Botte Buona Sangiovese Rubicone

This is one of those cheap-o wines (€1.99 at Billa) that is so cheap, you've just made up your mind before drinking it that it will be disgusting. You almost have your heart set on bad wine. You think, "A wine without a date? That just says 'Red wind from E.U.' on the bottle? I'll just lower my expectations to the least common denominator."

But, Rubicone (named presumably for the river in Italy - one of the reason I got it. I am such a Classics nerd) was, actually, not only palatable, but quite so! I found it fruity, dark and dry, with a flowery bouquet and plum-type taste.

I will most likely be buying this again. Definitely a Sangiovese fan.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the color of your wine bottle can tell you what's inside without reading the label? Dark green is traditionally reserved for reds, light green for whites, clear for sweet wines, and amber for ports, and some reds. Blue glass is sometimes used for Rhine wines.

Vinous Twitterings

Check us out on Twitter with search #winesnobbery! Remember, in vino veritas! Cheers.

How to drink wine, from Brideshead Revisited, with Sebastian (Anthony Andrews) and Charles (Jeremy Irons). Enjoy!

Cantina Due Palme Brindisi 2009

The Brindisi region of Italy is known for producing wines from the Malvasia (Malmsey) grape, a sweet grape also used in the production of Madeira port.

This is the third of the "bargain bin" wines bought from Wein & Co. (which means I'll have to go back soon! Yes, apparently I have changed my opinion of the place). It is slightly sweeter than what I had expected from an Italian wine, being partial to Chianti. However, once decanted, the taste grows on you. Not as sweet as the Zinfandel I bought on the same trip (I unfortuanltely am going to have to put that one in the "yucky" pile), but still, not a wine to have with dinner. I made the unfortunate mistake of opening mine to sample with the roasted garlic and Brie I made...oops. That should teach me to assume an Italian wine is going to be dry.

Perhaps I'm a hopeless snob, but I did prefer the Brisini to the Zinfandel, although the tastes, textures, colors, etc., were similar. I am not a fan of sweet red wines, unless they are meant to be drunk with dessert. Perhaps this is a good time to bone up on my Italian so I can actually read the wine label and save myself from certain...errors in the future.

All was not lost, however, as this wine is better once decanted (i.e. left to sit out in my kitchen over night...) and tasted much better with a piece of Milka chocolate the next evening after supper!