2/2008 GRAN GALA LIQUEUR
GRAN GALA is marketed as "Italy's answer to Grand Marnier." It is a good answer. We really enjoyed this orange brandy liqueur. The burnt orange flavor, the silky mouthfeel... It's quite nice as an after dinner drink. (Rating ****1/2)

To see if our retailer can sell you a bottle, click here. Otherwise, check with the folks at http://www.GranGala.com/.

Labels: Gran Gala, Italy, Liqueur

 

2/2008 CANALETTO MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO DOC
This Italian red cost less than $10 and was perfectly pleasant with pasta. (How's that for alliteration?) It's a simple old world wine with a mild black cherry note and a bit of cedar. It's a food wine, for sure. (Rating ***1/4)

To see if our retailer can sell you a bottle, click here and search for "CANALETTO." Otherwise, contact Casa Girelli at http://www.canalettob2b.com/.

Labels: Canaletto, Italy, Montepulciano

 

11/2007 ZONIN PROSECCO SPUMANTE (SPECIAL CUVEE) BRUT
This sparkling wine is quite dry and slightly bitter when cold. Let it warm and it softens a bit. We searched for fruit and floral notes and found a peach note, but nothing more. Passable bubbly, but we can't see ourselves running out and buying more of it. (Rating **3/4)

Labels: Italy, Sparkling Wine, Zonin

 

10/2007 CASTELLO BANFI CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2005
We shared this red wine with a few friends and everyone loved it. It showed plums and leather and struck us as well worth the retail price of $15 a bottle. (Rating ****1/4)

To see if our retailer carries BANFI CHIANTI, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "BANFI CHIANTI" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Alternatively, you may surf to http://www.CastelloBanfi.com/.

Labels: Castello Banfi, Chianti, Italy

 

10/2007 PRIMATERRA PINOT GRIGIO DELLE VENEZIE 2005
This bargain white wine is made in Italy. For the price ($7 a bottle), it is tough to beat. If you are looking for the usual pinot grigio characteristics (mineral notes, crispness), you might be a bit disappointed, as this wine is slightly fruity and lacks snap. Still, let's not miss the point- it's a very good buy. (Rating ***1/4)

To see if our retailer carries PRIMATERRA, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "PRIMATERRA" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, chase down the folks at http://www.PrimaTerraWine.com.

Labels: Italy, Pinot Grigio, Primaterra

 

10/2007 CAVIT COLLECTION TEROLDEGO VIGNETI DELLE DOLOMITI 2004
Blech. This might have been good during its youth but now it doesn't even qualify as passable plonk. (Rating *1/4)

Labels: Cavit, Italy, Red Wine

 

8/2007 GRUET BLANC DE NOIRS BRUT AND MASCHIO DEI CAVALIERI PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE
Weeeeeee- two bottles of bubbly to taste in the balmy late summer. GRUET BLANC is a pleasant sparkling wine made in -- get this -- New Mexico! It's $14 a bottle and enjoyable. It lacks nuance, but you can bring it to a party and you won't embarrass yourself. (Rating ***1/4) For more info, surf to the website of GRUET WINERY.

Meanwhile, this Italian Prosecco is a real treat. It was fruity, floral, and it tickled the tongue. Yum- it's well worth the $19 retail. (Rating ****) For further info, contact the folks at "Banfi Vintners.

Labels: Gruet Blanc, Italy, Maschio, New Mexico, Sparkling Wine

 

4/2007 CAVIT COLLECTION PINOT GRIGIO 2005
We've served this at more than a few whoop-ups and folks seem to really like it. Is it fine wine? No, it's $10 per 1.5 liter white wine, but, it's a good, solid house white. This Italian wine offers apple and mineral notes. Pour, sip, enjoy. (Rating ***1/4)

To see if our retailer carries AMADOR, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "CAVIT" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, contact the producer's webpage at http://www.CavitCollection.com/

Labels: Cavit, Italy, Pinot Grigio

 

2/2007 POGGIO LE VOLPI FRASCATI SUPERIORE 2005
This bottle came to us through friends -- GOOOOOD friends. Kudos to Siema LLC of Springfield, Virginia for bringing this wine to the U.S. It is a big white wine, oozing tropical flavors. It is made from Malvasia Bianco Candia (35%), Malvasio Del Lazio (35%), and Bombino (30%). It's a real mouthful, and it stood up well to a salad with walnuts and dried cranberries. (Rating ****1/4)

To see if our retailer carries FRASCATI SUPERIORE, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "FRASCATI" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, contact the importer's webpage at http://www.siemawines.com/.

Labels: Italy, Poggio Le Volpi, Red Wine

 

2/2007 ANTINORI VINO SANTO
This delicious vino liquoroso was brought back from Italy by dear friends. It is 16% alcohol and drinks like a tawny port. It is a copper-red in color and offers notes of raisins and toasted pears. So far as we know, it's not available in the United States. Too bad; it's a tasty after dinner drink. (Rating ****)

Labels: Antinori, Fortified Wine, Italy

 

2/2007 PALLINI LIMONCELLO LIQUEUR
This is a solid lemoncello; keep it in the fridge, serve it straight up, and take your small pours in a few gulps. Its sweet and lemony but not, unlike some lemoncellos, overwhelming. Dare we call it pleasant? Yes. (Rating***3/4)

To see if our retailer can send you PALLINI, click SHOP and type "PALLINI" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, check with the importer http://www.CastleBrandsInc.com/ or the folks at http://www.Pallini.us/.

Labels: Italy, Liqueur, Pallini

 

1/2007 TENUTA DI ARCENO PRIMA VOCE 2003
This is an interesting amalgam of Merlot (57%), Cabernet Sauvignon (22%), Sangiovese (13%), and Syrah (8%). This Italian wine retails for $20 or so and dishes notes of black cherry, a wee bit of leather, and a touch of cream. Nice. (Rating ***3/4)

To see if our retailer carries TENUTO DI ARCANO, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "Tenuto" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, surf to http://www.TenutaDiArcano.com/.

Labels: Italy, Red Wine, Tenuta Di Arceno

 

11/2006 COLLEPINO RED WINE 2005
This blend of sangiovese and merlot retails for $9 and provides great bang for the buck. One might conceptualize Collepino as a house wine- it's low-priced, light, a little fruity, and can be slurped down without much thought. Yet, that's not the whole of it. Collepino is not mere plonk; it has depth. It begins light and innocuous, then, after the swallow, you notice a tannic grab and lingering blackberry and earthy flavors. Mmmmmm- nice. (Rating ***1/2)

To see if our retailer carries COLLEPINO, click SHOP FOR WINES and type "COLLEPINO" in the search engine and click the magnifying glass. Otherwise, contact Banfi Vintners at http://www.Banfi.com/.

Labels: Collepino, Italy, Merlot, Red Wine, Sangiovese