Cantele 2006 Primitivo, $14.95, 89 points, is a bright cherry red, an aroma of fresh basil-cedar, and flavors of cranberry (We all agreed on) and plum. There is a definite delicious factor here, but I found the the finish a little short. Cantele 2006 Primitivo has 13.5% alcohol, which is most typical.This is one of the best Italian Zins I have found. I have family that has family from Italy, and they brought wine with them to the USA (2006 Fattoria Zerbina Torre di Ceparano Sangiovese di Romagana Superiore --reviewed below). So when I went, for a weekend of celebration, I had to bring my latest Primitivo wines with me; "Never heard of Italian Zinfandel" was the common reply.A variety of Brick-oven pizza was the food offering and we went at the wines with a vengeance.
I found this wine at Angela's pasta and cheese 815 Chestnut St. Manchester, NH. Also bought at Angela's and reviewed was the Wingnut Zinfandel, so there are good wines to be found at this hidden-away "goldmine".
Fattoria Zerbina Torre di Ceparano 2006 Sangiovese di Romagana Superiore, $14.99-$24.99, 90 points, is almost the same wine. "What?" I couldn't believe what I was looking at, breathing, and tasting; this Sangiovese, out Zinfandeled (hyperbole) the Primitivo in all those categories, but added some heat (14.5% alcohol) which enlivened the finish enough to distinguish the two wines.
Both wines were moderately tannic and acidic, and both were delicious (Everyone liked the Cantele better, but me).
http://nhwineman.blogspot.com/2011/02/index-of-reviewed-wines.html
Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2011 Dennis Tsiorbas. All rights reserved.
Paula and I had a wonderful time enjoying these wines with you along with the great brick oven pizzas from LaFesta in Dover. It was also fun sharing our wine journal with you. I'm glad you got a kick out of it! Isn't it funny how brothers can share a lot of the same taste in wines? ...and we're not even twins!!! Zinfindel, Shiraz, and Syrah are some of my favorites. Great spending time with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter, but is blood thicker than wine? ;-)
ReplyDeleteOr is wine just in our blood!