A few months ago, I started a new monthly theme: Mini-Reviews. I taste a bunch of wine each month that doesn’t get its own dedicated post but because I still want to share my tasting notes about them with you I came up with this new theme. These tasting notes are a little shorter than my regular ones. Each of them includes a Wine Searcher link that helps you find the wine (if available).

• 2011 Caprili – Rosso di Montalcino DOC (100% Sangiovese; Slavonian oak and stainless steel tank). Color: Ruby red. Nose: Quite intense with aromas of raspberry and black cherry. Not much oak aromas on the nose. Palate: Very dry, a little crisp and quite tannic. Full-bodied, sapid and harmonious. Fruit dominates the oak notes. The finish is of medium length. Rating 3.5/5 16.50€ find this wine.
• 2008 Argiolas – Turriga – IGT Isola dei Nuraghi (Cannonau, Carignano, Bovale Sardo, Malvasia Nera; 24 months barrique). Color: Intense ruby red. Nose: Complex and rich nose with aromas of spices, in alcohol dunked berries, black cherries and lavender. Palate: Full-bodied, dry, quite warm and complex. Tannins are still too vivid. The wine needs a few more years before its ready to drink. Long-lasting finish. Well-balanced wine with great aging potential but maybe a little overpriced. Rating: 4/5 40€ find this wine.
• 2011 Spice Route – Chakalaka – Swartland (37% Syrah, 21% Mourvedre, 18% Carignan, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Grenache and 4% Tannat; 13 months French and American oak). Color: Deep purple-red. Nose: Very spicy and little fruit. Cloves and cinnamon re easily identified. Palate: Dry, medium-bodied. Oak-dominated. Smooth tannins and lingering finish. The quality-price ratio could be better (I saw that the wine is much cheaper in non-European countries). Rating: 3/5 20€ find this wine.
  
• 2011 Tenuta Argentiera – Poggio ai Ginepri – Bolgheri DOC (40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot; barrique and stainless steel tank). Color:  ruby red with purple hues Nose: not very intense. A bit of plum some spices and caramel. Palate: medium-bodied, dry, quite tannic. Notes of licorice and red fruit. Disappointing finish. 2009 vintage was much better. Rating 2/5 15€ find this wine.
• 2012 Azienda Agricola Bianchi – Sanclemente – Colline Novaresi DOC (Nebbiolo, Vespolina, Uva Rara; stainless steel tank). Color: Intense ruby red Nose: Fruit-forward with aromas of raspberry and blueberry. Palate: Dry and quite fresh. Pleasing, mellow tannins. Fruit-forward on the palate, too. Sanclemnte is a light wine with a medium body. Rating: 3/5 12€ find this wine.
  
• 2011 Reichsrat Von Bühl – Weißburgunder – Pfalz QbA (100% Weißburgunder; stainless steel tank). Color: Pale yellow. Nose: Nutty and exotic. Intense aromas of pineapple and passion fruit. Palate: Dry, vivid and crisp with great harmony. High minerality.. Lingering finish. Rating: 3.5/5 10€ find this wine.
  

I strongly recommend the Weißburgunder from German winery von Bühl and the Turriga, which by many is considered Sardinia’s best red wine. However, if you decide to buy a bottle of Turriga that you want to drink right away and not keep in your cellar then buy an older vintage (like 2005 and older). Von Bühl is among my favorite wineries from the Pfalz. So far I’ve never been disappointed by their white wines.

My wine of the month is actually not in this list. I had little time the last couple of weeks to blog and therefore I haven’t had a chance to write a review on the 2005 Gulfi Nerobaronj IGT Sicilia. Nerobaronji is the very best Nero d’Avola varietal wine that I have tasted so far. I’ll try to finish the review in the next couple of days. Care to share what your wine of the month is?

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