Varietal: Blended Red Wine (70% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Cabernet Franc)
Region: Sicily
Cost: $43
Dark red color with aromas of wild berry, black cherry, leather, earth, and mineral. Â Palate carries over the flavors with the addition of spice and balsamic notes. Â Pairs well with meaty pasta, meats, and some cheeses.
Recommendations: This bottle was given as a gift to me, and I have to say it was pretty enjoyable. Â I had been holding off on opening it until I could pair it with something Italian in nature, and I finally got around to it last Friday. Â My wife decided to make these lasagna rolls that are stuffed with Italian sausage and ricotta cheese, then topped with red sauce and mozzarella and thrown in the oven to bake. Â Very tasty.
As for the wine itself, the dark color was appealing in the glass, and the aromas of berry and black cherry with a hint of earth were enticing. Â On the palate, I continued to get black cherry, and a bit of the spice did come through at the finish for me. Â Nice tannins on the finish made it a great pairing with the lasagna rolls.
My only complaint with this wine is the price. Â I really hope the friend that gave it to me didn’t actually pay $43 for it, because while the wine was good, it wasn’t that good. Â Would I recommend picking this up at around $20-$30 a bottle? Â Absolutely. Â But would I say pay any more than that? Â Nope. Â It was a good wine, but you can find other wines with similar flavor profiles for much less than $40. Â Good, but not worth the suggested prices I found online.
