Italy Reds
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Rock Point Pinot Gris 2019: $16.95
What you can Expect: Birthday bottle #2, you had to know this one with beef on the menu. A big and powerful, Amarone. Rich and plush, with luscious chocolate, licorice, prune, nutty and floral flavors. Demands a hearty meal like barbecued back ribs, rack of lamb or...
Villa Annaberta Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG 2016: $39.80
Veneto, Italy What You Can Expect: Decanter gives it 90 points, and I would too! The Cottini family strictly adheres to the requirements of Amarone production to create this elegant and harmonious example. Deep ruby in color with aromas of dark fruit, licorice, fig...
$62.95 – Fumanelli Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2015, Corvina Blend
What do I think: Might just be the best Amarone I have ever had. Mushroom and pancetta, OK, but this has “where’s the beef” written all over it! Note the 120-day process – thus the cost. Christmas, although different, is coming – splurge a bit if you can. What the...
$41.00 – Masi Costasera Amarone Classico DOC 2013
What the Experts say: Deep purple ruby color; rich, ripe, plummy cherry aromas and flavors with hints of chocolate, spice and earth; full- bodied with a firm, long finish. What do I think: Have a sniff before you drink, enjoy the aroma and prepare for Grape...
$39.95 – Cesari Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOC
What the Experts say: Deep ruby colour; dried cherries, plums, herb and tobacco aromas; dry, medium to full bodied; rich flavours plums, dried red berries and spice; long finish. What do I think: If I only had one wine to drink for the rest of my life…it would be...
$45.00 – Masi Costasera Amarone Classico DOC
What the Experts say: Deep purple ruby colour; rich, ripe, plummy cherry aromas and flavours with hints of chocolate, spice and earth; full- bodied with a firm, long finish. What do I think: I repeat… If I only had one wine to drink for the rest of my life…it would...
$55.00 – Cinque Stelle 2011 Amarone della Valpolcella Classico
2011 no longer available but the LCBO has a 2015 available at $53.95. So we up the ante with this one but everyone once in a while we need a little Amarone, especially if you are having a nice steak or prime rib! But this is truly good with almost anything. Full...
$34.95 – Farina Le Pezze Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2013
So this might not be your best choice for a turkey wine. But personally I would drink Amarone with almost anything! Spoiled wino. Sooooooooo good! And we should not assume that everyone has turkey. Lamb or even steak would be a great Christmas meal. A classic...
Lornano Chianti Classico 2016: $19.95
What You Can Expect: You pay a little more, you get a little more in this well rounded Chianti produced from 100% Sangiovese grapes. Beautiful aroma and a rich dark color for this Chianti which I would lean towards full bodied. Highly recommended.
Duca Di Saragnano Chianti Governo, 2019: $14.75
What You Can Expect: A Tuscan All-Star, Chianti, especially at this price. Deep dark rich in color, bold red fruit aromas and well-rounded on the pallet.
Cavaliere D’Oro Gabbiano Chianti DOCG, 2019: $14.05
What You Can Expect: Another very reasonably priced Chianti. Light to medium bodied and flavorful. Perfect for pizza or pasta night.
$28.60 – Ruffino Chianti 2018
What you can Expect: A few bucks more gets you Ruffino’s original wine, and one of the world’s most recognized Tuscan wines. The wine is extra dry, medium-bodied and well-structured. Enjoy aromas and flavours of chestnut, leather, rye bread and red berry fruit, with...
$22.95 – Santa Margherita Chianti Classico 2017
What can you Expect: A couple of more bucks gets you just a little more flavour and smoothness! A blend of Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot. A brilliant dark red ruby look.
$20.95 – Pèppoli Chianti Classico 2018
What can you Expect: From one of my favorite Italian wine families, Antinori. A food-friendly Chianti Classico made on the historic Pèppoli estate, whose vineyards date back to the Middle Ages. Feature’s cherry, currant, leather and herbal notes. Pair with homemade...
$14.80 – Rocca Delle Macie Chianti Vernaiolo DOCG 2019
What can you Expect: Another bargoon at $15.00 bucks. Great for any day you just need a glass of wine! Dark ruby color, extra dry medium bodied with a little spice. Pizza and pasta are perfect accompaniments.
$15.95 – Rocca delle Macìe Riserva Chianti 2018
What you can Expect: A bargoon at $16.00 (Cdn). A dry red, medium bodied and fruity with a hint of chocolate.
$19.80 – Melini Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2017
What you can Expect: A dry smooth silky medium red with a nice aroma of red fruits, well rounded flavour. Very easy to get carried away once you open this bottle.
$15.95 – Leonardo Chianti Fiasco 2018
What do I think: A little deja-vous, remembering the days we all liked to stick candles in the wicker wrapped bottles. A solid Chianti for $16, nice little aroma with a smoother solid finish. Well worth the extra couple of bucks from the Fiorini. What the Experts...
$17.95 – Sella & Mosca Riserva Cannonau Di Sardegna 2015
This 100% Grenache is possibly the best wine on this entire list. Aged two years in large Slavonian oak barrels with more than six additional months of bottle aging, it’s rich, complex and balanced, with aromas that suggest a blend of black and ripe red berry fruit,...
$17.95 – Srella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Reserva 2015
What the experts say: Cannonau is the Sardinian name for that darling Mediterranean grape, Grenache. This traditional version has complex flavours of plum, wild berries, leather and spice. Enjoy with grilled lamb or beef kebabs, or osso buco. What do I think: This is...
$17.00 – Bollato di Guarini Negroamaro/Primitivo 2018
What You Can Expect: Another intriguing stubby bottle, so far I am 2 for 2 with wine coming out of a stubby bottle. Deep rich full bodies ruby in colour and intriguing aroma of black berries. Grape blend is 70% Negroamaro, Primitivo 30% good to note to keep an eye...
$18.95 – Pietra Pura Mandus Primitivo di Manduria 2017
Puglia, Italy What do I think: Intense in aroma and flavour, a spec buy and pleasantly surprised. What the Experts Say: Expect a complex, layered wine that will feature tobacco, leather, fig, prune, vanilla, earth, red berry and a sexy hint of chocolate. This will be...
$12.95 – Fantini Numero Uno 2017 Primitivo
Chocolate, plum, strawberry, forest floor aromas, a touch of smoke and even a little sweet lemon buried in this densely coloured, full-bodied Zinfandel (Primitivo in Italy). It’s a tad on sweet side, but it’s a characteristic that subsides with decanting. Quite a...
$16.95 – Masseria Altemura Sasseo Primitivo 2016
From the heel of the Italian boot, this deep, opaque ruby red Primitivo (Italy’s Zinfandel) offers a great price-quality ratio. The harmony is just excellent between the elegant tannins, fresh acidity and cranberry/prune/blackcurrant/plum/strawberry compote—all...
$11.30 – Luccarelli 2016 Puglia Primitivo
This deeply coloured Primitivo (Italy’s Zinfandel) is young and not that complex, but decanting still takes the raw edge off and lets the fruit and taste shine through. Medium-bodied with bright acidity, blackberry, strawberry, prune, spice and a little leather. Nice...
$19.95 – Cesari Mara Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2018
What you can Expect: Another old favourite, this iconic Italian wine, made with a second fermentation of Valpolicella on the lees of Amarone. Dry, with complex chocolate, cinnamon, nuts and figs interplay and a velvety feel. It is a solid Italian go to wine!
$18.00 – Farina Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2017
What do I think: Amarone lite you might say – never met a Ripasso that I did not like. What the Experts say: Clear ruby red with purple highlights; chocolate, nutmeg and toast aromas with floral and fig notes; dry, medium to full body; forward fruit flavours,...
$18.35 – Villa Annaberta Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2017
What do I think: I’ve said it a million times, I have never met a Ripasso I did not like. For the price certainly a keeper. Medium to full bodied and full of flavor. What the Experts say: Deep ruby; notes of black cherry, raisin and fig on the nose; on the palate it...
$26.95 – Zenato Ripassa Valpoicella Superiore 2015
I have never met a Ripasso that I did not like and that goes for the Ripassa in this case! Might be the female version and similar in style to my favorite red – Amarone! What the Experts say: Ripasso wines are fondly referred to as ‘baby Amarone’ by some. Zenato’s...
$18.95 – Tommasi Il Sestante Valpolicella Ripasso 2014
This is one solid wine from a very reliable Italian wine family! Deep red in colour with captivating aromas. Rich and full bodied on the palate – my kind of wine! A steal at under 20 bucks.
$22.95 – Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore
Adding a little Italian Flare. I always say that I have never met a Ripasso I did not like. I have had many of these over the years and when I open them I always ask myself why I don’t drink this more often. Consistently great! Made from Valpolicella with...
$21.95 – Masi Campofiorin – Ripasso 2014
I have been drinking this Italian red for years. Solid, full bodied, deep ruby red in colour with dominating flavours of cherries and red berry fruit – soft finish. Great with just about any meal so no doubt that it would be just fine with the big bird too!
