Vitiano Umbria

2009
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese & Merlot Blend


This was an improvement over Big House red, which I am beginning to think I over-rated. I don't like that I have to cool it to keep it - which means I have to pour it an hour or so before I want a sip so that it comes to room temp. And then it tastes so different. It would probably come to room temp sooner if I didn't keep our house temp at only 60 (Brrrrrrr!) to save $$ on oil! However, that said, it never really "warms" up the way I like my reds.

Anyway, this isn't about Big House at all, it is about Vitiano. And Vitiano is a really good vanilla-oak-cherry dry wine with thyme essence.

I enjoyed this on its own, but it was very good with fettucine and broccoli rabe, chicken sausage, mushrooms, Gouda and some crushed red pepper with a little grape seed oil. I highly recommend this "Super Tuscan" category wine.


So, I am a Steve Poltz fan. He played for awhile on the road with Jewel and they have co-written songs together. But my absolute favorite song of his is from the soundtrack of the movie Notting Hill. The song from the actual soundtrack is electrified and has bagpipes, whereas other versions do not. This, for me, is the sexiest song ever written. Word is that he wrote it for Jewel, though they have not been romantically linked, but whoever it was he had in mind, is the luckiest girl in the world to have someone seeing her in this manner.

I love everything about you
I love the way you comb your hair
And I love the way you sachet in the room
Your perfume lingers in the air
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you

I love the way you lick your lips, dear
You got fireworks in your head
And I love the way you bring me water
When I'm thirsty in your bed
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you

You were surely kissed by angels
Look at the freckles on your face
You got the devil in your eyes
You disappear without a trace

I love sneaking up behind you
When you're looking in the mirror
The way your eyes lock into mine, dear
Without guilt, without fear
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you


8.25 out of 10
$12 / 750 ml. bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.

Terrilogio

2004
Toscana
Italy

85% Sangiovese
10% Cabernet Sauvignon
5% Merlot

Will drink again.

A funny thing happened when I was looking for an appetizer that would accompany McManis Cabernet for my mother's B'Day dinner last week. The Guy and I have had McManis before and really liked it (see October reviews). He brought some home again a couple of weeks ago and I was reminded of what a really good value it is. So I thought I'd serve that as our before-dinner wine at my mom's dinner. I couldn't find anything on the internet that recommended an appetizer. Then, finally, a recommended pairing comes up and I'm relieved. It recommended Horseradish Cheddar with wheat crackers. I'm reading it and then I happened to notice the site - it was this one! So I took my own advice and we simply had cheddar and crackers.

So, last night I wanted to get another couple of bottles of McManis and went into my local wine shop. They only had the merlot. I have had the merlot and it's not nearly as good as the cab. So I passed. Then I came across the Italians and saw a "Super Tuscan" advertised. I decided to give it a try.

The bouquet was enticing the minute it was opened. There was a wonderful strong scent of black cherry and oak. The first mouthful seemed as though it would taste as good as it smelled. There was the oak and cherry up front, some heat, dryness and then a weakening. I was slightly disappointed, but enjoyed it anyway. It got MUCH tastier with an Italian Boule dipped in garlic and oregano olive oil.

"Super Tuscan" is the term used to describe any Tuscan red that doesn't follow regional traditional blending laws. They often use a combination of grapes which then makes them ineligible for DOC(G) classification under traditional rules. But this originally caused them to be labeled as "Vino da Tavola" (i.e. "table wine") which was considered the lowest of the low, even though some of these wines are the finest in the world. The recent formation of the Indicazione Geografica Tipica category (which represents a level of quality somewhere between Vino da Tavola and DOC[G]) has helped Super Tuscans regain their place in the wine world.

No nation is drunken where wine is cheap; and none sober, where the dearness of wine substitutes ardent spirits as the common beverage. It is, in truth, the only antidote to the bane of whiskey.

-Thomas Jefferson

8.0 out of 10
$10.99 / 750 ml. bottle
12.5% alc. by vol.