Il Prosecco NV

If there is a sparkling wine from a region I am reviewing you can bet that it will be tasted during the week. Luckily enough Italy makes a great tasting light sparkler called Prosecco. While it doesn't usually have the flavor depth of champagne, they do provide a great alternative to pair with appetizers or light dishes. And, they are usually priced very attractively.

The prosecco I chose to taste this week is Il Prosecco. I have not had this before and the packaging of the wine caught my eye. It comes in a bowling pin shaped bottle with a "beer cap" type closure. The pricing also caught my eye and was curious what an $11 sparkler could offer.

The color of the wine was almost non-existent. Very, very pale straw. The aromas were very hard to detect and all I was able to smell were hints of peach and some yeast. The bubbles are very tiny, but dissipate very quickly.

The flavor was also very light and was just peach and a Small amount of pear. This was not complex, but would be a great introduction to sparkling wine or would serve as a great mixer or aperitif.

Overall, it wasn't a bad choice and was easy to drink. However, I feel there are other prosecco products in the market that are much more complex for just a few more dollars (<$20).

2007 Cavalchina Bardolino

This is red wine from the Bardolino region. It is in northern Italy and is 19 miles from Verona and about 90 miles from Milan. The wine is made of three native grapes...corvina, rondinella and molinara. These are grapes that are probably not as familiar to American wine drinkers as sangiovese, but this is a great blend.

The color of the wine is a dark ruby. The aromas are all red and black cherry with some nutty overtones.

The flavors continue the aroma profile, but I also detect some spice that rounds out the profile quite nicely. The tannins are very well integrated and the alcohol at 12.5% never overpowers the fruit.

I have never had a wine from Bardolino, but I will be looking for wines from this region in the future. This is one of the most approachable and easy to drink Italian reds I have ever had. We had this for dinner with lasagna and it was perfect.

I believe this price point is in the mid-teens.

2008 Ca' Montini Pinot Grigio

I am usually not a fan of pinot grigio, but apparently I've been drinking the wrong ones. I went to the store to see what could be recommended and I didn't want to review the Santa Margherita that I see everyone drinking.

The color of the wine was a light straw yellow. The aromas were granny smith apples, pears and some citrus.

The flavors of apples, citrus, and peaches were very well integrated and rich. There was also good acidity and crispness. Great wine and one that I will be drinking throughout the summer.

This was purchased at Old Town Liquors in Louisville, KY for $13. Go buy some. I don't have a picture, but just look for the tall tapered bottle. Great presentation.

2008 Buon Appetitio Nero D'Avola

I tasted this 2008 Buon Appetito Nero D'Avola at a wine tasting at the 610 Magnolia restaurant in Louisville, KY. I have had a couple of Nero D'Avola wines from Sicily and have found them to be great bargain wines.

The color was a tawny purple with reddish hues. This was a lot lighter than the other Nero D'Avola wines I have tried. The aromas were roasted plums, some dark berries and a nice earthiness.

The taste of the wine was very strong roasted plums and black cherries. There was also nice spice in the background. The retail price on this wine was $11 and I think it represents a good value. It is not complex, but for a weeknight when you need something with backbone to pair with hearty Italian dishes I think this would fit the bill nicely.

2006 Monte Antico Toscana

The Monte Antico Toscana was listed as #61 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2009. At around $12 per bottle I thought it was worth a try. The wine is from the Tuscany region of Italy and is a blend of 75% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The color of the wine was a light purple and had aromas of red berries with plums and some spice. It was a very pleasing bouquet that made me look forward to tasting it.

The taste was lighter than I had expected and the fruit was light, but pleasing. I found the wine to be balanced and had good acidity. I'm not sure if it's the #61 wine of the year, but I thought it was a good wine and would be great to have around if friends dropped by or if you were eating pasta with a rich meat sauce. Good value for the money

2008 Ruffino Libaio Chardonnay

This is another Ruffino product, also given to me by my friend Michael. Given last nights tasting of the Sauvignon Collio I was a little hesitant even though this producer makes very quality product. This is a chardonnay from Tuscany and is unoaked.

The color of the wine was between light straw and golden yellow. The aromas were red apples, flowers and vanilla.

The taste was red apples, light citrus and honey. The wine had good acidity and a nice finish. This was not overly complex, but I thought it was a solid effort for the $13-14 price point.

I think this would be great to start a meal or with light fish.

2007 Borgo Conventi Sauvignon Collio

This wine is from Italy and will be the first wine of the week from that country. This was a gift from my friend Michael.

I was not familiar with this wine before the tasting, but it does come from a good producer, Ruffino. The color was a pale yellow-green. The aromas were odd. The only way I can describe it is musty and strong smell of petroleum.

The taste was initially more pleasing than the aroma. It had flavors of apples, herbs and citrus. However, on the finish the taste of alcohol was very persistent. It wasn't hot...instead it reminded me of grappa.

I don't think Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli is supposed to taste like this. I am going to purchase a different bottle to compare. New tasting notes will be posted.