2006 Agostino Pavia Barbera d'Asti Moliss Agliano Terme (Barbera d'Asti Superiore DOC, Piemonte, northwestern Italy) cork closure, 14% - imported to USA by Oliver McCrum Wines, Richmond, California – appears clear dark cranberry, smell lively, floral, hay and grains, field of herbs, taste cool on entry, savory vegetable and tart raspberry, delicious berries, cherry and savory elements as wine opens, very decently paired with food--even foods it shouldn't pair well with (steamed pea pods, coconut and lemongrass soup with chicken) and made me crave cheesecake--so much so that I popped the cork back in, hopped on my bike, picked up one, and biked back home, fantastic savory wine, worth well more than the $20 I paid
2007 Karl Erbes Ürziger Würzgarten Mosel Riesling Kabinett (Middle Mosel, Germany) screwcap closure, 8.5% - imported to USA by Billington Wines, Springfield, Virginia - appears light gold with tiny spritz, smell bit sweaty with some cheese, nice nose, taste lively and spritzy, good acid, great soft white peach, lip smacking, some rocks and minerals, a bit more on the dirty side of mineral, excellent with spinach and toast, and very well with some black beans with tomatoes and chipotle, perhaps a bit more dirty than I prefer, but a very nice kabinett nonetheless--does the job for $18
2004 Enológica Témera Ribeira Sacra Thémera [Mencía] (Ribeira Sacra DO, Galicia, northwestern Spain) cork closure, 12.5% - imported to USA by Jose Pastor Selection/Vinos & Gourmet, Richmond, California - appears hazy crimson, smell awesome sweaty tar, bit of tiny funk, very nice nose of machinery-induced flowers and energy, taste tart and very very smooth, nice meat and blood, delicious savory blood and mineral flowers, as the wine progresses and opens up it has a whole series of delicious aged elements coming through--the wine is in a very very good place right now, by day two it has faded a bit and is more on the tart side, but still kicking. Best evidence I've had of how nicely mencía can develop with a few years--phenomenal experience for $33.
It was a fantastic match for Piave, a hard cow's milk cheese from Belluno in northeastern Italy. The cheese had a sweet and nutty smell like a grandmother's kitchen and a dry chalky texture that went well with the crunchy dry and spicy flavors. It smooths the wine beautifully--a brilliant match. Not as great a match for Tumalo Gouda, a goat's milk cheese from Oregon. The cheese smelled clean, fresh, and slightly sweet and had a fatty texture with good sharpness and a nice clean flower grip. Stickier and coating finish and texture, it made the wine feel too sharp--better to enjoy alone.