Some Wines to Look For from Red, White and Brew

This past Saturday, Red, White and Brew was held in Providence, RI to raise funds for Trinity Repertory Company.  Wine, beer, bourbon and food provided the backdrop.  We strolled around and sampled everything, and there were some real highlights to note.  These were pleasant surprises, as most of the wines were new to us.  The same could be said of some of the brews.  We did run into a few beverages which were quite disappointing, but that always happens.  Life is about balance.

Here’s what we think you should look for:

2012 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel – from Lodi, this wine comes from 85 year old vines.  The fruit is pure and not overly ripe.  The alcohol is high at 15.8%, and it is a bit hot, but actually much less than you would think.  It’s rich and clean and very long.  We thought it was the best wine of the night, and at $22.99 it’s a great value.

2012 Hilary Goldschmidt Oakville Charming Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – from vineyards sitting right next to Opus One in Oakville, on the floor of Napa Valley, this wine provides a quality Napa Cab experience without breaking the bank.  It’s all about Cabernet, with currant and berry tones.  The fruit is pure, the finish is long and the overall experience is excellent.  $29.99.

2010 Punta Aquila Primitivo from Tenute Rubino – another example of a wine with beautifully pure fruit flavors, which seemed to be a theme for this list.  We like some Primitivo and others not so much, because it can frequently be very rustic and heavy handed.  This wine from Puglia is elegant and classy.  It’s an excellent full bodied red.  $19.99

2011 Adelsheim Pinot Noir – this Willamette Valley Pinot brings a spicy nose and beautiful cherry fruit flavors.  It’s got a long, clean finish and is an excellent Pinot Noir. $29.99

2013 Burgans Albarino –  this white from northwest Spain is made at the Martin Codax winery.  It is bright with great fruit flavors and some nice acid that keeps it in balance.  $12.99

We think any of the above will make you a a happy camper.  They’re all available at Bottles Fine Wine in East Providence.  The Zinfandel was quite a surprise, as we are not generally big fans of the grape.  And if you haven’t noticed yet, the lighting made everything look blue.  We can’t tell you what colors these labels really are!

A votre sante!

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