Italian Wines from Zonin
The folks at Zonin shared several selections of their
collection with me and I recently took a white and a red for a test drive. On its
own the red paired best with the simple pasta & sauce I was eating, but
overall both wines performed acceptably the night I opened them.
The Rocca di MonteMassi Le Focaie Maremma Toscana 2012 is a
bright, assertively tart red wine that is would be best when paired with light
Italian fare or even a cheese plate. The acidity is cleansing keeping the wine
focused and sharp. With cheese the wine expressed savory herbal notes that were
quite pleasing.
The Principi di Butera Insolia Sicilia 2011 is a straightforward
dry, white wine with a slight salinity to it. This wine was not a match for red
sauce, trending better with cheese. The salinity might make this a good match
with shellfish, which I did not try.
Peconic Bay Hard Cider
I've haven't met (yet) the people at Peconic Bay Winery and
Empire State Cellars, but I do know that they are doing a fantastic job
representing and promoting wines made in New York State. During a chat with James
Silver, General Manager at Peconic Bay Winery, he asked if I was interested in
cider. Those were words I have heard before, and thankfully I have always said
yes! As a result I was lucky enough try the two styles of Long Island hard cider Peconic
Bay Winery is currently producing. Cider
doesn't resonate with everyone and one of the revelations I have had about what
makes a cider more likely to please is that the clarity matters. In this case
clarity is both visual and on the palate; a finesse if you will.
Both of the Peconic Bay ciders have that finesse. The True
Companion was the first one I tried and it immediately reminded of another
cider made in a similar style that I've
really enjoyed, The Saint by Crispin Cider. True Companion is made with a five
apple blend and also has orange zest, ginger and molasses added. The cider
pours an amber color and comes off spicy and sweet making for a killer drink on
its own. Paired with cheese this cider owned the tasting. Like The Saint from
Crispin, this cider is fruity, spicy, a bit yeasty with a sweet finish. This
complexity when it is well polished makes for exceptional drinking.
True Believer is a drier cider made with the same apple
blend as True Companion minus the spice/sugar additions. This cider is lighter
in color with a much more apple focused nose. True Believer's asset is how
smooth it is. Tart apple is all over the place, there is a stripe of acidity,
but the finish is just a hint sweet and round. This cider tastes more like an
heirloom or cider-type apple drink more than the dessert apple blend it is made
from might suggest. A very nice surprise.
Both ciders would be good on their own, with cheeses &
snacks or with white meat-based main dishes.
Cheers!
Jason
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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