Marc Bona, cleveland.com
$25 red-wine bottles: Holiday gift guide 2019
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Each month we post a wine-review column of bottles that cost less than $25. This week we will be running a pair of wine guides. Today we cover $25 bottles of red wine. This week we also will post our annual 'On the tens' guide to wines starting above $25. All the wines are ones our tasting panel sipped this year, and all should be available in Northeast Ohio retail distribution (though some vintages might change out.) We'll show labels to help if you peruse store shelves. The $25 bottles cover five vintages and five countries. Cheers!
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2013 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico
Italy: This was still drinking well with more fruit than you would expect from the varietal and a spicy kick on the finish.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2015 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage
France: A Syrah with notes of blackberry and a dry finish and drinks like it is made for an expansive variety of food.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2014 Quinta de Roriz Post Scriptum
Portugal: This red blend has a pleasing nutmeg-cinnamon-baking spice aroma and soft cherries and fresh blackberry on the palate. Nominal tannins emerge on the end to make a nice food wine.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2016 Four Virtues Bourbon barrel-aged Zinfandel
California: Blackberry jam up front, notes of campfire smoke, Sherry-Port flavor on the finish and, while it is barrel-aged, there is no mistaking this is a Zin. It's also fairly restrained in its Bourbon flavor; some Bourbon barrel-aged wines are way over the top in terms of tasting more like a mixed drink soaked in oak.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2016 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon
California: This is packed with notes of blueberry and blackberry, has a lot of tannins but remains smooth with a long finish, and is perfect with assorted meat dishes.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
Landmark Vineyards Pinot Noir
California: We tried several variations here; all are well-rounded Pinot Noir with a lot going on. The 2016 Russian River Valley Hop Kiln Estate has a stronger nose, with rich, deep blackberry, black cherry and chocolate notes, while the 2017 Overlook, which needed a bit of time to open, has perfume and jasmine on the nose and is more acidic, with tart cherry. The 2016 Overlook has cola and cocoa and is a bit deeper than its younger sibling.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2016 Colome Estate Malbec
Argentina: Some blackberry, but it is not vegetal or peppery on the palate, and tastes more like Merlot; it's a wine we enjoyed stand-alone but it was overwhelmed by Old Bay seasoning. Our lesson learned.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2016 The Federalist Bourbon barrel aged Zinfandel
California: Notes of fresh strawberry, ripe cherry and vanilla, but the Bourbon is faint at best. A meaty wine to sink your teeth into.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2017 Sonoma-Cutrer Rosé
California: This Rosé - from the Russian River Valley and made from Pinot Noir grapes - has notes of candied apple and some strawberry with a dry finish. We couldn’t leave Rosé off our list, and for several years it's been all the rage. Dry Rosés are usually inexpensive and a good value.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2016 Two Range
California: This blend from the always stellar Rutherford Ranch has coffee notes and blueberry, with balanced tannins, but our tasting panel all guessed Zinfandel as predominant grape in the blend (we were wrong; it's Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot and others.)
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2015 Outlot Cabernet Sauvignon
California: A tasty though light-bodied wine for its varietal, this has tart cherry, very soft tannins and subtle oak on the finish.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2017 Four Virtues Pinot Noir
California: This wine from Monterey County has milk chocolate, candied/cordial cherry, red licorice and a healthy dose of oak that stays on the palate but doesn’t overwhelm the flavors.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2017 Scott Pinot Noir
California: From the Arroyo Seco/Monterey area south of San Francisco, this has smooth cola notes, spice and nominal cherry - a nice change of pace from many California Pinots that can be cherry bombs.
Marc Bona, cleveland.com
2014 Jason Stephens Cabernet Sauvignon
California: We were wow'd by this one, with its fresh cherries, a bit of cedar and extremely long finish. The wine works equally as a great stand-alone sipper to savor or to be served with steak. Phenomenal value, and by far our favorite of the bunch.
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