Petite Petit 11'

Naked Wine Review 147

Wine: Petite Petit

Grapes: 85% Petite Sirah, 15% Petit Verdot

Producer: Michael David Winery

Vintage: 11'

Region: California>Lodi Appellation 

Price:13.00

Date tasted: 6/25/14

Place tasted: I'm not sure, it was really dark there and it smelled like burnt toast. I was being held captive... again. I was very pleased when they finally brought me this bottle of wine to drink. Approaching like ghosts they came, hollow, darning hooded black capes. They had pointy metal spikes that sprouted from lumpy green brows, and a pungent black perspiration oozed like crude oil from their pours (I could swear I saw Bill Gates among them). Anyway, as I sipped my wine and planned a miraculous escape from the belly of the great beast I wondered quietly to myself... 'Where in the hell is the cavalry?'... Well?

Served with: Roasted Carrots & Shallots with Oil-Cured Olives & Gremolata. It's a robust spicy wine so go ahead and pair it with robust spicy foods, herby pasta/vegetable dishes, grilled red meats, lamb, venison, strong hearty cheeses, dark chocolate delights and things of that nature.

Appearance: Inky black purple with an opaque onyx glow.

On the snoot: Blueberry & leather combine in a powerful punch to the snoot. Nice. 

Taste: Big! A meaty and stunning Xena Warrior Princess. Bold black fruit and peppercorn ride on floods of soft polished tannins. Old leather, cocoa, and earthy undertones fill out the complexity of her character and linger through a long delightfully dry finish. 

Balance: She sports the body of a naked Amazon with slow bulbous legs flowing in waves, one after the other. Comes out of the bottle pretty hot but softens nicely as she breathes. Well balanced sugars and acids, with masses of soft cushy tannins.

Comments: You may taste vanilla and not cocoa as my palate seems to consistently confuse the two. Still, I taste cocoa, so I say cocoa. The winemaker says vanilla. Either way, it's a very tasty bold and exciting wine drinking experience well worth having. I quite enjoyed it. If you like a bold red with lots of tannin, you'll quite enjoy it as well.

Rating: 3.7 tipsy's

Ciconia Vinho Regional Alentejano 11'

Naked Wine Review 146

Wine: Ciconia 

Grapes: Aragonez 60%, Syrah 30%,Touriga Nacional 10%

Producer: Casa Agricola Alexandre Relvas

Vintage: 11'

Region: Portugal>Vinho Regional Alentejano

Price: 9.00

Date tasted: 6/12/14

Place tasted: I was inside a glass jar with holes in the lid so I could breathe wondering why they put me in here? At least they gave me a stick to climb on. At one point a large reptile eyed creature gazed in at me through the wavy glass. His eyes looked like sterling pie plates with crimped edges, lashless and cold. Pinched between those large fingers was a bottle of wine. I scurried into the corner as he lifted the jar, unscrewed the lid and gently placed the bottle along with a wine glass into my tiny controlled environment. He then placed my jar on a window sill so I could see the world outside. As I sat on my stick drinking that wine I swore to the love of all who are free that I would find my way out...  and one day, I will. 

Served with: This is a very food friendly wine and would be good with herby red pasta dishes, grilled meats, lamb, spicy vegetable creations, and a variety of cheeses. It was perfect with Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup).  

Appearance: A clear radiant ruby with purple edges in the light. 

On the snoot: Like strolling through a fruited bramble patch with the scent of vanilla and soft wood riding on a gentle breeze.

Taste: A bowl of fresh blackberries and full round jammy flavors with soft vanilla and oak blended in. Polished linear tannins and a sound structure give support to follow through a medium length bold juicy finish. 

Balance: Medium body with minimal sugar, soft acids, well integrated tannins and a good punch of alcohol. Let breathe just a little before drinking.

Comments: The blend of Tempranillo (Aragonez) with Syrah and the unique bit of Touriga Nacional is just perfect. A good wine to have around for any occasion or no occasion at all. It's a feel good wine and I plan on consuming more of it in the near future.

A toast to the joyous celebration of Festa de sao Joao do Porto and to Portugal in general. 
Wine, not unlike music, is a wonderful way to appreciate the finer points of many cultures, lands, and people. To world peace, cultivated in wine and song. 

Saude!


Rating: 3.8 tipsys, excellent value