Michael David Winery Earthquake Petite Sirah (2008)

Michael David Winery is a Californian winery that produces some very good wines, with names like the 7 Deadly Zins, 7 Heavenly Chards, and 6th Sense Syrah.  Michael David also produces a label of wines known as "Earthquake."  I have tried the Earthquake Zinfandel at a local restaurant.  And, when I saw the Earthquake Petite Sirah at a local wine store, I decided to buy a bottle and spend sometime learning more about the wine and winemaker. 

The magazine Wine Enthusiast dubbed this wine as the "Petite Sirah Quentin Tarantino."  In other words, "big, in your face, and ultimately a fine bold wine..."  This bold wine is 100% Petite Sirah, with an ABV of 15.5% and was bottled on July 28, 2010. With a review like that, I looked forward to trying this wine.

The Earthquake Petite Sirah pours a dark, cranberry red.  The deep redness extends across the entire glass, with only a small light ring at the very edges of the glass.  The aromatic elements of the wine are fruit forward, with raspberries and strawberries.  A little spice follows the fruit. 

The taste of the wine is very interesting, with a contrast of flavors.  The Earthquake Petite Sirah has flavors of both vanilla and chocolate, along with the standard berry flavors, such as blackberry and raspberry. 

The 2008 vintage of the Earthquake Petite Sirah scored a 92 rating from Wine Enthusiast, which is a pretty impressive showing.  This is especially the case given the wine sells for between $24.99 to $26.99 a bottle.  This wine is available at many wine stores.

ENJOY!

Full Sail Brewing Company 2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale

I have previously posted about Full Sail Brewing Company and its Bump in the Night Cascadian Dark Ale. Full Sail is an employee owned brewery located near the Hood River.  The brewery is probably best known for its Session beers; however, I have found its unique offerings, such as the Cascadian Dark Ale, to be rather interesting.  Recently, I purchased the 2010 Reserve Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale.

I have previously opined at length about barleywine ales.  The style is rather interesting.  There are two polar opposites ... English Barleywine and American Barleywine.  These opposites are also malt (English Barleywine) and hops (American Barleywine).

Full Sail describes its Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale as a "deliciously rich barleywine ale with spectacular depth & delicacy of flavor that is deep and robust."  The brewer adds, "it's full, sweet body is balanced with Centennial and Crystal hops for a pleasant hoppiness & finish."  This description is largely accurate.  The barleywine pours a rather dark amber in color, with a lot of carbonation for a barleywine.  The foam does recede and the beer does settle down.  

As for the aromatic and taste elements, the Old Boardhead Barleywine combines elements of both American and English Barleywines, although it leans a little more toward the former rather than the latter.  There is definitely a citrusy, pine aroma from the beer, which is much more prominent than the malt or bread aromas that characterize English barleywines.  There is a sweetness to the aroma and the taste, which is most likely contributed by the malts.  However, that sweetness is still overpowered by the piney flavors of the hops.  

If the beer was cellared for a year or two, I would probably have to write a whole different review.  The passage of time would probably mellow the hops and allow the sweetness and malts to shine through.

ENJOY!

Roasted Barramundi with Fennel and Orange

When Clare and I recently visited my parents, we decided to prepare a meal for them.  We went to a local grocery store, which had a wide selection of seafood, including one fish that I had never seen in a store before ... Barramundi.  I have ordered barrimundi at restaurants; but, until recently, I have never cooked with this fish.  So, I bought some to use for a main course.

Barramundi -- which means "large scaled river fish" in the language of the Australian Aborigines --  is one of several fish that are part of the growing aquaculture industry.  Aquaculture refers to the farming of fish, either in tanks or enclosures. We all have had farmed fish for dinner at some point, because most Atlantic Salmon that you can find in grocery stores is farmed, as is most Tilapia.  There is a lot of debate over the pros and cons of aquaculture, especially with respect to the impact of fish farming on the environment and the potential health risks of eating fish farmed in certain ways.  This debate is probably best left for another day ... and another post.

My focus was taking the opportunity to cook with a new fish and prepare a great main course for everyone one.  Barramundi is a white, flaky fish with a texture that most resembles pollock or cod (at least in my opinion).  This type of fish presents a very good "canvas" for different flavors.  After quickly scrolling through some recipes, I decided upon a recipe that called for roasting the fish with fennel and orange.    Overall, this dish turned out very well and I think my parents were pleased with it.  

ROASTED BARRAMUNDI WITH FENNEL AND ORANGE

Adapted from Epicurious

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of barramundi
2 teaspoons of fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
5 Valencia oranges
4 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium fennel fronds, trimmed, halved through core,
     sliced, plus a few fronds for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine

Directions:

1.  Prepare the spices.  Toast fennel seeds in a heavy small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and the seeds begin to brown. Using a spice grinder, coarsely grind  the fennel seeds with one and one-half teaspoons of coarse salt.

2.  Zest, cut and juice the oranges.  Finely grate or zest enough orange peel from one orange to measure one and one-half teaspoons.  Set aside the grated peel. Using a small sharp knife, cut off the peel and white pith from three oranges. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to release orange segments into bowl. Squeeze enough juice from remaining two oranges to measure one-half cup.

3.  Roast the fennel.  Position one of the oven racks in the top third and another rack in the bottom third of oven.  Preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Toss the sliced fennel with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil, one teaspoon of the fennel salt, and a half teaspoon of the orange peel in large bowl. Transfer  the fennel to the prepared sheet, spreading evenly. Roast the fennel on bottom rack until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes.

4.  Marinate the fish.  Meanwhile, brush large a shallow oven-safe pan with oil. Mix two tablespoons of oil, one teaspoon of orange peel, and the garlic in small bowl.   If you are using a barramundi fillet with skin, place skin side down in pan and brush the top with orange-peel mixture. Sprinkle the fish with one teaspoon of  fennel salt.

5.  Roast the fish.  Stir fennel; arrange orange sections around. Transfer fennel to top rack of oven and place fish on bottom rack. Roast until fish is just opaque in center and fennel is tender, about thirteen minutes longer.

6.  Make the sauce.  Transfer fish to platter; tent with foil. Place a pan over two burners; heat over medium-high heat. Add shallot; stir until tender, about two minutes. Add wine and orange juice and boil until reduced to one-half cup, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining one tablespoon oil. Season sauce with one-half teaspoon fennel salt, adding more to taste if desired.

7.  Plate the dish.  Arrange fennel and oranges around fish on platter. Pour sauce over the fish and serve.

ENJOY!

San Simeon Petite Sirah (2006)

Outside of Oregon's Willamette Valley, the wine region in the United States that captures my interest the most is the Paso Robles region in California.  Located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Paso Robles is home to dozens of vineyards and wineries who grow more than forty different grape varietals.  The primary varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Petite Sirah, in that order. Paso Robles also has its own AVA (American Viticultural Area), which is the American equivalent of a DOC in France or Italy. 

While perusing the aisles of a local wine store, I came across a Petit Sirah from Paso Robles.   A common mistake is to assume, as I did for a while, that a Petit Sirah and a Syrah are wines made from the same grape.  However, a Petit Sirah wine is produced with the Durif grape, which is a cross between the Syrah grape and the Pelousin grape. Although first discovered by Dr. Francois Durif, a botanist at a university in Southern France, few, if any, French vineyards and wineries do not grow the Durif grape or produce the Petit Sirah wines.  Instead, the largest producers of these wines are found in Australia and California, such as in the Paso Robles AVA. 

One producer of Petit Sirah wines is the San Antonio Winery.  This winery has been in operation since 1917, and, over time, it has expanded to produce wines under several labels.  One such label is San Simeon.  The San Simeon Petit Sirah is produced from Durif grapes grown at the Steinbeck Vineyard that were harvested on September 21, 2006.  The wine is aged in barrels (consisting of 70% French oak and 30% American oak) for twenty-four months.

The San Simeon Petite Sirah pours a red velvet color, with purplish hues.  The aromatic elements of the wine are full of dark red fruit, like raspberries, blackberries and plums.  The taste of the wine reinforces the aromas. One can taste blackberries and plums both up front and through the wine, is full bodied and "jammy."  This wine has tannins, which particularly show themselves in the finish.

The one thing that a Petite Sirah and a Syrah share in common is that they are best paired with roasted or grilled meat dishes.  This includes beef and lamb, as well as some other meats that one may not ordinarily think of, such as duck or rabbit. 

Overall, this wine has some of the best characteristics of a Petit Sirah.  I found this wine at a local wine store for about $19.99 a bottle. 

ENJOY!

For more information about the Durif grape, check out Wikipedia.

Green Hatch Chile Rubbed Bison Cowboy Steak

Recently, while I was on vacation, I decided to visit the bison ranch at Gunpowder Bison and Trading.  I wanted to see bison and, while I was there, buy a cut of bison meat that I usually do not have access to at my local grocery stores. I have previously posted about watching the bison, so now it is time to blog about the cut of meat I decided to buy.

Bison meat stands apart from cattle or beef.  Unlike most cattle, who may be penned for much of their lives, bison are allowed to roam fields.  The bison graze on grasses and hay for most of their lives, only feeding on grains for a brief period before they are slaughtered.  The fact that bison eat grass is often reflected in their fat, which has a more yellowish color than the white beef fat.  This yellow color is due to the beta-carotene found in the fat.  

The presence of beta-carotene is not the only thing that sets apart bison meat from regular beef.  Bison meat has two times as much protein as regular beef, primarily due to the lower fat content of the meat.  In addition, bison meat has less calories, fat and cholesterol than, not just beef, but also pork and chicken.  The lower amounts of fat in bison meat does present a drawback ... namely, there is a greater chance of overcooking the meat.  Therefore, whenever one is cooking bison, it is important to keep an eye on the meat to ensure that it does not overcook and dry out.  

As I stood before a wall of freezers containing over a dozen types of cuts, I wanted to buy a cut that I had never cooked with before and that would be good for grilling.  I ultimately decided on the "cowboy steak."  This cut of beef arose in the 1960s or 1970s, and, it is nothing more than a ribeye still attached to the rib.  Unlike a bone-in ribeye, where the bone is cut just below the ribeye, a cowboy steak retains much more of the bone, which is frenched to leave the bone exposed.  This cowboy steak is probably the most expensive piece of meat that I have ever bought, but it cooked very well and, with this simple Green Hatch Chile rub, it was very delicious. 

GREEN HATCH CHILE RUBBED BISON COWBOY STEAK

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 bison cowboy steak (about two pounds)
1 teaspoon of ground green hatch chile
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub and marinate the steak.  Mix all of the ingredients for the rub together, with the exception of the olive oil.  Add the olive oil and stir until it becomes a loose paste.  Drizzle the rub over each side of the cowboy steak and rub the paste into the meat.  Let the steak marinate at room temperature while the grill heats up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grill the steak.  Cook the steak for about five minutes, turn it ninety degrees and cook for five minutes more. Flip the steak and cook for five minutes.  Rotate the steak and cook for five minutes more.  At this point, check the steak for doneness by pressing with your finger in the center of the steak.  If the steak gives a lot, let it cook for a few more minutes.  If the steak seems to give a little, remove it and wrap it in foil for five minutes.  Slice the steak and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Tyranena Brewing Company Bitter Woman IPA

One of my favorite beer styles is the India Pale Ale or IPA.  Since I started this blog, I have reviewed a few India Pale Ales, such as Fat Head's Head Hunter IPA and Stone Brewing's Ruination IPA.  My father recommended that I try Tyranena Brewing Company's Bitter Woman IPA and even bought me a bottle.

According to the bottle, the "bitter woman" is based upon Aunt Cal, an early resident of Lake Mills, where the craft brewer is located.  "Local history remembers her for blindly running into a hitching post and saying, 'Excuse me, Mr. Dodge.'"  The brewer continues by adding that it was said that Aunt Cal was "an old sweetheart" of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  Unfortunately, she never wed, with only the love letters to remind her of lost possibilities.  Tyranena Brewing says that it brewed the Bitter Woman IPA "the way we imagine Aunt Cal may have been, very fruity and intensely bitter."   

The beer pours the color of amber and copper, with a thin foam and good carbonation.  The aromatic elements of the Bitter Woman IPA are focused on the hops and are rounded out with the aromas from the malts.  This is a good thing for an IPA.  What makes the beer even better is that the hops do not overwhelm the drinker.  There is a bitterness along the edges.  

As for the taste, there is a bitterness up front, which diminishes at the end, giving way to a little sweetness.  The beer is not very heavy or obnoxious.  Instead, it is a drinkable IPA that should appeal to hopheads like myself.  To be sure, I have tasted much hoppier IPAs, such as the Head Hunter, but this beer provides a little complexity that fits in well with the name and the story behind the beer.  

This beer is available in Wisconsin and surrounding states.  I believe my father picked up the beer at a Binny's in the Chicago area.  

ENJOY!

Ziti with Saffron, Crab and Mozzarella di Bufala

There are few things that I love more when it comes to cooking than a recipe that incorporates many of my favorite flavors.  Saffron.  Blue crab meat.  Mozarella di Bufala mozzarella. San Marzano tomatoes.  Combine all of these flavors together and the result is on one amazing pasta dish.

The great thing about this recipe is that any pasta could be used.  I used ziti, which originates from a word for "bride."  In fact, ziti was the type of pasta traditionally served at weddings in Naples, as well as throughout Campania and Sicily, hence the name of the pasta.  Other types of pasta,  such as fettuccine, linguine, orecchiette and penne, could also work well this this dish.  

One other alternative to this recipe is that it could be baked in an oven for a few minutes.  If one decides to do this, the ziti should be taken out of the water a couple minutes early and then added to an oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I would only bake it for a few minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt. 

However, I think that this dish is great without baking it.  Clare loved this dish so much that she wants to have it on special occasions, such as Thanksgiving.  I think I can accommodate that request, although it will most likely create a conflict in me pitting this pasta dish against the turkey. 

ZITI WITH SAFFRON, CRAB AND BUFALA MOZZARELLA

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
3 cups of dried ziti pasta
3/4 pound of jumbo lump blue crab
1/2 teaspoon of saffron, rehydrated in warm water
1/2 onion, diced finely
2 cloves of garlic, diced finely
2 teaspoons of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup of white wine
1 can of San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Ground pepper, to taste
1/2 pound of Mozzarella di Bufala, diced
     (substitute regular Mozzarella)
Salt, to taste
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions:
1.  Saute the onions and garlic.  In a deep pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute for about five minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for a minute or two more.

The saffron sauce before the addition of the blue crab meat.

2.  Add the other ingredients for the sauce.  Add the white wine and cook until the wine cooks down, which should take about two or three minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, saffron with water and the herbs (basil, oregano and crushed red pepper).  Stir well and cook for about ten minutes.

3.  Blend the sauce.  Remove the sauce from the heat and spoon into a blender.  Blend until the sauce is smooth and return the sauce to a clean pan.

4.  Cook the pasta. Bring a pot of water to boiling over high heat.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, which should take about ten minutes.

5.  Finish the dish.  Once the pasta is finished, drain the pasta and add the pasta to the pan with the saffron sauce.  Mix gently until the sauce covers the pasta.  Then add the crab and cheese, continuing to mix until the crab and cheese are distributed throughout the pasta.  Cook on medium heat until the crab is warmed through and the cheese begins to melt, which should take anywhere from three to five minutes. Serve immediately.

And, finally, a good friend of mine recently tried this recipe and offered some great suggestions.  She increased the amount of mozzarella to one pound, shredding half to mix wtih the pasta and using the remaining half to put on top with some parmesan cheese.  She then baked the ziti for fifteen minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  I definitely intend to try these suggestions when I make this recipe again.  Until next time, ...

ENJOY!

Southern Tier Brewing Company Imperial Pumking

Every fall, the pumpkin ales emerge.  According to the Oxford Companion to Beer (at pages 680-681), which was edited by Brooklyn Brewing's Garrett Oliver, the pumpkin ale is "an American original" that English colonists invented in the 18th century.  The Oxford Companion to Beer also notes that "[t]he brewing methods for pumpkin ale are about as varied as the breweries that are making it."  I've learned this first hand after having recently tried and reviewed a couple of pumpkin beers, namely Uinta Brewing's Punk'n Ale and Elysian Brewing's Night Owl. 

Perhaps the "king" of the pumpkin beers would be an "imperial" pumpkin ale, such as Southern Tier's Pumking.  The brewer says that the beer is an "ode" to Púca (which is Irish for "goblin"), a feared creature of Celtic folklore.  According to legends in Ireland, Western Scotland and Wales, the púca could take the form of any animal, including a horse, mule, or even a rabbit.  The púca would entice travelers to get on its back.  This was a trick, for the púca would take the travelers off-course by giving them with rides that they would never forget.  The journey was said to change the lives of the hijacked travelers. 

Southern Tier's Pumking is perhaps the craft beer movement's version of a púca.  When reading the list of ingredients, one expects a typical pumpkin ale.  The beer is brewed with 2 row pale malt, caramel malt, and pureed pumpkin.   The brewer also uses magnum hops in the kettle and sterling hops for aroma.  All of these ingredients are fairly typical for a pumpkin ale. 

However, both the aromatic and taste elements of the beer take the drinker for an unexpected ride.  The beer pours a bright orange color, which is more vibrant than other pumpkin beers.  The vibrant color is complemented by the vivid aromas of this ale.  The principal elements are the range of pumpkin pie spices.  In fact, the beer smells like a piece of pumpkin pie, with allspice, cloves and cinnamon.  As for the taste of the beer, it actually tastes like pumpkin cheesecake up front, with some of the caramel and 2-row malts, along with the magnum and sterling hops becoming more apparent in the finish of the beer.

The Imperial Pumking has an ABV of 8.6%, which is not as high as imperial versions of other beers, such as an India pale ale or a stout.  This beer is available at beer stores with a wide selection of craft beers, like Gilly's in Rockville, MD.

ENJOY!

Chef Bolek's Catfish Stew

Recently, I had the urge to make a Creole dish.  I ran through the options in my head ... étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo.  I stood in front of the seafood counter, phone in hand and googling creole recipes.  Ultimately, I decided to do a catfish stew.  The other recipes remained in the back of the mind.  I decided that I would borrow from recipes like étouffée and gumbo by starting the stew with a roux. 

The catfish stew incorporates vegetables such as onions, okra, corn, bell peppers, and celery.  The spices include mustard, oregano, thyme and cayenne pepper.  After all is mixed well, I added some crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock.  The combination of the roux, crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock gave this dish a deep, earthy color that actually looks really good.  Although I consulted a recipe before designing this dish, the end product departed substantially from the recipe.

Overall, I think this recipe worked out very well.  The texture of the catfish worked well in the thick, herb-spiked tomato sauce.  The recipe still needs a little refinement and tweaking, but it is definitely a good start at a catfish stew.

CHEF BOLEK'S CATFISH STEW

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup flour
1 pound of catfish, cut into even sized pieces
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1/2 onion
1 cup okra, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon of ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoons of dried thyme
1 teaspoons of Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of wine
1 and 1/2 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 can of crushed tomatoes

Directions:

1.  Make the roux.  Make a roux by heating the canola oil in a large cast iron or heavy bottomed pot over high heat.  Whisk the flour into the hot oil.  It will immediately begin to sizzle.  Reduce the heat to moderate and continue whisking until the roux takes on a deep brown color, about five to seven minutes. 

2.  Saute the onions.  Add the onions and continue to stir with a wooden spoon, incorporating the onions into the roux.  Reduce the heat and continue to stir for another five to seven minutes, until the roux is a rich dark brown.

3.  Add the vegetables.  Add the celery, bell peppers, garlic, and okra.  Increase the heat to moderate and continue to cook and stir for a couple of minutes.

4.  Add spices, tomatoes and liquid.  Add the mustard, thyme and oregano.  Add the white wine and continue to cook until the wine is mostly evaporated.  At that point, add the stock and the tomatoes.  Simmer for a few minutes and add the corn.  Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper. 

5.  Add the fish.  Add the catfish and continue to simmer, which should take no more than five minutes.

6.  Plate the dish.  Spoon some of the catfish, vegetables and broth over rice.

ENJOY!

Marchesi Antinori Villa Antinori (2007)

Twenty six generations stand behind Marchesi Antinori, a well established winemaker in Italy.  The family has lived in Florence, Tuscany since the 13th century and has been producing wine in Tuscany since the 16th century.  For more than five hundred years, the Antinori family has grown to a winery that has six estates throughout Tuscany and produces a wide range of red and white wines.

One of those wines is the Villa Antinori.  According to the winemaker, the Villa Antinori was first produced in 1928, when Marquis Niccolo Antinori sought to produce a Chianti wine that could age well over time.  The Villa Antinori was produced originally as a Chianti Classico, which meant that all of the grapes had to come from a specifically delinated region of the Chianti valley.  The winemaker eventually transformed the Villa Antinori into an IGT, which permits Antinori to use grapes from any of its estates in Tuscany.

 

Walking toward Badia a Passignano

The Villa Antinori has a special meaning for me.  A little more than five years ago, I was walking toward Badia a Passignano, a small abbey in the Chianti region.  Badia a Passignano is an abbey that dates back to 890 A.D.  For centuries, it was the residence of Benedictine monks.  I can still picture myself, standing outside a large door of the abbey, waiting to walk into the cellars where, today, Antinori houses its wines for aging.  As we walked through rather dark rooms, with barrels stacked on top of each other, I was amazed by the fact that I was walking in a building that had been around for more than 1,200 years.

Can you find the "Pope chute"?

Every aspect of Badia a Passignano was amazing.  The lighting for the cellars consisted of lights placed in what are commonly referred to as "Pope chutes."  These were concealed holes in the upper floor where the monks would drop down into the cellar and blockade themselves when the abbey was attacked.

Today, the only thing barricaded in the cellar are the barrels of wine.  Lots of barrels.  Filled with some amazing wine.  After a tour of the abbey, we went to the estate where Antinori hosts groups for wine dinners.  We had an amazing dinner paired with four different Antinori wines, including the Villa Antinori.

As an IGT, the Villa Antinori is a blend.  The approximate percentages are 55% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Syrah.  Winemakers have worked blends like the Villa Antinori well, labeling them as "Super Tuscans."  This label refers to any red wine that does not adhere to the requirements of a DOC or DOCG, such as Chianti Classico or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. 

The Villa Antinori pours a dark crimson or ruby red in color. For a 2007 vintage, the wine has a nice ring along the edges that properly shows its age.  The aromatic elements of this wine are mix of dark cherry and blueberry, with a little earth and spice.  For me, Sangiovese wines showcase the dark cherry aromas extremely well.  Indeed, Sangiovese wines, like true Chianti wines, are the perfect expression of dark cherry.  The flavors of this wine are definitely dark cherry, with blueberry in the background and earth on the finish.

I have seen the Villa Antinori at a lot of wine stores and grocery stores.  It sells for about $20 to $22 a bottle.

ENJOY!