Tusk N Red
You gotta love the name Tusk N Red, so called because its kinda 00's funky but also because its a Californian wine with a touch of Sangiovese. Tusk N Red is from Mendocino county, north of Sonoma, and has a bevvy of grapes in the blend including Zinfandel, Syrah, Petit Syrah, Carignane and Sangiovese. Check out the video below to see how Tusk N Red fared against a real Tuscan Red, the Fattoria il Pupille Morellino di Scansano.
Not really a fair fight as Fattoria il Pupille is a top class producer of Morellino di Scansano. Neither of these wines were bad for the price though the MdS is clearly the better made, better structured wine with the Tusk N Red being a very quaffable, fun, easy drinking effort and, actually doing a fairly good job in aping a Tuscan red.
Mendocino Wine Co. Tusk N Red 2004 - BORDERLINE - £9
A light purple colour in the glass with a forward nose of dark cherries, plums, chocolate and herbs. A soft supple palate with high acidity and low tannins, a food wine of medium body that is easy drinking and enjoyable but not special. Borderline Buy/Pass. 86 Points
Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano 2006 - BUY - £12
A dark red/light purple in the glass with typical notes of cherry with blackberry, plum and earthy notes playing back up. On the palate the wine carries good fruit through to a mid length finish on a well structured wine that could probably do with some time out of the bottle. Chewy tannins, but a rounded wine and a good priced example of MdS. 90 Points
Where can I buy this Wine? (MdS)
Americans - Fame Wines - $11 (half) or PlanetofWine - $17
Europeans - Enoteca Italia - €7.50
Brits - Classic Wine - £12
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Any opinions on either of these wines or Morellino di Scansano welcome. Favourite fake accent ever? Daphne from Frasier? Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins? I gotta come close!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Casa Catelli
Casa Catelli> Casa Catelli Vlog #1
Casa Catelli are a producer specialising in southern Italian wines. Casa Catelli have vineyards throughout the south and produce fair priced, youthful, entry level Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Nero d'Avola and Aglianico wines.
So here it is. After 18 months of threatening to produce the Vlogs here is the very first one, no expense spared direct from my kitchen. No famous producers, nothing from the Piedmont and not even wines from the Cellar Door, I thought I'd start the Vlog with something new and affordable and both these wines turned out to be decent value for money and the Primitivo; actually rather good. If you ignore the sunlight streaming into my eyes and the cars beeping their horns outside you'd almost believe we were in BBC television centre and not one of the busiest roads in Wimbledon - home to the tennis, the wombles and me.
Casa Catelli Primitivo 2004 - BUY - £9
A dark and intense ruby red in the glass the wine is big on aromatics producing a knock out nose of plum jam, strawberries, spices and a floral note. On the palate the wine has good structure easily holding its 14% alcohol, is mid bodied with good fruit continuing throughout. The finish is of a good length, a very complete wine but an atypical example of the variety. 88 Points
Casa Catelli Nero d'Avola 2005 - PASS - £8
Vibrant ruby red colour with an interesting strawberry custard note on the nose. Mid bodied wine with a smooth and fruity initial attack, on the mid palate a bitter licorice note appears that continues through to the finish which is watery and uninspired. Not an unpleasant tasting wine, easy drinking and interesting but not a quality Nero d'Avola. Better examples out there for £8. 85 Points
Where can I buy this wine?
Only available at Everywine.com
Leave a Comment?
What are you drinking out of southern Italy? How am I going to get the scratches out of my table from the aggressive swirling?
Casa Catelli are a producer specialising in southern Italian wines. Casa Catelli have vineyards throughout the south and produce fair priced, youthful, entry level Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Nero d'Avola and Aglianico wines.
So here it is. After 18 months of threatening to produce the Vlogs here is the very first one, no expense spared direct from my kitchen. No famous producers, nothing from the Piedmont and not even wines from the Cellar Door, I thought I'd start the Vlog with something new and affordable and both these wines turned out to be decent value for money and the Primitivo; actually rather good. If you ignore the sunlight streaming into my eyes and the cars beeping their horns outside you'd almost believe we were in BBC television centre and not one of the busiest roads in Wimbledon - home to the tennis, the wombles and me.
Casa Catelli Primitivo 2004 - BUY - £9
A dark and intense ruby red in the glass the wine is big on aromatics producing a knock out nose of plum jam, strawberries, spices and a floral note. On the palate the wine has good structure easily holding its 14% alcohol, is mid bodied with good fruit continuing throughout. The finish is of a good length, a very complete wine but an atypical example of the variety. 88 Points
Casa Catelli Nero d'Avola 2005 - PASS - £8
Vibrant ruby red colour with an interesting strawberry custard note on the nose. Mid bodied wine with a smooth and fruity initial attack, on the mid palate a bitter licorice note appears that continues through to the finish which is watery and uninspired. Not an unpleasant tasting wine, easy drinking and interesting but not a quality Nero d'Avola. Better examples out there for £8. 85 Points
Where can I buy this wine?
Only available at Everywine.com
Leave a Comment?
What are you drinking out of southern Italy? How am I going to get the scratches out of my table from the aggressive swirling?
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