Wine samples arrive in different forms. Sometimes it's all one producer, sometimes it's based around a single grape or region, and other times there's a group of unrelated wines that are promoted by the same public relations company or importer. Instead of splitting these out, I decided to keep this trio together. The general theme for this group is Easter: two sparklers for brunch, and a serious red for that roast lamb dinner. And something about saying "Moscato Cava Rioja" reminds me of Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which is a bit appropriate since the Cava does in fact come from right next to Barcelona.
2010 Caposaldo MoscatoProvincia di Pavia IGT
100% Moscato Bianco
$14, 7% abv.
Initial aroma of peach and honey. The wine is fairly sweet, with peach flavors with a little bit of tartness. Light fizz and a very low alcohol content. This style of wine has become pretty popular with those who want their wine sweet and not too strong. I've always loved it with cheese and fruit as a dessert course, but there's no reason why it wouldn't work well for your brunch guests that want something fun with their eggs, ham, waffles, and other goodies.
NV Poema Cava BrutPenedès, Spain
40% Macabeo, 40% Xarel-lo, 20% Parellada
$12, 11.5% abv.
Clean and crisp with lemony acidity. Big bubbles and a slightly yeasty aroma. I've heard from some people in the restaurant industry that this is a popular choice for an inexpensive sparkling wine that's still serious. Cavas are always great to have on hand for those occasions when you're craving some bubbly but don't want to break the bank. And they work well for mixing Mimosas and similar cocktails.
2006 Bodegas Roda Reserva
Rioja, Spain
81% Tempranillo, 14% Graciano, 5% Garnacha
$45, 14% abv.
Blueberries, blackberries, touch of jam, little cocoa and leather. The flavor is strong with dark fruit, medium tannins, and a brief, mild finish. I enjoyed this while watching the sunset on a warm spring evening, and it was a true delight. While I'm sure it would go well with all sorts of roast or grilled meats, it stood on its own as an extremely well-balanced and well-aged wine.
Note: These wines were received as samples.
3 comments:
Never had the Caposaldo- sounds lovely! Though be wary of mentioning to showy neophytes and 'ladies who lunch' that prosecco is in any way "sweet." They will insist that they like prosecco, just like ALL chardonnay, because it is so dryyyyyyyyyyy.
Mars,
The Moscato isn't listed on the Caposaldo site yet--this one is almost identical to a Moscato d'Asti without the official name. Trust me, it's safe for the folks that add some sugar packets to their Sprite. :)
My only complaint is that the cork is a little weird: a hard, dense composite cork without a cap or wire cage that resists the corkscrew.
Cheers,
Benito
RE: the "hard, dense composite cork... that resists the corkscrew."
This is for cellering purposes. The cap keeps all oxygen out and all CO2 in, for we all know that inexpensive prosecco tastes better when laid down for 25 to 65 years.
I imagine these bottles will provide the sustenance needed to nourish tired palates after the nuclear fallouts of the mid 30th century, and then they can build protective housing with these very same corks.
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