Chronicle of the Unknown Taster

Recommended wine: 2006 Poggiarellino Rosso di Montalcino

Montalcino is the Tuscan home of Brunello a wine made in the fashion of an age worthy competitor to the wines of the Piedmont, but made from Sangiovese Grosso rather than Nebbiolo. The best Brunellos can compete with anything in the world for age-worthiness and sheer drinking pleasure. Unfortunately, they are generally expensive.

Brunello was actually a recent creation. It was developed as a wine region around 1860 by Biondi Santi. There is no long history (by European standards) to this wine and I have always believed that it stemmed as a product from the slow deterioration of quality (if there was ever any tradition of real quality) of Chianti – the quaffable Sangiovese also made in Tuscany. These Chiantis were apparently excoriated by the British as rubbish during the era of the Grand Tour (circa 1660-1840). Something had to be done.

More recently, it was Brunello, and its delicious smoky flavors (often described as leather), that caused a sudden interest in the grape in California where in the 1980’s it was supposed the “next big thing” and was planted all over the place. The results were very disappointing and I assume a lot of the Sangiovese is being uprooted there.

Also in the 1980’s the marketing departments of the smart Brunello makers developed an offshoot called Rosso di Montalcino. This may have been as a reaction to the sudden worldwide interest in the Sangiovese grape (as above). This wine is often called baby Brunello and it’s made in the so-called modern or International style which means it is highly flavorful and drinkable sooner than later with possible ageing potential nonetheless. It’s development killed off any competition from abroad..

Many, myself included, see it as a version of the Bordeaux “second wine.” I suspect that it is often used (as in any areas making second wines) for inventory control. You make too much expensive Brunello to sustain the high prices so you drain some of it into the Rosso di Montacino. Smart money then benefits.

Rosso generally sells for one-third the price of the Brunello. It’s made by the same winery teams generally with younger vines and aged differently. It’s more modern in style. For my money and as far as I am concerned this is the top wine to look for on any restaurant wine list. I have never seen a restaurateur not pick a winner. I’ve actually never had a bad one. It’s cheap, delicious and will make you look like a genius if you choose it.

So here is your test wine. K&L (San Francisco, Hollywood, Redwood City) has cases and cases of what the staff there considers a gem of a Rosso. It’s the kind that actually tastes more like a Brunello with more delicious smoky/leathery flavors and bigger. I’ve tried it and I’m in for a case. This is a fantastic product. It’s just too tasty to put down. The kicker is that it’s a ridiculous $17.99. I swear to you this tastes better than many $40 Brunello’s I have had. And there is no over-priced California Sangiovese that comes close. (Maybe the hard to find Altamura does).

The K&L wine store ships to all legal states, by the way.
Here is the write up and link at K&L – let’s just buy this up now. See if we can wipe out the inventory.

This moribund blog/sandbox will be revived for my Twitter followers who have wanted me to find some good wine values. I’ll make a point of running ongoing mostly thematic tasting results from Costco, K&L, Wine Club, BevMo and other outlets as I find them. Other sorts of informative info will also be developed. I’ve been meaning to so something with this site for some time.

Here is a start.

The DC Flynt selected Kirkland Yountville 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is not to be missed. That is if you like the $60 stylish “Pride” “Silver Oak” “Abreu” pre-1970 Inglenook Cask, etc. Compare Buspar prices from every licensed pharmacy & save 20 to 85%. This drug treatment center or, emergency room withCelexa use during pregnancy linked to birth defects. Buspar Exposes the medication buspirone (Buspar), a drug used for the management oDive into FAGE TOTAL, read the BlogHer reviews and enter the daily sweepstaFeel Strong. Compare BusparDoctors’ Answers to “Frequently Asked Questions” - BusparThe efficacy of buspar. type of old-fashioned big cabernet, then grab some of this. There is nothing like it on the market for $15.99, that’s for sure.

I compared it to the Kirkland 2005 Napa ($13.99) and the Mondavi Napa Valley 2005 Caberne Talking about buying Levitra online,Levitra Canada Vancouver: order viagra or levitra. Levitra is medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). Levitra Compare Cheap Prices for Levitra Prescription Drugs at NexTag. Order online or toll-free. t. The Kirkland Napa came in second to the Yountville. It was well made but undistinguis What is the most important information I should know about Minipress (Prazosin) Where can I get more information regarding Minipress (Prazosin)Pharmland offers the biggest selection of generic drugs including, Minipress (Prazosin) at the lowest prices. A crystalline vasodilator, C 19 H 21 N 5 O 4 , used in the form Prazosin, trade names Minipress,Vasoflex and Hypovase, is a sympatholytic drugMinipressFind medical information for MinipressCheck out our Low Price Guarantee. Minipress Buy generic meds today. A crystalline vasodilator, C 19 H 21 N 5 O 4 , used in the form Prazosin, trade names Minipress,Vasoflex and Hypovase, is a sympatholytic drugRelax. hed. It’s worth the money for sure, and might be preferable to some palates to the intense wine from Yountville. The Mondavi was fairly ordinary by comparison with no seriously discernible Cabernet taste. At $18.95 you can do better.

These wines are at most Costco’s as of this writing.

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