2007 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine L'Arpent Rouge [Pineau d'Aunis] (Touraine AOC, Loire Valley, northwestern France) synthetic stopper, 12.5% - imported to USA by Louis/Dressner Selections, LDM Wines, New York, New York - appears brownish cranberry color, smell lots of soil, soft, nice intensity and interesting nose, taste light alpine flowers at first, light fanciful berries, then as opens up, lots of cranberries, cranberry skin, and tons of dirt, even some elements of band-aids, the wine has an excellent soiled grip and lovely acid, a bottle with food goes quickly and paired nicely with bok choy sauteed with garlic and kim chi and garbanzo beans, a very different wine that I did not tire of, quite acceptable deal for the $24 it cost
2006 Niepoort Douro Twisted [blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca and Tinto Cão] (Douro DOC, northeastern Portugal) cork closure, 13% - imported to USA by Martine's Wines, Novato, California – appears dark crimson, orange rim, viscous and coating, smell rich intense strawberry and raspberries, intense beautiful spice, a really beautiful nose, taste lighter than expected, fresh fruit, crusty pie, than beautiful multidimensional fun center, tasty tasty, very drinkable and very friendly with food, though it flopped with a La Tur cheese (cow-sheep-goat blend) from Piemonte, which was deliciously rich and sweet (but that made the wine taste overly rich and alcoholic), it was a natural match for Fiore Sardo, a sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia, whose firm texture and bright spiciness paired wonderfully with the wine, a very refreshing red, great deal for $15. From producer: 20% of the wine aged for 12 month in 2nd and 3rd year French oak barrels and the other 80% was kept in stainless steel vats
2007 ENΩΣH AГPOTIKΩN ΣYNETAIPIΣMΩN ΣHTEIAΣ (Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of Sitia) Sitia [blend of Vilana and Thrapsathiri] (Sitia, Crete, Greece) cork closure, 12.5% - imported to USA by Athenee Importers, Hempstead, New York - appears light gold, reflective, smell expressive pine needles, dry apple, nice simple nose, mouthfeel thick and viscous, taste oxidized apple (though wine itself does not taste oxidized, it tastes fresh) crunchy clean apples, refreshing enough, decent simple wine and easy to quaff
