Pio Pinot Noir (Red Wine – NV)

Jul 27 2009

Pio Pinot Noir – Invoking a Passion

All I wanted was a nice glass of wine when I finally arrived in Philadelphia. The Pio Pinot Noir delivered exactly that. Its scent foreshadowed a tart first note, and I wasn’t deceived. As the first drops hit my tongue, the tartness brought back memories of cherries and berries. The sip ended with a smooth finish without many tannins. The bright, deep red looked darker late at night than I expect it would during the day.

I formed an initial impression of a strangely light Pinot Noir, strange because I expected something a bit heavier, with more body. As I sipped my glass of wine, hints of coffee said hello. As I continued to sip, the coffee notes further developed and balanced out the tartness.

For someone who loves her coffee, a wine like this pleases the palate. Now all I need to find is a coffee with hints of wine.

An drank the Pio Pinot Noir from Italy ($6.00/glass) at Vintage, blocks from Philadelphia’s City Hall. She paired the Pinot Noir with gorgonzola and fig bruschetta on toasted baguette, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and slivered walnuts.

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Pio Pinot Noir a 3.5 of 5.

Banfi Centine (Super Tuscan)

Jul 22 2009

This week I’m taking you to Italy*, where I had a Banfi Centine (Super Tuscan). This red blend consists of a 25% Merlot, 25% Cabernet and 50% Sangiovese. This deep, dark red blend opened up with a sharp scent and the proximity to my nostrils resulted from a very full pour. The first notes included spice that developed into berry. The clean, tangy finish surprised me, as this blend had a medium body that set an expectation of an earthier finish.

The Merlot blends well with the Cabernet, balancing a level of sweet with a level of spicy. Add the Sangiovese and the depth of fruit and spice attempted to distract my tastebuds throughout the meal. As the volume of the wine decreased in my glass, so did my ability to evaluate it further.

An drank the Banfi Centine (Super Tuscan) ($9.00/glass) at Sorriso in Washington, D.C. She paired the wine with Pizza Prosciutto. She decided to take it easy this time around, especially since she went a bit crazy on the food last time around.

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Banfi Centine (Super Tuscan) a 2.5 of 5.

*I didn’t actually go to Italy. I went to a family run Italian restaurant in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington D.C. The waitress selected the wine for me. I recommend selecting your own wine.