A Cheap Dry Red Wine

A smooth red blend with lingering fruit flavors. Graceful dark fruit, with hints of berryand spice. Aged in stainless steel tanks. A classic blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Aged ten months in French oak barrels. Full of bright fruit and lingering tannins, this winewas aged for 10 months in French oak barrels. Classic Bordeaux variety aged in French oak barrels for ten months. This wine shows great fruit flavors paired with supple tannins. A dessert wine in the tradition of the finest ruby ports. Made from Chambourcin grapes and aged for 15 months in French. The wine was fortified with a young brandy made from Pinot Noir, distilled by our friends at Old Republic Distillery in York. on September 22, 2014 at 5:00 AM, updated Italy's more than just a country. It's a way of life, a state of mind. And even though many of us have not been there before, most of us think we know what this boot-shaped Mediterranean country is like. We've been inundated for decades with movies made here, from "La Dolce Vita" to "Cinema Paradisio" as well as many English-language movies, including "Roman Holiday" and parts of "The Godfather."

These films have helped create an enduring image of Italy and Italians. Sultry sirens like Sophia Loren or Monica Bellucci.best ever wine cake And when it comes to Italian wine, many people think big, bold Barbarescos or Barolos.wine and food chicago Just like the wide range of movies made in Italy, wine from here covers a huge variety, from subtle, Burgundy-like white wines to complex red wines and crisp sparkling wines that rival ones from Champagne. best usa wine toursThat was my realization during a recent tasting of 67 different Italian wines at Table & Vine in West Springfield.best wine to buy for dinner The wine tasting featured Italian wines from 11 different Italian wineries. wine boxes to ship

And best of all, people from the wineries were there to explain what makes their wines so unique and so special.buy wine accessories set Don't get me wrong. Italy and Italian wines are not a complete mystery to me. I've tasted many Italian wines before. I've been to Italy briefly a few times. And I can even stumble my way through an extremely rudimentary, kindergarten-level conversation in Italian thanks to three semesters in college. But compared to France or Spain, Italy's wine regions have always seemed harder to understand. There are simply just too many regions, subregions and micro regions within each subregion in Italy to understand. Then there's the issue of price. In stores and restaurants, it always seems that the best Italian wines cost $50 or much more per bottle. That's why this recent wine tasting was such an eye-opening experience. Sure, they had some terrific Italian wines on hand that cost $50 or $100 each.

And it was definitely fun trying some of them. But what really impressed me was the wide range of wines under $15 or $20 a bottle that tasted spectacular. One in particular was the Zenato Valpolicella Superiore DOC 2011 ($12.99 at Table & Vine). I'm not sure exactly what it is about this wine region in the northeastern part of Italy that I love, but I often find myself gravitating towards the dry, red wines from here. That probably explains why I enjoyed another, affordable Valpolicella so much at another wine tasting I attended earlier this year. Valpolicella is best known for Amarone, a dry, complex red wine made from from a blend of Corvina, Rondinella and a third grape harvested in the first two weeks of October. Most Amarone's cost well over $50 a bottle in stores. Zenato's Vittorio Marianecci brought two spectacular Amarones to the wine tasting at Table & Vine: Amarone delle Valpolicella Classico DOC 2009 ($54.99 at Table & Vine) and Amarone delle Valpolicella Riserva "Sergio Zenato" DOCG 2008 ($99.99 at Table & Vine).

Both wines are big, robust, blockbusters with a long, luscious aftertaste, especially the 2008 Sergio Zenato. Sure, $100 is a lot to spend on a single bottle of wine. But compared to higher priced red wines from Bordeaux or Burgundy, the price isn't that outrageous given the quality of this superb powerhouse. I also appreciated the buttery taste of Zenato's white wines, particularly the Lugana di San Benedetto DOC 2013 ($12.99 at Table & Vine), and the smooth, long aftertaste of another subtle red wine, Zenato's Valpolicella Superiore Ripassa DOC 2010 ($24.99 at Table & Vine). There were many other wines from other wineries I enjoyed at the tasting. And I plan to write about other Italian wines from the same tasting in future columns. But for quality and price, Zenato's Valpolicella Superiore DOC 2011 for $12.99 a bottle clearly stood out. What makes this wine so special? To start with, this dry, earthy wine tastes great straight out of the bottle. You don't have to decant this wine or wait hours - or years - to enjoy this wine.

I also appreciate the subtle yet long aftertaste of this red wine. It isn't overpowering or cloying, making this wine the perfect choice for a wine range of foods. And since the wine is a blend of the same three grapes used to make an Amarone (in this case, the third grape is Sangiovesse), you can get a great introduction to a terrific wine that costs seven times as much without breaking the bank. So discard the tired old stereotypes about Italy and expensive Italian wine. And start enjoying some great, affordable Italian wines right now.Clear all selections Departments $ to $ Clear all selections $ to $ Clear price of All Online In club Member's Mark Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon (750 ml) | Almaden Cabernet Sauvignon (5 L) | Oliver Soft Red (750ML) | Ste Genevieve Red (1.5 L, 2 ct.) | Franzia Chillable Red (5L) | Almaden Burgundy (5 L) | St. James Winery Blackberry Sweet Wine (750 ml) | Le Grand Pinot Noir (750 ml) |

a cheap dry red wine