AlcoholReviews.com - Red Wines- The Buy List for November

AlcoholReviews.com

Marques De Grinon Reserva 1996 Coleccion Personal Rioja

Red Wines-
The Buy List for November 2001
by AlcoholReviews.com Staff

Each month AlcoholReviews.com tastes a slew of wines. Below you will find those red wines that we think are worth purchasing. Wines are listed in order of price, from lowest to highest. Wines of the same price are listed alphabetically. Our rating scale is:

*Horrid- Won't drink unless threatened with violence.
**Tolerable- Will drink if it is free.
***Good- Will drink and even pay for.
****Very Good- Will seek out for purchase.
*****Superb- Will walk miles to acquire.

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Stonehaven Shiraz 1999 ($7)
Hearty, fruity, spicey and showing a touch of grip, this young bargain Shiraz just cries out for beef. Another winner from Stonehaven of Australia. (Rating ***1/2)

For more info on this wine surf to http://www.banfivintners.com

Santa Julia Malbec Reserva 1999 ($10)
Like so many Malbecs, this one is intense. Has a bit of a booze plume, but the firm tannins, vanilla, and raspberry make it a lovely wine with meat and brie. (Rating ***1/2)

For more info on this wine surf to http://www.winesellersltd.com

Delicato Monterra Monterey Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 ($11)
Pouring this wine we thought it might be Bordeaux. Intense purple in color. Very full in the mouth- black cherry, mint, smoke, earth and a wee bit of blueberry. A teeny bit boozey, but we can't complain. Huge flavor for such a low price, which makes it, without doubt, an AlcoholReviews.com BEST BUY. (Rating ****)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.delicato.com

Francis Coppola Diamond Series Zinfandel 1999 ($14)
Not quite the robust beast of 1997, but a full and enjoyable Zinfandel. Sports rich fruit, jam, strawberry, notes with a touch of blackberry. Yum. (Rating ****)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.niebaum-coppola.com

Francis Coppola Diamond Series Syrah 1999 ($15)
Fabulous. Just gushes with flavors- blueberry, black currant, a little musk and smoke. Rich bodied, a wine that is explosive yet has gravitas. Buy it, buy lots of it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (Rating ****1/2)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.niebaum-coppola.com

Castello Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva 1998 ($17)
Although some 40,000 cases of this vino was importd to the U.S., this isn't basket bottle slop- no no, note the Titian portrait on the bottle. We paired this fruity yet earthy Chianti with a number of foods. It held its own against a spicey (probably too spicey) rigatoni del borgo, and was just fabulous with zuppe de pesce, carpaccio de salmone, and linguine with clam sauce. Well done. (Rating ***3/4)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.castellobanfi.com/

Berberana Vina Alarde Reserva Rioja 1996 ($19)
Silky in the mouth and an absolute joy with brie. This Rioja packs a bevy of flavors- barrel, strawberry, earth, plum, and a long, soft finish. We were sorry to see the bottom of this bottle. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Rating ****1/4)

For more info on this wine surf to http://www.pasternakwine.com

J. Lohr Bramblewood Old Vines Zinfandel 1999 ($20)

A lovely nose, rich with fruit but a touch of alcohol. The body is lean- not quite the meaty Zin we expectd from something billed as "Old Vines". A dry red with currant, fruit, barrel and smoke flavors. A hint over billed, but undeniably and enjoyable red. (Rating ***1/2)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.jlohr.com

Castello Banfi Rosso Di Montalcino ($22)
The younger sibling of the mighty Brunello Di Montalcino. A medium-light bodied wine with plenty of fruit, including black cherry. But it doesn't just end with fruit- there's also vanilla, a tiny bit of tea leaves, and violets. Well done. (Rating ****)

For more info on these wines surf to http://www.castellobanfi.com/

Marques De Grinon Reserva 1996 Coleccion Personal Rioja ($24)
A fantastic wine that wowed the entire tasting panel. So good that we nearly grappled for the remainder of the bottle. Musty with notes of lavender, vanilla, rich fruit, and French oak. One of the best under $30 wines we've ever tasted. Bravo. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. (Rating ****1/2)

For more info on this wine surf to http://www.pasternakwine.com

Marques De Grinon Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 ($27)
An almost black, purple wine. Huge grip in the mouth- wow, what a feel. The flavors last and last. At present it is too young- there's a hot plume on the close, and though blackberry, plum, and spices are showing, much of the wine seems tight, inaccessible. Wil it stay hard, or will it mellow into something epic? hard to say, but those with the money to spend might well buy in and find out.

For more info on this wine surf to http://www.pasternakwine.com