Wines of the week | Stock up before Valentine’s Day

This week, we see everything red. First, two wines which are the perfect example of the savory character of Italian wines: very dry, which combine ripe fruit with noble vegetal, giving them complexity, but above all that digestible character which makes them excellent companions for Table. And a more fleshy Spanish red, soaked in the Mediterranean sun.

Veronique Rivest
Sommelier, guest collaborator

Delicious, refreshing, authentic and very Italian

I’ve always enjoyed this wine, but the 2020 is particularly delicious. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine, and the best ones are dry, with the savory character of fine Italian wines. This Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano 2020 first stands out with its deep color, an intense mauve. The nose is very aromatic, with a bright fruitiness, notes of raspberry liqueur, blackcurrant. On the palate, it is super dry and invigoratingly fresh. Light, on the other hand, it shows resistance, with fine bubbles and light tannins that bring relief. Super aperitif for red wine lovers, it will also be delicious at the table: charcuterie, pizza, pasta (tomatoes, green vegetables, sausage), parmesan and other hard cheeses.

Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano 2020, $19.95 (733261), 11.5%, organic

Laying down: to drink

Warm, but very well balanced

A blend of equal parts Grenache and Tempranillo, this Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja 2019 comes from the eastern part of Rioja: further from the Atlantic and its moderating influence. Here, the climate is resolutely Mediterranean, hence the presence of more Grenache than elsewhere in the region. And it feels! The wine is bursting with aromas of ripe fruit, cherry, red apple, raspberry, with also notes of spices, garrigue, anise, and a hint of leather. Rich and round on the palate, but not heavy — despite the high alcohol content — and full of freshness. Light tannins bring grain to the texture and delicate citrus notes accentuate this fresh impression. To accompany winter dishes: stews and braised meats, chops or leg of lamb, even couscous with merguez.

Palacios Remondo La Vendimia Rioja 2019, $18.85 (10360317), 14.5%

Aging: 1 or 2 years

Exactly what you expect from a Chianti

Here is another wine that I find particularly consistent, like most wines from this house. The 2020 Carpineta Fontalpino Colli Senesi Chianti is still authentic and good value. Fairly pale in color, it opens on a nose with notes of Morello cherry and cranberry, fresh and dried, cedar, undergrowth. Very dry, it shows a nice substance on the palate and this appetizing combination of ripe fruit and more vegetal, more earthy notes. Medium-bodied and very fresh, with moderate tannins and appreciable length, it is ideal for the table: osso buco, eggplant parmigiana, sausage pasta or simple grilled meat or vegetables, with lots of herbs.

Carpineta Fontalpino Colli Senesi Chianti 2020, $22.55 (10854085), 14%, organic

Aging: 3 or 4 years