These past couple of weeks, I discovered three enjoyable red wines while I was looking for something I had not tried before.
Surprisingly, each of these reds has something in common with the other - a softness about them with no rough edges. This type of wine is good for just sitting around or enjoying company while sipping on a glass of wine.
Shoofly
Shiraz 2009 (861930)
Australia
$19.99
The Shoofly winery is located in Adelaide of South Australia. Here winemaker Ben Riggs sources grapes from premium vineyards in prime regions of South Australia.
Regions such as Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley produce the grapes that have gone into this 2009 Shoofly Shiraz (861930).
This Aussie Shiraz is quite a dark purple in colour with aromas of both red and black berries. Raspberry is the first one I noticed then it sort of deepens to more blackberries with a touch of spice and an earthy kind of woodiness to it.
Plenty of nice berry fruits on the palate with a soft acidity, a touch of sweetness and none of those
mouth-drying tannins.
I found it soft and without any rough edges making it and easy sipper and not necessarily a wine that needs to be served with food to
reveal its best.
This Shiraz is $19.99 a bottle and a good choice to serve when all that you're having is a glass of wine.
Bonterra
Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
(342428)
California
$19.99
Mendocino, California's Bonterra winery received its organic certification in 1987.
Today, it uses organic and holistic practices to produce many single varietal wines. The 2008 Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon (342428) is one I had recently and while I do like a big tannic Cabernet this one was quite different.
The aromas are fairly traditional with blackberry, cherry and currant, with hints of vanilla, toasted oak and a little peppery spice. In the mouth, the wine felt like it had little delicate layers showing its best and become perfectly melded.
There are nice fruit flavours, a suggestion of sweetness, a warm smoothness, and a medium long finish in this medium to full-bodied wine.
This wine is $19.99 a bottle as well, and again something you can sip on its own or while nibbling milk chocolate or soft mild cheese.
Cantina di Negrar
Valpolicella 2009 (74963)
Italy
$14.99
Valpolicella is a grape growing region in the Italian province of Verona.
The predominate grape in this wine is Corvina with Rondinella and Molinara rounding out the blend. These are the same ones used in the highly prized Amarone wines where they are dried to concentrate the juices before the wine is made.
But in this Cantina di Negrar 2009 Valpolicella (74963) the wine has a light-body with aromas of red cherry and almond.
Often the acidity is a little on the high side in these wines but in this one I found it quite soft and had some nice fresh fruit and nut flavours.
This one litre bottle of Italian red is $14.99 and can be served slightly chilled with pork or chicken dishes especially those without bold spices.
