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Tag Archives: sicily

Diversi dal Solito Vino Rosso 2019, Sicily, Italy

24 Thursday Dec 2020

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$19, 2 stars, 86 points, firstleaf, Italy, sangiovese, sicily


Here’s the scene- it’s Christmas Eve, Moxie is making her grandmother’s famous Holiday Crunch for dinner (a pasta casserole) and I am having to pick between four different bottles to try. Eenie meenie moe and voila- the Vino Rosso beats the Barolo, the Gigondas and the Cab Franc.

No idea what the blend is until I pour the wine, it’s gotta be a Sangiovese. Light purple, totally see through and obviously Italian. The nose gives me muted cherry, raspberry and cedar plank. On the palate it is very soft and easy drinking. Strawberry and cherry give it away. Very little tannin make this super light weight and easy without any astringency or acid. The mid palate is a red fruit melange plus some plum that takes me to the short lived finish. Right at the very end I sense some acidity taking hold, but it’s not jaw dropping. A tasty wine that will go well with our pasta dish which normally gets smothered in hot sauce. 86 points and 2 stars for this $19 charmer. Drink now. Salut….

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Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali Cabernet Sauvignon Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

22 Sunday Nov 2020

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$50, 5 stars, 92 points, cabernet sauvignon, Italy, sicily, VWTC


The finale for the 12th virtual wine tasting was a stunner. Dark purple, opaque and very powerful on the nose. Spice box, vanilla, cocoa powder, black cherry and jam were all noted as was, dare I say- plastic and banana. The palate gave us black fruit jam, black tea bursting with beautiful tannins that really coated the mouth. This wine was delicious and I made note that the oak use was very judicious and well played. There was a shot of pepper on the short finish, which took a few points off the table. Still young, it will develop nicely and drink well till 2030. I’m going lower than the pros with 92 points and 5 stars. $50 is not cheap, but this wine has loads of stuffing to it and will get better with time. Salut….

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Tintoretto Sangiovese 2019, Sicily, Italy

11 Wednesday Nov 2020

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$17, 4 stars, 89 points, firstleaf, Italy, sangiovese, sicily


Semi opaque with deep red color and thin legs in the glass.  On the nose I get cherry,  cinnamon, juniper and oak.  The palate has got cherry juice, blood orange and fruit cake notes with some lovely tannins to give it a touch of dryness.  There’s a hint of astringency on the mid palate that quickly fades into a juicy finish that gives me rhubarb and cherry flavors along with that touch of wood.  A delicious, lighter style of Sangiovese that will drink well into 2025.  I’m pairing it with Chicken Alfredo.  89 points and 4 stars for this $17 wine. Salut….

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Cusumano Nero d’Avola Terre Siciliane IGT 2018, Sicily, Italy

26 Sunday Apr 2020

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$12, 4 stars, 89 points, Italy, nero d'avola, sicily, VWTC


Number two in the virtual line-up was this Nero D’Avola from Sicily.  I wanted to add a relatively unknown varietal to try and introduce new wines to my friends.  This one was a steal at $12 and scored highly amongst the attendees.  I gave it 89 points and will go with 4 stars.  It had some very nice black fruits, good tannic structure and a decent finish of licorice and oak adding to plums.  Cellar for up to 6 years.  A good wine to have in case you need a quick go-to bottle.  Salut….  

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Cantina Colomba Bianca ‘Vitese’ Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2016, Sicily, Italy

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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$12, 5 stars, 90 points, Italy, nero d'avola, sicily


Inky purple with medium opaque hues.  Nose is crushed blueberries with black berry jam.  The palate is lovely, blueberry with açaí berry and fig.  The tannins are so sleek, they sneak up on me at the end.  The mid palate has a nice body to it and shows off more blue fruits.  The finish is of medium length, slightly dry and more of a black fruit tint.  90 points and 5 stars for this $12 wine.  Paired with Truffled Ravioli, seared Petit Sirloin and tomato jam.  Drink till 2022.  Salut….

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Settesoli Nero d’Avola 2012

25 Thursday Sep 2014

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$15, 3 stars, 88 points, nero d'avola, sicily


I really dig Nero d’Avola, it’s a Sicilian specialty that offers up great tannins and a nice mouthfeel of plums and dark fruits.  This particular bottling has Syrah added to brighten it up slightly.  I enjoyed the plums and blackcurrants of this bottling along with some oaky, smoky hints and star anise.  Cherry cola comes to mind as a mid-palate descriptor.  Smooth tannins balance the mild acidity and give this wine a nice, if short finish.  An easy drinker that won’t break the bank, it offers a medium body with some level of complexity at only $15 a bottle.  88 points from me make this a solid 3 star wine that introduces this neat grape to the masses.  Look for it and serve it up with some pasta, perhaps even osso bucco.  Salut….

settesoli nero d'avola

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Feudo Maccari Saia 2010

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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$25, 5 stars, 91 points, nero d'avola, sicily


If you have never had a Nero D’Avola wine before, you must.  From Sicily comes this black wine with ample tannins and great depth.  This particular wine was as expected.  Bold black cherry and dark fruits with a hefty dose of tannin that was somewhat curbed yet providing a strong backbone.  The use of oak was deftly hidden and the acidity was great.  The wine is slightly rustic and needs a big plate of salami, olives and some hard cheeses to really get it going.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend this $25 offering for the uninitiated.  91 points and 5 stars.  Salut…IMG_0537

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