Tag Archives: Nero d’Avola

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LAMURA Rosso Terre Siciliane

Cost: Average price $6.99

Where buy now: Stinson Wines & Spirits

Grapes: 100% Nero d’Avola

Region: Sicily, Italy

Vintage: 2013

LAMURA Rosso Terre Siciliane
LAMURA Rosso Terre Siciliane

I’ve been sick all week and with that sickness comes an air of selfishness. You could blame my mom for being the most nurturing of matriarchs. You could blame my birth order and the entitlement I feel as a first child. You could blame an unconditionally loving husband who strives to make me happy. However, it all truly comes down to this fact, I choose to be a big baby.

 

Zinc lozenges, Generic Dimetapp and nasal spray had my tastebuds all bug-a-boo. I couldn’t taste. My diet consisted of Northern Minnesotan fare: bland, white food. Saltines and chicken noodle soup. I was sad. No wine. No bubbles. No happiness. I consumed Xanax as a way to achieve a wine buzz I so desperately craved.

 

As the fog slowly lifted, my tastebuds began returning to a normal state. What does any Italian gal do after a diet of bland food? Turn to pizza and pasta. Gimme spice, gimme garlic, gimme pizzazz. To test the tastebud waters, I didn’t want to blow it on some expensive (ie: $15) bottle of wine. Last week I picked up some cheapy bottles (as if I subconsciously knew) for such an occasion.

 

I picked up Lamura Rosso Terre Siciliane. This one rang up at a whopping $6.99.

 

“What the fuck am I doing? I’m being cheap. No, I’m being adventurous AND it says Natura Sicilia. Go organic!” I told myself.

Scene from The Savvy Lush research and recovery operation.
Scene from The Savvy Lush research and recovery operation.

 

So, here I sit. In bed. Dog at my feet. Crappy daytime T.V. on the boob-tube. Me, a pizza and a glass of red wine. It’s fucking awesome. I’m back, baby. Lamura Rosso Terre Siciliane wine is light on the lips. There’s enough cherry-berry fruit to taste, without being jammy and it’s not overly dry or tannic. It’s soft, gentle and thin on the palate. Perfect for this recovering (addict) sick gal.

 

It’s all working. You can blame my inability to taste fully. You can blame my laziness that is a frozen pizza. You can blame my day-drinking. However, it all truly comes down to the fact that I deserve these just rewards.

 

Skank wine of the week – one deserving of my selfishness recovery.

Red Wine of the Week | Red Wine Reviews

Poggio Anima Asmodeus Nero d’Avola

Cost: Average price $15

Where buy now: Sorella Wines, Zipp’s Liquors (both have sale price of $12.47)

Grapes: Nero d’Avola

Region: Sicily, Italy

Vintage: 2010

Poggio Anima Asmodeus Nero d’Avola

I’ve fallen in love with an Italian (again).

The winemakers at Poggio Anima are hitting the market with some new wines. I jumped at the chance to try them since I love, love, love their Sangiovese http://bit.ly/OIm8wx/Poggio Anima Belial Plus, they’re on sale! I heart Nero d’Avola, and I couldn’t wait to crack this bottle open. Attention Syrah drinkers: drink Nero d’Avola, thank me later [repeat].

OK, can we talk about the name of this wine and the artwork on the bottle, already?

Asmodeus is the Demon of Lust as known in the ancient Hebrew Book of Tobias. From Vine Street Imports’ website:

“It is said that when Cain killed Abel, Adam and Eve separated for 130 years. During this time, Adam was tempted by Naamah and Lillith, two demons of prostitution. Asmodeus is the offspring of the relationship between Naamah and Adam.”

The winemakers thought this made for a great description of Nero d’Avola, a rich and opulent wine. I adore the label graphics- so simple and vivid, yet uniquely pleasing. (PS- this also makes it easier to pick out of a line up!) It reminds me of a unicorn, perhaps with more of a “bloodlusty” vibe.

The wine is perfect pizza/pasta wine. It’s ruby colored with fragrances of cherries, plum and blueberry. This is a universally gratifying wine. It’s well balanced with red fruit, spice and soft tannins. It’s drinkable, it’s lapable (yes, I made up that word after watching my dog lap up her water) and it’s dangerous. I say that because not only am I going to return to buy a case of this divine juice, but also, I just don’t see it lasting long in my house. Not because I’m having a party; or, at least, not one outside of my mouth.

Red Wine of the Week | Red Wine Reviews

Archeo Nero d’Avola

Cost: Average price $5

Where buy now: Trader Joe’s for $4.99

Grapes: Nero d’Avola

Region: Sicily, Italy

Vintage: 2010

Archeo Nero d’Avola

Archeo Nero d’Avola “Neh-roe DAH-voe-lah” by Ruggero di Tasso is a delightful wine that hails from Sicily. Like the dark-black grapes this wine is named after, they have been blasted by the Southern Mediterranean heat providing the wine with a deep, rich crimson hue. It is a fuller bodied wine with lots of juicy flavor. It tastes of black cherry, raspberry and a teensy-bit of sweet baking spices and chocolate to round it out. The tannins are mild as was the acidity.

I know lots of folks love Cabernet, Syrah and Zinfandel, but dammit, give Nero d’Avola a chance!

As it’s a milder Nero d’Avola, this is the one I’d strongly suggest for the uninitiated. Also, it can hang with all three of those varietals, and I bet you’ll find as good [if not better] a bottle for much less dough. I love me some Cab and steak, so, substitute the Cab with Nero d’Avola, and that’s exactly how I enjoyed a home grilled porterhouse the other night.

Dining al fresco

Great thing is, this wine pairs well with grilled meats, but would also go really well with your Tuesday night frozen pizza.

If you’re already making the sojourn to Trader Joe’s (which, if you live near the St. Louis Park location, pack a lunch) to pick up the “Skank Wine of the Month” Primitivo, then grab a bottle of this Archeo Nero d’Avola. Make sure you get the Archeo priced at $4.99, not the Epicuro priced at $5.99! I just don’t care for the taste of the $6 Epicuro Nero d’Avola nearly as much as the $5 Archeo. I just asked a friend to pick up a few more bottles for me because, while my recent vacation was fun, MAN did it kill my vino budget! It’s simply not an option to run short on great, staple wines, now, is it?