-
Bought this one from the K&L Wines website because not only was the '06 listed as one of their most popular red wines, it was also the bestselling Italian wine they sold all last year. And then they had the guts to declare that the '07 was even better.

On top of that, turns out I'm not the only one to try this wine - Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine Library gave the '06 an 89 in his podcast Episode #347, it's part of Wine Spectator's top 100 value wines with a 90 point rating and it's talked about on more blogs than most wines I've seen.

What? How did I show up so late to this party?

Let me first start by saying that I don't know a lot about Italian wines. I know I like most Barolo's I've tasted and don't like most Chianti's, but other than that, I'm a bit of a novice with Italian wine. So, it's always nice to find a good one in the $10 price range as it makes it easier to experiment.

K&L has this to say about it: The nose is packed with black fruit, especially blackberries and plums, with slight spicy overtones hinting at black pepper and cinnamon. Sweet, soft tannins come together in a closely-woven texture that merges with the fruit, while a crisp freshness provides a long, tasty finish. Great with anything in a red sauce!

On the nose I got dirt and grass and plum and cherry and chocolate, all mixed up like a rich, aromatic stew. A good solid swirl and I also pick up some crushed black pepper and even just a hint of menthol. Great nose on this wine. It's big and intense and complex, which, for me, is exactly what I like - builds so much expectation for tasting the wine. As for taste, definitely on the earthy and not entirely old school, but on the older school side of red wine. Some good solid young fruit, nice acidity and strong tannins that are drinkable now, but should also be good with a few years of aging. On the palate - front, mid and back all powerful and lasting.

Are you getting the point here? I love this wine. Hard to believe this is going for $11.

Now, to be fair and give a contrasting point of view, my wife is looking at me like I have just gone over the edge, as if we just put my taste buds out with the rest of the trash, waiting to be hauled off to their well deserved resting place. Which is odd because we usually agree on a lot of wines. But, she thinks it's earthy and stinky, with a healthy sprinkling of fresh manure, and can't imagine what in the world it is that I like about this wine.

So, as in so many successful and long-lasting marriages, we've decided to agree to disagree.

What you should do: Don't listen to my wife - buy this now and drink it now. It's an amazingly good wine for the price and should age well, probably over a couple of years. Also, if you know of other Italian wines like this, let me know...would love to try some of your suggestions.

My rating: 90
Blog
Gadget