Red Wine of the Week | Red Wine Reviews

Reds and Rosés you can grab in the Twin Cities for under $15. Expect a new wine to be revealed each Thursday(ish).

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.

Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Meritage

Cost: Average price $10.99

Where buy now: Costco

Grapes: 51% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc

Region: California

Vintage: 2012

Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Meritage
Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Meritage

I was recently asked, “Lush, what’s your go-to Costco red wine around $10?” Without hesitation, I said “the Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Meritage at $10.99”, and for a couple reasons. First, it’s one of the few wines I’m able to consistently find in every Costco, so it’s very accessible. Also, it’s quite good.

 

This is a “you’re new to wine and drink Apothic Red, now try this instead” wine (hey, that rhymed!). It’s plum-cherry juicy fruit love balanced with musty/dusty soft tannins. This is a “some of my girls like it dry, while some  of them like it sweet” girl-night wine. This is a “it’ll drink real easy but first make it swirl, swirl, swirl” wine. My oh my this Kirkland Napa Valley Meritage opens up showing off a softened structure of sour cherry and balanced peppery notes. All this without being too dry on the tongue.

 

Grab two glasses, pop the bottle and throw the cork away. Laugh, cry and double fist cheeseball smeared crackers while you dish dirt and regale stories with your bestie. If you see the Kirkland Signature Oakville Merlot, I do like that a wee-bit more, but that comes with a price tag of $17.99. With the $7 savings, I’m buying me some chocolate to join that cheeseball.

Pertinace Barbera d’Alba

Cost: Average price $14.99

Where buy now: Costco

Grapes: Barbera

Region: Italy

Vintage: 2012

Pertinace Barbera d'Alba Costco
Pertinace Barbera d’Alba

But of course I kicked off 2016, with an Italian. Pertinace Barbera d’Alba is one of the more expensive wines I’ve bought at Costco ringing in at a *gasp* $14.99!

 

First whiff and taste = rip red fruit. It smelled almost sweet-like. At first this Barbera was tight on taste, begging to develop. Have patience my friends, let her get comfy and she loosens up a bit, balancing cherries, tobacco and tannins. Pertinace Barbera d’Alba is like a seductive burlesque dancer, subdued at first then exposing its talents, creating a memorable experience.

 

2016 New Year Resolution: exhibit more patience.

 

Who are we kidding? It’s to drink less wine in sweatpants.