December WinedUp
December WinedUp
Here’s the WinedUp:
Spellbound Petite Sirah, 2011, Lodi/Central Valley, CA alc 13.5%
Petite Sirah Caramel and vanilla bean notes in the nose, berry fruit and reasonable tannins. You often see wines described as approachable, to me-this is one of those. Easy to drink, good fruit and great with food, especially the heavier roast, hearty ragu’s and meaty chops we enjoy in the colder weather. It’s a great Tuesday night wine, too! Spellbound is part of the Michael Mondavi estate, certainly a family with a long wine-making heritage.
Seen at Canal’s, Joe Canals, Total & Wine Legend, -$14.
www.spellboundwines.com
Chappellet, 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature, Napa, CA Alc 14.9%
This is a blend of 76% Cab Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 7% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot.
The first thing you notice when your pour this into your glass is that your hand disappears. It’s such a dark, deep ruby color that you can’t see the bottom of the glass.
And the color belies the wine; it is a deep, dark drink. Some cassis and dark berry fruit linger on the nose. A masterful blend of fruit and tannins-it will only get better in years to come. This is a great gift for your favorite wine lover. Hold onto both for a while.
Seen at Canal’s Mount Ephraim, NJ -$49.99.
www.chappellet.com
Amalthea Cellars, 2009 Cabernet Franc, Outer Coastal Plain, Atco, NJ Alc 12.5%
As you may have noticed, New Jersey wines are getting better and better, and garnering more attention. It’s our plan to include them in the WinedUp space going forward.
Certainly, Lou Carraciolo of Amalthea Cellars wines is hitting the mark. Lou fashions his wines in the more restrained Bordeaux style not the fruit bombs that fill the aisles of our local wine stores. So this means you get wines that are food-friendly, with structure and balance. Light red in color, dry in finish, there’s a fleeting white pepper scent and the pleasant earthiness. It makes you want to have another glass. Cab Franc is grown in almost all the world’s wine regions, and this one from NJ is a world class one.
Tasted at Amalthea Cellars, Atco, NJ -$14.99. Available at local SJ restaurants as well.
www.amaltheacellars.com
About this column:
I’m a male, over 25 and I drink mostly reds and interesting whites. Every time I think I know a lot about wine, I learn how much there is to learn and I like that. I have no affiliation to the wines/spirits wholesale or retail business, so this will always be TheWineUp and not the pitch. All opinions are my own.
Please send your questions and comments to thewinedupinSJ@gmail.com
Looking forward to the next glass…
