pott. When you put those two together I, for one, am a very happy camper.
What it tastes like: Plums plucked from chocolate trees in a valley full of violets... with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee on the side.
What to serve it with: I had it with an amazing hamburger and it was, well, amazing
Say this and sound smart: Dion, Jose Feliciano, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Billy Preston are among the many artists who've covered the Beatles' hit "Blackbird"
The price: $80
The grape: 100% Sangiovese
Why you should buy it: Because Melini has been around for, oh, about 300 years… so they must be doing something right over there in the hills of Tuscany. Their first winery was in Pontassieve, a tiny village near Florence. Today the winery is located at Gaggiano, which sounds funny when you say it.
What it tastes like: there’s an overt smokiness to it that is quite jarring at first, but once your palate adapts it’s a treat. Plush is a word that comes to mind. So is boondoggle, though that word has nothing to do with this wine.
What to serve it with: Steak…bloody. ‘Sketti and meatballs, too.
Say this and sound smart: The Sangiovese Grosso grape is complex and capricious
The price: $31
The blend: I think you’ll agree that it’s all pinot gris (I must say, I’m in a rhyming mood today… hey, hey!)
Why you should buy it: Because winery founder Fred MacMurray starred in “My Three Sons,” and it was, like, one of my favorite shows when I was a kid… in reruns, of course. I’m not that old! Oh, and MacMurray also played the lead in the film “Son of Flubber.” Need I say more?
What it tastes like: Like Peaches without Herb. Like Figs without Newton Like Spice …Posh, not Scary. Almonds WITH the Joy.
What to serve it with: Soft-shell crabs, hard-shell crabs, hermit crabs… er, on second thought, hold off on cooking up the hermit crabs.
Say this and sound smart: Hermits are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. They are not closely related to true crabs.
The price: $20
The blend: 85% Merlot, 15% Carmenere
Why you should buy it: It’s from Chile. What else do you own from Chile? Exactly! So here’s your chance to quit being such a jingoistic consumer.
What it tastes like: Oh, this one really lights my fire. It’s robust, with blackberries and cherry flavor up front. It’s well-structured and very easy to drink.
What to serve it with: A banana… be different!
Say this and sound smart: Yes. We. Can.
The price: $23
|
