Tasting panel’s picks include Texas red, Spanish rosé
PICK OF THE WEEK
2015 Duchman Family Vineyards Montepulciano Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value)
Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with five scores of 9 or higher. “Round, soft and charming. Merlotlike but with a peppery finish.” My score: 9. “Great New World expression of this rustic Italian grape.” Varietal/blend: 100 percent Montepulciano Alcohol: 14.5 percent
Winery/vineyards/winemaking: Winemaker Dave Reilly, a Houston native, gets his fruit from the Oswald Vineyard near Brownfield — which hardly resembles the Abruzzo, that wild mountainous countryside east of Rome abutting the Adriatic Sea, where the most famous montepulciano wines come from. But the varietal clearly loves the Texas High Plains terroir. Winemaker notes: “Aromas of ripe plum, pipe tobacco and vanilla. Rich flavors of blackberry, black cherry and a hint of spice. The balanced acidity of this wine pairs nicely with savory dishes.”
Pairings: Spicy lamb dishes. Spaghetti Bolognese.
Price: $20.29 at Spec’s
DRINK PINK
2017 Baron de Ley Rioja Rosé Overall score: 19 (9 for quality, 10 for value) Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with five scores of at least 9. “Big floral bouquet. Chewy, fresh, dry finish.” My score: 8.9. “White peach, cranberry and melon flavors evolve in the glass.”
Varietal/blend/winery: It’s a blend of tempranillo and garnacha from Baron de Ley’s Mendavia Vineyard in Navarre in far northern Spain. The winery is headquartered in the spectacular Monastery of Imas, originally built as a fortress in the mid-16th century. Alcohol: 13.9 percent
Winemaker notes: “Bright cherry-pink color with violet hues. A fragrant nose in which red-berry fruit, especially raspberries and strawberries, come to the fore. On the palate the wine is round and full of flavor with a fresh, fruity finish.”
Price: $11.99 at Houston Wine Merchant
DOUBLE GOLD
Nearly 140 wines in this year’s Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo International Wine Competition earned double-gold status, signifying that every judge on the tasting panel deemed them worthy of a gold medal. We’ll be featuring one bi-weekly for the rest of the year. 2015 Alexander Valley Vineyards Estate Cabernet Franc Reserve Class Champion (Cab franc $18-$30) Winery/vineyards/winemaker: California wines made from only cab franc are rare, but Alexander’s high-quality fruit — also used for blending in the winery’s flagship wine, Cyrus — makes this one worth noting. Winemaker Kevin Hall fermented the juice in small tanks, resulting in good extraction and concentrated flavors. It was aged in French oak barrels, 30 percent new, for 16 months. Alcohol: 14 percent
Winemaker notes: “Dark purple wine with aromas of dark fruits, blueberry, chocolate, vanilla and a slight floral quality. Flavors of plum, black cherry, vanilla, blueberry and cassis. A rich, lush wine with a nice balance and a textured, structured finish.”
Price: $24.99 at Spec’s